Twilight Tries...

by Peni Parker

Communicating with a Robot

H-Hi, everypony, and welcome to another episode of Twilight Tries. Or maybe not, because this could still be the Building a Robot episode.

I’m not quite sure how I’m going to edit this yet.

But for now, I’m going to assume that this is going to be a new episode. So again, welcome.

In case you missed the last episode of this vlog, I tried my hoof at building a simple manipulator robot – a robot completely free of any kind of AI or learning software – and I succeeded in that task. But somehow, the robot I'd built, well…it came to life. Don’t ask me how because I haven’t the slightest clue, I just know that it did because it recoiled multiple times when I tried to disassemble it.

Allow me to demonstrate.

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See? I get too close to the robot and it shirks away from me. And as you can also see, the controller for the robot is laying here on the other end of the table so it’s not me that’s causing it to do that. And before anypony says anything in the comments, I’m not using my magic to manipulate the controller. If I were, you’d be able to see my magical aura around the controller while I did so.

I swear, this isn’t some sort of trick or prank I’m trying to pull on all of you. Despite how impossible this whole thing is, my little robot really has come to life and is showing signs of intelligence.

Oh.

I’m just now remembering that Spike kept saying that this would happen, and that he came in here with a wrench that I’m all-but-certain he was going to use to destroy the robot because he thought it would become evil. So I think it’d probably be best if we closed all the doors and windows and locked them before he comes back after he ‘fixes that leaky pipe in the bathroom’.

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Okay, I don’t think anypony should be able to bother us now.

So, with that taken care of, what they hay are we going to do about this robot?! I mean, if it’s alive I can’t disassemble it – unless it does become evil – but I also can’t just leave it sitting here on this table. Maybe I should send a letter to Princess Celestia and see what she thinks the best course of action is?

Wait, no, I can’t do that. Spike would have to be the one to send that letter and he can’t know about this.

At least for now.

Hmmm…maybe I should try and take the robot to the Equestrian Institute of Science? I’m not certain of this, but I think they have protocols in place for what should be done whenever new life is discovered.

Of course I don’t know how I’d get the robot there since I can’t get close to it without scaring it.

*SIGH*

This is not how I imagined my day going when I woke up this morning.

*KNOCK*

Huh?

Did…did you all see that just now? The robot, it…it knocked on the table.

*KNOCK*

I think it…wants us to come closer to it?

Let’s see.

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Yep, it seems like that’s what it wanted.

Wait a minute, is the robot trying to communicate with us?!

Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh! This is…this is incredible! I can’t believe it’s intelligent enough to confabulate!

*DEEP BREATH**

Calm down, Twilight.

Okay, I guess we’re going to try and communicate with the robot now.

Um…hello, robot. How are you?

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It’s just flailing around. I’m not sure why.

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Hold on. Are you trying to tell me you want something to write with?

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I’ll take that up-and-down motion to mean yes.

All right, just give me a second to get you a quill and some ink.

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Okay, little robot, here you go.

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It’s writing! It’s actually writing!

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F

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Fine. You’re fine?

Oh, well, that’s good to hear. Um…do you maybe have a name?

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Elektro?

Well, it’s very nice to meet you, Elektro! I’m Twilight Sparkle, and as the Princess of Friendship it’s my great pleasure to be the first to welcome you to Equestria.

And existence.

If there’s anything I can get for you or anything I can do for you, please just let me know.

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C

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A

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Cake? Are you saying you want…cake?

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Y

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Oh, um, okay then. I think I have some cake in the kitchen that I can give you.

Be right back.

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Why does the robot want cake of all things?

*SNICKER*

Huh, did any of you hear something just now?

Eh, it’s probably just my imagination. Now if you’ll all excuse me, I need to go get my robot some cake.

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Now to relock the door.

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Okay, Elektro, here’s the cake you wanted.

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Oh, you’re welcome.

Such a polite robot.

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You want me to leave?!

Okay, maybe it’s not that polite.

Um, maybe I should stay here for a bit longer, Elektro. I feel that there are still a number of things we need to discuss and –

*SNICKER*

There’s that noise again. And you know what? I think I know what it is.

I know you’re in here somewhere, Rainbow Dash! I’d recognize your laugh anywhere! Now come on out!

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Hello, Rainbow. Mind telling me why you were hiding in here and laughing?

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Because you pulled a prank on me, huh? And what prank was that, exactly?

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Making me think my robot is alive?!

What...but…I…no. No, there's no way that all of this has been one of your pranks. You couldn't possibly have been manipulating the robot so intricately without my knowing it was you.

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You weren't the one manipulating it? Then who was manipulating it?!

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Starlight?! You were manipulating the robot?!

Okay, just…how were you managing to manipulate the robot so surreptitiously? It couldn’t have been with magic because I would have seen your magical aura surrounding it.

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You were using your magic to manipulate each individual part inside the robot?!

Wow. I have to admit, that’s pretty impressive.

All right, well, good prank I suppose. You had me fully convinced that my robot had come to life. Now not to be rude, but can the two of you please leave so that I can finish my vlog?

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No, you can’t take the cake with you, Rainbow!

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*SIGH*

Well, that was unexpected. I can't believe that Rainbow Dash and Starlight were able to pull off such an elaborate prank. Heck, I can't even believe that Starlight agreed to be a part of Rainbow's prank. I never figured her as being the pranking type.

Huh. Why does the thought of Starlight being a prankster make me feel so uneasy?

But anywhoo, since it turns out that Elektro - er, my little robot – isn’t actually alive like I'd thought, I think that means that this episode is over now. So as always, thanks for watching, everypony, and I’ll see you next time on Twilight Tries!

Okay, time to finally disassemble this robot.

Please don’t move, please don’t move, please don’t move.

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Phew.

It didn’t move.

Author's Note:

If there's something you'd like to see Twilight try, please let me know in the comments!

Comments

[Max Stroberger]

Oh Twilight tries pranks on Rainbow and Celestia, and if that doesn't work Twilight tries to exact revenge, and then Twilight tries to reverse consequences.

[Voltaje]

Twilight tries driving a self driving Tesla .

[Drake Redwing]

Twilight tries entering the Grid from TRON? Twilight tries summoning Unicron?

[ANW]

11709769
That would require her to get a driver's license.
But that could be what she can do next.

[singing steel]

Twilight tries to play undertale

[kaafan10]

twilight tries to figure out the meaning of life

[Kichi]

Twilight try a Prank War against Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie with the help of Starlight

[Animak]

Twilight tries lighting fireworks