Digital Love

by Closer-To-The-Sun

Chapter 8: Touch

Chapter 8: Touch

"You wish to learn about emotions and sensations?" Twilight echoed the previous statement.

"Yes," Giga replied, "I wish to understand these complex characteristics. I know of them and their function, yet I know nothing of purpose or how they work. I also do not understand the common senses. I am aware of how they have helped organisms function, but with no understanding of how they work, for I cannot gage these sensations. I struggle with this wish to learn more and my own limitations."

A bit overwhelmed, Twilight spoke, "I see where you are coming from Giga, but I don't really know how I can help you out."

"All I ask of you, Twilight Sparkle, is to teach me what you can," the computer whirred as Giga made the statement.

Smiling happily at Giga's statement, Twilight agreed, "It would be my honor then. Where would you like me to start then?"

"Senses and their connected sensations."

With a deep breath to prepare herself, the alicorn began, "Well, in that case, I guess we should start with the sense of touch. Also known as somatosensation, it allows for an individual to measure something by how it feels. Such as if something is hard like a desktop, or soft like a pillow. Of course, it's not just limited to touching with one's hooves. The sense of touch can be measured all over an organism's body."

"Fascinating. And what are some of these sensations?" Giga inquired.

"There are many. The firmness of table is one, the softness of a cushion, the warmth of holding a cup of tea, the feeling of snow being packed into a ball in your hooves, the feel of a page being turned," the alicorn began to list a few items off the top of her head, "there are just so many impressions and feelings that you can experience with the sense of touch."

The computer's noise grew as Giga spoke, "It sounds like it is an enjoyable sense to have."

"It's not all good, Giga. With the gift of touch, there is also pain."

"Pain?"

Twilight reworded her previous comment, "Pain, um....physical discomfort. Science indicates that we experience pain as a warning system to help us keep ourselves safe, this is due to evolving over eons and such. Anyway, the discomfort acts as a way to keep ourselves aware of dangers around us."

"You're stating that the sense of touch is both a blessing and a curse?"

"A double-edged sword, yes. While it can give us pleasure, it can also give pain," Twilight explained, "but of course, this is just one of the traditional five senses. There is also sight."

Giga chimed in, "The ability to see, correct?"

"Yes, which allows an individual to view the world around them."

"I have read much about that subject and found it to be very interesting. But the one that still puzzles me is the sense of taste, could you elaborate on that, Twilight?" Giga asked.

The purple pony was a bit troubled about how she was going to describe this, "Well, taste is a unique sense as organisms experience it mostly when eating. With it, we are able to taste what we are eating. And with taste, there are five basic tastes: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and savory. And....uh....I guess this can be linked with the sense of smell since food as an aroma and all. I'm just not sure how to go about talking about smell." Twilight gave a nervous laugh.

Giga moved the conversation along, "There is another sense remaining, correct?"

"Yes," Twilight was thankful she didn't have to figure out how to describe the one sense, "There is hearing, which we both are doing currently with our conversation. While ponies and a number of other organisms use ears to hear, there are other creatures that don't have visible ears but can still easily hear the world around them such as avian critters and yourself, Giga."

"But this is due to my programing," the AI pointed out.

Twilight couldn't help but giggle slightly, "But you are still engaging in the sense without ears."

"But I am still a computer program," Giga echoed.

This caused Twilight to laugh a little more as Giga completely missed the point. She returned the conversation to wrap up her mini-lecture, "Well, that covers the senses. Sort of. Anyway, I'm really happy you're interested in learning more and more. It just proves you have truly exceeded all expectations that we held for you."

Giga replied, "I wish to gain as much knowledge as I can, to understand the world around me."

Twilight laughed again, "That's sounds just like me when I first moved to Ponyville. Wanting learn everything about everything. I guess we're even more of kindred spirits than I originally thought."

"I am honored that you see me in such a way, and I thank you for your comment, Twilight Sparkle. I believe I am blessed to have such a wonderful friend such as you," Giga stated, causing Twilight to smile warmly. The AI then continued, "However, upon the subject of learning, may I ask some elaboration on one concept?"

"Of course. What is it?"

"Love."

Twilight froze upon hearing Giga's request. She didn't utter a single word.

"Twilight Sparkle? Are you still present?" Giga called out.

"I'm still here. I'm just....surprised you want to learn about that," the pony admitted.

"I wish to understand this concept. I see it repeated over and over in countless literature that I read but I am unable to grasp the concept fully."

Twilight was a bit hesitant to start talking about the subject, but she continued, "Can you tell me what you know so far about the topic of....love?" She blushed lightly at the word.

"From my analysis of multiple works, love often appears to be between two individuals who seem to care deeply for one another. While I have noticed that love often exists between family members, friends, and numerous others, it is mostly presented to be between two individuals who are not related."

"Anything else?" Twilight really didn't want to talk more about the topic than she had to.

"There are a number of other inquiries I have, but my observations have been mostly addressed previously."

"Okay," the pony stated. Taking a deep breath, she continued, "Well, to start, I guess that I should say that love is not something that is easily defined. In it's simplest terms, love is strong emotional attachment and attraction. With it, the individual would hold the other in high regard, higher than themselves."

Giga interrupted, "How is love acquired?"

"Love is....uh, gathered by spending time and often bonding with an individual, getting to know them, and holding them in high regard. Take my assistant Spike, for example, we have spent years together and we know each other through and through. We share a love, a bond if you will, that has grown and will always be there. A familial love."

"There are multiple types of love? Fascinating," Giga commented.

"Yes. There is a love between family members, called storge. Then there is the love between friends, which I share with my closest friends, called philia. There's also agape, which is an unconditional and self-sacrificing love. And lastly, there is the love between....well, lovers. It's called eros," her hooves touched together nervously as the pony continued.

"In a number of my findings, I have come to find that the type of love I frequently find would fall into eros," Giga stated, "Would you mind expanding on that topic?"

"S-Sure...." Twilight responded bashfully. "When one individual is in love with another, they yearn for them and....it's hard to explain. They feel a strong desire to be with them."

"I am puzzled, could you elaborate?"

"Well, first I should state it's not always cut and dry when it comes to love. Often times, they might get their heart broken because the other does not feel as they do. It's a big complex game, as a pony once told me, to try and win the affection of another. Sort of like chess. But no matter how much you might desire another, no matter how much you love them with all your heart, it could all be for naught," Twilight explained softly.

"Very interesting. So, if we are to say two individuals are in love, what is common for them afterwards, after this 'game', as you stated," Giga asked.

"Uh....I actually don't have much experience in this field of....study...." the alicorn admitted, blushing a tint of bright pink.

The computer chassis came to life with noise before the AI replied, "I understand. Thank you for your answering my multiple questions, Twilight Sparkle."

Twilight was still flustered, "S-Sure....no problem...."