Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z or any of its characters. All credit goes to Bird Studio/Shueisha, Toei Animation, FUNimation Productions, Ltd., and Akira Toriyama. Nor do I own Gucci or those yummy Cheetos :P
0o0o0
Oh shit.
Bulma swore loudly as her heel snapped in a perfect half.
Who made cobblestone roads these days, anyway?
Rolling her eyes at her predictable luck, Bulma kneeled down onto the path and retrieved the broken piece of her shoe from a tight wedge between two stones. Bye-bye Gucci stilettos.
Ah, the irony of it all. Not a minute on the Academy grounds, and already her favorite pair of shoes snap like a Cheeto. Minus the cheesy goodness.
Well, at least she could count on her trusty boots. They weren't the most stylish replacement, and her legs would probably burn in their inner cotton padding, but hey, it was better then making her grand entrance limping on a pair of broken pumps like some hobo.
Reaching for her duffle bag, Bulma hastily unzipped it open, and retrieved a pair of cream colored boots that would go well with a snowstorm and hot coco. Unfortunately, this wasn't Alaska, and she was practically melting from the sun's heat, but the boots didn't seem to care. They were baking her feet into cookies the second she put them on.
"Are you lost, Miss?"
Bulma's eyes snapped up towards the sound of the voice, an action she soon regretted as the sun glared in her eyes. Lifting herself off the ground, she faced the stranger cautiously, trying not to appear as clumsy as she felt.
She had landed on the island of Kaichi less than an hour ago, at which point her pilot Ernie unloaded her suitcases, ordered her into a company car (she didn't know Capsule Corporation operated on such a remote pile of sand) and drove her to Riverwood Military Academy's front gates. Once inside, the burly man unloaded Bulma's baggage, and, with a hasty wave her way, Ernie turned on his tail and shoved himself into the driver's seat. Bulma could seriously relate with his desire to get out of that miserable excuse for an island, except she didn't have a car to accommodate her wishes.
"Miss?" The stranger repeated, this time with a note of humor in his voice. He was tall, with thick, tanned arms and golden blond hair. Bulma couldn't help but notice the graceful way his hair fell over his sea green eyes, and had she been any younger then her 17 years of age, she might have given a little schoolgirl swoon.
"Uh," she replied dumbly. The stranger only raised a brow and looked at her with an odd expression.
"No, sadly, I'm not," Bulma shook her head and snapped back into her wits. Riverwood Military Academy. Hate it. Right.
"Well, would you mind telling me who you are?" He asked slowly, his eyes looking at Bulma questioningly.
"My name's Bulma Briefs. And you?"
The man's demeanor changed quite suddenly as soon as Bulma rendered her name.
"Ah, Miss Briefs, welcome! I'm Jason Kai, I've been expecting you." He flashed her a radiant white smile and took hold of her two suitcases.
"Would you mind taking that?" he asked while cocking his head towards her open duffle bag.
Taken aback from the sudden outbreak of activity, Bulma could do nothing but nod.
0o0o0
For most people, the walk along the cobblestone road leading to the Academy building would be a pretty humbling experience. Half a mile of a meticulously paved path, flanked on both sides by flawlessly trimmed grass with not a weed in sight. Yet this was only preparation for the spectacle ahead.
Looming in the distance was the Riverwood Military Academy itself. A tall, rectangular structure, it dominated the horizon with its long white walls and pristine windows, only letting the sun pass through its clutches. It had an almost regal air to it, amid its elongated dark oak doors and gothic windows, the latter being embellished with glass mosaic. The whole area was architected in such a way that it simply radiated age, strictness, and precision. Bad combination if you were Bulma.
She despised all three things. She would not look past the glaring white color to see its almost pearly sheen, nor was there any way the mosaic on the towering windows told any story. Yes, Bulma could admit the structure was pretty impressive, and sure, she would personally have had an easier time hating the place if it was a brick building, complete with barbed fencing and a watchtower, but this would do. Physical beauty would not buy her love, not this time.
She could sense her emotions starting to contract in her chest, and purely out of practice, Bulma took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She would fight back the dread that was creeping up her stomach, along with that horrible nauseous sensation. She suddenly felt an urge to switch places with the broken heel of her Gucci stiletto; to just break off from everything she knew and be left alone, sitting in peace within the cobblestone road.
0o0o0
There were only five stairs to climb before one reached the huge front doors of the Academy, but it seemed like an eternity had passed by the time Bulma made it to the top. Her legs felt like lead, and there was something stuck in her throat which she couldn't quite manage to swallow.
