AI The Somnium Files: Into the Abyssmare (WIP)

Chapter N4-4: Driving

"Where are we going next?"

Date and Iris are headed to Café Vinyl. Date is driving while Iris is in the passenger seat, looking over at Date. Aiba looks at Iris and projects her vision to Date.

"We're going back to Café Vinyl" Date answers. "While you were talking to your new friends, I got a new lead in our case."

"Oh" Iris says, not sounding as enthusiastic as usual.

"Are you ok? How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok, promise" Iris answers, turning around to look out the window.

"You're not still thinking about what Tsubaki said back there, are you?"

Iris lets out a sigh.

I've never seen her like this before. I thought she said she was used to dealing with comments like that.

"There is a difference between online comments, and what Tsubaki said. The big difference is that Tsubaki said this kind of thing in person."

"Don't worry about what she said" Date tells Iris. "You're doing just fine."

"No, she's right" Iris lets out a sigh. "I don't have any professional training. I just sing on stream, without a care in the world."

"And what's wrong with that?" Date asks.

"I know I can't do that forever" Iris says. "The only reason I can get away with it now is because I'm still young, but as I get older, acting this way becomes more cringe."

"And so what if it's cringe?" Date asks. "Does that really matter?"

"It does on the internet" Iris answers. "As it get older, it'll become harder to retain subscribers. I'll lose them even faster if I continue acting cringe as I get older. I need to start thinking about what I want to do in the future."

"But you're still young" Date says. "Besides. You're signed with Lemniscate. I'm sure you'll be fine."

"I know, but..." Iris goes back to staring out the car window. "I can't keep doing the same thing forever. Trends change, and I need to do something to stay relevant without coming off as desperate. But you're right. As long as I have Lemniscate, I should be fine."

Date stays silent, unsure of what to say.

I wish there was something I could do for her.

"I suggest giving her time. I do, however, agree with her saying that it is important to think about the future."

Yeah. By the way, Aiba, what do you think of what Masaki told us?

"Are you referring to the XROSS∞BEAT?"

Yeah.

"Sounds such as the tritone have been known to elicit fear on those who hear it, for example. It is entirely possible that there is a sound that there exists a sound that causes people to be put in a trance-like state."

Are you saying that Abyssmare makes this sound?

"It is entirely possible. After all, the sound cannot be reproduced electronically, and only those who have been to their live shows have felt themselves in a trance."

So that's what affected Iris?

"Iris, as well as Miyu."

What about Saori? She never heard Abyssmare live.

"About that. There was something different about her Somnium compared to Iris' and Miyu's."

What was it?

"Both of their Somnia had a dark vortex. Saori's did not."

What does that mean?

"Perhaps this called 'XROSS∞BEAT' is what caused those dark vortexes to appear in both of their Somnia. If so, it would make sense that there was not one in Saori's Somnium, since she did not listen to Abyssmare's music beforehand."

I see. If this is all true, then this XROSS∞BEAT thing poses a real danger to public safety. We need to put a stop to it. Not just for Iris, but for all of Japan.