Terabyte Disk: 09/16/2030, 12:15  ...at the memory right before Ukita had been infected with Subject N's malice.  {Be careful, Hikorin. N's just up ahead...} Yeah, I got it. I'll be careful this time to make sure she doesn't corrode me like she did back when I encountered her in Watase's memory.Natsuhiko pulled himself together and looked into Ukita's memories.  (I knew it... this is where Mr. Ukita was infected with malice.)But something felt off. ...It was too quiet.  (Huh!? But weren't the others with him at the time!?)No, that wasn't all that was odd. Natsuhiko had ''looked around'' of his own accord. Which meant-- (This isn't Mr. Ukita's memory! It's just like with Watase--!)A voice then filled the air. ???: It would appear that you have realized that this is no ordinary memory, no?  Natsuhiko gasped and watched in surprise as Subject N's body-- --slowly stood up.  ♪ BGM: Evil and Nightmares ♫  No, that is incorrect. I am not Subject N. On the other hand, nor am I Keiji Ukita proper.She was talking much differently that the ''spirit'' of Subject N that Natsuhiko had encountered in Watase's head. Much like how that spirit's speech and personality had been strongly influenced by Watase, this one had most likely been influenced by Ukita. Natsuhiko talked back to her as he thought that. Then what are you? Malice incarnate? No, to get right to the point-- I am 'BC particles'. What...?Subject N jeered at Natsuhiko. Are you familiar with the 'informational field theory'? Huh? No, I'm not... Hmph, you are a disgrace to your mother. The informational field theory began as a hypothesis proposed by your mother, Dr. Miyoko Tenkawa, 16 years ago. Ah...Now that she mentioned it, he had seen a book about that in the reference room when his mind was linked with Watase's.     It would appear the apple fell far from the tree. You can use your mother's thesis to explain my existence. Just as the introduction said, information is essentially energy.Tips posted:TIP: BC energy And that information energy is spread using BC particles as an intermediary. Even if you are incapable of BC, this process is constantly occurring... Right in the middle of 'something' that everyone possesses. What 'something'...?The girl tapped her head when Natsuhiko asked that. The brain. BC particles cover the whole globe. Naturally, that includes people's brains as well. And the impressions and sensations that result from people's mental activities are constantly converted from the electrical signals in their brains into BC particles and are thus preserved through them. In other words, there are BC particles lying around in Ukita's brain that reflect his mental activities. Subject N then transferred her own thought information into Keiji Ukita's brain. When she did, the BC particles that carried her thought information mixed with the BC particles that were in Keiji Ukita's brain to begin with. Those two groups of BC particles interacted, becoming a new distinct group of BC particles that stayed in his brain. I am those particles. So basically, you were born from the blending of Mr. Ukita and Subject N's spirits? Spirits? Ha! I never imagined Dr. Tenkawa's very son would believe in something so occult! Well, if that's how you want to interpret it, then go ahead. That's not the important matter at hand, anyway. What -is- important is that I most certainly exist here. Exist...? Yeah, you exist, all right.Natsuhiko glared at her and spoke in a clear voice.  No matter how much logic you pile in front of me, I have only one opinion. And that is that I will bring Mr. Ukita back to normal. Those thoughts won't change, whether you're a spirit or BC particles or whatnot. Oh...? Then are you saying you'll erase my existence? You can indeed eradicate me just by wishing for me to vanish. In the end, I'm nothing more than a vague, bodiless entity. So even if you erase me, it will not weigh upon your conscience in the slightest. Is that not what you are thinking? ...Like hell it won't weigh on my conscience. But I have to do it. After all, that's what Mr. Ukita wants as well. Hmm? That's what he wants, you say? Isn't that obvious? At his core, Mr. Ukita is a man of justice, so-- !!She glared at Natsuhiko. Just what is it that you know of the man known as Keiji Ukita? You have only obtained incomplete information regarding him: the surface of his memories and his motive for committing this act of terrorism. That's all. Yet you claim to know what it is he desires? How presumptuous can you be!? ... Do you understand now? In the end, even Senses Sympathy is nothing more than incomplete communication. Humans can never reach a mutual understanding no matter how much they talk, touch, or use BC on each other.Tips posted:TIP: Qualia They just 'try to understand each other' by looking at fragments of information about each other. But by being in Ukita's brain, I have become one with him and seen his entire life from birth to this very moment. I am the only one who can claim to understand him. The only way to truly understand another is to become one with them. That's why I gave Ukita just what he wanted. What he wanted--? Take this, for example.The scene in front of them changed the moment Subject N said that.   ...Go ahead and laugh. I know it's fragile justice. But it's my choice. If killing you means it'll put an end to all of this, then I'll do what I must. (If I don't, Captain Kasasagi will kill both Subject Y-II and Natsuhiko... I'll protect everyone. Then my life will finally have meaning!) Even if it means staining my hands in sin for the first and last time in my life...! Ah... You say that Ukita changed because I'm in his brain? Preposterous. I just gave him a little nudge, that's all. Both Ukita and I wish to punish the wicked and protect the weak. That is why we feel Captain Kasasagi must be punished. You've done nothing more than make a fuss just because the way Ukita was acting earlier was a little different from the 'Ukita' that you know. Now then, let me ask you again. Does Ukita himself truly desire my erasure? ...!Natsuhiko couldn't help but fall silent. She was just as formidable of an enemy as the Subject N in Watase's head, but in a totally different way. Natsuhiko could feel his fighting spirit whittle away even though he hadn't been corroded by malice. (Is... is it really okay to erase her!? Aren't I just butting my nose into Mr. Ukita's business where it isn't needed!?)As he started to think that-- He heard Yuuri's voice.  (!!) {Even if Mr. Ukita's desire is to judge the wicked, he would still never punish Captain Kasasagi. Because that's something the real Mr. Ukita never even considered. He ceased to be himself from the moment his spirit blended with N's. So you have to bring Mr. Ukita back to his true self!} ...! Composure began returning to his confused mind. It was then that he noticed the contradictions in Subject N's reasoning. ...You almost had me, Subject N. Whatever do you mean? Mr. Ukita's true desire wasn't just to 'punish the wicked'. It was also to 'never kill anyone'. There's no way you could have overlooked that, could you?Subject N suddenly laughed at that comment. ...Splendid insight. It would appear that you are not as stupid as I assumed. Of course not. Maybe I can't understand Mr. Ukita in the slightest-- But in spite of that, I looked through his memories that whole time with the intention to understand him. Hmph... though either way, it's still an incomplete understanding.A look of resignation rose to her face. She then sighed and looked at Natsuhiko. But it truly is a shame. Just a bit more and I would have corroded into you. Huh? You didn't notice? I had already begun to worm my way into your mind from the moment I started listening to your opinion. Though I failed thanks to that unexpected fly getting in my way. Just one more step and you and I would have become one. Then you and Ukita could have killed Captain Kasasagi together.Those words sent shivers down Natsuhiko's spine. You... you really are malice incarnate...! You only just realized that? Isn't that why you came to erase me? ...Yes. You're right.Natsuhiko looked back at her and spoke. I'm sorry, but it's about time for you to go now. You're right. I'll stop putting up any fruitless resistance. ...Oh, but could you promise me something before you erase me? What? Ukita is not aware of my existence. So at the very least I'd like for you... to remember that I was here. That I was more than malice incarnate-- that I was a being with a mind. ...! I used my malice to try to grant Ukita's wishes and to worm my way into you. That was all out of my own will. You see what I'm getting at? Even someone who possesses no body nor brain like me does indeed exist. Cogito ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. Then in that case, what is the core, that is, the 'mind', that is aware of those thoughts? Is it the mental activities occurring in the brain? Can a mind only exist in the presence of a brain? ...No. A mind is an accumulation of 'information'. You cannot use the presence or absence of a brain as a basis to determine whether or not something possesses a mind. That applies even if I am nothing more than a gathering of information energy spread by elementary particles. Even if I were digital data recorded into a medium-- I still have a mind. My life lasted for only a few hours, but I most certainly did exist. I can disappear in peace so long as you swear never to forget that. Yeah... I won't forget you, Subject N.She smiled happily when she heard Natsuhiko tell her that. Thank you, Special Observation Target Na2.That was the name of the one Ukita had tried to protect. From the bottom of her heart, the girl understood Ukita's lonely sense of justice. Natsuhiko looked towards her with respect--  
TheMcD fucked around with this message at 17:44 on Apr 19, 2017 |
|
| ← # ? Apr 19, 2017 17:36 |
|
