There's a link to a commission I had done of Ray on my profile. It's done in my friends unique art style, so probably a lot cuter than I make her sound.
My name is Roger Smith. I perform a necessary job in this city of amnesia. A year ago, two separate incidents led to two teenage women living under my roof. This might be a dream for older, uncouth men, but for a gentleman like myself, it's a waking nightmare.
Roger awoke to the sound of cat-fighting outside his room, and instantly knew how his day was going to start.
The first was when R. Dorothy Wayneright's creator, Timothy Wayneright was murdered after I took a hostage negotiation to set her free. As she had no other way to pay her debt to me, she moved in and began helping Norman with the house work.
Roger sighed and got out of bed, deciding he may as well get dressed and hope the fight resolved itself by the time he was finished with his daily grooming.
The second is an enigma named Ray Law, a girl of 19 who Norman took in and trained after finding her homeless outside the manor in the alley. Nothing about her past adds up or makes sense. Worse still, she and Dorothy fight quite often, which is why I am awake so early this morning.
The fighting hadn't ceased by the time his three piece suit was on and his hair slicked back.
The days these two get along are blissful, sadly that won't be this morning.
Roger threw open his door to a comical sight, but he couldn't laugh.
"Dorothy, please just give that back!"
"Not until you tell me what it is."
"If I do, Norman will kill me, or worse, make me scrub Big O by hand all day."
"Why is it shaped like a man's genitals?"
"Use the computer you call a brain for once and think! Give that back you have no idea where it's been! Give it back and go wash your hands."
Roger had a very good idea where that had been, and chose then to interrupt. Switching into negotiation mode he shouted to be heard over them, "Dorothy, you should give that back to Ray, now."
It was only then they noticed him, Ray turned five shades of red and Dorothy still held the very realistic representation of a man's genitals in her hand.
"Not until she tells me what it is."
"No. For once Ray is right in not telling you, at least not here in the lounge. Give it back to her and go wash your hands please? Ray, go hide that better, and explain to Dorothy what it is later, preferably when Norman won't overhear." It took every ounce of control he had not to burst into laughter.
Ray snatched the object from Dorothy before she could protest and hightailed it from the lounge, looking redder than a tomato.
Ray had been even more secretive the last half of the week. Since the battle with the three foreign Bigs', which is the first fight any of the Smith household residents could recall her missing entirely, she'd removed the cameras in her room, and even locked her door so no one else could enter. Well it's not like any of them couldn't, but as she had never locked them out before or demanded her privacy in such a way, so Roger allowed it. And since the incident this morning he had a pretty good idea why.
"I do not understand Roger. If she is preventing us from entering, are you not curious as to why?" Dorothy asked him that late winter day.
It was nearing the middle of February, and even though Ray had thought to be gone by January, she was still present. After the battle she had taken to secluding herself, and seemed depressed and dismissive of anyone's attempts to rile her up. Even Dorothy's usual pandering to get to her emotionally did nothing. Ray remained impassive and stony. This morning had been the sole exception, she'd forgotten to lock her door and Dorothy found that thing earlier.
"Of course I am, but if she's going to such lengths to ensure we can't watch her now she must have a reason, other than what she describes as your perverse hobby." Roger pulled his robe closer around him, the wind had a bite to it today. "Besides, I'm sure she'll tell us eventually." Though I think she really does just want her privacy. She's a young woman after all.
"Like she does with everything else?" Dorothy had started to pick up Ray's use of sarcasm, mixing it with her own dry wit.
That night at dinner Ray didn't speak, and after doing the dishes went right back to her room. Dorothy attempted to get in while Ray was preoccupied with chores, but found the door not just locked, but seemingly barred as well. Like something was against it on the inside of the room.
"That won't work." Ray had silently walked up behind her while she had fiddled with the door. "Now then, if you'll excuse me I want to go to bed."
"No."
"Ok, then should I sleep on the couch?"
"I want you to either tell me why we can no longer keep an eye on you or let me in."
"Guess I'm sleeping on the couch then." Ray shrugged as she yawned and walked away towards the lounge, but Dorothy grabbed her arm and yanked her back.
"I'm certain you would prefer to sleep in your own bed, so why not just tell me?"
"Not much to tell. I want my privacy, really don't want you all to just be able to walk in whenever you want, and I was sick of you spying on me all the time. I've been here a year and still you're the only one who doesn't fully trust me."
"That's what Roger said earlier."
"Well maybe you should've listened to him. He's right about me, for once." Ray yawned again, louder this time. "Now will you let me into my room? I want to sleep already." Dorothy moved aside and left Ray alone, hearing the lock thunk after the door slammed behind Ray.
Later on Dorothy asked Roger why Ray would have reasons to be secretive. "I'm not sure why she is shutting herself up in her room when she was trying to get closer to us for so long."
"You know, Dorothy, sometimes you should be more perceptive to the people around you. Especially the people that you're close with. I imagine that your new friend might even have a certain view of you that she won't tell you. Something you would do well to pick up on in the future so you don't end up in this situation again."
"Oh she thinks that way about me? I see…"
"Well, so long as you understand. Try to be civil ok? I don't want any more fighting in the house." Roger added that last bit before heading out for another job.
Well, if Ray feels that way… I did only forbid her from hitting on me, not having feelings for me. And with that Dorothy set a plan into motion. If she does feel that way I will get the truth from her.
Ray had just finished showering after a grueling practice session with Norman. Now that she had the ability to use her speed, he was making her lift weights so repairs to Big O wouldn't be as tiring for her when she helped him out. How are these workouts going to help? I feel like I am about to collapse. Maybe I can convince Dorothy to let me rest a bit before I do all my chores today? She would have no such luck.
"Ray, Norman requires us to run errands for him." Of course the mechanical teen would find a way to wear down the already beaten Ray.
"Do we have to do it now? I just got done working out and wanted to rest a little bit."
"The sooner we get done the better."
"Ok, but if I accidentally fall asleep at the handlebars I'm blaming you." Ray put on her protective gear and the two set off for some nearby shops. "What does he need anyways? I thought we had everything for Big O already?"
"A few extra parts he wants so it won't take as long for the orders to be fulfilled next time."
"And he needs both of us to do it? Certainly you alone would be sufficient." Ray yawned. She couldn't help it, she was just so tired.
"He suggested we go together so you could learn what to do, and I would be there to help if you messed up."
"If you say so." Ray yawned again. Norman must think a huge battle is coming soon if he insists these orders be done now. That or Dorothy is finally learning to bullshit people, but I doubt it.
After that the two went to various other shops, with Dorothy seemingly asking pointed questions. "So, has anything been on your mind? Anything special coming up?"
"Oh yeah, Valentine's Day is this week isn't it?" Ray mused sleepily. "Are you going to give Roger anything?"
"I do not really understand the holiday. Don't you usually give chocolate to someone you love?" Oh she's willing to fall into this trap? "Why would I give something to Roger?"
Ray looked over at Dorothy with a lot of confusion and the bags under her eyes made her appear to have a robbers mask. "Don't you like him?"
"I…" Is she deflecting? She must be, or she's genuinely curious. "I do not think he'll accept chocolates from an android."
"Why not?"
"He will probably get it from another woman."
"What other woman? Angel? Me? A past paramour who is thirsty for some man meat?" Ray yawned while trying and failing to cover her mouth.
"I did not need that mental image."
"Sorry, my bad. My filter goes out if I get sleepy like this."
"What filter?" Dorothy's innocent question sent Ray into a fit of giggles. "You become very strange when you're tired."
"I tried to warn you." Ray yawned again as the two arrived at their next shopping destination. After they left Ray continued asking Dorothy what she was planning to do. "So, will you give him anything?"
"I can't even cook. How would I make chocolate?"
"I can help."
"Who would you give chocolate to?" Dorothy tilted her head slightly to look up at Ray. She's rather forthcoming today.
