//------------------------------// // Falling for the First Time, Part 1 // Story: The Iron Horse: Human After All // by The Hat Man //------------------------------// Sunset watched the scene unfolding between Turing Test and the newcomer with the beaming, almost manic smile and decided to step in. She put her hands on top of Gadget’s and gave her a hard look. “H-huh?” Gadget said as though she’d forgotten her standing there. Then her eyes went wide. “Ah, you… you’re…” “Maybe we should take this outside,” Sunset said quietly through grit teeth, “so we can talk about it more privately.” Gadget released Turing’s hands and nodded. The three of them stepped outside and made their way to the nearby food court. They found a small table away from the rest of the mall-goers and sat down together. “Okay, just who are you?” Sunset asked Gadget. Gadget looked down. “I…” she muttered, “I’m—” “Sunset Shimmer, this is Gadget,” Turing Test said as she gave Sunset a reassuring smile. “I know her.” “You mean you know the other… um…” Sunset paused, tightening her lips. She wasn’t sure how much she wanted to say in front of this stranger. “I think I get it now,” Gadget said, nodding to herself. “You’re from that other world, aren’t you!” Sunset and Turing exchanged a look. “I’m right, aren’t I?” Gadget said, crossing her arms and giving them a smug look. “No wonder I was able to detect you.” “What do you mean?” Sunset asked. Gadget looked startled and looked away. “That’s… that’s not important right now.” A bit of a blabbermouth, eh? Sunset noted. I’ll let it go for now, though, and see if she’ll just tell us what she was up to later. Or just blabs it by mistake. “Fine, you got us,” Sunset said nonchalantly as she flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “Now I want to know something: what did you mean when you told my friend that you wanted to ‘study’ her?” Gadget grinned. “Just that!” she said excitedly. “A real robot, out and about independently, walking and talking like anyone else! She must be incredibly advanced! Your world must have incredible technology!” “Actually, that is not correct,” Turing said. “Our world is quite far behind what can be found here. I am merely the exception, a result of a very specific set of circumstances and breakthroughs.” “Really?” Gadget said, furrowing her brow. “Huh. Well, that answers that. Still, at least as far as you’re concerned, Miss Robot, your world is way ahead of this one!” “That may be so,” Turing admitted. “Also, I would prefer it if you did not address me as ‘Miss Robot.’ My name is Turing Test.” She extended her hand, and Gadget shook it eagerly. “And I’m Gadget… ah, b-but you knew that already.” She chuckled, and Turing gave her warm smile in return. “Hold on, hold on!” Sunset said, interrupting them both. “Turing, exactly how do you know who she is?” “Gadget in our world is a scientist and inventor,” Turing replied. “She performed maintenance on me on a few occasions and she is one of my good friends. I believe that this Gadget is a scientist and inventor as well. Am I correct?” Gadget nodded eagerly. “That’s right! I’m in the Everton Independent Study Program, and I’m  studying programming, engineering, robotics, physics, and a lot more. I’m really interested in artificial intelligence, though, and I’ve always been interested in robots.” She clapped her hands together and bowed her head at Turing. “Oh please, Miss Turing Test, please let me learn more about you! It would be a dream come true if you said yes!” Sunset sighed. “Look, Gadget, I get that you’re interested in Turing,” she said, “but Turing’s a real pon—er, person. She’s not just someone’s science project.” “Well, in a manner of speaking, I sort of am.” “I mean you can’t just be someone’s guinea pig!” “Perhaps not. Though I was once a butterfly.” “What?” Gadget and Sunset asked simultaneously. “It is a long story.” “In any case,” Sunset said, “I’m sorry, Gadget, but there’s no way that we can agree to this.” Gadget visibly sagged, her mouth dropping open. “B-but… but I—” “One moment, Sunset Shimmer,” Turing said, turning to face her. “I do believe that such a thing would be my decision.” Sunset blinked. “Well, I mean, yes,” she stammered. “But Twilight asked me to watch out for you. What would she say if I just let you agree to some crazy girl’s scientific experiment?!” “Hey, I’m not ‘some crazy girl!’” Gadget cried indignantly. “Said the girl I found manhandling a stranger and sticking fingers in her mouth,” Sunset scoffed. “I was not ‘manhandling’ her!” Gadget shouted, her cheeks turning red. “That is true, Sunset,” Turing said. “She is female. Therefore, she was ‘womanhandling’ me.” Sunset’s eye twitched. “The point is—” “Forgive me, Sunset, but while I understand your point, the most pertinent factor to consider is that it is my body, and I will decide who handles it.” Now both girls began to blush. “Ah. Have I mistakenly said something embarrassing?” “It’s not important,” Sunset said, shaking her head as she regained her composure. “Look, you’re right that it is your decision, and I’m sorry for acting otherwise. But still, we’ve got a job to do, and helping Gadget with her studies would just take away from that.” “I have considered that,” Turing said, “and therefore I propose an exchange.” “An exchange?” Gadget asked, leaning forward. “Well… I mean, I’m not sure what I can give you. I don’t really