A/N: After a long hiatus, the final fic's finally up. I hate it when my mind goes blank and can't think of a good story then summer classes and internship on top of it. Took me a LOT of time just stringing my ideas together; damn writer's block. Then I felt bad because my Lars and Alisa tribute in youtube got muted (F**K you WMG). Also, my pc and laptop broke, all thanks to my beloved brother.
Thank you for waiting. Read, review and enjoy. :)
REASONS II
"I need to know what your feelings for Alisa are. I can see that you care about her so much. But exactly how much do you care?" Dr. Bosconovitch asked. "It's not that I don't like you. It's just that there are still things Alisa doesn't understand."
"I'm never really good with words. Well, Alisa…she helped me so much…" Lars answered.
Dr. Bosconovitch's stern look did not soften. "Loving someone because they're convenient to have around is easy to confuse with true love; it's definitely helpful to have an android that can access the internet, can hack majority of the world's online database, have limitless and numerous access to Global Navigation Satellite Systems and also the Mishima Zaibatsu database with ease and fighting software complete with radar, resonance scanners, collapsible jet packs and chainsaws embedded."
"No that's not what I meant." Lars said quickly. Wrong words. The old doctor looked at him, still uncompromising, with a rather disapproving look. He felt embarrassed; he was never good with words when it came to these things; he can only say these kinds of things in the last moments, but it is now or never.
"Alisa…Alisa is my friend in the moments when I didn't know who I was. I was a complete stranger to her; but she didn't care and helped me anyhow. She kept me company. When I had lost my memories she was still pleasant about it and never doubted me and became my friend. I didn't love her because she was convenient to have around. I love about her regardless of what she can do…I love Alisa, because Alisa is Alisa."
That was it. Lars thought. He felt he had said everything. But Dr. Bosconovitch still looked a little unconvinced.
"Even if Alisa will never be human?"
"Yes." Lars said with decisiveness. "Does it matter if Alisa will never be human? She was much more human than the people I've encountered. Alisa may never be human but her feelings are purer than humans; when I was with her, she was always straightforward, no morals to confuse the matter."
"You do know that it's all part of her programming?" Dr. Bosconovitch reminded; he looked a little comfortable now. "Everything about Alisa…her smile, her gestures, her mannerisms…it's all a program, decoded by her advanced motherboard. I only believed that she could love because it stemmed from my wish of having a child again and my guilt for not being able to save my daughter. I wished somehow those emotions are real. It's a program. All of it. As her creator I should know it more than anyone else. She's not alive in the first place—"
"I see how terrible the Zaibatsu's research facility must be. Everyone's cynical thinking no one has different perspectives." Lars interrupted, giving a hint of little exasperation. Dr. Bosconovitch looked at him in surprise. This was the first time Lars interrupted him; he was getting rather irritated now that everyone, even Alisa's father, telling him that she will never be human. "I already know that she's a robot. I already know that she runs on some sort of special or complex or whatever kind of programming. But I don't care.
"Alisa was always beside me in the most insecure moments of my life. She didn't know who I was or what my intentions were. But she knew I was a fugitive in the eyes of the company that she was made for. She was the closest thing to a human soul I had ever been with. I had completely no idea what was going on or why people were out to get me, but she disregarded that fact and helped me get back my memories. I didn't know how it began…even I already know that she's a machine…
"Before I knew it, I was in love with her android or not.
"What does it matter to other people that it isn't the same love between two human beings? Even if it's not the same love experienced between two human beings, so what?"
It was a spur of the moment, and Lars felt like he had poured his soul into it. He didn't feel self-conscious; he knew it was true; either way this was no time to be embarrassed. Dr. Bosconovitch looked at him, his expression illegible, and his hand on Alisa's shoulder.
