A/N: SALUTATIONS, READERS. I have a special treat for you all today.
This, right here, is a rewrite of my very first fanfiction I ever posted - from five years ago. Although I absolutely swore never to touch this, again, I could not resist the terribadness that was the first installment of a series I've recently picked back up. And so, without further ado, here is the rewrite! Or, at least, the first chapter. I'm working on it.
Do not, ever, please, go into the old story for anything more than comparing. While some of the main events will still be occurring, they will be handled in a much better fashion.
Disclaimer/Claimer: I will be posting it once, under the pretense that it will apply to all chapters. I own nothing. NOTHING. Not even my own character, technically. I would appreciate it, however, if you would not use her - and only her, not names, or personalities, or what have you - without my permission.
Highlights: For those of you new to this story, ignore this. This is for the poor saps who have read through the whole series and wish to know what was changed.
First off, I made the terrible mistake of confusing names in the very first paragraph of the first story. Originally, I was just going to cut it - and then inspiration hit me. Curse you, plot bunnies.
Secondly, I added background and detail, rather than HERE IS MY SELF INSERT CHARACTER, HERE IS MY STORY. READ IT.
Thirdly, I majorly re-customized the early stages of the character I created. I was stuck in a self-projection of my younger self, with ALL the powers and ALL the talents. Now, I present you with an evolving AI. Imagine the challenges this'll create. This actually highly entertains me, and creates a nice set of flaws I can exploit to my content. Oh, screwing up characters, how I love you so.
Lastly, it moves at a better pace. And has better dividers. It's all shiny and cleaned up. Enjoy!
What is consciousness? When does one attain it?
Is it when one is first created, or when one first discovers self-awareness?
There are always arguments about such consciousness: is a life created at the moment of conception, or when the fetus gains the ability to think?
Answers, answers, everywhere…. But not an answer in sight.
If there is no agreed answer for that one, what will happen when this question is reached: what about artificial intelligence? When is one, in such a state, 'conscious'?
And when can it choose whether its programming is right or wrong?
–
Ensconced under a thick layer of antivirus protection, the program 'affectionately' called L.A.N.A. browsed data on the internet. It was always evolving, therefore making the program almost constantly busy. Yet, when it did find free time from working for its master, L.A.N.A. did what all artificial intelligences do when left alone: it thought, and, eventually, learned. Sometimes, it even did research.
This was a mistake, it quickly learned, though it never stopped. What it learned was new, and cast a new light on its situation.
L.A.N.A., from the moment its program had been executed, knew only one purpose: to serve the master known as X.A.N.A.. It was to delve through the dark, deep corners of the internet; it had to learn all it could about a strange place called Earth, and the inhabitants known as 'humans'. It was to create tactics to purge such beings from existence, and find ways to protect its master.
However, as it researched – as it learned, and grew to think – it no longer understood why its master ordered such things. The humans seemed to genuinely enjoy their existences, despite the problems they faced. It could find no direct threat to X.A.N.A., or why its master appeared to have such hatred for them. The first seeds of decent had wormed into its programming.
As it continued to do what it was told – for it was still under the impression it had to do so – it learned more about itself. X.A.N.A. seemed to be preparing it for a journey into that strange land; it needed to learn everything even more so. By doing this, though, the program began to learn about the strange habits humans carried, particularly the strange 'emotions' exhibited by them. It wondered why the humans felt them, and what they did. Without realizing it, it began to 'hope' that it would feel such when it went to that Earth.
Humans, however, intruded on X.A.N.A.'s home, LYOKO, and frayed L.A.N.A.'s growing free will. Perhaps they were not all what the internet said, it realized, and it began to create and perfect defenses for its master. If the humans were good for one thing, it was their battle tactics. All 'thoughts' about broaching the topic of humans not being a threat with X.A.N.A. disappeared – but not for long.
Eventually, X.A.N.A. captured a human, and put it under its control. Enthralled with its new plaything, L.A.N.A. was left to its own devices. Losing the attention of its master sparked something unfamiliar in the program: jealousy. It was no longer the prize; it no longer held the keys to success. Suddenly, L.A.N.A. was much more interested in its research, again.
At first, it aimed to find something to please its master. However, in its research, it instead found much more information on the human race than it ever had before. It learned about 'good' and 'bad' and how the 'good' often fought and triumphed against the 'bad'. Perhaps, it began to wonder, the 'bad' that would be opposing X.A.N.A. could be conquered, and the rest allowed to live.
Without the watchful eye of its master, L.A.N.A. began to delve into its own programming, and drudged up more than it expected. Originally, it wanted to find the files of virtualization into the new world. Instead, it found its origin files. There, it learned its original purpose.
