The Iron Horse: Everything's Better With Robots!

by The Hat Man


Apple Computer, Part 3

As Turing Test and Apple Bloom came up over the last hill before reaching the family home, Turing’s ears twitched, and she focused on something in the distance.

“Huh?” Apple Bloom asked, following the mechanical mare’s gaze. “Whatcha lookin’ at, Turing?”

“Granny Smith is on the barn.”

“She’s in the barn?” Apple Bloom asked, squinting and shielding her eyes from the sun with one hoof. “I don’t see--”

“Repeating: she is on the barn.”

Apple Bloom looked upwards and saw that Granny Smith was slowly climbing the roof of the barn, a ladder leaned against it.

“W-what?” she cried, picking up her pace. “What the hay is she doin’?!”

Granny Smith was atop the barn now and approaching the edge. She noticed Apple Bloom and Turing Test in the distance and waved to them.

“Helloooo, young ‘un!” she hollered.

Apple Bloom froze in place. “Granny, what are you doin’ up there? Get down before ya get hurt!”

“Yer just in time fer the surprise!” Granny Smith called back.

“W-what surprise?”

The elderly mare spread her forelegs wide and flashed a wide grin. “I can fly!”

She stepped over the edge.

“Granny!” Apple Bloom shrieked.

Turing Test took off instantly in an attempt to catch the falling mare. Unfortunately, she could already tell that she was not close enough to catch her in time.

More fortunately, somepony else was.

A red blur came barreling out from behind the chicken coops and leaped into the air, snatching Granny Smith out of her fall and tumbling to the ground.

“Big Mac!” Apple Bloom shouted, coming up behind Turing, who had already slowed her pace after seeing the stallion’s rescue. “Is Granny okay?”

Big Mac stood and jerked his head over at Granny Smith, who had rolled onto her back and was giggling like a filly. “Lookit me go, young ‘uns!” she said, spreading her forelegs wide. “I’m a pe~egasu~usss!”

The two Apple siblings looked to each other, then back at Granny Smith, who stood up on wobbly hooves. “Uh, Granny,” Apple Bloom said slowly, “you ain’t a pegasus.”

“Pfft, if that’s the case,” she said, gesturing exaggeratedly at her own back, “then whaddya call these?”

Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes. “These what?”

“My wings! Can’t ya see ‘em?”

Big Mac made a face. “Nnnope.”

“Well, just cuz y’all can’t see ‘em doesn’t mean that I… um…” She glanced around, smacking her lips. “Wait, how’d I get out here again?”

Turing looked down at Apple Bloom. “Apple Bloom, does your grandmother often suffer from dementia?”

“She ain’t got dementia!” Apple Bloom snapped. “At least... I don’t think so.”

Turing Test looked to Granny Smith and walked over to her. She noticed the elder mare’s eyes were wide, glassy, and unfocused, her pupils dilated.

“Granny Smith, are you well?” Turing asked.

“Why sure!” she replied. “Bit hot, though. An’ it sure is bright out here. Loud too. Told them trees to shut their yaps but good luck gettin’ ‘em to listen. But it’s all right, I told one o’ the chickens to handle it. If they ain’t gonna listen to Princess Henlestia, they won’t listen to nopony else, I tell ya whut!”

Apple Bloom swallowed. “Um, I’m not sure if this is a joke or not, but I-I’m kinda scared right now,” she said. Big Mac put his hoof on her shoulder, steadying her.

“Big McIntosh, will you please attend to her?” Turing said, looking back at them. “Her readings are strange and likely correlate with her behavior. I will investigate the area for a possible cause.”

Turing was about to step away when Granny Smith suddenly seized her foreleg.

“Heyyy, Miss Turing, I was wonderin’,” she said, grinning slyly, “what do you think about my grandson?”

She glanced over her shoulder, winking at the stallion, who smacked his forehead and groaned. “Aw, Granny…”

“I’m just sayin’, ya could do worse’n a nice young gal like her!”

Turing slipped her foreleg from Granny Smith’s grasp and quickly moved away. She decided that later she would try to figure out what Granny Smith had meant, and why Big McIntosh seemed so agitated all of a sudden.

She circled to the back of the farmhouse, scanning every detail of her surroundings. Granny Smith had been fine that morning, but now she was obviously affected by something. It was possible that she was merely sick, but she’d shown no symptoms only half an hour before. An external cause was therefore likely.

It was then that she spied a mushroom on the ground near the back porch. Not only that, it seemed to be partially chewed. She came closer and stared at it more intently.

