//------------------------------//
// Rhinestone Eyes, Part 3 
// Story: The Iron Horse: Everything's Better With Robots! 
// by The Hat Man 
//------------------------------//

Fluttershy and Discord both waved goodbye as Turing Test departed, walking from the grove in the direction of Twilight’s castle.

“Well, this certainly has been fun!” Discord said, stretching his arms as he gave a long yawn. “However, I think I should get back home. I’ve got to walk the pudding and remind my thinking tree not to spontaneously combust--”

“Discord.”

With that one little word, and the hint of disapproval in Fluttershy’s voice, Discord’s blood ran cold. Still, he put on a warm smile and looked down at Fluttershy.

“Mmmyeessss?”

She looked up at him. She wasn’t angry, but she did have an eyebrow raised. “Discord, can I talk to you for a few minutes before you go?”

“Oh! Well, yes, of course!” he said, snapping his fingers. In a flash, the two of them were seated back in Fluttershy’s living room, each with a nice hot cup of tea before them. “There, that’s much better, don’t you think?”

Fluttershy sighed and took a sip of her tea. She swallowed and looked down at it before setting the cup back on the table next to her chair. Discord was seated across from her on the sofa. His grin was still in place, but she could see it faltering.

“Discord, I told you about Turing Test a while ago.” She looked him directly in the eyes. “Why did you do all that? I told you she scared me, so why did you try so hard to trick me?”

“Ah, well, ‘trick’ is such an ugly word--”

“Discord.” She still wasn’t angry, but she was still looking at him, expecting his answer. As if to punctuate this, Angel Bunny had hopped right next to Fluttershy and was likewise giving him an expectant look.

Discord took a long sip of his tea and set his own cup down. Strangely, though, his smile became more relaxed.

“Well, since you asked,” he replied, leaning back on the couch, “the answer is that I did all this because you were afraid of her.”

Fluttershy sat up straight, her eyes widening. “Discord!”

“I know you’re probably thinking that I was playing a prank on you, but, believe it or not, I was actually trying to do my friend a favor!” He held out his lion’s paw and snapped his fingers, producing a movie projector and a screen. The projector came to life and began to project an image onto the screen. Fluttershy saw it was a montage of images of herself, which Discord began to narrate.

“Now here’s you facing down a dragon - very gutsy of you, by the way - oh and here’s one of you with an entire nest of Star Spiders - yech! - just cuddling them like puppies, and - oh my! Who is this handsome fellow?”

Fluttershy managed to avoid rolling her eyes when she saw the image had changed to her and Discord spending time at her cottage after he’d been freed from his stone prison.

“Why it’s me!” He gasped, hands going to either side of his face in mock surprise. “Yes, the Master of Chaos and once one of the most feared beings in all of Equestria! Now then…”

He snapped his fingers again and Fluttershy now found herself sitting behind a brightly-colored podium as Discord, wearing a tacky suit and tie, came up to her with an oversized microphone.

“Now, for the grand prize, would you care to tell the audience what each of those situations had in common?”

Fluttershy looked all around at her changed setting. “What? Discord, I don’t think--”

“You’ve got 10 seconds.”

“That’s… um, they all involved me?”

“Getting warmer!” He grinned brightly as a ticking clock sound was heard.

“And, um… I wasn’t afraid?”

A bell sounded several times and the sound of cheers and applause was heard (despite no audience actually being present).

“That’s right, that’s absolutely correct!” He pulled her into an embrace. “Discord, tell her what she’s won!”

From nowhere, Discord’s voice began speaking in an abnormally cheerful baritone: “Well, Discord, she’s won… a new cart!” Magically, a brightly colored, jewel-adorned cart appeared before her with Discord’s face in the hubcaps. “But that’s not all!” the voice continued. “She’ll also get a copy of our home game! And a year’s supply of Rice-A-Rooney, the San Franciscolt treat!”

“Discord, please, that’s enough!” she shouted, squirming out of his grasp.

In an instant, the entire scene - the cart, the home game, and the massive pile of Rice-A-Rooney - vanished, leaving only Fluttershy and Discord alone again in her living room.

“Sorry,” he said, blushing slightly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Got a little carried away there with making my point.”

“And what is your point?” Fluttershy asked, hovering before him, forelegs crossed.

“The point, Fluttershy,” Discord said, narrowing his eyes, “is that you weren’t terribly afraid of any of those things. Not even me! But when you described that little robot, you made it sound as if Tirek himself had escaped from Tartarus!” He leaned in closely, rubbing his chin. “It got me thinking. And I had to wonder, ‘What exactly is my dearest friend so afraid of?’”

Fluttershy looked away and slowly descended to the floor. “Well… I mean, I told you what she did.”

“And despite my previous sarcasm, I do get what you mean. Demanding somepony else’s friendship, especially so confrontationally, isn’t exactly a great first impression.”

His smug look faded as Fluttershy refused to meet his eyes. He hesitated a moment before kneeling and placing his paw on her shoulder. “Even so, as your friend, when you told me you were afraid of her, I thought it was strange for you to be so unnerved. And you told me you were a little worried that your fear of seeing Turing Test was making you more reluctant to visit with your friends in case she tagged along. But the oddest thing is that, after spending some time with her myself, I actually think she’s quite nice to be around.”

His smile returned. “In fact, she reminds me of you, Fluttershy!”

Her eyes went wide as she lifted her head. “M-me?” She shook her head vehemently. “Oh no! Oh no, we’re nothing alike! She’s… she’s…”

Discord waited for her to continue, but she seemed to struggle with the words, furrowing her brow and playing with her mane as she tried to articulate what she meant. Finally, tired of waiting, Discord cleared his throat.

“Fluttershy, I know I haven’t always been, well, the best friend a pony could ask for,” he said, not meeting her eyes, “but it seems to me that even if you can’t make friends with Turing Test, the least you could do is confront your fears. And something tells me there’s more to it than just her being intimidating that one time.”

She held up a hoof, heaving a sigh. “You’re right,” she said quietly. “I… I don’t know what it is about her, but she just makes me feel uncomfortable. I guess I probably should try to get over it, so I’ll do my best to be nice to her when she visits tomorrow.”

Discord smiled. “Well then, it seems my work is done here!” He raised his fingers, preparing to snap them and teleport away.

“Discord, wait!” she cried. He paused, giving her a puzzled look. “Listen… I’m glad you’re trying to help me and be a good friend, but… well, is there some other reason you’re doing this?”

Discord went tight-lipped and his eyes darted right and left. “There is,” he replied, “but let’s talk about that later. Good luck with your new pet robot!”

“But--”

There was a flash and Discord was gone. Fluttershy, now alone in her little cottage, the sounds of animals all around her, slumped to the floor, hugging herself.

I wonder, she thought to herself, why am I so afraid of her?


