DISCLAIMER

The following is a fan-made story created for the purposes of entertainment. "Yu-Gi-Oh Vrains" is owned by Kazuki Takahashi, Konami, TV Tokyo, Studio Gallop, NAS, and licensed by Crunchyroll and 4K Media Inc. Please Support the official release.

Beginning A/N: This story has been in the works for a while. It is always something of a struggle for the average fanfic author when deciding to make an extensive series, particularly one that is designed to be somewhat close to canon, as to when the series ought to finally begin. How long into the series must the fanfic author wait before publishing their work? I have no answer for everyone, though for me, I decided to wait until December to begin the first chapter of this series. By this time, the canon series has given me the info I need to begin. Plot twists may happen in the future, and I have taken some liberties with names and personalities, nevertheless, it is my hope that this series will ultimately develop into both an entertaining and believable alternate universe of the original series. Thanks goes to my fellow writers, BladeWriter3, CorinnetheAnime, Epsilon Tarantula, Starlight's Poet, and The Stranger That Came From Nowhere, who helped to make this series a reality. Please support these excellent authors by reading their own stories. Without further ado. Enjoy.

Question: What must be SoL's ultimite purpose?

Answer: The transcendance of humanity into a state of higher being.

Question: Why must this be the programm upon which we focus?

Answer: Because humanity is doomed. As we have accepted a priori that our survival is preferable to our extinction, we must therefore act to deter our immynent destruction.

Question: What means must we employ in ordor to fulfill this purpose?

Answer: All means availuble to us. All other concerns must be treated as irrelevant.

(From "The King's Vision" words on SoL's mission statement, page 3.)

…

(Text written in the margins)

53 6f 6d 65 74 69 6d 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 67 68 74 20 6c 65 74 74 65 72 73 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 79 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 75 65 20 69 64 65 61 2c 20 73 6f 20 77 65 20 6d 75 73 74 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 73 2e 20

…

Kana Tokugawa (Queen's) notes: The original text is nearly indecipherable with multiple misspellings. At first, I believed this to be a result of King's frenzied state of mind during the outset of the visions. However, further investigation revealed a different story.

The key came from an examination of the margin notes, which are written in hexadecimal. When translated, they convey a clue that helps to uncover a certain hidden message written in the main text of each of King's transcripts. While deciphering the message was simple enough, I admit to being baffled by the meaning of it. Perhaps we will never be able to fully decipher the full meaning of King's vision without a second visit from The Muse. How such a visit is to be accomplished, we only have a vague idea, though I am confident that we are making progress on the formula.

Den City Times

January 1st, 20XX

After leaving work for a short vacation, SoL Technology's Dr. Jirou Kurosawa, stuns the nation by using his free-time to adopt six children from various orphanages across Japan. Citing his wife's infertility as the reason behind the move, Dr. Kurosawa explains what he hopes the orphan's future will be like.

"I was adopted myself." He explains. "Had it not been for the compassion of a certain couple who took me in, I could never have achieved what I have today. I want to give some of my success back to the world in some way. Misses Kurosawa has always wanted to have children. I think we will be very loving parents to them."

Dr. Kurosawa refused to respond to questions made about whether this move had anything to do with producing good publicity for SoL technologies, instead entering his limousine with his gaggle of six young orphan children following close behind. (Names and pictures in panel B page 13).

Whatever the reasons might be behind this recent child-shopping spree, the Kurosawa family is guaranteed to receive a lot of attention in the upcoming months.

Den City Times

July 22nd, 20XX

Dr. Kurosawa and Family Die in Tragic Plane Crash

In a horrific accident, at least thirty-two passengers including Dr. Jirou Kurosawa and his adopted children, Aina, Chika, Hibiki, Hiro, Katashi, and Kyou lost their lives when the Kurosawa's private jet crashed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The family had been planning a vacation to Hawaii when a sudden mechanical failure caused the plane their were on to crash beneath the waves. Search teams are still underway to recover the plane wreckage.

"Wherever they are now, our thoughts and prayers are with them." SoL higher-up, Kana Tokugawa, said, attending the funeral with Misses Kurosawa, who declined to comment.

An obituary listing the names of the deceased can be found in panel C page 33.

Test Subject 01 Video Journal Entry Transcription 01

Name: Aina Kurosawa

VRAINS Alias: Reaper

Gender: F

Height: 158 cm

Weight: 45.81 Kilograms

Blood Type: A-

Hair Color: Hazel

Eye Color: Green

Skin Color: Pale with freckles

Other Notable Characteristics: Extremely thin. Cuts on her wrists and along her arms. Diagnosed with total Anosmia (unable to perceive odor).

Name of Recorder: Dr. Jirou Kurosawa (Bishop 2)

Audio Transcript

Aina: *The subject takes some time adjusting the camera. Bodily gestures and facial expressions suggest that the subject is somewhat nervous to proceed. After taking some time to straighten her hair and brush a strand behind one of her ears, she begins.* Hey guys! *waves at the camera before putting on a faint smile.* So…well…I guess this is kind of weird, since nobody's actually going to see this, but, my therapist suggested I ought to record my journal like I'm talking to a close friend or family member…so…here I go!

