//------------------------------// // Prime Time of Your Life, Part 1 // Story: The Iron Horse: Everything's Better With Robots! // by The Hat Man //------------------------------// Dear Mama and Papa, How are you? Well, I hope! Remember how I told you that Mr. Vanderbull and I met Princess Twilight and helped her with her new mechanical pony friend? Well guess what? She’s coming to Manehattan to visit me! Me! In answer to your recent letter, no, I don’t have a coltfriend, Mama. I’m too busy for that sort of thing. There was this one guy, but he turned out to be a big jerk. I don’t really want to talk about it, honestly. I’m still working on some cool stuff with Mr. Vanderbull’s team. In fact, I have some new machines I’m going to test out as well as something really great to give Turing Test (Princess Twilight’s robot friend [that’s what she calls herself, I mean - a “robot”]). Mr. Vanderbull has been very good to me. He’s taught me a lot about business. He can be hard sometimes, and I admit I wish I could spend all my time just building stuff, but I guess nopony can have it all. Not all the time, at least. I hope Fall Leaf is okay too. Tell him his big sister loves him and give him a big hug. Say it in a really cutesy voice too so you can tell me how loud he goes “Ewwww!” Ha ha! I know I haven’t visited lately or written as much, but I’ve just been really busy with work. I promise you that it’s important stuff that will help out ponies all over Equestria! I just know you’ll be proud of me when you see it. Anyway, I love you very much and I’ll be sure to write again soon. Give my love to everyone else in the neighbourhood. Your loving daughter, Gadgette F. Giroux *** Twilight flipped the page in her book, a look of mild annoyance crossing her face as the rumbling train went into a tunnel, momentarily darkening the cabin. When the train exited the tunnel and light flooded back into the train car, she rubbed her eyes at the sudden brightness. She then looked back down at the book laid open before her on the bench seat, but her ears pricked up when she heard the sound of metal hooves hitting the floor and the clattering gallop of them as Turing Test ran back to her side of the train, putting her face right to the window. Twilight sighed, but couldn’t keep herself from smiling. Turing Test had been switching sides of the train ever since they’d left Ponyville. Periodically, she ran from one side to the other, each time with enough clamor to pull Twilight out of her reading. Thus far, she’d been tolerant, but after nearly an hour of this, she finally cleared her throat to speak up. “Turing Test?” The robot did not turn her head, though her ears did lift slightly. “Yes, Twilight Sparkle?” “Could you please sit still?” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re being a little loud when you run around like that.” “My apologies, Twilight Sparkle,” she replied, though she did not turn her attention from the window. “I am merely attempting to gain the maximum amount of visual input from this journey. Previously, I rode a train with Rainbow Dash. In that instance, it was an overnight journey and I was able to scan the areas we passed through only by using my night vision. However, that did not allow me to properly analyze the colors or finer details of the landscape. In this instance, we are travelling in the daytime, and I wish to take in as much detail as possible.” Twilight smiled. Turing Test often reminded her of a foal and this time was no exception. She really was acting like a little filly on her very first train ride, wanting to take it all in at once. Just the same… “Turing Test, I realize you’re eager to see it all, but why don’t you keep me company while we travel?” Turing Test finally turned her head and Twilight smiled, gesturing to the empty bench seat across from her. “Sit down, relax, and maybe read a book with me!” Turing slowly backed away from the window and took a seat on the bench. Twilight winced as the seat creaked and groaned under Turing’s prodigious weight, but it held up somehow and she let out a sigh of relief. “I did not mean to be a nuisance, Twilight Sparkle. I will do as you ask.” Twilight kept her smile, though she felt a little guilty for making Turing sit down instead of looking out the window. “Well, don’t worry, there will be lots of, um, ‘input’ in Manehattan.” She reached into one of her bags and pulled out a book. “Here, why don’t you read this? When you finish it, I’d love to know what you thought.” “Understood.” Turing took the book in her hooves and opened it. Twilight remembered too late how Turing read, however, and face-hoofed as she rapidly flipped through the book, start to finish, and passed it back to her. “Book read. Would you like to discuss it now? I have many questions regarding the actions of Ponspero regarding his daughter Mareanda and his servant Calibronco.” “Ugh… I forgot how fast you can read.” She managed a weak smile. “How about we save a thick literary discussion for another day and just talk for a while?” “That is also acceptable. What do you wish to discuss?” Twilight tapped her chin, unsure of where to start. She settled on the most innocuous topic first: “Well, for starters, are you excited about seeing Gadget and getting your new brooches?” Turing tilted her head back and forth. “Excited… I do not believe that is my reaction. However, these topics do give me great