Jason stood holding the door open for her to pass, her suitcases resting by his side. He had tried talking to her the whole time they were walking through the Academy grounds, and Bulma felt a little guilty for not listening to a word he said. Giving him a little smile of apology and thanks, he just nodded his head kindly, probably not interpreting either of the two.
She amused herself by playing the 'Death March' in her head as she walked through the grand doors; this did feel like her doom, after all. She was expecting a sudden gust of cold air, a terrible scream to come from some unseen corridor. Nothing.
The entrance hall, tiled with white marble, was completely devoid of all life. There was no sound coming from the spacious area, no one walking to and fro. It was simply her, Jason, two grand staircases composed of black marble, and the tall mosaic windows.
Clearing her throat awkwardly, Bulma turned to face Jason, only to see him already walking towards a corridor to the right of the stairs.
"This way, please," he said over his shoulder, his voice echoing throughout the hall. Not wanting to be left in the eerie silence alone, Bulma followed him without hesitation.
They branched off from the corridor to a modest space where a reception desk stood. Its dark wooden surface contrasted dramatically with the white walls, and Bulma was pleased to see a change of color.
"Hello Ms. Uta," greeted Jason cordially. The young girl sitting at the desk looked up abruptly from her book, her eyes wide with surprise. It took her a couple of seconds and a few blinks to drop her dazed look, but as she did, a large smile spread across her pale, freckled face, and she placed her book upon the wooden surface.
"Ohayou, Mr. Kai," She replied in Japanese, bowing her head politely.
"Good morning to you too, Ms. Uta. How is your father doing?"
"Very well, thank you sir."
"Good," Jason replied, "send him my regards."
Ms. Uta bowed her head once more, and looked at Jason with a smile.
"Can I help you with anything today, sir?"
"Yes, please. This is Ms. Briefs," he gestured to Bulma, "and she has just arrived on campus."
It seemed he didn't have to say anymore. Ms. Uta just nodded her head with understanding and looked at Bulma, surveying her from behind her red, horn-rimmed glasses.
"Very well, I will take it from here Mr. Kai," The girl said gently and rose from her seat.
"Thank you, Katelin," Jason bowed his head in gratitude and turned to Bulma.
"This, as you can see, is Ms. Katelin Uta. She is our volunteer receptionist and will help you get up and running. I will take your suitcases directly to your new room while you and Ms. Uta tour the Academy. And Ms. Briefs," he added, his tone softening, "if you need anything please don't hesitate to contact me."
Bulma just nodded her head, doubting she ever would, and watched as Jason flashed the two girls a smile and headed back down the corridor.
"Well," Katelin chirped happily and clasped her hands together, "we better get moving!"
0o0o0
There was something about Miss Katelin Uta that Bulma couldn't quite understand. She acted so kind and cheerful, like touring a new student around the school was something wonderfully fun, and Bulma was mesmerized at how excited Katelin got as she talked about the Academy's history when they arrived, once again, at the entrance hall. She was probably enjoying this more than Bulma herself.
"The Academy was built in the year 1908 by Lieutenant General Kouta Fujiwara. The General was determined to make it into the finest and most accomplished Military Academy which will, and has, stood the test of time. We have of course evolved from our humble beginnings," Katelin said, motioning to their lavish surroundings, "but our values have stayed the same. To provide a life-altering military training that..."
Bulma closed her ears to the rest of the girl's rumblings, and started climbing up the dark marble stairs. Her fingers glided along the golden railing, until she noticed it was engraved with some markings.
Elevation of the body-
Elevation of the spirit-
Elevation of the mind-
Bulma quickly released the railing and felt her palms burning from the cold markings. She didn't stop to contemplate the irony of it, and turned to see Katelin jogging up the stairs to keep up with her.
"Eager to see the rest, aren't you," Katelin beamed kindly at Bulma, not realizing how far from the truth she actually was. "Well, we're about to enter the main foyer, so get ready!" She said zealously, and with much more animation than should be invoked when speaking of a hall.
Faking a smile, Bulma slowly continued her ascent up the stairs, a safe distance away from the railing. She was just becoming used to the monotonous tone of her boots climbing the marble steps when a loud noise pierced her once silent surroundings, slicing through the calm like a knife.
0o0o0
Well there you have it folks :) Chapter 2 of Riverwood Military Academy. I think it came out alright, but your comments decide...
All reviews received with thanks & a smile :)
Until next time,
--thelovebugy