Chapter 11
Disclaimer: DBZ characters no mine...kay...
note: once more!!! RYAN is RADITZ!!!!
Ryan sat on his perfect white sheets in his perfect white room. The feeling was so sanitized that it was almost sickening. The whiteness of it all made him feel even more on the edge. The perfection almost mocked him and made him even more depressed. It mocked the fact that his memory was as blank as the flat, white, perfect wall in front of him.
It wasn't too long ago, he remembers waking up surrounded in pinkish liquid that was soon drained. The liquid didn't sting his eyes when he opened them. He was wearing an oxygen mask of some sort and his whole body seemed to cramp. After the liquid was drained, he was stuck in a suffocating tube. It was the first time he ever experience claustrophobia. Unfortunately, he couldn't break the strong material the tube was made out of, he sort of tried to punch the walls and gave a keen and soft whine.
At first he thought it was a relief when he saw the scientist in front of him. Soon after the scientist, who he now calls Dr. Gero, released him from his confines. Then he was given some clothes to wear, comfortable loose clothes; But not for long. His boss, Bulma, commanded him to wear a suit that has now become his daily uniform. It was uncomfortable, tight and constantly made him feel claustrophobic. She commanded that he had to wear the suit every day he was on call as her bodyguard.
On some days, he would try to ignore the command. Each day he would try to last a few seconds longer, but eventually his face would turn red from effort and his chest would tighten painfully until he had to give in. His body would usually automatically wear the suit; he never had to give a second thought about how to tie his black tie. Everything was just going through the motions.
It didn't help that he could never resist the commands, but the worst part was that he couldn't remember anything. Dr. Gero said that he had a rare case of amnesia, the kind that would never allow his memories come back. He couldn't remember anything and it was painful watching other people happy. He felt like a specter looking into the world of the living and yet never really able to touch anyone. So, he would wake up early in the morning, like today, and sit there staring at the wall. Trying to think, but only finding that everything he thought about was fairly limited. Whenever he started a thought, he couldn't finish it, he just couldn't find where it went on.
Ryan finally got up from his bed and walked over to the closet, where he had about ten sets of the 3 different suits he alternated every time he had to go out. As Ryan put on the itchy and tight suit, he mentally disapproved of the clothing.
'I hate this damn suit, why do I have to wear it every time. I feel like my arms can barely move and the pants constrain my walking too. Flexible Armor would be much more comfortable…"
Ryan froze, and then he muttered to himself. "Flexible armor? Where did that come from?"
He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hated when this happened, random thoughts just appeared without an explanation. Every time his mind tried to probe back into the past he'd hit a mental block and he could never push, because every time he did, he got a sort of… painful jolt.
Ryan thumped his head against the wall of his walk-in closet and whimpered softy. The clock in his room gave long and annoying 'tick-tocks' that echoed loudly in the large and empty apartment. Ryan, who suddenly realized that he was slightly hyperventilating, squeezed this eyes shut and pushed maddening thoughts away.
With his forehead still against the wall, Ryan asked the emptiness, "Why?"
~~~
Bulma looked annoyed at Ryan's approaching figure. "What took you so long?"
Ryan looked down at the ground and bit his lip, he couldn't tell her that he was having a mental breakdown earlier… "I didn't hear my clock ring today."
Bulma lifted an eyebrow, somewhat doubting the excuse that Ryan gave. But she waved it off, it didn't' really matter all that much.
Goku, who was always late, came rushing into Bulma's apartment seconds after Bulma's strange conversation with Ryan. Goku stuttered unintelligibly and rambled for a few minutes until Bulma just held her hand out and shook her head. "It's okay."
Finally the three of them got into the elevator silently. Ryan looked at his reflections intensely in the mirror like surface of the elevator walls. Somewhat lost in thought and bitter at the same time, silently resenting that he was trapped into this strange and confusing life of games. It was all Bulma's games…
Bulma noticed Ryan's slightly perturbed look, she noted that she would have to talk to Dr. Gero about him. Ryan was becoming a little too 'off'. Without looking at Ryan, Bulma voiced her annoyance at his behavior. "Is something the matter Ryan?"
Ryan jumped and looked around like a child guilty of sticking his hand in the cookie jar. Then he calmed down and quietly only replied, "No."
Bulma raised an eyebrow, never turning to Ryan. "Really? If you have a problem, please tell me."
Ryan winced at the subtle venom in Bulma's tone. Ryan also mentally relaxed, thank God that Bulma only asked him to tell her and not commanded him to tell her.
Ryan nodded while staring at the floor, "I understand."