"Probably Norman. Or I'll just eat it myself." As the two walked along the alleys between shops in the metalworking district Ray's mind wandered. Some home made chocolate sounds nice right now.
"Why Norman?"
"He's done a lot for us. So why not do something nice for him?" Ray shrugged. She's rather inquisitive today. Wonder if Roger put her up to it?
"Are you sure he does not have a past paramour who is thirsty for some man meat?"
"Oh my gawd Dorothy! That's so gross. He's like our dad, don't say that." Ray legitimately looked horrified.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. Are we done yet? I want to go home and sleep."
"We have too much work today for you to sleep, but we are nearly done."
Much much later, after all of Dorothy's other attempts to get the tired teen to tell her how she really felt, all the subtlety was dropped and a straightforward question was finally asked, "Ray, do you like me?"
"Huh? Of course I like you, you're my friend." Ray was very confused by the question, but it didn't help that she was physically and mentally exhausted from today.
"Do you like me in another way?"
"What? What other way? What other way would I like you?"
"In a more… lewd way?"
"Remember what you said about not hitting on you?"
"Yes."
"So why are you hitting on me?"
"I'm not."
"Well then what do you call what you just asked me? What in the world has gotten into you today? First you drag me around town asking all these weird questions when you know I want to rest, then you won't let me take a quick nap when we got back home and now you're hitting on me." Ray groaned, "Is this an android's idea of a practical joke? If it is, I don't like it."
"So you… don't think of me like that?"
"No! You're my friend. And you made it very clear to me you didn't have those feelings towards me weeks ago. What did you think I was going to secretly pine over you and hope you came around wanting ladies?"
"Roger has a lot of explaining to do."
"He what now?"
The next day, Dorothy was finally aware that she took Roger's comment out of context, and knowing Ray thinks Roger deserves a beat down, she waited until Ray was good and ready, then she began playing Run Down, Roger would slam open his bedroom door, and Ray slammed into Roger going full gay feral child. And for the first time he takes the threat of angry teenage angst seriously.
"R. DOROTHY WAYNERIGHT! IT'S TOO EARLY FOR…!" Roger's door swung open and bashed into the wall. The slam of a smaller, but no less dangerous, human slamming into his body sent Roger flying back.
"I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET WHAT YOU SAID YOU ASSHAT! GENTLEMAN MY ASS!" Ray had forced Roger back into his room, but he had managed to stay on his feet, despite Ray scratching and kicking at him.
"Dorothy, get Ray off me and calm her down." Roger pleaded as the angry teen seemed fit to tackle him again between unintelligible screeching.
"No. You did this to yourself." Dorothy switched to a rather jaunty tune while the two humans before her took to fighting. Well, Ray was trying to fight, and Roger tried to stick to his principles about not hitting a woman. But she was making it very difficult for him.
"Ray calm down, what's wrong, why are you attacking me?" Roger kept trying to get out of the feral teens grasp, but thanks to more than a year of training under her belt that was nearly impossible. Crap, I may actually have to hit Ray. A gentleman doesn't harm a woman without consideration. He was working up sweat keeping her just beyond arm's length. But I may very well have too. Hope she and Dorothy can forgive me for breaking my gentlemanly vow.
Between feral grumbles and screams Norman walked up behind Ray, grabbed her under the arms and pulled her away from Roger saying as she was still kicking and scratching at him. "Now, now Ms. Ray, murdering one's employer is generally frowned upon. Let's go to the kitchen and we can talk this out like adults shall we?"
Ray, panting and red faced, quit trying to fight with Roger and allowed Norman to guide her out of the room. And as he did so Dorothy stopped her playing.
"I… I think I need a minute to come to terms with Ray's attempts to end me." Roger pushed his bangs out of his eyes, he hadn't even had coffee yet, but Ray's frightening attempts to kill him sure did the trick when it came to bringing his brain up to speed.
"She wasn't going to kill you. Make you sorry for what you did, yes, but had she intended to kill you I would have intervened."
"Didn't see a need to step in there?"
"No, you had it coming."
"Had what coming? What did I do?"
"Insinuate Ray had romantic feelings for me, which led to a misunderstanding on both our parts, fighting and then me assuming Ray was only my friend because she wanted something out of me."
"What? But that's preposterous, Ray doesn't like women, and why would she want that out of you?" Roger couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had Dorothy lost her mind?
"Sometimes you should be more perceptive to the people around you, Roger Smith!" Dorothy slammed the keyboard cover shut. "Especially the people that you're close with."
"So Ray likes women? How was I supposed to know?" Roger griped.
"She is about as good at hiding her love for women as you are about waking up in the morning." Dorothy stood up from the piano and walked over to the spiral staircase. "I'm going to see if she has calmed down now. Please get dressed and come to breakfast when you are ready."
In the kitchen Dorothy had expected to find Ray being lectured by Norman, or grounded. Instead she found Ray crying and Norman hugging her.
"You'll be alright Ms. Ray. While I do not agree with your use of force, I can understand why you are frustrated." He mused her hair back in that fatherly way he had.
"I know… I know but…" Ray tried to wipe her tears away between gasps and sobs. She took a deep breath and tried to speak calmly. "If Dorothy hadn't tried to be understanding and do her own terrible version of an investigation it could have ended very differently."
Norman took his handkerchief from his coat's breast pocket and wiped Ray's tear stained cheeks. "Ms. Dorothy may have misunderstood the intention behind Master Roger's words, but do not think for a second she would have wished you harm. Less of a thorn in her backside perhaps, but not harm."
"I know she wouldn't hurt me. But where I'm from, if you're weird or don't fit in like me then a beating is the least of worries. It's not unusual for teens like me to end up on the street dead and no one bothers to find the killer."
"If anyone tried to lay a hand on you for such a reason they would be missing it sorely."
"Norman?" Ray peered up at him with a little concern and fear evident on her face.
He released her from the hug and put his hands on her shoulders. "Now then, do you feel better after getting that out of your system?"
"If I say yes will I get grounded?"
"No," Norman couldn't help but chuckle, "But please restrain from combat in the house outside of the gym."
Dorothy snuck up quietly and hugged Ray from behind, startling her. "Wa!"
"I'm sorry Ray. I did not realize you could have been hurt if anyone found out." Dorothy let go and Ray turned to face her.
"It's ok Dorothy. How could you have known? But maybe from now on just ask me directly. It would have saved so much hassle and I could have taken a nap."
"Might I suggest the both of you apologize to Master Roger for the… unique morning wake up call."
Dorothy and Ray glanced at each other, then back at Norman, then back at each other before Ray responded. "Ya know what. I don't think we will. He had that coming for more than just unintentionally outing me. He's been rude to Dorothy a lot recently, and he is literally as observant as a doorknob. Maybe now he'll think before he speaks."
"But we promise not to wake him up with Ray turning feral again."
"Yeah! I'll just elbow drop him next time."
"Please don't." Roger walked into the kitchen then, dressed for the day, feeling whatever it brought couldn't be as bad as his wake up call. "And no need to apologize. This time it was my fault for not making sure Dorothy understood what I meant." He sighed and decided it was best to get everything done at once. "But how long has Dorothy known Ray was… well you didn't tell me but I can hazard a few guesses. That doesn't matter I suppose, but from now on just don't wake me up like that. And I'm sorry, I really had no idea you felt that way."
"I…" Ray hadn't thought he would admit wrongdoing, but was pleasantly surprised. A small, but forlorn smile graced her still red from crying features, "Apology accepted."
"Well then, all's well that ends well yes? Ms. Ray, please help me finish preparing breakfast and we can finally get today's work started." And at Norman's cue, work began in the now repaired Smith household.
Now begins the audio drama. BTW it was a bitch to translate from script to story. Have a lot more respect for writers who do that. Original translation of the audio drama is thanks to David Fleming, and can be found on Google. I added Ray to parts clearly, and cleaned up a few things that didn't flow well.
