Chapter Two: Snips and Snails and Wait...Robots?!
Prom was steadily approaching within the next two days. Many teenagers around town were getting into the swing of things. Spike was taking Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle was taking Feather Weight and Applebloom was taking Truffles. The only ones in the group of friends that didn't have dates were Snips and Snails. To be honest five years hadn't changed much for the two of them if anything puberty only made things worse as with it came b.o and in Snips' case really bad acne. The colts were repulsive to the opposite gender and as they asked damn near every mare out, they were met with the usual responses:
"I have to stay home and wash my mane."
"I'm into mares."
"BWA HA HA HA HA"
"Maybe, if I was like blind or dead."
"I think my kitchen is on fire."
"Stop calling Trixie, how did you get the phone number for the palace anyway?"
The two of them had only one option left and the answer was not to take their moms to prom as even they rejected the two unicorns. No, their last option was Gizmo.
Later they were in the lair of the Gizmo. Okay, actually it just a steel barn attached to a small cottage near the Everfree forest. Gizmo like his cutie mark suggested has a talent for robotics and for the nerdy recluse it was more of an obsession.
Snips and snails had gotten to know him when he posted a job for someone to bring him his groceries and get his mail for him. As the two got to know him they realize how truly crazy the nerd was and how he claimed to be closer to creating electronic life. On Gizmo's side of things, he regarded the two colts as his friends or the closest thing he would ever have to friends.
Once they got to Gizmo's lab, they relayed their situation to him.
"Oh, course I can help you, guys. Stand back and watch this." He trotted over to a garage style door on the far side of the room and entered a several complex hoof movements on a nearby control panel.
"Access Granted."
The door began to rise and smoke bellowed into the room. As it cleared two female forms could be seen coming into view.
"Behold! My latest creations in replicant life technology. I present true, sentient artificial life." He yelled out as the figures trotted forward to reveal themselves as a pair of earth pony mares. They both had metallic grey coats and sported transparent spectral manes. They were a few differences like the one on the left had green eyes with a circuit as its cutie mark whereas the one on the right amber colored eyes with a sprocket as its cutie mark.
Snails reached out to touch the coat of one of the androids. "Wow, it feels so lifelike."
Naturally Snips fallowed suit. "Yeah, it does."
The creations shuttered at the touch of the two colts. Gizmo picked up their reaction. "Please, don't do that."
"Why? They're not real ponies."
At this point Gizmo was about to slap Snips. "Cam and Drive..." He spoke their names which caused their ears to perk up. "...are as real as you and me. I want the same level of respect to be given to them as you would anypony else."
Cam and Drive trotted over to the stallion scientist. "Emotion: Happiness. Greetings father." They both spoke in perfect unison in a monotone voice.
"Could you two wait here while I speak to our guest?" They nodded as Gizmo, Snips and Snails made their way to the office at the other end of the
Snips' curiosity got the better of him. "How did you do it?"
Gizmo looked back and fourth as he narrowed his vision giving him a sinister appearance. "About ten years ago, I used to work at Ponyville General hospital and as you know every once in awhile there is a still birth..." He let that sink in before continuing. "...so that combined with a little dark magic from a zebra shaman and a lot of SCIENCE!!! The result is true artificial life. I have gone beyond the dream of electronic sheep!"
As he continued his mad scientist-like rant, Snips and Snails looked back at each other and had one collective thought. 'Yep, he's still crazy.'
"I recall your prom dilemma and to collect data, I will allow you to take them out, but..." Gizmo's tone once again got darker and more defensive around the android like a protective parent. "... under any circumstance make no attempt to force them to do anything. Doing so would mess up my data not to mention I want them to be treated as if they are my daughters because in many ways they are." The reclusive nerd looked at Cam and Drive wistfully.
The three of them went back to Cam and Drive. Gizmo spoke up. "I feel that it's time for you two to see what the world has to offer you and for you two have fun and enjoy yourselves. May, I suggest going to the Ponyville senior prom with these two fine young gentlecolts."
Snips and snails looked the two robotic mares. "We're your dates for prom." They attempted to be chivalrous and reach for Cam and Drive's front hooves and kiss them, but what the two unicorns ended up doing was tripping over themselves and face planting into the ground.
The androids rolled their eyes. Cam turned to Drive and communicated wirelessly. "These are the first stallions we've met outside of father and already I'm embarrassed to be seen with them."
"Emotion: hopeful. They can't be that bad. Father said this prom objective would be fun, we can give it a chance."
"Agreed."
The two mares were given a bag of bits from Gizmo to purchase a pair prom dresses.
Gizmo sighed. "They grow up so fast." He turned around and made his way back to his other creation in the lab which was draped in a large plastic tarp. 'The future of security systems.'
They then followed Snips and Snails out of the lab towards the Boutique. To them the outside world was beautiful and exciting. They practically sung a song about how wonderful all this new data was, but alas their vocal settings restricted their melody capacity. As they made their way to the dress shop, they interacted with other ponies and took mental inventory of how they compared to their dates. It wasn't looking good for Snips and Snails whom were giddy that they both finally got someone to go out with them.
It was going to be a long two days.