Thursday Pt 3 Nuts & Bolts & The Cat's Meow

"Understood. You are, Master Revan but here you go by the meatbag designation of "Walter". I and the astrodroid T3-M4 shall stay "home" and *sigh* gaurd the premises and assist under your AI's direction. I do hope there will be the opportunity to terminate some lifeforms later."

Walt sighed looking at the assassin Droid. "It's highly unlikely in the foreseeable immediate future but if Friday authorizes a sanctioned termination, by all means."

T3-M4 beeps, chirps and whistles.

Walt smiles and pats his "head", "Thank you and I'm glad you both like the upgrades. I appreciate your help. Both of you."

"Still, the sentimental meatbag fool, Master," HK-47 says. "Still you're the only meatbag I respect... it's seems my programming still malfunctioning..."

Walt chuckles. "Somethings never change... I will see you both later."

He looked at where Curie lay and debated. "If I do it now she can join the others but if the shock is too much I'll need to keep her with me most of the day..." He shook his head. "No, it's bad enough I have to take Rae out of her class. If Manami, Sayoko or Roberta change their minds it'll be difficult to run around in a group of six and give her the attention she might require. Best to go slowly and carefully. There will be time enough later."

He made his way upstairs. "Well the house is still standing."

"Indeed," Sayoko said from where she was standing by the door. "The ladies resolved the matter rather amicably, Master Walter. There is no damage, injury or loss of life to report. You're very fortunate."

Walt chuckled. "Good news all around then. Did the others already leave?"

Sayoko nodded. "Correct. There are a few waiting for you in Silver" She held out a suit bag and his briefcase. Walt sighed. "I must play the part?"

Sayoko shook her head. "Not if it displease you to do so."

Walt nodded. "It does but I'll do it anyway... it's not one of the super fancy ones is it?"

Sayoko smiled enigmatic. "All of your suits are nice, Master," she said but then chuckled. "But no, it's one of the more subtle ones that are more to your liking. The grey one that goes well with your hat. Pyrrha and Neo were trying for one of the others but I picked it out. Penny put cookies in your briefcase."

Walt grinned and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, Sayoko! You're a lifesaver!"

Sayoko blushed and smiled as Roberta came over. "Your umbrella, Master. I know you don't particularly care for them but-"

Walt kissed her cheek as well making her blush. "But a gentleman should still carry one, if only to hold for a lady. Is it-"

Roberta blushed but smiled. "From the armory, of course. The number three. Like Neo's it has a longblade but also a tip in the point."

Walt smiled. "Thank you... I will be meeting with Rein Corp special consultant today and will be taking Raven. Are you two quite certain that you won't change your minds? I enjoy having you here and your work is exemplary... but I want to do right by the both of you. Which is why I am asking again."

They both shake their heads and curtsied. "We haven't changed our minds despite your kind and generous offer. Infact it solidifies our trust and faith in you."

"Sí," Roberta added. "And knowing how kind you are Master, we have continued to talk amongst the three of us. I would highly suggest not repeating your offer to Manami again, unless you want to hurt her and by extension yourself."

Walt nodded. "As long as you're all certain. And thank you. That is very good advice. You're right. If it hurt her again I would feel awful about it."

Walt pulled on his duster. "Thank you, Ladies! Have a good day!"

They both curtsied again. "Have a good day, Master Walter!"

They both watched him head towards "Silver". They each sighed raising a hand to their cheeks where they'd been kissed. They looked at each other and smiled and nodded.

Walt drove down the mountain carefully. He looked in the rear view. He saw Raven who he had been expecting but also Penny, Pyrrha and Blake who were looking intense.

He cleared his throat. "So later today, Rae, we can meet with the Rein Corp specialists and see what your options are and figure out what you want to do."

Raven nodded and twiddled her thumbs. "Alright, Walt. I'm looking forward to it." *"Looking forward to it"?* she thought. *Don't be obvious or anything, Rachel!* She also looked into the backseat at the trio. She had heard about the earlier drama from Ilulu, so she guessed why Blake was there, but Pyrrha looked almost as intense and Penny... was a different kind of intense and giving her thumbs-ups. She seemed giddy!

Walt had noticed it too. Penny had a lot of trouble with "subtlety"... but it was actually one of her most charming traits. "Good," he told Raven. "I'm looking forward to it too, Rae." He reached over and held her hand giving it a squeeze.