Valentines Day was fast approaching, and yet despite that the Smith household seemed to move at a glacial pace when it came to such things. And before long, it arrived with little fanfare, but disturbances came all the same.
Dorothy was trying to play a relaxing tune that evening, when she could hear Roger yelling for her from downstairs.
"Dorothy! R. Dorothy Wayneright!" He ran up the stairs, but stopped at the top to fix his hair.
"What's the matter, Roger? The song I'm playing now isn't the one I play to wake you up." Indeed, it was something she'd heard Instro play and had adapted.
"That's not what I mean! Don't you know where it is?!" Roger paces the room as he talks, clearly agitated.
"If you don't tell me what you're talking about, I can't tell you whether I know or not." She ignored his agitation, he would tell her or he wouldn't.
"Don't you understand?! It's gone! It's not there!"
"WHAT isn't there?" Why is he being irrational?
"What do you THINK?!"
"Norman?" Though she couldn't remember him panicking if Norman wasn't around.
"No! Big O!" Roger shouted.
She paused before asking, "Big O is gone?"
Roger sighed and then continued, "That's what I've been trying to tell you."
"You're saying that Big O started up on its own without you in it?" She wasn't sure what to think of that. Ray had mentioned something a few days ago about the Big O being upset, but would he really leave?
"Yes. It's happened once before. When it happened then, you were in it." Roger wasn't sure what to do, it's not like blaming Dorothy would fix this.
"But right now, I'm sitting here speaking to you." She played something more relaxing. This was worrying.
"Yes… You're right. What's going on here?" Roger regained his composure and calmed down. It really wasn't Dorothy's fault. He knew that.
"What about Norman? Where is he?"
"I've looked all over the mansion for him! But it looks like he's stepped out."
"Have you considered the possibility that Norman may have taken Big O out for a walk?" Dorothy asked him sarcastically. Ray really was a terrible influence on the robotic teenager.
"Really Dorothy? I'd suspect Ray of that more than Norman. Speaking of, where is she?" Roger was getting riled up again.
"In her room, she said something about upgrading her computer. Maybe you should calm down, Roger Smith."
"Calm down?! Are you trying to say that I'm not calm?!" He realized he was shouting after he said that.
"No one who saw your crooked necktie and messy hair could possibly think you were calm." Her matter of fact attitude did little to calm him, however.
"Do you think anyone could remain calm in a situation like this?!" He ran his hand through his hair, trying to push his mussed up hair back.
Dorothy stopped playing and softly spoke his name, hoping to appeal to reason. "Roger."
He took a second to take a breath before responding. "What Dorothy?"
She waited until he was taking deep breaths before asking what was on her mind. "I admit that Big O disappearing is a serious matter, but seeing you lose your composure like this is unnatural."
During all this Ray had slipped into the lounge, but instead of saying anything she backed up to the fireplace and turned it on, it had gotten chilly in the lounge.
"And why is that?! Big O is gone! If there's a greater reason to lose my composure, I'd sure like to know what it is!" Roger lost his cool again and started pacing again.
Oh no! He really did go through with it. Ray thought from her position next to the fireplace.
"Still…" Dorothy didn't get to finish.
"What?!" Roger shouted.
"It's not as if something has happened that would require you to go out in Big O right this very moment." Ray winced. It wasn't like Dorothy didn't have a point, but saying it like that…
"I'm thinking about what would happen if it did!" Roger was past irate. Ray was certain his head was about to let off steam.
"Are you?" Dorothy asked in as close to an accusatory tone as she could manage.
"What's THAT supposed to mean? What are you getting at, Dorothy?"
"What exactly is Big O to you?"
"…." Roger stopped pacing and seemed to lose all his momentum from anger.
"It's unlikely that it's something you love so much that it's irreplaceable." Again, Dorothy sounded like she was accusing him of something.
"Putting it that way is completely off base." Roger was neither angry nor animated when he spoke.
"Would you react this way if the Gryphon disappeared?" Again, she practically was accusing him.
"Does an android's way of thinking put a car on par with a Megadeus?!" He couldn't help being a little shocked by that question. Dorothy said nothing.
"That was uncalled for Roger, no matter how upset you are." Ray said softly. Roger jumped, he hadn't noticed her at all in his rage earlier.
After an awkward silence, Roger clears his throat. He turned away to avoid the piercing gaze of the two teens. "At any rate, Big O has gone somewhere underground, taking the Prairie Dog with it." He sighed, what else could he do? "What am I going to do? How can I look for Big O…?"
"Have you tried calling him?" It was a simple question.
"Wha-?" Roger took a second to respond but didn't get to finish his own question.
"Have you tried calling him with the watch on your left wrist?"
It takes Roger a second to comprehend what Dorothy said, but after he smiles. "What in the world? How could I have forgotten something so simple? I must be losing my mind, all right. Thank you, Dorothy."
"I'm starting to wonder if that gunshot took a few brain cells with it." Ray muttered under her breath.
Click. Norman entered the lounge through a side room, for how long he had been there no one knew, but he appeared stately for all that. "Master Roger, a guest has arrived."
"Norman! Where in the world have you been?!"
"Me, sir? Where have I been? Why, I've been in the kitchen all day." At that he sweeps some imaginary speck of dust or other off his waistcoat.
"That can't be. I must have called you a dozen times from the dock a while ago, and I even looked for you in the kitchen myself. You weren't there." Roger was in disbelief.
"How odd. I had decided to make turkey pot pie for dinner tonight, so I haven't set foot away from the oven all day." Norman showed concern, but tried to downplay it.
"He really was in the kitchen all day, Roger. I went in multiple times to grab snacks and make lunch." Ray was confused. She couldn't remember Roger calling out for anyone but once when he was running past her room earlier that evening. Is he covering up for Dorothy's attempts too… nah. Can't be.
"Never mind that!" Roger dismissed Ray's protest.
"Sir?"
"Don't you know where it is?!"
"Where what is, sir?" Norman tilted his head ever so slightly to the side.
"Oh great he's at it again." Ray mumbled, Dorothy heard but made no visible agreement.
"It's gone! Bi.. Ah…" Roger stops and gasps, like he's remembered something important.
"Bi…, sir?" Does he mean Big O?
"You… said I had a guest?" Please let it be someone I can deal with.
"That's right, sir. Major Dastun of the Military Police says he would like to see you, Master Roger."
"What could he possibly want at this hour?" Oh great.
There was an echo of footsteps and soon the grizzled cop came into view.
"How long are you going to keep me waiting?" Dan Dastun said as he came up the stairs to the lounge. He'd caught some of the shouting below, but hadn't been able to make sense of it.
"Sir, you really mustn't barge in unannounced! It simply isn't done!" Norman was aghast, but not all that offended. He was aware the cop did as he wanted, with some mind for manners.
"It's all right, Norman." Roger soothed his manservants nerves.
Norman paused for a brief moment before simply replying, "Yes, sir."
"How do you do, miss." He greeted Dorothy, and gave a simple wave to Ray.
"Good evening, Major Dastun." Dorothy gave a curt, but not rude, reply to his greeting.
"I see you're polite when it comes to androids, at any rate." Roger shrugged. So he'll show courtesy to the girls but not his old underling eh?
"Er, um, I didn't mean it like that…" Dastun wasn't sure what to make of Roger's terse attitude.
"I'm sorry, but would you mind waiting a minute? Norman." Roger made his way to his room.
"Sir?" Norman followed him out.
Dastun and Dorothy are left alone. Mostly. Everyone was ignoring Ray for better or worse that day. Not that she minded. She was content to let tonight's events play out as they should.
Dastun knew he was terrible at small talk with younger women, but trying to fill the awkward silence he asked, "So… You can play the piano?"
Dorothy said nothing, but started playing a ballad. After playing for close to a minute she finally spoke. "Do you like ballads?"
