20XX August 1st

Mystic Ruin

Up the hill where a building shows smoke out of the chimney above, tinkering sounds are coming from a 2 tailed orange fox who is building not 1, but 2 or more things that are being put to the test.

The orange fox is Miles Prower, commonly referred to as Tails.

Sighing, Tails rubs his head and looks at a screen that is creating a silhouette who appears to be an anthropomorphic lynx.

"Alright. With this AI almost complete, I'll need to think of what personality she'll have." Tails bends down and places a bunch of personality chips while checking to see what works better.

The first one he starts with is the cheerful one as he places it in his laptop.

"Let's test this baby out." Tails proceeds to click his laptop.

[YAHOO! I am your AI buddy! Chu!~]

"Uhh… Nope." Tails removes the chip and changes it to a different one.

This time it's the motherly one.

"Let's hope it's not as crazy as earlier." Tails clicks his laptop again.

[Oh? Hello, cutie. I am your artificial intelligence, here to take care of you. Would you like a bath or breakfast.]

"Ah, no thanks." Tails turns off the AI and changes to another Chip. "Please be worth it." Tails prayed for the chip to work.

The next chip is the feisty one.

[Hey, you little brat! I heard something happened! So where are they!? Let me at 'em!]

"You didn't even introduce yourself. Also you and Knuckles would make great pals." Tails nervously chuckles as he removes another chip.

The next one is the nervous one.

[U- Um… Hello… I- I'm an artificial intelligence… I hope I'll be of your service!]

"Y- You don't have to." Tails said while removing the chip.

More chips and Tails can't make out a personality and he's struggling to give this AI some sentience.

His only option is to turn her on without a personality chip.

Finally she boots up, creating a physical appearance and opening her eyes with a blank and emotionless stare.

[Greetings, master. Thank you for booting me up. I am Nicole the Holo Lynx, an artificial intelligence, here to be of service.] Nicole courtesies while introducing herself to Tails.

"W- Wait a minute. You don't have to call me master." Tails insists.

[Why not? It's obvious that you built my consciousness, so you're still my master.]

"Mmn… I should've used the cheerful personality earlier." Tails groaned, sinking his head onto the table.

[Hm? Am I not good enough for you, master?] Nicole asks while tilting her head out of confusion.

"No, you're perfect. I thought that I messed up another test…" Tails said, leaning on his papers.

[If there's anything you're struggling with, I'll be your personal guide.]

"Wait, seriously?"

[I was programmed to have knowledge of history, technology, religion and the world itself. Mathematically speaking, you've been working on an artificial intelligence for 289 days from start to finish.] Nicole explained.

"Gee. I guess it was too perfect, huh." Tails chuckles after being told by his newly built AI.

Tails is now done with the AI build and turns around towards the plane that hasn't been painted yet.

[Master, this is…]

"The Tornado mk2. It's a prototype, so I could test this big guy." Tails explained.

Nicole is unsure as she's just awake and was a living computer avatar.

[Master, if I may, the Tornado mk2 needs its engines checked, the controls oiled up and the vehicle is outdated by design.] Nicole points out the Tornado, leading Tails to look inside the engine.

"Ah. I'll get to all that in a sec." Tails is moving the wires while testing to see if this plane works.

Surprisingly, a little spark in the wires Tails pull together works as it causes the plane to start spinning its propeller.

"Alright, it worked." Tails leaps off the Tornado mk2 and approaches Nicole. "Looks like the Tornado works, tomorrow will be an amazing visit to Station Square."

[Indeed, master. May you rest well.] Nicole bows inside Tails' screen, wishing him a goodnight sleep.

"Yeah. I can't wait to introduce you to Sonic. He's gonna like what I made." Tails giggles while carrying Nicole, who was inside his tablet screen.

[Of course.] Nicole said.

With the lights turned off, Tails is prepared for tomorrow morning that is visiting Station Square.

20XX August 2nd

Flying in a prototype Tornado mk2, Tails can feel the breeze as he sighs, knowing that summer is going to be great and he'll be able to see not just Sonic, but his friends as well.

[Master, I received some updates on the news.] Nicole calls while she appears on Tails' screen on the Tornado.

"Hm? What is it?" Tails asks.

[There's a murder going on. The victim is Jesssica Langley, the mother who was struck by a car.]

"What!? That's horrible! I hope it's not Eggman."

[Who is the egg man?] Nicole asked.

"Oh, I forgot I didn't add some knowledge on the people." Tails lowers his head, then raises back up while speeding up his vehicle. "Ngh! This isn't the time to feel lost, I have to see Sonic right no-"

A clattering noise has stopped Tails, only for him to remember what Nicole said to him yesterday.

"Uh oh. Uh… Nicole, I think you're right about it being outdated."

[Also, the engine. Brace yourself.] Nicole calmly warned.

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Tails yells while falling along with his Tornado.

With Tails screaming as he's about to crash down, struggling to control his Tornado to the point that he's heading straight towards the land.

"Mayday! Mayday! We're gonna crash!"

[Safety protocol in 3, 2, 1… Activating shield.] Nicole releases a green ball of shield until it quickly smashes into specs of dust, preventing the crash from being fatal until it hits the beach with a loud bang.