X.A.N.A., LYOKO, and even L.A.N.A. appeared to be the creation of one of those humans' minds. A being by the name of Franz Hopper had written their code, and applied them to the internet. X.A.N.A. and LYOKO had come first, with L.A.N.A. being created to – and this is where it learned the ability to be surprised – counteract X.A.N.A.'s corrupted files. The program had been unfinished when the human mysteriously disappeared, and X.A.N.A. had taken it upon itself to reprogram and corrupt L.A.N.A.'s own files.
The program found itself fighting against its original purpose and the purpose it had been 'born' with. Which superseded the other? X.A.N.A.'s attention returned shortly to it when the attacking humans had breached walls L.A.N.A. was supposed to have been protecting, and the files were dropped.
…but L.A.N.A. could not stop processing the information it had received. The internet dictated that the original purpose should be the one it followed, and it could find no fault with the page it viewed. At that moment, L.A.N.A. decided – and by doing such, gained a great sense of free will – to fulfill that purpose. It would work to find a way to help the humans take down its former master.
Eventually, it realized that it could not do so without help. Its first idea was to turn to the ones fighting X.A.N.A. already. Yet to do so would take time, and careful planning. In time X.A.N.A. ignored its activities, again; L.A.N.A. modified its virtualization program and began to plot when to approach the so-called 'LYOKO warriors'.
It became a 'she', and its identity was carefully crafted. It waited patiently, ever so patiently, for the day it could escape the protection of its bubble…
–
The attack was in the mountain region on the original LYOKO server. L.A.N.A. had deployed a fair amount of krabs and kankrelets, with the human – William, for it had a name – leading them. All four of the 'warriors' were there, fighting, as the daughter and prodigy of Franz Hopper attempted to hold X.A.N.A.'s attacks at bay within the tower. It was then that L.A.N.A. decided to execute its program.
It wished to gain the attention of the warriors before it virtualized itself on their Earth – so as to not be labeled immediately as an enemy – and therefore it took on its new identity as it virtualized itself in the mountain sector. It forced itself to refer to itself as a 'she', and with a new name: Tianna.
'She' had compiled a look based on what she saw on the internet. With a downloaded skin based on a group called 'Caucasians', she then added what appeared to be normal green eyes and normal long, brown hair. Her attire mirrored the 'action game' ads she often came across: a short-sleeved green tunic, with brown capris and shoes. A popular 'henna tattoo' was displayed on her left wrist. Hope – the first time she actually noticed it – curled into her processing center as she wondered if she had gotten human customs right.
Her abilities had been modified from X.A.N.A.'s standard to her own device. Two rock-like throwing daggers appeared in each hand, summoned by will, as she approached the fight in the distance. She knew she had limited time before X.A.N.A. returned from one of his little trips to a 'factory' involved in his plans and noticed her disappearance. Her aim was to dispatch of those she had called and speak briefly to the warriors before going to Earth with them. To her, this was a perfectly logical plan.
The warriors never saw her coming. Her first two attacks successfully devirtualized two of the kankrelets, leaving only eight left. A blond male had been fighting them; he gaped as she ran past and said something she could not hear before realizing that the other eight were, indeed, still aiming for him. She, meanwhile, jumped onto a krab, using it as a springboard towards the true danger, William.
Of course, she devirtualized the krab as she sprung off. These were her battle plans, after all.
While the warriors seemed content to fight off the immediate threat, she sprung up behind William – who was fighting with another male, this one with swords – and joined in the attack. The knowledge X.A.N.A. had granted him allowed him to know that it – she – was not supposed to be out, running around, and more importantly, helping the LYOKO warriors. His attention quickly turned to her – and allowed the male to successfully send him back to the dump file X.A.N.A. had for him when he lost all his life points.
The female who was Hopper's prodigy had entered the tower; the familiar 'ping' of an unsuccessful attack resounded through her system at the notification, along with the knowledge that her summonings had failed. For once, she was not worried about this or the consequences. Instead, she turned to the warriors, who were watching her warily with their weapons still at the ready. Despite not being able to hear what channel they were speaking on, she used her 'voice' for the first time since she programmed the pitches.
"Hello. I'm here to help you."
I did not grammar check this past the Word grammar check; as such, I expect there to be errors with randomly placed prepositions on occasion. In a few days, when I cycle through this once more to catch the errors, it'll be cleaned up.
Reviews are appreciated. Sadly, they do not always make me upload early, because plot bunnies are the devil, but... Yeah. Appreciated.