"No… I'm not all that interested in music. It's just that song…It almost seemed like it was knocking on a door inside me." Dastun took his time responding. This girl, mechanical or not, had a way of messing with people whether or not she realized it.
"A Memory…?" Dorothy didn't ask much more.
"My Memories aren't of anything important. I've probably lived this way my whole life." She said nothing in response to that, but he was still curious, "Your playing…"
"Hm?" The remake was barely audible above her key taps.
"Did you have to practice?"
She takes a second to say anything. "No. The Memories I have let me play the piano."
"Your Memories?"
"Yes. The Memories belonging to Dorothy Wayneright, the girl I was modeled after who died long ago." Her fingers move in precise timing, eyes following the movements, she doesn't look up from the keyboard of the piano.
"I see…" He doesn't quite get it, but Dastun is sure he touched a nerve there. The two are silent for a moment, and Dorothy continues playing the ballad. "Doesn't it…bother you?"
"Hm?" Dorothy stops playing.
"No, I'm sorry. That was a strange thing to ask." Dorothy says nothing, and feeling awkward about what he had just said Dastun continues, "You're… You're an amazing piece of work. A work of art, you might say…"
"Is that flattery? Thank you."
"No, it's just that… I couldn't help thinking that you're almost —" Dastun was cut off.
"I'm different from humans." Dorothy states in that even tone she always uses when annoyed. Dastun wouldn't catch it, he didn't know her that well, but Ray was a little surprised Dorothy would react that way. She raised an eyebrow briefly, then her face went back to being impassive. Tonight… tonight was not hers to interfere with. Not yet.
"Yeah, I know. I learned that the hard way when I tried to move you back when I first met you." Dastun laughed dryly. Attempting to move Dorothy had been insurmountable for him.
"I don't remember that… But I suppose I should say I'm sorry just in case."
"There are things you remember and things you don't remember…" He placed a hand on his chin, the other on his hip, deep in thought but musing aloud. "You have Memories of some things, but not of others… And you always feel like the Memories you don't have are lurking behind your back, menacing you… How are you any different from humans who've lost their memories?" Dastun mused to no one in particular. Much like Roger he liked to solve mysteries, but unlike Roger, he knew when some should be put down and to walk away.
"Huh?" She was caught off guard by those remarks. Certainly they were true, but for a cop who barely knew her to be so on the nose.
Dastun stopped then, realizing he may have crossed a line, and chose to change the subject. "What's that Roger Smith doing anyways?"
"Probably getting an attitude adjustment right about now." Ray mumbled, and this time, as no music was being played, Dastun caught the quip and gave a brief smirk of his own.
Just then, Roger and Norman's voices could be heard from Roger's room, the discussion becoming heated.
"This has never happened to me, either, sir. Whatever shall we do, Master Roger?"
"Do you think anyone could remain calm in a situation like this?!" There was a short pause before Roger continued, "At any rate, we…" Whatever he said next was lost.
"It looks like he's busy. I should come back some other time." Dastun was about to leave when the bedroom door opened and Roger came out.
"I'm sorry I kept you waiting, Dastun. So, what can I do for you?" Roger straightened his tie finally, and tried to slick back his hair.
"That's all right, I'll come back later. This looks like a bad time for you."
"In other words, you're saying that you didn't come here tonight as a Major in the Military Police?" Roger had a hard time believing that with Big O missing.
"Or as your former superior officer."
Roger gave a half sigh before quieting himself. "Don't tell me that you're here as a friend."
"I wouldn't go that far, but there are times when I feel like talking to you over a drink. But I'll call quits for tonight. Sorry I bothered you." Dastun made to leave, but Roger stopped him.
"Dastun."
"Hm?"
"I'll admit that there is something that I have to see too tonight. But I can't bear to see anyone with whom I share the slightest bond leave my home with a troubled face, even if he isn't a friend."
Dastun gave a bitter smile, "That's one thing that hasn't changed about you, Roger."
"Dorothy, if you'll excuse us?" Roger attempted to dismiss her, assuming Ray would get the hint to follow. She closed the piano cover with a loud "clop."
"No, that's not necessary."
"But…." Roger didn't know if he wanted them to overhear whatever was troubling Dastun this time.
"Before you came back, the young lady and I, er, the android…" Dastun wasn't sure why he changed his tune.
"Don't worry about hurting my feelings." Dorothy sounded bitter to Ray, and Dastun must have caught that too.
He took an awkward pause before recovering. "Dorothy, Right. Maybe I should just call you that… I was talking to Dorothy about it for a while."
"About Memories." Dorothy ventured.
Oh, so that's what's bugging him. "This could take a while…Norman!"
"You called, sir?" He appeared as if from shadow and stood at the top of the staircase.
"A bourbon for our guest."
"Very good, sir." Norman left just as silently as he came.
Dastun knew when Roger offered alcohol it was the good stuff. "Thank you."
"It's just that I'm surprised that a man like you, who is proud of his job of protecting those people inside the Domes even though he's mocked as the lapdog of the Paradigm Corporation, would lose sleep obsessing over Memories."
"I don't know if it was intentional, but you're sorely mistaken, Roger Smith. The Military Police don't just protect the Domes. We protect everyone who lives here in Paradigm City." Dastun was a little peeved at Roger's remark.
"I'm not so sure that the regulations provide for that." Roger sarcastically waved the protest aside.
"The regulations can kiss my ass!" Dastun growled. But he soon realized a proper lady was in the room and his expression changed. "Oops. Sorry, Dorothy."
"That's all right. Ray says worse in front of me anyways." Ray snorted at Dorothy's dry humor.
Dastun paused at the two's unusual banter before continuing. "I don't want to dredge up what happened when you left the force."
Roger sighed. "Right. The situation hasn't changed a bit since then."
Norman entered the lounge carrying two glasses and a large bourbon bottle. "Please pardon the delay."
Roger went over and took the glasses from Norman. "Thanks. I'll take it from here.'
"Is that so, sir? Here you are then, sir." With that Norman left again. Roger took the glasses over to Dastun.
"Thanks." Dastun took a seat on one of the sofas.
"I was in the mood for a drink, too." Roger sat on the sofa opposite Dastun and took a swig of his bourbon. Dorothy starts playing the piano. Dastun held the glass to his lips for a while. Roger watched him, letting Dastun take his time with whatever he needed to say.
When he did speak, Dastun sounded uncertain. "Don't you think it would be a lot easier if we never had Memories in the first place?"
"Huh?" Roger wasn't sure what to make of that question.
"I've always believed that it was just to use military force to combat unjustified violence when it threatens peace." Dastun mused. Roger took a sip from his glass choosing to stay silent. "This is what I've always believed, before we lost our Memories, the Military Police wasn't an agency run by the Paradigm Corporation, but more like something that…" Dastun didn't finish the statement, unsure where he was going.
"In other words, you're trying to say that it lived up to the ideal of the Military Police that you have in your head. Something that didn't protect Paradigm's assets." Roger took another sip of his bourbon.
Dastuns expression was sullen, "Believing that is what's let me keep my pride in my work. Maybe this is the first time I've ever talked to anybody about this."
Roger thought about what Dastun said, "Isn't that enough?" Dastun shot him a quizzical glance, so Roger continued, "We may get our lost Memories back one day. Even if you don't want that to happen, you can be sure that someone will turn up who DOES. But when it's all said and done, they're only Memories. Ghosts of the past."
"Ghosts of the past…" Dastun muttered before taking another sip.
"Here and now, WE are the ones who are living our lives here, not the ghosts of the past. No matter what happened in the past, how we live our lives right here and now is another matter entirely." Roger was also near lost in reverence.
Dastun, silent, smiles dryly. Though Roger says nothing for a time. "You're pretty amazing, you know that? You're absolutely right." Roger didn't respond so Dastun continued, "The way you live your life is terrific. I admire you. But you'd do well to remember that things might not work out so well for normal people like me, Mr. Negotiator."
