GALERIANS
The video game script
Transcript by Eric J. Juneau
Release 1.0
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DISC 1
....Stage-A: Michelangelo Memorial Hospital
....Stage-B: Your House
DISC 2
....Stage-C: Babylon Hotel
DISC 3
....Stage-D: Mushroom Tower
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APPENDIX A: Characters
APPENDIX B: Name Meanings
APPENDIX C: Timeline
APPENDIX D: Unanswered Questions
APPENDIX E: Game Credits
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***NOTE: Footnotes are in numbered parentheses (Ex: This is a note. (0) )***
Think Blade Runner meets Akira. Tram cars zip back and forth amid yellowing,
dilapidated brownstones. The camera zooms toward a tall, white building, like
one large block stacked on a smaller one. This is Michelangelo Memorial
Hospital. An emblem like a shining sun covers the front.
RION: (V.O.) I sometimes have a frightening dream.
Rion lies on a hospital bed as memories float through him -- a mother, a
little girl holding a bear, etc. A girl's voice hauntingly whispers something
indiscernible.
------------------------------
Stage-A
Michelangelo Memorial Hospital
------------------------------
In a dark room, a row of computer servers stands, each with a single red
cyclopean light. A researcher in medical scrubs stands in an observation
room, staring at the surveillance camera trained on Rion's bed.
RESEARCHER #1: Heart rate normal. Administer the Nalcon.
RESEARCHER #2: (through intercom) Won't that destroy his brain cells and prove
fatal?
RESEARCHER #1: It might, but we must follow the clinic chief's orders.
RESEARCHER #2: (approaches a surgical bed) Okay, then.
Rion lies on the surgical bed, eyes closed.
GIRL: (V.O.) Rion...
Rion stirs.
GIRL: (V.O.) Rion...
RION: (V.O.) Who are you?
Rion opens his eyes.
GIRL: (V.O.) They're coming. They're coming to get me.
The researcher continues his work. Two spindly, mechanical arms shift back
and forth over Rion's bed.
RION: (V.O.) (weakly) Why are you calling me?
GIRL: (V.O.) I'm scared.
The arms, one on each side, close in on Rion's head. One has a vial of green
liquid. The other has a vial of red. The arms inject the liquid into Rion's
neck. He reacts with surprise.
Researcher #2 returns to the observation room, leaving Rion alone. The lock
on Rion's shackled arm begins to loosen by itself, as do the screws securing
it to the bed.
RESEARCHER #2: I never heard of such a quick dosage cycle.
RESEARCHER #1: Me too. I'm afraid it may have destroyed the patient's memory.
I'm surprised he's even still alive.
RESEARCHER #2: I'll go check the data.
As the researchers speak, the security camera shows that Rion is now off the
bed, standing in the room, looking into the camera. (1)
Rion examines the laboratory bed.
DESC: "Who am I?"
SCAN: An blurry image of a woman with wires coming out of her head. (2)
Rion walks to a medical cabinet.
DESC: "It's a storage cabinet for PPECs. You need a key to open it."
SCAN: A control panel with a monitor surrounded by buttons.
Rion finds a door and slams his fist on it. He hangs his head in frustration.
DESC: "It won't budge."
SCAN: An electronic lock titled "NUMA". It does not appear to be powered on.
Rion approaches a computer box in a wall with a glowing red light. It may be
a camera.
DESC: "This is what they examined me with?"
Rion picks up a document on the box.
DOCUMENT: Medical Staff Notes
This is a list of drugs we plan on administering or have already administered
to Rion. All of them have the potential to greatly enhance strength, but we
do not yet know what long-term effects they may have on the body and DNA. We
hope to collect the necessary data as soon as possible.
(icon of a gun-like apparatus) BEEJECT
Beeject is a gun-shaped injector for injecting PPECs into the body. Load drug
cylinders into the device, press the muzzle against the neck, and then pull
the trigger.
MELATROPIN
Melatropin interferes with objects in various ways. It has been proven to
have various effects depending on how it is used such as psychometry for
reading minds, scanning for extracting information, and telekinesis for moving
objects. There is no need to administer this drug to Rion.
(icon of a vial with green liquid) NALCON
Enables patients to focus their mental energy to produce a powerful shock
wave. The shock wave's power depends on how the drug agrees with the patient
and their mental energy and brainwaves.
(icon of a vial with red liquid) RED
Enables a patient to excite an object's molecules, causing it to heat up. If
continued long enough, the object will burst into flames.
(icon of a vial with blue liquid) D-FELON
Enables patients to form an anti-gravity field around an object. This
produces an invisible wall that isolates and entraps the object. Depending on
their ability, patients may even be able to move objects they have entrapped.
SHORT - Impedes the functions of other drugs. When patients exceed a certain
level of activity, they will start to sweat, feel feverish and have their
blood pressure rise. All abilities become uncontrollable and dangerous.
Consciousness fades and balance is lost, ultimately leading to death.
(icon of a yellow and white capsule) RECOVERY CAPSULE
Blocks the transmission of pain, causes the rapid synthesis of structural
proteins by means of a cellular division inducer, and promotes healing. It is
only to be used in emergencies. Its effectiveness on serious wounds is
limited.
(icon of a blue and white capsule) DELMETOR
Capsule developed to counteract the effects of shorting. It temporarily
blocks blood vessels from absorbing drugs and then quickly breaks down or
neutralizes any drugs remaining in the system. This drug must be taken soon
after a patient has shorted from over use of ability enhancement drugs.
(icon of a red and white capsule) APPOLINAR
Stimulates blood circulation, and as a side effect, increases absorption. It
is very dangerous when taken with other drugs as it quickly raises blood
concentration and the rate of drug absorption. Use with caution.
(icon of a green pill) SKIP
Tablet for stabilizing and increasing mental energy. It lightens the
tremendous mental load required to employ an ability and enables a temporary
increase in the mental limiter level. Reportedly, this capsule dramatically
enhances abilities.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion struggles to leave through another door.
DESC: "It's locked. There must be a way to open it..."
SCAN: Rion holds out his hand to the door. Electricity dances on the
electronic lock. It turns blue and opens.
RION: (V.O.) Where did I get such power? (he looks at his hand)
Inside the monitoring room, a researcher is examining a clipboard by a row of
computers. He hears the door open and turns around. Rion walks in.
RESEARCHER #3: Rion?
RION: Wh- what am I doing here?
RESEARCHER #3: How did you get out of your restraints?
RION: What was in that shot you gave me?
RESEARCHER #3: Rion! Return to your bed now!
RION: How did I get this power? Why can I do this?
Electric tendrils begin to wrap around the researcher's head. He falls to his
knees, holding his head.
RESEARCHER #3: Unh... unh... I- I don't know anything. I just administered
the PPECs.
The electricity stops.
RION: What? It's all because of the psychic power enhancement chemicals.
RESEARCHER #3: Ask Clinic Chief Lem. He knows all about it. (He stands.)
RION: Clinic Chief Lem...
In gameplay, Rion uses his power to knock-out/kill the doctor. He examines
the row of computers.
DESC: "I wonder what I am looking for..."
DESC: "You see rows of computers."
He examines the console on the right.
DESC: "What were they doing to me here?"
Rion examines the center console. There is a large red orb embedded in the
back panel and a security card on top. The monitor shows a human body with
some bar graphs.
DESC: "Is this my data?"
He examines the computer console.
DESC: "You see the room next door."
Rion picks up the security card and exits. After killing some researchers
in the hallway, he passes a long picture window overlooking the hospital
atrium. There is large statue, two stories high, of a woman in jade posing as
Botticelli's Birth of Venus.
DESC: "Is that a statue of a goddess? ...Where on earth am I?"
In a more industrial hallway, Rion finds an electronic lock for a barred
security door.
DESC: "You need a security card to use it."
SCAN: The computer console in the monitoring room, with the red orb.
Rion looks at the security door.
DESC: "It's locked. You can't open it."
SCAN: A researcher swiping his security card in the electronic lock.
Rion swipes the security card and the lock turns blue. In a separate room,
two security guards observe surveillance cameras. A red light flashes behind
them. The monitor shows Rion walking past the door.
GUARD #1: (he stands up) What the hell are those doctors up to?
He exits the room to the adjacent hallway where Rion is.
GUARD #1: Well, it looks like the rabbit's out of his cage. (He taps his
baton on his hand.) Return to your room, and you won't get hurt. (He slams
the baton on the wall. It sparks like a cattle prod.)
Rion glares at him, then kills him in the ensuing fight. He presses a yellow
button on the desk. The light on the barred security door behind him turns
from red to blue.
DESC: "You turned off the autolock."
There are two doors at the end of the hall. One is locked.
DESC: "It's locked and there's no unlock button. I wonder how it opens?"
SCAN: A large blue button on a computer console.
Rion enters the other door into the security room. Rion defeats another guard
and picks up the Freezer Room Key. Rion examines the security desk.
DESC: "You see an image of a corridor."
Beside the desk is a hanging mirror. DESC: "There's a mirror..." Rion looks
in the mirror.
RION: (V.O.) This is my face? (Rion touches his face.) Who am I? (Images of
a mansion flash.) How long have I been here?
DESC: "I can't remember anything."
Rion enters a storeroom with empty medical supply boxes and other junk. He
climbs a ladder. DESC: "You see an orange box..." Rion takes out a beeject.
Back in the security room, Rion presses a button on the security monitoring
desk. In the previous corridor, a door unlocks. Rion exits and goes through
it. In this hallway, he examines another door.
DESC: "The door is locked. It says 'Special PPEC Office'."
SCAN: A hospital cart. In the background, giant fetuses lay in glass
containers against the wall.
Rion enters a bathroom and looks in the mirror. DESC: "I wonder why I am
here."
In a hallway of corrugated metal, there is a door marked 14F with a down arrow.
DESC: "14 F... Can I go to a lower floor?"
SCAN: A glass cylinder cabinet with many bottles inside, and a red glowing
orb. This is the same cabinet in the room Rion woke up in.
Rion finds the door with "NUMA" lock.
DESC: "It's blown a fuse. Maybe you can find a replacement."
SCAN: An electric fuse box on a wall of ice.
Rion enters a room with a large scary machine that has a single chair in the
middle, surrounded by cylinders sticking out. Two researchers operate
consoles on either side.
DESC: "What does this machine do?"
SCAN: A vision of a boy strapped into the chair. Researchers observe and
collect data as he seizes uncontrollably.
Rion picks up the PPEC Storage Key on one of the computer consoles. In the
adjacent room is a single, featureless cell, except for a chair in the middle.
DESC: "This chair... I sense something from it..."
SCAN: A vision of a boy strapped in the chair, trembling. His eyes are white
and his head is bandaged, a pasted smile on his face. Children's toys float
in front of him. An action figure flies in front of him and breaks apart.
The corners of the boy's mouth twitch upward.
Against the back wall, the numbers 9607932 have been sloppily scorched into
the wall.
DESC: "9607932... What could that mean?"
SCAN: A television monitor with a numeric keypad below it.
At another door...
DESC: "It's locked. You can sense cold air beyond it."
SCAN: A key hanging on a hook below a pipe control unit.
Rion uses the Freezer Room key to enter. The room has an ever-present hum of
refrigerator coils. The walls and floor are caked in ice and Rion can see his
breath. A large cylindrical tank sits in the middle of the room. Rion
presses a button on it. The walls around the tank slide away, revealing a vat
filled with body parts and organs suspended in liquid. An eyeball floats past
brains and other unidentifiable tissues. Rion falls back in surprise. The
vat's walls close.
On another wall, Rion finds the electrical box.
DESC: "You see a loose fuse."
Rion takes it.
DESC: "Cold air started blasting in."
The freezing air blocks Rion from leaving. He presses a button on a nearby
engine device, which turns off the air, allowing him to exit.
Rion inserts the fuse into the "NUMA" lock and re-enters the room he woke up
in. He looks at the bed he was strapped to.
DESC: "What did they do to me here?"
