Big O Fan Fiction ❯ Human Heart ❯ Dorothy's Choice ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Human Heart

Disclaimer: I don't own The Big O. Wish I did though. They're great to write stories
about.

Last Chapter: Roger found out his mission with his new client. He also recieved a
very tempting proposal from him. Will Roger convince his android to
go along with it? Find out in this chapter of 'Human Heart.'

Chapter 1: Dorothy's Choice

Roger came into the mansion with a troubled look on his face. Usually he has a
smug look on his face to go with his complacent attitude. All I can think of is his new client
isn't to his liking. " Something wrong Roger?," I asked in my robotic accent. He looked my
way but didn't say a thing. A frown graced my perfect features. " I asked you a question
Roger Smith. Are you not going to respond to it?," I inquired. He looked away from me and
continued his journey to his room.

His door shut with a silent click. I stood stationary in the spot he left me. 'Why didn't
he answer me?,' I asked myself. " I say, are you alright Dorothy?," Norman asked. I turned my
attention to Roger's trustworthy butler. He has been my friend as well as my mentor to Roger's
ways. " I am fine, but I sense Roger is not," I stated. The older man chuckled. " You have been
around him long enough to sense his moods. I have also sensed the oddness in Master Roger's
attitude. Perhaps he will open up at dinner," he suggested. " Perhaps," I said walking off.

I continued with my cleaning thinking about Roger's attitude. 'He hates it when I call
him by his whole name. Why didn't he respond to that?,' I thought. I dusted off one of the many
vases he has in the mansion. I stopped momentarily. 'Why do I even care? He's a human. He's
probably mad about some trivial matter that doesn't concern me,' I thought. I went about my
work anticipating the dinner table discussions. Maybe it would uncover why he's been acting
so funny.

At midnight, Norman served dinner. We ate so late because Roger has this thing about
black and darkness. When I first got here he told me I could only wear black. That's Roger Smith's
rule number one. I sat at the fathest end of the table like I usually do. Roger sat at the other end
with his fingers pressed at his temples. Norman laid the plate in front of him and gave me a cup of
tea so I could mimic drinking it. When I raised the cup to my lips, Roger spoke.

" Don't you get sick of doing that?," he asked. I looked at him lowering the cup back
to it's plate. " Of doing what?," I asked. " Of pretending to be human. Mimicing how we act," he
asked. " That is the only way for androids to be accepted in this society," I retorted. He was silent.
" What are you getting at Roger? Does this have something to do with your new client?," I asked.
Roger wasn't talking coherently and it was beginning to unnerve me.

He was still silent. " Roger..," I called. " What if I said I know someone who could make
you human?," he asked. I frowned. " I would say you were a fool because that is impossible," I
replied. " You're right. But my client can make you a bio-android. What do you say?," he asked. I
dropped the cup spilling it all over the table. When I became aware of what I had done, I rose to
clean it.

Roger moved from his place at the table beside me. " Dorothy..," he called. " That would
be too different Roger. I like myself the way I am. To become a human or even human like would be
too much for me," I said. He stopped my hands from cleaning the table. In a swift motion he turned
my body to face his. I stared into his coal black pools waiting for him to speak. " How do you know
if it'll be too different. You always say you don't understand me this is your chance to rectify that," he
coaxed. " No," I said calmly.

I disregarded the spill on the table figuring Norman would get it later. I walked past Roger
who at the moment had nothing to say. The long corridors were quiet like they usually are this time of
night. The only thing that was heard were my heavy footsteps on the marble floor. I made my way to
the roof. I go there to think about things or people. I stepped up to the side watching the near dead city
below. 'What if I did try being human?,' I thought to myself.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I watched Dorothy walk calmly out of the dining room. My fist slammed hard against the
wooden table. " Damn it!," I shouted. Alarmed by my outburst, Norman came into the room. " Are
you alright Master Roger?," he asked. I paused a moment before answering him. " I'm fine Norman.
Just a litte dissappointed," I replied casually. His gaze traveled downcast. " I did not mean to eavesdrop
Master Roger, but I couldn't help but overhear you say you knew someone who could make her into a
bio-android," he said.

I turned to face my older friend. " Yeah. My new client specializes in upgrading old model
androids. I ran the idea past Dorothy to see if she'd be interested. She wasn't. Although, I could've
expected as much," I said bitterly. He chuckled a bit. " It sounded as if you begged her," he mused. I
glared at him. He coughed to straighten himself. " But in all seriousness, did you ever think about
how it would change her once she is able to think for herself? She might even leave here and find
someone else to love," he said.

My eyes widened. I never thought of that happening. I grinned at him. " She wouldn't leave," I
said. " How would you know? Once you begin to feel, strange things happen. Think about it Master
Roger. Once she is changed things can't go back to how they were," he said. He picked up the discarded
teacup and plate then went back into the kitchen. 'He's right. Maybe it was better that she said no,' I
thought.

The day was finally over for me. I slipped into my usual black night clothes preparing to
go to sleep. As I entered my room, I saw Dorothy sitting on my bed. Her eyes were directed towards
my fireplace. I relaxed a little as I grew used to her presence. " Hello Roger," she said in her calm,
monotone voice. " Hello Dorothy. I thought you would be sleep by now," I said. She turned to me with
her eyes narrowing to slits. " You know I do not sleep Roger. That's what I came to talk to you about," she
said.