***


Spike was back in the castle taking a bubble bath after his game of hoofball with Big Mac when he heard the sound of metallic hoofsteps on the hard castle floor echoing through the hallway. Jumping out of the tub and wrapping himself in a towel, he then ran out into the hallway.

“Hey, Turing Test, you’re ba--uwah!” he yelped as his wet feet slid on the smooth floor. Luckily he managed to keep his footing as he slid right by her.

“Hello, Spike the Dragon.” She glanced down at the wet footprints and trail of bubbles leading out of the hallway bathroom. “You are wet.”

“Um… yeah.” He started toweling himself off. “I heard you get back. You sure were gone a long time!” He glanced up at her and smiled. “Oh, and it looks like you got your ears fixed again!”

“Yes, although it has been suggested that they are not my ears.”

He paused, blinking several times. “Come again?”

She sat down on the floor. “The Doctor indicated that they might have been originally crafted for my predecessor.”

“Um…”

“I then went to visit Fluttershy as you suggested.”

“Oh!” He brightened, smiling up at her. “So, I guess you watched the butterflies with her?”

“Negative. I met a being named Discord--”

Spike froze, remembering what happened when he’d read his comic earlier.

“--and then I was transformed into a butterfly. And then I was propositioned by several other butterflies. Apparently I am, as one individual said, ‘the hottest piece of thorax in town.’”

Spike continued staring at her in silence, so she continued.

“And then I was eaten by a frog, but rescued by Fluttershy. Somehow, Discord convinced Fluttershy to invite me to her home tomorrow. That concludes the summary of my day until now.”

Spike’s jaw dropped open.

“Spike the Dragon? Are you well?” She cocked her head to the side and stuck out her hoof, waving it before his face. “Do you require a reboot?”

Finally he blinked, rubbing his temples. “Wow. Well, sounds like you had an interesting day.” He paused a moment, but then smiled again. “Oh, but hey, you really did it! You made friends with Fluttershy!”

“I do not believe I have actually ‘made friends’ with her, although the potential for such a development exists.” She tapped her chin. “If I am to be successful, I will require more information. Spike the Dragon, will you provide me with information on how to gain Fluttershy’s trust?”

“Sure!” he said. Then his grin faltered and began to fade. “Um… well, it would help if you were a cute animal.”

“I am not. Nor am I willing to have Discord transform me into one. Again.”

“That’s not really what I meant.” Spike rubbed his chin, furrowing his brow. “I guess you should try not to upset her. Try to be quiet, don’t stare at her too hard, and be nice to her animals. Actually,” he said, nodding to himself, “that last one’s a great idea! If her animals like you, then she’s sure to trust you!”

“I see.” She paused a moment, her eyes momentarily contracting and returning to normal. “That advice may prove useful. However, your second recommendation reminds me of something Discord told me.”

Spike looked up her, bunching up the wet towel as he waited for her to continue.

“He stated that organic ponies consider it rude to stare. Because of my lack of eyelids, I am incapable of doing otherwise while maintaining eye contact. And yet, I was also under the impression that ponies value eye-contact. It is quite a dilemma.”

“Oh. Yeah…” Spike squinted his eyes, crossing his arms as he mulled the problem over. “I guess… try not to look at her… too much?”

“Understood. I will write a subroutine that will regulate my eye contact.”

He shrugged. “Sssure, I guess that could work.”

“I see.” She bowed her head slightly. “Thank you for your input, Spike the Dragon.”

Spike watched the odd little robot as she made her way back toward her room.

“Good luck, Turing!” he called after her.

“Acknowledged,” she called back, and continued on her way.


***


Back in her room, Turing used her magic to unscrew the lid of the small can of metal polish and retrieved the cloth she kept and proceeded to shine her hull. As she was doing so, she glanced over at the mirror.

It was still turned away so she couldn’t view her own reflection. She took hold of it with her magic, intending to look at herself.

But then she hesitated. She did not want to turn the mirror towards herself, even though that would be the best way to check to see if her appearance was acceptable.

She set the can of metal polish down and lowered her head.

Why? What is wrong with me?


***


Fluttershy was pacing back and forth in her living room, animals all around her making their small chittering noises as she waited. She’d been like that since breakfast. Any moment now, Turing would show up, and yet she was already having second thoughts.

“Oh, what if she starts ordering me to make friends again?” she asked aloud, raising her head. “What if she gives me a time limit? Oh no, oh my…”

A chipmunk went over to her and put its tiny hands on her hoof, chirping and chattering away.

“Yes, I did invite her,” she replied. “I suppose it would be rude to turn her away…”

She smiled down at the chipmunk and then at the other animals around her.

“You’re right, my friends!” She nuzzled the chipmunk who’d gone over to her. “I shouldn’t be so pessimistic. I’ll do my best to be nice to her!” Her smile began to falter. “Even if she is a scary machine pony.” She gulped. “And even if she just keeps staring at you no matter what you do. Oh my, maybe this--”

There was a sudden knock at the door and Fluttershy hit the ceiling, clutching her legs around the rafter. A hummingbird flitted over to her and tweeted at her, its tiny voice filled with agitation.

“Y-yes, you’re right.” She swallowed and let go of the rafter, letting herself float down to the door. “I have to just relax. After all, yesterday she seemed really cute when she was a butterfly… maybe I just need to remember that!”

The other animals raised a chorus of chirps, growls, and all manner of birdsong to cheer her on.

Fluttershy reached for the doorknob and, taking a deep breath, she opened the door.

Turing Test was there. But immediately Fluttershy noticed that she was staring down at the ground before her door.

“G-good morning, Turing Test,” Fluttershy said.

Turing Test continued to stare at the ground. There was a long pause and then she barely raised her head and said, “Good morning, Fluttershy. I hope you are well.”

Fluttershy furrowed her brow and waited for Turing to look at her. “Um… is everything all right?”

“Affirmative.”

She kept her gaze fixed on the ground and finally Fluttershy went over and looked at the ground as well.

“Umm… what are we looking at?”

Turing Test raised her head to look directly at Fluttershy. “I am not looking at anything. I am experimenting--” She stopped and immediately lowered her gaze again. “--with avoiding direct eye contact.”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “Oh.” She rubbed one foreleg, biting her lip. “That’s… considerate of you,” she said. “But, well… can you please look at me? It’s a little distracting when I’m talking to you and you keep looking away.”

“My apologies.” Turing paused, but kept her gaze focused on the ground. “Spike the Dragon indicated that you disliked being stared at, so I wrote a subroutine for minimizing eye contact. I am able to utilize my auditory sensors to navigate in the absence of visual information. I hope this will allow you to feel more comfortable in my presence, though I caution you that I may collide with your furniture in the absence of spatial data.”

Fluttershy muffled a laugh with her hoof. “It’s all right, Turing,” she said. Then, growing serious, she drew herself up and took a deep breath. “You can look at me if you want. I’d rather you talk to me than just keep staring at the ground like that.”

Turing Test lifted her gaze ever-so-slightly. “Are you certain? I do not wish to distress you.”