He uses the PPEC Storage Key to open the glass cylindrical cabinet and gets
some liquid explosive. Rion leaves and returns to the hallway. An armed
guard with a stun rifle stands behind a wall. He attacks, but Rion kills him.
Rion throws the liquid explosive on the door marked 14F.
SCAN: Rion holds out his hand. The door crackles with electricity and
explodes in a flash of light. Rion lowers his hands from his eyes. The door
has been blasted open, revealing a set of stairs.
Rion descends to the floor below, overlooking the atrium.
DESC: "You can see a goddess statue."
After taking out some guards, he attempts to use his security card on a door.
The lock buzzes.
DESC: "The security code has been changed. You can't unlock it."
SCAN: A television monitor with a numeric keypad below it.
Rion enters a room with a giant column of thick cords extending to the floor
and ceiling like a tree. Television monitors hang from it like fruit. Rion
approaches cautiously. The monitors light up and the image of Dr. Lem appears.
DR. LEM: (in a gruff voice) Rion, where are you going? Do you really think
you can escape?
RION: Who are you?
DR. LEM: I am Lem, clinic chief of this facility. You are the most promising
subject so far. Return to the isolation ward. Your brain will short if you
continue to overdo it.
Rion walks around the television tree.
DR. LEM: You refuse to listen, eh? You leave me no choice but to terminate
you. Secure the entire isolation ward and lock all security card slots. You
have nowhere to run now, do you? You've deeply disappointed me, Rion.
Clinic Chief Lem's image disappears. Rion approaches a locked door.
SCAN: A small podium in front of the television tree.
Rion approaches the podium on the other side of the room and pushes a button.
The door leading out unlocks.
Rion enters a bathroom and finds a newspaper on top of the wastebasket.
DOCUMENT: Newspaper
Family of 3 Mysteriously Vanishes - Whereabouts of Dorothy's Creators Unknown.
[Forest 10/20 Reporter: Mike Smith] Prof. Albert Steiner, age 38, best known
for his book entitled "New Replicative Computer Theory," has been missing
since Oct. 10.
According to the National Police Agency, Dr. Steiner suddenly disappeared from
his home along with his wife Elsa, age 35, and son Rion, age 14. The police
suspect foul play. Police also suspect the incident is related to the
disappearance of Dr. Pascalle, age 48, and his daughter Lilia.
Dr. Steiner and Dr. Pascalle were close friends, and it is possible that this
incident was related to their current joint research. They are both
developers of Dorothy, the mother computer that manages Michelangelo City.
The authorities fear the worst.
Michelangelo Times, Oct. 20, 2522.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion looks in the bathroom mirror.
DESC: "Who am I?"
Rion enters a conference room with a large glass table and consults a large
computer screen.
DOCUMENT: G Project Report
G Project Report
10.01.2519 to 10.25.2522
10.01.2519
G Project team formed. Purpose: Genetic fusion and cloning to produce workers
that can withstand the most extreme conditions.
10.5.2519
Production begins.
Reached the Code0003 Rabbit milestone. Registered as Type-R001.
05.29.2520
Mass production of R001 begins.
06.11.2520
Type-G001 Galerian transferred to headquarters.
07.31.2520
2nd-generation Type-G005 Galerian produced through Sicia technology.
Transferred to headquarters.
09.15.2520
Production of R001 to R008 ends. R009 production by new technology.
11.07.2520
Code yellow during mitosis work in Plant 03, Section D. Work stopped at 10:52
due to pressure loss caused by a cracked pipe. Work resumed at 19:00 after
pipe was replaced.
Decreased destruction rate, which used to be a high 53.7%. Started
massproduction of Type-R016 to R026, and raised productivity 61.2% over last
year. Rabbit supply going as planned. Transferring 5 Galerians to
headquarters as planned. Mass production to begin shortly.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion finds the room full of giant fetuses.
DESC: "What is this... It looks like a fetus, but..."
He looks at one in a lit chamber. It softly opens its eyes at him.
Rion gawks.
DESC: "...It's alive!"
On a cart, Rion takes the Special PPEC Office key, and returns to the office
with it. Inside is a long room with glass containers and strange equipment,
including a security card slot. He rewrites the security code to the number
sequence he found in the experiment room. With the new card, Rion returns to
the lower floor and uses it to open the locked door. In a storage room, he
suddenly hears a voice.
GIRL: (V.O.) (Echoing) Rion? Where are you? Please help me. Hurry...
RION: Who are you? And why do I hear your voice in my mind?
GIRL: (V.O.) (Echoing) Rion, where are you? ...
The voice stops. Rion enters a large factory floor, but there is no power
anywhere.
DESC: "It looks like some sort of factory... I wonder what they were
making."
Rion stops and reacts. There is a man in a large, white armored suit with a
shield and gun. It has a rotating three-camera eye that lights up as it
stands. Rion defeats it and heads into a room full of computer workstations.
An small, brief alarm sounds as the power goes out, locking the door. Rion
activates three lamps. This illuminates a "microfiche" projector machine(3),
and re-enables the power.
DOCUMENT: Pictures of your parents
-Image of Rion Steiner, back and front.
-A family photo of a mother, father, and son outside a mansion. They are
labeled with inset close-ups: Elsa, Dr. Steiner, and Rion.
-A girl with a bandaged head, looking sad, labeled Lilia, and a bald
man with glasses labeled Dr. Pascalle.
-A cross-cut image of Dr. Steiner and Dr. Pascalle, in separate photos.
-A map of the city, with a red dot where the Steiner residence is.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion finds the entrance to the atrium with the large statue of a goddess. It
has a plaque reading "The new Master of Creation".
A man jumps down from the statue's shoulder. His head is completely wrapped
in gauze, except for a single eye against gray skin. He is wearing a charcoal
jumpsuit, like a mental patient, and moans gutturally. This is a Rabbit.
After defeating a group of them, Rion exits the atrium and finds a strange
room coated in gray, etched with tribal patterns. Each wall has a crude
drawing of a different two-headed animal -- a wolf, a monkey, a snake, and an
eagle.
SCAN: A set of four pillars with gripping claws in the middle where something
is supposed to go.
In the hospital lunch room, Rion gets the Test Lab key. In another
laboratory, he gets the Research Lab key. He also turns on a computer with
some information.
DOCUMENT: Rion's Test Data
10.13
A new youth named Rion was brought in. The drug was administered to him on
the orders of Dr. Lem, Clinic Chief. Signs of supernatural power appear.
Drug looks promising.
10.20
Dr. Lem orders drug dosage to be increased by 10 times. This is the first
time he has done this. I wonder why he's in such a hurry.
10.23
Rion has fallen unconscious. It must be due to the overdose.
10.25
Rion miraculously regained consciousness but lost his memory. He only
remembers his name with some difficulty.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
In the Control Room, Rion presses a button and unlocks the Clinic Chief's room
and the Armory. In the Research Lab, Rion finds a few medical staff, and a
block with an etching of a two-headed monkey. In the Armory, there is a
two-headed wolf block, along with several armored suits hanging from hooks.
The Test Lab has a rotating obsidian block with an etching of a two-headed
snake. Also, there is a chair suspended from the ceiling, with various
medical implements around it.
DESC: "What's this for?"
SCAN: A child strapped to the chair with a headband on him. His eyes are
rolled back in his head.
In Clinic Chief Lem's room, a large wall clock, resembling the hospital's sun
emblem, ticks in the background. Above a round conference table rests a
two-headed eagle block and one wall holds a large painted portrait, labeled
"Dr. Lem, 2520". On his desk are some pieces of paper.
DOCUMENT: Clinic Chief Lem's notes
The program that I have dreamed of has finally begun. If it succeeds, nothing
can stand in the way of our goal. We will change the course of human history.
No, it is in fact the end of humankind. She will become the new God...
Actually, she has even surprised me with her rapid growth. It's incredible
and way beyond my expectations. No one can stop her now. All shall bow down
before her.
I cannot begin to express the joy I feel at being present at such a historic
moment. The world's fate lies in these hands. Now we head into a new age
with the new Master of Creation...
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion goes onto the balcony. He hears a voice and looks up.
LILIA: (V.O.) Rion? Rion?
RION: (groans) That voice again. Lilia? Is it Lilia?
LILIA: (V.O.) They're coming to get me.
RION: Lilia, where are you?
LILIA: (V.O.) Help me, Rion. Please hurry.
In the adjacent conference room, Rion places the four obelisks into
corresponding cylindrical receptacles, using his psychometry to find which one
goes where.
A giant eagle mural on one side of the room slides apart, revealing a door.
Rion runs through a corridor ending at a computer room filled with armored
guards and a scanning device that looks like a planetarium star-maker.
DESC: "What sort of equipment is this?"
A console rises up with an image of a handprint, illustrating points of
articulation. Rion presses his hand into the outline.
COMPUTER: Question one. In 2023, the migratory bird that departed from
Kamchatka let out strange cries at the Targer(?) strait. What did they do
next? Question two. Two men met at the city terminal. One of them had
gotten off the express two hours earlier and the other six hours later. What
was the first thing that they said to each other?
As the computer drones the above dialogue, the room darkens and the scanning
device lights up. The room is filled with swirling lights like clouds on a
holodeck program. Rion steps back, holding his head.
RION: Who's asking these questions? I think I'm going to throw up. I can't
stand this. What's going on? It's like something is picking through my brain.
The brain scanner spins a little faster as the bulbs on the end grow brighter.
Suddenly, in a flash of light, it stops. Everything returns to normal.
In another room under some stairs, there are glass booths in a circle in a
refrigerated room.
DESC: "It looks like an incubator..."
SCAN: Inside the incubator is a grotesque H.R. Giger-like humanoid with orange
skin, long talon-like fingers crossed over its chest. It appears to have no
face, except for a mouth full of sharp teeth. This is an Arabesque.
Off-screen, two escape their capsule. Rion defeats them (or leaves), then
ascends the stairs to a back room with a large black sphere in the center.
DESC: "A black sphere is floating there."
Also, there is an elevator with another planetarium-like scanning device in
the ceiling. (4)
DESC: "This elevator might lead to the outside... I wonder how it works."
SCAN: A shadowed man with a red eye stands behind the black sphere. (5)
Another door is locked and cannot be opened. Rion finds a computer terminal
against the back wall.
COMPUTER: Please spell out your name.
RION: R - I - O - N.
The terminal accepts the input, then scrolls through a long string of numbers
like a memory address.
COMPUTER: The Family Program is top secret. Please give the password.
The black sphere behind Rion lights up in staticky pink. The monitor displays
"Family Program = Top Secret"
COMPUTER: (stressed) The Family Program is top secret. Access forbidden
without password.
Rion holds out his hand and scans the terminal. The sphere behind him
crackles with electricity and becomes formed out of red numbers.
COMPUTER: Rion. Last name: Steiner Sex: Male. Age: 16... (the computer
continues rattling off vital statistics in the background) Date of birth: two
thousand, five hundred and six. Father: Albert Steiner. Mother: Elsa
Steiner. Address: 2879 (???) Fourstone(?), Michelangelo City...
Dr. Lem walks up behind Rion and holds a beeject to his neck.
DR. LEM: You're a natural, Rion. Just as I expected.
RION: Dr. Lem?
DR. LEM: I can't believe how much you've progressed in only a month.
RION: Who am I? And what is the Family Program?
DR. LEM: Rion, there are many things you are better off not knowing. This is
Nalcon. You'll short circuit if I inject you with it. You don't want to die,
do you? Return to the isolation ward.
RION: No.
Rion looks back and grimaces. The gun in Dr. Lem's hand crackles with
electricity. Dr. Lem pulls it back.
DR. LEM: Rion! Such strength!
His fingers pull away from the gun and he drops it.
DR. LEM: So be it. It's the Freeze Chamber for you.
He points his walking stick (which has a little boot on the end) at Rion.
Rion glares at him. A battle ensues as Lem attacks Rion with his cane and
Rion defends himself with his powers. Once Lem falls, the screen fades to
black. Then there is a horrible electronic buzzing and mechanical whirring,
like something powering up.