have any money or anything.” Turing shook her head. “Monetary compensation is unnecessary. I am referring to an exchange of knowledge, Gadget. “You see, in my world, I am a government official charged with aiding the technological advancement of my nation. Many of the advancements made by humans would be beneficial to us, but without a deeper understanding of how they function, we could not replicate them for ourselves. I am in need of an expert, and I believe you may qualify.” Gadget’s eyes lit up. “I see! You want me to teach you about technology in this world, and you let me learn about you in return!” “Correct, Gadget,” Turing said. To Sunset, she added, “Is that not an ideal solution to our problem, Sunset Shimmer?” Sunset bit her lip. “I… I guess that’s true,” she said. “I mean, with Twilight sick, and only a little bit of time before you have to go back…” Gadget and Turing Test both grinned at her expectantly. “Ugh, fine,” Sunset sighed. “I’m not really happy about it, but it might be the best solution for right now.” “Agreed,” Turing said. “It seems we have an agreement, Gadget.” “Oh, thank you, Turing Test!” Gadget said, leaping up and shaking Turing’s hand vigorously. “Thank you so much! I promise that I’ll be very careful and teach you everything you want to know!” “That sounds wonderful,” Turing said. “However, if we could delay this until this afternoon or possibly tomorrow, that might be for the best. Sunset Shimmer and I have friends who will be expecting us soon.” “In that case, let me give you my contact information,” Gadget said as she took out her cell phone. “What’s your number? I can text it to you!” Turing shook her head. “I do not possess a smartphone, unfortunately,” she said. “Ah, but perhaps, Sunset Shimmer, you could assist me?” Sunset sighed, taking out her own phone. “Fine… I can’t believe I’m being a party to this, but… fine. My number is 867…” *** Turing stepped up to the front door of the one-story brick house later that day. Gadget had noticeably not invited Sunset to accompany her; the two of them didn’t seem to get along particularly well, but Turing supposed that perhaps they simply weren’t very compatible and decided to not let it bother her. Just the same, Sunset’s distrust of Gadget was obvious. Sunset insisted that Turing bring what she called a “pre-paid” phone with her and told her that she should call Sunset every hour to check in. What Sunset thought Gadget might be up to, she couldn’t say, but she agreed anyway. There was no harm in being cautious, she supposed, though she had to admit that Sunset’s protectiveness was mildly bothersome. She knocked on the door and waited patiently. She heard movement inside the house. A moment later, the door opened and Gadget stood there. “You’re here!” Gadget cried. “I can confirm that I am here,” Turing said, trying to observe what she took to be human custom. Gadget raised an eyebrow at the odd comment, but quickly regained her composure and took Turing by the hand, leading her inside the house. It wasn’t terribly different from Pinkie’s house, she noted, though it was a bit smaller. Gadget didn’t seem interested in giving her the tour, however, as she quickly led her through the living room, back to the kitchen, and then to a door that led down into the basement. “Are we going to your room, Gadget?” Turing said. “No, everything we need is in my workshop downstairs,” Gadget said, beckoning Turing to follow her. “I have all my tools and I picked out a lot of technical manuals for you to look through. And I can answer any questions you have about any technology you want to understand.” She grinned broadly. “Ooh, today’s going to be so much fun!” “Gadget?” said a new voice. Gadget whirled around, coming back to the top of the steps to face the speaker. An adult human female was standing there. She had short orange hair and off-white skin similar to her daughter. “Ah, Mama, I… I brought a friend over!” Gadget said hurriedly. Gadget’s mother’s eyes went wide and her lips parted slightly. “Really?” she asked. “Oh, that’s… well, that’s great, sweetie!” She grinned broadly and put her hand out to Turing Test. “Hello, I’m Marmalade Cream, Gadget’s mother. Welcome to our home.” Turing smiled and shook her hand. “And I am Turing Test. It is my pleasure to meet you.” Marmalade Cream smiled, but her expression changed when she felt Turing’s cold, metal hand in hers. “Um, so… what are you girls doing?” she asked. “Just… hanging out, Mama!” Gadget said. “Well, fine, but… well, why’s she dressed like that?” Gadget and Turing looked to each other before turning back to her mother. “Cosplay,” they both answered at the same time. “Oh. Well, that makes sense,” Marmalade said. “You know, Turing Test, Gadget is quite into cosplay. Last year, she bought this adorable sailor suit—” “M-Mama, she doesn’t need to know about that!” Gadget yelled, her cheeks reddening. “Anyway, we’ll be downstairs all afternoon, okay?” Marmalade smiled. “All right, honey,” she said. “You two have fun, all right? And let me know if you need anything. Like a snack or something, okay?” “Right, sure, we will!” Gadget said quickly as she made her way down the stairs. “It was nice meeting you, ma’am,” Turing said, bowing to her slightly before following Gadget, shutting the door behind her. Once she had reached the bottom, she took in the sight of Gadget’s workshop. The area