Fluttershy nodded.

“I will comply.” She raised her head and immediately Fluttershy stiffened, backing away.

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as she stared into the glowing violet light of Turing’s gaze. Those eyes, eternally staring, seemed to peer right through her, as though she was under a microscope, her every movement scrutinized--

No! she told herself, shaking her head. Come on, Fluttershy, you can do this! She took a deep breath to steady herself and stood up straight, looking Turing in the eyes. Her heart’s beating began to return to normal.

“S-sorry,” she said, giving Turing a weak smile. “It’s true I don’t like it when ponies stare at me, but I suppose you really can’t help it.”

“Affirmative. However, I am hopeful I will one day have eyelids.”

“Um… that sounds nice.” Fluttershy beckoned for Turing to enter her cottage and the robot complied, shutting the front door behind her.

“Your house is made of wood,” Turing Test remarked, glancing around at the inside of Fluttershy’s living room. “The variety of ponies’ residences in Ponyville is quite noticeable.”

Fluttershy looked around at her house, smiling warmly. “I like it. I grew up in the clouds and the sky all around me. This feels cozy and safe.”

There were various animal sounds as the squirrels, birds, and chipmunks all began to emerge, looking to Turing with curiosity. Turing scanned the room, her ears squeaking as she took in the sounds of their various squeaks and chirps.

“Twilight Sparkle had previously told me that you were a keeper of animals,” she said, “but I did not expect such a large number of them. I have positively identified 27 individual animals in this room.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy looked around, smiling at the gathering critters. “I actually don’t think about how many there are. I just remember all their names.”

She noticed that all the animals were watching Turing Test, but none of them trusted her enough to come close. If Fluttershy was with her, they assumed Turing wouldn’t be dangerous, but she was still a strange enough sight that they weren’t comfortable with going right up to her. With one exception.

Angel hopped right up to Turing. The little bunny craned his neck and stared up at her, one of his ears going lopsided as he took in the sight of her.

“Oh my, it seems Angel wants to say hello!” Fluttershy exclaimed. She giggled as Angel looked back at her, then returned his attention to Turing.

“Understood.” Turing suddenly lowered her head, putting her face mere inches from Angel’s. “Hello, Angel.”

The sudden movement of Turing’s head and her looming, glowing eyes caused the little rabbit to dart back, startled by the gesture, and he hid behind one of Fluttershy’s legs.

The whole room seemed to tense up and several animals fled back to their hiding spots.

“There there, Angel,” Fluttershy said, gently petting him. “It’s all right.”

But then she heard the sound of heavy metal hooves and looked up to see that Turing was actually backing away.

“No. I am sorry. I did not mean to frighten him. I am sorry.” She was speaking rapidly and retreating almost back to the front door.

“T-Turing?” Fluttershy swallowed. “Is everything all right?”

Turing Test paused a moment, halting her retreat. “Spike the Dragon indicated that I should not frighten your animals. I did so. Please do not be angry with me.”

Fluttershy stared back at her. For the first time, Fluttershy began to see Turing Test in a different way: she was behaving just like some filly who’d accidentally broken a plate and was terrified of being punished for it.

“Turing Test, it’s okay,” Fluttershy assured her, taking flight and floating over to her. She gently laid her hoof on Turing’s shoulder. “You just startled him is all. Isn’t that right, Angel?”

She looked back at Angel, who narrowed his eyes and gave Turing a suspicious sideways glance. He gestured at his own eyes with two digits and pointed right back at Turing. Then he gingerly hopped back over to her, looking back up to his owner for reassurance. Fluttershy gave him an encouraging smile and he gave one final hop to stand next to Turing Test.

“Curious.” She looked over to Fluttershy. “I have not spent significant amounts of time among animals, Fluttershy. What action should I take that would not frighten him?”

“Well,” she said, smiling back at her, “you could try petting him. Gently, please.”

Turing looked back down at Angel and ever so carefully raised her hoof, stroking the fur on his head, smoothing it down the length of his neck and back to his puffy cotton tail.

Angel smiled and adjusted his position so he could better feel the strong hoof stroking his back.

“Is he enjoying this?” Turing asked.

“Yes, he is! You’re doing fine!”

She continued to pet him for a few moments, the whirring of machinery in her foreleg sounding quietly through the cottage.

“Isn’t he just so soft and cute?” Fluttershy cooed.

“My sensors indicate that his fur is soft. However, I am not certain what qualifies an animal as ‘cute.’”

Fluttershy paused, looking up and away. “Um, I’m not really sure. I guess not everypony thinks the same things are cute. Snakes bother Twilight, for example, but I love them just like any other creature!”

“I see.” Turing stopped petting Angel who looked up at her, shrugged, and then hopped away. “Perhaps, as a robot, I lack the organic instinct to think of things as cute or not.”

Fluttershy tried to maintain her smile, but her eyes darted around.

“Your inconsistent gaze, I’m told, is a typical sign of uncertainty or discomfort. Have I said something wrong?”

“No, it’s… it’s just that I always thought of that as a natural sort of thing.”

Turing’s eyes contracted momentarily. “Understood. The fact that I am not natural disturbs you.”

Fluttershy stared back at her, her cheeks reddening. “Oh! That’s, um…” She trailed off.

“There is no need to apologize, Fluttershy,” she said. She put a hoof to her chest and tapped it, creating a hollow ringing. “I am an artificial being. Others find that difficult to accept. I have come to accept it as a normal reaction for organics. One might say ‘natural.’”

Fluttershy lowered her head. “I’m sorry.”

Turing glanced around. “Shall we continue with another activity or do you wish to terminate this friend-making activity? I will not force you to do something against your own volition.”

For a moment, there was a flash of memory for Fluttershy, and she saw Turing again right after she’d been activated, standing before her, demanding her friendship. Was this really the same pony?

“No, you can stay,” Fluttershy replied. She resumed her calm smile and led Turing back through the small house toward the back door. “Let’s go feed my animals. I always love doing that!”

“Acknowledged.”

Turing Test followed her through the kitchen and then out the back door. The myriad creatures inside the house were one thing, but the robot actually froze on the spot when she saw the sheer number of animals just outside of Fluttershy’s house.

There were chickens scratching in the dirt, rabbits nibbling on the grass, and even a badger digging in the dirt. There were goats and kittens and pigs, a mother duck and her ducklings, and even a huge bear. The trees were filled with brightly-colored birds and the garden was alive with bees and butterflies.

“Incredible.” Turing’s eyes quickly darted around in her head, her ears again twitching rapidly as she took in the sights and sounds of animals of every shape and size around her.

“Good morning, my friends!” Fluttershy said, taking flight so all the animals could see her. A cacophony of animal sounds rose up to greet her in return. “Now, all of you please be nice to my guest! I know she looks a little different, but she’s here to help me today! Everyone, please say hello to Turing Test!”

