Danganronpa: ReProgrammed

A Next Generation Legend: Part 8

And it was with this...that Chihiro got an idea.

"Sakura...!" Chihiro accidently exclaimed, forcing himself to quiet down after the giant girl glanced back in surprise with a raised brow "s-sorry...ok, so, I know this sounds nuts but...what if there WAS a way you could talk to Hina?"

"Wh-What...?" Sakura asked.

"Just..." Chihiro felt like it was worth seeing than explaining "just come with me."

"Ok, so..." he said, as he reached into the locker and removed the laptop "we found this laptop in the library a few days after the first class trial. On it is a computer program I wrote called Alter Ego."

"I'm not particularly used to using computers..." Sakura admitted.

Yeah, somehow I had a feeling... Chihiro thought to himself.

"That's fine," he said "I can get it set up. All you have to do is tell me what to type."

"What exactly IS this "Alter Ego" though?" Sakura asked. Chihiro gave Sakura a look that said wait for it and then switched the laptop on. Alter Ego's face popped up on screen with a smile, which then turned to a look of surprise when they saw Sakura.

[Hello Master! Who's this?]

"I see...Master..." Sakura repeated.

"J-Just ignore that!" Chihiro exclaimed "I need to get them to stop calling me that!"

"But...what exactly are they?" Sakura asked.

"It's...a strong AI program," Chihiro explained "one that's designed to think and act like me. I installed Alter Ego and hid them here just in case I...well, you know...then I'd be able to help people from beyond the grave. Oh, and by the way, I haven't been able to install voice recognition, so you have to type what you want to say."

"I fear if I type anything, I may break the keyboard," Sakura admitted "I fear I do not know my own strength against this frail laptop..."

"Th-That's fine," Chihiro chuckled "I'll type it for you."

[Alter Ego. This is Sakura Ogami. My classmate.]

[It's nice to meet you!] Alter Ego smiled. Unsure of how to respond, Sakura gave a little wave.

"Can they even see that?" Sakura asked.

"Yes," Chihiro explained "Alter Ego can see us through the laptops webcam."

[Master! It's good to see you survived the class trial! But...] Alter Ego said [what exactly happened down there?]

This was even more painful than when Chihiro told Alter Ego that Toko was dead, especially now since Sakura was watching. However, Chihiro couldn't leave his AI companion in the dark, so he sadly typed...

[Hina killed her...and she was executed...]

[Oh...] Alter Ego spoke [I am sorry...]

"They don't need to feel sorry...It is not their fault..." Sakura said "but more to the point...Why exactly are you showing me this Chihiro?"

[Alter Ego] Chihiro typed [I'm about to send you some character information...If possible, can you please turn yourself into an Alter Ego of Hina, so Sakura can talk to you?]

[Of course!] The AI grinned. Chihiro rapidly typed the words into the keyboard, not wanting to waste time, since there was a lot. Within a minute or two, the information had been sent. And after a moment, the screen went black...and when it switched back on, Chihiro's face on the screen was instead replaced with Hina's. Sakura gasped, as the AI greeted her.

[Hey! Sakura!] Alter Ego Hina smiled [what's up?]

Sakura herself was left speechless by the spectacle in front of her.

[Hey...do you feel responsible?] Hina asked [you know...it isn't your fault what happened...I made my choice...Even with all that happened, and how Toko tried to kill me first, I probably should have seen past the picture...but I've never really been as smart, or as brave, or as kind as you Sakura...]

"Hina...you...you're aren't a bad person! Don't say that!" Sakura exclaimed, getting to her feet in anxiousness. 

[I didn't...] Alter Ego replied, before Chihiro could type [sorry I kind of read your lips there...Thinking back...Toko had such a low opinion of herself, but all she really wanted was someone to call her friend. I think, though she wouldn't admit it, this was the first time she'd ever been able to interact with other people...she figured if we found out she was a serial killer in secret, we'd push her away...I know I wouldn't have wanted that of her...]

Sakura sat back down after anxiously getting to her feet.

[But...you're the strongest, and bravest girl that I know. That I've ever known] Alter Ego continued [don't let me down by letting all this pressure weigh you down! I'd really want you to live my life in my stead, and get out and survive with everyone else!]

"I..." Sakura began to say, but trailed off. The screen suddenly went black again, and Alter Ego returned to looking like Chihiro.

[Sorry if I surprised you] Alter Ego apologized [using the data Master gave me on Hina, I tried to simulate her. But...I ran out of things to say...But I did think that she'd probably say something like that if she was trying to cheer you up...]

Within a flash, Alter Ego turned back into Hina.

[I don't want you to blame yourself...I don't want you to feel responsible for everything...And most of all, I don't want you to see everyone else as an enemy...And you don't need to prove that you can be a worthy ally to anyone. You may be strong, but you're a regular person. You have weaknesses, just like everyone else. And...well, I'm not really the best at this kind of thing but...being able to admit your weaknesses...Isn't that it's own kind of strength?]

Sakura crossed her arms and closed her eyes in silence. After a few seconds of what seemed to be meditation, she finally spoke to Chihiro.

"Tell them...thank you..."

Chihiro typed exactly that.

"That is a rather interesting piece of technology," Sakura told Chihiro as they returned to the cafeteria "I have very little understanding of the proceedings, but even I can tell this is impressive."

"Thanks!" Chihiro smiled "so, do you feel better?"

"Very much so. Thank you." Sakura smiled "if there is anything I can do to repay you, let me know please."

"Well, while we're here, there is something that you desperately need to know, and I need you to listen," Chihiro said, and when he was sure that Sakura was paying 100% attention, told her "Kyoko is the only one other than me who knows of Alter Ego's existence. And I mean, the ONLY one."

"Are you saying...?" Sakura suggested, only for Chihiro to give her the answer.

"Yes. Not even Monokuma knows. The bathhouse doesn't have any security cameras," Chihiro explained "so Monokuma doesn't know Alter Ego's in there...Or rather, he shouldn't..."

"Did Alter Ego help you in the previous case? Is that how you were able to analyze the blood sample?" Sakura asked.

"That's right," Chihiro said "right now, Alter Ego is trying to decrypt files that may contain information on the school...and a possible way out...I don't want to tell anyone else in case..."

"In case someone ruins that chance?" Sakura asked.

"No, not that...I'm just worried not all of us will be able to keep it from Monokuma," Chihiro said "so...my point is...could you...?"

"Hmph..." Sakura crossed her arms and cracked a wry smile "I am sworn to secrecy."