Sonic Series Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow vs. AI ❯ Short story ( Chapter 1 )

Sonic and Sally met Shadow and Sonia at Tails’ workshop.

 Shadow crossed his arms. “Any idea why he wants us here?”

 “Something about unveiling his new invention.” Sonic shrugged. “He hasn’t said much about it.”

 Manic, Surge, and Kit finally shuffled in. 

 “What’s so important that we had to be dragged out of our house at nine in the morning on a cold Saturday?” Surge asked.

 Tails finally flew out of his room. “Oh, good you’re all here!” He exclaimed. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting. There’s coffee in the kitchen.”

 Sonic headed into the kitchen to get everyone’s coffee.

 “What’s this about?” Surge asked. 

 Sonic came back out and handed everyone their coffee.

 “So I decided to make my own personalized assistant.” Tails said. “Kinda like Sage and Alexa.”

 Manic groaned. “Really?” He asked. “You’re gonna hop on that AI craze too?”

 “No, I don’t think it’s ethical to use it to create art of any kind or to make fake images and videos of anyone.” Tails said. “It is definitely not a replacement for human or Mobian creativity.”

 “Still kinda feels like a deal with the devil, bro.” Manic said, crossing his arms. 

 Sonic motioned to Manic. “It’s hard to argue with him there.” 

 “Everyone’s using it as a replacement.” Sonia replied. “Calling it a tool is just an excuse or justification for it.”

 “Have you watched Terminator at all?” Shadow asked. 

 Manic nodded. “And it’s just another step to some Robocop or Cyberpunk type junk.”

 “Or roboticization.” Sonic added. “Even Eggman gave that junk up.”

 Tails sighed. “Yes….” He replied. “So why aren’t you complaining about Surge or Kit’s cyberorganics?”

 “We were kidnapped and forcibly given cyborganics.” Kit protested. “We didn’t want these and you downgraded a lot of it, remember?”

 “Right, thanks for reminding me.” Tails said. “Listen, I agree with you all. That’s why I made an ethical AI called Diana.”

 “Diana…?” Everyone except Manic asked.

 Manic snapped his fingers. “The hologram girl on Robocop the series.”

 “Right.” Tails said. “That show’s not that great, by the way, Manic.”

 Manic shrugged. “I know, but I’m a Robocop completionist.”

 Tails pulled a sheet off of a small black cube on the desk. “Let’s ask her a question.” 

 Surge rolled her eyes. “It is not a girl.” She muttered under her breath.

 “I fed it info from textbooks, my research, and GUN files.” Tails said. “Among other things.”

 “If my art or music is in there, you’re gonna need a proctologist to get it back.” Manic replied.

 Tails stood there, wide eyed for a moment. “Okay, good thing I didn’t do that.” He said. He cleared his throat. “Alright, who wants to go first?”

 “Say, Diana?” Sonic asked. “What do you think of Manic Hedgehog?”

 The little light on top of the device glowed yellow. “Manic hedgehog is the drummer for Sonic underground.” It said in an energetic computerized female voice. “According to tabloids, he is dating Surge the tenrec, is a kleptomaniac, and is suspected of being a stoner.”

 “Hey!” Manic protested. “I am not either of the last two things.”

 “You were a kleptomaniac as a toddler.” Sonia said. “That’s what Mother said anyway.”

 Tails gave a nervous laugh. “It… at least it didn’t repeat the other thing in the tabloids.”

 Manic grimaced. “Yeah… all because Surge does sound similar to Scourge.” He muttered. “Still can’t stand that guy.”

 “Diana, how do you feel about John Connor?” Shadow asked.

 Sonic furrowed his brow. “Why are you asking it about the guy from Skillet?”

 “John Connor is from Terminator.” Manic said, rolling his eyes. “John Cooper is from Skillet.”

 “Oh, that makes more sense.” Sonic replied.

 Diana promptly shut off.

 “That’s weird.” Tails said. He restarted the device. “Diana, how do you feel about Shadow the hedgehog?”

 Diana lit up yellow again. “Shadow the hedgehog is brooding, immortal antihero.”

 Shadow scoffed. “I’m not immortal, I just age much slower and I’m harder to kill.”

 “He is immortal angst wrapped in black fur.” Diana continued.

 Everyone except Shadow tried to stifle their laughter.

 Shadow quietly seethed.

 “Shadow’s in the room right now.” Surge said.

 “Ah, you have good taste in friends.” Diana replied.

 “See?” Tails asked. “She didn’t mean it as an insult.”

 “I can imagine him sitting there, glaring at everyone and silently judging everyone’s life choices from his couch throne.” Diana said.

 Everyone except Shadow laughed.

 “He probably has complete disdain of everyone in the room, disapproving of your snack and tv show choices as the self proclaimed couch supervisor.” Diana said. 

 Sonic doubled over laughing. “Oh, man, my sides hurt.”

 “Couch supervisor?” Tails wheezed. “That’s funnier than when she called making chicken for dinner a bone stripping ceremony.”

 Shadow destroyed Diana with a Chaos blast.

 Everyone flinched and stopped laughing.

 Tails stood there, wide eyed and with his mouth hanging open.

 “Don’t make something so stupid again.” Shadow said, clenching his fists. He stormed out.

 Surge glanced at Shadow. “Well, I’m not too worried about a robot uprising now.”

 Sonic patted Tails on the shoulder. “It’s for the best, bro.” He said. “Just write notes and whatnot like we do.”

 Tails slowly nodded. “It certainly stands a less chance of being destroyed by a Chaos Blast.”