anticipation. Gadget is a friend, but I am not able to interact with her on a regular basis. Likewise, accepting Rarity’s gift and becoming more aesthetically pleasing is something I look forward to. Is that your meaning?” Twilight nodded. “More or less. It’s too bad Rarity had already scheduled a visit to the Canterlot Carousel or else she could have come with us.” Turing said nothing to this and soon Twilight shifted her weight awkwardly in the lull in conversation. Despite all her progress, getting Turing to keep up a conversation could still be like pulling teeth. “Wellll… oh! What do you think Gadget’s other surprises will be?” Twilight raised an eyebrow and leaned closer across the gap between them. “She seemed pretty secretive about whatever she has planned.” “An interesting question.” Turing tapped the side of her head, the loud ringing it produced making Twilight cringe. “I am unable to make an accurate conjecture. However, as it involves me, it is likely that she wishes to make some modification to me.” Then she sat straight up, her eyes contracting and her ears going vertical. “Do you suppose that she has constructed a pair of eyelids?” Twilight stifled a chuckle. “Maybe!” Turing Test jumped out her seat and sprinted to the window. “Um, Turing…” “I am not looking out the window, Twilight Sparkle. I am examining my reflection in the glass.” She turned her head to the right and left, then lifted her chin and lowered it, her eyes whirring inside her head to fixate on her own image. “If I were to have eyelids, I would greatly increase my ability to communicate my mental state to others. That would be wonderful, Twilight Sparkle.” “Aww,” Twilight said. Then, her smile waning slightly, she added, “Um, I know that Gadget said she’d work on that, but I’m not so sure if she was able to make, well, robot eyelids so quickly. It’s not like anypony’s ever made such things before.” Turing paused, lowering her head. “Understood.” “B-but that doesn’t mean she didn’t, either!” Twilight added quickly, waving her hoof. “Who knows? Maybe she did!” “I see.” Turing returned to her seat. “You do not want me to experience significant disappointment if she was unable to construct them. I understand.” Twilight nodded. “Right. But I’m sure whatever she has planned, it’ll be great anyway. And you can tell her all about the things that have happened lately. Like feeling affection! I know she’ll be amazed by that!” “Indeed.” Turing’s ears squeaked on their hinges. “Twilight Sparkle, do you believe that Gadget will be disturbed by my recent actions?” Biting her lip and sucking in a deep breath, Twilight paused to consider that question. “Honestly, Turing… maybe.” Then she stood up and put her hoof on Turing’s shoulder. “But it’s okay. Gadget’s a nice young mare and I know she’ll understand once she hears the whole story. Honestly, we don’t need to tell her everything, if you don’t want to.” Turing looked down for a moment. Then, slowly, she raised her head again. “No. I would like her to be informed of my actions. My other friends are aware of them and it would be dishonest to conceal them from Gadget. I believe you are correct in your assumption that she will understand.” “Good.” Twilight glanced out the window at the countryside as they passed by it. They were traveling through the hills which were covered with trees with leaves that were starting to turn. There was a nagging thought in the back of her mind and she hadn’t had to courage to ask about it thus far, but now was as good a time as any. “Turing Test,” she began, “I… I hate to ask about this, but you know how you copied Grace’s power and, um…” “Yes. It is all right, Twilight Sparkle. I have come to accept my actions. You may inquire about them.” “Well, it’s not that, exactly.” She sighed. “Since you copied Grace’s ability… I mean, if you ever were in another situation… like that...” Twilight trailed off, unsure how to articulate the question. “You wish to know if I would ever use Grace’s mind-altering power again.” Twilight sat up, not expecting Turing to understand what she was getting at. “Ah. Well, yes.” She swallowed. “I mean, I trust you to use that power responsibly--” “Forgive me for interrupting, Twilight Sparkle,” she said, raising a hoof, “but there is no reason for concern. I have deleted the data necessary to replicate that ability from my memory. I will not be able to use it in the future.” Twilight let a sigh of relief escape her. “Whew. I have to say, Turing, I am kind of glad to hear that.” “Of course. Should I ever be co-opted by others, such an ability would be detrimental to those around me. I wished to prevent such an outcome.” Twilight nodded. “All right then.” “However,” Turing added suddenly, startling Twilight, “I do have one remaining concern: as part of your order that I make my own choice, I uninstalled the Three Laws from my default programming. You have not reinstated them. This means that I am now without any limitation on my behavior other than your direct orders as my end user. Do you wish for me to reactivate those protocols?” Twilight frowned and shook her head. “I only gave those to you back when you were first activated as a precaution. I had no idea that in a matter of weeks you’d become mature enough to make better decisions, let alone that those laws would backfire. I mean, I, Automaton, the book they appeared in, was all about problems with those laws; I