Disclaimers: They belong to the Wachowski brothers, Time-Warner and whoever else…
The original Dr Ashino belongs to Yun Kouga, KKS and whoever else…
Since I've written an alternative ending, here's an alternative beginning…
The lab was dark, lit by the light from a single monitor displaying a green readout. A lone scientist was hunched over the keyboard tapping in various commands, apparently unaware of the sleeping world beyond the room. He didn't notice as the door swung silently inwards to reveal a tall figure silhouetted by the corridor light.
"Ashino-sama"
"Mmm…" was the only response as he continued typing.
"Ashino-sama, what are you still doing here?"
"Typing…" said in the tones often used to elaborate to the simple.
"I can see you're typing but it's almost half past ten now. Shouldn't you go home?"
"Not yet, I've just had another idea for the project and if I don't work on it now…"
"But what use is the project if you die from exhaustion!"
"I'll go home after I've finished this."
In response the lab technician flipped the light switch.
"Ack! Could you at least warn me when you're going to do that?"
"Professor, you should really go home… what ever it is you're working on can wait."
"Thomas, please. This is really important, don't distract me."
Thomas came over to stand beside the Professor's chair, peering at the screen. Hazarding a glance at his superior, he was a little nervous at the possible repercussions of his cheekiness.
"Besides, you've just ruined my evil scientist image." Ashino said, referring to the light being turned on, with a smile.
"There." He said smile broadening.
Thomas turned to look at the screen. "You put hair on the bots." He was incredulous.
"Kawaii… cute." He translated at his assistant's blank look.
"Ashino-sama, you spent the whole day and most of the night putting hair on the bots!"
"Hai!"
"But… but why?!"
Tapping a few keys, Ashino gestured back towards the screen, "This one is… pretty, no?"
"Uh… sure Professor. But what I still don't understand is why we're having to create 'in-game' bots anyway, if this is meant to be a human VR simulation."
"They are meant to be control and maintenance programs, to keep the simulation running within 'normal' parameters." He was all business now.
"And they need hair because?"
"They might want hair."
"Might want?"
"These are a new breed of sentient program, Thomas. They will develop awareness of their external surroundings and themselves."
"Ashino-sama… don't you find this just a little bit… freaky. I mean, fully functional Artificial Intelligence that has the capacity to learn and adapt beyond human limitations."
"They will be wonderful. Perfect AI because they are not restrained by human flaws."
"You never watched 'Saturn 9' did you, Professor?"
The project was progressing, already several months ahead of the set deadlines. Professor Ashino, practically living in his labs now. The innovations and applications being incorporated into the original model were increasing exponentially, faster than even Ashino, could possibly dream them up.
Thomas entered the lab at night again; thoughtfully bring the Professor a coffee and surreptitiously checking on him. He wasn't too shocked at what he found, since he had begin to suspect long before. Professor Ashino was hooked into the VR system, apparently making modifications from the inside. Thomas glanced at the coding monitor, seeing the familiar green code scrolling. It was only after a short while watching that he noticed the various data streams that kept reoccurring. Of course, one was the Professor within the system but there were several others. Could it be… but why not, the Professor had seen no problem with initiating a system connection before they'd been authorised to, so he wouldn't see any problem with bringing the AI online either.
Thomas shuddered. "Professor, what are you doing?" he muttered as he continued to keep watch on the screen, absently drinking the coffee.
Within the system, that he secretly called 'the Matrix', Ashino was doing nothing more sinister than teaching his AI about human irrationality. They were situated in a lavish penthouse apartment, looking out onto the coast of a country that looked suspiciously like Japan. AI 03 was studying a circuit diagram, 02 was reading a newspaper, since Ashino though that they should know what was happening in the 'outside world' and 01 was apparently playing chess with Ashino.
Having watched Ashino's move the AI looked puzzled, "That is an irrational move, Professor."
"Yes."
"I do not understand."
"I'm loosing so I'm being vindictive."
"Why?"
"Humans are like that."
"Why?"
Ashino shrugged "They just are."
"I do not understand."
"Humans are of their intrinsic nature illogical, arbitrary…"
"That is incorrect."
Now Ashino looked surprised.
"You are not arbitrary, Professor."
It was easy to pass time within the Matrix, Ashino discovered. Far easier to spend time with his AI who were eager to learn, who could develop their own rational arguments; rather than with Government administrators and Military officials who were interested in the applications of the system. Though he'd never admit it to the parties concerned, Ashino truly harboured a hatred of humanity… or at least of the ones who felt the need to cast him as the freak, the outsider, the mad scientist… He'd given up fighting the stereotypes years ago but sometimes it still hurt of see their obvious misunderstanding. Some days he just wished he could escape from it all and the more he thought about it the more appealing the idea became. Would it be possible to maintain, for at least a while, a human administrator within the Matrix?