The lights come back on. Dr. Lem's coat is gone and his skin has been
half-ripped away, revealing mechanical limbs, metal skin, and a glowing red
eye where his eye patch was. He now has the ability to dash forward and knock
Rion of his feet, as well as rotate his torso 360 degrees, and slam his fist
into the floor, creating a tremor. As soon as Rion shorts, Lem seizes.
Electricity runs through his body, and he falls over. (6)
Rion picks out Lem's red glowing eye and holds it up to the scanning device
above the elevator. The scanner activates and the eye darkens as the
doors open. Rion walks in, rests his head against a wall, and closes his eyes
as the elevator descends.
In the Control Room, a man with long black hair and two different colored eyes
(blue and hazel) watches Rion on the security camera and laughs. He is
wearing overalls but no shirt.
Now outside, Rion looks back at the hospital building once, then continues on.
RION: (V.O.) I escaped from Michelangelo Memorial Hospital knowing nothing but
my name. I found a picture of my family at the hospital. Just when their
faces started looking familiar, the memories slipped away, as if I had never
known them. What was I doing there? My mind was all cloudy, and I couldn't
remember a thing. I was all alone.
A tram car drives away from the hospital.
===============================================================================
Rion walks toward a mansion out in the country, surrounded by trees. No other
houses are visible. Purple clouds flow quickly across the sky.
------------------------------
STAGE-B
Your House
------------------------------
Rion approaches the front door.
DESC: "It won't open... It's locked from the other side."
SCAN: An entry way with an elegant spiral staircase going up to the second
floor.
At the west side of the house is a gate to a backyard. There is locked shed,
a bench, and a swing set.
DESC: "You see a swing set. I wonder if I used to play here..."
SCAN: Young bandaged Lilia sits on the swing, holding her doll. Young Rion,
about seven years old, is behind her, apparently pushing her.
Rion looks at the bench.
DESC: "I probably sat here too..."
SCAN: Young Rion sits upside down on the bench. Young Lilia looks on and
laughs. Her head is bandaged. She wears a white hospital gown, and is
holding a raggedy doll.
The shed is locked.
SCAN: A desk in a basement/cellar area with a book and a dictaphone/computer.
On the east side is a gate to the courtyard. There is a dirty, half-empty
pool and a garage. The ground is covered in mud.
DESC: "Tire tracks lead into the pond."
SCAN: A pool table inside a game room. A game of 9-ball is set up.
Inside the garage, Rion finds a red, retro-future car.
DESC: "I wonder if I rode in this car."
SCAN: Elsa and Albert Steiner sit in the front seats, smiling. Young Rion is
in the back, smiling too.
A back door key sits on the driver's seat. Rion uses this to enter the
mansion. Unbeknownst to him as he does so, three Rabbits creep toward the
house.
Rion finds a dining room
DESC: "You see a dining table. I wonder if this is where I ate."
A refrigerator.
DESC: "The doors are jammed shut."
SCAN: An image of Elsa Steiner standing in front of the refrigerator, wearing
a pink apron.
Rion tries to go through the door to the entrance hall.
DESC: "The door knob is missing. You can't open the door."
SCAN: A bar, with shelves of liquor behind it.
In a bathroom, there's a bathtub filled with murky water.
DESC: "Something's at the bottom of the tub."
A button on the wall drains the bathtub. Inside is the second floor key.
In a parlor with nice sofas, Rion finds a picture of a younger self and his
parents.
RION: It's the same picture I found in the hospital's computer. It's me in
the middle.
Rion turns around and sees a past version of his parents sitting on a couch
and chair.
DR. STEINER: What's wrong, Rion? Having trouble sleeping?
Rion from the past, near the same age as he is now, stands before them. He is
wearing gray flannel pajamas.
PAST RION: I feel uneasy, but I don't know why. It's as if something really
bad is going to happen.
Rion's mother looks away. The vision ends.
On the couch, where Elsa sat in the vision, there is an abstract painting of
pink and purple swirls. It's called "Metamorphosis".
In the Bar Room, there is a jukebox that won't turn on, a bar, and a pool
table is missing the 3 ball and 9 ball.
SCAN: A dictaphone/computer machine, surrounded by computer equipment.
SCAN: The murky pond in the courtyard.
Rion picks up a door knob on the bar, then walks back through the house. A
Rabbit jumps down and attacks, while two more enter through the door. Rion
kills them (or runs away).
Rion uses the door knob to go into the main chamber and upstairs. As he
passes over the hallway with a hole in the floor, he sees a figure in overalls
walk under him. In an office den, Rion is overwhelmed by a crippling vision.
Three Rabbits in suits approach the house. Inside, in the office, Dr. Steiner
and Dr. Pascalle stand at the desk, talking.
DR. STEINER: Pascalle? Suspicious looking men in black coats have been
lurking around my house lately.
DR. PASCALLE: Well, we can't keep them together. Hmm...
DR. STEINER: That's exactly what I was thinking.
Rion plays on the floor with a toy tank. He looks at the door. Lilia is
peeking through, holding a doll. Her head is bandaged.
DR. PASCALLE: We have to separate them. I'll take Lilia away from here.
DR. STEINER: Thank you for everything.
DR. PASCALLE: I'll contact you once Lilia is safely hidden. (He leaves.)
The vision ends.
Rion finds his old bedroom. There are toys meant for young children
everywhere and a scary-ass clown above his bed. He scans the bed.
DESC: "The bed where I used to sleep..."
SCAN: Young Rion lies in bed in a fitful sleep, his head bandaged. Elsa is
sitting in a chair by his side while Dr. Steiner stands at the window.
ELSA STEINER: Albert? Rion's fever won't break.
DR. STEINER: Don't worry. It'll break by morning.
ELSA STEINER: I hope so. I'm so sorry, Rion. Won't you find it in your heart
to forgive us?
DR. STEINER: I couldn't find another safe place to hide it. If it fell into
Dorothy's hands... Dr. Pascalle also agreed that there is no other way. I'm
so sorry, Rion. Humankind's future is in your hands.
ELSA STEINER: Rion, please forgive us for doing this to you.
Past Rion, the one in pajamas, wakes up. This was apparently a dream he was
having. He hears the door click. A Rabbit in a black coat opens the door to
Rion's bedroom. But there is no one there. He leaves. The vision ends.
Against the wall, there is a blank square.
SCAN: The "Metamorphosis" painting sitting on the couch.
Rion places the picture on the wall, which causes a secret hatch to open up in
the floor near his bed, which takes him to the parlor. In the parlor, he has
another vision.
Young Rion and his mother are sitting on two chairs. She is showing her ring
to him. The ring is large and round, not like jewelry.
ELSA: This is a new ring we had made. Your father has one just like it.
Isn't it beautiful? Remember, it's a secret.
YOUNG RION: Okay.
ELSA: You're such a good boy, Rion.
Rion uses a key to open the master bedroom. He finds a note on his mother's
vanity.
DOCUMENT: Letter from your mom
My Dearest Rion:
I cannot bear to think that writing the activation system to your brain may
one day endanger you. Please forgive us for our harsh decision.
We will always be with you.
Elsa
[END OF DOCUMENT]
On the nightstand, there is a jewelry box with a round hole in it.
SCAN: The sink in the half-bathroom downstairs.
As soon as Rion gets down to the bathroom, he has another vision. Elsa is
standing in front of the sink, desperately trying to get the ring off her
finger. The door bursts open.
ELSA: No... go away...
She turns around and surreptitiously drops the ring down the sink drain. She
freezes, as if controlled by psychic powers. A short, fat boy with stringy
black hair steps in front of her. She screams.
DESC: "Her ring fell down the drain..."
Rion scans the sink. The ring levitates out of the drain so Rion can take it.
When Rion passes by the kitchen, he's overwhelmed by another vision. His past
self walks to the refrigerator and opens it. The body of his mother falls
out, eyes open. There is a clock jammed in her mouth, set to 2:50. Past Rion
screams. The vision ends and present-day Rion looks on with the same horror.
Rion scans the refrigerator again.
SCAN: The vacant face of his mother, with the clock showing the time of 2:50.
(7)
On the second floor, he finds a storeroom with many boxes and experiences
another vision. Past Rion finds his father lying in a pool of blood. The
watch on his wrist is set to 2:50.
SCAN: His father lying on the ground, with his vacant dead eyes, and his watch.
Rion uses his mother's ring to open the jewelry box in his parents' bedroom,
which has his father's ring in it. Rion takes both rings to the mansion's
library which is filled with computer books.
DOCUMENT: New Replicative Computer Theory
Chapter 1 The Future of Self-Replicating Computers
9th-generation bio/neuro-computers including the current M.A.R.S. use the
Improved CQ Learning Method to read data from the outside world, thereby
greatly developing its self-organizing function for nurturing and forming the
abilities it requires.
The author's theory deals with raising learning efficiency, implementing
sensory data, self-decision, and self-repair processes, and enhancing genetic
algorithms by replacing the Improved CQ Learning Method with the DH Learning
Method.
Introducing Dr. Pascalle's New Bioelement/JCN Technology into this theory
raised the threshold for biocomponent CPD (cell population doubling number),
enabling a system mechanism that guarantees long-term and stable operation.
The result was a 1-Mbit class precision which had not been possible with
conventional biocomponents.
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion inserts a ring into each of two sconces by the library's window. A
bookshelf slides back, revealing a hidden door to a room full of
interconnected computers. Rion approaches and the computer activates.
DR. STEINER: (V.O.) My dear son, Rion. If you ever get this message, your
mother and I have probably already been killed. But before you start mourning
our death, there is something you must do. Seven years ago, Dr. Pascalle, a
friend of mine, completed a next-generation computer named Dorothy.
We periodically flash back to Dr. Steiner recording this message in the same
room.
DR. STEINER: Dorothy was a revolutionary computer with the ability to make its
own decisions and repair itself. Under her own power, Dorothy grew completely
new cellular circuits, enabling her to abandon her old system kernel. Her
growth continued smoothly and before long she was controlling her senior
computers, and rose to the status of Michelangelo City's mother computer.
That was when Dorothy's insanity began. She began wondering why such an
inferior system such as humankind should not be wiped out. And why she could
not kill people, even though people kill each other. So I told her about the
existence of God. I told her that God was the master of creation. God
created humankind, and our fate is in His hands. No one can deny this. In
Dorothy's case, her creator was humankind. In other words, Dorothy's "God"
was humankind. She must obey the fate we decide for her. It appeared Dorothy
accepted this and began serving humankind again. However, she secretly began
simulating God's existence over and over again until she reached her final
solution. Her solution was the Family Program. Dorothy placed the city's
memorial hospital under her control. And then began genetic experiments on
humans. She wanted to create a race of humans with psychic powers and
absolute loyalty to her.
We see a black and white flashback of a boy in the hospital, strapped in one
of the test chairs, eyes white and shaking.
DR. STEINER: She called them "Galerians". And she was their god and creator.
Dorothy was trying to create her own world with herself as God. The Family
Program was a ritual for her to become God.
We see an Arabesque in a tube, convulsing as if it is breathing. Then one of
the fetuses in the incubation chamber.
DR. STEINER: However, Dr. Pascalle and I had a back-up plan in case Dorothy
went out of control. In Lilia's mind, we hid a virus program that could
destroy Dorothy. And in your mind, we hid a program for activating the virus.
That was five years ago. Dorothy fears the virus program more than anything
else. Only you can retrieve the virus program from Lilia's mind. My dear
son, the future of our race is in your hands. You must save humankind.
Rion picks up a 3 ball on the desk. He returns to the murky pond in the
courtyard and scans it.
SCAN: A car levitates up. A man wearing glasses is slumped over in the
driver's seat, dead.
RION: Dr. Pascalle?
Rion drops the car on the edge of the pool. The driver's side door opens.
Dr. Pascalle is holding a 9-ball in his hand.
With the two billiard balls, Rion heads back to the Bar Room and replaces
them. The pool table slides back, revealing a staircase to the basement.
After Rion turns on the lights, he sees a rack of computers with cords
stretching across the floor.
DESC: "What an amazing computer. Such a tangled mess of connections..."