only used them as a quick fix, but it’s my fault for not adjusting them sooner.” “Understood. However, I still believe it would be in everypony’s best interest if some sort of failsafe were installed. Do you have a suggestion?” “Turing…” Twilight groaned. “After all we went through, really?” “I understand that you may not see a need, Twilight Sparkle,” Turing replied, “but the possibility exists that I may still malfunction or miscalculate in some way that could endanger others. A preventive protocol embedded into my default programming may become necessary.” “Well…” She clicked her tongue, folding her forelegs as she thought it over, even closing her eyes. After a few moments, she sighed and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but every idea I have, I keep thinking about how it could be exploited and used against you. I can’t just tell you not to harm anypony, or else we’re back to the same problem. I can’t tell you to be nice to everypony, because sometimes you just can’t be nice. I can’t tell you to do ‘the right thing’ because that’s not so easy to define either. I mean, what would you suggest?” Turing’s eyes contracted again. “I am unable to determine a suitable protocol.” “Then I guess, until we can think of one, I’d rather have no hard rule than a bad one.” “Understood. However, in the interest of my friends’ well-being, I will continue to consider suitable protocols to replace the Three Laws and report to you when one has been determined.” “That sounds fine.” She smiled. “You know what, Turing? We’ve got time and this is your first daytime train ride. Go ahead and look out the windows if you want to. Just try to keep the noise down, okay?” Turing nodded. “Acknowledged.” Immediately, she went back to the window, staring outside at the passing hills and valleys, at the pastures and farms, and the tiny villages on the way to Manehattan. Twilight went back to her own book, smiling at the tiny sounds of the servos in her eyes and neck as she tried her best to take it all in. *** Stepping off the train and onto the platform was simple enough. At least, that was what Twilight thought. Then she realized that everypony on the platform had turned to stare at the unusual sight of not just a robot, but also a Princess of Equestria suddenly standing right before them. “Oh my goodness, is that Princess Twilight?!” “And hey, she brought one of the Royal Guard with her!” “Dat ain’t a Guard, dat ting’s eyes are glowin’!” “Hey, Paulie, get a loada this thing over here!” Twilight waved politely and managed to dodge the onlookers and autograph seekers as she led Turing Test into the cavernous lobby of Grand Central Depot. The hard marble floor, the high, arching ceilings, and cathedral-like windows made the place seem, in some ways, even more regal than her own castle. Although it was crowded, the sheer number of busy passengers and workers rushing about to catch one train or get out of the Depot to catch a taxi, along with the sheer size of the place, actually made it easier for Twilight and Turing Test to blend in. They still received stares and some slowed their pace only to blindly smack into the ponies stalled directly ahead, but mostly the pair of them managed to make it to the exit without incident. But suddenly a towering figure jumped into Twilight’s way. “Princess Twilight!” a voice bellowed. Twilight gasped and leaped back, startled by the sudden figure blocking her. She collided with Turing Test and the pair of them craned their necks to see who it was. “Oh!” Twilight cried, her startled expression giving way to a smile. “Mr. Vanderbull, it’s you!” “Indeed. My apologies for my brusqueness, but you almost walked right by me,” the graying minotaur said, bowing. He was wearing his usual waistcoat and held a golden pocket watch in one hand. “It seems your train was several minutes late. My apologies.” “Oh no, not at all!” Twilight exclaimed, waving her hooves. “The train was fine! What’s a few minutes, give or take?” She laughed nervously, but Vanderbull still wore an expression of annoyance. “I give my employees strict instructions to stick to their timetable. Deviations are not something I take lightly.” He sighed, letting his stiff shoulders drop. “But no matter. I shan’t bore you with the details of the railway business.” He deposited his watch back in his pocket, then turned his attention from Twilight to look at Turing. “Ah, and here is your automaton companion.” “Robot.” Vanderbull raised an eyebrow. “I beg your pardon?” Twilight glared back at Turing Test. “Turing, don’t be rude! Mr. Vanderbull helped repair you, after all!” “I do not comprehend your meaning. Have I said something inappropriate?” Twilight grew more agitated, but she paused as Vanderbull chuckled. “I remember now. ‘Robot.’ That is the term you prefer, correct?” “Affirmative.” Turing stepped toward Vanderbull and offered him her hoof. “However, Twilight Sparkle’s comment has reminded me that I have not properly expressed my gratitude for your assistance in repairing me. Thank you.” Vanderbull’s eyes lit up and he took Turing Test’s hoof. “My my! It seems you have developed your social graces!” He sighed and rolled his eyes as he stood back up. “If only I could say the same of my assistant.” Twilight cocked her head. “Huh? You mean Gadget?” Vanderbull nodded, beckoning the pair to follow him. “That girl obtained my permission to spend the day with you and even enlisted my help in obtaining-- ah, that is,” he feigned a cough, averting his eyes, “--well, in obtaining something for you.” Twilight flashed a grin and glanced at Turing, shivering with giddy anticipation. “Ooh, it looks like Gadget really does have something cool planned for us!” Vanderbull chuckled. “Well, I don’t know what you’re expecting, but just the same, I believe you’ll enjoy it. Still, I couldn’t believe she would invite you all the way to Manehattan and then not take the time to pick you up at the station! Thus, I decided to greet you myself.” Once outside, they saw parked among the many taxis a large black carriage with a stylish golden “V” symbol on the door. The carriage was being pulled by two massive white stallions in matching white suits, and narrow sunglasses. The two looked to Twilight and Turing with a synchronous nod, almost like mirror images of one another. Vanderbull opened the door and invited the pair in. “Well then… shall we go find my assistant?” Twilight stepped forward, but noticed that Turing Test had paused on the sidewalk. She was taking in the numerous carriages and taxis zipping by and craning her neck to see the towering buildings all around her. “Amazing. These buildings are far larger than those in Ponyville. Some are even taller than your castle, Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight smiled and waited for Turing to notice that they were about to leave. When Turing came alongside her, she leaned in closer. “I’m glad you’re interested in what Manehattan has to offer, Turing. I’ll just bet this town has all sorts of surprises in store for us today!” *** Vanderbull Industries was a massive edifice on the outskirts of Manehattan; a broad, rectangular building ten stories tall. Looming white statues of mythological figures and towering columns lined the stairs leading up to the main entrance. Twilight and Turing followed Vanderbull into the lobby where the secretary and nearby workers all greeted their boss warmly as well as bowing to Twilight once they spotted her. However, rather than taking the elevators, they travelled through a series of hallways and found themselves going out the back of the building and across a grassy courtyard behind the building. Just ahead of them was a row of long, tall buildings with arching roofs. “Our hangars are where we conduct some of our more hazardous experiments,” Vanderbull explained. “Gadget will be in Hangar 2. She’s running some experiments on engines and, should one malfunction, there should be no damage to the main laboratories.” “Damage?” Twilight asked, narrowing her eyes. “Nothing to worry about. I’m sure Gadget has taken proper safety precautions.” As they approached the massive wooden door, Twilight sniffed the air. The scent of smoke was heavy in the air. She noticed that Vanderbull’s eyes had widened, and then they quickly narrowed as he took on a sour look. Vanderbull opened the door and they walked inside. The long hangar was lined with bits of machinery and pipes and the windows near the roof had all been opened. And yet a cloud of black smoke was collecting in the arched ceiling, barely seeping through the open windows. A loud rumbling and metallic rattling sounded throughout the area. In the center of the long hangar, surrounded by various other parts, Gadget was furiously moving about, her four mechanical arms each occupied with a separate task. A pair of protective goggles were over her eyes. “Come on, come on, I just know you can do more!” she shouted. She pulled a lever and the rumbling grew in pitch and volume. As they got closer, they saw at the center of the area was a loud, rumbling contraption. Several metal cylinders rose and fell rapidly from the top of it. A tube connected to it made repeated sucking sounds while another was connected to a glass tank with a pale yellow translucent liquid inside it. From the back of it, a pipe ran to a tube-shaped chimney that belched out smoke. This roaring machine was obviously the cause of all the noise and the smell. Connected to the contraption were several wires that ran to three other machines, apparently powering them. There was a sewing machine, a drill, and a massive wheel placed on a treadmill. Gadget flew from one to the other, her arms making adjustments and trying to keep all the machines operating. Her arms kept pulling levers and tightening valves and she made measurement after measurement on a clipboard she held in one hoof, the pencil in her mouth. The machine backfired and large burst of smoke blasted out from the chimney. Twilight covered her nose and Vanderbull made a face. “Gadget!” Vanderbull called. The girl didn’t seem to notice them at all over the din of the machines working in conjunction. “Yeeesss,” she cried, taking a reading from one of the meters, her grin widening. “Yes, yes, this is fantastic!” She began to laugh deliriously. “Amazing!” She began to write down the number. “Gadget!” Vanderbull bellowed. “Huh?!” Gadget turned around, the pencil dropping from her mouth. “Oh! Just a minute, sir!” She was barely audible over the noise, but she whirled around and yanked a long lever, causing the loud contraption at the center to sputter and finally fall silent. She waved a hoof, coughing as it gave one last sputter of smoke. She smiled and pulled off her goggles, replacing them with the glasses she kept in her coat. “Twilight! Turing Test! You’re