Disclaimer:
Iwakura Lain, Mizuki Alice and everything and
everyone related to Serial Experiments Lain are
properties of Ueda Yasuyuki, Konaka Chiaki and
ABe Yoshitoshi, among other equally brilliant
people. I'm just someone who obsesses over
this amazing anime. *This* story is mine, though.


" " actual speech
*not* actual speech (duh...). Some kind of a
mind voice, perhaps? Anyone can suggest a more
appropriate term?


a Serial Experiments Lain fanfiction:
goddess - Another Interpretation of layer 13: EGO
by Silver Wind
lain@suiko.net
Ginga - http://suiko.net/lain/


"What am I doing here?" she mutters to herself,
"Why am I here?"
Why indeed, the other answers her, Do you
wish to see *her*?
"I...," she winces, "she doesn't even remember
me..."
It does not matter, the voice chuckles, She,
just like everyone else, still holds a small part of
you... of us, inside herself.
She lets out a sigh, "I suppose you're right...
She has changed so much. Yet she's still the same Alice
that I remember."
And you are still the Lain that she knew.
Although she would not recognize and remember you.
"Why..."
You do not regret our decision, do you? the
other asks.
"I don't regret it... It's just the best thing
to do at that time... Humans were not ready..."
True, the voice agrees, Humans could not be
forced to Connect like that. It is best to allow them
to slowly evolute...
She nods, "... so that at their own free will,
and at their own ability, they can Connect to the
Wired themselves."
And when they do, a blurry figure slowly
solidifies beside her, "They will be able to see you
again, Lain. Because Lain is a goddess."
"Am not," she wipes the tears in her eyes with
the back of her hand in a child-like gesture, "Don't
call me that."
"Yes, you are," the second Lain laughs gently,
"You did Restore their Memories, remember? Only a
goddess can do that."
"I don't want to be a goddess!" she insists
stubbornly, "Look at the human who called himself a
god! I don't want to hurt anyone the way he did!"
"Ah, you see?" the other Lain puts an arm
around her shoulders, "That is the difference
between you... between us, with that human. All he
wanted was to be a god. He did not care what he
did, whom he harmed to reach his goal. You, Lain,
are different. Lain cares. That is why you are a
goddess."
She just bows her head down, whispering in
a pained voice, "It is so difficult..."
"Of course it is," the other smiles easily,
"Nothing ever is easy, even for a goddess. But it
is what makes us respect our decisions."
"And those humans," Lain looks at the busy
city, "Will they ever reach their higher forms?"
The other just looks at her in silence, smiling
cheerfully.
Lain nods, a slight smile playing on her
own lips, "Yes, I do trust them. And I do not
doubt them. Nothing will ever stay the same about
them. Because they will always change. They will
always create, invent and destroy. They will
always be happy, angry and sad. And someday..."
"Yes," the other laughs, a white mist
enfolding her disappearing body, Someday they will
remember Lain. They will see Lain again.

The lone figure stands still, looking at a couple
that walks closer towards her. The woman's face
changes into a surprised look. She stops in front
of Lain and kneels so their eyes meet.
She smiles, "Do I know you from somewhere?
What's your name?"
"... Lain."
"Lain?" the woman purses her lower lip,
trying to recall her memories, "Oh, perhaps you're
a student from the school where I taught as a
student-teacher?"
The teenage girl keeps her silence, only looking
at the woman's face searchingly.
The beautiful woman extends her right
hand, still smiling, "I am Alice. A weird name,
isn't it? I used to hate it when I was little."
"Alice is a nice name," she replies,
returning the handshake.
"Thank you," Alice looks a little smugly
at her male friend who is laughing, "I have to
go now. Will I see you again... Lain?"
"Of course," Lain gives her a slight smile.

Lain looks at the couple some distance away from
her.
"Yes," she closes her eyes, clasping her
hands and smiling sweetly, "You will see me again.
I will always be with you. Forever."


~ END ~

Finished May 19th 2000, 6:05 PM.

Notes:
Inspired by all my family on Animanga who now
call me Lain, goddess, oneechan and oneesama...