The animals gave another loud clamor as they looked to Turing. The sight of her startled many, but others regarded her with nothing more than curiosity, much like the animals inside the cottage had.

Turing Test looked around and spotted the butterflies on a nearby patch of flowers and she went over to them.

“Adjusting language to ‘butterfly.’” She leaned down at the butterflies in front of her. <“Hey bro. Is the primo nectar to your satisfaction?”>

Fluttershy practically squealed and flew over to her. “Oh my goodness! You can speak butterfly too?!”

“It seems I am able to as a lasting effect of my transformation yesterday.”

Fluttershy grinned. “Oh, I never had the chance to try this with another pony! Ahem,” she cleared her throat. <“Zounds, good lady! The clarity of thy voice doth please the lepidopteran folk that reside in this very flower. How fared ye among them, and verily tell me of thy musings!”>

Turing tilted her head. <“Lookie here, yo. It was some straight jacked-up pollen, and they were all up on my chassis, but I was like ‘nah’ and they punked out for real.”>

Fluttershy’s eyes bulged. “Um… I think you and I learned very different dialects.”

<“Fo rizzle, Fluttershizzle.”>

“What?”

“I said, ‘affirmative.’”

“Oh.” She regained her composure. “Come on, then, let’s feed these hungry critters some breakfast!”

A short time later, Fluttershy and Turing Test had opened several bags of food and emptied their contents out for each respective group of animals. Leaf lettuce for the rabbits, berries for the bear, and feed for the chickens, along with all sorts of other items hoof-chosen specifically for each animal. Eventually, each creature got its fill until there were only the birds left. By the sound of their tweets and chirps, they were famished.

“How will we feed the birds, Fluttershy?” Turing asked.

“Well, the easiest way is just to spread the seeds on the ground,” she replied. Then she smirked and actually winked over at her. “But if you really have their trust, you can do it like this.”

Turing watched as Fluttershy scooped out a hoof-full of birdseed and held it aloft. Instantly, a small group of birds came and landed on her hoof, pecking away at the seed until they were content. When one flew off, another would replace it. Some of the birds actually perched on Fluttershy’s head while they waited, tousling her mane with their feathery wings, making her giggle with laughter.

“They do not fear you at all.” Turing’s ears stood straight up. “They trust you.”

Fluttershy watched the birds depart as they depleted the birdseed from her hoof. She smiled back at Turing Test. “It’s all about being still and quiet. Birds frighten very easily, but if they feel safe around you, they’ll be good friends.”

“I understand.” Turing glanced at the sack of birdseed and scooped out a hoof-full of her own. “I will attempt this as well.”

Fluttershy frowned. “Oh. Um, I don’t think they’ll trust you just yet, Turing Test. But you can still feed them the usual way.”

“I wish to feed them as you do.”

Turing held out her hoof and, like Fluttershy said, she was still and quiet. However, she noticed the lack of birds flocking to her hoof. Instead, they only looked down at her from the treetops, their little heads bobbing and turning as they got a look at her.

“Well, it may take some time,” Fluttershy said. She bit her lip. “Maybe even a long time.”

“If it is all right, I would like to continue trying.”

Fluttershy raised an eyebrow. “Um… okaaay,” she replied uncertainly. “Well, I was going to go to the market today and I was going to ask you to come with me, but if you’d rather stay here, then I guess that’s okay.”

“My remaining here will not upset you?”

Fluttershy doubted very much that the birds would trust her so quickly. Nor did she understand why it mattered so much to Turing Test, but she was curious and no longer worried that the mechanical mare would harm the animals in her absence.

“It’s fine,” she said gently. “I’ll be back in a while. I have a lot of shopping to do. Good luck!”

“Thank you.” Turing knelt down, still holding the seed in her hoof as she got lower to the ground. That was the position she was in, completely motionless as Fluttershy took one last look over her shoulder as she went to get the saddlebags.


***


Over three hours later, Fluttershy burst through her front door, heaving a long sigh of relief as she finally arrived home. Her saddlebags were bulging with the vegetables and other goods she’d bought at the market that day. Though she’d mostly been concerned with her regular groceries, she’d decided it would be nice to get a few other knick-knacks for her friends when they finally came back from their mission.

She walked to her kitchen and hefted off the saddlebags with a contented moan once she was free of their weight. She began to put the food and other things into her cupboards and refrigerator. Once those were put away, she had only the gifts she’d bought for the others: a spool of ribbon for Rarity, a Wonderbolts postcard for Rainbow Dash, a square watermelon from Neighpon for Applejack, a novelty chef’s hat for Pinkie, and, lastly, a booklet on Eastern unicorns for Twilight that the bookseller had just gotten in.

Humming a happy tune, Fluttershy gathered these gifts up and set them aside, hoping to wrap them later. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder why it was that the others had been called away on a friendship-related problem with only her staying behind. And also, she felt like maybe she’d forgotten something.

“Oh, dear, what could it be?” She looked at the gifts again, counting them. “...three, four, five.” That was all of them. She’d have to ask Turing Test if she agreed with her choices.

She froze. “Turing Test!” For a moment, she merely considered that she’d forgotten a gift for the mechanical mare, but then furrowed her brow at the thought.

Wait… should I get a gift for her? I mean, we’re not really friends yet, although she does seem a lot nicer than I remembered. Oh, but will she be upset? Maybe she’ll… oh!

Her eyes bulged as she suddenly remembered that she’d left Turing Test in her yard. She ran to the door and threw it open, rushing outside.

“Turing Te-- oh.”

Turing Test was still there. In fact, she hadn’t moved in the slightest.

Only now, the birdseed in her hoof was being pecked at by a cardinal. A robin was perched on her head, apparently waiting for the cardinal to finish. Furthermore, several other animals had taken up residence near or on her. The badger had pulled up right next to her leg, leaning against her hind leg as it slept. And on her back was a squirrel who had curled up to sleep. Meanwhile a playful kitten was batting at the hanging coils of Turing’s mane.

And all the while, Turing Test merely laid there, still as a statue.

“Welcome home, Fluttershy,” Turing whispered.



Fluttershy gawked at her. She had never expected Turing Test to get a bird to eat out of her hoof, let alone a group of other animals to let their guard down.

“Oh, Turing…”

“I am conflicted, Fluttershy. I do not wish to remain stationary for an indefinite period of time, but I also do not wish to disturb your animals.”

Fluttershy smiled. “It’s okay. Here, allow me.” Fluttershy cleared her throat, causing the animals to raise their heads and glance over to her. “Now now, my friends,” she said gently, “please let Turing up. She has other things to do today, so if you could…?”

The animals all seemed to grant their assent and got up from their spots, scrambling off Turing’s body.

“Thank you, Fluttershy. I have been unable to move for the last hour.” She rose to her hooves and looked back at the animals who chirped and tweeted and mewed when she met their eyes. Glancing back at Fluttershy, she added, “I believe I now understand why you favor the company of animals.”

