Disclaimer: Xenosaga, the Encephalon, and the characters belong to Namco, not me. Duh!

Author's Note: Well, here it is. My first fanfic. Please read & review.

Lost: Encephalon Error Chapter 1: Malfunction

            I remember it clearly now, but it's hard to believe that it was only few days ago when it happened. I remember what the sky looked like, how hard the wind blew, but most of all, I remember that stranger. The stranger who walked up to me while I was heading toward home.  She wore a long dark blue cloak, with the hood hiding her face. When she finally lifted her head, I turned stiff. Her eyes were blood red and hidden partially by her silver-blue bangs. Before I knew what had happened she knocked me out. That's when it all began.

            I woke up in a daze. The sun was shining right in my eyes. The stranger was still standing there beside me. But now we were in a field. That's when I finally realized who the stranger was.

            "KOS-MOS! Just what are you doing here?!?"

            As I looked at her again I noticed the cape was gone and she was wearing, what I liked to call her exoskeleton.

            "Well?" I demanded.

            "You forget that my main directive is to protect Vector staff members."

            "What does that have to do with anything?!?"

            "My sensors indicate that our current locale in not invulnerable."

            "Since you seem to know so much bout this place, where are we?"

            "The sensible conclusion is that we are in the Encephalon. However, I believe that a malfunction has occurred and now we cannot exit the Encephalon."

            "Okay. Then why did you knock me out?"

            "When the malfunction occurred you were knocked unconscious."

            "So I was dreaming."

            "That is the logical conclusion."

            I thought about it. Everything was fine before the malfunction.

            "But what could have caused it?"

            That's when I heard Allen's voice. It wasn't clear though. There was probably some interference.

            "Chief?………Are you there?…..Can anyone hear me?"

            I held my communicator closer to my ear.

            "Allen? Are you there?" I asked desperately.

            "Thank goodness you're all right. We've been so worried. What with that malfunction and all. Things have not been going well. Is KOS-MOS there with you, Chief?"

            "Yes, Allen. She's here. Do you know what's going on?"

            "Not yet. We're still trying to figure out what could have caused the problem."

            "What about our bodies?"

            "They're fine. We just hope that nothing else bad will happen."

            "Alright. I'll contact you later if I have any more news on the cause of the malfunction. KOS-MOS and I will search for the problem internally."

            "And we'll keep searching here."