was cluttered, but that wasn’t really surprising. After all, the Gadget she knew in Equestria was likewise messy, but it never seemed to hurt her productivity. “Well, now that that’s over with,” Gadget said as she gathered some texts from her bookshelf, “we can get started!” She brought the books over to Turing Test and held them out. “These are the technical manuals you spoke of?” Turing asked. Gadget nodded. “Basics of programming, some DIY guides on building radios and stuff like that, and a few other things I thought you might be interested. Even a few issues of Wired magazine, too!” “That sounds very helpful,” Turing said. “Thank you, Gadget. I will now read them.” “Oh, well, I thought you’d actually take them home,” Gadget said. “I mean, I don’t mind lending them to you for a little—” Turing opened the first book and flipped through it rapidly. “Information scanned… incorporating… and now I know BASIC.” Gadget blinked. “Wow,” she breathed. “Okay, never mind, I guess this will go a lot faster than I thought! But that’s even better! We can get so much more done!” “That is good to know. I have several questions about terms that were not mentioned in the book, as well, so if you would not mind explaining them to me, I would be quite grateful.” Gadget nodded eagerly. “Sure, ask away!” “To begin, I see that several of these books are labeled as manuals for programming languages. Would it not be more prudent to learn a single language? Why are there so many?” “Ah, good question!” Gadget said, holding one finger up as she held an arm behind her back in a pose she intended to look professorial. “All modern digital computers run on a binary system. It’s all just zeroes and ones that tell the transistors in the system to be off or on, respectively. But since there are potentially billions of transistors in a single computer, coding languages simplify things so we can read and understand what’s going on much more easily. But different languages are better for different things. Some are good for simple desktop software, others are good for web pages, and so on. Does that help?” Turing nodded. “I see. Equestrian computers are not common, but they operate on a system that is quite dissimilar to what you’ve described.” “Oh? What do you mean?” “They are based upon the same technology that allows me to operate,” Turing explained. “My neural net is actually composed of a highly complex network of very small magical runes. The system was based on an older form of runic technology discovered by my father and then developed into something more sophisticated. It is that system that grants me sentience.” Gadget listened breathlessly. “Wow… so, you literally run on magic!” “More accurately, I run on electricity which energizes the runes in my neural net. Still, the system is remarkably complex and not easy to teach or learn. The coding systems you describe seem much simpler. Perhaps my world could adopt them for future computers.” “Heh,” Gadget chuckled. “It still cracks me up that your world figured out sapient robots before they figured out digital computers.” “To be more accurate, non-runic computers do exist,” Turing said. “I once met a group of scientists that were building a very large computer in the basement of a university. Yet the computers in this world are so much more efficient and take up much less space. How were you able to decrease the size of the vacuum tubes?” Gadget covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. “I’m sorry, did you say ‘vacuum tubes?’” “Affirmative,” she said. “Do you not understand? Vacuum tubes are—” “I know what they are, Turing,” Gadget said, rolling her eyes. “It’s just that room-sized computers that use vacuum tubes haven’t been used in decades! They’re completely obsolete! Now we use microchips.” Turing leaned forward. “And what are they?” “Well,” Gadget said, “remember how we were talking about transistors a minute ago? Microchips are basically a bunch of really tiny ones put together.” “Ah. Then they regulate the flow of electricity more efficiently than the vacuum tubes. Ingenious! I am already learning so much!” Gadget couldn’t keep the grin from her face. “I’m so glad I’m able to help you, Turing,” she said. “It’s nice to be appreciated for a change.” Turing paused, raising an eyebrow. “What do you mean ‘for a change,’ Gadget?” she asked. Gadget dropped her eyes to the side and bit her lip. “Never mind,” she said. “It’s not important.” Turing frowned. “In my admittedly limited experience,” she said, “I have found that discussing thoughts and feelings with others often helps alleviate some of the problems associated with them. If you are reluctant, you have my assurance that I will keep our discussion private.” Gadget sighed and pulled up a nearby swivel chair. She gestured to an old, beat up chair close to her and bade Turing sit down. “Well, like I said, I’m studying with the Everton Independent Study Program,” she said. “But it wasn’t always this way. Until about a year ago, I went to a normal school like most of the other kids. The classes were all super easy, and I really wanted to just take my GED and skip school entirely. You know, go straight to college? But Mama and Papa said I shouldn’t. They said I wasn’t ‘mature’ enough.” She rolled her eyes at that. “So I stayed in school. And I hated it.” Turing said nothing, but she continued to listen as Gadget went on. “The