“Oh?” Fluttershy asked.

“I waited for two hours with no result. The birds came no closer and I began to believe that they would never come to me. I then decided that I might be able to induce them to come by making them more at ease. I analyzed their various songs and began to imitate their sounds.”

To demonstrate, Turing raised her head and made several bird calls. Almost instantaneously, several birds flew down and perched upon her, singing back at her.

Fluttershy giggled. “Oh my, that’s adorable!”

“At first, the birds were only curious and came closer in increments. Then, one of the birds landed on my hoof and took a single peck of seed before flying back. It exercised caution, but gradually it, and then the others, became braver. And soon the other animals became more comfortable. I believe the squirrel and badger found my hull to be comfortably warm after long exposure to the sun.”

Her eyes made a slight whirring as she glanced up at the bird on her head. “They are fascinating creatures. All of them. The way they move, their colors, and the sounds they make to communicate. They are each so different, and yet they share many traits. They eat, they move, and they all came to be through birth and growth. Each one is a perfect example of a living thing.”

Fluttershy smiled but then saw that Turing’s ears had lowered and her head was drooping. The birds flew away as she did so.

“However, this reminds me of the fact that I am not an organic being. I do not perform the same processes as they do. I do not respire. I do not eat or drink. And rather than being born, I was manufactured in a currently unknown location.” She raised her head to look Fluttershy in the eye. “I see why you do not enjoy my company, Fluttershy. You surround yourself with natural life. I, however, am unnatural. And I am not alive. Thank you for indulging my curiosity. I will not bother you or your animals further.”

Fluttershy gasped as Turing turned and began to walk away.

“W-wait!” she cried, dashing over to her. “Turing, please! I… well, I don’t know anything about whether you’re alive or not, and it is true that at first you did scare me!” She swallowed and pushed herself into Turing’s path, staring her right in the eyes.

For a moment, she was transfixed. So close to Turing’s eyes, she could at last see the shining and sparkling of the gemstones from which they were made. She smiled, the last vestige of her fear falling away.

“Turing Test, you are patient and gentle and you’re not the same pony I was afraid of when we met,” she said. “Maybe you’re not ‘natural,’ but that doesn’t mean you don’t belong here. You’re good to my animals and I see now that my friends were right about you. So please, don’t leave. I’d… I’d like to call you my friend too.”

Turing’s ears twitched and straightened. “That is… unexpected.”

Fluttershy chuckled. “Well, I feel the same way, but I hope you’ll accept.”

Turing’s eyes contracted slightly. “It is my directive to make friends. However, I must caution you that perhaps you should not make friends with me, for your own sake.”

Fluttershy blinked and tilted her head. “But why?”

Turing Test took a few steps back. “It is not safe to be near me.”

Gawking back at her, Fluttershy opened her mouth to speak, but found no words would come out.

“I do appreciate your offer, but perhaps it would be best if no other ponies interacted with me. I am not a pony. I am a monster.”

Fluttershy regained her composure and shook her head to clear her thoughts. “Turing Test, you’re not a monster! Why would you ever think such a thing?!”

Turing glanced around. “If I tell you, then you will fear me. You will hate me.” Her voice became quieter. “I did not want others to fear me. That is the reason why I requested that you allow me to entice the birds to eat from my hoof. I wanted to prove that I was not dangerous. However, the trust of animals and ponies does not change what I have become. I was in error to think otherwise.”

And in that moment, a thought occurred to Fluttershy: maybe she hadn’t been excluded from the friendship mission with the others because she wasn’t needed there. Instead, perhaps the Map had known that she’d really been needed right there in Ponyville.

She drew herself up, steeling her nerves.

“Turing Test… please come inside. I think it’s time for you to talk to somepony.”


***


Fluttershy sat down on the couch next to Turing Test, gently setting her cup of tea on a saucer on the coffee table before them.

“Um… tea?”

Turing looked up at her. She pointed to her lower faceplate, the absence of a mouth somehow even more noticeable.

“Oh, right,” she muttered, blushing. She took a deep breath and said, “So, what makes you say that you’re a monster?”

Turing Test was quiet for a moment, her ears gently twitching as she looked down. Then she began to speak.

“When I first came to reside with Twilight Sparkle, I read the books in her library. I scanned and then processed their information. However, the amount of data was considerable and forming cross-references and relevant connections has been an ongoing process. Among the books was a novel entitled Frankenstallion. Do you know it, Fluttershy?”

“W-well, a little,” she said, frowning. “I, um, really don’t like horror stories.”

“I disregarded it as irrelevant at the time, but recently I have been considering it to a greater degree. My reasons will become clear after some explanation.

“A week ago, during Nightmare Night, I dressed as a fictional robot for the sake of mocking the negative perceptions of me. I believed I was allaying fears that I was a danger to others. Then I had a confrontation with Grace and Glory. Are you aware of those events?”

Fluttershy nodded. “Yes. Twilight told me what happened.” She shuddered. “It sounded just awful!”

“It was. One by one, my friends were rendered catatonic or otherwise mentally manipulated. I became angry at the situation while still operating under the constraints of the Three Laws of Automata. They forbade me from inflicting harm on, or allowing harm to come to, any ponies. When the situation became dire, I asked Twilight Sparkle to give me the ability to choose, free from any constraints.

“I was prepared to sacrifice myself if it would result in the restoration of the others’ minds. However, Grace and Glory denied my offer, saying that they would never heal them and threatening further harm if I did not surrender to them.”

She paused, and for a moment Fluttershy wondered if perhaps something had gone wrong with her robotic companion. But then, Turing said:

“I wanted to hurt them. I wanted them to be punished for their cruelty. I wanted to make them suffer as my friends had suffered. In that moment, I experienced a new emotion. I did not know what it was at that moment, but I believe I have identified it.”

Fluttershy gasped as Turing Test suddenly turned to look at her.

“I felt… hatred.”

“W-what?” Fluttershy cried. “Is that possible?”

“I believe that it is. I had a reaction to the both of them that was intensely negative. I began to consider the ways I could strike at them and found these thoughts pleasant. And I fought with them. Glory, I subdued physically. It was not difficult. While his strength was considerable, it was insufficient to overcome my own. And Grace… she suddenly used her mental attack to disable me in a way I had not anticipated. I was able to determine a solution, but I did not wish to use such a terrible power. And yet...”

She paused again, her eyes slowly contracting to small dots.

“I did so. I destroyed her mind with her own power. For a moment, I felt pleased with that action.” Her voice became quieter, but more erratic and quick. “I hurt her. I took away her thoughts. Her emotions. Her voice. All that she was, I took from her. And I did so with hatred in my mind. My actions were the very thing that Twilight Sparkle had forbidden me to ever do. I did the worst thing a machine could do: I hurt an organic pony. A nonliving machine like myself had no right to do such a thing, and yet I exercised my very first truly free choice to do it.”

