Prologue: Proto

September 28, 1993 — Day 1

After months of hard, tireless work focused on one sole project that explored the boundlessness and harmony of human nature and science, Dr. Light was finished. All the preliminary software testing had been completed, every last component carefully wired in a complex system with no match like it on earth. All that was left to do was to activate his creation in a safe, controlled environment.

On a lab table lay what looked like a young man, his eyes closed. He was dressed to match the changing season in jeans, sneakers, and a sweater, his neatly combed hair a shade of chestnut brown that Dr. Light thought would suit him. From all outward appearances, he was indistinguishable from a human.

Dr. Light gazed at him for a moment longer in happy pride, then clicked a button on the pocket sized remote he kept in his pocket, activating for the first time his Prototype Android of Advanced Artificial Self-Determination.

The prototype's amber eyes slid open, the pupils dilating as his optic sensors calibrated, his chest rising and falling softly with his first breaths of air as his circuitry powered on for the first time. He sat up, his eyes focusing on Dr. Light.

"Hi…" the prototype trailed off, looking Dr. Light over.

Dr. Light smiled warmly. "I'm Dr. Light. I built you."

The prototype studied him for half a second. "You're an inventor?"

"Yes, that's right. I specialize in robots."

The prototype slid off the work table to the floor. He took the entire room in with one sweeping scan, spared his reflection an incurious glance in the wall-mounted full length mirror, then looked towards the laboratory's exit to the front yard.

"What's that?" he said, taking a step toward the door.

Dr. Light stopped the prototype by grabbing him gently by the shoulder. His smile broadened in amusement. "Wait, you can't go out there right now."

"Where does it go?"

"Outside, but you're not ready to leave the lab yet."

"But what's out there?" the prototype persisted.

"A whole wide world, but there's much to do here first. Come back, and I'll explain."

The prototype looked back at the door, but allowed himself to be lead back into the center of the laboratory.

"How are you feeling?" Dr. Light asked as the prototype sat back on the table.

The prototype shrugged. "Great. Not that I have much to go on."

"I'm glad to hear it. You are designed with the built in intelligence and emotional aptitude of a twenty-year-old human. That is the age I feel when a human begins to become truly independent, authors of their own actions, to change their own character creatively by deciding for themselves what they shall do or shall become. Self-Determination. Do you understand?"

"I guess so."

"But you are also programmed with conscience, or the ability to distinguish right and wrong, and compassion, a desire to help others."

"Uh…sounds good."

"I know how new all of this must be for you. …What are you thinking?"

"Not much. Seems…cool."

Dr. Light noted how the prototype was scanning vocabulary databases for the first time and choosing words.

"But…" the prototype hesitated again, as though not sure how to word what he was about say next. "Being a robot, I also have abilities humans don't, like super strength, speed, and endurance. I can speak, like, hundreds of languages and learn how to operate most machines just by looking at them—"

"Yes, but that's not what makes you special, your human emotions set you apart from all other robots."

The prototype took another long pause to think about this. "I dunno, Dr. Light. That seems all kinda…out there. I don't know if I get the human stuff."

Dr. Light, who had been strongly reminded of his the university students he taught as he observed the prototype's behavior and way of talking, smiled. "You're more human than you know."

"Great. So…" The prototype kicked his heels against the lab table, "…Now what?"

"Well…first, I must run tests."

"Why, is something wrong with me?"

"I have no reason to suspect anything is wrong with you, this is just procedure, best practices if you will."

"Oh. Do you think you did a bad job when you built me?"

"No," Dr. Light quickly, "But one can never be too careful. You see, you're an experiment. I never created anything like you before."

The prototype gave him a reassuring smile, one that Dr. Light would soon become familiar with. "I don't think anything is wrong, so don't worry."

"I'm not worried. This sort of safety measure is normal, especially with a prototype. Humans do similar when we see our doctors, especially ones who have just been born."

The prototype visibly cringed slightly at this comparison. "Are you trying to say I'm like a baby?"

"No, I'm saying you're new, and impressionable. This won't take too long."

The prototype laid back down and waited quietly as Dr. Light ran some post activation tests specific for the new creation, his eyes darting around the tall, vaulted laboratory ceiling and its convex windows. All of the diagnostic passed with flying colors. After the tests had been finished, Dr. Light thanked the prototype for being patient and told him they were finished with testing for the day.

"I know, it's a lot to take in," Dr. Light apologized, "But you're doing well."

"Thanks…I guess. I kinda feel like I'm doing nothing so far."

"Let me show you the rest of the laboratory, where you'll spend most of your time for the upcoming months."

Dr. Light took the prototype on a tour of the laboratory and showed him all the projects he was working on. The prototype gave each new room the same quick glance the laboratory. He didn't have many questions, but listened and absorbed everything, often trying to complete Dr. Light's sentences. But Dr. Light was most impressed by the prototype's delightful, friendly temperament.

"—And this area is used for relaxing," said Dr. Light as they walked through the living room. "I like a good book when I am not caught up working late, but there is also a T.V.," he said, switching on a large CRT set. "There are many programs on the cable network, but I also have many educational movies—"

But as Dr. Light explained the television, the prototype was already flipping through channels quickly from footage of a football game to a gum commercial to a Girls in Pink music video to a rude cartoon to a sitcom filmed on a three-wall set with a canned laugh track.