~~~
Within the months to come, Ryan's uneasiness became more and more apparent. Bulma didn't like this change in Ryan's behavior and tried to control him even more. For Ryan, every day was like being a servant to Bulma, he wasn't treated like a person anymore. The polite leniency of asking disappeared, replaced by Bulma's instinct to tighten the reigns. And in response Ryan disobeyed Bulma whenever he could, it was his own way of regaining control.
For example, whenever Bulma told Ryan to "bring those files", Ryan would purposely bring the wrong files. Then when Bulma told Ryan to "Stand guard in front of the door.", Ryan would go stand in front of a closet door. Ryan's increased disobedience infuriated Bulma, in the end she was at the end of her line and she began to restrain on the things he was allowed to do and tortured him with not allowing him to do anything he wanted to do. Finally, Ryan's frustration blew up and got out of control.
~~~
Ryan, I want you accompany me to the private meeting I'm having with the Petersons. Ryan sighed, "Can I at least bring something to do? I don't like sitting out there for six hours."
Bulma's eyes narrowed, "No. It'll distract you and you won't be as alert as I'd like you to be. Besides, I'm brining Goku along too. You can talk to him."
Ryan mentally growled, "I don't want to talk to that idiot."
Bulma tapped her fingers on the desk she was sitting at. "Are you questioning my choice?"
Ryan remained silent.
Bulma slammed her hand down. "Answer me!"
Automatically a response came, "Yes."
"You were programmed to not question my orders. If you ever do that again, I'll send you to Dr. Gero, understand?"
Ryan gulped, remembering his last 'visit' to Dr. Gero. "Yes ma'am."
~~~
(later that afternoon, before Bulma's meeting)
Bulma pointed at the spot in front of the door to the house, "I want the Ryan to stand out here. Goku, you're going to come in with me."
Ryan cried out, "What?! I thought you said he would accompany me."
"I thought you didn't want to talk to him."
"Better than doing nothing."
Bulma smirked. "It's your punishment for questioning me earlier."
"That's not fair."
Bulma ushered Goku into the house. "Who said anything about fair. This is kinder punishment than what I was planning. Now shut up and stay out here like the good DOG you are."
Ryan fumed. "I am not a pet for you to order me around."
Bulma laughed darkly, "You're defiance as earn you no meals for the next two days. Think before you speak next time dolt."
Ryan snapped, he rushed at Bulma and grabbed hold of the lapels of her suit. Bulma stared him down and didn't even flinch. In a dangerous and monotonous voice, she ordered, "Put me down Ryan."
Ryan dropped her, panting heavily. Bulma stood back up and straightened her suit. "Now, I want you to fly over to Dr. Gero's lab. He'll give you your 'treatment'."
"No!" Ryan shouted as he grabbed his head. Then he began to lash out at any object near him, in his rage. He destroyed a part of the Peterson's garden and two cars. Ryan started to get dizzy from not following the order. With the last of his energy, Ryan rushed at Bulma, pinned her to the wall and began to coke her. Goku then realized that he should intervene. Luckily Ryan was weak from the order and Goku easily overpowered him.
Bulma gasped for air as Ryan finally let go of her throat. After a few seconds, Bulma regained her bearings and called the Petersons. She canceled the meeting for the moment. Then she told Goku to take Ryan's unconscious body to Dr. Gero.
~~~
(that evening)
Goku dumped the unconscious Ryan onto one of the stainless steel tables and then he left the lab as he was ordered to.
Bulma walked over to the stunned Dr. Gero. "He's become too wild. Didn't you say you totally erased his memories?!"
Dr. Gero 'hmmm…ed' and walked in a circle around Ryan. "I did erase his memory, but not his instinct. I'm guessing that Sayjins are naturally bellergent and defiant."
"What about Goku?"
"Goku is different, I examined him. Goku's only so docile due to some brain damage he received when he was younger."
Bulma crossed her arms. "So now what do we do with him?"
"I'll re-erase his memories. I can't inhibit his instincts, too risky. It might result in more negative side effects. What I suggest is that you give Ryan a more submissive job. Sayjins like to eat, why don't you make him a cook?"
Bulma nodded, thinking. "Yes I might do, I just fired my last cook."
"Just teach him the basics to cooking, he'll learn fast."
"What about the control mechanism."
"I think I would be wiser to take it out."
"Is that safe?"
"I'll just install a shut down mechanism in his brain. If he gets out of control again, say a password, the shut down system will immediately commence and he'll be unconscious."
Bulma nodded. "Do it."