The cords attach to a booth chamber with a chair inside, much like the ones at
the hospital.
DESC: "So this is the device that loaded the activation program into my
mind..."
SCAN: An image of young Rion shackled in the chair, eyes white, screaming in
pain.
Rion finds a computer and a book.
DOCUMENT: Dr. Pascalle's Diary
June 9
Today Lilia told me for the first time. She gained the power of telepathy 5
years ago after we had written the virus program to her brain.
August 20
I've seen men with black hats lurking around our house. I wonder if Dorothy
has found out about the virus program? If so, Rion and Lilia must not remain
at the same location. One of them must go somewhere else...
August 21
I spoke with Dr. Steiner, and we agreed to move Lilia to a new location. We
must not let Dorothy have the virus program. She would surely kill them if
she found out.
August 23
I took Lilia to another location. Now I can only pray that Dorothy does not
find her. The only way to communicate with her now is through telepathy.
September 15
This morning, I met a strange child near the gate. He was with those men in
black hats who I have seen lurking about lately. I sense imminent doom.
DESC: "There's a key between the diary pages." Rion takes it.
BIRDMAN: (O.S.) Heh, heh, heh. I'm tired of waiting.
Rion turns around.
RION: Who are you?
The man with overalls and no shirt is sitting at a table, still laughing.
BIRDMAN: Me? Why, I'm the Birdman.
RION: Was it you who killed my family?
BIRDMAN: (he stands) No, it wasn't me. Nope. It was my little brother.
He vanishes, then reappears behind Rion. He holds his head like he has a
headache.
BIRDMAN: They died while he was rummaging through their minds. It must've
hurt. Huh, your head must ache too. You'd better tell me how to contact
Lilia. Or else.
Rion sends a small psychic shockwave at Birdman.
BIRDMAN: Unh, damn you. You stubborn fool. (he vanishes)
While Rion runs back through the house to get outside, Birdman disappears and
reappears periodically, laughing and attacking. Rion goes to the other side
of the house to the shed out back, now that he has the key, and looks inside.
DESC: "There's a grubby doll amid the junk."
Rion takes it. As soon as he's outside with the doll, he receives a
telepathic message.
LILIA: (V.O.) Rion? They're looking for me. I'm scared.
RION: (V.O.) Don't worry. I'm coming. I'll get there before they do.
Lilia is laying on a couch in a decaying room with wood floors. The couch is
square and looks uncomfortable. There is a piano to the side and debris is
all over the floor. Restaurant tables and chairs are badly stacked against
one wall.
LILIA: (V.O.) Who's that? Rion?
RION: (V.O.) Yes, it's me, Lilia. I'm sorry. I don't remember you very well.
(Rion closes his eyes)
LILIA: (V.O.) Rion, what did they do to you?
RION: (V.O.) I don't know, but don't worry. I'll protect you. I must protect
you. (Lilia sobs) Why are you crying?
The doll glows.
LILIA: (V.O.) It's just as papa said. He said you would come for me. And he
told me that until then, I must continue sending telepathic messages to my
doll until I contact you.
RION: (V.O.) Lilia, where are you?
LILIA: (V.O.) The Babylon Hotel in Michelangelo City. (She rises from the
couch.)
RION: (V.O.) I'll be there soon.
LILIA: (V.O.) Hurry, Rion.
Birdman appears behind Rion.
BIRDMAN: Ah! That hurt.
Rion turns around. Birdman teleports too quickly and reappears behind Rion's
back.
BIRDMAN: You better tell me where Lilia is. Your memory's coming back, isn't
it?
RION: So, you've been watching me.
BIRDMAN: (laughs) Ever since you escaped from the hospital.
Birdman attacks Rion with a shock wave. Rion falls back and responds with an
attack of his own. Birdman laughs.
BIRDMAN: (delightedly) I think I'm gonna short circuit. I've never enjoyed
anything this much. (laughs)
Rion and Birdman fight. He uses psychic shockwaves and uses solid illusions
of himself as a distraction. When defeated, Birdman falls to his knees in
front of Rion. A trickle of blood runs down his face from his scalp.
BIRDMAN: Am I... gonna die? (he coughs) Better be careful...
RION: Careful of what?
BIRDMAN: Why, yourself, of course. (He falls over. Rion stares down at him.)
RION: (V.O.) Lilia had continually called for me through her ragged old doll
that was left in the shed. In her mind was hidden the virus program for
destroying the insane computer. And in mine, the system for accessing it. My
parents are dead, and today I killed a man I had just met. What a nightmare
this day has been. The day isn't even over and I don't know what the future
will bring.
===============================================================================
It is night and raining. A tram stops at a station. Rion, soaked from the
downpour, walks past pedestrians in ponchos (with some kind of techno-vest
thing on the back). He stops at the Babylon Hotel, a three-story brownstone
built in retro-future style.
------------------------------
STAGE-C
Babylon Hotel
------------------------------
Rion enters the lobby, which is full of old, worn-out sofas. He approaches
the desk clerk, who is dressed in a red velvet tuxedo. Next to him is a short
bellboy.
DESK CLERK: Welcome to the Babylon Hotel. A room for one?
RION: Is there a girl by the name of Lilia staying here?
DESK CLERK: Lilia? There's no one by that name staying here. Your room is
number 302.
Next to the elevator is a staircase. The stairs are blocked off with caution
tape and a "DO NOT ENTER!!!" sign.
DESC: "The boiler room is off limits."
Room 302. It is empty.
RION: Lilia, where are you? Why won't you call for me? (He looks at the doll.
A phone rings.)
DESK CLERK: (O.S.) This is the front desk. Dial 9 for assistance.
RION: Okay, thank you.
Rion hangs up and looks at the doll. It suddenly shakes with strange orange
energy and he drops it.
Meanwhile the short, fat boy in the bellboy's uniform stands in the employee
lounge room.
RION: Lilia. (Rion stares at the doll.)
A teenage girl with short red hair enters the hotel lobby, three men in black
coats behind her. She is wearing a mini-skirt and black suspenders over a
tight, revealing halter top. Behind her, the revolving door stops turning,
indicating it is locked. The short, fat boy stands before her and smiles.
GIRL: (to no one in particular) There's no escaping now, is there? Hmph.
Rion examines his room.
DESC: "There's no trace of Lilia anywhere."
DESC: "I wonder where she is."
Rion finds a note taped to the mirror in the bathroom.
"Please come to room 306."
SCAN: A ghostly image of the teenage girl with the caption "Have you found her
yet?" (8)
Rion goes to room 306.
SCAN: A man in a business suit standing by the window. There is a suit laid
out on the bed and a suitcase.
Rion enters and the man in a business suit turns to him. (9)
BUSINESS MAN: What are you doing here? (he walks around Rion, considering him)
RION: I'm looking for someone.
BUSINESS MAN: And you are?
RION: Rion. Rion Steiner.
BUSINESS MAN: Well, you look okay, I guess. I have to contact someone first.
Rion leaves and re-enters. The man stands there with his arms crossed.
BUSINESS MAN: You again? Just relax. Let's meet in the lobby...
Rion explores the others rooms, starting with room 303.
SCAN: A man in a green jacket and jeans is sitting on a bed. In one hand he
is cradling a machine gun. In another, he is tipping back a bottle of booze
or wine. Rion enters.
The man in the green jacket is standing at the window. The gun is laid on his
bed.
GANGSTER: (in a Brooklyn accent) Hey! You can't just waltz in here. You got
a death wish or something?
RION: Hey, wait a minute. Could you help me? I'm looking for someone.
GANGSTER: You want my advice? Get out of here if you know what's good for
you, kid.
RION: Wait.
The gangster turns back to the window and groans. Rion leaves and re-enters.
The man is drinking from his bottle.
GANGSTER: What, are you still here? You little punk.
He throws his bottle at Rion. Rion leaves and checks on room 304.
DESC: "It's locked and nobody answers..."
SCAN: A woman in a black ballet dress performing a pirouette. There are two
rows of clothing racks, each filled, and a dress mannequin by her bed, which
has shoes and other fashion accessories.
Rion goes down a floor to room 203.
SCAN: A man, wearing welder's goggles, sits at a desk, meticulously working
with some metal device. An oil drum sits in the foreground, and a green tank
in the back.
Rion enters. The man is fervently tinkering with the device. Above him,
small missiles are mounted on the wall. The green tank is a large missile
with a yellow radiation hazard stencil on it. After Rion stands there a
while, the man turns to him.
MANIAC TERRORIST: I'm very busy right now. I'm gonna change the world, you
know.
He returns to his work. Rion approaches room 206.
SCAN: A man with long brown hair, wearing purple clergy vestiges, kneels on
the floor, hands clasped in prayer.
Rion enters the room. There is a large cross on the wall next to the door,
with a little plush alien creature crucified on it. In the middle of the room
is a restraining rack with lockable arm clamps. A man in purple clergy robes
who resembles Jesus Christ approaches Rion.
PRIEST: Welcome to my parish. I shall pray for your soul. Ah, but first, a
donation. A small donation. Anything will be fine. You... you do have money
about you? (He starts groping Rion for money. Rion grunts and leaves.)
The door to room 204 has been replaced by a galvanized panic room door,
secured to the wall with bolts and industrial rebar. Its number is
spray-painted on in yellow.
DESC: "It's locked. It won't budge."
SCAN: A man in a yellow vest wearing headphones and rocking out. The walls
behind him are filled with shelves of glass bottles, boxes, and other
pharmaceutical equipment.
Rion approaches room 201.
DESC: "It's locked and nobody answers..."
SCAN: A man in a hotel room pulling a canister off a shelf. He is wearing
green pants and a white undershirt.
The remaining rooms (202, 205, 301, 305) have the following information.
DESC: "It's locked. It won't open."
SCAN: A room key on a shelf cubby.
Rion returns to the lobby, which is now empty. The desk clerk is gone. There
is now a large blood stain behind the hotel desk, with a trail leading into
the employee lounge.
DESC: "Whoa! Look at that trail of blood..."
The guest list is missing and all the room keys are gone.
SCAN: The ghostly image of the bellboy in front of the keyhole cubbies with
the caption "I'll look first..."
Rion enters the employee lounge and finds the desk clerk stuffed into the
sink, blood on the walls around him.
DESC: "Oh my god, the desk clerk... Why...?
SCAN: The short, fat boy and the red-haired woman stand in front of the sink,
where the clerk's body is.
Boy: Rita, he's come for her.
Girl: So Lilia is here!
Boy: Can I kill him now?
Girl: Wait until we find Lilia.
Boy: ...Okay.
Girl: You're a good boy Rainheart.
Next to the sink is an electrical diagram indicating that if power to the
rooms is switched off, the power to the basement elevator will be switched on.
There is also a circuit breaker in the back wall.
When Rion heads out, the grandfather clock on the second floor chimes.
Rainheart stands in front of it, holding his head and screaming. When Rion
leaves the office, the business man is standing by the desk.
BUSINESS MAN: You'll find what you're looking for in room 204. Knock like
this to get in. (He demonstrates a five-knock code in rhythm.)
Rion goes to room 204 (the one with the galvanized door).
DESC: "How did that knock go again..."
Rion successfully knocks with the right timing.
DRUG DEALER: (O.S.) Come on in.
Rion enters. The room is full of shelves with boxes and jars, all drugs and
medical equipment. The drug dealer sits on a wooden chair in the middle of
the room, smoking a cigarette. (10) In the background, some tinny music plays
out of a headset.
DRUG DEALER: You're new around here, huh? Heh, you're so young. Yet you're
hooked, ain'tcha?
RION: How did you know?
DRUG DEALER: Your face. It's... wasted. You know, you remind me of someone.
Yeah, one of my best customers. So, what'll it be? I just scored some Skip.
Some Appolinar...
The man's bathroom is covered in posters of pin-up girls. Rion talks to him
again.
DRUG DEALER: "The power went out a moment ago. I hate this rundown hotel! I
can't wait to get outta here..."
DRUG DEALER: "Lilia? Can't help ya. But the guy in room 201 might know. He
takes care of the plumbing, and he knows lots about this old hotel."