"If ever these reasons aren't enough for you, doctor, I'd just like to say that everyone see things in a different way or just the same. But they are reasons nonetheless. Alisa is a daughter to you, to your lab assistants she's just a project they need to take care of out of their jobs, to others—" Jin's voice crossed Lars mind, and anger briefly simmered inside him "—she's just a machine. But to me, she's my special someone; other people do not see that. What I saw in Alisa was far beyond than the metallic substitutes that served as a shell...and that shell covered her human soul. You said it yourself, Dr. Bosconovitch…it depends on the person. Alisa's more than a machine…to you… and to me. "
"Yes. I agree with you…Well, centuries of research and still human beings can't understand how their emotions function or there is no explanation in neurology or psychology that can fully interpret and predict the actions of the human mind. So then, what's wrong with loving a being that's not even human itself?" Dr. Bosconovitch said, for the first time, happily. Lars was surprised at the sudden change of melancholic demeanor of the old man. Dr. Bosconovitch merely gave a small and kind smile at his expression and continued.
"The more she was with you, the more the algorithm I had programmed into her became so complex." Dr. Bosconovitch said, proudly. "All those elaborate programs finally tuned themselves into a complicated algorithm even I can't understand. I wanted to create a daughter that could love. To tell you the truth…I only expected that kind of love to be Storge. When I was building Alisa, what I had in mind was that a kind of love a daughter would feel towards her father...But I did not expect her to surpass her programming. When she first saw you….I suppose because you were the first stranger that treated her with dignity and respect, treated her like a real human being, not handled her like an object. I'm sorry if those life-and-death situations weren't enough to convince me how much you care for her."
"I understand why you won't let go of Alisa that easily Dr. Bosconovitch." Lars said. "Any decent father would on their daughter."
"I apologize again. I just don't want Alisa to be treated like an object again like she was with the former CEO of the Zaibatsu…and, well…knowing the people whom I have worked for for years; they cannot even show a drop of compassion among their family members, let alone a machine, I had lost faith in humanity. I knew you and Alisa went through a lot, such a strong bond was formed between the two of you. And now to think on it…I believe she's better off with you; your love for her is much purer than mine."
"You're her father. I can't match how much you feel about her." Lars replied gently.
"I made Alisa to be outwardly identical to my daughter because of my guilt; she was meant to be a replacement. I felt guilty making her a substitute; Alisa and my late daughter are two separate entities…so I gave her a different name—Alisa. But for you, you love Alisa because Alisa is Alisa. You do not have a trace of guilt behind your love for her.
"I can see now why Alisa never left your side, never bothered to say what her purpose to the Zaibatsu was…never doubted you…. She fought so hard against that software you know…even it resulted to the damage of her CPU…she wanted to tell you how sorry she was for not telling you everything about her, sorry for causing you trouble…sorry for betraying you."
Dr. Bosconovitch looked at him meaningfully. "Alisa was terrified that you would hate her."
"I never hated Alisa. I mean, I didn't force her to stay with me all those times; she could've left me if she wanted to." said Lars. "I didn't blame her for betraying me. It wasn't her fault; even not knowing what she was really made for."
"I'm glad to hear that from the person Alisa chose as her special someone." Dr. Bosconovitch said warmly. "I gave her ability to distinct between the things that are very important to her and which aren't. In other words, you were more important to her than anything else."
"But Alisa," Lars began, temporarily forgetting that Alisa hadn't been reactivated yet. "Is she going to be alright? She can be reactivated, right? But Lee Chaolan said that when Alisa would be reactivated, her memories are gone."
"I apologize once again. Alisa will only loose her memory when she is reactivated without my voice print. It's a failsafe program to ensure that Alisa will never be in possession of a person who sees her nothing more than an object."
"And her memories? Will all of it still be there?" Lars asked a growing hope and joy started spreading inside him.
"Yes. All of it." Dr. Bosconovitch said, he then embraced Alisa and said, in a muffled voice, "Sweetie, now I see your reason why he is your special someone, now I know why you didn't want to leave him. So if you please, wake up. He's waiting."
The wireless monitors and computers that bound the walls of the laboratory suddenly blinked to life. Then a cool female voice echoed across the laboratory.
