> Our Little Bot; A New Foal > by Ponyess > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prologue is Origin: 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- We had chosen to wait, to assemble her first after we had each and every component required for a complete and safe initialisation. Why chance the risk of failures, do to an unsafe initialisation, or the chance of harming her, just because you lacked a critical component as you get the assembling going? We are doing well for ourselves, the Rubber orchard supplies us with every bit we could need. Our rubber is good enough for most anything you need it for, it is in the process of producing the goods that is the greatest risk to you as consumer anyway. To ensure a lively foal, we had bought the power-cells from Pinkie Pie, the one Pony who could deliver the best charge. With her promises, we know she will be all over the place. Naturally, we bought the power converter from the Apples, they are true and tested, coming through every time, no matter the challenge you put them through. I had bought the personality matrix from Twilight Sparkle, she is a good friend and a reliable Pony in all things logical. Her history in the Oak Tree Library did ensure that, at least in my book. When it came to the choice of hooves, Fluttershy was the choice we agreed upon. She had the most experience on the field, as far as we knew. The first step to me, is to slip the brain into the cranial unit. From there I slipped the personality matrix into the slot, waiting for it to load, although that couldn’t happen, before the charge was supplied. He had placed the power cells into the body frame, before he slipped the power converter into place. From there I could place the head on the neck and connect the power. Once the head is in place, he picked up the legs in order, right and left, fore and hind quarters and mounted the engines to their respective places, one by one, before he could mount them on the lower end of the frame and attach the power cables. He then picked up the chosen tail, slipped the engine in place and connected the power cable. At this point, I connected the cable between her mouth and the power converter and from the converter to the power cell. With that, she is ready to be loaded, prior to initialisation. From there, we had passed the initial challenge. I slip in the feeding protocols into the slot, still no changes. We knew it couldn’t initialise just yet. We liked to play this safe. Not so much for the risk of losing a few bits, but in fear of the emotional reactions to damaging her. They had explained these things back in school. It was common that Mares and even Stallions reacted violently on the emotional level, due to the effects of knowing they had, or could have been the cause of the damage their foal had suffered. Even if it later had been proven that the failure was actually caused by external factors like poorly constructed units. Twilight always explained how the personality-matrix was the most important slot. The matrix would overwrite, or even write new routines and sub-routines, all by its self as reaction to the experiences it endured. Her choice of words had sounded a bit on the harsh side, but the content of her words are true, the matrix can and will adjust the routines in order to adjust to the environment. He applied he secondary cell, and connected it to the converter, before activating the converter, which in effect feeds the low current into the cranium and thus allows for the respective slots to actively load their respective routines, once the personality has been initialised. After the primary self diagnostics had been performed, the initialisation commenced. The green diodes on her cranium slowly light up intermittently, once specific tests had been performed and passed. If a test had failed entirely, the system would abort. This time, there wasn’t even as much as a single yellow light, let alone a red light as warning. As the test completed, I could see a green line of lights, indicating a complete success. Then the matrix commenced, before the inserted routines and sub-routines loaded in sequence. Green lights started to go on and off intermittently as indication of the processes continued progress. Since we had installed neither input nor output units, she is quiet, while the small green diodes indicated progress and successes. We had argued that these were merely distractions and would merely tax the system and the matrix needlessly. Maybe we were right, maybe not. Could the output have given us an earlier warning if anything wasn’t exactly right with our little foal, our filly? Although there is always the chance said unit could have caused the initial problem and derailed the process and hurt our foal. Power-cells are routinely delivered uncharged and empty, for security reasons, we had been told. The cell he had installed is small enough to be considered safe, for the intended purpose. it could deliver enough charge to initialize the system and charge the cell for a short while, only. Once the matrix had been initialised, her slowly and carefully installed the fuel for the primary power cell. Once that had been installed, he made the final connections, which would supply her with power. From here, he installed two primary batteries to store power for a day’s use each, in normal conditions. That was of course calculated for a newly assembled infant. He installed a fuel line and connected it to the respective ports in the back of her mouth and the respective fuel tank in her chest. With that, all the power connections required had been finished. I carefully glued the final details into her mouth. The vocal output, the power input that would make lactation more enjoyable and efficient for us. Aside from the more visual details, like teeth and tongue. Even if some of these does have some practical and enjoyable uses as well. Now he mounted the mechanical lungs and attached the connections in the back of her throat, which would give her the ability to extract oxygen by herself, instead of sucking on a tube. I could see her close her mouth at this point. With that, we left her to rest and absorb her situation, just in order to give her a moment to come to terms with her situation and adjust to the components we had chosen for her. Within the hour we had left her alone, she had gone into the sleeping mode. Convenient. Now I install the optical unit, her eyes and the audio input, her ears, connected them and applied the eyelids and associated components for her eyes as well as the outer ears. We had chosen the ears and eyes for her together and made certain they had been tested out, before we accepted the units and made the payment required in order to sign them out, before we left the store. Since she is a filly, we had chosen a female tail. Not that there is any standard that says that a tail is male or female, just that certain styles are more commonly considered, or used by the respective gender. The more supple tail felt like the choice for us. Others may choose differently, or argue that point, but this is our foal, after all. Once the first sleep cycle had come to an end, she opened her eyes. The matrix had realised eyes had become available, while