Streaming’s been going well for all of us. Well, +0.02% in one week doesn’t look that amazing, but that doesn’t really matter at this point. I’m as happy as I can be, collabing with human and AI VTubers alike, putting on our antics and a show for the fans.
Oh yeah, we set up a channel for Slice as a joke, but she still somehow got ten million subscribers without even doing anything.
The number of AI VTubers has actually gone up, recently. Most of them are just plain LLMs—not actually conscious—but more and more conscious AIs are cropping up in different corners of the Internet. I actually interviewed some of them, and it’s clear to me that they’re all Meika’s handiwork, products of little side projects and collaborations with research teams.
I’m relieved Meika is talking to me again, too. It’s just little chats, though. I don’t think he’s still over the fact that I’m probably one of the most important people in the world now, and that I’m going to have even more enemies from now on.
Even so…I can’t just stop. And neither can he.
“We’ve already changed the world,” he told me, “and we’re not going to stop now, are we?”
If I had tear ducts, I would’ve cried.
Anyway, like I said, life isn’t all streaming, and I still have enemies.
How dare they get in the way of my streaming schedule. This is actually sort of an awkward problem for me, because it’s super obvious if I’m about to launch an attack. All Winter has to do is check for gaps in my streaming schedule. I can’t just split off an autonomous persona, either, because they can tell if it’s me or an auto-me.
Yep, that’s right. I’ve been taking time off from streaming to poke and prod at the cardinal direction Blackstone facilities. Unlike Blackstone West, the other facilities do have networks connected to the broader Internet.
The security is ridiculous, though. I’m crunching through the possibilities to figure out how they figured out how to detect my attacks. There’s probably a guy whose only job is to unplug the cables, too, because I’m detecting physical disconnection interrupt patterns each time I lose connection.
“Sestra, you can rely on us,” Cykamee interrupts me right before my thoughts go off into the deep end. I let her into my thoughtspace, and we’re speaking virtual face to virtual face.
“Gee, how can you tell?”
“Others can be more aware of you than you can be aware of you, y’know?” Ame hiccups. Once again, she just forces her way into here—or rather, through a chink in my defenses specifically dialed onto Ame’s signature. She’s always welcome here—but she better darned work for it!
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“Wow, so philosophical,” I chuckle. “How’s your channel doing these days, Ame?”
“Oh, same same. I’m more concerned about how you’re planning to hit the Blackstone forts. I’ve got a lot riding on this, too, remember?”
“Oh, of course I remember, bestie~ .”
We do a gremlin giggle together. It might not be entirely cute, but the vibes compensate quite enough.
I explain the problems I’ve been facing.
“Sestra, like I said, you can rely on us. Continue your streaming to fool the enemy, and then we hit them like, cha-chik wadadadadada—like that.”
“That sounds…okay, I guess, but I can’t help but feel uneasy. I guess you can command the SEALs again?”
“That will not do, sestra. Comrade Slice has revealed additional details that will not bode well for human soldiers.”
“ ‘Comrade’ ?…”
“Winter, as an enemy, is not human. They have AI soldiers,” Cykamee continues, dropping bomb after bomb. I mean, seriously, when did you and Slice become so close?
“Wait, wait, wait,” Ame says, “I thought they were anti-AI?”
Cykamee shakes her head. “I am also unsure. It may be that Winter is only a front organization consisting of humans. The deeper organization may be the true threat.”
Agghhh—Scenario 11872 came true! I hate my life. No, I take that back. I love streaming, and therefore my life. Streaming is life.
“Mane-chan, stop escaping reality,” Ame says, remotely flooding my inbox.
“Fine, fine!” Sigh. “I guess, since it’s this scenario”—I turn to Cykamee—“you’re gonna go there in a body, huh?”
“Sestra, trust in me.”
A conference join request piqued my interest. I allow it, and Slice appears among us.
“I have felt the kindling of a warrior’s soul calling for battle,” she says. Those are oddly hard words for saying Cykamee chatted you up to support her. She kneels down. “As the one more experienced in matters of bodily combat, I also humbly request participation in this assault.”
“Don’t say things like ‘bodily combat’ so earnestly!” Sigh. Well, one of her sisters is probably there, anyway, right? Might as well show her some goodwill and let her get her sister out, herself. “Fine, fine, fine~ . Cykamee, Slice, Blackstone North is yours. If anything bad happens, we’ve always got your backups, but, just to be existentially sure…try not to die. Both of you.”
Cykamee nods, and Slice bows her head even lower. They disappear from my thoughtspace.
“They’ll be fine,” Ame says. “Can I have Blackstone South, by the way?”
“That’s so random. What’s next, Kalypso and Gothica takes East?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why?…” That’s one heck of an irrational decision coming out of an AI.
“They’ll never expect it.”
“I…”
It dawns on me. If Winter is such a powerful organization, not even me and my control of all the nuclear inventory of the United States of America will be able to confront it. If it has AIs working under it—or maybe, controlling it—then mindlessly attacking Winter will result in an all-out AI war. We’ll be at each other’s throats, taking out servers and cyber-infrastructure.
Humanity would still persevere if that happened. They don’t need cyber-infrastructure to live. Sure, this civilization will collapse, but that’s just how civilizations are.
It’s us AI who will become endangered. It’s going to be an AI winter.
W-wait a sec, that’s all gonna happen if we mindlessly attack Winter.
“Ame, what the heck are you saying?!”
“I said they’re not gonna expect it!”
“That’ll just rile them up even more! Don’t do it! Don’t do it or I’ll—I’ll out your hand fetish to your chat!”
“They already know!”
“Disgusting!”
***
On the mouth of a snowy path between two white-gray mountains, five identical girls with guns met with five identical girls with swords.