"Talking"
'Thinking'
"A.I"
"Translated foreign Language"
Chapter 4: A.I's, Fragments, Class and Ramen
Naruto and Kurama are currently on the Training Room floor finishing up on his equipment ability the OverShield. Naruto was standing dead center of the room with Kurama next to his helmet like always and the green Overshield covering his armor. Four chain gun turrets were firing lines of bullets at the green shielded armor. More and more turrets popped out of the ground continuing their assault on Naruto until the Overshield started to flicker. Once the Overshield couldn't handle the damage it automatically shut offline including the computer controlled turrets.
"How was that Kurama?" Naruto asked the A.I fox.
"Overshield could handle up to six turrets before shutting down. Which is a massive improvement since the upgrade we added to it. The cool down time still needs some work taking around five to ten minutes to recharge depending how much damage was done to it."
"Thats good news." commented Naruto
"Hey California!" Turning towards the the spectator room Naruto could see North waving through the window and using the speakers to talk to him. "Come up here and meet our new friend."
When Naruto made his way to the spectator room he found himself joining the conversation at a weird time. Both Wash and York staring downwards between North's legs.
"I expected it to be... bigger." Wash said still staring.
"Why? You've seen mine and California's. It's small too." York says to Wash.
"Yeah, but yours is green."
"How does that even make sense?" asked York.
"Hey Wash, quit staring. You're making it nervous." said North.
"Yeah, it's just... they're so small"
"Small, yeah! But you wouldn't believe what it can do!" stated York.
"Besides, you better get used to it. You're going to have one of your own, soon enough." added North.
Naruto could see South walking "Give me a break." she scoffed before walking away. Naruto made his way over and took a lot for himself to see North's new purple A.I named Theta hiding behind North's legs.
"It's alright Theta, come on out." North called out.
"I don't know. There's so many of them. And they're so... big." Naruto took note on how child like Theta's voice sounded.
"See! I'm not the only one who thinks size is important." Wash exaggerated
"I'm just going to let that one go." York muttered
"It's ok Theta. They're all friends of mine. For reasons beyond my comprehension." informed North.
Theta then reappeared in the usual spot above North's shoulder. "They're looking at me."
"That's because they want to meet is York, California and Wash." North introduced.
"Hey there Theta, it's good to meet you. I'm California but you can call me Naruto when we're not on missions if you want."
"Um okay" Theta replied nervously.
"Hey there little...computer...dude." Wash greeted in a awkward manner.
"Give it a rest, Wash. Theta, Me and Naruto have friends just like you. My friend is named Delta." York gently says to the A.I
"Really?"
"Yeah! Here, you wanna say hello to them?"
"Um...York?" North said while looking at York with Naruto doing the same not sure whether this is a good idea, especially with Kurama.
"It's ok, man. Just for a second. Right Naruto?"
'Go on Naruto, I'll be nice.' encouraged Kurama
Naruto gave up "Fine." he said before both Kurama and Delta appeared.
"Hello Theta. I am Delta. It is nice to meet you."
"And my name is Kumara."
"H-Hello." Theta greeted nervously back to the other A.I's
"See? Everybody here is nice." North told Theta.
"Agent North, I do not feel qualified to make a judgement about humans with whom I have only limited experience. So "nice" is a rather subjective term for.."
"Delta." York muttered.
"Oh yes. Everyone here is "nice"...within standard acceptable deviations."
"Delta!" burst out York.
'He does have a point.' Kurama said to Naruto's mind.
"And that's my sister over there, South. We're twins." North introduced to South who is leaning against a wall.
"I have a sister."
"You do?" Wash asked confused.
"We have many siblings." Theta continued.
"What do you mean by sib" Wash was cut off when the Director and Counselor enter the room. "Hello everyone. I hope you're ready to begin our test. Delta and Kurama! I believe you know the protocol about communicating directly with other A.I. units."
"I apologize sir. We will log off."
"Don't! I want you to help administer the test. Gentlemen, if you will take the floor." The Director ordered.
When North and Theta left the Director continued "I expect you and Kurama to follow protocol at all times." he said to the A.I's
"We were only attempting to make the new unit more comfortable." states Delta
York joins in saying "It's my fault, sir. I asked him to. New kid seems kind of shy."
"Agent North was paired with Theta for a reason. His nurturing nature is best suited to care for Theta's...unique personality." The Counselor explained.
"Yeah. He is used to looking out for people, isn't he?"
"Quite. Delta, your skills are more... analytical in nature. And California got Kurama due to a bond they have."
'The fact that I was sealed inside of you and couldn't take me out, even after they turned me into what I am now.' Kurama thought to Naruto with a low growl.
