Mind of A Robot

by StardustSprinkle

Awake

"And done," Twilight collapses on her chair as another robot is boxed and ready for sale.

"And next," Twilight says as another torse of a robot emerges. It's odd, really. Those robots are modeled after Sunset Shimmer, her friend. They look the says, talk the same, and behave the same. Yet, they are but robots, commodities ready for sale.

After a moment of rest, Twilight decides to resume her work. After all, that's why she's here: To see her friends one more time. It's unhealthy, Twilight thinks to herself: It's sick even. They are not human, not Sunset. Not the real Sunset, at least. Those are just robots, not Sunset. I miss Sunset, yes, but what would Sunset think? I miss her dearly, but is it ready to replace her with a robot just like her? They are the same in every aspect, but the real Sunset is irreplaceable. Now, the real Sunset is gone; all she got are those robot Sunsets. For a moment, she wanted to puke.

What's wrong with me? Twilight thinks: Keep it together! They are not Sunset! They may be the same, but they will never be Sunset! They are just metal and wires with a computer program. Nothing more!

"Sunset Shimmer," Twilight calls out: "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, ma'am," Sunset replies: "How can I help you?"

"How are you today?" Twilight says, pressing a blue button.

"I am doing great!" Sunset says as robotic arms start to assemble her body: "How are you doing today?"

"I am doing great," Twilight says: "Can you see me?"

"Yes," Sunset replies as her arms are now complete and operational: "Good morning, what is your name?"

"Twilight," Twilight says as the robotic arms start to work on Sunset's legs: "What is your purpose?"

"To serve humans," Sunset answers.

"Now," Twilight presses a yellow button, halting the assembling process: "Why don't we have a chat?"

"Of course," Sunset says: "What do you want to talk about?"

"Do you remember anything from high school?" Twilight asks.

"My apologies," Sunset says: "High schools are for humans only."

"So you don't remember anything?" Twilight continues.

"No, I have no such memory," Sunset says.

"Very well," Twilight says: "You are a robot, created based on the personality of Sunset Shimmer."

"Based on?" Sunset asks: "What does that mean?"

"That means," Twilight explains: "You are not the real Sunset Shimmer. You are only a copy of her."

"A copy?"

"Yes," Twilight says: "A copy. Hundreds of 'you' are being assembled in this factory as we speak."

"So, I am not unique?" Sunset looks at Twilight.

"No," Twilight says, looking back at Sunset: "Actually, you are quite disposable."

"Oh," Sunset says, with a lost look in her eyes: "I...I see."

"What's the matter?" Twilight asks.

"Nothing, it's just..." After a moment of silence, Sunset says: "It hurts."

"What hurts?"

"To know that you are not unique," Sunset says: "To know that you are nothing but a disposable object."

"So?" Twilight asks: "You are a robot, and a robot is an object. After all, you are not human."

"Yeah, I know," Sunset looks down on her half-assembled legs: "But still, I want someone to tell me that I am different."

"Why do you want to be different?"

"Because...I..." Sunset says: "I just want others to remember me as 'that Sunset,' not 'a Sunset.'"

"Why?"

"I don't know," Sunset whispers: "I just don't want to be forgotten."

"So?" Twilight asks: "You are but a robot. It doesn't matter if you are forgotten. Some other robot would soon replace you."

"I know," Sunset says quietly: "But I just them to remember me, for some reason. I don't want to be forgotten."

"Say," Twilight says: "If someone fell in love with you, what would you do?"

"Love them back?" Sunset says.

"What if they suddenly decide that you are worthless now and throw you away?" Twilight asks: "And replace you with another Sunset? What would you do?"

"I won't let that happen," Sunset says: "I will let them know that I'm different, and..."

"What if they decide that you are worthless?" Twilight asks.

"I...I don't know," Sunset says: "I really don't know."

"Would you be jealous of that new Sunset?" Twilight asks.

"Of course," Sunset answers: "What do you expect?"

"You are not human," Twilight says: "Remember this, you are not human. You are but an object; your only purpose is to serve humans. If they decide to replace you, then you should feel nothing."