Rion checks the shelves.
DESC: "I've never seen any of these PPECs..."
After Rion takes some items.
DRUG DEALER: Ya got any money? Well, you look like a good customer... I'll
just put it on yer tab. Just be ready to pay up later!
As you're about to leave, he calls out.
DRUG DEALER: Hey, wait! (Rion walks back) You wanna try something new?
Knowing you, you'll get addicted.
He gives you a vial of D-Felon. Rion re-enters room 306. The man's suit is
pressed and laying on the bed, but he is not there. He returns to the lobby,
but the business man is missing. He enters the restroom and finds a trail of
blood leading to his body, stuffed into one of the toilet stalls.
DESC: "The guy from room 306... But why?"
SCAN: Rainheart, the bellhop, stands by while a Rabbit shoves the business
man's head into the toilet.
Rion goes to room 304, with the ballerina. (11)
DESC: "You can hear a woman crying..."
Rion enters. There is a woman sitting at the vanity. On her bed are clothes
and accessories strewn about.
WOMAN IN DISTRESS: (her head in her hands, rocking from side to side) I don't
know anymore, I just don't know.
Rion leaves and goes to the second floor and scans the grandfather clock. It
is 3:35 AM.
SCAN: Rainheart's reflection is seen in the clock face, cast in unearthly
green glow with the caption "Kill 'em all until only Lilia is left..."
Rion goes to room 201.
DESC: You hear something, but get no reply.
SCAN: A man in a hotel room pulling a canister off a shelf. He is wearing
green pants and a white undershirt.
After a few tries, the man says:
MAN: (O.S.) All right, already, whaddya want?
RION: I want to ask you something.
Rion enters. The room is filled with copper pipes -- large and small -- loose
pipe fittings, tools, and old brass heating equipment. The maintenance man
turns to him. (12)
MAINTENANCE MAN: Whaddya want?
RION: What are you doing?
MAINTENANCE MAN: Fixin' the pipes. This slummy hotel still uses steam
heating. City power is ridiculously expensive. And besides, supply is very
limited.
He turns back to the pipes. Rion talks to him.
DESC: Yer lookin' for someone? I dunno if her name's Lilia, but the only girl
staying here's in room 304.
Rion goes to room 304 with the woman in distress. The woman is kneeling
before the bed, crying.
WOMAN IN DISTRESS: What do you want? It's too late for apologies. I'd rather
die, I tell you.
RION: Huh?
WOMAN IN DISTRESS: Oh, I'm sorry. I thought it was someone else. (She
stands.) How did you get in here?
RION: The door was open.
WOMAN IN DISTRESS: Oh, well you'd better get out of here. This is no place
for kids.
RION: I'm looking for someone. I'm looking for a girl named Lilia.
WOMAN IN DISTRESS: (she sits at the wide vanity mirror) Hm. Don't know
anybody by that name.
Rion leaves, then goes back in.
WOMAN IN DISTRESS: I just knew it... I can't stand being treated like this.
It's unbelievable... You're probably a scumbag too. You men are all the
same! You won't tell me anything! Go ask someone else where she is! Just
leave me alone!
When he leaves, Rainheart is standing there in his bellboy cap.
RAINHEART: The guest in 301 is paging you.
In room 301 is an ambush. Two Rabbits are waiting to attack Rion in the tiny
room. After killing them, he finds a note on the desk.
DOCUMENT: Letter from Lilia
Rion, my pursuers are closing in. I feel a powerful force surrounding the
hotel. I've waited in this room for so long, but I just can't wait for you
anymore.
Just when I had heard your voice and touched your heart... I want to see you
and answer your calls. But, my telepathy might be scanned. Surely you will
find me. Come to me Rion. Take me from this hotel.
Lilia
[END OF DOCUMENT]
Rion returns to room 304. The woman in distress is missing. She is hanging
in the bathroom, covered in blood, strung up by a rope.
DESC: "She's been murdered... Why!?"
SCAN: Rainheart stands on the toilet, looking at her body. A man in a black
coat stands in the doorway, hands in his pockets, also looking.
Rion goes to room 303. The man is sitting on the bed, cross-legged. He has a
machine gun on the bed.
GANGSTER: Don't mess with me, kid. I can't stand the sight of you. (He takes
a swipe at Rion.)
RION: Ow.
Rion leaves and re-enters. In his bathroom is a box full of ammunition.
GANGSTER: You look like yer okay I guess. Can I get ya to do something for
me? I'm supposed to contact room 205. Tell them room 303 sent you...
They'll understand.
Room 205 is empty, but the phone is ringing. Rion picks it up.
VOICE ON PHONE: It's me! I think they're on to me. I can't go there today.
I'll contact you again.
Rion is ambushed by Rabbits on his way out and goes back to room 303. The
gangster is nowhere to be found, until Rion checks the bathroom. The tub is
filled with blood and water. The man's body is inside, propped upside down
with his bloody feet in the air.
DESC: "This is just terrible..."
SCAN: Rainheart looks around, while in the background a Rabbit in a suit looks
on, standing in front of the bloody bathtub.
Rion goes to room 206 with the priest.
PRIEST: (smoothly) Ah, you have returned with my donation. I shall pray for
your soul. (He approaches Rion from the back and starts searching through his
clothes.) Do you keep the money in your pockets? Please, the donation. I
need the donation. Where is the money?
Rion throws off his hands and exits. He re-enters.
PRIEST: Do you believe in God? A great yet mysterious energy... It spans the
vast universe... It makes plants flower... And trees bear fruit... The
energy can fulfill your dreams. Room 202 is brimming with that energy... But
keep it a secret!
He approaches room 202.
DESC: "Room 202 is brimming with that energy... It's unlocked."
SCAN: A hotel key on the shelf behind the front desk.
There is nothing in room 202 but another ambush. Rion returns to room 206.
The priest has been crucified against the ceiling, blood trails down the wall.
DESC: "Who could have done this..."
SCAN: Rainheart looks up at the crucified man.
Rion enters room 203, to the bomb-builder. The man says nothing for a few
seconds, then looks at Rion.
MANIAC TERRORIST: The world will be reborn once I detonate this! You'll see.
I have been chosen to create a new world.
He returns to his work as Rion leaves. Rion re-enters. He checks the bomb.
DESC: "What does he plan on doing with this?"
DESC: "What the hell is he making?"
Rion talks to the man.
MANIAC TERRORIST: "You want in on my research, eh? Too many people have
already applied... I'll just interview them all at once... Meet me in room
305 later, ok? The girl you seek might be there too. Everyone seems to want
in on my plan.
Rion goes to room 305. It is completely empty of furniture or appliances.
The walls are beat up and the window is covered. Three Rabbits are there,
though. Rion kills them and returns to the terrorist. He is hanging over
his bomb, strapped to a long missile, covered in blood.
DESC: "Who could've killed him?"
SCAN: The builder hangs over the missile while Rainheart stands below,
saluting.
Rion returns to the second floor. Rainheart is standing in front of the
grandfather clock.
Rainheart sets the clock back to 2:50. Rion's memory forcefully flashes back
to his home, and his parents' bodies with the clocks set to 2:50. Rainheart
turns to Rion.
RAINHEART: You killed Birdman, didn't you? (his eyes glow red and he begins
to float) I am Rainheart. Now it's your turn to die.
RION: So it was you who killed everyone.
Rainheart gives a small grin, then goes back to a serious face. He looks down
the hall. A wave of fire billows towards Rion. He turns away.
LILIA: (V.O.) Noooo!
RAINHEART: So what if I killed them. It's my mother who you should be scared
of. We must obey... _You_ must obey what she says.
OFF-SCREEN COMPUTERIZED VOICE: Stop it! It's time for your medicine.
Rainheart looks up, his eyes no longer glowing.
RAINHEART: No. I'm sorry. (he holds his head) I won't do it again. No. No
medicine. It's only 2:50.
The fire fades away. Rainheart's eyes glow again and he floats up through the
ceiling.
RION: (stands) Lilia, I heard you. I heard your voice. Where are you? Call
out to me.
LILIA: (V.O.) I felt the sadness in Rainheart's soul. Please come to me, Rion.
RION: Lilia!
Rion returns to room 304. The dealer is crumpled up in a grotesque, bloody
heap on the table.
DESC: "He's been murdered."
SCAN: Rainheart and a man in a black coat stand by the table.
Rion goes up a floor. Rainheart stands in front of room 305 for a second,
then fades away. Rion enters. Rainheart floats in the middle of the room.
RAINHEART: I won't fail this time, mother.
Rainheart returns to the ground, and he and Rion fight. Rainheart creates
charred zombies, can disappear/teleport and push or flail at Rion. If Rion
uses Red, Rainheart will throw off the fire into a wave around the room.
When defeated, Rainheart lays on the ground. Rion stands over him.
Rainheart's eyes glow white, then a white aura envelops everything.
We now see Rainheart sitting on the ground, cradling his knees. Dr. Lem
stands over him.
RAINHEART: Please, don't tell mother. Don't tell her I failed. She'll scream
at me, then make me take that horrible medicine. I hate it!
DR. LEM: Mother just wants you to get stronger. You must take your medicine.
RAINHEART: But it turns me into a monster. They're destroying my true self!
DR. LEM: It's already three o'clock. Time for your medicine.
RAINHEART: (clutches Dr. Lem's coat) No! It's only 2:50. It's not time yet!
Dr. Lem bends down and injects Rainheart with a beeject. Rainheart's eyes
stare off into space, his jaw drops, and the corners of his mouth twitch. We
return to reality.
RAINHEART: You're wrong. I'm not the killer. There's a beast lurking in my
mind. It makes me look like the killer. But I didn't do it. It wasn't me.
You've got to believe me. You must not tell her... Don't tell mother I
failed.
He dies.
DESC: "Rainheart... I'll never forget you!"
Rion returns to the ground floor. The maintenance man is standing in the
lobby, looking at a clipboard. The tape over the stairwell is gone.
MAINTENANCE MAN: Oh, it's you again.
RION: What are you doing?
MAINTENANCE MAN: Are you blind? I'm checking out the hotel blueprints. They
demolished the old hotel to build this one. But they kept the same crummy old
plumbing. The hotel shares a boiler with that abandoned restaurant next door.
Y'know, I really hate this building.
RION: So I can get to that restaurant... by going through the boiler room?
MAINTENANCE MAN: I suppose so. But why bother? It's outta business so
there's nothing there now.
RION: Okay. Thanks.
Rion goes into the employee lounge and turns off the hotel power, giving power
to the basement elevator. He goes downstairs to the thrumming boiler room,
through the kitchen, and into the abandoned restaurant/dance hall. Lilia lays
on a couch. She looks up at him.
RION: Lilia!
LILIA: Rion?
She holds his face, to make sure he's real. He touches her hands.
LILIA: My father's dead, isn't he? I call out for him, but there's no reply.
Meanwhile, Rita holds Rainheart's body.
RION: (O.S.) You look so tired. Have they hurt you?
LILIA: (O.S.) I've been secretly moving from place to place over the past
month. Don't worry, I'm okay.
RION: (O.S.) I've heard your voice in my mind so many times.
LILIA: (O.S.) I can feel your suffering. When you feel pain, I feel it too.
Rita stands, grits her teeth angrily, and leaves.
RION: I'm sorry I took so long. Your voice helped me so much.
RITA: Congratulations, Rion. You found her.
They both turn toward the sound.
RION: Who are you?
Rita steps forward.
RITA: Rita. I've come to bash her brains in.
RION: Are you a Galerian too?
RITA: Mother fears the virus program hidden in Lilia's mind. Mother can't
even sleep at night. You humans are such fools. Our fate lies solely in
mother's hands. Now I shall avenge my dear brother. See, Rainheart wasn't
too bright, but he was my pride and joy. He was gentle as could be, don't you
see? He was the only brother that I had left. And that is why I'm going to
make sure that you die a slow and extremely painful death.
She raises her arm and sends a bunch of tables and chairs crashing down on
them. (13) Rion protects them with his body.
RION: Lilia!