other kids used to tease me a lot. The girls mostly. They’d make fun of my height or my weight, or my glasses. They used to talk about me just loud enough to hear and then giggle when I looked their way. They’d pretend to be friendly one day, get me to tell them about something, and the next thing I knew I’d told them something they’d just laugh at with their friends the very next day. They just…” She swallowed. “...they just made me feel like garbage. I’d come home every day and Mama and Papa would make me feel good again about being smart, but then it’d start back up the next day. I was just the geeky girl who couldn’t shut up about her weird hobbies, or the teacher’s pet who thought she was better than everyone.” She folded her arms, hugging herself as she heaved a sigh. “So, when I heard about the Everton program and learned that I could study on my own without any classmates and work on things that were actually challenging, I applied and got accepted. And now I can study whatever I want… but sometimes, when I’m just building or researching down here, I feel like I’ve just been buried away, where nobody knows about me or cares and where nothing I do really matters.” Turing frowned. “I see,” she said. “And so you feel unappreciated, despite your efforts.” Gadget gave her a mirthless smile. “Yeah,” she said. “That’s why it’s nice to be able to help you. I feel like maybe all my knowledge isn’t just a big waste of time.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, I don't mean to waste your time. This all probably sounds pathetic to you, doesn’t it?” “It is not a waste of my time,” Turing said. “Furthermore, it does not sound pathetic. In fact, I know how you feel.” Gadget raised an eyebrow at that. “Your expression indicates that you doubt me, but I assure you that it is true. For most of my existence, I have been the subject of ridicule, fear, or mistrust. Others would often express fear at my appearance, or doubt my sapience, or refer to me by names such as ‘junk heap’ or ‘rust bucket.’ In the early days after my operation, such terms did not bother me. Now that I have developed a greater sense of myself in relation to others, however, I find the memory of such insults… unpleasant.” Gadget’s jaw dropped. “What?” she cried. “People used to make fun of you?!” “In fact,” Turing said, “they still do. I often find that my peers do not treat me the same way as they do each other. Now that I have a more public position, others have made efforts to harass me in the streets or otherwise characterize me as a lesser being to organics. While I have many friends and know that I am no different from them in my thoughts and feelings, I still find such treatment very hurtful. “In fact, I must confess that I had an ulterior motive for traveling to this world. Simply put, I wished to get away from my responsibilities for a short time. The fact that I seem to be appreciated more in this world has made this a very enjoyable visit. I hope to travel here more often.” Gadget was still staring back at her in shock. “I just can’t believe anyone would make fun of you for being a robot,” she said. “I find that organics often ridicule others that are different from themselves.” “But robots are so cool!” Gadget cried, suddenly leaping out of her chair and seizing Turing by the shoulders. “How could anyone make fun of you, Turing?” Turing blinked. “You think I am… cool?” Gadget grinned. “Yeah! In fact, I kind of always wanted to… um…” She let Turing’s shoulders go and backed away as she trailed off. “Wanted to what?” Turing asked. “I… well, don’t laugh,” she said, “but I… I always wanted to be a robot.” Turing’s eyes widened, her pupils shrinking. “I cannot imagine why. In truth, I wish that I were organic.” “Oh, pfft,” Gadget scoffed. “Why would you want to be like us? You can do things no human could do! You’re stronger, you’re faster, and you’re smarter than us!” “Perhaps, but organics can touch and taste and feel.” “Yeah, but you don’t age.” “You can experience dreams.” Gadget wrinkled her nose. “Oh yeah? Well, you never have to worry about bad breath or B.O.!” she shouted. “I would accept such worries if I could appreciate the scent of a flower!” Turing fired back. “You can’t feel pain!” “Organics can have org—” There was a sharp knock on the door at the top of the stairs. “What are you two yelling about down there?!” Marmalade Cream shouted. “N-nothing, Mama!” Gadget shouted back. “Sorry, we were just having a discussion and it got out of hand!” “Well, calm down, I can hear it from up here!” They listened and heard the sound of her footsteps walking away. Once things were quiet again, Gadget suddenly burst out laughing. “Well, I think you probably would have won the argument with that last one.” Turing crossed her arms and gave her a decidedly smug look. “Of course. I knew that ‘organic offspring’ was the best answer.” Gadget blinked. She raised a finger, then reconsidered her question and put her hand back down. “No, never mind.” “In that case, since we have discussed our mutual envy of each other’s attributes,” Turing said, “perhaps we should move on.” “Okay, then what do you want to learn next?” Gadget asked. “Since I can read the rest of these texts quickly and speak to you while you are occupied with another activity, perhaps I should fulfill my end of our bargain.” “Huh? What do you mean?” “You asked if you could ‘study’ me,” Turing said. “I am willing to assist you, if you wish.” Gadget broke into a wide grin. “That’s great! I have so many questions! And… um, you’re okay with me studying your, uh… inner workings?” “I reasoned that a mere description of my internal functions would be inadequate,” Turing said. “Therefore, provided you follow my directions and exercise proper care, I will allow you to examine me.” Gadget was practically shaking with excitement. “Great! I’ll get my tools!” she said, rushing off to find them. “What shall I do to assist you?” Turing asked, raising her hand to her mouth so Gadget could hear her. “Take off your clothes and help me find your screw holes!” *** Sunset reclined on her bed reading a book. Her phone was on the table nearby and she caught herself eyeing it for the fifth time. Just be patient, she told herself. Turing said she’d call in an hour, so if she hasn’t called, then it hasn’t been an hour. She turned back to her book. She read a paragraph and realized that she’d already read it before. “Ugh,” she moaned, massaging the bridge of her nose as she shut her eyes. You’re being overprotective, she told herself. Twilight asked you to help Turing Test, not babysit her. For Celestia’s sake, she’s a government official in Equestria, not a child. Then again, maybe I’m worrying about her because she acts like a child in a lot of ways. Everything here is so new to her, and she doesn’t understand a lot about humans. I mean, they aren’t that different from ponies, I suppose, but still… She heard a vibrating sound and reached for her phone… only to find that it wasn’t ringing. Oh, right. It’s not set to vibrate. Then what… Then it struck her. She reached into her backpack. Sure enough, she found the magical journal that linked to the one Twilight had. She opened it and read Twilight’s message: Hi, Sunset! I just wanted to check in with you to see how Turing Test is doing. I bet she’s having a lot of fun learning about all the new technology in that world. I hope she’s not too much to handle, though; she can be a bit of a hoof-ful sometimes, even if she means well. Sunset couldn’t help but grin. Twilight had the right of it: Turing was a bit much to handle with her enthusiasm and curiosity and her unique way of expressing things. Still… except for this business with Gadget, it had really been a fun visit. Watching movies with her, letting her experience the wonders the human world had to offer, and getting to see things through a newcomer’s eyes, just as she had years ago, all made spending time with Turing Test genuinely fun. She took out her pen and began writing: Turing’s doing just fine! She’s learning a lot, she’s having fun, and she’s getting along with our friends really well! I think she’ll bring a lot of new ideas back to Equestria that will really help improve ponies’ lives. She paused, wondering if she should say more. She ran her tongue around her cheek and made her decision. One question, though: do you know somepony named Gadget? Twilight wrote back a moment later: Gadget? Sure I do! Did Turing mention her? Sunset decided to press forward. Yes, but more to the point, we met this world’s Gadget. She figured out that Turing was a robot pretty quickly. Since our world’s Twilight isn’t feeling well, Turing decided to ask Gadget to teach her about technology. Twilight replied: That makes sense. Gadget in our world is great with technology, so it figures that she’d be the same in your world. Sunset felt herself relaxing. Well, if you think it’s a good idea, she wrote, then I won’t worry. What? Why would you worry? Well, she just seems a little unhinged. Yeah, that sounds like Gadget. I wouldn’t worry about it. Oh, good, Sunset wrote. I was a little worried when she said she wanted to study Turing. There was a pause and she wondered if that was the end of their conversation when suddenly there was a burst of new text, and Twilight’s hornwriting became noticeably sloppier. Wait, what? I thought Gadget was going to teach her about technology, not the other way around! What do you mean she’s going to “study” Turing? Sunset gulped as she wrote her response: Well, it sounds like Gadget wants to find out how she works. Twilight’s long response followed: That might not be a good idea. Turing’s the result of some very strange circumstances. I’m not sure it’s a good idea for humans to have machines that can think for themselves. While I’m glad that Turing Test and her siblings were born, it’s been an uphill battle to fight for the rights of the few artificial beings we have. But humans can build machines much faster and better than we can. If Gadget can replicate the process and figure out how to create sapient robots, humans might be able to make a lot in a short time. Is your world really ready for a bunch of artificial beings to be born all at once? Will they be treated well? Will the robots treat them well in return? Heck, one of Turing’s siblings already hates organics, and it makes me nervous having just one of her! Imagine if there were hundreds or thousands! Sunset swallowed. She broke into a cold sweat. With a shaky hand, she wrote back, You think I should stop Gadget from studying Turing? Just then, the phone rang. Sunset lunged at it, snatching it up as she answered. “Hello?!” she cried. “Hello, Sunset Shimmer,” Turing’s voice said over the phone. “It has been one hour and two minutes. I apologize for my tardiness in calling, but I momentarily set your phone aside and was not immediately able to retrieve it.” Sunset breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t know why, but Turing’s calm synthetic voice put her at ease. “No, it’s all right, Turing,” she assured her. “Is everything going well?” “Very well! Gadget has provided me with a great deal of information about computer operations and programming. I am also making inquiries about the operation of cellular phone systems and radio. Perhaps later we may discuss methods of power generation or the use of the internet. She is truly what they call a ‘fount of knowledge.’ It is fortunate that we encountered her.” “Well, that’s great, Turing. But listen, I think that—” “Turing, could you lift your arm up a little? I can’t quite see the joint.” Sunset paused. “Uh, Turing, what was that?” she asked. “That was Gadget. She is examining my internal machinery. That is the reason I was unable to call you at the specified time; I had left my cellular phone with my clothing, which I had to shed so Gadget could remove my exterior casing.” Sunset’s eyes bulged. “Uh, Turing, are you sure that’s such a good idea?” she asked, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice. Behind her, the magical journal was vibrating again. Twilight was sending her a message. “Is this not what we had discussed, Sunset Shimmer?” Turing asked. “After all, Gadget showed me her body of knowledge, so it is only fitting that I show her mine.” Sunset smacked her own forehead. “Just, um… make sure that she’s careful,” she said, not knowing what else to say, now that it was too late. “We are being very careful, Sunset Shimmer. I assure you that we are using proper protection.” “What?” “Gadget has taken every precaution to neutralize static electricity discharges that might harm my internal systems and is wearing something she calls anti-static wristbands. I am confident that I am in good hands.” Sunset sighed. “Well, just… just learn all that you can. I’ll talk to you in another hour or so, okay?” “Affirmative, Sunset Shimmer. I will speak with you later. Goodbye.” As soon as Turing had hung up the phone, Sunset returned to the journal, opening it to see Twilight’s message. I guess it’s not a big deal if she does. After all, you said your world already has robots. The tricky part is building an electronic brain, and I don’t think humans could do it the same way we did in Equestria anyway. The runic technology that makes Turing Test work relies on magic, and humans don’t really have magic on a big enough scale anyway. If it helps them build better non-sentient robots, then it’s probably fine. I’m sorry, I guess I was freaking out over nothing. Sunset? Sunset, are you still there? Sunset breathed a sigh of relief. Twilight had a point. Without magic, there really wasn’t anything at stake, especially since Turing was obviously not in danger. She was just worried about nothing after all. Yes, I’m still here, she wrote. I was just talking to Turing Test. She’s doing fine. And I guess you’re right that there’s nothing to worry about. I’ll keep an eye on things and let you know if anything goes wrong, but I think things are going just fine. Twilight replied: Glad to hear it! Well, take care, Sunset! You too, Twilight! she wrote, a smile on her lips. Sunset closed the book and took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly and letting her tension drain away. As strange as this all was, in the end, it was just an exchange of information, and that was something to be celebrated, after all. She took up her book again and resumed reading. She glanced over at the picture of her friends gathered around her and smiled. I should just relax and be grateful that I can help, Sunset thought. I have so many good friends, and Turing is one more. I should be nicer to Gadget, too. Tomorrow, I think I’ll go over with Turing Test and apologize to Gadget for treating her the way I did, and I’ll try to help them study instead. I might even learn something in the process! She lay down on the bed, resuming her reading. *** Turing adjusted her shirt and turned to Gadget, who was writing down the last of her notes. They’d finished a short while ago, and Gadget had reattached Turing’s outer casing perfectly. “I certainly hope that was helpful for you, Gadget,” she said. “It really was!” Gadget said, looking up at her and giving her a smile. “A lot of the machinery that makes you work is similar to what we have in this world, but some of it is all new! That thaumium—” “Thaumatrium,” Turing corrected. “Right, thaumatrium. That system you use is absolutely incredible! We don’t have anything like that yet!” “It may be difficult to replicate. Magic does not seem to exist in this world outside of a few instances, which means that thaumatrium would be impractical to produce.” Gadget sighed. “You may be right,” she said. “Still, what intrigues me most is how your neural network functions. If I could only figure it out, I might be able to recreate it.” “You mean,” Turing said, raising her eyebrow, “that you wish to create new beings capable of sapience like myself?” “Or at least smart enough to handle the kinds of tasks humans need them to do,” Gadget replied. “See, we have A.I., and we have machines that can do things really well now that we never thought possible, but we haven’t gotten