PROCESSING…
INITIALIZING FULL-SYSTEM RECOVERY PROGRAM…
The progress bar was almost full; it only took a quarter of a second, then the monitors flashed images of what seemed to be memories but they were all played as though in a movie in a fast pace. Only 3 more agonizing percentage Lars had to wait for Alisa's reactivation.
"These are all her memories. I'm quite surprised that it only took a very short time for Alisa to reactivate." Dr. Bosconovitch said. He then looked at Lars. "She's so happy to see you again."
"Thank you, doctor." Lars said. Every fiber of his being was radiating with happiness now. Alisa was coming back to him.
"No." Dr. Bosconovitch said, shaking his aged head. "Thank you. It was because of you Alisa was able to find her happiness, her special someone, away from an environment that sees her merely as a machine. I'm glad she found a very good man. From here on, Alisa is already under your care and no longer a chattel of the Mishima Zaibatsu. So if you please, take care of my little girl. " Then he turned towards the entrance of the laboratory.
"Dr. Bosconovitch, wait." Lars called. The old doctor stopped and looked back. "Don't you want to be with Alisa again?"
"You are kind." Dr. Bosconovitch said, smiling, peering at him over his glasses. "It's already enough for me to see that Alisa is in good hands. Also, it's for her safety; the Zaibatsu already knows that I treat her like she is my own daughter, they'll just hold her ransom and with that, have all the reasons for me to work more tediously than the last."
"I think Alisa would like to see you again." Lars explained. But the old man shook his head.
"This is the thing when having children; they grow up, make decisions on their own, they move out…you let them go." Dr. Bosconovitch gently said. "Alisa told me that she always wanted to be with you. I respect that decision and I want her to be in a world where she is not judged as a machine, but as a human being."
Lars nodded, taking this as a close to his meeting with Dr. Bosconovitch. The old doctor smiled at him last time, then gave a tired, contented and loving look at Alisa and turned his heel and left the laboratory. At that moment, a signal echoed across the laboratory signaling completion, Alisa's eyes opened, just like the time when Lars first met her. She sat up and placed her feet on the floor.
"This place…" Alisa said with her sweet voice that Lars had been so anticipating hearing again for months, looked around. "This isn't Papa's laboratory…"
"Welcome back, Alisa." Lars greeted. Alisa turned to face him and her face seemed to have bloomed, like the loveliest flower, with happiness. With that smile, happiness spread throughout every fiber of his being. She's back.
"Lars-kun… I'm so happy to see you again." She said in a voice that Lars had so missed to hear, and then she cocked her head slightly to the side. "But I thought I heard Papa's voice…"
"Yes, he was here. He woke you up." He explained.
Alisa's face glowed with the sweetest affection; she then stepped forward and embraced Lars. 'She is so warm. I can't believe that she's a machine.' Lars thought as he returned her embrace, then he remembered something.
"Alisa, your father told me that he didn't understand anymore the algorithm he programmed into you. Can you explain to me what made you come with me, even knowing that I was a complete stranger to you?" Lars asked after ending the embrace. Alisa looked at him and smiled.
"Papa called it 'The Algorithm of Emotions.' I know the way Papa made me was so…complex. He told me that rationalizing emotions was senseless; he told me that there is no precise taxonomy of emotions. Papa once told me that there can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul. And that was the theory he had based my program into. All that said, I do not need to think what I feel."
Lars thought over what Alisa had explained to him; it all seemed vague and paradoxical. But they were happy…and right now, that was all that matters.
END.
A/N: WEEEEEEEH! I'm sorry if in the end it seemed pretty boring. ~_~ Please cut me some slack, I'm trying to get back my writing skills; as I've mentioned in the first chapter I haven't written anything for two years.
Another LarIsa story is coming up. I'll try to make it better. Please review, I don't know if this is good enough because I think I've fallen short of my own standards.
"There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul."
Arnold Bennett (1867-1931)
