Dragonball Alternate Dimension
Chapter Twelve - An Interlude : "In The Right Hands"
Notes: Please assume that if Bra and Roland are speaking to each other, they're speaking French unless otherwise noted.
The sun shone down on the Capsule grounds and made Bra raise her hand to shield her eyes as she emerged from one of the dome-shaped buildings. Her companion looked out through his Black Fly sunglasses at their next destination.
"Ok, that was aeronautics. The last department is my favorite: research and development." Bra grinned as they entered the elevator in the main building. The button for the R&D floor was heavily worn. Someone had put a happy face with fangs sticker over the number. She hit this and leaned back against the wall as the elevator shot smoothly and silently upwards. In a moment, it came to a stop and she led him to a door completely covered in snowboarding and music related stickers and posters. She winked up at her friend and put on a serious face. Music thumped lightly from behind the door. She punched in her pass code quickly and burst through the door.
Everyone in the room gasped when they saw her. She had her hands on her hips and a nasty look in her eye. A beat of silence followed before the group grinned and greeted her in unison.
"WHASSAAAAAP!?"
"Whassssssaaaaaaaaap?!" she replied and walked in, slapping hands and tapping fists. "Guys, this is Roland. He's gonna be my assistant. Roland only speaks French at the moment, so if he doesn't seem very friendly, that's probably why."
Some of the workers looked up at the intimidatingly tall Frenchman and smile-and-nodded.
"Roland, ce c'est R et D."
"Bonjour." He bowed slightly at the waist.
"This is my favorite place. They're the coolest people at Capsule."
"They seem cool," Roland assented.
"Ok, catch ya laters!"
"Later Bra!"
They walked outside to the last building on the tour. Two armed guards stood at the door, but peeled back when they saw Bra coming. She chatted with them for a second as she entered her code. At last, the door opened and she led Roland in.
"Welcome to PL2: the private lab."
"Why is it called 2?"
"The first one was destroyed after my brother's grand tour. It's a long story. Almost everything inside was encapsulated at the time, so we hardly lost anything. It's exactly the same lab, but my mom was adamant about the 2."
There were shelves lining the walls and boxes on the shelves. Roland could only imagine the thousands of capsules contained within.
"The only people allowed in here are Mom, me and Trunks and sometimes Daddy, but that's pretty rare."
"Bra, if this is the last department, does that mean that there is no bio-mechanical department?"
"Not yet!" She smiled. "All my work in that field is in here, along with developments the family has deemed too advanced for humanity."
"What do you mean, too advanced?" He couldn't believe that the greatest corporation in the world withheld its most lofty inventions.
"Well, as you must know, science is inherently benign. When we create, we do so to make something better or to test the limits of our understanding. But there are always those who can find a way to misuse our best intentions." Bra made a sweeping gesture, indicating to the shelves. "These compromise some of Capsule Corp.'s best intentions. That's why I like bio-mech so much; it's pretty human-friendly." She crossed to a workbench and hefted herself up to sit on it.
"Did Capsule create Miss Eighteen?" Roland asked.
Bra had all she could do to keep from blushing. "No. She's a bit of a long story herself. I'm only just beginning to delve into her creator, Dr. Gero's schematics."
The Frenchman stood there as if waiting for her to explain. She jumped down off the counter and motioned for him to follow her.
"Come on, lets get something to eat and maybe I can con my mom into telling you all about the Jinzouningen."
*
A few weeks later, Roland was helping Bra organize the evil Doctor's ingenious notes. They sat in front of computer screens and mumbled in French to each other. Occasionally Bra would insert a word in her own language in an attempt to teach him. Her mother came in to work during one such conversation. She blinked at them a few times before asking them something.
"Bra, have you seen your brother?"
"Uh.. not since last night. Why?"
"He missed a board meeting this afternoon."
Bra sucked in her breath. She knew that was a no-no. Was he dropping the ball again? She furrowed her brows. "Damn it, I thought he was through being an idiot."
"Bra, Trunks isn't an idiot. He's just.. got some.. issues right now."
'Issues'. That was the code word around their house for 'Akiko'. Bra nodded.
"I think he just needs some time."
"I hope so, Mom."
"What's wrong with your brother?" Roland looked away from his monitor.
Bra smiled. He understood some of what they had said. "Ever since Akiko left, he's been hard core in the dumps. He really loved her."