Fluttershy had covered her mouth with her hooves and was staring at her.

“In the novel Frankenstallion, a scientist constructs an artificial creature which he then brings to life. However, he is horrified by the creature’s appearance, just as organic ponies are often afraid of mine. And the creature, rejected by his own creator, wanders the wilderness with no cognition of the world, just as I was reactivated after losing my own memory. And then the creature becomes angry and, in his hatred, seeks to destroy his creator. Similarly, I have now felt hatred and have committed an act of violence.

“Fluttershy, I have become like the monster. I am a monster.”

Fluttershy reached for her, pausing for a moment as she bit her lip, but then slowly rested her hoof on Turing’s shoulder.

“Turing Test… you’re not like that.”

“That is kind of you to say, Fluttershy, but I believe that I am. I was aware that my actions were against Twilight Sparkle and Celestia’s wishes. And I was prepared for punishment. I believed I would be dismantled for them.”

“Well,” Fluttershy said, smiling weakly at her, “it’s a good thing the Princess showed mercy, isn’t it?”

“No.”

Fluttershy’s blood ran cold.

“I did not ask for mercy. For the terrible thing I have done, I believe I deserved to be dismantled. This feeling… this ‘remorse,’ is unbearable. And yet this cognitive loop will not terminate. I cannot escape it.”

“Oh… oh, Turing.”

“I have begun to consider my situation. It is my directive to make friends, but my creators did not intend me for this purpose. Perhaps they made me to be a weapon or agent of espionage. The complexity of learning to interact with others may be affecting my cognitive function in ways that were never anticipated. I feel as though I am losing mental cohesion and I now must consider the possibility that I will become dysfunctional. The organic equivalent would be ‘insane.’ If I am ‘losing my mind,’ then I may become dangerous. If I cannot control my emotions, if I again feel hatred or anger, with my strength I may be a threat to my friends. If I harm my friends, that would be the most awful thing. I cannot allow that to happen. These emotions are corrupting me. I must rid myself of them. 

“I will delete my memory and return to my default state. I must give up these experiences before I harm another. I must not let myself become a monster, or--”

“Turing Test, stop!”

Turing Test jerked her head up and looked over to Fluttershy only to see that her eyes were filled with tears.

“P-please, Turing… don’t do that,” she said, the tears spilling down over her cheeks.

“You are crying.” She tilted her head to the side. “Why?”

“Turing Test, if you gave up your emotions and memories, you wouldn’t even be yourself anymore!” She wiped the tears from her eyes. “That… that’s just terrible! It would be like you had disappeared!”

“Yes. And perhaps, after being reset, Twilight Sparkle could utilize me for a service better suited to an automaton.”

Fluttershy reached forward and seized her by the shoulders. “NO!” she shouted, startling the animals in her cottage. “The only thing that would do is break your friends’ hearts! Twilight and the others would feel just awful if you erased everything about yourself!”

Turing stared back at her. Then, slowly lowering her head, she asked, “Then what should I do? I cannot allow myself to put my friends at risk--”

“That won’t happen!”

Turing placed her own metallic hoof over Fluttershy’s. “How can you be certain?”

“Well,” she began hesitantly, “that’s…” She took a breath to calm herself, closing her eyes. When she opened them, a serene smile was on her face.

“Did you hurt those two bad ponies just because you wanted to? Because you hated them?”

“Negative. I did so because I determined it was the most optimal way to secure them and thus the possibility of helping my friends.”

“Do you care about your friends?”

The mechanical mare nodded.

“Then, well… I know that you would never really do anything to hurt them.” She pulled in Turing close and embraced her. “You’re not a monster, Turing Test. The monster in that story did what he did because he was angry and hate-filled. But you didn’t. You were angry because you wanted to protect your friends. You cared so much you were willing to sacrifice yourself for their sake! That doesn’t sound like the actions of an evil pony. And after today, seeing you with my animals, I know that deep down you’re gentle and kind. Nopony who could be so patient and caring could really be a monster!”

Turing Test said nothing for a moment, but then glanced off to the side. “But Fluttershy, how can you say that I am not a monster? I have felt hatred. I committed an act of violence willingly.”

“Yes, but you feel bad for it,” Fluttershy said, pulling back to look her in the eyes. “Turing Test, it isn’t good to hate others… but everypony feels like that sometimes. And sometimes we make decisions that aren’t right.” She looked away, her eyes downcast. “I remember once when I tried to be more assertive. I let every little thing make me angry and I lashed out at everypony.

“And… I hate to say it, but it even felt good to lash out like that. But once I saw how I was hurting others, even my friends, I felt like a monster too. Trust me: everypony feels what you’re feeling sometimes.

“I don’t think that makes you a monster.” She smiled, meeting her eyes again. “I think, if anything, that makes you even more like other ponies. You were in a bad position and you did the best you could at the time. The emotionless machine I saw a month ago sure seemed like a monster, but the one sitting in front of me now isn’t like that. So please, for all your friends, please don’t give up and stop trying to punish yourself!”

Turing remained totally motionless through all this. Then, at last, she looked down and said: “Fluttershy… do you truly believe that I will not become a danger to my friends? These emotions are so wonderful, but they are also disturbing. With such intensity, I may not know how to maintain control.”

“If you’re really worried about it,” she said, “then just do what I did: think about your friends. Think about what makes them important to you, and think about how you really feel about them.”

“How I feel?” She began searching through her memories of images and sounds and the multiple experiences with her friends. “Accessing… those memories are things I value. With Twilight Sparkle and my other friends, I am accepted. My experiences are somehow greater.”

“And if you hurt them, what would happen?”

“Of course, it would be the opposite. If I lost their friendship, then I would… I would…”

She raised her head. Her eyes contracted again.

“I would be alone. I would become nothing more than a machine again. Their esteem validates my existence. Without them, I would not be the same.” She looked at Fluttershy. “Oh. Fluttershy, I… I miss Twilight Sparkle. I also miss Rarity and Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I want them to return. And yet, this feeling would be far greater if I lost them permanently to my own actions.

“I understand now. You are correct, Fluttershy. Even without the Three Laws of Automata and even with the intensity of my feelings, I would never risk jeopardizing that.”

Fluttershy wore a beaming smile and pulled her in for a hug. She felt the weight of Turing’s head as she rested it on her shoulder.

“Thank you, Fluttershy. I believe that, with your help, I have overcome these negative feelings.”

“I’m so glad,” Fluttershy replied. Then she raised her head. “It’s always nice to help out somepony. And that’s what good friends are for. Isn’t that right, Discord?”

Turing Test sat up straight and saw that Fluttershy was looking down at a mouse that had wandered into the center of the room. Fluttershy crossed her forelegs and gave a smug, sideways grin at the mouse.

“Come on, now, Discord. I know it’s you. Mr. Squeakers is visiting relatives in Sweet Apple Acres this week.”

