Appointments To Keep

Walter drove down the road following the indicators that Friday provided to their destination. He glanced across the truck, past the bags of fast-food to breifly look at Penny. (They wanted breakfast so they went to Shire Burger - "Where the Hobbits Eat" - where they got two number "One Combo to Rule Them All"s, several Bilbo Baggins Breakfast Burgers, extra Samwise fries and of course without asking the staff gave them even more lembas bread from the 'Second Breakfast menu'. Walt got a Smaug hot coffee while Penny opted for Rivendell tea).

Penny was having fun learning how to navigate Fridays functions while also taking in the scenery. She looked cute with her tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth as she was looking up information and was working on something. A list of some kind or taking notes, maybe? He was pretty sure Friday was keeping it from him. He was curious what those two were working on but it was fine. Let them keep their secrets.

"Almost there, Ladies," he said.

They pulled off into the park. The weather wasn't too bad. So a few people were actually out and about. A Wii Fit Trainer was leading a group of people and characters through some Tai Chi under the cover of a pavilion, some folks were out walking their pet characters, mostly Pokémons, a man and his elf character that Walt didn't recognize were setting up for archery practice, there was even a small number of parents and characters with their children.

There were a few people walking "Pets" as well but they were following the rules and keeping it clean. The only disturbance being a Judy Hopp's handing a **** man and a Master Roshi with some suspicious device over to a grateful PWBI officer Kara Danvers. The man and Roshi had been trying to peep and be a nuisance to the trainers class apparently. They had perfectly big welts between their eyes. Friday was explaining to Penny the "Protected" status of the park while Walter asked, "Friday who do we have assigned to this one that took down the perps?"

(("A Sniper Wolf and a Predator, Boss."))

"Immediately authorize and award a double bonus for them. That's some fine work. It looks like none of the other patrons have been disturbed in their activities."

(("Understood. I'm certain of your answer but I'll ask anyway, shall I send them over?"))

"Negative. I won't disturb their work. I'm here as a patron, not the Boss. And all the other patrons are happy as well as local LEO and what looks like a PWBI officer. Must be habitual offenders caught with illegal tech. But situations handled. That's good work. Infact make a note of it for their and their handlers next review."

(("Understood, Boss."))

"Would you like to eat inside the truck or outside, Penny?" He asked.

Penny looked out up at the sky. "I think we should enjoy the change in the weather while it lasts. I'd also like a better look at the park if only briefly."

Walt smiled. "Understood and I quite agree." He reached into the back where he probably- yup, he did. Walter pulled out a couple of old style saddle blankets and a tarp. He handed his glasses to Penny. "Give me just one minute, ladies." He exited the truck and lowered the tailgate placed the tarp and one blanket and their food. Then he helped Penny out of the truck and drapped the other blanket folded in half over her shoulders. "It's a little damp and cool out. It's nice if your exercising but it might be a touch cool for sitting idle."

Penny smiled at how thoughtful he was though it felt just fine to her. Still it was sweet that he thought so much about her. *Only my father and friends ever treated me much as a person and no ones ever treated me like Walt does* she thought. He even helped up on to the tailgate. *Like a real lady.*

They started to enjoy their meal and for fast-food it was really quite good. "This is really quite delicious!" Said Penny.

Walt nodded in agreement swallowing. "It is. The world they come from has many types of fine food but the best fare is generally the Hobbits so i like Hobbit establishments. Plus they're big eaters so I feel like less of a glutton with my high metabolism." He laughed.

Penny smiled and laughed. They ate some more as she looked around. The park seemed like a very nice place. That cute rabbit police person strolled by and smilled and waved to them and they waved back. They watched as a man walked with a pregnant Zelda and a pregnant Peach one on each arm. Happily guiding them both along and all obviously in love all of them smiling... except of course for the Link and Mario following behind each pushing a double stroller with two kids. There were even some little kids playing with their Sonic the Hedgehog characters while their parents this time a Spike Spiegel character and a lady who either had a striking resemblance to or had herself changed to resemble Julia (both original of course) watched on.

"Friday told me how you are responsible for places like this, Walt. I think that's a very wonderful thing." She said.

Walt shook his head."I can't take all the credit. I just built on ideas that people before me had. I saw a continuing problem worsening and then a way to handle it."

(("You're too modest, Boss. I told her everything about it."))

Walt still shook his head. "I'm not. Someone would have thought of something eventually I just did it first. Honestly it's a big tax break for 3S but that wasn't my intention. I just didn't want to see places like this ruined. I used... " he reached out and took one of Penny's hands. "I like sharing places like these with special people." He looked around at everyone else in the park especially the children. "I like knowing that it's safe and protected for them. Always. Not all the parks and public places out there are."

Penny smiled and squeezed his hand. "Well I think that it's wonderful, the parks and to be able to share it with you too! You're a caring person who thinks of others."

Walt actually blushed. "That means a lot coming from you Penny. It's one of the things that I like best about yourself."

They're both a little embaresd now. Blushing they go back to finishing their meal.

"You might actually like where we are going next," Walt said. "The Reintegration Corporation, or most commonly refered to as Rein Corp, Is a basically a salvage operation but what they salvage are characters."

"They Salvage characters?" Penny asked.

"They do. A lot of folks don't realize how just how important and necessary their job is but I do. Not all owners treat their characters the same. Some are down right wasteful. Rein Corp is basically in the business of recovery, retrieval and reuse or return of characters, or the four R's as I like to call it."

"Many owners don't think responsibility about their characters. They either get themselves characters or make modifications to their characters and don't like them or don't want to pay the expenses of changing them back. And some see them as a disposable resource or will improperly try to dispose of them like garbage. There are negletful and wasteful people in every world. This one is no different."

"Rein Corp seeks to salvage unwanted characters for RealDreams and either find someone who does want them, undo the changes and mods and get them back into circulation or even get them back to where they're from but with their memories and experiences wiped. They also run salvage operations taking them from collection points here or trying to find improperly disposed of characters on the trash worlds."

Speaking of proper disposal Walter started collecting their trash. "3S and Rein Corp have almost as long standing relationship as we do with RealDreams. Their job is very important and potentially hazardous and difficult not to mention dangerous. They use our top rate training and support to make sure they can do their jobs effectively, efficiently and safely both for themselves and the characters they are trying to recover. Also it can be a great place to find hidden talents that I can then purchase for 3S as character assets."

"The only thing I'm not keen on is actually having to see some of the awful things that've been done to some of them. I know from the wars as well as my adventures, there are somethings you just can't unsee once you've seen them." Walters fist clenches. "I don't want you to have to regret something like that. I know I told you could come and stay by my side but now I'm not so sure.."

Penny reached over and started to soothingly pat his hand. She was touched by his concern for her. "My place is at your side, Master. I want to support you, Walt. You deserve that."

Walter unclenched and gently took her hand. "You're too wonderful. But perhaps you're right and we can support each other. If that's what you want then let's go."

"I had to let the targets go."

Along the road in an pulled over nondescript vehicle. A particularly unremarkable and ordinary looking, except for his sunglasses on a not very sunny day, man is talking.

"No I didn't lose them. They went into one of the protected parks. No I don't think it was on purpose. It was too dangerous. Too many unknowns. Hell pulling out I saw PWBI. No an unrelated incident. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. They'll come this way and we'll pick up the trail again. Yes, sir. Understood."

"I'll call you back. I think I just spotted the vehicle now."

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina and F.R.I.D.A.Y. will return in

Taking Care of Business

Coming soon]