Disclaimer: DBZ characters no mine...kay...
note: once more!!! RYAN is RADITZ!!!!
Ryan sat on his perfect white sheets in his perfect white room. The feeling was so sanitized that it was almost sickening. The whiteness of it all made him feel even more on the edge. The perfection almost mocked him and made him even more depressed. It mocked the fact that his memory was as blank as the flat, white, perfect wall in front of him.
It wasn't too long ago, he remembers waking up surrounded in pinkish liquid that was soon drained. The liquid didn't sting his eyes when he opened them. He was wearing an oxygen mask of some sort and his whole body seemed to cramp. After the liquid was drained, he was stuck in a suffocating tube. It was the first time he ever experience claustrophobia. Unfortunately, he couldn't break the strong material the tube was made out of, he sort of tried to punch the walls and gave a keen and soft whine.
At first he thought it was a relief when he saw the scientist in front of him. Soon after the scientist, who he now calls Dr. Gero, released him from his confines. Then he was given some clothes to wear, comfortable loose clothes; But not for long. His boss, Bulma, commanded him to wear a suit that has now become his daily uniform. It was uncomfortable, tight and constantly made him feel claustrophobic. She commanded that he had to wear the suit every day he was on call as her bodyguard.
On some days, he would try to ignore the command. Each day he would try to last a few seconds longer, but eventually his face would turn red from effort and his chest would tighten painfully until he had to give in. His body would usually automatically wear the suit; he never had to give a second thought about how to tie his black tie. Everything was just going through the motions.
It didn't help that he could never resist the commands, but the worst part was that he couldn't remember anything. Dr. Gero said that he had a rare case of amnesia, the kind that would never allow his memories come back. He couldn't remember anything and it was painful watching other people happy. He felt like a specter looking into the world of the living and yet never really able to touch anyone. So, he would wake up early in the morning, like today, and sit there staring at the wall. Trying to think, but only finding that everything he thought about was fairly limited. Whenever he started a thought, he couldn't finish it, he just couldn't find where it went on.
Ryan finally got up from his bed and walked over to the closet, where he had about ten sets of the 3 different suits he alternated every time he had to go out. As Ryan put on the itchy and tight suit, he mentally disapproved of the clothing.
'I hate this damn suit, why do I have to wear it every time. I feel like my arms can barely move and the pants constrain my walking too. Flexible Armor would be much more comfortable…"
Ryan froze, and then he muttered to himself. "Flexible armor? Where did that come from?"
He shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hated when this happened, random thoughts just appeared without an explanation. Every time his mind tried to probe back into the past he'd hit a mental block and he could never push, because every time he did, he got a sort of… painful jolt.
Ryan thumped his head against the wall of his walk-in closet and whimpered softy. The clock in his room gave long and annoying 'tick-tocks' that echoed loudly in the large and empty apartment. Ryan, who suddenly realized that he was slightly hyperventilating, squeezed this eyes shut and pushed maddening thoughts away.
With his forehead still against the wall, Ryan asked the emptiness, "Why?"
~~~
Bulma looked annoyed at Ryan's approaching figure. "What took you so long?"
Ryan looked down at the ground and bit his lip, he couldn't tell her that he was having a mental breakdown earlier… "I didn't hear my clock ring today."
Bulma lifted an eyebrow, somewhat doubting the excuse that Ryan gave. But she waved it off, it didn't' really matter all that much.
Goku, who was always late, came rushing into Bulma's apartment seconds after Bulma's strange conversation with Ryan. Goku stuttered unintelligibly and rambled for a few minutes until Bulma just held her hand out and shook her head. "It's okay."
Finally the three of them got into the elevator silently. Ryan looked at his reflections intensely in the mirror like surface of the elevator walls. Somewhat lost in thought and bitter at the same time, silently resenting that he was trapped into this strange and confusing life of games. It was all Bulma's games…
Bulma noticed Ryan's slightly perturbed look, she noted that she would have to talk to Dr. Gero about him. Ryan was becoming a little too 'off'. Without looking at Ryan, Bulma voiced her annoyance at his behavior. "Is something the matter Ryan?"
Ryan jumped and looked around like a child guilty of sticking his hand in the cookie jar. Then he calmed down and quietly only replied, "No."
Bulma raised an eyebrow, never turning to Ryan. "Really? If you have a problem, please tell me."
Ryan winced at the subtle venom in Bulma's tone. Ryan also mentally relaxed, thank God that Bulma only asked him to tell her and not commanded him to tell her.
Ryan nodded while staring at the floor, "I understand."