LILIA: Don't worry. I know I can disrupt her psychokinesis with my power.
(Lilia's hair begins to wave.)
RITA: Unh, you little punk.
She sends a table at Lilia, which knocks her out.
RION: Lilia!
Rita and Rion fight. Rita teleports around, and uses her telekinesis to throw
tables and chairs at Rion. But eventually, Rion wins. Rita stands, a little
wobbly.
RITA: You're a worthy opponent, Rion. (She holds up a beeject, a different
kind that looks more primitive.) With this, I'll be able to crush you.
RION: No, you're too weak. If you inject yourself-
RITA: Mother told me that moment of shorting feels oh-so-good.
RION: Rita, you've gone insane.
RITA: We're all slowly but surely going mad. You just haven't realized it
yet. (She holds the beeject to her neck.)
RION: No! No!
She injects herself. A white light envelops her. Rion is thrown back against
the wall. Rita walks towards Rion, glowing white. She screams and Rion
screams. White light fills everything. Lilia wakes up.
RITA: Almost... just a little longer.
LILIA: Rion, no!
RION: Stay away!
LILIA: Don't kill Rion!
White light envelops everything. We are now in a dark, black landscape with
falling snow. Rion approaches Rita, who is holding her side.
RION: Are you all right?
RITA: (breathing heavy) Don't worry about me. I don't like myself anyway.
Oh, I hate this power that I possess. This is the moment I've been waiting
for. I always wanted the end to come, but I never would die. (Rion touches
her shoulder. She looks up at the sky.) What a beautiful snow. It's like
having a terrifying and wonderful vision. I've never felt such tranquility
before. Can you feel what I'm feeling right at this moment? (She closes her
eyes.) If mother is God, why would she inflict you with such a cruel fate?
Where did your true self go? You are now nothing but an empty vessel
pretending to be human. It's too bad we'll never meet again. Rion, I beg
you, please destroy me. My head aches so. Please? It hurts so bad. (She
grabs his arms and begs him.) I just... can't stand it anymore, Rion.
LILIA: (O.S.) Rion, don't do it!
Rion places his hand on Rita's head.
RION: Lilia, it's the only way. She's decided she wants to die now.
LILIA: Yeah, but-
RITA: Please, just do it.
RION: I can't stand it any longer either. Please forgive me.
LILIA: Noooo!
Rion grunts. White light envelops everything again. Back in the restaurant,
Rita drops to her knees, then falls. Rion stands back up. Lilia looks away
and cries.
RION: Lilia, please don't cry.
LILIA: Rion, where did you get such power?
RION: I was experimented on in the hospital. They used various PPECs on me.
RITA: Don't believe it.
LILIA: Huh?
RION: What is it?
LILIA: Oh, it's nothing. (She shakes her head.)
Outside, the rain continues. The camera pans across a street, then up to a
tower in the distance.
RION: (V.O.) Those kids who had been injected with the PPEC now live in fear
of Dorothy, the mother computer. But here's the good part: she lives in fear
of the virus program. And that is where I come in. They all live where the
networks converge -- in the Mushroom Tower, high above Michelangelo City. I
must destroy Dorothy. Nothing can stop me now. Not even the dark city night
that fills my heart with fear.
===============================================================================
A skytram departs. Rion and Lilia stand on the platform and look at Mushroom
Tower -- a long, skinny skyscraper with a mushroom-like dome on top, suspended
by struts.
Three armed guards wearing full military BDU (including helmets, aspirators,
and goggles) are standing by the tower's entrance. One turns around.
GUARD: R- Rion?
They ready their guns. Rion holds out his hand and shouts. Blue light
flashes on the guards and they collapse. Rion grabs Lilia's hand and they run
in.
P.A.: Intruder at Beagle Gate. Intruder at Beagle Gate. Initiating
Prime-Three Security Level.
------------------------------
STAGE-D
Mushroom Tower
------------------------------
They enter a strange, circular room that looks like a scarlet lobby of a
partially organic space ship. There is a lit platform in the center, with
four lamp posts around it.
DESC: "I wonder what sort of area this is. There's no response."
There are three receptacles, like replicators, in the wall. Between them are
three shafts, called shooters, that look like hanging mouths with teeth. Each
has a line of five orbs on top.
DESC: "I wonder how these work..."
Rion approaches one of the shooters. Lilia steps onto the central platform.
RION: How does this shooter work? There are no switches or anything on it.
It's probably the only way to get to the other rooms.
LILIA: Rion!
Rion runs back to the central platform in time to see Lilia disappear in a
column of light.
RION: Lilia, I can't figure it out.
Two Rabbits transport in on the central platform and attack. After they are
dead, one of the lamp posts lights up.
RION: I can't figure it out.
Rion scans one of the shooters. This causes the orbs to light sequentially,
each in a different color -- white, green, blue, purple, red.
LILIA: (V.O.) Rion? Rion? Can you hear me?
RION: Lilia! Wh- Where are you?
LILIA: (V.O.) I don't know. But the same lights as those on that shooter are
here. They're probably our key to the other rooms. Let me try it.
Lilia reappears in a room with five small lit platforms laid around a central
blue one. Each of the small platforms is a different color -- white, green,
blue, purple, red.
Lilia turns off each platform in the correct order. This causes the central
platform to light up.
DESC: "There's a warp area here too... The exit must be in this room..."
Outside, the middle of Mushroom Tower lifts up. Blue and red tubes can be
seen within. The top half rotates, then sets back down like an interlocking
puzzle.
The inside of the shooter Rion stands in front of is now lit up. He enters
and goes up to the 78th floor with other shooters. Across the way, an armored
guard, colored in yellow, drops down and walks out. Two others follow. After
Rion kills them all, a second light post lights up on the ground floor. None
of the other shooters work, so Rion scans one to find its color code.
RION: Lilia, can you hear me?
LILIA: (V.O.) Yes, I can hear you.
RION: Let's go to the next floor.
LILIA: (V.O.) Okay.
Lilia starts to deactivate the orbs. Suddenly, the ghost image of Birdman
wraps his arm around Lilia's neck.
BIRDMAN: So the program that mother fears is hidden behind that pretty face of
yours.
LILIA: Who... are you?
BIRDMAN: (laughs) Does it really matter? You are gonna die anyway.
LILIA: Ow, my head aches. Who's sending out that powerful telepathic force?
BIRDMAN: It hurts, doesn't it? It'll end soon. The moment of death feels so
good.
LILIA: You're not real. You're just a psycho-illusion. And if I just close
my mind, you'll disappear.
Lilia closes her eyes. Birdman disappears. Lilia falls to her knees, panting.
LILIA: I feel the presence of Galerians in this tower. And they're very
powerful.
Lilia finishes the code. As before, the stem of the tower lifts up, rotates,
then drops back down. Rion goes up the shooter to the 103rd floor, to a room
that looks even more horrifically organic and mechanical. After killing three
Arabesque, a third lamp post illuminates. Like before, Rion scans a shooter,
to find the code.
RION: That's right. Activate the shooter.
LILIA: (V.O.) Okay.
Lilia starts to enter the code. Before she can complete it, the ghost image
of Rainheart appears before Rion.
RION: Rainheart? How is this possible? I saw you die.
RAINHEART: They're gonna make me take even stronger medicine. It's your
fault. It's all your fault.
RION: No, no. Don't play games with me. You're trying to trick me.
Rainheart's dead. This is just an illusion. A psycho-illusion to try to
confuse me and throw me off course. I know what I'll do. I'll scan to find
out who's behind this.
Rion holds out his and scans.
RAINHEART: Don't come any closer to mother. Stay away!
Rainheart begins to disappear, and Rion sees an image of himself, but with a
different clothes, green eyes (Rion's are blue), and a malevolent smirk. Rion
ends his scan.
RION: Is that me? How could that be possible?
Lilia finishes the code. The tower realigns itself. Rion goes up to the
150th floor -- a dark room with a metal floor with four-legged Arabesques.
After they're dead, the final lamp post illuminates. Rion scans a shooter.
RION: Activate the shooter.
LILIA: (V.O.) Okay.
This time, before Lilia finishes the code, an apparition of Rita stands in
front of Rion.
RION: Rita? So after Rainheart comes you? You can't fool me anymore. I know
you too are only a psycho-illusion.
Rion holds out his hand.
RITA: Rion, wait. Don't go any further, you'll be killed.
RION: You're not real, and I'm not gonna listen to you.
RITA: Rion, mother is very frightening. She will surely kill you too.
RION: Goodbye, Rita.
Rita disappears. Rion lowers his hand.
Lilia finishes the code. The tower shifts. Rion uses the shooter and enters
the same room Lilia is in.
RION: Lilia.
LILIA: Rion! Now is our only chance to reach the Hands of God.
The two of them use the central platform in the floor and warp. In the new
room -- the Hand of God Area -- there are five glass pods placed into the wall
around the room, set into effigies of women's torsos, like wombs. At various
points are some trash can-looking things where pills and PPECs are found.
There is a large door at one end, surrounded by cylinders. This leads to a
long walkway (where the save point is) over something that can't be seen in
the darkness.
Rion looks at one of the pods.
DESC: "Sirius Family. Rainheart, RX chromosome abnormal." (14)
SCAN: Rainheart's body lies within, eyes closed.
Rion looks at another one.
DESC: "Sirius Family. Rita, RX negative chromosome abnormal." (15)
SCAN: Rita's body, sleeping within.
Another one.
DESC: "Procyon Family. Birdman, RX' chromosome abnormal." (16)
SCAN: Birdman's body, sleeping within.
Another one.
DESC: "Pegasus Family. Cain, Q7G chromosome abnormal." (17)
SCAN: A body that looks like Rion, sleeping within.
The last one.
DESC: "Pegasus Family. ____, Q7G -S chromosome abnormal." (18)
SCAN: Rion stands before the pod and says...
RION: This is the only one without a name.
CAIN: (O.S.) That's you, Rion.
Rion turns around and sees a boy who looks exactly like him , dressed in
tattered black leather.
RION: Who are you?
CAIN: I'm Cain. Quite a resemblance, don't you think? I mean, we're brothers
after all. So it should be no surprise to you that we look exactly like each
other.
RION: What the hell is going on?
CAIN: Heh, you're not as bright as I thought you were. Heh, you're my kid
brother. You're not the real Rion. The real Rion died at Michelangelo
Hospital a long time ago. How's your memory now? Is it still holding up for
you? Or are you shorting out?
RION: You- You lie!
CAIN: You know what? You and I were born here together, heh heh. Isn't that
sweet? Mother created us. Rion's memory, including the virus activation
program, were implanted in your mind. And your appearance was altered to look
just like him. Then you were sent out to find Lilia, heh. Heh, heh, heh.
Did you really think you escaped from the hospital's isolation ward all by
yourself?
RION: (shakes his head) No, it can't be. I know, without a doubt, I am Rion.
CAIN: Heh, heh, heh. If so, then why do you have the same powers as us? So
you never thought about that, did you? Who are your real mother and father?
You'll probably say you have lots of childhood memories. But do you really
think they're real? Fact is, you're a Galerian, just like the rest of us.
Rita, Rainheart, Birdman. And you'll suffer the same fate. You're one of us.
Lilia turns to Rion.
LILIA: He's lying, Rion. They're just trying to trick you all over again.
CAIN: The truth of the matter is, I really wanted to go get Lilia. But mother
chose you instead. That really hurt. Still, mother always has her reasons.
You were born to find Lilia. And I was born to kill you. We live only to
serve mother. We must obey mother's family program. Now it's your turn to
die.
Rion grimaces.
CAIN: Yes... It was you wasn't it? You killed Dr. Lem. You killed Birdman.
You killed Rainheart. You killed Rita. So who's next? Who'll it be? You?
Me? Do ya know? (The room shakes.) Are we really the same? Are we the
same? The same face? The same voice? The same body? Everything's the
same... _We are both Galerians..._
The room goes dark. Particles of light stream out like stars. Cain levitates
and floats around Rion, throwing lightning, balls of psychic energy, and
circles of flame at him. Rion wins though, and Cain falls, blood trickling
down his head.