"I see." He pursed his lips momentarily before turning back to his work.
"Well, if you see him..." Bulma sighed and folded her arms.
"I'll let ya know."
Bulma sighed again, lost in her thoughts. She noticed a pair of dirty coffee cups, picked them up and took them out of the room.
"Sank you," Roland said with a thick accent. Bra smiled again.
She leaned back in her chair and put her hands behind her head. The Frenchman was heavily into his work again. The pages of diagrams flashed in the reflection on his sunglasses. 'That's weird,' she thought. 'I don't think I've ever seen him without them.'
*
Bulma heard them coming around the corner. Bra and Roland were unmistakable with their bi-lingual banter. It was late and they had been out all day. 'She's 22 years old!' Bulma reminded herself and sneaked back up the stairs to her bedroom.
Bra put the kettle on for tea and leaned against the enormous refrigerator. "I had a great time tonight." She smiled sweetly and scuffed her foot along the floor.
"Me too," he replied in her language and smiled back. "You want me to get the cups?" Roland asked as he crossed to the cupboards.
"Oh no, I'll get them," Bra insisted. They bumped into each other in the middle and excused themselves quickly. Neither moved. Bra stared up at the six foot four, completely bald Frenchman and shivered. She suddenly desperately wished she was just a little taller. He seemed to sense this and bowed to meet her waiting lips.
Bra was pleasantly surprised to discover that he was an excellent kisser. She made a soft, happy sound and reached up to remove his sunglasses.
The tea kettle screamed as Roland straightened up. This brought Bra out of her trance. She nervously turned it off. She could feel her cheeks burning as she poured the tea. When she turned around he was sitting at the table, his hands clasped on its surface, thumbs rubbing against one another nervously. Now more than ever she wanted him to take off his bug-like sunglasses. The desire to see his eyes was all-consuming.
"Roland, I really like you," she began as she set the cups down.
"Bra, I like you too, so I guess it's about time I told you..." His thumbs twiddled faster.
Her brows came together. "Told me what?"
"I'm just afraid you will be disgusted."
A cold, sinking feeling came over her. He HAD been hiding something.
"My arm is not the only part of me which I have re-constructed with bio-mechanics. You wanted to remove my sunglasses." He lowered his head. "You would not have been able to do so."
"What?" Bra stared at him, unblinking. He lifted his head and stared back. He looked at her as if it would be the last time he would ever see her. Placing his fingers to his temples, Roland pushed a series of hidden buttons and disconnected the Black Flies from his head. Gently, he pulled them forward and the synthesized image of the woman before him blacked out.
"Oh my God..." she gasped and looked at the pale skin and circuitry which had been hidden. There was silence for a moment as she took it in. Roland hung his head.
He was shocked to feel her hand on his cheek. She sat on the table and lifted his head up to have a closer look. "What happened to you?"
"An industrial accident at my last place of work. One of Capsule's competitors, actually. I lost my arm and my eyes. Most of this side of me," he indicated with his right arm to his left, "has been reconstructed in one way or another."
"Roland, that's incredible! You did this yourself?"
"Oui."
Bra touched some of the work as she tried to understand how he had done it. "So, the glasses are the interface."
He handed them to her. Sure enough, there were two tiny cameras affixed to the inside of the glass. Their connections ran down the stems to plugs on either side which corresponded to two matching ports near his temples.
"What mode do you perceive light in?"
"Night vision and infrared. I use them alternately with a sort of heat vision."
"No refracted color?"
"Non."
"Hmmmmm.."
Roland would have raised an eyebrow if they weren't mostly covered with microchips.
"Roland," Bra began sweetly. "Will you let me... improve you?"
"Comment?"
"I've been studying bio-mech for six years now. I've had success with test animals and human subjects. Will you let me use Capsule technology to give you TRUE sight?"
He could hardly believe his ears. Not able to find the words, he stuttered. She quieted him with another kiss. When she pulled away, he vocalized his consent. Bra put his glasses back on and hugged him; her eyes shining with excitement.
*
A half a year later, the scientific community was abuzz with the rumor that Capsule was about to unveil its new bio-mechanical department's first achievement. When the world's most powerful corporation scheduled a press conference, everyone knew that something huge was about to be announced.
Bra buttoned her suit jacket and checked her hair one more time in the mirror. Everything was in place. Roland appeared behind her.
