Reunion, Pt. 4

Height gives you a psychological advantage, towering over someone as you give them a good stern talking to adds a whole new level to a dressing down.  Unfortunately there are very few opportunities for me to physically dominate my opponent without some convenient terrain feature.  Best I could do was look her in the face and show no fear.  Approaching the stairs, I inspected the windows surrounding that opened on to the porch.  There were powerful people lurking in that building, no matter what the public thought about their obsolescence.  Avoiding an ambush would be ideal I suppose… though if Sarah had betrayed me, I'm not sure… Enough.  Unproductive.

Cross the porch quickly, don't give them too much time to prepare.  Running headlong into the door wasn't exactly what I'd been planning but hell I'd built up to much speed going in.  Suppose I wouldn't have to ring the bell.  Indeed the door was opened rather quickly.  Okay, not Miggy; unless she'd dyed her hair, changed her clothes, and dropped a few inches closer to my own level.

"Oh! Are you alright?" Black hair with bangs and some weird clip things, a uniform of naval cut.  Not regular issue, no Navy's issued a uniform like that since World War One.  Damnit! I stepped back almost all the way to the steps; what had I done to face this many travails!  It looked even more surprised as I almost threw myself away from the entrance, but I didn't buy that hurt look.  I'd heard the stories, even some of the results but that's something I'd rather not talk about just now.

"You're a Commodore" No reason to beat around the bush, I wished I hadn't dropped my gear so far out.  I'd at least have had a chance to defend myself, perhaps backing out of decent visual range hadn't been to smart an idea.  "Yes" Another negative point, I couldn't read her expression from this far away.  What without being able to see it's face and all.  Never mind.  "VIC128? Or 65?" Which one of those was dangerous, I can't remember.  I suppose it doesn't really matter.  It cleared its throat, was that a laugh or a cough "Um, I'm PET.  You must be SAGE, ///-san told me you were… careful."

Paranoid you mean PET, how very appropriate a name.  Oh hell, I can't remember what any of them actually do so I suppose it really doesn't matter anyway.  So I stepped back up towards her, trying my best to appear pleasant "My apologies.  I was expecting Amiga."  "Did you want to see Miggy? She's not too-" This is starting to grate on my nerves do you want me to start cutting my way to Jeanie? "No. I wish to see Jeanie; certainly Apple /// told you this." It brought the impropriety down on itself, I tried to be civil but that only lasts so long! Not like she was carrying any weapons, hand to hand it wouldn't be very hard to take her out.

"Of course" She backed out of the door, with a… smile on her face.  Maybe she understood my position better then I'd expected.  "I believe she's with EXEC-sama in the living room."

"Does she, know I'm here?" Hesitantly I stepped through the door, which was promptly shut to the cold behind me.  How inconsiderate of me.  If she did then it would be best to hurry up, I didn't want to keep her waiting. "No.  Apple /// figured you wanted it to still be a surprise!"  Ah Sarah, ever considerate to what even I didn't know I wanted.  With a nod of gratitude I set off down the hallway towards the living room.  There was another tug at my sleeve.  PET20 was behind me, looking chagrined "Left SAGE-san"

"Appreciated" I turned on my heel carefully working past her in the foyer.  I hung my coat up on the rack, why didn't I think of that before, the time had come today.  Time.  Yeah.  I think I'm ready.  Esther was there too she'd said.  Well.  For an older frame house it certainly was snug despite the weather.  No doubt there was some witchery at work within the walls.  Did I just pass the door?  It had looked kinda like a 'living room' but once again I'd been moving too quickly to see if anyone was actually inside.  Backing up, I turned to peek into the room.  Or well that was the plan; instead I felt something collide with my dress.  Suppose that was to be expected with so many things running around.

"Miss Whirlwind!?" Jeanie cried out grabbing onto my leg.  Well.  This wasn't precisely how I'd planned on reuniting with her.  "Um, n-not quite Jeanie" She'd was fastened pretty tight on my leg, I couldn't kneel to her level.  I guess my voice did the job though "GINA!" Quite the vertical leap, I must say I didn't quite to have her wrapped around my neck.  "Good guess."  Too choked up to say anymore, so my tear ducts do still work.  Hope it doesn't stain Jeanie's dress.  It's very pretty, brown always suited her well.  I hugged her tightly to me, it had been so long.