to the point of just being able to let them operate independently and do just about anything. If we could design a perfect A.I., it could help us with so much! Safer cars, safer medicine, more reliable weather predictions—” “Why would you need to predict the weather? You could simply ask your weather manufacturers.” Gadget blinked. “Our what now?” Turing tilted her head to the side. “In Equestria, the weather is produced and managed by pegasi. They create and maintain weather systems. All storms and seasonal changes are tightly scheduled and regulated. Do humans not have an equivalent system?” Gadget shook her head. “No. I mean… wow. Wait, pegasi?! As in, the plural of pegasus?” Turing nodded. “So… wait, I think I missed some things here,” she said. “Turing, would you mind telling me about your world?” Turing smiled. “Not at all, Gadget. I will do my best to explain Equestria in broad terms, but please stop me if you have further questions…” Gadget listened as Turing went on to explain everything about Equestria, from its citizens and society, to magic, to the rule by the princesses, to the rise of TechQuestria, to the beings inhabiting the land, and so on. After an hour and another customary check-in with Sunset Shimmer, they’d discussed so much about Equestria that Gadget finally had to stop, feeling utterly overwhelmed with the knowledge she’d received. “Wow,” she breathed. “It all sounds so nice. I mean, even without the technological innovations we have here, it sounds like a wonderful place to live.” “It certainly is,” Turing said with a smile. “While it has many problems, I am very glad to call it my home. In fact, discussing it with you has made me more aware of how much I appreciate it. I want to help to make it a better place more than ever before. Thank you, Gadget.” “No, I should be thanking you!” Gadget said as she leaped to her feet. “You’ve taught me so much about your home and yourself and… and, I mean, I feel like I’ve barely done anything at all.” “You allowed me to peruse your texts and answered all my questions even as you were examining my internal machinery,” Turing remarked. “The information I have gained could advance Equestria’s development by decades. Potentially a century or more! You need not be humble, Gadget.” Gadget’s jaw dropped. Then, to Turing’s surprise, she began to tear up. She lifted her glasses to wipe her eyes. “Gadget?” Turing asked. “Are you all right? I did not mean to distress you.” “It’s just that,” she said, laughing in spite of herself, “I really feel special right now. To think that I might be helping an entire nation, or maybe a whole other world to become something better… it’s something I’ve dreamed of for a long time.” She heaved a sigh. “That other Gadget must be pretty lucky.” Turing nodded. “She is indeed fortunate,” she said. “With her mentor’s help and the support of her friends, she has accomplished much. I believe she will accomplish much more in the future.” She went to Gadget and took her hand. “And so will you.” Gadget sniffled. “Oh man… Turing, I… I’m glad to call you a friend. I mean, if you want to call me yours, that is.” Turing grinned. “Of course, Gadget. I will be happy to call you a friend as well.” Gadget swallowed a lump in her throat and suddenly embraced her. “You don’t know how much this means to me,” she whispered. Turing returned the hug. “On the contrary,” Turing said quietly, “I know precisely what it means.” *** Later that evening, after Turing had gone back to Sunset’s, Gadget found herself alone with all the information she’d gathered. She thought about what she’d learned that day and what Turing had learned from her in turn. An exchange between worlds, she thought as she leaned back in her chair. Turing Test is benefitting from all the things our world has to offer. And I’m learning more about their robotics. But without magic, creating A.I. like that here will be impossible. In fact, Equestria seems to rely a lot on magic to make up for things they lack. She looked over to the door on the other side of the room, the one she hadn’t shown Turing Test. Behind it were the two dozen containers of magic that had leaked into her world from Equestria and that she’d collected. There are more applications for this sort of technology than I realized. If I could just find a way to utilize it… She looked down at her notes again. She smiled. I should come clean to Turing Test. I’ll tell her what I’ve been studying, and we can set up a more even exchange: Equestria gets human tech, and we can get magic! With the kinds of things I can build with more magical power and expertise, they’ll have to invent a new kind of Nobel Prize to give to me! She kicked her legs excitedly. She couldn’t wait until tomorrow. *** Sunset examined the painting on the easel before her. She hadn’t really been into art back in Equestria or even when she’d first arrived at Canterlot High. Still, art classes had lit a fire in her, and she found it therapeutic to draw or paint when she was feeling stressed. She’d even been studying graffiti artists and considered creating some works of her own, though for now, a simple still life would be adequate. There was a knock on her door, and she raised an eyebrow. “Turing, is that you?” she called. “Affirmative,” Turing called back. Sunset let her in and said, “So, did everything go okay with Gadget?” Turing nodded. “It was very