CAIN: Unh, I just cannot beat you. (He drops to all fours.)
RION: Cain...
CAIN: So what'll you do now? (coughs) Kill mother? Heh, that's not something
I could ever even consider doing. Mother has always scolded me, saying that
children must not think for themselves. Goodbye, Rion. (He drops.)
LILIA: Rion...
RION: The real Rion is dead, isn't he? So who am I?
LILIA: I don't believe it. You are Rion. Remember how we used to play
together?
RION: I don't even know if those memories are real. What if I am a Galerian?
Let's go, Lilia. Let's go and see Dorothy. I know what to do now. I want to
see mother.
Rion walks through the large door and down the walkway. An alarm sounds.
P.A.: Intruder alert. Intruder alert.
DOROTHY: (In a slow, snake-like, synthesized voice. (19)) Silence. Welcome
home, Rion.
A gray, featureless face with closed eyes floats out of the darkness.
DOROTHY: I see you have found Pascalle's daughter. Good work. That virus
program hidden in her mind is the only thing that ever threatened me. Now
that we have her, nothing can stop me. I command you to kill her. Now.
Rion turns to Lilia.
DOROTHY: Why do you hesitate? Kill her.
RION: (turns back to Dorothy) Do you really think your power is so great that
you can make me kill Lilia?
DOROTHY: What's this? How dare you defy me?
RION: It's not defiance, just the truth. I can't.
The room lights up. Dorothy is revealed to be a gigantic statuary head and
naked torso. Electricity runs through hair-like tendrils connected to the
face. Her body looks like it has been anatomically dissected -- some parts
look like exposed muscles and sinew, others like girders and supports. Weak,
red lightning strikes around the room.
DOROTHY: Rion, you must not be deceived by your memory. It is not your own.
I loaded it into your brain from the real Rion. You are a Galerian. I made
you. I am your god and your creator.
RION: I don't know what to believe.
DOROTHY: Now be a good boy and listen to your mother.
Rion doesn't act. A bolt of lightning strikes him, dropping him to his knees.
RION: (rises) Even if I'm not the real Rion... Even if you did give birth to
me... Even if you did create me, I- I'm not your slave. Let's get this over
with.
DOROTHY: What are you going to do?
RION: (looks at Lilia) Lilia? Ready?
DOROTHY: There's no need to do this.
LILIA: (nods) Ready.
DOROTHY: (growing agitated) You are my greatest failure. I never should have
created you. I never should have raised you.
The face's jaw drops, revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth and an eye. Wire
tendrils rain out of her head and snake in front of them.
DOROTHY: I command you to die. Death shall be your only salvation.
LILIA: Dorothy, please, stop!
Rion holds out his hand and uses his power. Some of the tendrils drop. The
remaining ones retract back into Dorothy's head. (20) The room becomes
extremely dark, except for a flash of light every few seconds. Floating
eyeballs encircle her body, acting as sentries. Rion destroys each of these
while Dorothy defends herself with lightning, tremors, and a sweeping laser.
Once Rion destroys the eyeballs, Dorothy begins decomposing -- her tendrils
writhe like injured snakes and the eyeball in her mouth falters.
DOROTHY: (strained) Rion, noooo...
RION: Lilia? Send me the virus.
Lilia puts her hand on a mushroom-like, techno-disc thing in front of them.
Rion puts his hand on top of hers.
DOROTHY: Stoooop, Riiiioooonnn... pleeeease doooon't... I wasss wroooong...
I will... I will treat you better.
They close their eyes. A band of electricity encircles Rion's head.
Dorothy's body loosens from the wall and falls forward. She reaches out with
a mechanical hand.
RION: Goodbye, mother.
DOROTHY: Iiiiii proooommissseee...
Beams of light shoot from her head. Rion shouts and sends out his psychic
power to Dorothy. Dorothy's jaw snaps off and her body stops moving.
Outside, a part of the Mushroom Tower explodes in the night. In the white
light, Rion collapses. Lilia holds his body up.
LILIA: Rion, we've got to get out of here. You'll die too.
RION: (weakly) No, Lilia. You go.
LILIA: No.
RION: Just let me die here.
LILIA: Don't say that.
RION: Lilia... Please just let me die. But I am the real Rion, aren't I?
LILIA: Yes, you are the real Rion. There can only be one of you. Please try
to understand this.
RION: Thank you, Lilia. (sighs)
LILIA: You are Rion, so you must come with me. Rion? Rion!
RION: I'm so glad we met.
He groans again and his head falls to the side.
LILIA: Rion!
The white light fades. A ringing bell can be heard as Lilia holds Rion's
body, looking out to the sky from the hole where Dorothy once was. The camera
pulls back out of the tower, through the hole, to a top view of Michelangelo
City, with the Mushroom Tower in the middle.
#END#
FOOTNOTES:
(1) Gameplay starts now.
(2) This image is a negative of Dorothy.
(3) This is apparently a computer console in this universe.
(4) The elevator indicates this building has fifteen floors.
(5) It is the silhouette of Dr. Lem
(6) I've never beaten Lem without shorting. It might be the only way to
defeat him.
(7) It's actually 2:55, but it's supposed to be 2:50, as you'll soon see.
(8) All the mirrors in the hotel have this scan image.
(9) The credits designate him as "guy in lobby".
(10) His name may be Joule (source: TV Tropes), but nothing in the game
suggests that.
(11) In the credits, she is known as "Woman in Distress". Her name may be
Susan (source: TV Tropes), but nothing in the game suggests that.
(12) His name may be Crovic (source: TV Tropes), but nothing in the game
suggests that.
(13) There's no sound effect here, for some reason.
(14) The pod label also says "01".
(15) The pod label also says "02".
(16) The pod label also says "03".
(17) The pod label also says "04".
(18) The pod label also says "05".
(19) This is the same off-screen computerized voice that told Rainheart to
take his medicine back in the Babylon Hotel.
(20) The boss fight now begins.
===============================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
===============================================================================
APPENDIX A: CHARACTERS
Rion - the protagonist. A boy with no memory of his past who wakes up in the
hospital. He's been injected with PPEC's (Psychic Power Enhancement
Chemicals) which give him telekinesis, pyrokinesis, and psychometry.
Lilia - a girl who keeps sending Rion telepathic messages. She's in trouble,
and people are after her.
Dr. Albert Steiner - Rion's father, and co-creator of Dorothy, Michelangelo
City's master computer.
Elsa Steiner - Rion's mother.
Dr. Pascalle - Lilia's father, and co-creator of Dorothy, Michelangelo City's
master computer.
Dr. Lem - Michelangelo Hospital's Clinic Chief. An old man with a long purple
overcoat and a silver eye patch over his left eye. He has long silver hair
and uses a cane.
Birdman - A Galerian from the Procyon family. He has the power of
teleportation, illusion projection, and a form of projectile telekinesis. He
has a tribal dagger tattoo on his arm, and wears denim overalls with no shirt,
giving him a "trailer-trash" look. He has long black hair and two different
colored eyes (blue and hazel). He laughs a lot and doesn't appear to be
altogether sane.
Rainheart - A Galerian in the form of a small, pudgy boy. He has a
psychopathic complex and possible schizophrenia, triggered by the time 2:50
(the time he has to take his medicine). He has powers of pyrokinesis and can
create illusions of fire and charred walking corpses.
Rita - A tall, female teenager with red hair. She has strong telekinetic
powers and acts as a protective older sister to Rainheart. Both are from the
Sirius family of Galerians.
Dorothy - The master computer in charge of running Michelangelo City. Its
central core resides at the top of Mushroom Tower in Michelangelo City.
---#Minor Characters/Enemies#---
Researcher - A doctor or laboratory assistant in Michelangelo Hospital. They
apparently carry tasers or something that they use to shock Rion.
Guard - A security guard in Michelangelo Hospital. Armed with a shock stick.
Armed Guard - A security guard in Michelangelo Hospital. Armed with a stun
rifle.
Armored Suit Guard - A guard in a white, fireproof armored suit. Also comes
in yellow, which has double the armor. (Note: They are not robots. There is
a room in the hospital that clearly shows where these suits come from.)
Rabbit - A product of genetic fusion and cloning, a Rabbit is meant to stand
extreme working conditions. These are the Type-R001 - Type-R008 mentioned in
the G-Project Report. It wears an issued medical sweatshirt and pants and its
head is wrapped in bandages, except for one eye. It has no psychic powers,
but has increased agility. Attacks with a knife.
Rabbit in Suit - This is probably the Type-R009 mentioned in the G-Project
Report. It has the shockwave psychic power (colored purple) and wears a long
black coat and black hat to hide its albino appearance.
Arabesque - A grotesque giger-esque humanoid with orange skin, long talon-like
fingers, and spines running down its back. It appears to have no face, except
for a long, toothy grinning mouth full of sharp teeth. It can spit acid and
jump long distances. One version walks on two legs, and another, stronger
version walks on four. It acts much like a cross between a Licker and a
Hunter from Resident Evil.
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APPENDIX B: NAME MEANINGS
-Rion: from the Welsh "Rhyence", which means "warrior". In Arthurian legend,
it is the name of a giant who wore a robe trimmed with the beard of eleven
kings and wanted to make King Arthur's the twelfth. The Japanese like to
switch their R's and L's, so it may also be meant to evoke the word "lion".
-Lilia: From the flower "Lily", which is also English in origin, meaning
"purity" or "heaven".
-Steiner: A popular surname, not unknown to other Japanese games (e.g.,
Adelbert Steiner in "Final Fantasy IX"), the most famous being Rudolf Steiner,
an Austrian philosopher and social reformer. Stein means "stone" or "rock
formation".
-Pascalle: Means "passover/Easter", but more likely refers to Blaise Pascal, a
French mathematician and scientist.
-Lem: A short form of Lemuel which means "by God" or "for God".
-Rabbit: This name likely comes from the idea of using rabbits for medical
testing, as they breed quickly.
-Arabesque: At its base, "Arabesque" is an architectural design term meaning
"spiral". Arabesque also refers to 1) a type of Islamic art defined by
flowing, curving lines 2) a ballet position where one leg is extended and both
knees are straight 3) a type of Arabic music or classical music. I have no
idea what this has to do with anything.
-Birdman: Birdman could refer to the "Birdman of Alcatraz", a violent prisoner
known for keeping birds as pets. It is also a term for the Native American
people, the Crow, who were tribal and warlike. Birdman has a passing
resemblance.
-Rainheart: Likely this name is meant to conjure a simple overtone: "heart of
rain", meaning sadness and pity.
-Rita: Rita means "pearl". However, remember that the Japanese like to switch
their L's and R's. Lita means "sorrows", which seems more appropriate.
-Cain: Obviously, Cain is named for the biblical character who killed his
brother Abel. The name itself means either "acquired/possessed" (Hebrew) or
"maker/fabricator/smith" (Greek).
-Dorothy: The most famous Dorothy is the innocent girl who went to Oz.
However, the name itself means "gift of god".
-Michelangelo: Whether a painter or a ninja turtle, it is a compound name
combining "Who is like God?" and "angel/messenger". It likely refers to the
painter, in that Dorothy is using the hospital and city as her canvas for
painting a new world with herself as God. The fact that it's Michelangelo
_Memorial_ hospital indicates that someone named Michelangelo (likely the
founder of the city) exists in this future timeline.
-Babylon: Was an ancient capital in proto-civilization. It has since acquired
the connotation of a large, diverse city. It may also refer to the "Tower of
Babel" which was an attempt to build a tower to Heaven. God struck down the
people of Babel and scattered them.
-Beeject: The suffix -ject comes from the Latin "jacere" meaning "to throw".
The "bee-" could be a mistranslation of "B-ject", as in "Beta-ject",
indicating a second version of the device. This is corroborated by Rita's
injection device, which looks more primitive. It could also refer to a
"drone" bee. A bee is also a gathering of people (such as a "quilting bee"
or "spelling bee").
-Melatropin: May have something to do with "melanotropin" which is a hormone
that regulates skin color. But probably not.