~~~
Within the months to come, Ryan's uneasiness became more and more apparent. Bulma didn't like this change in Ryan's behavior and tried to control him even more. For Ryan, every day was like being a servant to Bulma, he wasn't treated like a person anymore. The polite leniency of asking disappeared, replaced by Bulma's instinct to tighten the reigns. And in response Ryan disobeyed Bulma whenever he could, it was his own way of regaining control.
For example, whenever Bulma told Ryan to "bring those files", Ryan would purposely bring the wrong files. Then when Bulma told Ryan to "Stand guard in front of the door.", Ryan would go stand in front of a closet door. Ryan's increased disobedience infuriated Bulma, in the end she was at the end of her line and she began to restrain on the things he was allowed to do and tortured him with not allowing him to do anything he wanted to do. Finally, Ryan's frustration blew up and got out of control.
~~~
Ryan, I want you accompany me to the private meeting I'm having with the Petersons. Ryan sighed, "Can I at least bring something to do? I don't like sitting out there for six hours."
Bulma's eyes narrowed, "No. It'll distract you and you won't be as alert as I'd like you to be. Besides, I'm brining Goku along too. You can talk to him."
Ryan mentally growled, "I don't want to talk to that idiot."
Bulma tapped her fingers on the desk she was sitting at. "Are you questioning my choice?"
Ryan remained silent.
Bulma slammed her hand down. "Answer me!"
Automatically a response came, "Yes."
"You were programmed to not question my orders. If you ever do that again, I'll send you to Dr. Gero, understand?"
Ryan gulped, remembering his last 'visit' to Dr. Gero. "Yes ma'am."
~~~
(later that afternoon, before Bulma's meeting)
Bulma pointed at the spot in front of the door to the house, "I want the Ryan to stand out here. Goku, you're going to come in with me."
Ryan cried out, "What?! I thought you said he would accompany me."
"I thought you didn't want to talk to him."
"Better than doing nothing."
Bulma smirked. "It's your punishment for questioning me earlier."
"That's not fair."
Bulma ushered Goku into the house. "Who said anything about fair. This is kinder punishment than what I was planning. Now shut up and stay out here like the good DOG you are."
Ryan fumed. "I am not a pet for you to order me around."
Bulma laughed darkly, "You're defiance as earn you no meals for the next two days. Think before you speak next time dolt."
Ryan snapped, he rushed at Bulma and grabbed hold of the lapels of her suit. Bulma stared him down and didn't even flinch. In a dangerous and monotonous voice, she ordered, "Put me down Ryan."
Ryan dropped her, panting heavily. Bulma stood back up and straightened her suit. "Now, I want you to fly over to Dr. Gero's lab. He'll give you your 'treatment'."
"No!" Ryan shouted as he grabbed his head. Then he began to lash out at any object near him, in his rage. He destroyed a part of the Peterson's garden and two cars. Ryan started to get dizzy from not following the order. With the last of his energy, Ryan rushed at Bulma, pinned her to the wall and began to coke her. Goku then realized that he should intervene. Luckily Ryan was weak from the order and Goku easily overpowered him.
Bulma gasped for air as Ryan finally let go of her throat. After a few seconds, Bulma regained her bearings and called the Petersons. She canceled the meeting for the moment. Then she told Goku to take Ryan's unconscious body to Dr. Gero.
~~~
(that evening)
Goku dumped the unconscious Ryan onto one of the stainless steel tables and then he left the lab as he was ordered to.
Bulma walked over to the stunned Dr. Gero. "He's become too wild. Didn't you say you totally erased his memories?!"
Dr. Gero 'hmmm…ed' and walked in a circle around Ryan. "I did erase his memory, but not his instinct. I'm guessing that Sayjins are naturally bellergent and defiant."
"What about Goku?"
"Goku is different, I examined him. Goku's only so docile due to some brain damage he received when he was younger."
Bulma crossed her arms. "So now what do we do with him?"
"I'll re-erase his memories. I can't inhibit his instincts, too risky. It might result in more negative side effects. What I suggest is that you give Ryan a more submissive job. Sayjins like to eat, why don't you make him a cook?"
Bulma nodded, thinking. "Yes I might do, I just fired my last cook."
"Just teach him the basics to cooking, he'll learn fast."
"What about the control mechanism."
"I think I would be wiser to take it out."
"Is that safe?"
"I'll just install a shut down mechanism in his brain. If he gets out of control again, say a password, the shut down system will immediately commence and he'll be unconscious."
Bulma nodded. "Do it."