"You look beautiful, Ma Chere." He laced his real arm around her shoulders. She looked up, grinned and lifted his other arm and made him embrace her with that as well. He kissed the top of her head.
"Ready?" she asked.
"Almost." The Frenchman got to his knees in front of her. His chin just met her chest. Bra cocked an eyebrow at him in wonder. "Bra Oujisama..." He reached into his jacket pocket. "Before we go out there and put our names in the history books..." He pulled out a small, green box. "...would you do me the honor of agreeing to become my wife?"
Bra's jaw fell open. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "But.. but.. Roland!" she protested. "What if I fail you? What if this procedure is a flop?!"
"So what?" He smiled and pointed to his glasses. "I'll be back to these.. I'll remain the same. My love for you will also remain the same. You are an amazing woman and I believe in you. I believe I am putting myself in the right hands."
A man poked his head around the corner. "Two minutes, Ms. Oujisama."
She waved absently at him and he disappeared. "Oh, Roland. Thank you! You don't know how much that means to me!"
"So you will be my bride?"
"Yes!"
The man who had given Bra the time stood at the podium and got his cue. "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the late Dr. Breifs's granddaughter, Bra Oujisama and Roland DuNord of the Capsule Corporation's bio-mechanical division."
They walked out of the wings hand in hand to the sound of flashbulbs and murmurs.
"Thank you for coming," the young woman began. "As you know, Capsule has been gearing up for this announcement for several months now. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Tomorrow, we will commence an operation, which should it be successful, will improve the quality of life for thousands of people, world-wide.
"In the past, vision correction has been limited to surgeries to reverse nearsightedness, farsightedness, cataracts and the like, and the various and often clumsy Dobell devices which have given limited vision to the completely blind. We have kept past accomplishments in mind as we have been working with advancements in bionic technology to implement a new way for the sightless to see the world. I give you the Perfect Vision System."
As she said this, she pressed the button on a small capsule she had in her other hand and tossed it to her left. A presentation board on an easel exploded from it, bearing the name of the project and some nifty, 3d holograms and eye-catching graphics. There was a great deal more murmuring. "May I present to you the future first recipient of the PVS, my partner and... fiancee, Mr. Roland DuNord!"
The cameras went crazy and journalists shouted and waved their hands wildly trying to get Bra's attention.
Bulma watched this on the television in the kitchen and fell over. Trunks shuffled by and raised his eyebrows. Vegeta was unfortunately no where near a TV, and would have to be informed in person later.
*
The next day, Bra came out of the modified hospital room/lab and wiped her brow. After the seven hour procedure, she was exhausted. Although a third of the work was performed by actual brain surgeons, she had to be constantly attentive. It was over. All they had to do now was wait for Roland to recover from the anesthetic. She paced nervously, and as her mother often did in times of high stress, she went out the back door and bummed a cigarette from an intern.
Roland woke slowly and lay very still. He could feel the bandages on his face and knew that they were the reason for the complete blackness. It felt strange; this new system. He could tell the difference between his old way and the new parts. The muscles had been repaired and reactivated. He was told not to move his new eyes too much when he woke up, but he was so excited he forgot at first.
"D'oh!" he felt a twinge of pain and cried out. The doctors finally noticed he was awake and summoned Bra.
She ran into the room as they were just beginning to unwrap the bandages. She pushed doctors aside and took over, gently but quickly unveiling her work. His eyes were closed, the lids still pinkish, but healthy looking. The scars from the accident which had taken his sight from him were very subtle now. She balled up the wrappings and threw them on the floor.
"Ok, Mon Amour, very, very slowly.. try to open your eyes."
Roland (and everyone else in the room) held his breath. Already, he could see the bright orange of the room lights through the blood in his eyelids. A sliver of white, like a fuzzy crescent moon, grew larger as he forced the lids open. He blinked rapidly, each time the light got brighter. Soon there was color and shape, fuzzy, but bright. They were wide open at last and he blinked hard, trying to clear what he perceived.
"Now, you probably wont be able to focus right away," Bra soothed him. "But... can you see anything, Roland?" She held his hands.
He squeezed them and began to smile. "I didn't know you had aqua hair."
Bra gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She started to cry, and removing her hand to wipe the tears away she mouthed the words 'I love you'.
"Don't cry," Roland said in her language with a little bit of a hiccuping laugh in his deep voice. "I love you too."
End Chapter Twelve
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