Penny seems even more excited while all three of them stare. Walt sighs. "Something you ladies wa-"

"We want dates!" Pyrrha and Blake both say. Penny grins and nods. Raven facepalmed and Walt tries to concentrate on the road. He's a little surprised about Blakes request after her talk with her mother but he's been trying to figure out a good time for a date with Pyrrha. "Alright," he says. "Things are a little hectic the next few days but I'll try to work something in. No guarantees until after the wedding is over though. We're going to be pretty busy."

They both smiled and nodded happily with that answer. Walt chuckled and turned on the radio remembering how much the ladies enjoyed music and cued up some blues starting with "Bag's Groove" and then "Moanin'". The girls from Remnant are thrilled. The music, especially the horns, reminds them of their friend Flynt. Even Raven smiles. "You like a lot of different music, don't you Walt?"

Walt grins. "I do. There are few things as pure as the simple joy of music."

"... and done!" He finished signing off on the forms with a relieved sigh.

Raven chuckled where she was drinking her tea and patting Zwei. "Not easy being "the Boss", huh?"

Walt nodded. "That's the truth! Not to mention-" He read another reminder that popped up. "-other things. Friday, when can we schedule a shopping trip for the new ladies? Some of them will need outfits for the wedding."

(("Honestly you're probably better off just trying to wait until the day before and just get two outfits done. Try not to get too many more before then, Boss?"))

Walt sighed and nodded. "I know."

Raven blinked. "Two? I know about Mission..."

Walt nodded. "I have another one down in the lab. She needed repairs. She is another old friend."

Raven blinked and then smiled. "Ah, a cyborg?"

Walt stood and stretched reaching fir his coffee only to find it was empty. "No. She's a full synthetic or a Synth named Curie. In away she's almost as alive as Penny is. Just minus the magic... though I had to use pretty extreme means to fully restore her... does that make her "magically" alive now too?" Walt shock his head. "Me and Dr Frankenstein..." he engaged the intercom. "Balalaika, could I get some more coffee, please? And from a different machine? That last batch tasted a little funny. I think the Bulmas may have been a little overzealous in their cleaning."

"Da, Boss," came the response. "Shall I get some for you and your appointment?"

Walt blinked and checked his reminders again then nodded. He'd almost forgotten! "Yes, please. Thank you! Where is my head at today?"

(("I did remind you, Boss. But once you take care of your business you and Raven can go."))

Walt nodded. "I know. I was the one who insisted that we add them to the schedule. Thank you, Friday. Please send them in and also remind operations that when we do go we don't need several teams following us around. Infact I'd prefer none since the likely hood of Raven being a target is below a tenth of a percentage point."

The door opens and the owners of the Cat's Meow enter. "Mr Stark. Thank you for meeting with us."

Walt goes over to shake their hands. "Please, don't be formal! Ilulu, Zwei and I had a wonderful time with you the other day." Zwei barks a greeting. "I want to hear your other business ideas John and Em-"

The blond woman in glasses has already spotted Raven and run over gushing over her! "Oh! So adorable!" She shakes Ravens hand. "You really do love cute animal girls, Walt! A tiny Teen Titans Raven Rabbit Girl!? Too cute!!!"

John smiles embaressed. "I'm so sorry for Emma-"

Walt holds up his hand laughing. "Nothing to apologize for! Please be yourselves. Emma, Raven is a little shy so please don't startle her. Raven this Emma and John. The couple I mentioned earlier."

Raven laughed nervously but shook Emma's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Bark!" Zwei stated happy to see them both as well even though he's a tad disappointed that they didn't bring any catgirls with them to play with.

Balalaika brought in refreshments and Walt served them as he listened to their business pitch.

"So as you can see," John summarizes. "We want to branch out into other specialty shops featuring a variety of different types, not just catgirls-"

"Incwuding kyute Wabbit and bunny girls! Yes we do!" Said Emma still fawning over an embaressed but pleased Raven.

Walt chuckled. "So the problem is you want to increase your brand while branching out? But because you're not exploiting the girls in anyway it's hard to find investors because while profits maybe stable they'll be more long-term than a quick buck. Does that about sum it up?"

John and Emma both nodded. "We don't want to exploit them. We're just a catgirl cafe, like the cat cafes of old. Our customers can come in, relax, hang out and eat surrounded by cute and happy catgirls. If the girls want to play with, get patted and adored in a safe friendly environment with a customer they can. But we're not a "sex shop" or "strip club". The girls can chose to "date" a customer if it makes them happy. But we're not looking to run that kind of establishment. We... well we just..."