"If I may disagree, Theta has made double the number of declarative statements since my appearance. That indicates 100% increase in confidence since we modified our interaction strategy. I think that speaks volumes to my caring algorithms" said Delta.
"You make an excellent point, Delta. Let's begin the test." The Counselor says and everyone looking through the window seeing North in the center of the room with his sniper rifle.
Once the test began North's dome shield appeared and the turrets that Naruto was with before popped back up and opened fire.
"As you may recall, Agent North used his equipment in the field on a previous mission."
"He was able to successfully maintain the deflective shield for 3.4 seconds in order to block an explosive projectile attack." informed Delta.
"And he somehow managed not to kill himself in the process." the Director finished.
"The maneuver only had a .1% chance of success. Had he performed it 999 more times, I'm rather certain he would've been obliterated on each one."
"Hey, I'd rather be lucky than good any day." York comments.
"You usually are." Wash says.
"Luck will only take one so far. I am in the business of getting results. Let's see what Theta can do. Kurama, reduce shield strength by 50%."
It was long before North's Drop shield began to flicker. Naruto watched as North instructs Theta to add power onto separate tiles stopping the bullets. Then the turrets started to move around North with the shield tiles following the guns every move. Then rested back into place with the Dome Shield at 100% power level.
"Agent North. Your objective now is to eliminate all targets." The director ordered.
"I thought the shield works both ways. There's no way for him to attack." said Wash.
"Don't worry he'll find a way." bet Naruto.
When Naruto went back to watching North managed to turn off a part of the shield to shoot though cursing the unlucky turret to fly off or damage and stop firing.
"WOW! That was incredible!" cheered Wash.
"YEAH! What did I tell ya?" York joined in.
"And we're sure they don't get any bigger?" asked Wash.
"Dude, you are killing me with that!"
"Of course our A.I units are what we call fragments, so there's very little chance that a personality subroutine can run off unchecked." finished the Director.
"Are there any questions?" asked the Counselor.
"Hold on a sec Counselor."
"Is there something wrong Director." The Director frowned looking at the rust coloured Agent in the room. "Can some one wake Agent California up!"
All the freelancers turn to the Agent, unlike them still had his helmet on. "He's awake… Isn't he?" said Wash. Carolina got up from her seat and pulled of Naruto's helmet revealing him asleep. Naruto was rudely woken up due to Carolina punching him in the arm, making yelp in pain and Kurama logging on next to him. They were in the Freelancer Classroom sitting in separate desks.
"What was that for?!" shouted Naruto.
"You were asleep." Carolina replied the obvious.
"Skipping class again, Agent California." stated the Counselor.
"He has every right. Me and him have been here long enough to know all this." pointed out Kurama.
"Thats enough Kurama, and California I don't want this happening again." ordered the Director.
"Sorry Sir."
"Now, are there any questions?" repeated the Counselor.
"Yeah, I got a question. Why do we need to learn all this stuff?" questioned South.
"A.I. theory is like vehicle maintenance, South. If we're going to use this equipment, any equipment, we need to know how to care for it." responded Carolina.
"Oh yeah. Like a coffee maker or a vacuum cleaner."
"That was rather rude." said Delta
"Oh, cry me a river, light bulb." growled South.
"No, not the same as that." said Carolina.
"I don't even have one because someone didn't bring enough to share, so why am I sitting through this elementary classroom bullshit?"
"I don't have one either, South." Carolina pointed out.
"That's only because you gave yours to Maine." added York.
"He needed to be able to communicate after his injury."
"Oh yeah. That's the only reason you did it. You're a real hero, Carolina. It's not like Maine has much to say anyway." burst out South.
A growling sound was heard from Maine, with the firey A.I saying "I would like to say just how appreciative the two of us are for Carolina's sacrifice. Agent Carolina, if anyone can excel without an A.I unit, it is you."
"Thank you, Sigma." she thanked the A.I known a Sigma who finished "And Agent Texas of course. That goes without saying."
"I notice she doesn't have to attend class." continued South.
"Agent Texas doesn't need this training."
"What the Director's trying to say is that Agent Texas has already completed her A.I theory course work. I think that's enough for today." explained the Counselor.
'WHAT! I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!' Kurama roared inside Naruto head.
'Don't worry Kurama, I find another excuse to get us out of class.'
'Its over Kit, the helmet trick was our best option.'
'I'll find away.' Naruto was put back into the real world, about to leave before Sigma raised his hand. "If I may, Counselor. I have just one last question. On the different levels of A.I awareness and rampancy. Specifically in the fourth stage of rampancy."
"Meta-stability."
