Becoming God
Chapter 1
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“UNTITLED (VISUAL NOVEL EXPERIMENTS LAIN) (WIP)” By: Anonymous
INTRODUCTION The scene opens with the main character waking up. He is staring at the room's ceiling. There is the hum of a fan motor and the flowing air.
MC: Another unfamiliar ceiling? No...
This is my room.
Why...
--- An Alarm Begins to sound and the view changes to a loft room from behind a Kotatsu. A monitor with Copland OS running can be seen on a desk. ---
NAVI: Good morn- (The NAVI's greeting is interrupted.)
MC:I'm awake!
Not sure if I'm alive though.
Messages!
NAVI: There are no messages for- (The NAVI is again interrupted)
MC: Wonderful, I can step into the office without losing an ear or two.
FACELESS VOICE: >SE:white noise in the background<
“It is such a nice day to serve God isn’t it?”
MC: Huh?
NAVI: There are n-
MC: Shut up!
I’ve got no time to lose my mind before work. I'm behind as it is! Working for Tachibana Labs is enough!
Now where did I put my keys...
--- There is a quick shot of the door and the sound of it creaking open and closing. --- The scene is now in a grey cubicle. A monitor running Copland OS is seen on the desk along with office stationary. The occasional phone can be heard ringing in the background, Distant keys click profusely. ---
TGL EMPLOYEE: Good morning!
MC:Good morning.
I didn't get any messages, what happened? Did Eiri-san descend from Paradise and finish all the late commits?
EMPLOYEE: Haha, that's a little too soon. The nutcase only killed himself last month. We could’ve really used him though. We’ve got more problems than solutions lately.
Anyways, Lead says he cleared your plate. You've really dodged a bullet. He's been forcing us to drink ‘Coffee’ as punishment all morning. He said something about you doing a special assignment, Wetware division. Didn't you get a message?
MC: I haven't heard a thing.
EMPLOYEE: Well you better see him before Lead thinks you're back on the job.
MC: Yeah, will do.
- The scene fades a bit:
MC (IN THOUGHT):
The boss? I’ve never so much as seen him since my interview 7 years ago.
Even weirder, Wetware? A special assignment? Am I being transferred? No, I’ve never even dissected a frog. How could I work in Wetware?
Whatever, I'll get some answers.
But first, coffee.
--- The scene opens in a luxurious office, a deep brown mahogany decorates the walls and furniture of the office, a couch is upholstered a dark green and a lamp sits atop the desk. A holographic interface running Copland OS floats on the desk. The silhouette of a tall intimidating blonde man with an executive cut and a jet black American cut suit stands behind the desk glancing out the window. He stands at attention and his hands are behind his back at his waist. His back is facing the ‘camera’ The perspective is from a seat in front of the desk. ---
MC:I’ve been told to see you about an assignment sir. I haven't received any kind of message...
BOSS: Take a seat.
Yes, I'm transferring you to Wetware, I'm told there's a task that suits someone of your... Competence.
MC: I don't know the first-
BOSS: You don't have to. I don't know the details. This comes from even higher up. I'm just responsible for a little paperwork.
MC: When is this supposed to happen? Where is the Wetware division?
BOSS: Tomorrow, a car will pick you up from your apartment in the morning.
--- The scene is in the MC's loft again. The screen on the desk is dark.
- SE:Cicadas stridulate in the background.
--- FACELESS VOICE: >SE: White noise in background<
Waaake up.
MC: *Yawn*
I must be dead...
Nothing can hurt this much in the morning and still be considered alive.
--- There is a knock at the door. >:SE: Knocking< ---
MC: The reaper is so much more polite than my landlord.
WAIT A MINUTE!
What time is it?! I must have slept in.
Oh NAVI... You have failed me for the last time.
I'll be out in a minute!
--- Two men sprites of the MIB's stand in the foreground. The background is the front of a Black Toyota Century. They're wearing strange eyepieces with a laser-sight. (They can be recognized as the MIB; Lin Sui-Xi and Karl.) ---
MC: You're my ride right?
MIB (KARL): Yes, we’re here to escort you. Step into the car.
--- Scene opens with the sounds of wheels passing over gravel. A landscape of Sakura trees passes by; the perspective is from the right rear passenger behind a black tinted window. ---
MC: How far is this place?
Do I have to get there everyday?
MIB (LIN): We'll be there soon.
I don't think that will be expected of you.
--- The car stops with the sound of the brakes bringing the car to a halt. >SE< ---
MIB (KARL): We’re here. We’ve been instructed to bring you back with the package or not at all.
MC: Whoa, what package?
MIB (LIN): Don't ask too many questions. It's bad for your health. *He takes a drag from a cigarette*
MC: Right.
--- The scene stands before a 3 storey tall concrete and glass office complex, it stands solitary and there is no one outside. A few footsteps are heard as the scene fades into a reception area. It appears very sterile. Like a doctor's office. In the Foreground: A very professional looking young woman sits at a desk typing on a small NAVI monitor. It partially obscures her. ---
MC: Hello?
RECEPTIONIST: She speaks in a dead tone: Tsubaki-san will see you now.
- She glances past him*
MC: Uhh...
--- A black-haired man in a white lab-coat quickly enters the foreground. He bears a neutral expression. ---
TSUBAKI: You must be the transfer.
MC: That's correct, I'm supposed to work in Wetware?
TSUBAKI: That's not entirely correct, for the time being...
- He glances at the receptionist*
Let's continue this on the way shall we?
--- The scene changes to a hallway and the sound of footsteps is heard. >SE< ---
TSUBAKI: Now, that's better.
Officially, you're under employment of Tachibana Lab's Wetware division. You'll receive the same payroll as our specialist technicians while you carry out your task.
MC: My task?
TSUBAKI: Yes of course, better to show you.
--- The ding of an elevator call is heard And the scene briefly switches to the inside of the elevator ---
--- Tsubaki inserts and turns a key into the panel while pressing a button below the rest without a number.
The same ding is heard and the scene resembles a wide Operating Room. Gurneys line the walls and beside them are IV stands. Numerous medical paraphernalia can be seen.
In the center of the room stands a large vat of green fluid. It bubbles and this can be heard. Inside the tank is the silhouette of a slim humanoid figure. --- MC: Whoa.
TSUBAKI: Impressive isn't it? It is the culmination of years of work by Eiri and The Knights, The most valuable project in human history.
MC: What?
Who? I...
Who again?
How?
I'm in the dark here.
TSUBAKI: None of that's really relevant to you. I'll brief you and the specimen will be released to your custody.
MC: Okay but... Wait, wait, what exactly do you do here?
I thought I was picking up a package. What is this “specimen?”
TSUBAKI: This is Wetware. If it can be done with biology we make it happen. Anything.
MC: So, that thing in there... That's a cyborg? A clone?
TSUBAKI:The specimen is an synthetic lifeform bonded to the form of a human being.
It was but an anomaly drifting in the Cyberspace of the Wired and saved by Eiri. He gave it form.
We brought it to life.
To call it by some ridiculous science-fiction moniker does not do our work justice.
We prefer to call her... Lain.
MC: When did I step into wonderland...
Lain, Like rain?
TSUBAKI: No, I take it you have never studied Russian before?
MC: Of course not.
TSUBAKI: It means Online. She was discovered in Russian networks and found among their domains and thus she is named.
MC:You expect me to deliver that thing?
TSUBAKI: No, you are to be her Handler.
END OF CHAPTER 1