I felt my heartbeat quicken. 'Maybe she's changed her mind,' I thought. " Oh?," I inquire as
I sit next to her. She directed her attention back to the fireplace. I noticed the fire reflected off of her.
When she finally gets some skin I would be able to see color flow into her well defined cheeks. " At
first I was going to dismiss the idea completely. Then I thought about what you said. I would not mind
finding out how humans act. To even feel it for myself," she said. I smirked. " But then that means that
you'll be as weak as I am," I mused.

She redirected her attention back to me. " A small sacrafice to be made. I have at least known
perfection unlike yourself," she retorted. I frowned. Her cynical attitude always did bug me. " Fine. We'll
go see him tomorrow if you like," I said. She stood heading for the door. " Since when did you care
about what I liked?," she asked. My frown deepened. " I don't. I just thought I'd be nice to you for
once," I said. " I do not see why you bother. I would never be nice to you," she said walking out of
my bedroom. I growled in annoyance at her statement. I crawled into bed pulling my black silk covers
over me. 'Let's just see how good you actually are Walter,' I thought. I closed my eyes listening to the
fire crackle in the fireplace. Then finally I went to sleep.

I woke violently the next morning at the sound of terrible music coming from the piano. I fell
out of bed landing on the floor hard. I sat up very pissed off. " Dorothy!!!," I shouted. She answered me
by playing more horrible music. I got off the floor heading into the living room. When I got there, I saw
Dorothy moving manically behind the keys of the piano. " Please stop. I'm up," I pleaded. She looked
up at me changing the song to the one Pero taught her. " Good morning Roger," she said mockingly.
I growled a response. " Good morning Dorothy," I said before heading back into my room to change.

We left the house early heading downtown to Walter's office. Silently we sat in the car not
saying a word. After the morning wake up call, no more words were exchanged. I pulled in front of the
building turning off the engines. Dorothy stepped out gazing at the building. I secured the car then did
the same. " This is where he works?," she asked breaking the silence that plagued us. " Yeah. He's
a nice guy but he has the weirdest eye color," I said. " Just because his eyes are not black does not
make them weird. You should be thankful to gaze at them. There will probably not be another with
that color for a long time in this dreary city," she said.

I nodded at her words not daring to reply. We entered the building heading to the elevator to
get to his office. On the floor, I walked up to his secretary who was actually doing some work this time.
" We're here to see Mr. Stein," I said. She looked up at me before cracking into a smile. " Roger
Smith. The negotiator right? He's waiting for you," she said. " Thank you," I said. She then turned her
attention to Dorothy. " This is the android you were referring to? You're right, she out of date," she said.
I fought the urge to laugh. If I did Dorothy would make me regret it. " I may be out of date but I probably
still have more intellengence than you would in a hundred years," she retorted.

The secretary became flustered and was about to reply until I ushered Dorothy along. We
entered his office and he was still at the window gazing down at the city. I thought he would be bored
with it by now. It's nothing but suffering people down in the streets. I always tire of looking at it.

He turned around as he heard my footsteps. A bright smile appeared on his features as he
saw us. " Roger, how nice of you to take me up on my offer. This must be the witty android you were
referring to," he said. " My name is Dorothy. Please address me by that name and not 'android'," she
said. He chuckled. " I'm sorry. I didn't mean to appear rude. My name is Walter, Ms. Dorothy," he
greeted. " It's a pleasure," she replied. I cleared my throat to get their attention.

" Enough with the causual conversation. How do you do what you do?," I asked. He chuckled
again. " Always straight forward," he commented. He pushed a button behind his desk. The front wall of
his office opened revealing a big laboratory. I stood a little in awe. We entered the place observing what
was going on. A woman in a white lab coat approched us. " Hello Mr. Stein. Are these the people you
were referring to?," she asked. " Yes. Mr. Smith, Ms. Dorothy, this is the head scientist Trista Sere," he
said. She smiled as she shook my hand. " It's a pleasure to finally meet you Mr. Smith. I've heard a lot
about you," she said. " Just call me Roger. 'Mr. Smith' is for when I do business," I said. She nodded.

She then turned her attention to Dorothy who was standing quietly beside me. " And you must
be the android. You are an exquisite piece of work," she said. " Thank you," she said. She looked over
at me and Walter. " With a couple of alterations she'll be ready to go. If you would follow me Dorothy," she
said motioning for Dorothy to follow her. She followed silently behind Trista. I was alowly wondering
if this was such a good idea. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked over into Walter's smiling face.

" Don't worry about Ms. Dorothy. She's in good hands," she said. I said nothing as we
walked back into his office. " Now, we usually custom make the androids for people. Is there anything
you want changed about her?," he asked. " Not really. Just make her hair longer," I said. " Can do.
She'll be done by next week. Can you wait that long? I can tell you two share a personal connection
with each other," he said. " I can wait," I said ignoring his last statement.

I nodded to him before leaving his office. When I get Dorothy back she'll be the same only
human. I wonder what that'll be like. I pressed the down button on the elevator and walked out of his
office building. Before I got into my car, I stared back up at the building. 'I hope they don't hurt you.
If they do they'll have to answer to me,' I thought. Never harm anything of importance to me. That's
Roger Smith's rule number two.

TBC......

End chapter 2. Yay! Another chapter completed. I really appreciate the reviews I recieved. I want at least
18 the next time. I know it may seem a little demanding to ask for a certain number of reviews, but I have a
couple of stories on here that weren't reviewed too highly. I know a lot more people read than reviewed so I
came up with this system. If you are an author you can relate. So remember no flames but constructive
critism. If you want a new chapter you must review. That's Lhadara Starwind's rule number one 'kay! ~LS~