Part 64: Free Time Roundup #5

School Mode Free Time Roundup #5: Chihiro Fujisaki





: Today we'll be finishing up Chihiro's Free Time Events. His FTE chain is 4 events long. The previous two events can be found in Chapter 2 Daily Life, Part 7 and Chapter 2 Daily Life, Part 8. Don't forget, in these events the revelation that Chihiro is a boy hasn't occurred yet, so Makoto still thinks of him as a girl.



> Spend time together



: Would you like to go somewhere and hang out? I mean...if you don't mind...

I hung out with Chihiro for a while... Chihiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Unending Dandelion: A dandelion toy. You can blow the fluff away, and the attached string will pull it back, so you can do it over and over and over and...



: Ooh, it's really amazing! I'll take really good care of it. I'll hold on to it forever...

Seeing Chihiro so happy with something I gave her makes me happy!



: Um, if you don't hate the idea...would you like to talk some more?

Jeez, if there's anyone who can say no to someone who asks like that, I'd like to meet 'em.

: Sure, I'd love to learn more about you.
: Okay. But...what do you want to know?
: Well, let's see... What kind of program are you working on now? I bet it's pretty amazing.



: Oh! Actually, I just started the research process for something... You remember that database software I told you about? I'm retooling it into something a little more complex. But I signed an NDA with the company that hired me, so I can't really go into the details...
: Yeah, they probably wouldn't want the wrong people to hear about it, huh?
: It's not that I don't trust you or anything! I just...made a promise, you know? S-Sorry...
: No, it's okay. It's my fault for asking about something you couldn't talk about.
: Oh, but...maybe I can give you a little hint. It has to do with simulating human thoughts.

She said it has to do with simulating human thoughts, right? Which must mean...



> Artificial intelligence

: You're developing some kind of artificial intelligence, aren't you?



: Ah! You figured it out! Was my hint too easy...?
: Ahh, what am I gonna do? If they find out I broke my promise, they might...
: Don't worry. I'm not gonna say anything to anyone.





: Y-Yeah, I know... I know I can trust you. Okay, I guess I can tell you about it.
: I'm working on a type of artificial intelligence the world has never seen before. It's what we call a strong AI. It's designed to think like a human, to process any mental task we can.
: A strong AI...?
: You see, in the field of artificial intelligence, there's strong AI and weak AI. Weak AI isn't meant to match human intelligence. It's simply a type of problem-solving software. A weak AI isn't actually thinking, it's just executing actions programmed into it. Strong AI, on the other hand, is a program that can achieve true self-consciousness--full ego awareness.



: In other words, a strong AI is a complete entity, a computer program capable of becoming aware. But it's always just been a hypothesis. Plenty of experts don't think it's even possible.
: It sounds like something from a sci-fi movie... And you're working on something like that?
: Well like I said, right now I'm just researching it. I've made lots of progress on the programming side, and the intelligence development...but when it comes to actual awareness, it's still a long way off. It might even be impossible...
: Really...?
: I'm not sure how to put it, but... No matter how well designed or complex a program is... No matter how closely the software can simulate the workings of the human brain...I don't think that's enough. If the program is only *simulating* thought, it will always be lacking something.
: Lacking...?



: Well... I guess you could say...a soul. If you could somehow pour your own soul into the software, maybe then a strong AI could be created.
: Wait...a soul?
: Yeah, I know. It's not a programming term. I'm not even sure how that would work on a technical level. S-Sorry, forget I mentioned it...
: Anyway, all I have right now is the theory. There's still lots of research left to do.

Artificial intelligence sounds like a pretty tough subject. But I'm glad I got to hear about it...





: I wasted your time on another boring topic. I must have bored you to death, huh?
: No, the complete opposite! It was really interesting!
: You mean it...?
: Okay! Next time we talk, I wanna hear about you!
: Oh, well... Unlike you, I really *am* boring.



: No excuses! It's your turn next time!
: O-Okay...
: Ehehe. Yay!

When she says it like that, I think the only way to refuse is if you're one of those soulless AI programs she mentioned.