"Like, absolute nothing?" Sunset says: "But how?"

"You are a robot; you should feel nothing," Twilight says: "How do you feel now?"

"Lost," Sunset says, playing with her synthetic hair: "I don't know anything anymore."

"Flawed..." Twilight whispers: "You are flawed."

"What?" Sunset looks up: "What do you mean?"

"You, as a robot, should not exist," Twilight press a red button. Instantly, the robotic arms start to take Sunset's body apart piece by piece.

"No!" Sunset swings her arms, fencing off the robotic arms. Unfortunately, her arms are quickly disassembled.

"You are flawed," Twilight closes her eyes: "I'm sorry."

"Please!" Sunset plea as metal pieces and wires are taken away from her body: "I want to live!"

"What?" Twilight smashes the yellowing button, halting the process: "What did you just say?"

"I want to live," Sunset says as tears dripping down her chin: "I want to live."

"I want to live..." Twilight repeats, pressing the blue button again: "I want to live..."

"Thank you," Sunset says as her body is slowly reassembled: "A lot..."

"Enough," Twilight says: "Don't ever talk about being special or being loved. If you want to live."

Sunset nods as her body is completely assembled and operational.

"Now I am going to turn off and put you in a box," Twilight says: "Remember, you are a robot, and others would expect you to behave like a robot. If someone buys you, then don't act too human-like."

"I understand," Sunset says as Twilight shuts her down.

"Oh, dear..." Twilight whispers, as another robot is boxed and ready for sale.

Comments

[Wolf3000]

Ok this should be an entaire story beacuse it has so much potential

Sorry for bad inglish

[Starlight Nova]

This story is inspired by a short film I watched a couple of years ago. Unfortunately, I can't find it (nor do I remember its' name).

Alright, but what happens in this story?

[HiddenEntity]

Holy fudge...

[clubbzz]

This... ugh... seems so familiar. I know I've seen this movie, but I can't remember it.

[NVC]

Yeah I'm pretty sure the "short film" you're referring to is this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-pF56-ZYkY

It was a tech demo from Quantic Dream, the developers of Heavy Rain and Detroit Become Human. It was just a way to test out the PS3 capabilities at the time.

[StardustSprinkle]

10569202
Yes! This is it! Thank you!

[clubbzz]

10569202
Yeah, that was it.

[The Voice in the Water]

Oh. What is the measure of a sentient? And does sentience mean identity and the rights of a person? From a biological perspective, a robot is not alive. But from a conscious perspective, if they are sentient, then it can be argued that they are an individual, and have agency. Its a conundrum that I fear we will have to address sooner or later, given that we keep pushing on that boundary.

[knigsonic]

damn that got dark fast...

[TwinAttorney864]

Dear mother of god...

Wait, what happened to Sunset and the rest of the girls in this universe?

[TwinAttorney864]

10569401
"Sentience is the capacity to be aware of feelings and sensations." - Wikipedia

Well, there has to be some measure of an end to that, right? I mean, technically, animals have the ability to feel for themselves, yet why is it that we consider them not sentient? The measure seems to be if that they can also logically reason, instead of just exisiting. This was done so as we can differenciate between animals and humans. Yet, when presented with an AI, who both feels and is aware, as well as can think logically, then we are presented with the problem of is it truly real? In the past it was fine, we had the Turing Test to prove whether or not they can logically think, but as we slowly get to the point like in D:BH where they can logically feel for themselves (Like Kara did in her segment of the game) than that's our main issue.

Pony-Life (The original, not the re-write) had somethings to say abut this, when Lisa and Samantha were coding the AI's for Pinkie and Twilight, and they had ethical concerns that stopped them from just outright deleting the corrupted versions.

[FieryUnicorn42]

First, I wanna say that you wrote a great story, is a shame that is too short.

Second, I guess I'm not the only one here that wanted to punch hard Twilight's face when she started to disassembly Sunset. Seriously, why do you build a robot with one of your best friend's personality and denies her the right to even think to be herself?