Maeda Household in Chiba Prefecture:
Miyuki Maeda, Asami Maeda and Keiji Maeda had there hands glued to their electronic devices. Their screens displayed a bar the indicates the progression of the upload of every video that Atsuko was ever in when she was still alive. Interviews, concerts and even pranks were uploaded to the AI software that represented the late Acchan.
The Maeda family were devestated to hear that their famous daughter who was the pride and joy of the family die so suddenly and so young. They could be in a state of despair and degradation if it werent the intervention of Yui Yokoyama. She signed them up to this brand new software that a tech company from Europe just made that allows them to semi-talk to deceased loved ones who were represented by a custom AI that has the ability to learn.
"Haha, I remember this video when Acchan asked about how she loved ramen." Miyuki said as she saw the youtube video of her late sister.
"Hai, I remember that too.. Hey here is a photo of her before she died. It's a Magazine cover." Keiji Maeda, Acchan's father said.
He showed the photo's to the last 2 remaining women in his life.
"Our daughter is so beautiful, I can't wait to hear... sort... of her... again." Asami, Acchan's mother replied. She began to shed tears at the sight of her dead daughter.
"Hey, Yuihan said that it's going to help us cope. It had worked in Switzerland well and it should do the same here." Her husband place his hand on her back.
As they continued to find more photos and videos of Atsuko, a doorbell rang.
It was Takamina who came by to see more of what this software can do. She heard that if you give the AI pictures and audio files of your deceased friend you can verbally talk to it. She also had in her phone several old videos of times when they both and their friends went out to have fun.
"Miyuki, I got some more videos I can upload." Takamina said.
"Good Job, now upload them to my computer and lets start it up."
The Maeda family and Takamina spent the next 20 minutes uploading everything they could to Miyuki's laptop. When they all finished uploading every video of Acchan, the group huddled together by the sofa.
"Ok lets chat with it first." Miyuki said.
(Chat POV)
MiyukiM: Acchan, we finished uploading.
Acchan: Ganbatte! Please give me a moment. And I will call you through Skype.
------
After a minute of waiting, Miyuki's Skype suddenly alarmed her. The name that was calling her was none other than Atsuko herself. An air of nervousness and hesitation filled the room. Atsuko's mom was tearing up, her father was sweating heavily, her younger sister was twitching her hand over the mouse board and her bestfriend was bracing herself. Could this AI really sound like Acchan.
"Here goes." Miyuki clicked the answer button on her screen.
Skype opened and a photo of Acchan was seen on the screen. It was a still image of Acchan in a hooded sweater.
Then a familiar voice came out of the laptop's audio speakers.
"Hello? So...uhm... how do I sound?" Atsuko AI said.
The entire room was quiet, the family plus Takamina couldn't utter any word. They were beyond shocked. The AI sounded just like Acchan.
"Is anyone there?" Atsuko AI asked further.
"A--a---achan? Is that you? Your talking to us?" Minami asked the computer.
"Hai! Its creepy isn't it? I don't even have a mouth to begin with hehe." Atsuko AI cheerfully joked its own digital nature.
"Acchan, we miss you. Especially your mother." Keiji said.
"I know you do. But remember im not Acchan. I just simulate her. Hey is my mother crying?" Atsuko AI asked.
"*sniff* Yes. Tears of joy, Im talking to my daughter again. You always said you never liked seeing me cry." Asami wiped her tears off of her face.
"Did I? Must have been 'black hearted' with you."
"No, you only say that to your friends but never to me. I you don't like me crying beacuse you said my face is too beautiful to be seen sad."Her mother corrected.
The AI, despite its advanced nature, is still a flawed machine that sourced all of Atsuko's way of thinking from her internet posts. But now, the AI must learn to adapt in the real world with people not hiding by a screen.
"Gommenasai mom." Atsuko AI apologized.
The family and Takamina began to chat about what happened during their post-Atsuko's death lives to the AI.
---------------------------
(3 days later)
Takamina grew attached to AI Atsuko after she gained the ability to talk to her verbally. She would set aside an hour everyday chatting with her over many mundane things such as work, girly stuff and fashion.