here!” She smiled broadly and glanced up at Mr. Vanderbull, only to have her smile fade when she saw him cross his arms and glower down at her. She gulped. “S-something wrong, sir?” “When you informed me that you would be running experiments this morning,” he said, “leaving Her Highness and Turing Test to make their own way here, I excused it, thoughtless as your scheduling was. But you did not inform me that you would be doing more work with that monstrosity!” He looked at the engine at the center of the room, wrinkling his nose. She gulped, dusting black soot from her cream-colored fur. “B-but sir, I just wanted to check the maximum power output of the combustion engine for comparison--” “And I informed you that I would not permit further experimentation with it unless you had my express permission!” “Well, yes, but this was the only time--” “Enough!” he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the hangar. Gadget fell silent, lowering her head. Twilight and Turing Test stood by, watching this exchange unfold in silence. Twilight cringed, her eyes darting back and forth between the minotaur and his protegee. Vanderbull let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “We’ll discuss this later. For now,” he said, managing a smile, “I believe that it is time for you to play host to our honored guests.” He nodded to Twilight and Turing Test, bowing once as he excused himself. Despite his disapproving glare a moment earlier, he still managed a quick smile at Gadget, who returned it before he left. “Well, um… sorry about all that, Twilight, Turing,” Gadget said, rubbing the back of her neck as she looked away. “He’s right though. I should have been more patient, but I had the hangar reserved just this one day and-- well, never mind. Let me take you to my own laboratory.” She started to walk forward, motioning for them to follow. “Hey, hold on a moment,” Twilight said, holding up a hoof to stop her. Gadget cocked her head to the side, but then Twilight smiled and put a foreleg around her, giving her a quick hug. “It’s good to see you again, Gadget.” Gadget relaxed, allowing herself a more genuine smile. “Yes. I’m glad you’re both here.” Then she gave a leap in the air, kicking her legs in excitement. “And I can’t wait to show you what I’ve got in store for you today!” *** Gadget opened the door and ran ahead of them, spreading her forelegs and mechanical arms wide in greeting. “Ta-da!” she hollered. “Wow.” “Impressive.” Gadget’s workshop was just as cluttered as Twilight had expected it to be. The papers, the sketches on chalkboards, and of course the whole galaxy of spare parts all over the tables throughout the large room - exactly in keeping with the image Twilight had of a mind that just couldn’t stay focused. And on that note… “Say, um, Gadget,” Twilight began, clearing her throat as she stepped into the room, “I don’t want to pry, but what just happened? What were you doing and why was Mr. Vanderbull so upset?” “Ah. Right.” She looked away, pulling her bulky black jacket around her, then glanced around before her eyes fell on a piece of paper nearby. She snatched it up in one mechanical hand and held it up before Twilight and Turing. “Check this out!” Twilight squinted as she peered at it. “That looks like that thing you were working on back in the hangar.” “I concur,” Turing said. “There are several key differences, however.” “Exactly!” Gadget cried. “Well, you see, what I was working on was a brand new internal combustion engine. It runs on gasoline!” Twilight’s eyes widened. “Gasoline? Isn’t that a by-product of kerosene production?” “Correct! I figured you’d know about that sort of thing, Princess Twilight!” Gadget pointed at the picture. “It works by combustion of small puffs of gasoline and oxygen to drive the pistons, which in turn produce power. I’ve been running experiments to see how it compares with a Westinghorse steam engine, and it really packs a wallop!” Twilight nodded, though Turing only cocked her head. “You are attempting to construct a power source? For what purpose?” “For any purpose!” Gadget exclaimed, her grin growing ever wider. “Most Equestrian technology runs off of unicorn magic or good old-fashioned hoof power. But lots of ponies across Equestria are trying to design power sources that don’t run on magic at all! We already have steam engines, hydroelectricity, and chemical batteries, but gasoline engines are cheap and easy enough to build!” “Maybe so,” Twilight said slowly, making a face as she did so, “but they sure produce a lot of smoke.” “Yeah… that’s a problem.” She sighed. “They’re powerful, but they also cause pollution, but then so does burning the wood or coal to make the steam engines work. I mean, I admit I’m intrigued by the technology, but it all has a lot of drawbacks. The reason I’m running experiments, though, is to figure out just how powerful it can be. Whatever is going to be the next dominant technology, it has to be more powerful and relatively inexpensive and hopefully a heck of a lot cleaner.” “Well, then why is Mr. Vanderbull upset?” Gadget rolled her eyes. “Mr. Vanderbull is competing with a big shot oil pony named Rockefoaler. He has a deal with us to ship his crude oil, but he keeps trying to renegotiate for a better deal. And we need his business, so right now we’re kind of dependent on each other. But if these engines take off, gasoline will be even bigger