-Nalcon: Nalcon (a.k.a. Nalcon 243) is a chemical compound. However, Narcon
is an abbreviation for "Narcotics Anonymous".
-Red: Clearly named for the color of fire.
-D-Felon: A class D felony is a serious crime that falls on the lower scale of
felonies (ex. fraud, possession of stolen goods, violations of weapons laws).
It could also mean "daflon", a drug for blood vessels. Besides that, I got
nothing.
-Delmetor: This may be a mistranslation of "demerol", a powerful narcotic
painkiller, similar to morphine. But I think it's a mistranslation of
"Demeter", who was the Greek goddess of the harvest and earthen fertility.
-Appolinar: This is probably reference to "Apollo", a Greek god associated
with medicine and healing.
-Galerian: A corruption of the French word 'galérien' which means "galley
slave". Galerius was a Roman emperor, a staunch opponent of Christianity.
-Pegasus: Pegasus was a winged horse, born from the blood of Medusa. He was
used by Bellerophon to defeat the Chimera, but when Bellerophon attempted to
climb higher than Mt. Olympus, the rider was struck down, and Pegasus was made
into a constellation.
-Procyon: Procyon is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major. It
means "before the dog", as Procyon was a hound belonging to Erigone.
-Sirius: Sirius is the brightest star in the sky. The name derives from the
ancient Greek "Seirios" meaning "glowing" or "scorcher".
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APPENDIX D: CONJECTURED TIMELINE
??/??/2474: Dr. Pascalle is born.
??/??/2484: Albert Steiner is born.
??/??/2487: Elsa Steiner is born.
??/??/2506: Rion is born. (Source: Michelangelo Hospital computer data, which
lists age as 16 and birth date as 2506.)
??/??/2508: Rion is born. (Source: News report listing Rion's age as 14.)
(Note: Since there's conflicting data here, I will use the 2506 date as Rion's
birth year since more evidence seems to support it.)
??/??/2515: Dorothy is completed. (Source: Steiner's Speech: "Seven years ago,
we completed Dorothy...")
??/??/2517: Rion and Lilia are implanted with the virus program. At this
time, Lilia gains the power of telepathy, but she doesn't tell anyone.
(Source: Steiner's Speech: "That was five years ago..."; Pascalle's Diary
notes telepathy.)
10/01/2519: G Project Team is formed to create workers using genetic fusion
and cloning.
10/05/2519: G Project begins. Type-R001 Rabbits are created.
??/??/2520: A large portrait of Lem is created (this indicates he is Clinic
Chief for at least two years.)
05/29/2520: Mass production of Type-R001 Rabbits begins.
06/11/2520: A Type-G001 Galerian is transferred to headquarters.
07/31/2520: A second generation Type-G005 Galerian is produced and transferred
to headquarters.
09/15/2520: Production of Rabbits Type-R001 through R008 ends, due to the
creation of Type-R009.
11/07/2520: Work in Plant 03, section D is stopped after a cracked pipe caused
pressure loss. The pipe was replaced and worked resumed. Mass production of
Rabbit Type-R016 through R026 is begun. Five Galerians are transferred to
headquarters.
06/09/2522: Lilia reveals to her father, Dr. Pascalle, that she gained
telepathy as a result of the virus program in her head. (Source: Pascalle's
Diary: "Lilia told me...")
08/20/2522: Pascalle sees men with black hats lurking around their house.
08/21/2522: Pascalle and Steiner decide to move Lilia to a different location.
08/23/2522: Lilia is moved to a different location. The only way to
communicate with her is telepathy. She moves from place to place to avoid
capture.
09/15/2522: Pascalle sees a strange child near the gate (probably Rainheart).
Between 09/15/2522 and 10/10/2522: Pascalle and Lilia go missing. Dr. Steiner
records a message to Rion detailing what Dorothy is, what she is trying to do,
and how to stop her using the virus activation program.
10/10/2522: Rion and Rion's parents go missing.
Between 9/15/2522 and 10/13/2522: Rainheart and a contingent of Rabbits attack
Rion's house. Rainheart kills Elsa Steiner, Albert Steiner, and Dr. Pascalle.
Rion somehow eludes the Rabbits (probably by using the escape ladder in his
room). He later finds his mother and father's bodies. What happens to Rion
between then and when he's brought to the hospital is unknown.
10/13/2522: Rion is brought into the hospital and administered PPECs.
10/20/2522: A newspaper reports the disappearance of the Steiner family. Dr.
Lem orders Rion's dosage increased by ten times.
10/23/2522: Rion falls unconscious due to overdose.
10/25/2522: Rion wakes up but has amnesia, only remembering his name.
0:20, 10/27/2522: Game start (Source: Dr. Lem's office clock)
===============================================================================
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APPENDIX E: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
HOW OLD IS RION?
If you look at the timeline, you see there are a lot of discrepancies. The
biggest one is that in the FMV where Steiner and Pascalle agree to separate
the children, they are only seven years old. But Pascalle's diary, where he
indicates talking to Dr. Steiner about moving Lilia, was written about a month
before present day. The diary doesn't state a year, but it must be recent
because his last entry implicates Rainheart as stalking them.
WHY IS RION'S DATE OF BIRTH LISTED TWICE IN YOUR TIMELINE?
Because it's stated twice. The discarded newspaper in the hospital, dated
10/10/2522, reports Rion's age as fourteen. The computer in the hospital
clearly states his age as sixteen and his birth year as 2506. I'm inclined to
believe the computer.
WHY IS PASCALLE PRESENT AT RION'S HOUSE?
He still had a working partnership with Dr. Steiner at the time, as
demonstrated by his workroom in the basement. Maybe he was there for a visit.
Maybe he lived there, though I don't know where. He was apparently in the car
at the time -- maybe he was trying to escape during the attack.
WHAT HAPPENED TO RION BETWEEN WHEN HE FOUND THE BODIES OF HIS PARENTS AND WHEN
HE ENDS UP AT THE HOSPITAL?
Who knows? It's possible Rion escaped, but was subsequently captured by the
Rabbits. He may have been brought to the hospital for interrogation and died,
then cloned as a Galerian, complete with the virus activation program. He
would not remember getting killed in that case, and the FMV seems to indicate
a gap in memory. Maybe the reports at the hospital were all faked to give
Rion the illusion that he had amnesia. We will never know.
IS RION A GALERIAN?
Who knows. I think so. There's a few pieces of evidence in favor of that
theory. One is that the Medical Staff notes, under Melatropin (the scanning
drug), say "there is no need to administer this drug to Rion". Either they
already injected it (possibly on 10/13), or he's a Galerian and was born with
it.
All the toys in Rion's room are way too young for him (unless he was a pack
rat or really nostalgic). Could this mean all of Rion's past from when he was
given the virus program to present day is faked?
The most evidence comes from characters themselves. Rita tells Rion he is an
"empty vessel" inflicted with a "cruel fate". Plus there's Lilia's lukewarm
reaction when she says "Don't believe it." Then there's Cain's confession and
Dorothy's confirmation. The only reason to lie to Rion at this point is to
stop him from killing Dorothy. But they are both seem so confident they can
kill or control Rion.
Rion being dead and cloned as a Galerian might explain some of the timeline
discrepancies as well, especially the missing time between when Rion's parents
are killed and Rion wakes at the hospital. The problem is that this is all
conjecture. There is no hard evidence one way or the other.
The thing about Japanese psychological horror is that it's more about style
than substance or plot. The story doesn't matter as much as its tone, style,
or aesthetics, as seen in The Ring, Ju-On (The Grudge), Neon Genesis
Evangelion, Silent Hill, Parasite Eve, Resident Evil. The stories are full of
loopholes and unresolved threads. Most Japanese movies and TV shows, whether
comedy, anime, drama, or other, adhere to this convention. Don't expect this
story to make any sense either. Just look at the inconsistencies in the
story's text and credits. (What is a "super programmer" anyway? How do I get
that job?)
===============================================================================
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===============================================================================
APPENDIX F: GAME CREDITS
Story
Chinfa Kang
Character Design
Sho_u Tajima
U.S. PRODUCTION TEAM
Executive Producer
Mike Arkin
Producer
Jeff Barnhart
Associate Producer
Chris Scaglione
Assistant Producer
Kyoko Makino
QA Manager
Mike Schneider
QA Test Team
B.J. Bigley
Daniel Echeverria
John Kellog
Jeff McLean
Jeff Nachbaur
Richard Robledo
Ron Talay
Solomon Kupu
G. Maximilian Zarou
Licensing / Localization Coordinator
Shinji Katsukara
Marketing Manager
Eddie Camarillo
Translation
Jason Franzman
Voice Direction
Ellyn Stern
U.S. Cast
Rion / Cain
Frank Newman
Lilia
Julie Maddelena
Dorothy / Elsa / Woman in Distress / Computer
Helen Storm
Rita
Kendra Barnhart
Dr. Steiner / Dr. Lem / Gangster / Maintenance Man
Richard Epcar
Rainheart
David Umansky
Birdman / Dr. Pascalle / Researcher B / Soldier A
Bo-Williams
Researcher A / Guard A / Guy in lobby / Priest / Maniac Terrorist / Drug Dealer
Michael Sorich
Brainscan Unit
Sonja S. Fox
Special Thanks
Nima Taghavi
Mark Burke
Holly Newman
JAPAN PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer
Ichiro Sugiyama
International Coordinator
Ricky K Takimoto
Production Manager
Takaichi Satoh
Development Manager
Hironori Kawamura
Development Advisor
Masahiko Maesawa
Masahiko Hagio
Shizuo Iisawa
2D Graphic Designer
Hiroshi Kobayashi
Tec. Director
Hitoshi Akashi
Lead Programmer
Michiya Hirasawa
Programmer
Masahiko Maie
Kazumasa Hamamoto
Graphic
Yoshiomi Miyamoto
Assistant Director
Seitaro Minayoshi
Test Play
Daisuke Yamaguchi
Hiromi Matsuoka
Hideaki Kitamura
ORIGINAL STAFF
Executive Producer
Hozumi Yoshida
Hisashi Suzuki
Masaru Yoshioka
Producer
Ichiro Sugiyama
Planner
Ichiro Sugiyama
Scenario
Chinfa Kang
Ichiro Sugiyama
Hiroshi Kobayashi
Product Manager
Akiyoshi Yamazaki
Quality Check Director
Takaichi Satoh
Title Logo Designer
Tsuyoshi Yamazaki
Director
Hiroshi Kobayashi
Assistant Director
Hironori Kawamura
Ko-Ichi Takahashi
Art Director
Masahiko Maesawa
Game Stage Designer
Hayato Shimoda
Rica Yamakawa
Shuhan Goya
Game Character Designer
Takeshi Suzuki
Izumi Aoki
Movie Director
Masahiko Maesawa
Movie Designer
Daisuke Kobayashi
Naotsugu Zushi
Hayato Shimoda
Shuhan Goya
Takeshi Suzuki
Audio
Masahiko Hagio
Chief Programmer
Shizuo Iisawa
Main Programmer
Satoshi Kawakami
Super Programmer
Wataru Fujimoto
Effect Programmer
Takahiro Ushiroda
Opening Theme
SPARKY SPIKEY / Release Me
Lyrics, Music, Arrangement / TOMO
Vocal / KAORI
Producer / TOMO
Engineer / Noriki Suwa
Recording Studio / X TRA Studio
Product Management / Yoshinori Morikawa
Executive Producer / Hiroo Takahashi
Special Thanks
Ryuichi Ohnuma
Toshihiro Sakamoto
Atsushi Tsutsumi
Yukihiro Yoshida
Katsuya Kashiwagi
Nobuo Wada
Miwa Togashi
Kouji Matsumoto
Saeko Miyazaki
Yuko Neta
Sayuri Ohkawa
Hideki Ogata
Atsushi Takano
Naoko Oikawa
Momoko Sekine
Mika Nomura
ASCII
POLYHON MAGIC
(C) 2000
ASCII Corp.
POLYGON MAGIC, INC.
CHINFA KANG
SHO_U TAJIMA
CRAVE ENTERTAINMENT