The mouse snapped his fingers. “Shoot! I knew I should have disguised myself as something else!” There was a flash and Discord stood where the mouse had once been.

“Ah. It seems your magic was even able to fool my scans, Discord. Very impressive.” She hopped off the couch and went over to the draconequus, glancing up at him. “Although your methods were unconventional, it seems that they were successful. Fluttershy now identifies herself as one of my friends.”

“Well, then,” Discord said, patting her on the head, “it seems you’re in good company! Oh, and now the three of us should form a tight-knit crew!”

He snapped his fingers and the three of them found themselves in some kind of green-colored ship. Discord was wearing a red jacket and his mane had turned orange, while Fluttershy’s mane had gone purple and she was now wearing a tanktop, black pants, and bulky combat boots. Turing Test looked about the same, save for an antenna on her head.

“We can go on space adventures!” Discord exclaimed, holding up his hands excitedly.

“Discord…” Fluttershy said, a hint of menace in her voice.

“Fine, fine,” Discord said, rolling his eyes. Another snap of his fingers brought them back to normal reality.

Fluttershy took flight and flew up to look Discord in the eye. “Discord, I think I know why you tried to get the two of us to be friends. It wasn’t just to help me get over my fears; it was also because you felt bad for Turing Test.”

His eyes shifted and Discord rubbed the back of his neck. “Wellll… yes.”

He looked down at Turing, who had tilted her head as she looked back up at him.

“The truth is, my little robot, that although I may now be the paragon of helpfulness--”

Fluttershy bit her lip, not looking at Discord directly.

“--I was once a bit of a, shall we say, rapscallion.”

“You were a paper-covered male pony?”

“I said ‘rapscallion,’ not ‘wrapped stallion!’”

“Ah. I apologize. I do not know that word.”

“I mean,” he said, heaving a sigh, “that I was once only interested in causing chaos and cared nothing for friends or the ponies of Equestria at all. You want to talk monsters? I was the Monster’s Monster! And... it took me betraying one friend only to get betrayed myself to know how bad of a mistake I’d made.” He looked over to Fluttershy, giving her a warm smile, and she returned it. “Since then, I’ve been trying to, well, get over my bad PR.”

He snapped his fingers and a chart appeared showing a bar graph.

“According to most ponies,” he said, examining it as he put on a pair of spectacles, “my popularity ranks just above Tirek and at least 15 points lower than hoof-and-mouth disease. Though I think that’s due to the new H&M in Canterlot confusing everypony.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway… I’ve been traveling around Equestria, bringing a little chaotic fun to the lives of ponies here and there. And the truth is that I was passing by Ponyville and saw you moping around on Twilight’s roof.”

“Robots do not--”

“Oh come on, don’t give me that!” he exploded. “You’re not a robot, you’re a mope-bot! If you’d actually had a navel, you’d have gotten lost gazing into it by now!”

Fluttershy tapped him on the shoulder. “Um, Discord?”

“Hm? Oh, right, getting off track!” He lowered his head to look at Turing better. “As I was saying, the truth is that Fluttershy told me about you a while ago, so I kept myself hidden and did a little investigating--”

“Spying.”

“--surveillance, and followed you around Ponyville until I spotted you leaving Fluttershy’s cottage yesterday. And once I got your story, I decided that you needed help. And there’s no better listener than Fluttershy when you’re in need of a kind word and far more patience than the average pony could muster. And so I, in my own way, tried to bring you two together.”

Turing’s ears twitched. “I see.” She tilted her head to the left and right. “Your actions were unconventional and deceitful. However, I am grateful for your help. I have befriended you and now Fluttershy, and I believe that I can now continue my existence. Thank you, Discord.”

He smiled and puffed out his chest. “My pleasure! Well, once again the day is saved, thanks to--”

“However, I have a request.”

Discord paused and pursed his lips, stroking his beard. “Oh? And what could the Master of Chaos do for you today? If you’re after the Smooze’s autograph, I have to warn you, his handwriting is atrocious.”

“Negative. I do not require his autograph.” She looked over at Fluttershy and then at the other animals that moved around the small cottage. “Though I am grateful for the experiences I have had in the month since I was activated, I still have many problems unique to being a robot. I have difficulty understanding my friends. Emotions are incredible, but I am not always equipped to handle them. Nor can I truly touch something, or know the taste of something, or laugh, or cry, or do many things organics take for granted. All this leads me to wish that I was not a robot.

“Discord, I want to be alive.”

Discord gawked at her and Fluttershy gasped, placing her hooves over her mouth. “Oh… oh my… that would be--”

“N-now just a moment there, Turing Test,” Discord said, suddenly sweating and wearing a forced grin. “You, um… you know that being alive isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! I mean, lucky you: super strength, you never have to feel pain, and hey, glow-in-the-dark eyes! And then compare that to us poor meat creatures: blisters, dieting, and B.O.? Trust me, you want none of that!”

Turing shook her head. “Incorrect. I do. If it meant becoming like my friends, I would be willing to endure B.O.”

Fluttershy put her hoof on Turing’s shoulder. “Turing, if that’s really what you want, then I support you. But think about it carefully… wouldn’t it be taking the easy way?”

“Affirmative. I do not understand why ‘simple’ is negative.”

“It’s just--”

“Oh for goodness sake!” Discord roared. “Look, I…” He put his paw over his face. “I can’t.”

Turing raised her head. “You are unwilling? Or are you incapable?”

“The latter.” He sighed. “I can transform a pony or any other creature into a different shape, and I can even animate objects, but actually transforming you into a living, flesh-and-blood pony? That’s too much even for me.” He crossed his arms, making a face. “Much as I’m loathe to admit it, even my powers have limitations.”

Turing lowered her head. “I see. Then it is impossible.”

Fluttershy’s lip quivered. “Oh. Oh, Discord, isn’t there something you can do for her?”

“I don’t see… oh. Oh ho ho!” His eyes lit up and he steepled his fingers. “Perhaps there is!”

Turing raised her head. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I can’t give you the full organic experience,” he said. Then he snapped his fingers and a small plate with a piece of apple pie appeared. “But I can give you… a taste.”

He took hold of Turing’s head and and lifted it up like the lid of a trash bin, making it squeak on a hinge. He then shoved the slice of pie into her makeshift “mouth” and shut her head.

“Enjoy!” he said.

Turing Test froze, her legs stiffening. The sudden sensation of gooeyness, the crisp of the pie crust, and the cinnamon-laced sweetness registered. Her eyes shrank to pinpricks.

Fluttershy watched her, fidgeting with giddiness. “Oh, Turing! Do you like it?”

“This. This is…”

And then there was a sudden, loud bong sound and Turing’s eyes went blue.

“Error. A problem has been detected and your system has shut down to protect your robot from deliciousness.”

“Uh oh,” Discord said. “I think we’d better reboot her.”


***


The next day, Twilight and the others burst through the castle doors.