Roger was stunned. "I'm not interested in forcing my way of life onto others."
"I should hope not. For starters, Roger sometimes wakes up in a foul mood and takes it out on Norman and me." Dorothy felt like joining in again.
"Huh? What do you mean, Dorothy?" Dastun turned to the mechanical girl.
"Dorothy!" Roger yelled at her.
"He has dreams. Dreams that are fragments of Memories." Dorothy kept playing and ignored Roger's rising anger.
"Would you cut it out?! Don't go around blabbing about other people!" Roger was gritting his teeth now, trying not to scream at her.
"But Major Dastun has been speaking completely openly. I don't think it's fair." Dorothy almost sounded like she was whining.
"You're saying that I'm not fair?! How DARE you suggest that I of all people am not fair!" Roger shouted.
Dastun gave a dry laugh at the two's antics. "Okay, okay, okay… Let's just leave it at that. Save the family squabbles for after I leave, all right?"
"Family…." Dorothy repeated that one word. It wasn't the first time someone had said they were family, but last time it had been Ray, who was a part of that strange shared concept.
Roger started shouting again. "It's not like that at all. Dorothy and I are ––"
Dastun cut him off. "Big brother and little sister." Roger stared blankly at him. "That's the impression I get, but I guess that's not right. Sometimes Dorothy seems like your older sister." Again Roger said nothing. "No, that's not quite right either. Oh, forget it. I'm a simple man. I understand relationships between men and women even less than I understand Memories."
Ray snorted her derision to all this strange relationship talk. "I'll ignore being ignored much like any other middle child would."
"You certainly act out like one." Dorothy commented offhandedly. For some reason the quip got Dastun to laugh.
"I admit…that I have dreams like anyone else. And they're fragments of Memories of the past, no doubt about it. Also…" Dastun looked confused so Roger continued, "The thing that's precious to the man I am right now… the being that lets me believe that I am myself… you might say that it is the embodiment of Memory."
"What … are you talking about?" Dastun wasn't sure if it was the alcohol or not that made him think Roger was going overboard.
Dorothy was worried about him now. "Roger?"
"A being that is itself a Memory… From time to time, such things appear in this city." Roger stared into the bourbon in his glass, the reflection of his face seemed distant.
"Megadei… Is that what you're talking about?" Dastun took another sip, the bourbon had warmed him up, but also may have fuzzied his mind.
Ray growled a terse warning. "Roger, I ––" She didn't get to finish.
No, Dastun was sure Roger was losing it now. "Wait, don't tell me that what you're trying to say is that ––"
"I'm a man who prizes fairness. And I can't hold myself apart from such questions as what sort of Memory it originally was, and for what purpose it was constructed. But even so, I acknowledge its existence because I believe the man that I am now to be just one." Roger's tone of voice gradually grows more forceful. Dastun stayed quiet, it was better to let this man's temper fizzle out when he got like this. "Probably –– no, without a doubt – those Memories of the past were powerful enough to destroy the very world we now live in. And that is why I won't allow anyone to reawaken the Memories of the past to be used now as they were back then, Dastun!"
Dastun wasn't sure he was hearing his old lieutenant right. "Roger Smith… What are you –––"
"Those who would wake the ghost of the past, THOSE are my enemies!" Roger was growling, "The Military Police? How powerful do you think they were in the past? If your idealized Military Police existed back then, why is it that we lost our Memories?!"
"Roger, stop it." Dorothy said in a gentle but forceful manner. He was getting worked up and it scared her.
"Know your true enemy, Dastun!"
"What did you just say?" Dastun growled.
"You're one to talk, Roger." Ray went up behind him. If she had to, she would knock sense into him. He had some sort of fervor, not acting like himself, and even Ray was on edge from all his shouting.
"Naturally, it's not some small-time street punk like Beck! And it goes without saying that it's not someone like that poor investigator Schwarzwald whose mind was ruled by the thought of digging up Megadeuses!" Roger was still in his fever when an unexpected voice pulled him back.
Angel's voice can be heard, "Then are you trying to say that it's Alex Rosewater, Mr. Negotiator?"
Startled, everyone turned to look. Angel appears from the stairs. As if on her way home from a party, her beautiful dress is slightly disheveled.
"A – Angel…" Roger stammers with some surprise. Oh no, that's the last thing I need tonight. A three way cat fight. BAM! Fshhhhh… The sound of an hourglass being turned over. Roger spoke in a strained voice, "Dorothy, mind your manners."
"Uh… I'm SURE I've met you before. You're Paradigm's uh….Alex Rosewater's secretary…? No, that's not it. You were with the Military Police's board of inquiry… No, that's not it, either. An Out-of-Dome volunteer?" Dastun had no idea what to think of this woman.
BAM! Fshhhhh…. The sound of an hourglass being turned over.
"Not even I have any idea how many names or titles this woman has. NORMAN!" Roger shouted for his manservant.
Norman came to the top of the stairs, as if waiting to be called upon. "Yes, Master Roger?"
"You're familiar with the rules in this mansion?"
"Of course, Master Roger. First of all, everyone who lives in this mansion is to wear black. Let me see… Another is that all visitors who are young women are to be shown in immediately." Norman listed the rules off easily.
Angel gave a small drunken laugh, "Why thank you, Norman."
"Not at all, miss." Norman smiled. BAM! Fshhhhh…. The sound of an hourglass being turned over.
"Cut that out, Dorothy! Um…Norman, this woman is an exception."
"Sir? This is the first I've heard of this rule."
"I'm putting it into effect now. Remember it." Roger whispered tersely.
Norman seemed confused by the new rule, but merely aquised to the demand. "Of course, sir… I shall keep that in mind. If you'll excuse me, then, sir." And with that he left.
Angel was still very tipsy from whatever she'd been drinking. "If you're having a party, you should've invited me. I thought we were at least that close, Roger Smith."
Roger took a sip to calm his nerves before retorting, "There's no party here, but you seem to be on your way home from one. If you decide to drop by because you weren't drunk enough, you came to the wrong place."
"A real gentleman would have offered me something, but you don't mind if I sit, do you? I'm a little tired." Angel flops down on the sofa with a sigh. "I'm going to take my shoes off, too."
Rogers' face crinkled in distaste, "I don't have any special interest in women's shoes, but it seems to me that ruby-colored shoes like that are only attractive when they're on a woman's feet."
Angel groaned, "Look, I know it's bad manners. But I only bought these new shoes because I like them. I think they're a bit small for me. I'm bushed…"
Roger was getting irritated, "Just where do you think you are?!"
Dorothy quietly begins to play a blues song on the piano. No one says anything for a time, until some petty comments or other about not showing up drunk to a man's home got said.
Roger sighed, "What a night…"
"And it's not even over yet." Ray mused.
"Huh. You can play songs like that, too, Dorothy?" Dastun filled his glass again.
"I sometimes get in the mood." She didn't bother looking up from the piano.
"Mood…?" Dastun mused.
Roger put his bourbon down and sighed. "Don't let it get to you, Dastun. This android sometimes says stuff like that to confuse us."
Angel gave a drunken chuckle, "That looking in her eye is a little scary." *I'm in danger vibes*
"Didn't you know? Androids can see into the hearts of people with a guilty conscience." Roger said it with a straight face, but it didn't have the intended effect on Angel.
Angel laughed so hard she nearly fell from the couch, "Then… I must…" She was trying and failing to reign in her laughter, "look like … a monster to her." Angel choked back the last bit.
Dastun was not entirely on board this revelation about androids. "Wait a minute, Roger… That's the first I've ever heard that. Can she really… Do androids really…"
"What I can tell is that Roger is a big, fat liar." Dorothy didn't like the insinuation.
