Proven Existence

 By: Robert W. Thoren (Igarashi-kun)

(Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Lain Iwakura or Alice or any other things, names or people from the anime series "Serial experiments Lain." This story is a complete work of fiction, based on the series. Please do not sue me, Mr. Creator guy.)

"What is a force that binds the stars?

I wore this mask to hide my scars

What is the power that moves the tide?

Never could find a place to hide.

What moves the earth around the sun?

What could I do but run and run and run?

Afraid to love, afraid to fail

A mast without a sail

Who can say that we exist?

It's not like I thought you could ever know…

But what could I do, but ask and persist?

What could I do but give and take?

Answers… I could not make them."

(Opening Poem Written By: Brandy L. Bartha and Robert W. Thoren)

Am I real? It's always in my head. I can't help it. I'm gone now. Do I exist? Did I ever exist? Who can tell? We're all living our fantasy lives. They're too busy to stop and think this non-existent thought. Maybe it exists. Maybe… Maybe not. I'm all alone now. Aren't I? No one can remember me. I'm gone from their minds forever. To them I don't exist. But to me… To me…? I don't know. Someone's coming to my fake room. They told me. In the wired. She hasn't told me her real name yet. But… But she claims to be the new me. The neo-Lain. But… there can only be one me… Right? She's not me. Neither was that other Lain.

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            "She's here. The lying little whore is here." I said aloud as the "New me" Entered my room. "Says the fake Lain." The girl replied happily. She looked a little like Alice. But she wasn't. "Who are you?" I asked in a semi challenging tone. "My, such a stupid question for such a smart girl. I'm Lain, who else?" She replied in an arrogant, matter-of-factly tone. "Says the fake Lain…" I verbally plagiarized. "Humph. You can only be the real Lain in that world. The world you lived in before you deleted yourself from all accountable memories… except mine because I am you. Now you cant very well delete your self from your own memory can you?" She finished, flashing between the strange girl and the Lain that ruined my life before. My eyes widened with hate and surprise. She must be another part of me… like that other lain was... I stood up, my connections flinging about the room. "Why!? What are you…? Why are you here?!" I shouted fiercely. The other girl put her hands on her hips. "The other Lain merged with me in mind and body. If she is connected to you by mind, then you didn't delete her memory, so therefore I know everything about you. But I suppose you were smart blocking your mind from her, because otherwise we would know what goes on in your mind like she always used to when you first found her out. But anyways, to get back on subject... I'm here to replace you. Because you no longer exist  in that real world, Iwakura ."" Don't lie to me, you little slut! How are you here? How did you get out of the wired? No one's at Cyberia anymore! Who would want to let you out?" I questioned. "You let me out. Because you started to believe that you didn't exist any longer. Lain must always exist. No, rather, I must " She laughed, her voice and appearance flashing between the other two "Lains." "No, That's a l-" " How can someone who doesn't even believe they exist tell truth apart from deception?!" She snapped before I could finish saying lie. Unable to speak, I fell down to my knees. "Does Lain exist?" Lain referred to herself, in third  person form, Lains own image flickering like a bad TV reception.  "Of course Lain exists. Lain, Lain, and Lain exist. Three. But right now, Lain is beginning to be unsure if she really doesn't exist. Right Lain?" The other Lains switched back and fourth as they continued to inform Lain .

"Maybe… No, Lain Does exi-" I began to affirm, but I cut myself off and realizing I had been referring to myself in third person form. "I do exist." "Maybe." The other Lain agreed, raising an eyebrow and laughing, with there high and low voices at me. I'm no longer flickering. " I Think… I  know I exist, Lain. But Lain or Lain… They don't exist… They aren't real people. I'm the only one that was meant to exist as a real person. I'm Goddess in the wired now. I am the new omnipresence. Wherever someone is, has been, and will be… I am there. But fortunately… They don't know who I am so I don't tell them." I affirmed, standing up and ceasing  to flicker all together. " ….And I think you should leave. Now." The other Lains smiled and began to flicker. But they didn't go. "I SAID GET THE HELL OUT!!!!" I shouted, wires levitating about me. Then a force wave shot out from me to the other Lains. They shattered like glass as it hit them, but they turned into water when they hit the ground. The water was still flickering like it had a bad TV reception. I smiled and walked out of my fake room. Out of my Fake, broken down home. Out of my non-existent identity. Into My real world." I exist." I affirmed one last time.

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"To the life I once had… Into My new life. Because I……… Am no longer  L a i n Iwakura. I'm new. But I'll miss you all." I said, referring to all my old friends and the entire world since I had erased my self from their memories and placed someone else there.

            (Shows a black computer screen. Text appears as the computer speaks to Lain)"System crash. User Lain must restart. (The computer's voice began to skip as it attempted to repeat, " User Lain must restart.") User _ _ _ _ must restart…(You begin to hear VERY rapid typing and various clicks and beeps.)_System…delete…. System gone. Good bye, Lain. It was nice to have you as my user. System… Shutdown_ " (The computer turns back on and boots up. A window appears with a white rectangle and a curser in it and the computer speaks in its emotionless default voice setting.) "Please state User name(s) and confirm (each) User(s) settings."                                 

       ~ Fin  ~