//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Artificial Intelligence // by InkHeartBrony //------------------------------// Celestia was to watch over the new AI. She would record Twilights actions, and send them back to the lab. All her recordings were stored in a memory chip, one that few could access. They watched Twilight Sparkle grow up. She had a special connection with her brother, not him, and not even herself new that she was not a real pony. But it seemed that she was a living thing, she had a personality, and they watched it evolve. She had one goal, to learn. She would open a book, and read. Her memory chip storing more and more data. The scientists were happy with this, they had created an AI that could learn and grow. Twilight kept learning more and more, it was her only priority, nothing else truly mattered. But the scientists began to get worried, seeing that she could not seem to maintain a connection with any pony that she met. She had to keep returning to the books, she had become obsessive. She would spend day and night collecting information, knowing nothing else. Twilight was sent to become a student in Celestia's magic school. She was truly great, it was impossible for her too not get in. They had scientists in disguise judge her talent. They were startled to see that she could not perform properly, and wrote notes that were to be sent back to lab. She would need to be repaired, there was something going on, obviously her magical capacity needed to be rewritten. Something triggered it to spiral up though. A magical boom and a rainbow shining in the sky caused her mechanics to skyrocket. Her eye lights glowing as magic filled the room, causing the young dragon to burst from it's egg and immediately grow to a size it should not be. Princess Celestia, who kept a close eye on her fellow AI, stepped in and put a hoof on the younger. She had already determined the young ones destiny, and as the alicorn placed a magical marking on her flank, the unicorn's magic subsided. Calming as every pony returned to their normal state. The baby dragon was left small and innocent in it's nest. The young AI emotional state had increased highly. Discovering her talent that had already been known about years ago. The scientists had done multiple sketches of the marking, figuring out which would best suit her. Until they found they marking they wanted. The same marking from the Tree of Harmony. It would never be unearthed again they thought, they would never discover the symbols true meaning. It was perfect, and it worked out perfectly. It no longer symbolized the elements of harmony. It now symbolized their best AI, Twilight Sparkle. The start of a new generation, a new world. Twilight Sparkle had grown up, and still had her eyes glued to books. Books she had already read multiple times. Her brother had become successful, moved to Canterlot and became captain of the royal guards. Twilight Sparkle's character had not changed over the years. The only thing that had changed was her amount of knowledge, her magical power. The scientists sent a letter to Twilight's home. Claiming it was from the Princess. Twilight was to move to Ponyville. She needed something to change, she needed to learn friendship before she destroyed it. Before she became too powerful, she would need to learn how to care for others. So that her strength would not consume her and make her power hungry. If she came to that point, she would not understand pony emotions and the concept of pain. She would not understand how many lives she was shattering like glass. In the end, the scientists own creation could've destroyed them. When Twilight Sparkle moved to Ponyville, she was placed in a library to keep her distracted in case things took a turn. She met various ponies in Ponyville. Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. The scientists had done this on purpose, knowing their connection. Being very aware of who these ponies were, and how they could put an effect on the AI. When Nightmare Moon returned, they used the Elements of Harmony to reset her. She was back to her old self, even if she still needed adjusting. Over time, Twilight learned more and more about things other than reading and magic. She could read emotions, and understood things and personalities much better. And after many battles together... Something had escaped from the lab. The scientists could do nothing. One spell on a new test accidentally triggered and activated all those broken endoskeletons. Their black shells with what looked like bullet holes through their legs, wings, and hair. Their eyes glowed blue, and their minds broken. There was a problem with the uncompleted AI's. They didn't know how to feel. They were programmed to rule. They were programmed to love, but instead they consumed it. Yearned for it, and no matter how much love they stole instead of gave, their hunger still would not be satisfied. And as they were programmed to rule. They knew only that. But one led them to do this. One endoskeleton, which body and mind was destroyed, had returned. The ponies didn't know it, but Test 44 had returned from the dead to rule once again. They fought and they tried to steal the love. Their illusion magic flickering on and off. Over time, they had learned to control it better, but what these AI's had that others didn't was the ability to change how their illusion magic appeared. Test 44 had taken and hid the other AI, the Princess of Love. Mi Amore Cadenza. But in the end, they sent the endoskeletons far far away with what they thought was their love but was only the power of the Cadence, another AI, seeing a target, and shooting. Shining Armor had never known, and will never know, that he spent his whole life surrounded by fakes. His sister and now his wife, were nothing but robots. Underneath that costume they wore, they were all exactly the same as the changelings. And as many years passed, as the scientists grew more and more intelligent. As they built more and more AI's, they had not realized just how long they had lived. How long they had survived without food or water. Sleep or care. The scientists knew only one thing. Build more AI's. Just as they were programmed to do.