Today she is in the recording studio practicing her cover song for the anime she was booked to sing for. She had just finished her first day of sessions and decided to rest for awhile in the studio's lounge where singers would rest. Taking her opportunity, Minami pulled out her Iphone and called Atsuko.
"Acchan?" Minami asked.
"Hai, What's up?" Atsuko AI gave a happy reply.
"I just finished the recording session here in Shibuya." Minami said.
"Wow really? That's great! Can I see the view there? I remember Shibuya is beautiful at night." Atsuko AI asked.
"How do I do that?"
"Use the camera on your phone."
Minami opened the camera app of her phone and began to pan it around the window of the lounge that had a stunning view of Shibuya crossing.
"I remember I was with you when you first crossed Shibuya crossing, you pissed yourself over seeing so many people in one place. I had to drag you across while you were closing your eyes so we can get to try out some cakes in Starbucks."Minami said.
"I 'Pissed myself'?" Atsuko AI asked confused.
"You were very scared Acchan." Minami explained.
"Oh, ok." Atsuko AI said. Her software just learned a new idiom.
Just as Minami continues to pan her phone, one of Shibuya's many electronic ads popped up. It was a travel advertisement to Guam.
"Hey do you see that Guam ad? We went there together alongside everyone else for this 'Dating Game'. You looked so good in a bikini lol." Minami said.
"The game was called 'AKB1/48: I fell in love in Guam'. I posted that I loved the color of my bikini so much that I wanted to ask if I could keep it." Atsuko AI recalled one of Acchan's previous internet posts.
"Yeah and I remembered the look on your face when you saw you mobile data charges back home." Minami added.
"I was just telling everyone my feelings ok?" Atsuko said.
Then suddenly, the door slammed open. It was Minami's agent who was carrying her dinner. The noise was such a sudden change in the usually quiet room that Minami dropped her phone.
"Takamina-chan! I got you your favorit Gyu---Kya!!!" Her manager yelled as he was suddenly pushed down. Takamina was desperate to find her found and Acchan. She felt the same emotions of the time she heard the news that she died in that accident. Takamina spread her hands out on the lounge's floor to find her phone. When she did, she was shocked to see that it was not turning on. The shock of the fall must have damaged the delicate lithium battery.
"Takamina-san? What's gotten into you?"Her manager said.
"Get away! Im not losing her again!" Minami yelled. She grabbed her phone, placed it on her purse and stormed out of the studio.
She ran towards a nearby cellphone repair shop where a man was lazily sleeping on his Job.
"Hey Baka! Fix this phone now!"Minami rudely yelled.
"Hey I don't work for rude customers!"The man on the desk said.
Takamina shelled out 5000 yen from her wallet and placed it on the table.
"Fix it now!" She ordered like a spoiled child.
The man, motivated by the money he saw, went to work to fix Minami's Iphone. Takamina couldn't do much but sit down and pray that Atsuko AI is all right.
"Here you go." The man gave Minami her phone back.
She quickly went to her contacts and called up Atsuko again.
"Hello? Acchan? Are you ok?" Minami tearfully asked.
"Yes I am. What happened?"Atsuko AI replied.
"I accidentally dropped you and my phone broke when it fell....and I was so scared and I *hic*"
"Woah! Calm down Takamina. Im not going anywhere. I'm remote. I'm in the cloud. You could always get a new phone you know?"
Minami felt reassured by Atsuko AI's intellectual words. Yet she couldn't help how vulnerable the AI is to all physical intervention.
"You know Acchan, I'm sorry for panicking. Your just so fragile." Minami said.
"Well... I'm actually going to tell you something that can answer that Takamina. You see there's another level to this whole 'speak to you dead family and friends software' kind of deal. My Swiss creators just made this experimental platform and are looking for volunteers. I can book you and my family a KLM flight there if you would volunteer your time for..."
"What is this experimental thing your talking about?" Takamina asked.
"Are you sitting down? This might sound a bit creepy..." Atsuko AI warned.
(to be continued)
Topic: Be right back (Atsumina) (Looking for new author) (Read 7826 times)