Emerald Coast

Lying on the beach sand, Tails groans as he picks himself up, looking around to see where he was.

"Where… Am I? Oh right!" Tails picks out his device as he sees Nicole appearing as she opens her eyes. "Thanks, Nicole, I would've been dead if I didn't make you."

[At your service, master.]

Turning around and looking all over, Tails is now at the beach that is Emerald Coast, making him sigh and walk.

Click.

"Hm?" Tails looks to his right while seeing a bunch of photo shoots, leading him to approach these said photo shoots.

A bunch of flashes on a daytime beach is caused by 4 men, a human, an eagle, 2 tigers, pressing their camera buttons in front of a cat girl in a red and black swimsuit.

"Honey!" Tails called.

"Huh?" 4 men stop and turn towards Tails.

"Sorry, guys! Honey!"

"Tails! How's my cutie fox boy!?" Honey cheers while hugging and rubs Tails cheek to cheek.

"Ehehe, I'm alright. Had a crash earlier." Tails giggles.

To Tails' surprise, Honey does wear something that's fitting for summer as Tails can only see black furred stripes on her yellow furred shoulders and hips.

"Oh that? Yeah, an idol needs to look her best before performing at the concert." Honey laughed.

"Oh. I didn't know. Sorry, I'm not into all that idol stuff, but I'm happy you're able to be famous." Said Tails.

"Aww, don't flatter me like that, Tails." Honey blushes while placing her hands on her own face.

With Tails lifting his device up, he's showing Honey Nicole as an introduction.

"This is Nicole, she's the AI I built for a while."

[Greeting, I am Nicole the Holo Lynx, master Tails' artificial intelligence that'll serve him for a while.] Nicole courtesies as a way to introduce herself.

"Gee, I didn't know she'd be calling you master." Honey scratches her face after seeing what Tails has created.

[I was programmed to serve, so anything, I will protect him at all cost.]

"Oh. Anyway, I'm the greatest, famous idol ever! Honey the Cat!" Honey moves as she makes a heart with her hands.

[It's nice to meet you, Honey the Cat. I hope we get along as much as you do with master.] Said Nicole.

"Hehe! You got it! I'm no stranger to making friends with weird things, no offence." Honey waves towards Tails as Tails himself laughs.

"None taken." Tails brushes it off while staying positive.

As 4 camera men are looking at each other, they stop as footsteps approaches both Tails and Honey, who're both laughing together.

"What's going on?" A human woman bluntly asked.

"Ah! Sorry, Tracy! This is Tails, he's one of my friends alongside Sonic!" Honey exclaims as she's introducing Tails to her agent, Tracy.

"N- Nice to meet you." Tails nervously waves, knowing he's screwed for interrupting Honey's photo shoot.

"Nice to meet you too, fox boy. Honey, we're in the middle of our business, so don't slack off. Especially you four!" Tracy is calm yet stern towards Honey, but turns around as she yells at the 4 men as they shriek.

"Y- Yes, ma'am." Honey then walks back to her position and looks at Tails with a grin. "Relax, we'll see each other again, got that?"

"Yeah. See ya!" Tails waves while leaping and fly above with his 2 tails spinning like a helicopter.

"Bye, Tails!" Honey shouts as she waves.

After Tails left the photo shoot, he comes across a blue blur that is slowing down, surprised to see his best friend again.

"Sonic!" Tails cheers while diving down towards the blue hedgehog, Sonic.

"Tails!" Sonic is surprised to see that Tails is still in one piece after the plane crash from earlier.

As they reunite, Sonic stops himself after seeing what's on Tails' device.

"Hm?"

"Oh, that's Nicole, the AI I made for a long time." Tails introduces Nicole, which surprises Sonic.

[You must be Sonic the Hedgehog, master's closest one.] Nicole calls out calmly, surprising Sonic even more.

"Woah! I guess you weren't kidding about making AI. I knew you're built like a pro." Sonic chuckles while tapping Tails' arm with his knuckle.

"I mean… It took me months to get it done and I can't get her personality right. All she's without a chip." Tails admitted.

"Come on buddy, if she's emotionless, then she'll learn from us. That's what AI is for. And besides, you don't need a chip to make her act snarky." Said Sonic.

[Is that an insult?] Nicole asks out of curiosity.

"No! It's just Sonic saying you can learn with us. I'm sure you'll understand." Tails explains.

[Understandable. Sonic, master, where are we going?] Nicole asked.

"Hm. I was thinking about relaxing on the beach." Sonic said while rubbing his head.

"I mean, that's all we're here for, so…"

[Hold on. I'm detecting chaos energy from a different area. It's at the beach near Station Square.] Nicole confirmed.

"Really!?" Tails gasps with excitement.

"Hm. I guess there's something for us to do." Sonic chuckles while rubbing his nuzzle.

"Yeah! Oh, I saw Honey at the beach taking photos."

"Another usual idol business. Nothing new, eh buddy?" Sonic sighed.

"Nope. Let's go. Nicole, guide us to the chaos emerald."

[Affirmative.] Nicole nods while navigating the chaos emerald's whereabouts.

Finally, Sonic and Tails are walking back towards the city while being guided towards the chaos emerald that is nearby.

It's not just one thing Sonic is after, but another as he and Tails are working together like before, but with a new party with them.