“Ohhh, wow, it feels good to be home!” Twilight moaned, stretching her back as she made her way down the hall. “Let’s get some tea, everypony and we can tell Spike and Turing Test about what happened on our trip!”

“Yeah!” Rainbow Dash said, taking to the air and doing a loop. “That quest was so awesome! I can’t believe we ran into Iron Will fighting all those changelings!”

“Oh, and it was so good of Braeburn to bring Little Strongheart and the other buffalo to help,” Rarity said. “And is it just me or do I detect the slightest hint of a spark between those two?”

“I don’t know about a spark,” Pinkie said, scratching her head, “but how about that giant explosion that happened when Rainbow Dash combined her Sonic Rainboom with Twilight’s teleportation spell and saved the entire lost floating city of Laponta from destruction!”

Everypony froze.

“Uh, Pinkie,” Applejack said slowly, “that didn’t actually happen.”

“It didn’t?” She furrowed her brow and reached into her mane, pulling out a coffee mug. “Then where’d I get this Laponta souvenir mug?”

“Ugh,” Applejack said, putting her hoof to her forehead. “Never mind that. Let’s just go… wait. Y’all hear that?”

They all raised their heads, training their ears. A familiar voice was laughing. They ran to the dining room and were greeted by quite a sight when they entered.

Fluttershy was chuckling at a joke that Discord had just said. Spike was there was well, wearing a top hat and a fake mustache. And right next to Fluttershy was Turing Test.

“Oh, Discord, that was a good one!” Fluttershy managed to say between laughs. “Turing Test, it’s your turn!”

“Understood.” She tapped her chin, then raised her head. “Ask me if I am a banana.”

“Um… okay. Are you a banana?”

“No.”

Silence hung in the air for a moment before the three of them all started cracking up.

“Oh man, Turing,” Spike said as he shook his head, “you tell the weirdest jokes!” He took a sip of his tea and looked up, seeing Twilight and the others standing in the doorway. “Hey, everypony’s back!”

Fluttershy whirled around and her face lit up. “Welcome back, everypony!”

Turing Test got up from her seat and ran up to Twilight, her metallic hooves clattering on the hard castle floor.

“Twilight Sparkle. I am glad to see you and the others have returned. Many things have happened in your absence. My ears broke off and later I was ingested by a frog.”

Twilight blinked. “What.”

“Most importantly, I am able to report that I have successfully made multiple new friends, including Discord and Fluttershy.”

Applejack’s jaw dropped open. “Wh-what?!” She looked from Turing Test to Fluttershy and back again. “But… but how?!”

Fluttershy giggled. “It’s a long story.”

Twilight leaned over to Applejack, gently closing her mouth. “And it looks like you’ll be keeping that promise, AJ.”

Applejack sighed, pulling her hat down and placing it over her chest. “An Apple’s word is her bond, Twi.” She grunted. “But… gimme at least a couple days to recuperate! I’m tuckered out after that trip we just took!”

Twilight nodded. She turned back to see Turing Test and Fluttershy gabbing, with Spike and Discord both joining in.

Somehow, everything had worked out.


***


Later that night, sitting in Twilight’s study after everypony had gone home, Twilight had related the story of her journey. And, in turn, Turing explained everything that had happened. When she reached the conclusion of her tale, Twilight lowered her head, turning her gaze from her robotic companion.

“I had no idea that was what was bothering you, Turing,” Twilight said. “I’m sorry.”

Turing shook her head. “Please do not apologize, Twilight Sparkle. I chose to not be forthcoming, as I was uncertain how to proceed or how you would react. Are you disturbed by the fact that I had such negative emotions?”

“Surprised, yes.” She looked up at her, smiling slightly. “But not disturbed. I think Fluttershy’s right. Having emotions, even negative ones like that, are just part of your development.”

“Understood. Additionally, I believe it has led to a new development.”

“Oh?” Twilight scooted closer to Turing from her place on the sofa.

“Fluttershy allowed me to think about my feelings regarding Grace and Glory. When I no longer attempted to suppress them, I was also able to contrast them against my feelings for you and the others. This enabled me to understand how completely different those feelings were.”

Twilight tilted her head, furrowing her brow. “What do you mean, Turing?”

“I am speaking of affection. Previously, I was unable to feel that emotion. But now,” Turing said, raising her head high as she sat up straight, “I can. I realized that I missed you while you were on your journey and that I enjoy our time together. Feeling hatred for Grace and Glory allowed me to realize I felt the opposite way about my friends. When you and the others returned, I experienced an intense sensation of gladness to see you back and unharmed. 

“I am attempting to say that I like you. I not only hold you in high regard, I have affection for you and for all my other friends. And it is truly wonderful. I now see that my previous consideration of deleting my memories and returning to default was in error. I am glad that I was able to come to this conclusion.”

Twilight’s eyes began to fill with tears. She brushed them away and gave Turing Test a hug, which she gladly returned.

“It sounds to me,” Twilight whispered, “that you also learned how to like somepony else.”

“To whom do you refer?”

Twilight pulled back and grinned at her. “Yourself.”


***


The next day, early in the morning, Turing Test was in her room in sleep mode when there was a knock at her door. Upon registering that somepony was calling her name, she reactivated and walked to her door, opening it. Unexpectedly, it was Twilight and Fluttershy standing side-by-side.

“Good morning, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy. My internal chronometer indicates that it is only six o’clock in the morning. Do you require my assistance?”

Twilight shook her head. Fluttershy yawned, giving her a smile with heavy eyes.

“Well,” Twilight began, “we both wanted to give you something. For me, an early telegram came from Manehatten. Gadget’s invited us to see her there and she says she has some surprises in store. And we can get those brooches that Rarity ordered while we’re there, too!”

“Acknowledged. That sounds like an agreeable activity.” She turned to Fluttershy. “And what is the purpose of your visit, Fluttershy?”

“Well, um, I remembered what you said about how much fun you had on Nightmare Night,” she began, suppressing another yawn, “so I got up early and flew over to the Castle of the Two Sisters. And I found something you left behind that I thought you would want.”

She reached over, just out of Turing’s sight, and then held up a familiar cardboard object.

“This is the mask I wore for my Nightmare Night costume.” It was no worse for wear, with the plastic cups still held in place and the bent coat-hanger antenna still stuck through the top.

“Um, if you don’t really want it, that’s okay,” Fluttershy said. “I just thought that you might.”

Turing Test took it and held it up. “That was very thoughtful, Fluttershy. You are correct that I enjoyed celebrating Nightmare Night. I will value this costume.”

She looked over her shoulder and saw that her mirror was still turned away. Switching to U-Mode, she turned it around to look at herself and placed the mask on her face. Behind her, she heard Twilight and Fluttershy chuckling. She turned her head left and right, looking at her reflection at last.

I am not a monster. I am only myself. I am Turing Test.

She looked back at her friends. If she could have smiled, she would have.

“Happy beep.”


To be continued...