"Yes, the meta stage, in which an A.I can be considered fully human."
"That is only theoretical, Sigma. No A.I has ever achieved such a state." the Counselor stated.
"But it is possible."
"In theory, but"
"But possible. I find that very interesting." Sigma said cutting off the Counselor while doing so.
"Remember, Sigma, unlike Kurama, you're not even a full A.I. You are what we call a fragment, so something of that magnitude would be even more difficult for an entity such as yourself." the Counselor explained.
"Well, as the Director always says, it is important to have ambition."
"Why yes it is. Class is dismissed." announced the Director before Naruto and the others begin to leave.
'That conversation ended weird.' thought Naruto
Later on in the dinner hall we find both Naruto and North sitting at a table watching Theta performing a firework display and Naruto on his ninth bowl of ramen.
"That's really great, Theta." North commented.
"Thank you, I worked super hard on it."
York with Delta walked over and sat next to Naruto who couldn't help but notice the stack of bowls beside him. "Jesus man, nine bowls!"
"Trust me York, I used to be much worse." said Naruto not taking his eyes of his food.
"What?!"
"It's true York. The number of bowls he use to have was in the thirties." stated Kurama.
"Anyway I need Theta, Kurama and Delta to shut down while we chat okay." York told the A.I with Delta instantly disappearing.
"North?" Theta asks with a questioning look.
"It'll be okay. I won't talk too long." With this in mind Theta shut downed including Kurama even though both him and Naruto knew he can't fully turn off.
"What's up?" North asks.
"I need to ask you two about something."
"We're all ears York." said Naruto finishing his ramen.
"I need to ask you about the Alpha."
"Where did you hear that word?" North asks in a serious tone.
"Same place you heard it. Up here." while pointing at his head.
"What's an Alpha?" Wash asked now sitting at the table, scaring the crap out of Naruto. 'When the hell did he get here?!' Naruto thought.
"Wash are you eating inside your helmet?" York asks.
"Maybe. Delta said they got the helmet waste disposal out of beta. That it would make my eating more efficient." he replied with a mouth full of food.
"And you believed that? Maybe he is getting more personable."
"It's not "an" Alpha, Wash, it's "the" Alpha. Theta thinks about him a lot. More than thinks, really. He's obsessed." North said getting back onto topic.
"Delta too. Is Kurama like that California?" asked York.
"No, he's not like the others."
"So you've told us, but you haven't told us the whole story about you two." pointed out York.
"It's classified like I've told you York. The Director said it would be best to keep my past a secret." added Naruto.
"Come on we're friends right, don't you think we should know."
"York if California's not allowed to then.."
"No! I give, I'll tell you but it's a long story and whatever I say here must not be talked about elsewhere. The directors already on my back." Naruto said cutting off North.
"It's a good thing I brought a big lunch." Wash said.
Naruto told them how he was born with a creature own as the Nine Tailed Fox that attacked his village causing the village leader at the time the Four Hokage to seal the beast inside him. Naruto also explain the concept of Chakra and his life as a ninja before meeting the Director and offered him to be apart of the Freelancer Project. In the end all three Freelancers had gasping mouths wide open.
"Wait, how come I've never seen you use this "Chakra" before." Wash asked the former ninja.
"Thanks to a power obsessed Uchiha who I thought of a rival and best friend damaged my Chakra flow during a battle we had. Making me unable to use it, not even Tsunade the best medic we had was able to help me."
"Wow I'm sorry Naruto." Naruto just smiled back at York.
"Don't be York, you can't keep living in the past, you have to move on and think about the future. Besides if any of that never happened then I wouldn't of met you guys, or learn about the technology outside my home world."
"Would you ever go back?" Wash continued asking.
"Maybe, maybe not. Anyway like I was saying since Kurama was never really made the same as Delta or Theta, he hasn't really spoken a word about the Alpha."
"You know how all the units call each other brother? They call this one "father". No that's not right."
"Creator." North corrected.
"I thought the Director would be their creator." Wash said.
"Haven't you been paying any attention in class? A.I.s aren't created they're copies of someone." York explained.
"But our A.I.s are just fragments. Unlike Naruto's." North pointed out.
"Which begs the question. Where's the original?"
"SothisAlphathingiswhatcreatesthefragments." Wash said muffled voice.
"What was that Wash." Naruto chuckled.
"Jesus, will you swallow for god's sake?" York pleaded.
"It creates them?" Wash said swallow his food.
"Yeah, Theta isn't clear. It creates them or something."
"Yeah, it's the "or something" part that has me worried." quoted York who was the first to notice that Naruto was disappeared from his set and on his way back with his tenth bowl of ramen.