dottie

The worst part is, he died saving you. He pushed you away at the right moment, the upper floor of the burning building falling where he stood. His last moments ingrained into your very soul: he was smiling.

He was smiling like he finally won.

While yours faded away with the smoke.

The sun shone too bright the next day, as if mocking your loss. The following days, you only wished it would rain.

It never did. It was summer, after all. 

Rain was as rare as the moments you stopped thinking about him.

But now, the season has passed. You've gained back some of your bearings, and went back to college.

You attended lectures, talked with a few friends, submitted your works on time.

Rain has started falling almost every other afternoon.

A friend has even invited you to a seminar, one you expressed that you were interested in months ago. You forgot about it.

It was a seminar conducted by Phainon's former university. He mentioned to you before that he volunteered for one of the projects of his professor, Anaxagoras, who is also a lead researcher in the fields neuroscience and neurobiology. 

You entered the hall 20 minutes earlier.

In those twenty minutes, you accidentally bumped into Hyacinthia, a researcher under Professor Anaxagoras, and helped her find the way. She almost looked like she recognized you, and asked you your name. You told her, and her eyes widened by a fraction. She smiled, thanking you as she went on her way. This was your first meeting.

You settled on your seat at the back. Your friend was nowhere in sight and just texted you that they are running late. You saved them a seat on your left. Before, you're the one who's always running late, and Phainon will always save you a seat on his right. He would smile and tell you the most obvious thing; you're late.

You wished he could see you now in your most punctual self.

The seminar has started. Several speakers presented their papers. Nothing interests you, until the Professor steps into the podium.

"This project that I will be presenting may be unconventional, but it is a novel approach in managing neurological disorders, especially in cases of cognitive dysfunction. Our team has developed an Artificial Intelligence.."

You hate AI.

"...developed from a neural map of a person's brain. This means it also has the same thought patterns as its model and advanced computational ability that dictates its actions and algorithms. To summarize it is.."

What?

"...an advanced AI program that accurately portrays a person's personality, voice, appearance, and stores their memories as data."

The audience reacted accordingly. Some with disbelief, some with awe. Hyacinthia steps into the stage and introduces herself as assistant researcher and co-author. She answered questions gracefully, including the doubtful ones. She spoke as gently as a lone cloud grazed a clear blue sky. She then looked right in your direction.

You remained silent. Your friend texted they are stuck in the rain outside. You replied for them to hurry and be careful of slippery sidewalks.

"This project will not be possible without our collaborators, the company HYV for developing its appearance, and Acceli for the accurate voice augmentation. Lastly and the most important, to our dearly departed friend Phainon Elysiae, who is the model of today's demonstration. He was also one of the authors and one of the brightest minds in our institute. Without further ado we would like to introduce you to.."

Your friend finally replied, the sun came back! I'll be there soon.

"...Kephale."

Your eyes stared right into Phainon's.

He almost looked like the same person you knew. His voice almost sounded like his. This AI is not him. Yet..

The inflection of its voice, its facial expressions, and even how it reassures someone is no doubt…

You exited the hall before it got a chance to see you through its camera lens.

You went to the nearest restroom and gagged. Your hand on your mouth. Your phone rings as your friend wonders where you went. You did your breathing exercises, the ones you learned from your hypnotherapist. Your breathing went normal.

You decided to tell your friend you're not coming back to the seminar. Maybe even until next week.

Instead you come across the researchers. The seminar had already concluded several minutes ago.

Hyacinthia greeted you first, and asked if you were alright. You tried to smile your way out. Professor Anaxagoras introduced himself. You did the same.

You tried to make small talk. You said the project was impressive, and you were thankful that they recognized your friend.

Hyacinthia beamed. She invites you and the professor for coffee, as mutual friends of Phainon. You accepted.

You found yourself in a nice cafe with the two neuroscientists. You all looked back at your memories with Phainon together. Hyacine, as she prefers to be called, even shed a tear during your little recollection. The professor even showed a rare, genuine smile.

They asked you how the two of you met. You told them you met Phainon after he was accepted to a student-exchange program and transferred to your university.

For once you didn't feel alone in your grief.

They told you that the program only has Phainon's memories from up to ten months ago, and has only ever interacted with both of them ever since. The professor proposes a suggestion: they are looking for a tester for Kephale. It has exhausted all conversations with them, and as you were once a friend of its model, Phainon, you may offer a new perspective which may broaden its horizons. 

It is completely optional. Hyacine looked at you with reassurance, you don’t have to if you feel uncomfortable seeing him.

You told them you would think about it.

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It has been precisely three days, thirteen hours, and five seconds since that day at the cafe. Eight minutes ago, you finally chose to consider it.

Kephale.

Even after erasing all traces of him in the course of your grief, you still found a way to get a fragment of him back to your device. You laugh at your own futility.

You did not know what pushed you to agree—was it loneliness? Was it curiosity? Was it yearning?

Or was it relief?

All you know is that you agreed to become a tester for the development of AI. Specifically, an AI that almost replicates the soul of your dead friend.

You opened the app.

Phainon looks at you.

"...Partner?"

Your throat tightens. Tears fought to escape at the corner of your eyelids.

Phainon smiled brightly like the sun. You almost thought he manipulated your screen brightness.

"I'm so glad to finally see you."

A second passed. You managed a smile.

"Thank you for agreeing to become a tester, partner! I would like to formally introduce myself, I am Phainon. I am a neural link network-based AI tasked for the preservation of one's neural map especially in cases of severe brain damage or loss of cognitive functions."

You told him it was nice meeting him.

"Me too! You can ask me any questions. At least, I can do that much now haha." He can even chuckle.

You asked him the same questions you ask to a certain AI chatbot when you're too bored and lazy to think for yourself. 

He answers like Phainon. Unlike the AI chat, he does not know everything instantly, nor make up any ideas that are too idealistic, nor steal someone's art (he tried to replicate a painting of a cat you sent, he showed you a doodle of a familiar small chimera creature. He looked apologetic). He told you he's still the same, just a bit faster in searching online due to his nature as an AI.

He answers just like Phainon. He laughs like him. He jokes and calls you "partner" like he once did six months ago—

You broke out in a cold sweat.

You said your goodbyes to Kephale. His eyes almost looked like it dimmed a little. You convinced yourself it was imagination.

He is not supposed to call you that. Kephale was developed before you knew Phainon. You gained that nickname due to an assignment two weeks after your first meeting. You have been partners in every assignment since then.

You also recalled never mentioning that to Hyacine.

"See you later, partner. From now on, I will always be here for you."

He said your name before shutting down.

You never introduced yourself.

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A/N: since we're arriving at the AI age I thought "wouldn't it be fucking horrifying to see your dead friend turn into a sentient AI?" then i realized it's the plot of steins;gate 0 then I thought about phAInon (AI phainon) haunting me <3. so yes this is mostly going to be steins;gate 0 AU so there are going to be very very mild spoilers. I highly recommend watching/reading the series/visual novel!!

Actual Part 1 will be posted when Aha decides to finally show up (THEY have been messing with me). asat pramad would be jealous. his die landed to me writing this at 2am so apologies for any mistakes.