Dastun caught on to what she was saying, "Oh…"
"And that's not all." Dorothy was set to continue the verbal attack but was cut off.
"Just drop it, Dorothy. By the way, Miss –– What's your name tonight?" Roger finally thought to ask the mysterious woman who kept finding ways to ruin his day.
"Oh, now. You should just call me "My Angel" just like you always do."
Dorothy couldn't hold her tongue. "I think you mean, "That Obnoxious Fallen Angel.""
Roger sighs deeply.
Dastun cleared his throat, "Uh, a young lady really shouldn't talk like that, Dorothy."
"Excuse me. Don't worry about it."
Ray shook her head at this wildly descending madness scene played out for her. "I'm shocked they haven't come to cat fighting yet."
Roger was becoming discouraged by the evening's events, "Why did you come here?"
"Do you and I need a reason?" Angel tried to sound coy, but it came off as drunk flirting.
Roger was clearly exasperated by the non-stop drunken behavior. "Would you give it a rest?! I see you've had too much to drink."
Angel groaned, "I didn't mean to. I was just at a party thrown by Alex Rosewater."
"You were, were you?" Roger was sure Angel would've needed a stiff drink to make it through such an occasion, but showing up drunk to his home this late in the evening wasn't excusable.
"It was a birthday party for his father, Gordon Rosewater, a man who couldn't possibly attend." Angel snorted her derision, "What a joke."
Roger raised an eyebrow in confusion, "It was that old man's…"
Angel shook her head in dismay. "Gordon Rosewater has no memory of yesterday, much less forty years ago. He lives happily basking all day in the warm light of the false sun in his personal Dome. What possible reason could he have to leave there?"
"Yes, what reason…?" Roger thought back to his last meeting with the octogenarian.
"Hm? It sounds like you know something about Gordon that we don't." Angel remarked coyly.
"No, not really."
"The old codger knows more than he lets on at any rate." Ray quipped. She had said little the entire night, but felt the need to add that detail.
Angel blinked, then ignored Ray. "Well, never mind. Whatever Gordon did forty years ago, that poor old man can't do anything now. He can't get back our Memories, much less change the world."
Dastuns curiosity finally got the better of him, "Excuse me…"
Angel gave him a flirtatious smile. "Yes, my good Mr. Military Police Major?"
"I … hear that you're also searching for Memories." Somehow Dastun thought it wrong to broach the subject just a little too late.
Roger shook his head before taking another swig of his drink, "Yes, although her reasons seem to differ from those people I mentioned earlier. But just like them, she'll stop at nothing to get Memories."
The sound of lighter flicking alive was followed by Angel taking a deep drag on her cigarette.
"They'll stop at nothing…" Dastun took his time to process that.
"Dastun, you should do some digging on her. I'm not even sure if she was born here in Paradigm City." Roger egged on the older Major.
"You're from… the outside world?" Dastun knew some people were, but few admitted it as easily as Ray did.
Angel attempted to give a coy smile, but still looked buzzed. "You're awfully talkative tonight, Negotiator."
Dastun sighed deeply. Being ignored by two teenagers was one thing, but a pretty woman a little closer to his age was another.
Roger notices Dastun's change in attitude, "I'm sorry, Dastun… Looks like it brought up some bad memories."
Dastun thought back to that recurring nightmare. "The one Memory I have of forty years ago… is of me and a little girl younger than me watching a movie screen. On the screen was a beautiful woman from the outside world. And that woman appeared to me, exactly as she was in that film from forty years ago… And she died."
"You sound like you're talking from experience." Angel sounded forlorn.
"Did you know? I was the one… With these two hands…" Dastun looked down at his hands then, the memory came searing back to the forefront of his mind.
Angel looked at Dastun with a hint of sadness. "I don't know anything. That's the sort of relationship we have, isn't it, Roger Smith?"
"It's all a little too convenient, don't you think?" Roger sighed, this woman…
"Shouldn't it be the other way around? Roger never carries a gun and you always have one by your side, Angel." Ray spoke with some hesitancy. She knew Angel wouldn't hurt Roger intentionally, but the story had long since gone off the rails and taken many twists.
Angel ignored her, "At the very least, assassins from the outside world have nothing to do with me. It's stupid to think that killing people will change this world."
"You're awfully talkative tonight, yourself, Angel." Roger took another sip of bourbon, he might just need an edge to not lose it.
"I suppose I am. But don't get the wrong idea, I'm not in love with you or anything." Angel denied her feelings for him, it was too dangerous to ever get close.
"Fine by me." Roger snorted his diriesion. She's still drunk, who said anything about romantic feelings?
"Do… you mind if I ask you something?" Dastun chose to try and change the subject, something was still gnawing at the back of his mind.
"Who, me?" Angel pointed to herself, as if wondering why he would bother.
"What exactly IS the outside world? Look, I don't think that Paradigm City is the whole world. But nobody thought that there were people outside this city who have maintained a civilization like we have here." Dastun wasn't sure this enigma of a woman would answer.
"Have you thought of asking the other young lady here?" Angel attempted to deflect.
"Ray's been rather forthcoming that where she's from is so far away we have no knowledge of it." Roger stated with some sarcasm. "Though I think she's hiding something." Ray winced at the open attack on her character.
"If I could go back home I would, damn it!" Ray finally shouted. "I'm not hiding anything because I want to. But look at what happened to everyone else with memories or knowledge of foreigners before those three Big's showed up!" Ray calmed down and looked upset, "Well, at least those not in Rosewater's immediate circle." With that she glanced over at Angel, who realized she would have to answer the cops question herself now.
Angel paused to think of a way out, but not finding one responded. "Well, I'm not sure."
Dastun was confused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Have you ever considered that instead of 'you never thought that' you were MADE not to think that?" Dastun groaned at that, but Angel continued, "Memories weren't simply lost forty years ago. I can't imagine that they just got up and vanished."
She has no idea how close to the truth she is… well not yet anyways. Ray thought, but made sure to keep anything she was thinking to herself tonight.
"Our Memories were manipulated by someone…?" Dastun couldn't believe that. He didn't want to believe that.
"I don't know where you come from or why you're trying to dig up Memories, but if I agree with you on one thing, it's your thoughts regarding Memories. They aren't absolute. They're nothing more than something that we who live here in the present must conquer."
Angel flashed a smile, "Why thank you, Roger Smith."
Roger returned her smile. There is a brief silence before, CLANG! The piano keyboard was slapped hard. Dorothy stood up and shouted, "I'm sick of this!"
Oh boy, time for Dorothy to lose her shit, finally. Ray thought ruefully.
Everyone gulps and turns to look at her. Dorothy speaks in a harsh tonality, one not heard before. "Are Memories that precious to you? You're chained up by something you can't see – something that you're not even sure exists! Humans are such idiots!"
"Dorothy…" Roger makes a move to calm her and is silenced.
"That's right! There's even something wrong with me! I'm able to play the piano because I have Memories of my own! The reason my thoughts are so chaotic, that my regulatory functions are going haywire, isn't because I have a soul! It's an intolerable buffer overflow error that's being caused by the thought processes of Dorothy Wayneright, the human I was modeled after, that are lingering in my Memories! These human Memories that cause these things in me… I… I'm sick of it."
Angel showed concern, but wasn't sure how to respond. "She's…"
Dorothy's voice softened as she tried to convey how she felt, "I – I… I feel this way, but I can't even cry."
Dastun spoke gently so as not to rile her up again, "I'm only a human. But I think I understand what you're feeling right now."
"As you said, we're chained up by these invisible things we call Memories. As long as we live what we call Memories, and not just those of forty years ago, will constantly be overwritten. But they never completely fade away…" Roger tried to be reassuring.
"I think it's regrettable to call it "being chained up"… But you're right. We're missing that part of ourselves, and we want to fill in the hole. That's the only thing we have in common." Angel was wistful.
