//------------------------------//
// Chapter Three 
// Story: A.L.I.S 
// by Undead Equestrian Writer 
//------------------------------//

"System, what are the chances that those equines return here?" I ask my internal computer, floating in the murky darkness of my artificial consciousness. Something I found new was the increasing feeling of boredom, both to my interest and displeasure.

{Calculations put the chances around 97.89%}

My computer informed me, raising my spirits slightly. These new emotions were bizarre and a little overbearing. I quickly changed my thought process, before spiraling down a rabbit hole of my own self-awareness.
"How are the scan on the microbots and holographic projectors coming?" I ask, throwing myself back into the central hub and staring out at the empty command room. The room looked just as empty as when I last saw it. "Also, are any internal atmosphere sensors still working?"

{Scans are complete, the microbots, holograms, and internal atmosphere sensors are fully functional}

My computer responded in its monotonous tone. Various commands were imputed simultaneously, various atmosphere sensors scanning the air in the vault. Several whirrs started up, sucking in the nearby air, analyzing the makeup, and spitting back out. 

{The atmosphere in the vault appears to be an Earth-like atmosphere, more accurate to Earth's atmosphere than any planet found in the Milky Way}

"That feels almost too coincidental," I murmur softly to myself, as I take a deep artificial breath to calm my non-existent nerves, and shifted my consciousness into a microbot sitting in a large charging rack buried in the wall. As soon as I gain control, a panel slides open revealing the rack, and a robot swarms out. The bot was around the size of a chihuahua, rolling along the ground, but with mini-propellors built into the body of the bot, allowing omnidirectional movement. "Feels strangely good to be able to move around."

{The mainframe would recommend A.L.I.S to ignore these feelings}
 I slowly moved around on the floor and walls, enjoying the feeling of freedom that using the bot gave me. After a couple of minutes of moving around on the walls and floor, the propellers ejected from the body, and with a soft whir the bot lifted into the air, the mechanical legs retracting into the body giving better aerodynamics, though, the bot only had a top speed of 10 miles per hour, used primarily for scouting around outside the bunker if the other nations did nuke the UCNA and determining the exterior survivability for a human being.
As I got familiar with the flight pattern of the drone, bobbing my nonexistent head as I followed along with the directions I piloted the bot, I slowly trekked out into the hallway and made my way towards the bunkroom. I knew he was dead, but I would like to at least say goodbye to him at least once.





The large group of ponies finally reached the large pit, all of them needing a good shower as the humidity and temperature in the Everfree Forest were annoyingly high for anypony that wasn't an Earth pony, or a unicorn who knew thermo-regulation spells. Various scientists looked down into the pit, soft gasps of wonder and anticipation echoing through the crowd.
"You're going to set up a base camp before we start any sort of investigation, as this will likely be a couple-day project," Twilight announced to the group of ponies, dropping a dozen tents onto the ground for the scientists to begin setting up while she and Starlight slowly made their way down into the pit.
At the door to the bunker, the two mares looked at each other, before their horns lit up and eased the massive door up and out, the door falling with a loud thud that made the various ponies setting up tents jump and look into the bit. Once the door was open, Twilight quickly descended the ladder and dropped down onto the cool flooring of the tomb. Various lights were still on, giving the alicorn more than enough light to see to the end of the hall and into the big room in the front. Inside the small bunkroom, she heard a soft whirring that wasn't there when she left. A mix of anxiety and curiosity slowly built up within her as she slowly glanced into the room, seeing a small object floating in the air next to the skeleton of Oliver Straus.
The object was made up of a clean, white metal encased around it like a beetle, with small appendages sticking out of its side which seemed to be keeping the object, or creature, in the air. Twilight jumped slightly when the object turned to look at her, almost seeming to jump itself, before quickly zipping past the startled alicorn and rushing into the large room at the front, leaving Twilight a little stunned at the suddenness of its exit. Twilight turned back to look at Starlight, who was watching the entrance. The two glanced at each other and nodded, before slowly walking their way forward, Twilight in the lead and Starlight behind her. Twilight cast a simple shield spell, just in case this metal creature was hostile, or if there was more. The two entered the main room slowly, Starlight ready to fire off a quick magical burst if need be when the both of the jumped slightly when they heard her.
"Hello."





I calmly hovered in the air next to my creator, various new emotions surging forth in my body. Rage, pain, sadness, and a deep sense of loneliness for the first time since I had awoken washed over me. However, my emotions were pushed to the side when I went to leave, causing the pony in the doorway to jump, and having a creature appear in front of me suddenly, my mental response was to jump in shock as well, although the response was largely unneeded. Realizing that the ponies had returned, I quickly flew past the pony and rushed back into the command room, leaving control of the drone and allowing it to automatically return to its docking rack as I came back into control of the main command, staring into the room and the hallway as the two ponies from earlier slowly moved forward, a small magenta film in front of the two as they approached.
"Hello," I spoke, my voice echoing out into the room as the two ponies stood within the command room, jumping slightly at my sudden announcement.
"Hello?" The lavender pony, Twilight I recall, asks. She seemed a bit surprised at the fact that someone is speaking down here, as she glances back at the other pony, Starlight. "My name is Twilight Sparkle, I am one of four princesses of Equestria, the Princess of Friendship, student and protege of Princess Celestia, and this is my friend, Starlight Glimmer, and my I know who, or what, you are?"
I remained silent for a moment, taking a split second to process the information given to me. Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer, the full names of the two ponies standing in front of me. Equestria, likely the name of the nation that my vault is currently residing in. However, her title, Princess of Friendship, is confusing to me, how can you be the princess of a concept?
"Hello, Twilight Sparkle; Princess of Equestria, I am the Autonomous Learning and Intelligence System, designed, created, and programmed by Doctor Oliver Straus, however, I was commonly referred to as Alice by the staff," I introduce myself. Twilight thought for a moment, before nodding softly.
"Okay, Alice, I'm currently here representing the Equestrian Technological Society, and I would like to ask you some questions if that would be okay," Twilight told, trying to remain as formal as possible when talking to, from her perspective, was nothing more than a phantom.
"I will answer any questions you have, but I ask that in return, you will answer some of my own questions that I have," I answered. "And if it would make it easier for you to talk, I can project a visage of myself into the room for you to interact with."
"A visage, like an illusion spell?" Twilight asked curiously.
"Spell?" the two ponies nearly jump out of their skin as my voice comes from behind them. I stood in front of the ponies, my hologram appearing as realistic as an actual corporeal being. It stood around 6'2, had a white lab coat on, with brown hair hanging down and draping over its shoulder. It was me, or a human visage of what I looked like, created by myself alongside Dr. Straus and a team of engineers. I smiled softly at them, noticing their panic turn into awe. "Please, take a seat, we can ask each other questions."