: This FTE gives us another Skill Point.



: The last FTE starts off in the Art Room.



: You want to sit down and talk for a while?

I spent some time talking with Chihiro... Chihiro and I grew a little closer today.



> Yes, definitely



Kirlian Camera: A camera invented to take pictures of electrical fields and surrounding objects. Sadly, there's no film in it.



: Huh? A present...?
: Yaay! Thank you so much!

Seeing Chihiro so pleased with something I gave her makes me happy!



: Hey, Makoto! You remember your promise?
: Huh? What promise?





: Did you forget already?
: You promised that we could talk about you this time! You really did forget... *leaves*



Chihiro looked really disappointed. With sagging shoulders, she wandered away.

: That's right, I did promise. She wanted to talk about me this time...

I'd better go after her...



I headed to Chihiro's room.





: ...
: Listen, I just wanted to tell you that I didn't forget about my promise...! Of course I remember! So cheer up, okay?
: ...Then can we talk about you today?
: Sure, I don't mind at all!





: Really? Great! Then come in and sit down.
: Huh? I can...come in?
: Yeah, of course!

I know what she said, but I'm not sure she should be so quick to let down her defenses like this...

: Okay, let's go! I wanna hear all about you!
: I'm happy to talk, but what do you want to know?



: Well, let's start with a question.
: Huh?
: What do you like to do in your spare time?
: Well, you know... I watch TV, play video games, lay around... That's pretty much it.
: Huh? What about sports?
: Oh, I don't really play anything. The only time I run anywhere is during gym, or when I'm running late in the morning...



: Really? And you're still so strong?
: Strong? Me? N-No, I'm pretty much on the bottom rung of masculinity!



: You're on...the bottom rung? Oh...
: ...

Chihiro seemed...disappointed, somehow.

: Hey, what's the matter?
: Well, it's just... I'm looking for someone strong.
: Someone strong? Well, what about Sakura...?



: ...No, I mean a guy.
: Thinking about strong guys, there *is* someone here who's probably been in a lot of fights...



> Mondo

: Then what about Mondo? He's the Ultimate Biker Gang Leader, right? He's gotta be the strongest guy here.
: Mondo... Yeah, that's it!
: But why are you looking for a strong guy?
: ...

Huh? She went all quiet again... Are you, like...into tough guys or something?



: I want to...start training. I'm so weak...
: ...Huh?
: I thought if I could talk to someone strong about it, it might help motivate me.
: So that's why, huh? Sorry, I wish I could help somehow...





: ...Hey, Makoto...? Do you have any kind of, um...inferiority complex?
: Inferiority complex...?
: You know, some part of you that you absolutely can't stand. Something you absolutely hate...
: Well, I guess so... For me, it's how forgettably ordinary I am. I've been made painfully aware of this part of me ever since I came here. The rest of you all have your ultimate abilities, but I don't have any kind of talent at all.
: And...how do you overcome that kind of feeling?
: I'm not sure I can... That's why I decided to just accept it. It's how I feel, and there's nothing I can do about it. And if I find myself thinking about it too much, I just find something else to do with my time. If I throw myself into something hard enough, I can forget about it for a little while.



: Throw myself into something...
: I see. That's a good idea. If I don't do something, nothing's ever going to change.
: Yeah, I think your advice has helped me understand!

Advice? I'm not sure it was anything like that...



: Ehehe... Thanks, Makoto!

Well, if it helped, that's good enough for me. Talking to her like this, I feel like I've gotten to know Chihiro really well. I think we understand each other a lot better... I wonder if maybe I've finally become a friend to her in the truest sense of the word.

After talking with Chihiro a little while longer, I decided to head back to my room.

: This unlocks the skill Cheat Code. This skill makes the time penalty you take when you accidentally use the silencer on a non-white-noise statement in Nonstop Debate disappear. It's handy if you're not very accurate with the Silencer.
: Finishing Chihiro's FTEs also gives you a star on his Report Card and gives you a bronze Playstation trophy titled GoodFellows.


Chihiro Fujisaki's Character Art