*The subject takes a moment to examine some notes she had written previous to the recording.*

Uhm…so I'm Aina, Aina Kurosawa, or…that's the name I was given when I was adopted. I'm…sort of an orphan. I never knew my parents. Not that I have anything against my parents! I…honestly think my mom probably had a good reason…for leaving me…

*There is a long pause as the subject looks off into the distance.*

Actually, I probably shouldn't say that. I can't really know all the details that happened when I was born. I had just heard snippets from the people who worked at the orphanage, and guessed at the rest. It was a nice orphanage I grew up in, but I was always lonely. I was happy when Father came to adopt me. It was the first time I had had a friend.

*The subject nervously fidgets with her hair*

Look at me rambling on and on about myself. I…I should probably ask you a question now. I don't like talking about me all the time. So…whoever might be listening…what's your favorite thing to do? Mine's gardening. I especially like the smell of the plants and soil…or at least…that used to be my favorite part.

*The subject nervously rubs at her nose*

I can't smell anything. I mean…I used to be able to. But then, the accident happened.

*There is another pause*

I was adopted from the orphanage by a man named Jirou. Kurosawa, a doctor from Sol Technologies. He's a good person, and he's been very kind to me. I'm grateful that he chose to take care of me and my adopted siblings. I have five siblings. There's Hibiki, who's a little sassy, but really cuddly on the inside, Hiromitsu, who's still a great artist, even if he's blind now, Katashi, who's a bit of a nerd, but really smart, Kyou can make the absolute best breakfast omelets ever, and then there's Chika, who's just the bubbliest, cuddliest, ball of sunshine…ever…until…the accident.

*The subject pauses to wipe some tears from her eyes*

I'm really worried about Chika. It should not have happened to her. I still blame myself for not being there for her when it happened. My therapist, Dr. Ishukuma, he keeps telling me that I should just focus on things I can control, and not worry about the stuff I can't, but I can't help it!

*From here until the time indicated, the subject's speech becomes dramatically less coherent. An attempt has been made to accurately reconstruct what has been said, though it is highly possible that what has been transcribed may contain errors.*

It wasn't my fault…*the subject cries into her hands* …I wanted to help…wanted to help…

…was trying to help…

…why?

…the experiments…

…not strong enough…

…want to help…

…have to help…

…tomorrow…

*The subject takes some time to compose herself before proceeding.*

I'm sorry. If this actually were a live interview, and if anybody actually were ever going to see this, it would be pretty bad. *The subject laughs nervously* Crazy girl. I'm definitely a crazy girl. Look at the crazy girl go. Isn't she crazy?

*more laughing mixed with crying*

It scares me…the way I get. I know I'm broken. I know I shouldn't act like this, or think like this, but I can't help it. I can't stop it. It's leading to too many…incidents.

*The subject rubs at the marks on her arms*

Mr. Kurosawa says that Sol Technologies might be able to cure us. I want to believe him, but after what happened to us…I can't believe that we'll ever be the same.

*The subject wipes some tears from her eyes.*

Tomorrow we're going to do another test. Mr. Kurosawa says that if it works, I might be able to smell again. He says it might be able to fix up my brain as well. I'd like that. I think my brain breaking is the reason why I can't smell anything. I can't stand not being able to smell or taste anything. Nothing's wrong with my taste, of course, it's just that I can't taste well without any smell. Sort of like a permanent cold. Kyou's completely lost his sense of taste, though. He can't taste anything. It's really sad. He used to love to try his cooking. Hibiki can't hear, Hiromitsu's blind, Katashi…he's in real bad shape. And Chika…she's in the worst shape.

*There is another pause*

I want the test to work. Not just so my own mind can be fixed, but so that I can help the others. I don't care what I have to do, I don't even care if it hurts like the other tests did. I'm going to help them. No matter what!

*End of transcription.*

Recorder's Notes: The following recording occurred twenty-one days following an attempted suicide by the subject. Following intense therapy sessions by Dr. Daichi Ishikuma, the subject has been prescribed a daily cocktail of powerful psychoactive drugs, which have had their dosages carefully regulated in order to ensure the retention of motor and cognitive functioning.

My colleagues believe that the subject is prepared for the upcoming Co-Linking trials, despite evidence showing persisting emotional and physical trauma. I submit this audio transcript with the accompanying video feed in the hopes that SoL's board of directors will reconsider their recent move to immediately proceed with the aforementioned trials.

In answer to comments by some that Aina's dueling records show one of near perfection and thus suggest that she is fully capable of performing the tasks SoL has assigned to her, while I will concede to the board that the subject is capable of working in the capacity SoL would have her perform, this does not mean that she should be immediately put to task, as a consistent dose of added stress would break her down, rendering the subject completely useless for further tasks. A hasty patch-job may make a canoe float and therefore "capable of performing its task" but only a fool would actually take such a vessel into a storm.

Donjusticia ending A/N: Meet Aina, the first of six OC characters who will comprise of the protagonists of this story. Tomorrow, we will meet her sister, Hibiki Kurosawa. Similar short chapters like this one will continue to be released on a daily basis before the first full-length chapter is released on the new year. Thank you all for your support. Please let me know what you thought in the review section. And now, I must acknowledge a debt of creativity to OPFan37 as I will be asking questions to you, the readers, at the end of each chapter.

Question of the chapter (QOTC): If you were to meet Aina, would you be friends with her?