"I don't think it's the best way to learn about our world," Dr. Light admitted somberly, casting the T.V. a disapproving look.

"Not unless the world is really small," said the prototype.

Dr. Light chuckled. "That's a very funny joke."

The prototype looked back at Dr. Light and arched an eyebrow at him. "…Was it?"

"Yes. You're already learning how to make witticism in your conversation."

"Mm. Got it."

"I only watch the T.V. to keep up with news," added Dr. Light, turning the T.V. off again. "Here, let me show you something with much higher value than a T.V."

Dr. Light lead the prototype back to the lab to show him the C.D. player he often listened to while working. As he pressed play, a recording of Für Elise began reverberating around the circular walls of the laboratory.

"This is music, one of the most timeless and cherished forms of art. I find listening to classic music helps relax the mind and leads to better thinking. This particular piece is one of the best known compositions from from Ludwig van Beethoven, my favorite composer."

Dr. Light closed his eyes happily as the rondo began to flowed around them. Solo piano, alternating arpeggios, a rising tension in the melody before—

The prototype began pressing buttons on the C.D. player to skip ahead, just like he had on the T.V. "What else can it play?"

Dr. Light wasn't ready to move on from this lesson so soon, but noted the prototype might be getting restless.

"Slow down, you're going too fast," said Dr. Light, grinning, pride still churning inside him in a happy, overflowing well. He wanted to run more tests, to get to know the prototype better—but to be careful not to push him too hard on his first day.

Dr. Light paused, stroking his beard seriously as he watched his prototype skip toward the end of the C.D.

"What's up?" asked the prototype, looking over at him.

"I haven't named you yet." Finding the right name had been something Dr. Light had been deliberating for a long time, yet couldn't think of anything that quite captured the uniqueness nor significance the prototype represented in robotics.

"Oh. How about 'Proto'?"

"…I beg your pardon?"

"Call me Proto, as in short for 'Prototype.' Ya know, Proto the prototype. Easier than 'Prototype Android of of Advanced Artificial Self-determination,' right?"

The prototype didn't seem to care much what he was called, nor had given the matter much thought. His suggestion wasn't quite what Dr. Light had in mind…

"You know, choosing a name is a big deal, said Dr. Light. "We don't have to rush—"

But the prototype just shrugged. "Proto's fine by me. It's a good robot name, right?"

Dr. Light decided to concede to this point. If this was the name the prototype wanted, then he would have it. "Alright then, Proto."

Dr. Light glanced at a wall clock.

"It's getting late. You've been activated for nearly eight hours now."

"So?"

"Well, it's time for a rest."

Proto gave him a dubious look. "But I'm not tired."

Dr. Light chuckled. "You will be soon."

He lead Proto upstairs to the first room off the hall.

"This is your room."

Proto looked around. The room was painted a soft grayish blue like the ocean in the morning, and contained a twin-sized bed, a ceiling-high bookshelf with old leather-bound volumes, a thick rug, a walk-in closet filled with clothes, and a maple dresser and nightstand. On one side stood a large open window, its white silk curtains swaying.

Proto stepped into a walk-in closet to change into the flannel pajamas that had been laid out on his bed as Dr. Light closed the window to shut out the chill night air.

Proto still looked skeptical as he climbed into bed. "Sleeping isn't something robots normally do…right?"

"Not in this sense, but it's perfectly normal for humans."

"But I'm not human."

"You're programmed to function like one."

"Why is it so important for me to be human?"

"I'm afraid that's a question for a different day."

"Alright. So what do I do?"

"Just lie down and close your eyes."

Proto settled back on his pillow, pulling the blankets over his shoulders. "So…like this?"

Dr. Light nodded. "Yes, precisely."

"And I'll have to do this every day?"

"Yes," Dr. Light answered patiently. "You're based off a human, and humans regularly go to sleep at the end of the day to 'recharge' for the next day.

"Oh. Weird. Still not sleepy."

Dr. Light smiled ruefully. "Just try to get comfortable, eventually your systems will take over. The best way to fall asleep is to try not to think about falling asleep."

Proto raised a brow. "…Okay?"

"You'll see what I mean."

Dr. Light crossed the room, and turned out the light. "I'm going to bed too. I'll see you in the morning, around eight. Goodnight, Proto."

"Goodnight, Dr. Light," Proto responded, picking up on the phrase as he rested his head against the pillow and closed his eyes.

Dr. Light closed the door, wondering at how remarkable this quiet, simple day truly had been, for it was the first day a robot had lived like a normal human.

After Dr. Light's footsteps faded toward the master bedroom at the end of the hall, Proto opened an eye. Then, quietly, he slipped out of bed and crept toward the window. He lifted the latch, slid the window open, glanced back at the door, hesitated, then sat in the sill to look outside, one leg dangling down.

He could see for several miles—the laboratory sat isolated in fields of tall of grass, with glades of trees in the distance. Occasional headlights winked down the dark country roads. There was a glow on the horizon, but it wasn't where sun had gone down on—it was south, and electrical in source, like the headlights. The city.

Having taken in the ground, Proto stared up at the sky, watching the clouds grow and shift, the stars twinkle, and the flashing red lights of airplanes high above earth's gravity.

An autumn wind rustled the trees. He closed his eyes and took a breath as he leaned his head against the sill, smelling the leaves, feeling the air ruffle neatness out of his carefully combed hair.