A few hours before, in the security conference room, an urgent meeting had been underway. The meeting included twelve elder executives of the Security Council, dressed in sleek black suits, as well as M, who oversaw IDYPIA, and SAI Prime, who resembled M but appeared as a middle-aged woman.
"Emotion Reset... has been undone?"
"Is this report submitted by AG241 accurate?"
"Didn't SAI Prime's system switch to M and become flawless?"
Despite the appearance of an unexpected anomaly, the executives remained composed, either because they did not believe such an event could occur or due to the influence of their brain chips. However, while they remained calm, the atmosphere in the room grew tense, and the blame naturally shifted towards SAI Prime.
"They are an unprecedented alien presence that has never appeared before."
"Then why didn't we raise the security level?"
This time, everyone looked at M.
"Level 4 is sufficient. Anything higher would fill the city with chaos and unrest. Who knows, there might be those among them who could awaken again."
M replied calmly, as if anticipating the question.
"That's why you were created."
"When we first initiated the Emotion Reset, it caused complications. Are we facing a similar situation again?"
"I merely judge according to the situation in IDYPIA."
M showed no intention of backing down. Sighs erupted throughout the conference room.
"How do you perceive this situation, SAI Prime?"
"I have already entrusted everything to her," SAI Prime replied promptly, but it wasn't what the executives wanted to hear.
"Very well. Then let me make one thing clear here. M, you don't need to make any judgments. Just act as we desire, as you have always done."
"And our conclusion is clear."
The executives nodded simultaneously.
"Entities that cannot undergo Emotion Reset should not exist in IDYPIA."
"No matter what."
"Protect our comfortable nest."
"Exactly."
"Do you understand our words?"
With identical opinions came identical reactions. This was true even when SAI Prime warned about the side effects of Emotion Resets. They were extremely wary of situations that posed a threat to themselves. So, although they cooperated with SAI Prime, they did not fully trust her, and they did not tolerate her defiance of their opinions. That's why they had created other models to curb SAI Prime's power.
But now, those models were rebelling against them. So, they warned that they could replace them with another AI at any time.
"...Understood."
"Very well. Proceed with the execution immediately."
"Yes."
The emergency meeting that resembled a hearing thus came to an end. M remained in the now-empty conference room with SAI Prime.
"There might be some side effects, but let's move forward."
"Yes, Mother."
M's eyes gleamed brightly.
"I relay this message to all my siblings. Please carry out our mother, SAI Prime's, orders to protect them. The door to the past will surely open."
***
The four of them almost simultaneously checked the message that had come to them.
"The necessity of emotions for humanity?"
"Who on earth sent this?"
No matter how much Zena checked, there was no recipient listed. And there was a countdown of five minutes.
"What happens when the time runs out?"
"We don't know what will happen. Let's just accept it for now."
"Wait!"
Tyra and Marty were proactive, but Siu intervened.
"It could be a trap."
"But there's not much time left."
"Tyra's right."
"Hmm..."
"But what exactly is the necessity of emotions?"
Zena pondered the meaning of the mission.
"Could it be about understanding each other?"
"Understanding each other?"
"I was always lonely without even knowing who I was. But we got to know each other, talked, sang songs, and danced together. None of that would have been possible without Zena and Tyra understanding me. I wouldn't have made it alone. And I guess it'll be the same going forward."
Marty's explanation left everyone in a state of awe. Then Marty chuckled.
"It's hard to put into words, but as long as we're together, we can handle anything, whether it's the necessity of emotions or anything else. I just feel certain about it."
With Marty's words, the despair of the four girls turned into courage, and fear turned into determination.
"Yeah. Our lives are about seizing things for ourselves."
At Siu's words, the three girls nodded in agreement and eventually pressed the accept button that appeared on the message.
"No, stop!"
AG241 struggled to get up and shouted, but his cry alone was not enough to stop the four girls.
"Yeah, we thought you might say that."
"What?"
X? No, that's…
Then, as if spreading their wings like 25 white apparitions, they reached out their arms and held hands to form a large circle. It was like a blazing sun.
From the center of that sun-like circle, a black sphere emerged, and gradually, from within that sphere, the white apparition of a woman with long hair appeared. She resembled M, but there was something different about her.
The apparition girl reached out her hand to the four girls. As if drawn by some unseen force, they reached out their hands towards hers. Their consciousnesses began to leave their bodies and be drawn into the whirlpool within the apparition girl's outstretched hand.
- Whiiiiiing!
The four girls felt themselves rapidly accelerating through the fabric of time, their bodies disintegrating like pieces in a centrifuge within the universe governed by SAI's waves. Despite their screams, no sound escaped them.
Their tightly clasped hands turned transparent, then a dazzling flash engulfed them, scattering them into pieces.
The overwhelmed brain chips ceased their function, unable to control emotions any longer. Memories caught in the whirlpool of emotions began to fade away, as if unable to grasp onto each other.
When the girls opened their eyes, they were met with various landscapes, and they found themselves in the era before the reign of emotionlessness and AG, in the year 2022.
***