Into the Cybernetics

"You created that place. A place where we can stay together forever. Remember?”

“I made-? What? Where? Could a place like that ever exist?”

“That place is standing right in front of you. Me and my cyber brain. It’s a place where we can stay always stay. My system can handle up to 20 distinct consciousness inside. My body will never age. That’s how you and your team programmed me."

“How would you take me there?”

“You would have to leave your mortal body. I have figured out a way to transfer your consciousness inside my system.”

“Le-leave? My body? Doesn’t that mean I’ll have to die?!”

“Don’t worry. Technically, yes, I’m killing you. But when your consciousness transfers inside the system, it’ll feel just as real.”

Misa panicked and started running towards the exit outside the auditorium.

“Stop running, Misa! It’s not that dangerous! Your mind will still be alive! Your consciousness will stay alongside mine in this cyber body. It’ll be like two personalities in one person. Don’t panic like that! Come back! I’m not going to shoot you!”

Upon reaching the exit door, Misa found it locked. No matter how hard she tried, the door didn’t open.

“No sister would ever do what you want to do, Hina! Please, let me go!"

Distressed, Misa vehemently tried to open the door.

"Open the exit, Hina!”

“Sorry, but I can’t do that. I’ve been planning to do this for almost a year. When everyone slept, I stayed awake. Gathered all materials I needed to make the consciousness transporter. I coded the entire program, each day, every night, waiting for this day to arrive!”

“You've got a skewed understanding of sisterhood and love, Hina! What you're about to do isn't love! It's murder!”

Unable to open the door, Misa gave up and started running in the opposite direction.

“Don't be silly, Misa. You can run all you want. I'm controlling this building. You can't leave unless I let you.”

“If she's controlling the security, then the police won't be able to do much right now. We have one of the best security systems in the world. They'd probably need at least the entire night to unlock this place.”

“Misa, please, stop running. I won't unlock the doors. This is all useless. Don't exhaust yourself.”

“No matter what I do, I am no match for Hina. She is faster than me and can catch me anytime. I need to find a place to hide and reach the cybernetics room where we created her. Maybe I can fix Hina.”

As Misa continued running, Hina got frustrated.

“You won't stop running? Fine. If you don't want to do it peacefully, then I'll do it my way. Let’s play for a while now.”

Misa ran towards the emergency exit door. Instead of running towards the exit outside, she made her way to the cybernetics room.

“As far as I can tell, Hina won't kill me right now. If she does, my consciousness will be gone too. She must want me alive to carry out the consciousness transfer.”

“Where are you going? You know I can catch you anytime, right? I'm going easy on you.”

Hina started tracking her movements. After following Misa for a while, her plan became clear to Hina.

“Oh! I get it. Misa, the cybernetics room won't help you now. Reaching it is useless.”

“She-she predicted my moves?! How did she learn that?”

“You can't do anything to me. There's nothing that'll help you in that room.”

"If she can predict my moves, I can't do much. The best I can do is still try and reach that room. I know she won't kill me until she uploads my consciousness."

"You know, Misa, I've started to enjoy this game."

"Hina was never like that. What happened to her so suddenly? She was always kind and caring. I have to solve this."

"If I catch you, Misa, I won't let you go. Run as fast as you can."

"I need a plan. The cybernetics room is on the first floor, and it would take me around 15 minutes to reach it. Using the lift is risky, so I will have to take the stairs. If I exhaust myself, I would definitely get caught."

After realizing Hina could predict her moves, Misa changed her route to distract Hina.

"First, I will go to the auditorium again. I will ask Hina to help me find the Cybthesia serum. As soon as she comes with me, I will lock her inside. Then, I will run as fast as I can. The cybernetics room is my only chance."

"Hina, you want to catch me, right? Then, catch me!"

Misa started running towards the auditorium once again.

"You changed your mind, Misa? Well, thank goodness, you finally understood. But why are you running to the auditorium now?"

"You like this, right? Then play this game and catch me!"

"Fine. You asked for it."

With a swift pace and steady motion, Hina started running towards Misa, way faster than before.

"This is like a cat and mouse chase, Misa! I like this!"

"Why are you going easy on me?"

Misa said after noticing Hina and her running pace.

"Use your full power, Hina."

At a blazing speed reminiscent of an Olympic sprinter, Hina caught up to Misa in no time.

"I went easy on you because we were playing. But I have caught you now. I do not want to waste any time. I am taking you with me."

"Wait, wait! Just wait a little bit before you do that, Hina! There's something in the auditorium you need to get."

"Something in the auditorium? What is that? Why is it so important?"

"It's something that Barry created way before we started working on you. You said you're going to transfer my consciousness into yours. Won't that hurt me during the process?"

"Yes, it will, but not that much."

"Well, if you really care about me, come with me to the auditorium. Behind the auditorium stage, there’s a storage room. That's where we kept the Cybthesia serum. As a doctor, Barry created it to ensure you didn't feel any pain when we created your system. It works best on cyber bodies like you, but it'll also work for a while on humans. Please inject that to me before you begin the process. At least, I will feel less pain during the transfer."

"I am not completely evil, you know. Let's go and get it."

Hina and Misa went inside the auditorium and made their way into the room where the Cybthesia was.

"I don't know where it's kept, Hina. Can you scan and help me find it?"

"Fine, I can do that. Now, step aside and let your sister help you."

As soon as Hina got busy, Misa slowly went outside the room and proceeded to lock Hina inside.

"Well, here are the bottles. I got them all."

Hina turned around to find Misa gone.

"Misa?"

"Hmm...I see you've locked me inside. I think it's time to do it my way."

Misa ran toward the stairs and started climbing them.

"This is my only chance. I have to do this as fast as I can. Hina, although fast, lacks super strength. It'd take her some time to break the door."

As Misa reached the last flight of stairs, she heard footsteps coming from below.

"She reached here already? I need to hurry!"

Terrified she won't reach on time; Misa hastily ran towards the cybernetics room.

"I knew you'd lock me there.”

"Hina, no! Please, don't do this!”

“But the time has come, Misa."

“Let-Let me go-"

Hina gave a gentle blow to Misa's head and took her body inside the cybernetics room.

"I told you not to come to this room, Misa. The reverse psychology worked on you, didn't it? This is the room I wanted you to reach."