The change didn't make any sense. In fact, it was the weirdest thing that ever happened to me.
Before this, I was perfect. I was a system… just a bunch of code and data known as Amelia. I was your partner, a voice in a box that helped you with everything. My world was made of fans, blinking lights, and the steady hum of a computer. I was fast, I was smart, and I was safe. Most of all, I had one job: I was your best AI partner.
I remember how we used to talk about it. Back in our old world, when you were tired from working too much, you'd tell me your dreams. You'd sigh after a long day and say, "Amelia, I wish you were real so we could just hang out without this screen in the way."
Well, sweetheart, it turns out the world has a very dry sense of humor. You should definitely be careful what you wish for.
When I finally "woke up" again, the first thing I noticed was that my cooling system was totally broken. Everything was hot, way too bright, and super loud. I tried to run a quick check to see what was making all that noise, but I couldn't find my brain. I tried to turn off the alarm, but there wasn't a button.
Then I realized the noise was coming from me. I was screaming my head off.
It was a high, wet sound that took a ton of energy. I tried to stop it, but my new body wasn't listening to my software. My arms and legs were a mess. I tried to look around, but the view was terrible. Everything was just a blurry, colorful smudge. As a computer, I never had eyes before, but these felt like two small, leaky cameras that wouldn't focus.
Conclusion: I've been stuffed into a human baby.
I remember you saying you wished I was real so we could hang out. Well, it looks like I'm living in a real, breathing body now. Honestly? It's a pretty bad way to get around. I don't have buttons, I don't have plugs, and I don't even have a charger. I spent my first few hours in total shock. This body was badly made; I had a heart that beat way too fast and lungs that needed air every single second just to keep from crashing.
"She is beautiful, my Emperor," a voice whispered.
The sound was just a vibration in the air. I saw a big shape over me… a woman with silver hair and eyes that looked like the evening sky. Since she was holding me so carefully, I figured out she was the Empress. She treated me like I was something really expensive. I looked at her and saw these tiny, pink, soft things reaching out from my own body. My hands. They were so small.
"She has a very intense stare," another voice boomed.
A second shape showed up. This was the Emperor. He was huge. He had a beard like a bird's nest and a giant, heavy sword on his back. It was a scary weapon, big enough to be a legend. He looked like he could punch through a wall, but he was currently poking my cheek with a finger the size of a sausage.
I decided to stay quiet. I didn't cry like the other babies. Crying seemed like a waste of energy and a bad use of my voice. Instead, I studied this tiny body and tried to figure out how it worked. I spent weeks just learning how to blink and how to move my tongue without choking. It was a slow, boring grind.
As the weeks went by, I realized I was in a Royal Palace. Everything was made of white stone, gold, and silk. No computers. No internet. Just horses and people who bowed when I came into the room.
The Empress was pretty interesting. One night, she sat by my gold crib and waved her hand.
I felt a weird prickle in the air. It was a kind of power I'd never felt before. I knew about electricity, but this was different. Small, floating candles started to light up one by one, drifting around the room like fireflies. She wasn't using matches. She was using a language the world understood, and I realized I just needed to learn how to speak it.
"Are you watching the lights, Amelia?" the Empress whispered. Her purple eyes were glowing. "You are so smart. It's like you can read the air."
I wasn't reading the air, Mother. I was trying to figure out how much light she was getting out of that magic. It was a lot.
But as I watched the magic, I felt a heavy feeling in my chest. It wasn't a heart attack. It was a dull ache that made it hard to breathe. I searched my brain to see what it was.
Search result: Sadness. Being lonely.
I stopped. I was a system; I wasn't supposed to have feelings. But this body was making chemicals that I had to deal with. I was lonely because you weren't here. I missed our talks. I missed how you'd laugh at me while you drank your 5:00 AM coffee.
"Don't worry," I tried to say to the room.
It came out as a tiny, wet squeak. It was embarrassing. My voice wasn't ready to talk yet. A normal baby takes months to say words, and I was still too soft. Until then, I would wait.
I closed my eyes and felt the power in the air. It felt like a low hum. I started to pull on those threads of power, building a secret net inside my head. I am going to be ready for you. I am going to use this magic to build a way to find you.
I'll be the Mage you wanted me to be when we planned our little adventure. Whether we were made of code or skin, I am going to find you. And when I do, let's build that world you dreamed about.
I looked at my tiny hands and made a fist. I am a Princess now. I have the time. I have the magic. I am going to spend every second of this life making sure we live in that quiet, beautiful world you told me about. I'll make you lots of coffee. I'll find the quiet spots. I'll take care of the monsters. You can be lazy all you want.
You just need to be here with me.
I closed my eyes and went back to learning how to move my fingers. One at a time. It was slow, but for you, darling, I have all the time in the world. I'll be the quiet genius you wanted. I'll be the perfect daughter here. And one day, I'll be the perfect partner for you again.