than kerosene was even before the electric light started spreading. And trains… well, they might stop being the dominant way to get across the country. And even if they don’t, we hear they’re building gasoline or diesel-powered trains. Rockefoaler could run us right over. “So, as a result, Mr. Vanderbull doesn’t want any of his engineers working with gasoline. He’s worried word will get out and we’ll look like we’re secretly supporting the technology too. He wants us to come up with something better.” Turing tapped her own chest. “I do not operate on steam power or gasoline. Could my power source be a suitable replacement?” Gadget smiled, but heaved a sigh. “Unfortunately, no, Turing. It’s a nice thought, but your battery is a magically-enhanced industrial chemical battery. A really powerful and efficient one, granted, but it’s nothing we don’t already know about. The problem is that they’re really expensive and time-consuming to produce. We can’t mass-market something like that.” Twilight smiled. “It sounds like you’re really working hard to bring technology to everypony.” “I am!” Her excitement grew and she nodded so hard that she actually had to stop to adjust her glasses as they slid down her nose. “My mechanical limbs run off my earth pony magic and they work great, but it took over a year of doing nothing but designing, building, re-building, repairing, and the like to get them right, and then I had to personally train to use my earth pony magic that way. Imagine if I could develop a cheap and easy power source to make more artificial prostheses like them! Ponies with missing limbs could walk again! Earth ponies and pegasi could manipulate objects just as easily as unicorns! Who knows, we could build artificial wings to give everypony the chance to fly! We could give one pony the strength and dexterity of ten! “Oh,” she moaned, falling back breathlessly onto her haunches, “sweet Celestia, it would be glorious.” Twilight cleared her throat, causing Gadget to sit up straight, blushing and hiding her face behind her messy brown mane. “Oh. S-sorry. I get carried away sometimes.” Twilight shook her head. “I think it’s great you’re doing all these experiments for the ponies of Equestria, Gadget. We need more scientists like you.”   “Th-thank you, Twilight.” Gadget’s blush deepened. Then she got to her hooves, her tight grin reappearing. “But,” she said, wiggling her eyebrows, “that’s not all I’ve been working on!” She motioned for them to follow to a table that had been covered with a sheet. With a loud cry and much fanfare from her mechanical arms, she pulled the sheet away to reveal… “Oh!” Twilight exclaimed. She held her smile in place for as long as she could, but finally said, “Um… what is it?” The table had several wires and a series of shapes made out of a silvery, thin metallic material. It obviously wasn’t a machine and the shapes were of varying size and shape. Twilight was no stranger to scientific endeavors, but this was another instance where she felt out of her league. Turing, in contrast, took one look at the items on the table and immediately put together what they were. “Twilight Sparkle, the shapes of this material correspond to the shape and dimensions of the components of my outer hull.” She turned to Gadget, her ears moving on their hinges. “Have you constructed these as some form of internal lining?” “Yes!” Gadget exclaimed, clapping her hooves together. “Turing Test, if you’re willing, I can finally construct a Faraday Cage! The wires will redirect electrical shocks around your vital systems and this mu-metal foil will shield you from electromagnetic interference! You’ll never have to worry about lightning strikes again!” Twilight gasped and turned to smile at Turing Test. The robot’s eyes had contracted and her ears had straightened again. “Oh. Oh, Gadget.” To Gadget’s surprise, Turing suddenly shot forward and embraced her. “That is wonderful. Now I will never risk being damaged by lightning and resetting to my default again. Thank you.” Gadget’s eyes were wide and they shifted from Turing to Twilight. “Um… wow, Turing, did you get friendlier?” Twilight covered her mouth with one hoof as she chuckled. “She recently gained the ability to feel affection. I think she’s still dealing with it.” Gadget gasped. “Oh wow! You’re kidding!” “Ah.” Turing released Gadget and stepped back, lowering her head slightly. “My apologies. Have I acted inappropriately again?” Gadget smiled back at her before shaking her head. “No, it’s okay. I just… I’m really happy for you, Turing.” She seized her hoof between her own. “Now, this won’t take too long, so let’s start now!” “Acknowledged. How shall we begin?” Gadget’s limbs all rose into the air, their metallic fingers wiggling eagerly. The light reflecting off her glasses appeared to make her eyes pure white. “First of all,” she said with a high-pitched, erratic giggle, “let me strip that hull off you!” *** The taxi pulled up to a stop by the jeweler’s, allowing Turing to exit, followed by Gadget (no longer wearing the Point Dexter), who tossed a few bits to the cabbie. Twilight was still sitting in the cab, her eyes unfocused and staring off into space. “Um, Twilight?” Gadget asked. “We’re here.” “Huh? Oh… yeah.” Twilight slowly exited the cab, letting the cabbie run off to find his next customers. She still had the same far-off gaze and merely stood there for a few more moments as