productive,” she said. “However, adapting some of this information to Equestria will require a great deal of infrastructure. In the meantime, I hope you were not upset about not participating.” “I kept myself busy,” Sunset replied. “Ah. You have something on your hands and face. Is that paint?” Sunset nodded. “I did not know you were interested in art, Sunset Shimmer. In fact, I do not believe I have any close friends with an interest in painting. What have you been creating?” Sunset beckoned for Turing to follow her into the corner of her apartment and showed her the painting she was doing of a bowl of fruit. “Simple, I know, but I really like painting things like this,” Sunset said as she picked up her pallet. She applied a few more brushstrokes to a pear, peering around the easel to look more carefully at real bowl she was using as a model. “You seem to be creating it with a high degree of accuracy, Sunset Shimmer,” Turing said. “Does that mean that you like it?” Sunset asked. Turing assumed her thinking posture. “It is difficult for me to say,” she said. “I lack the same sense of aesthetics that many organics have. Colors and shapes are neither positive nor negative to me. I suppose that I enjoy familiar imagery, however. I have many photographs of my friends in my home, even though my memory is perfectly photographic itself.” Sunset raised an eyebrow at that. “So, you’re not really an art fan?” “I suppose that I simply do not grasp the concept well enough to appreciate it in the same way that you can,” she said. She frowned. “I am sorry.” “Don’t be,” Sunset said, returning to her painting. “Not everyone likes the same things. Still, this gives me an idea.” She took the painting off the easel and took the fruit back to the kitchen. She then led Turing Test over to the table where she’d placed the bowl of fruit and told her to stand still. “Like this?” Turing asked. “Actually, if you could fold your hands in front of you and tilt your head slightly to your left… there, that’s perfect!” “Sunset Shimmer, do you intend to paint… me?” “I thought it might help you gain a little more appreciation for art after a day of pure science,” she said with a chuckle. “And even if it doesn’t, I’d kind of like to have a painting of you.” “I am not certain why, but if it will please you, then I will comply,” Turing said. Turing made for a great model, Sunset found, as she was able to stand perfectly still in the same pose. She was lucky to have just enough gray and silver paint to quickly put the portrait down. While she painted, she talked to Turing Test about her day with Gadget, her time at the grocery store and the mall, and about the movies they’d watched. Turing even surprised her with a few of her odd jokes. After a while, Sunset paused and gave the painting one more look. She nodded, smiling to herself. It might not have been perfect, but she thought it wasn’t half bad for a simple wet-on-wet portrait. “Okay, Turing, come take a look!” she said. Turing Test went over to her and took in the sight of the finished product. Her eyes went wide and she broke into a broad smile. “Oh, Sunset Shimmer! You have recreated my image, and yet… it is somehow different!” Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “I mean that it is slightly inaccurate, though still quite close,” Turing replied. “But I also mean that you have utilized color and shading to give my image qualities that it does not normally possess. It is both me… and not me.” “So, um,” Sunset said, furrowing her brow, “does that mean you like it?” She turned to Sunset. “I do!” she said. “Though I have seen paintings before, I have never been able to connect an emotional attachment to one until this moment. Now, however, it is as though I am seeing myself as you see me. How wonderful!” Sunset laughed, blushing slightly. “I’m glad you like it, but please stop complimenting me so much,” she said. “You’re starting to embarrass me.” Turing bowed her head slightly. “My apologies,” she said. “I did not wish to embarrass you. Ah, actually, Sunset I feel I should apologize to you.” Sunset blinked. “Funny, I actually think that I should be the one apologizing,” she said. “I should have trusted you earlier today. And Gadget as well. I was just worrying over nothing, I guess.” “And I, in turn, believe that I should have insisted on your participation today,” Turing said. “If I had, then perhaps you and Gadget could have become friends as well. I will insist on your participation tomorrow if you wish to join me.” Sunset smiled. “Well, I don’t want you to make demands,” she said. “But actually, I was going to ask if I could come too. I guess the answer’s yes.” “Correct,” Turing said. “I believe that you, as the only longtime citizen of both this world and Equestria, could bring a great deal of insight to our discussions. Also, you are my friend and I want you there.” “Aw, that’s sweet,” Sunset said. “Well, you have the rest of the evening. Is there anything I can help you study? I told the others that I would skip band practice tonight to help you out if I could.” “Actually, I believe that I have gained sufficient information for a single day,” Turing said. “However, I greatly enjoy music and would love to hear you and the rest of our friends practice. Is it too late to join them?” Sunset grinned. “I don’t think so,” she said. “Let me give them a call!” To be continued...