Lainari

"But Alice, I really do love you."

- Lain to Alice

Lainari is the femslash ship between Lain and Alice from the Serial Experiments Lain fandom.

Series
Lain and Alice go to the same school and are classmates. Lain consideres Alice to be her only true friend. Alice seems to be the only person that truly cares about Lain and wants her to be happy. She is the first to attempt to help Lain socialise by taking her to a nightclub. At school, she checks up on Lain to make sure she's okay.

Layer 12
Alice came over to Lain's house because she was worried about Lain. When she entered her house she was shocked by how uncanny and scary Lain's place, especially her room, looked. She found Lain upstairs on the floor, covered with wires. After seeing her like that, Alice broke down crying and asked Lain why she only left her memories alone and why she had to relive her horrible past. She then also asks her, what she has done that she hates her so much. Alice interpreted Lain's intention with her not deleting the horrible memories, as that she must hate her so much, to do something like that.

Thereupon, Lain explained how she got everything wrong and geniuenly apologized to her, although Alice first didn't believe that. Lain tried to make clear how dear Alice is to her: "Can't you see? You were always my closest friend, even without ever connecting with me, Alice." ... "You're my only friend, Alice, and you've been aware of it all along. Even without our connecting." After she said that, Alice got completely confused and didn't understand Lain at all, but Lain wanted her to know how much she loved her, so she said to her: "But Alice, I really do love you."

Alice thought Lain has gone crazy. Lain explained that she was just a programme, designed to destroy the barrier between The Wired and the real world, and that her and everyone are just applications, "The truth is you don't need bodies.".

Upon that, Alice sar down to Lain and put her hand on Lain's cheek. She thinks Lain was wrong and demonstrated how she's a living, breathing, human being by taking her hand and putting it on her chest. "But you're alive Lain, here give me your hand." ... "I'm alive too, you see.", "My heart beating, beating, beating..."

Layer 13
Lastly, Lain deleted herself from everyone's memory. She thought it was better for everyone, especially for her best friend Alice, so she didn't need to think about those terrible memories ever again.

Alice walked to school with her friends. Alice stopped and looked up at the building. Juri and Reika called her name, "Alice!" They ran and catched up with her. Reika asked, "Where should we go tonight?" Juri tugged on Alice's arm and pleads, "Cyberia! Cyberia!" Alice replied, "Sure." She then reached for her pocket Navi and said, "I'll send a mail." Juri and Reika looked at each other with curious expressions. Juri asked, "Alice, who are you sending mail to?" Alice seemed to ponder the question. Her Navi screen is set to its mail server. She doesn't seem to be able to remember who it is she wanted to write. It appears that there were still some remains of her memory of Lain.

At the very end, Lain met adult Alice at a bridge, by passing by with her boyfrined, who appears to be her old teacher. Alice comes up to talk to her, it seemed like she recognized her from somewhere.

Alice bend down to get eye level with her and says, "Good afternoon." Lain softly returned the greeting. Alice asks, "I've met you haven't I?"

Lain did not answer. Alice got an idea and said, "Were you a student where I taught as a student teacher?" She answered her own question with, "No, that's not it. Hmm." Lain continued to smile at her. Lain finally says, "How do you do?". Alice replied, "What?" She is confused by the use of such a formal greeting because she was convinced that she knew this girl.

Lain stressed that they have never met by saying, "It is how do you do?" Alice stand corrected, "Really? Well, how do you do? I am Alice. Don't you think my name sounds funny? I'm a bit embarrassed about it. And you are?" Lain replied, "Lain." Alice stood up and repeated the name, "Lain." The name seemed to resonate in her mind but she was unable to make a connection. Her boyfriend joined them and asked, "Do you know her?" Alice replied, "No. Wrong person." Alice bent down towards Lain and said, "Goodbye. Maybe I'll see you again sometime." Lain smiled. Alice got up and said, "Bye." Her boyfriend says, "Bye, Lain." The couple walk off together. Lain continued to watch them and said, "Yes. I can see you anytime."