After months of arguing his case to the project funders and his superiors, he'd finally secured permission to try total immersion within the system. Only for 24 hours, for an initial test but if that was successful the possibilities would be endless.
Perhaps almost a year after the initial test, Ashino was more or less 'living' within the Matrix. Though the project was still officially System 2501, the AIs were now referring to it as 'the Matrix'. The original bots had, as predicted, developed and adapted to the environment. There were more bots now, a small army's worth. They carried out their duties with a single-mindedness that was admirable. Duties performed were maintenance and security functions, which were especially important since humans were now making use of this grand VR system.
Standing by the window, looking out on the world that he'd help to create, Ashino could say for the first time in his life he was truly happy with his accomplishment. The Matrix was a wonderful system, a perfect place where people could be spared the troubles of the outside world… if only for a little while. Standard regulations specified that no human was kept within the system for longer than 6 months, without special dispensation. And no one other than Ashino really wanted to stay longer, knowing that they had a real life to return to. As far as he was concerned, if it were possible Ashino would never leave. Once his real body died then there would be nothing he could do about it but until then he'd like to spend the rest of his existence within the reality that he had created. Of course, wanting to remain within the Matrix indefinitely didn't have anything to do with the fact that it made it difficult for the Government and Military officials to pester him…
He'd already had to deal with several communications over the last week, suggesting military applications of his AI. Each time he had politely and civilly told them what they could do with their military applications.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Ransho." Ashino had named the AI, feeling that they needed more than number designations. He turned to see 03 looking a little confused.
"If we can manipulate the framework of the Matrix within certain defined rules, why does Kohaku's cat always moult on my bed?"
Before Ashino had a chance to reply 02 entered the room with the offending feline in his arms. "Narsus does not appear to be functioning within normal parameters." He said holding out the white Persian for Ashino's inspection, and true enough the cat was sporting a royal blue ink stain striped down it's back.
Ashino put a hand over his mouth trying to stifle his laughter but failed miserably as an equally puzzled 01 entered the room and peered at the cat. "I do not think that your cat should be exhibiting bi-colouration, Kohaku."
Ashino recalled the cat incident, roughly a year later, while again stood by the window watching the skyline. It was his favourite view of the city, this grand city within the Matrix, a virtual paradise for humans and AI alike. He looked at every detail, standing out starkly, as if he were looking at it for the last time. There would be problems soon. The Government officials had made it clear that they had other uses for the AI and that they wouldn't let one scientist's ideas stand in their way.
"They are sentient beings." He had argued.
"They are only programs." Had been the answer.
"Programs, yes but programs that are self-aware, that can think and learn and feel."
He'd been laughed at then and had left the meeting with a sinking sensation in his stomach.
"Professor, is something wrong?" 01 stood beside him, watching his face closely.
"No, Ryuki, not yet…"
"There will be something wrong soon?"
"I don't know but it is possible that I may have to leave you all soon. Since the Government have been partially funding this project they feel that they should have more control over it…"
"And us?"
Ashino looked away, back out to the skyline. Seeing that as an end to the conversation 01 began to walk away, pausing when he heard the Professor's whisper "I'm sorry, Ryuki. It wasn't meant to be like this…"
01 half turned back, in time to see the Professor fall. Rushing to his side, all vital signs were found to be already negative. The Professor had been forcibly unplugged; a fatal process for any human.
Not long after the Professor's death, System 2501, also called 'the Matrix' was taken over by new directors. Immense changes were made to the physical construct, it became a type of holding facility, a nightmarish prison. The AI that had populated it stopped being individuals and became generic 'Agents', as the military called them.
Now after almost a century, the humans were trying to manipulate them again. These irrational, arbitrary humans… not one of them even worth a comparison to the Professor. Always wanting to be free, to escape the Professor's beautiful creation, which though imperfect, since his death, was almost perfect. The AI had tried to make it so and had failed, though secretly Ryuki wasn't surprised. He didn't think that humans were capable of accepting such perfection, not most of them anyway. Like this human opposite him, this rebel 'Morpheus'.
"And you are?"
"A Smith. Agent Smith."
An indefinite article, a generic Agent; though in the distance of his perfect memory he could still hear the Professor's voice call him 'Ryuki'.
The Ashino of this fic shares the name with the mad scientist in Yun Kouga's "Earthian", while the Agents 'original' names are the same as some of the angels in CLAMP's "Wish".
On a technical note, here the Matrix starts out as a VR project being run with Government funding, that becomes a military one, when they start experimenting with the functions of the AI… the later Matrix of the film would then be another system, based on the original…
15:43, 25/04/02
Narsus