Dorothy took a few seconds to regain her composure. "I... Suddenly came into being in this world. I had someone who deserved to be called a father, but the reason I gained something like self-awareness in this world isn't because he triggered it. I came into this world all alone… I don't WANT to be alone. But I'm a being who only has the ability to imitate humans…"
Well she's doing a damn good job of it right now. Ray chose not to speak. She didn't want to set Dorothy off again.
A brief pause, then Angel stood up. "These shoes might be a little big for you."
"Hm?" Dorothy looked at the red shoes.
"When I was little… I was told a story that went something like this. A little girl was sucked up and carried away by a huge tornado. She's carried away from the little town she lived in to a magical world." Angel gave a sad smile.
"What sort of world…?" Why does the story of another world seem familiar? It occurred to Dorothy that Ray had seemed rather serious when she had asked Ray if she came from another world. Dorothy had thought Ray was joking, trying to tease her, but the more Dorothy had thought about it… Well that didn't matter right now.
"Everything the little girl saw and touched was wondrous to her. There, the girl makes three friends. One is… Uh, I can't remember the details. But none of them are human. But each of them has lost some part of the human soul… Courage, I think. And intelligence…" Angel faltered as she recalled the details
"Memories?" The young android tilted her head, all of this sounded familiar, but why?
"No. The girl had lost her home. The four of them walk down a road of yellow bricks to see a great wizard who ruled that world, a wizard no one had ever seen in person." Details came back to her fairly easily the more she thought back to the childhood story she loved so.
"This sounds familiar…" Roger mused.
"But in reality, that wizard was nothing but a plain old cowardly human…" Gee that sounds like someone who used to be in charge.
"So… How does it end?" Dastun had found himself invested in the childish story.
"I can't remember… Haven't you ever heard this story before? I always wanted to visit where this story was made." Angel couldn't help it, dreary Paradigm or farmland and magical worlds, it wouldn't be a hard choice for most.
There was a long pause before Ray piped up. "The Wizard of Oz…"
"Huh?" Everyone looked at her confused.
"The book that Angel is referring to. It's called "The Wizard of Oz."" Ray sighed. "How can you remember the story but not the name?"
Angel changed topics. "Uh…Oh, but I do remember the girl got back to her own world. Dorothy, try putting on these shoes." Dorothy put on the shoes. Angel gave a bitter smile, "Those shoes just don't work with a black dress. Still… you should try wearing bright colors like that every once in a while. I mean, the color of your hair is really pretty."
Dorothy waited a bit before asking, "How did the girl get home?"
Angel told her, "She clicked the heels of her shoes together one, two, three times."
"Give it a try, Dorothy." Roger asked for her to do the story books actions.
Dastun was shocked before interjecting, "But…"
"Oh, just do it. The magic will work. I guarantee it." Roger laughed.
"Huh?" Angel knew she wasn't that drunk for Roger to be suggesting this.
"Well… I'll give it a try." Nervously, Dorothy starts. Click. Click. Click… go the red heels. Silence. "Nothing happened… Of course not. What you told me was… just a story told to children." She sadly asked, "How could you guarantee something like this, Roger…? That was a careless thing for a Negotiator to do…"
"The magic is working, Dorothy." Roger gently smiled at her.
"It is?" Dorothy tilted her head slightly in confusion.
Roger considered his words carefully. "Or rather, you MADE it work." Dorothy said nothing, so he continued, "We're just like those three almost human but not characters that appear in that fairy tale. We think of these things we've lost that we call Memories as that part of us that we're each missing. In my case, it refers to an entity that's slightly more tangible."
"Back to that, huh? That "embodiment of Memory" of yours…?" Dastun rubbed his latticework of scars.
"What do you mean?" Angel had an inkling of what Roger meant, but without confirmation the information wasn't useful to her people.
"For the sake of argument, I'll call it "Big O." And now, I'll tell you another fairy tale of my own." They all hold their breath, hanging on Roger's every word. "There was once a man, and he believed that their meeting was more of a coincidence. But then he realizes that this was not the case. He could make this entity in the shape of a giant , an entity that by all rights he had never seen before, do whatever he wished. Either arrangements were made beforehand to allow him to pilot it, or…some Memories within him that he was unaware of allowed him to do so."
Angel smiled faintly, "What a fascinating fairy tale this is."
Roger continued on, this story not yet told. "However, whether this is the truth or not doesn't make the least bit of difference to this man now. As I… As HE sees it, the question is how he will use that entity… How he will use Big O. To him, that's something he has to give serious thought to as he acts."
Dastun snorted as if to protest. "A god presides over justice? Is that what he's playing at?"
Roger shook his head to answer in the negative. "The answer to that is "no," of course! I don't like calling Big O and the other giant robots "Megadei". Nevertheless… I sometimes wonder if the humans who created those beings that were among those incredibly powerful Memories – assuming they WERE human – weren't trying to create gods."
Angel attempted to suppress a laugh, "Don't you mean "he"?"
"No, this is what I think, Angel. I don't think Big O understands what people like that were thinking. But Big O is an entity that was left behind, too… well, I'm not sure. Yes, his Memories have gaps in them, too. Dorothy. Those emotions you displayed in front of us a few minutes ago… You may say they are a reaction, but I believe they are your own feelings."
"Huh?" Humans are confusing.
Roger smiled before answering, "There's no need for you to become human. You are yourself, and the feelings within you are your own. YOU were the one who taught me that."
Dorothy waited, but when he didn't say anything she did. "I can't understand, Roger. It's completely illogical."
"It's not logical. Humans, androids… and even Megadei… all exist here in this city with something having been removed from them. I believe that continuing to look for missing something is proof that we're alive."
"It's… magic?" Angel sounded quizzical.
"Exactly. Until just recently, I believed that something that might be called the embodiment of Memory had disappeared. But that isn't the case at all. When I begin to lose the desire to continue that search and I come to rely only on its strength out of a sense of weakness, it ceases to exist." Roger spoke with vigor, returning to his usual self, the alcohol may have helped.
Dastun had trouble believing what Roger had just said. "Then it exists right now."
Roger proclaims loudly, "Indeed it does!" Click! He touches his wristwatch. "Big O! SHOWTIME!"
Rrruummmbble! A deep roar resounds through the room. Angel is visibly spooked "Wha ––? What's happening?"
"Big O…" Dorothy whispered as she heard him coming back.
"The Megadeus… No, Big O… it's here…" Dastun wasn't sure why he was surprised by that. He wasn't making it up… then that means Roger was hiding it from me the whole time. No, I can't blame him for that. Who knows what the MP would've been told to do if it got out.
Roger flashed a confident and suave smile. "Of course it is! This fairy tale doesn't have an ending yet! I'll keep on fighting! With Big O!"
Angel sounded strained. "So, you'll fight, no matter what?" So, instead of giving up he found the resolve to continue in that fight. I should have known. He's too stubborn.
Roger responded with renewed conviction, "That's right! Memories of the past are no ghosts! It's the beings who wake them and revive the destruction of the past that are the ghosts! No matter who those beings are, I'll fight them!"
"I… I'll walk down a road I believe in with my pride in the Military Police in my heart. At the end of that road, I may end up fighting you." Dastun found his confidence.
"That's all right, Dastun!" Roger knew there was a chance that could happen, but both men had their principles to uphold after all.
Norman entered the lounge then, "It's grown quite late. I'm terribly sorry, but as I have an early morning tomorrow, I shall take the liberty of excusing myself. I have placed chocolates and milk in your bedroom, Master Roger. A good night to you all." Norman bows and starts to leave, then goes over to Roger. "Master Roger…" He lowers his voice and whispers the next part, "Big O has returned."
"I know." Norman leaves and everyone lets out a long, tired breath.
Dastun clears his throat and stands. "Uh… I guess I stayed a lot longer than I meant to… I'll call it a night, too."
