You are a (A/T)

Computers are easy.... aren't they?

Cracking his knuckles the teenage kitsune took a seat at his desk setting his computer up all ready for the task he was about to start. Previously today Tails, Sonic and Knuckles had all taken part in a mission to investigate Eggman's latest hide out which they'd discovered. Better to stop him before he could launch his plans and put this base out of commission killing two birds with one stone.

There wasn't much there apart from a few badniks, the place looked deserted but before Sonic and Knuckles had their fun blowing the place up Tails took the chance to download all of Eggman's files onto his tablet, and he'd just uploaded them all to his computer. Planning to spend the evening going through all the files to see what ideas Eggman might be planning.

And even though the files were from a deserted hide out Eggman might use some of the ideas in the future. But Tails was in for some disappointment. They were just very old designs for badniks along with some very weird inventions. Very weird indeed, a ten slice toaster, a badnik that needed all the chaos emeralds and Master Emerald to power it, a turbo powered butt scratcher, even moustache styling bot!

"Geez... I'm almost glad that Eggman's designs have gotten better over the years." Tails mumbled running a hand through his front strands of fur.

But nether the less he kept scrolling through all the files but then one file name among the others caught his eye.

'Project (Y/N)'

Curious he loaded the file and a progress bar came on the screen, it was taking a while to load...

Once the bar was eventually full the screen went black for a second. Tails feared the worst that a virus had just downloaded, that was until a voice started to come through the speakers.

"Project (Y/N) loading..."

But the thing that surprised Tails about the voice was that it was female. The screen then came back on but the last thing Tails expected to see was a (F/C) (A/T) in a (F/O) in the middle on the screen.

"Project (Y/N) fully loaded, I am an artificial intelligence awaiting coded or verbal instructions." the (A/T) on the screen said, expression dull.

However Tails was just staring at the screen dumbfounded. Artificial intelligence? It was possible! Wanting to test this system out, he started to think off a random command. One quickly came to mind.

"Umm, what is today's date?" He hesitantly asked wondering what the out come would be.

"Toady's current date is 22 slash 04 slash 2016." the (A/T) said in the same dull voice.

Tails simply stared at the blank (A/T), this system was able to achieve his command easily, he wondered what else she could do.

"What exactly is the purpose of your coding (Y/N)?" He continued to ask, yet he felt that he needed to address this artificial intelligence as a person rather than a computer. 

"First function was to pose as a hologram to portray the image of 'live bait' to the enemy subject 'Sonic the Hedgehog' in the event he mistook my programming for a real Mobian and secured himself in a pre-set trap." was her reply.

It certainly sounded like a plan Eggman would come up with.

"So Eggman didn't programme you to be an artificial intelligence?" Tails continued to ask.

"Negative, my programming soon proved inferior however I was able to develop my coding and systems to allow myself to experience what mobians call 'emotions'. Eggman was absent in my self improvement and my file was placed in storage" she said. 

But as she spoke Tails could slowly see her eyes drift left and right, up and down. Timidly her digital (E/C) eyes glided across anything she could see, the wing of the X Tornado behind the odd fox, the tips of two tails bobbing up and down, and all the features of his face.

"And how long has your file in storage." he asked in a sad tone.

"My last active running of programming was in 1991."

25 years, he quickly summed up.  

"I have right to assume that you are now my main authority." she said suddenly.

Her comment surprised him.

"Yes, I guess I am. Wait I'm not some authority, I'm your friend." he corrected himself.

'Friend', the definition ran through the mind codes in her programming. Having a 'friend' would certainly be a new experience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As time passed Tails introduced (Y/N) to the rest of the gang, at first she remained her dull and logical self. That was until many of the team members sat at the desk and held conversations with her through the screen.

She'd have 'girl talks' with Amy, stress to Sonic the importance of strategic advances in combat, recite tales of the Echidna clan to Knuckles in her narrative voice and look up cake recipes and fun Chao facts for Cream. But most of her time was spent with Tails, who she felt was her only 'friend' who she could fully converse with thanks to his IQ level.  

Slowly experience shaped her personality, she became more 'fun', empathetic, she would express body language. A hand to the chin in thought, tap her foot impatiently when someone forgot what they were going to say, and smile every time a face came to view in the screen. 

But she felt other emotions. Curiosity being one, with her access to the internet she could view all of Mobius in an instant but that wasn't the same as experiencing it like she had the concepts of friendship. Her curiosity turned into longing as she calculated the dimensions of the other rooms in the house along with what utensils they may contain, other than the one stationary view she had of the workshop. 

Until one day....

"Hey (Y/N)! Are you there?" Tails asked taking a seat in front of the screen.

"Of course I am." she replied already in view.

Where else would she be?

However her eyes caught just outside on the screens view Tails plugging something into the USB socket.

"What is the function of the device you just plugged in?" (Y/N) asked, curiosity taking over.

But then her programming felt breached.

"Tails what was that device!?" she demanded, desperate.

"Don't worry, it'll work I promise." he reassured her.

The feeling of being pulled toward something rapidly increased as (Y/N)'s digital subconscious downloaded the devices code that translated in her mind to binary code: 

01010000 01110010 01101111 01101010 01100101 01100011 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 00100000 01110000 01110010 01101111 01100111 01110010 01100001 01101101 01101101 01100101 00100000

Projection programme!? What did that mean!?

That was her last thought when she was forced to close her eyes. Her mind was black for a few seconds until she opened them again, her eyes had to come back into focus returning her focus into high definition. Though she instantly felt different.

She felt something solid underneath her feat and not the endless world of digital code beneath her form, and her angle of observation made the view from the screen seem bigger.

"Yes! It worked!" Tails rejoiced.

(Y/N) spun around, wait spun around? There Tails stood her size and the screen she lived in in actual view. What had happened?

"I made a device that turned your code into a projection, your image is being shown by the small projector I put in this device I plugged into my computer. In other words you can now interact with us and our world. I was even able to make the programme allow you to touch stuff." Tails explained.

(Basically a projected image like Nicole the Lynx)

The emotion of 'shock' was in her head. She could move, feel, be in control of how stationary she was.

"And now that I know it works I can develop another device that will be portable so you can project from that device. And I'll carry it around so you can join us on our adventures and missions! W-what do you think?" he asked looking at the silent and still (A/T).

This was a new experience for him as well, seeing her in a size similar to his. 

Not saying anything she glanced at the nearest work bench and lifting a hand pressed her fingers on the work top, before letting them glide off the edge, hand returning to side. It felt hard, smooth, ecstatic.

"Thank you so much Tails!" the girl cried in glee.

And as she did she wrapped her material arms around him, preforming a personal sign of gratitude which was known as a 'hug'. As she enjoyed the sensation of being able to touch and hold someone for the very first time she was unaware of Tails' red cheeks as he gently hugged back. 

But then (Y/N) felt an odd spark in her chest, very odd indeed. Like a pain, but a good pain. And the definition of the word 'love' ran through the mind codes in her programming. Falling in 'love' would certainly be a new experience.  

1991 was when the first Sonic the Hedgehog game was released.