"We just want to run a safe, happy business surround by the cute ladies we, and our customers, adore!" Said Emma.

John nodded. "And that's pretty much where we lose all potential investors."

Walt and even Raven understood. "You're trying to do in the service industry what 3S already does with our own business model. The means to your end in running it is you get to interact with the characters you like while providing them good jobs, homes and working environments." Walt smiles. "It's exactly the kind of thing I like. I've changed my mind. I don't want to invest anymore."

They sigh. "But you just said-"

Walt nodded. "I want to buy." They both blinked. "I want you to sell your business to 3S. We'll keep you both on as presidents of Cat's Meow businesses and any other's you come up with. Inexchange I will personally invest my own personal finances into your projects as a junior partner. Stark Financial and Stark Entertainment will help you with your business and developing a model for growth and expansion. This will also make your businesses under the 3S banner. It will keep them protected and supported as they grow and expand. It will also ensure that stay as "safe" places for the character assets you employ."

They're both stunned as Walt goes to his desk pulling out the information that they'd need. "Friday can you have someone from legal draft up the proper documents for John and Emma Bright to look over and send them up please along with someone from HR to explain?"

(("Certainly, Boss."))

Walt walks back over to the couch and hands them the literature. "Of course, if you do accept that will effectively make the both of you minor 3S executives. You will find the company perks and other things listed in here. We try to be pretty progressive but if you don't like the offered packages and deal we can negotiate a bit."

Emma clears her throat and adjusts her glasses. She acts ditzy but Walt already sized her up as the business sense while John works operations. "So, Walt... what your asking is for us to join 3S under the guise of selling out?"

Raven boggles at Emma's switch but Walt chuckles. "Selling out is harsh but accurate. But so is your statement about joining 3S. You've both got exactly the same goals that we do. That's a rare thing. I want to help you with those goals working together. I honestly see a lot of value in both your ideas and yourselves... and I don't mean monetary gain, though I do see that as well. Would you consider selling to 3S as a whole and myself personally as a junior partner so we can work together for the same thing?"

John and Emma both smile and nod. "Honestly... it's a dream come true deal! We can provide good homes and work to all sorts if cute cat girls, dog girls, bunny girls, cow girls..."

Emma keeps going and John and Walt laugh. "And we've lost her again!" John states. "You really want to do this? I don't doubt your motivations and honestly 3S will be a fantastic fit... but that's a lot of your and your companies money and efforts on our behalf to make our dream come true."

Walt nods. "No... it's our dream. There are people who feel the same way you both do, here at 3S. I am one of them." He holds out his hand smiling.

John smiles as he takes it, as do Emma and Raven. "We look forward to joining 3S and working with you, as a boss and a partner."

Walt shakes his hand and then Emma's. "As do I."

"... and that's what they think is best? No, no. I agree with assessment. Certainly we can franchise starting with the Cat's Meow brand. Any franchisees will have to follow 3S codes and guidelines to the letter. Assuming they do though they should see a tidy profit and 3S pretty much guarantees that they will be protected and safe investments. Sure. Start sending a notice around to our usual batch of early investors. Have they secured the trademark? They got a copyright too? How? Oh, I see. Clever. That's great! Good work Callie! No you're honestly the cat I want working with them on this project moving forward! Alright I'll talk to you later and Emma's a sweetheart. She'll be happy to work with you, Ms Briggs! Trust me!"

He, Raven and Zwei are traveling down the road. Raven looks at him smiling. "You're pretty pleased with yourself."

"Arf!" Zwei agreed.

Walt grinned nodding and patted the both of them. "I like finding people who share the same vision as I do! And days where everything goes well are rare! First Nora, now the Cat's Meow and the Brights. I got a call about those characters I told you about and we're going to go finalize the deal for them and pick them up. One of them might need the same thing you might, just different reasons. We'll swing by, pick them up and head for Rein Corp. Even if they don't teach... meals at the 3S cafeteria should improve!"

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Nora Valkyrie Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Raven Manami Aiba also with Tsuyu Asui Haruhime Sanjouno The Baroness Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana and Mission Vao

Will Return In

Thursday Pt 4 Return to Rein Corp

Coming Soon]