"My buzz has worn off.. I wonder if any bars are still open?" Angel stretches and walks towards the stairs.
"Uh… You're going home barefoot?" Dastun looked down and realized her stockings would offer no protection from the cold.
Angel gave a gentle and coy smile, "You'll give me a lift? You're so sweet."
"Wha -? Oh, sure…All right." The grizzled cop became flustered before agreeing.
"Well, until we meet again, miss." Dorothy didn't respond to Angel's comment, but her stare was less stony. "Roger Smith… mwa!" She flirtatiously threw a kiss his way before following Dastun to the exit.
BAM! An hourglass is flipped over and the sand begins to run. "Roger…" There was an angry edge to Dorothy's voice.
He recognized the thinly veiled irritation for what it was. "This has been a strange night, hasn't it, Dorothy?"
"These shoes are too big."
Ray cackled with laughter, and it was only then they even remembered she had been there the whole time. "You two…" Ray had to pause to catch her breath. "You two are too much for me sometimes, you know that?"
"And you're wholly too much for me to deal with this late." Roger sighed. "I need to go to bed. I have questions for you in the morning though."
"Don't you always?" Ray shrugged. She could guess what those questions would entail. Roger went to his room to retire for the night, and Ray slumped on the couch. The bourbon still sat there, the bottle mostly full. "Think Norman would ground me if I had some?"
"Most likely." Dorothy changed back into her black loafers and brought the glitzy red shoes over. "What am I going to do with these?"
"Dunno. Don't tell me to try 'em on either. My shoe size is closer to Roger's." Ray sighed. "So you used Norman to give Roger the Valentine's day chocolates instead of doing it yourself?"
"I do not think he would have accepted them from me… he barely sees me as a woman, much less someone who can be loved. Though his acknowledgement of my feelings for once was appreciated." Ray put an arm around Dorothy's shoulder when she sat next to her. "Don't think you get a chance because of that."
"I'm just hugging you, you horny teenage robot." Ray snorted. "Honestly, you know hugs can just be friendly and well intended and not sexual intent?"
Dorothy said nothing, and instead, uncharacteristically leaned into the hug, resting her head on Ray's shoulder. "Why do you treat me like a human?"
"I told you before, I treat you like a person."
"Very few humans do."
"I know… And it pisses me off that they don't." Ray grumbled. "Maybe if you blew up at people more like how you did tonight they'd stop… Why did you call the human Dorothy's memories a buffer overflow error? Wouldn't it be some kind of memory or file leak error?"
That was the one and only time Ray had ever made mention of the human Dorothy, but it was significant enough that the Dorothy she knew felt she had to answer. "I… it was the easier terminology I felt you all would understand."
"And how much of "her" are you?" Ray asked, dismayed. "No, maybe you shouldn't tell me. It doesn't matter anyways." Ray sighed. "You're you, she's dead and gone, and even if you were built to replace her, the you now isn't the same person she was. The experiences you've had since waking up shaped who you are, much like how she grew up shaped who she was…"
"Ray…"
"No, let me finish. You might share her face, name, maybe you're as close to an exact copy of her as your father could manage. But you're your own person. Don't forget that ok? Roger can be an ass at times, but he was right when he said that your feelings are your own."
Dorothy remained silent for a time, the only sound to be heard was the grandfather clock in the hallway and the occasional sounds of cars below. "Thank you, Ray."
"And one other thing…"
"Yes?" Dorothy wasn't sure what else she could say to confuse her, but Ray found a way.
"Your life doesn't belong to you alone, got it? It belongs to those around you, who care and love you for who you are. So don't go trying to throw yourself away." Ray yawned then, and made to get up. "I need to sleep, just think about what I said ok? Goodnight Dorothy."
"Goodnight, Ray." Dorothy watched her leave and for the rest of the night, thought about what Ray had said.
"So, "Your life doesn't belong to you alone, got it? It belongs to those around you, who care and love you for who you are." Huh?" Roger repeated back what Dorothy reported Ray had told her before going to bed light night. "That's, uh, a strange way of saying you care for someone."
Ray smiled, she knew Dorothy would tell Roger eventually, she always did. "I was at a very low point in my life when someone reminded me of that, and it was something I needed to hear."
"Right. Hmmm." Roger crossed his arms and looked down at his desk. His reflection in the black coffee looked more worried for her than he intended to show. Finally he grabbed the mug and took a sip before addressing the rather large elephant that had found its way into the room with that statement. "You're ok now though right? You're not thinking of hurting yourself?"
Ray was taken aback by his evident concern, but then realized of course he would be. Roger may have been too proud to say it, but she was aware he cared for her on some level. "I'm fine, I assure you."
"You're sure?"
"I'm fine, really. I won't hurt myself or anyone else either."
"Ok then…" Roger hadn't thought Ray was capable of hurting someone… well, at least if they only threatened her. Ray had an odd, and somewhat detrimental habit, of putting others first. "On another subject…" Ray groaned, she had a feeling she knew where this was going. "How did you know what Angel was referring to last night?"
"Oh is that all? It's a rather famous children's book where I'm from. I'm pretty sure it was famous the world over before whatever took everyone's memories." Ray was pleasantly surprised it was only that kind of question this morning. "I read it as a kid, and I'm pretty sure most people know the tale even if they hadn't read it. There were a number of movies made off that book after all."
"Well, that explains it, at any rate." Roger sipped at his coffee and noticed Dorothy had slipped in. "Did the protagonist of that story really have the same name, I wonder."
"Same first name at least." Ray caught on to what he meant. "I don't think our Dorothy is a scared and frightened little girl trying to find her way home though. Or being tricked into committing crimes."
"The girl in the book commits crimes does she?" Roger took another sip of his coffee, preparing to finish it off before Dorothy could slip any cream and sugar in.
"That book has got a body count." Ray shrugged, there wasn't a better way to describe it save some unsavory language. Roger choked on his coffee.
"That's um… Well ok then." He put the mug down and made a mental note to maybe see if he could find that book. Not out of interest, but he was starting to worry about the media Ray was consuming.
"It's a kids book, Roger, relax." Ray shook her head, but she had that knowing crooked half smile. "I promise you, I've seen and read worse as I got older."
"That's not in the least reassuring, Ray." She laughed at him again.
"It's fine. Anyways, if we're done here, I want to get back on working on my computer."
"What are you doing to it?" Dorothy asked as she refilled Roger's coffee mug, but did sneak in a little sugar.
"Upgrading parts, added a mouse peripheral slot to the board, and updated the software to accept it. Why? Do you want me to help with your maintenance again?"
"No."
"When did Ray help with your maintenance Dorothy?" He sipped at his coffee and grimaced. Oh darn it, she put sweetener in.
"Uh… last month." Ray looked from one to the other. "Though I suppose it makes sense she didn't tell you."
"How are you affording those upgrades?" Roger took a longer drag from the mug, determined to finish this one quickly so he wouldn't have the sweet taste lingering.
"I've got a lot of money saved over from my paychecks," Ray shrugged, "You don't take all that much out for room and board and taxes, and used books don't cost much. So I have well over what I need to go to a used parts store or recycling center and buy what I want." Ray made to leave then, "Well if that's all, I do want to finish what I was doing before Norman drags me out of my room to help with Big O's maintenance later."
Once she was gone and the other two were alone, Roger ventured a single question. "I don't know if she's becoming more or less of a mystery."
Next to him, Dorothy wore a very clear frown.
No Side
And now we have the audio drama down. Being frank, I'm a little sad we never had a wide release of it Stateside, and Konaka, one of the main script writers for Big O, paid for it out of his own pocket to be translated. It's not even widely discussed in the fandom, despite being free and accessible for everyone.
Now the next chapter should be the light novel, as it also technically takes place between season 1 and 2, and I have most of chapter one translated. I may just have to post it in the three chapters on a blog, and upload my fanfic version here.