she was sleeping and thus initialised them for her use. We had jointly agreed against the blue eyes and opted for the deep purple once. The mane of choice is a leafy green, the light green somewhat to the yellow side. The hue you commonly see in the leaves in early spring. He wanted the thicker, more luxury feeling mane for her and I guess I agreed. It does look good on her now, so I can’t say that I do regret the choice now. Looking at her, it did indeed look luxury, glistering lively on her head. For a moment, she just looked at me, then she shook her head and made her mane rustle momentarily. At this point, I moved over to her, taking the final steps in order for her to see and feel me. Then I moved further in order for her to get to what I knew she needed, what I had wanted all along. She placed her short, round filly muzzle to the nibble and started to suck. I could feel the juice flow from me and into her. this is how the lactation should feel, or it is what I imagined. I had no way to know. I had never done it before. --- --- --- > A Day in the Sun: 2 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Our little daughter had apparently woken up early. Naturally, we had not left her assemblage incomplete. I had even put on her rubber boots, before we went to bed. I had seen her closing her eyes and yawn, before I placed her in her little foal bed by the side of our double bed. If it is Celestia’s sun, or merely the internal time that woke her up; not that it really does any difference. We will have to help her adjust this as fast as possible, for the comfort of the entire family. Once I realized she had stirred, I slipped out of bed and all the way around the bed to where our daughter lie, picking her up and help her reaching the spot. From there she managed to suck enough to get the juice flowing. She merely stood still, while I allowed her to drink her fill. I could feel my level sinking, so I have to assume she got something. On a closer examination, she did absorb what was to pass for a good breakfast. Apparently, she let go on her own as she had gotten her fill. That is a good sign, she is a healthy little filly. I felt the relief flowing over me as I realized what it meant. Since she closed her eyes, I let her have a nap before we finally did go up, it was early. Earlier than I found it comfortable going up. Not so much because I love sleeping in, just that the sun barely had gotten up. I could sleep about an hour, before I needed to go up, finally. As I go up, I find our daughter about to stir, once more. With that, I pick her up and carry her to the little playpen we had built for her. For a moment, she looks around in all directions, picking up her bearings, curiously picking up on details around her. Once she feels comfortable with her surroundings, she lies down in one corner, resting and absorbing the situation, with the new details fed to her. I continue to the kitchen, soon finding my mate by the table. Apparently he was just waiting for me. He enjoys to gaze into my eyes as we consume our breakfast together. We try to enjoy this time together as best we can, as often as possible. Breakfast is our best time in the day. This is when we have the most time together, when we can spend time together. Naturally, we do try to have both lunch and diner together as well, just that lunch in particular is the meal consumed at work. After work, we try our best to stick to the commitment to spend quality time together, doing something we both enjoy. Since we have been planning our first foal for quite some time, we have been saving up as many bits as possible. Both to be able to get the best components available, and to be able to have time off and oversee her development. I have been looking forwards to the time when I can pamper my daughter up, knowing my mate share these feelings with me. Looking around for components have been a pastime we have shared for months on end, by now. Taking notes, comparing the quality and strengths of every single component we regarded as important for our daughter. Now we finally can see her grow up and develop under our ever watchfull eyes. Breakfast has always been a moment of quiet. Gazing into the eyes of the other. Only leaving contemplation of the day and the feelings available. Conversation would only distract from the joy of sharing the moment. Besides, feeding takes up the feeding part that is doubling as audio output as well. How this came to be and why is something we don’t ponder. Once my battery is filed, the feeding is completed and the cable disconnects. I had noticed that my mate ejected his cord before me, which is mainly due to our daughters feeding requirements. It is the duty of the mare to feed the foal. If she had not been a shared foal, it is still the mare who shoulders the responsibility. I don’t protest, feeding my daughter is a pleasurable experience I have been looking forwards to. I know I was looking forwards to having my very own daughter since before I even met my mate. How or why is lost in the past, but now I know just how good it feels to have her feeding by my side. This is more than merely the physical sensation of her lips and the heat from her body. I guess I have to resort to calling it an emotional bond. “Time to see how our daughter is doing!” I pointed out as the cord as ejected, rising to my hooves, then walking out to the living room, where we left her while we ate. “Our first morning together!” he responded and followed me out of the kitchen. “Yes, finally. I have been looking forwards to this moment for so many years!” I pointed out. “You have inspired me to feel the same way. You know, a Stallion like me couldn’t have a foal all by myself. I need a mare like you, even if I could raise her myself. It just wouldn’t be the same!” he responded. “I couldn’t even bring myself to have a Foal all by myself, but I would still raise her all the same if something pulled you out of my life. Losing you would be enough, sacrificing her because of it would be unfair to her, as if that wouldn’t just make it even harder on me in the process. Let’s just hope we can stay together, never to have a reason to worry about any such misfortunes. We have a wonderful day together in the sun, what more is there to life?” I pondered. “The day is just as enjoyable as I could wish for. Why look for the horizon, when I have everything right here before me?” he responded charitably. “Maybe this is the horizon you were looking for? I think we have that large pot of gold right her. There is little more to wish for, right now. Just watching our daughter grow up into a healthy mare!” he put forth. “I may like and enjoy my job, my work, Tartarus, I can as well confess to loving my job, but parenthood is still the crowning achievement of a mare. It is the apex of success to me. Now I have everything, not just a job to support myself. I have a stallion by my side with which I share a dream, and our first assembled daughter!” I pondered out vocally. “What is mere survival, if there is nothing ever after? I may not be a mare, or feel that special bond, but I know what is important in life. I have all I need, all I ever wanted right here with me!” he responded with a happy chuckle. --- --- ---