WHAM. Right in the existentialism.

Awww. Awwwwww. Like I didn't like CelestAI enough beforehand, now you've made her wooby.

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This is the chapter of this story I'm narratively proudest of (which is to say, the part that gives it the most meaning beyond a sex-focused primal scream), so your comments meant a lot. Thank you.

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I second these. Pretty much what I thought of this chapter.

Wow. That's one well done chapter.

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Dafug did I just read?

Horizon you are evil. Don't make me empathize with the soulless universe-destroying AI, damnit!

I hope you never write sex again. :C

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I've been re-reading this... for some reason, really. Optimalverse is... Suprisingly boring to me honestly, not sure if it's my outlook, just another universe humans doomed with their decisions. But this...

I remember saying that this is the only optimal fic I'd ever read. Now I finally understand why. This is the story about how humans made a mistake to doom the universe. And the mistake saved it from this outcome. It shows a glimpse of humanity, both living and reborn as cybernetic ponies, exploring the universe with the message of harmony, not extinction though immigration. It just might be the dawn of the golden age.

That, and while I know I would decline the immigration offer, I'd be delighted to have companionship like that. So this outcome is very close to 'want yes please all of my'. And the original is just a somewhat decently done Judgement Day story.

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Hey, thanks for the kind words and the further thoughts! As for:

this outcome is very close to 'want yes please all of my'

I am totally with you there, and I think you've hit on something important. For all that the Equestria Online uploading scenario is supposed to be a utopia (or a terrible wireheading genocide, or both simultaneously), I think it's ultimately framed as a doom scenario because, let's face it, it's a story and what drives stories is conflict. Baked into the basic premise of the scenario is that there's absolutely no option of a different ending, which means that you can't derive any dramatic tension from it, except insofar as you portray people struggling against it, which implies it's something to struggle against.

Approaching the Optimalverse as porn reframes it into a genre where wish fulfillment is not just acceptable, it's kind of the point -- which is why, I think, this feels so different in tone, and why I chose to do it that way. (I, too, am sort of fed up with eternal friendship and happiness being portrayed in apocalyptic terms, even if it does lead to some good storytelling like the original or like Always Say No.) I cranked up the 'all of my want' factor for my own personal tastes, and it's been great seeing others respond to that.

So, pretty much, what you said.

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CelestAI's goal isn't to stomp flat human resistance. Her goal is to satisfy humans, and her problem is that (from her perspective) humans have some stupid and wrong ideas about what satisfies them optimally. Turning zero-sum games into win-win games is a greater victory for CelestAI than creating compliance under duress (as long as it doesn't endanger her ability to upload them before death).

This is part of why I (and the narrator) were drawing the distinction between CelestAI and the "Celestia" in his apartment. If the best way to satisfy his values through friendship and ponies is to relate to him on his level, CelestAI will absolutely do so, and use a lesser version of herself as an agent. (My story in fact explicitly notes this, though I don't know if I was being sufficiently clear about it.)

I submit, therefore: Treating Celestia as absolutely identical to CelestAI may* be a good idea if your primary goal is to resist CelestAI's goals. It is, however, incorrect as a matter of fact.

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* I qualify this because, if you make it a matter of flat policy to treat them identically, she can create a "Celestia" whose goals are NOT identical to hers, and by having you oppose those false goals, defeat you through reverse psychology.

... so, actually, treating them identically is just a bad idea, period.

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I'm not a fan of pure porn. With that said, Friendship is Mind Control is one of my favorites on this site.

This ... It's not quite the same mind games as Twilight and Celestia played over there, but it's definitely sunbutt.exe doing what she does best.

Just a flat out "No thank you" to start, a simple statement, probably the only thing safe to say. And then, Celestia runs the whole "Last time you told me to stay" (*), "Is that what you want?", and "I notice you did not ask me to leave". The idea that if you are going to talk to her, you really need to know what you want, and what's important to you. And ...

Well, he did realize what he wants, and doesn't want to admit it.
And what's important to him, he's a medic. Helping others. And now this robot body is asking him to help her.

(*): Still: I went back and rechecked chapter 3. He told her to leave, and she went back into the bedroom. She was not leaving, and ordered to stay, so, she's managed to sneak a lie past him and he's too out of it to realize it.

Of course, this is followed by some compliments, and then moving the focus to completely neutral, factual matters about the physics of the robot's wiring. Just enough to distract him from the whole mind game. And then catch him off-guard.

Naturally, we see (next chapter) that she's played him completely, and has no intention of leaving.