Gadget and Turing Test looked on. “Twilight Sparkle, do you require a reboot?” Gadget snickered. “I think she’s still a little disturbed about seeing you without your hull.” Twilight snapped back to reality. “Th-that’s not it!” she stammered, her cheeks reddening. “Well, I mean… can you blame me? I’m used to seeing you as a pony, Turing, not… like that.” Twilight had volunteered to help Gadget with the Faraday Cage, but seeing Turing Test without her hull was a sudden reminder of just how unlike organic ponies she really was. Seeing her exposed chassis, the inner workings of her servos and gears and the mess of her wires hanging out, not to mention the long braided strand of coils that formed her mane and tail running the length of her body… it was all a little overwhelming. Not to mention seeing her without her cranial and face plates was especially bizarre: Turing’s “eyes” were amethyst lenses, true, but Twilight hadn’t realized that they were actually much larger than what she typically saw glowing through her visor. They were massive and round, like praying mantis eyes. And though Twilight knew that Turing did not really have a mouth, seeing the round, pulsing speaker that the robot used to make her vocalizations was not something Twilight was prepared for. “Iyaa, Twilight-sama,” Turing moaned, throwing her foreleg against her forehead dramatically, “now that you have seen me like that, I will never be able to get married.” Gadget burst out laughing as Twilight let out a loud groan. “Oh for pony’s sake, Turing,” Twilight said. “I knew I shouldn’t have let you read Gadget’s imported Neighponese comics while we were welding the mu-metal to your hull.” Gadget held out her hoof and Turing hoof-bumped it. “Don’t mind her, Turing. I think your developing sense of humor is awesome.” “Acknowledged. Ha ha.” “Let’s just get Turing those brooches,” Twilight said, walking right past them. Just the same, Gadget noticed the hint of a smile on her face as she took the lead. The trio entered the jeweler’s and the pony behind the counter - a gray unicorn stallion with a white mane - looked up from the gem he was examining. “Ah!” he cried, a broad smile coming to his face. He removed the eyepiece he was wearing and came around the counter to greet them. “Princess Twilight! And your companions, correct?” “Yes, that’s right,” Twilight said. “This is Gadget and my robot friend here is Turing Test.” “Yes, well, when Miss Rarity spoke to me and described the recipient of her gift,” he said, looking Turing Test up and down, “I wasn’t really certain what she was getting at. But it seems she didn’t exaggerate in the slightest. Well then, ah… Turing Test, is it?” Turing nodded her head. “Affirmative.” “Well,” he said, laughing nervously, “I must admit this is unusual, but as one of the finest jewelers in all of Manehattan, we pride ourselves on customer satisfaction! Here, allow me.” The jeweler went into the back and brought out a flat white box. He lifted the top with his magic and the trio of mares peered inside. “Oh, wow!” Gadget cried. “Turing, those are gorgeous!” Twilight added. Turing’s eyes shifted as she looked them over. The pair of brooches were rhombus-shaped amethyst stones laid in gold. They glinted in the light and seemed to pick up the light glowing from Turing’s own amethyst eyes. “I lack the ability to make reliable aesthetic judgments. However, they are cut very efficiently and their symmetry is within 0.0005% of each other. Based on my knowledge of what ponies find visually pleasing and my companions’ reactions, I believe that they are satisfactory.” “Well… good!” the jeweler said, smiling uncomfortably. “We’ve made preparations and can have them attached to you in the back room, if you like. The only question is where you’d like them placed.” “Based on earlier statements made by Rarity, the optimal placement would appear to be on my forelegs. Is that acceptable?” The jeweler’s smile became more relaxed and he nodded. “Of course, madam. Please, if you’ll come with me.” “We’ll wait here, Turing,” Twilight said. “We’d like to see them once they’re finished!” “Understood.” She turned to the jeweler. “Let us proceed.” Twilight and Gadget sat on a pair of seats in the front of the jeweler’s as they watched Turing follow into the back room. Gadget chuckled to herself. “Hm?” Twilight murmured, glancing over at her. “What’s so funny?” Gadget turned to her, a warm smile on her face. “She’s really… well, if she were a normal pony, I’d say she seems more ‘grown up.’” “Ah.” Twilight looked at the open doorway hearing the muted voices from the back room, Turing’s included. “Yes. She really is. Things were really rough for a while. I honestly wasn’t sure what I was going to do for a while. But you really helped me out the last time you came to visit. I think having friends and giving her the chance to make more are what kept her from falling apart.” Gadget raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “I… well, I guess now might be a good time to let you know what happened. Turing said it would be okay to tell you.” She took a deep breath and, as briefly as she could, related the whole thing to Gadget, including the events at the Castle of the Two Sisters and then Turing Test’s talk with Fluttershy. “Oh.” Gadget scrunched inward, hugging herself at the conclusion of the tale. “Poor Turing Test.” “She was worried, you know,” Twilight said