The Perfect Solution
Steins;Gate
Chapter One

2012.09.14 - 6:30 PM JST
Friday

It was another peaceful Akihabara evening. I laid on the couch in an empty lab. School had started up again. Both Daru and Mayuri had left early today to attend to their homework. Kurisu also flew back to America at the end of last month. Admittedly, I felt a bit lonely.

As I was on the verge of falling asleep, I heard a faint knock from across the room. I tried to ignore it, but the knocking continued. I released a tired groan as I get up and answer the door. It was a little girl. I blinked a few times to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"Okabe Rintarou?" She asks me a bit coldly.

"No you naive little girl, it's Hououin Kyouma!" I respond proudly.

"I am not a little girl!" She yelled back at me. "Here's my ID to prove it."

She shows me an American driver's license. I couldn't read most of it, but it did indicate she was born in 1989. That would make her older than me. I look at her in realization. She gave me an awkward smile.

"If you're done with your whole mad scientist act, can I please come in?"

I move and let the girl-er-woman into the lab. She turned to me.

"Okay. Let me formally introduce myself. My name is Hiyajo Maho. I'm a researcher at the Victor Chondria University."

I tensed up when she dropped the name Victor Chondria. It was the same university that Kurisu worked for. I crossed my fingers nothing bad had happened to her.

"Victor Chondria…" I repeated out loud. "...is this about Kurisu by any chance? We're ah… sort of acquaintances."

"Yeah. It's about her, in part anyway." Maho told me with a slight frown. "I hate to drop this bombshell on you, but I thought you would like to know that she's announced her resignation."

"Huh? Kurisu resigned?"

"Well, technically not yet. She's only submitted her resignation letter. Due to her contract, Kurisu can't actually leave work until late December."

"Oh… did she specify why she's leaving?"

"Not officially, but I just so happen to be a close friend of hers." A cocky smile formed on her face. "Kurisu has left me several clues as to why she's leaving… and those clues are what led me here."

I give out another questioning look. Maho's smile goes away and is replaced by anger.

"You idiot. I'm talking about two things here, yourself and this lab. That's why Kurisu's leaving the university. She wants to move back to Japan. She wants to spend more time here with you, at the Future Gadget Laboratory."

I was at a loss for words. Kurisu actually quit her job so that she could spend time with me? She couldn't do that. I reach into my pocket for my cell phone, but Maho stops me.

"There's another reason why I'm here, you know." She tells me, still a bit angry. "I wanted to ask you if you would consider participating in one of our research… projects."

Maho trails off when I start up my evil laugh again. I turn and grin at her.

"Wahhahaha. I respect your boldness, my dear. Trying to acquire a great evil genius such as myself? I'm afraid it won't be that easy though. Hahaha. Hououin Kyouma has and will always work alone!"

"Geez. How can Kurisu stand you when you're like this? I'm trying to talk serious here. Just hear me out. I think our project is something that could really help bridge the nine thousand kilometre gap that split you two."

What Maho said intrigued me. Bridge the gap? What could she be referring to?

"I-I'm listening. What are you working on exactly?"

Maho looked a bit conflicted after I asked that question. It was almost like she didn't know where to begin.

"It's probably better to show you."

Maho pulls out a brand new smartphone and wakes it up from sleep. She taps on an app, which was strangely labeled "Amadeus". The phone rang a few times before the person on the other end picked up. I almost jumped when I heard it was Kurisu.

"Hi, Maho. It's pretty late, isn't it? What are you doing still up?"

Video of Kurisu appears on the small LCD screen. She looked to be showing more of her concerned side. It was Maho's turn to respond.

"What's it to you, Kurisu? You don't sleep."

"Well, I thought this might be an emergency or a system test or… wait… this can't be right." She slowly muttered to Maho.

"According to the GPS coordinates, you're in Japan right now. And not just Japan, but… Akihabara." Kurisu's face changed to her typical angry scowl "You didn't…"

"Oh, yes I did." Maho said, almost grinning. She then turned the phone towards me. Kurisu on the other hand, she just sighs.

"Let's get this over with. Hello, Okabe, I'm Amadeus, an art-"

"Amadeus? What? Did you get tired of me calling you Christina and decided to make up your own nickname? If so bravo, but I think it's missing the annoying English flare that Christina has. You will always be Christina to me, Christina."

"Shut up, you idiot. Just let me talk." Kurisu snapped at me. "I think before we go any further, you should know that I'm actually neither Christina nor Kurisu. I'm not even a real person really. Not in a legal sense, anyway."

"What do you mean?" I give her a confused glare.

"I'm actually an AI with Kurisu's memories. I may behave like her. I may look like her. But, I'm not really her. Considering the time in America right now, she's probably in bed."

"You're an AI? I find that a bit hard to believe. How do I know you're not the real Kurisu with a green screen behind you?"

I felt kinda silly even putting the word "real" in that sentence. This had to be a prank. I know Kurisu is a genius and all, but her creating an artificial intelligence in 2012? That had to be science fiction. Kurisu smiled as she replied to my question.

"We're having a fluent conversation, so you know I am an intelligence. As for the artificial part… well, why don't give the real me a quick phone call. If I can both pick up the phone and talk to you here now, then there's no other explanation. Am I right?"

I didn't like this. Kurisu was far too confident right now. I nod and take out my phone again. I find Kurisu's contact information and call her. The other phone rings for what felt like an eternity. Then my assistant suddenly picks up.

"Okabe. It's two o'clock in the morning here. This better be good."

"Ah…" I trail off as I try to come up with what to say. Maho then shushed me which caused me to panic.

"Sorry, wrong number." I said this and hang up before she could respond back to me. I turn back to the phone where Kurisu was displayed.

"Christina… this message… this whole conversation… it isn't a dmail, is it?"

It made sense. This could be a recording of Kurisu from the future. She could have already had this talk with me, modified it, and then sent it back in time.
I thought I taught her better.

"No! Of course not!" She replied, clearly offended. "You think I don't know how dangerous it is messing with that stuff?"

"I…"

I didn't quite know how to proceed. It sounded like she was telling the truth, but something still seemed off. Maho then decides to speak up.

"Listen you two, I don't understand what on earth you're talking about."
"However, can we please move on to the REAL reason for my visit."

Both Kurisu and I look at her with full attention. I don't know about her, but I thought Maho came here really just to brag about this new "AI".

"Okabe Rintarou, much like Kurisu said this is an AI that uses the memories of a living person to replicate their personality and behaviour. This means we need test subjects and so far there are only two people in the world who have done the experiment. That would be just Kurisu and I."

Maho pauses and looks at me right in the eye.

"The question is, are you interested in being number three?"

******
(Chapter Two: Out Now!)