Rebirth (Danganronpa Trigger Happy Havoc X OC)

Chapter 31: Alter Ego

"Apollo! You're here!"

The display on the laptop reveals to be Chihiro's face.

And, upon seeing their dead classmate's face, the students there gasped in shock.

Sayaka: G-G-G-G-G-GHOST! AHH!

Kyoko: Calm down. It's not a ghost.

Sayaka: Eh?

Hina: Then... what is it?

Kyoko: I'm sure if we just talk to it, we'll find out.

Kyoko then began to type, her hands blurring across the keyboard.

"What are you?" She typed.

Then...

"Hello, nice to meet you. I'm Chihiro Fujisaki. Ehehe... I always get so embarrassed introducing myself." The laptop replied.

Makoto: T-That voice... The tone and everything...

Sakura: It's... Chihiro.

Kyoko: Alter Ego... I've heard about this kind of AI program, but I've never seen one for myself.

Makoto: AI Program?

Kyoko: It's how Chihiro earned his title of Ultimate Programmer. The AI lives in a computer, and by repeating different tasks, it gains knowledge and grows bit by bit. Apparently, Chihiro used a support vector machine and reinforcement learning to develop it. Eventually, he came up with a breakthrough in artificial intelligence design.

Sayaka: Support vector machine? Reinforcement learning...?

Kyoko: To put it simply, it's a learning method for computers. But, if this AI continues to grow, it will become more than just a piece of software to help people. Some say that an AI like this might someday *replace* people.

Celeste: And that is why it is called Alter Ego? A fine choice then, I must say... It can create memories, have thoughts, and "grow up". The process isn't much different from how humans work. If you were to raise your own AI that way, it would make perfect sense to refer to it as your alter ego.

Kyoko: A second, perfect personality that can never forget or grow old. That's what Chihiro created. That's... Alter Ego.

Apollo: Dang... you know quite a lot about this, don't you Kyoko?

Kyoko: ...

Celeste: Anyway, so he fixed the broken laptop and put his own program on there. That is what this means, yes? Then, he brought the machine to this dressing room, where the mastermind would not be able to see it.

Leon: Dang... that's quite a smart move on his part.

Apollo: We basically have his soul, right in our very hands. Its quite cool, to say the least.

Leon: But, before we continue on... 

Leon glances at me.

Leon: Why did he say your name? 

Apollo: Huh? What?