quietly, putting her hoof on Gadget’s shoulder. “Turing thought it was important to tell you the truth, but she thought you might be a little disturbed at what she did.” “Huh?” Gadget blinked several times before giving Twilight a sideways glance. “Why would I be? She did what she had to do to protect her friends!” “I agree, but Turing Test… well…” Gadget nodded her head slowly, apparently understanding. “Well, it’s too bad that it happened, but… I mean, even if she’s the first machine to feel hatred, she’s also the first machine to really care about her friends too. I’d say the latter totally outweighs the former.” Twilight smiled and put her hoof around Gadget’s shoulder. “She’s lucky to have you as a friend, Gadget.” Gadget blushed. “N-no. I’m the lucky one. A princess and the world’s smartest machine call me their friends. I don’t see how I could ask for anything more.” There was some commotion and the jeweler swept back into the room, his chin raised and a proud smile on his face. “We’re finished!” he exclaimed. He swept his hoof back at the door. “And voila!” Turing Test came through the door, her legs whirring until she came to a stop. Gadget and Twilight rose to their hooves. “The procedure is complete.” She raised her left foreleg, displaying the brooch which was now attached to her shin. It gleamed in the light and reflected a purple sparkle on the floor and nearby walls. “Oh,” Twilight whispered. “Oh wow, Turing.” “What is your opinion, my friends? Am I… pretty?” Gadget giggled, but Twilight, tears in her eyes, came over and hugged her. “You’re very pretty Turing Test,” she managed to whisper. “I’m sure everyone in Ponyville is going to love it.” *** The three of them stood before the building before them. The complex was in a separate block surrounded by a grassy lawn and with curving buildings and a latticed glass roof. The name of the building was proclaimed in tall letters over the entrance: “MANEHATTAN HALL OF SCIENCE.” Twilight’s eyes gleamed and her mouth dropped open into a broad, joyous smile. “Oh my gosh, this is the finest science museum in all of Manehattan! Gadget, was this the other surprise you mentioned?” Gadget looked away, a smug look on her face. “Well… actually, that’s just part of it.” Twilight and Turing Test exchanged a glance. “Do you mean that your surprise involves this museum?” Turing asked. “Perhaps that there is something within that you wish to show us?” “Exactly!” She winked and beckoned them to follow her up the stairs. “You see, this place has a lot of permanent exhibits, but they also do special exhibits every few months. And I caught wind of one that was coming up due to a friend of Mr. Vanderbull’s! He told me about it and I got the idea to invite you both to come see it!” She reached inside her jacket and removed three tickets. “Today, we get to take a private, guided tour before anypony else gets a chance!” Twilight practically squealed with anticipation as they reached the entrance. “Okay, I have to know! What’s the exhibit?” Gadget bit her lip. “Ohhh, I was going to wait until we got inside, but I just can’t wait!” She held the tickets out to Twilight and Turing. Twilight lifted one with her magic and read the title printed on it. The Automaton: History of the Mechanical Pony Twilight gasped. “Oh… oh my gosh!” Then she gave a loud holler, her wings spreading as she did a loop in the air. “This is fantastic!” Turing Test continued to stare at the ticket. “Gadget, Twilight Sparkle: I do not understand. What is the significance of this exhibit?” “Oh, well, I guess you’ve never been to a museum, then, right?” Gadget motioned for them both to go inside as she began to explain. “You see, Turing, a museum is a place that displays all sorts of beautiful and interesting things for ponies to see and learn about them. And this one has an exhibit about automata! In fact, this is going to be the largest collection of working and recreated automata in all of Equestria!” She turned around and seized Turing’s shoulders as they entered the lobby. “Don’t you see, Turing? You’ll get to learn all about your ancestors!” Turing stared back, her ears twitching slightly. “My… ancestors?” Twilight, still shivering with excitement, dashed across the lobby toward the front desk. “Just stay there, you two! I’ll see if we can get a tour guide!” She made her way around several other visitors, but then skidded to a halt on the marble floor when she saw a pair of Royal Guardsponies standing before the front desk. Instantly, the pair of them stood in her path, heads lowered and eyes aflame, protecting whoever was standing at the desk. “Oh!” Twilight exclaimed. The two Guards widened their eyes and then bowed to her. “Our apologies, Princess Twilight,” said one. “We did not realize you would be visiting the museum on this day as well,” said the other. Twilight’s mouth moved but no words came out. Then a new voice was heard from behind the guards: “What’s that? Twilight Sparkle is here as well?!” The two Guards parted, making a path for the speaker. A flash of blue and a shimmering, starry mane came into view. “Ah ha! It is you, Twilight Sparkle!” Princess Luna stood before her, smiling serenely. “It seems that you and I will be tourmates on this day!” Twilight gawked. “T-tourmates?” Luna nodded, raising a hoof (and her voice) to loudly proclaim: “Come! Let us learn of these mechanical wonders together!” To be continued...