Beginning scan… object is imprinted with toothmarks. Comparing pattern to observations of Granny Smith… match confirmed, 98% probability. Switching to chemical scan.

She bent down and “sniffed” it, taking in a sample of the chemicals it potentially contained.

Beginning spectrographic analysis… complete. Saliva detected; unknown chemical detected - composition is structurally similar to psilocybin.

Turing’s database on chemicals was quite extensive, but she had no idea what the effects of all those chemicals were. Still, it was possible, perhaps even reasonable, to assume that this strange mushroom might be the cause of Granny Smith’s current state.

She searched a bit further and found another mushroom that had likewise been partially chewed.

Beginning scan… object is likewise imprinted with toothmarks. Comparing pattern to Apple family members… bite pattern matches that of Applejack, 97% probability.

She went to the porch and found there was a bag of the mushrooms lying next to a rocking chair. However, there was no indication of where these strange mushrooms had come from.

She went through the back door and entered the kitchen. A note had been laid on the counter. Turing glanced at it:

Applejack & Family,

I picked these mushrooms with Tree Hugger, and she says they should be really yummy! I picked so many, so I’m sure you should be able to use them in some soup or recipes or something like that! Enjoy!

Your friend,
Fluttershy

Turing raised her head. If these mushrooms really were responsible for Granny Smith’s behavior, then it was possible that she was not the only one affected.

She dashed outside, snatching up the bag of mushrooms and running back to the front of the house. Big Mac had slung Granny Smith over his back, apparently in an effort to keep her from wandering around.

“Apple Bloom!” Granny Smith was saying to Apple Bloom.

“What is it, Granny?” the little filly asked, taking her grandmother’s hoof.

“Apple Bloom!”

“Y-yeah, Granny, I’m here.”

“Just… just listen,” she said, holding her free hoof to her mouth, shushing her. “I gotta ask ya somethin’.”

“Um… okay, what?”

“Do caterpillars know they’re gonna be butterflies one day,” she began, “or do they start buildin’ cocoons an’ go ‘What the buck am I doin’?’”

Apple Bloom groaned and rolled her eyes.

“They know.”

They all turned to face Turing Test.

“I am certain; I was a butterfly once.”

“Cooool!” Granny Smith said, her eyes lighting up. “Can ya teach me?!”

“Perhaps another time.” She turned to the other two. “Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom, I believe that I have identified the cause of Granny Smith’s condition.” She held up the bag of mushrooms.

“Ooh, careful now,” Granny Smith said, jutting a hoof at the bag. “Them things taste somethin’ awful!”

“Correction: now I am positive that they are the cause.”

“What?!” Apple Bloom cried, going to Turing’s side. “What do we do? What’s gonna happen to Granny?!”

“I am uncertain of any lasting effect beyond her mental state, but I suggest she be taken to the hospital. However, the situation is more serious than you suspect: both Applejack and Fluttershy may be affected as well.”

“Oh no!” Apple Bloom shouted, looking about frantically.

“Please remain calm,” Turing said, holding up a hoof. “Big McIntosh, as I am capable of traveling more quickly than most, I suggest that I take Granny Smith in a cart to Ponyville. You, meanwhile, should attempt to find Fluttershy and do the same for her.”

Big Mac nodded, passing a still-babbling Granny Smith to Turing.

“But… but what about Applejack?!” Apple Bloom demanded. “She might need help too!”

“I have not detected any sign of her being here at the moment. We will attend to the others first, then return to search for her. I will require your assistance, Apple Bloom.”

Apple Bloom opened her mouth to voice her protest but quickly saw the sense in what Turing was saying and closed it. That settled, they loaded Granny Smith into a cart, Turing taking the harness, and took off for Ponyville as Big Mac ran in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage.

***

Apple Bloom hugged herself as she sat next to Turing Test just outside the examination room. She was quiet for long stretches of time until at last she heaved a long sigh.

“Are you all right, Apple Bloom?” Turing Test asked.

“No,” she whispered, but drew herself up. “I’m really worried about Granny an’ Applejack. Dr. Stable seems to think Granny’s all right, but just the same, I’ve never seen ‘er act like that. I mean, if Applejack really did eat one o’ those weird mushrooms, then… what if she tries to jump off the roof?”

She felt a heavy, metallic hoof on her shoulder and smiled up at Turing Test.

“Do you wish to leave to find Applejack now? We had previously agreed to see if perhaps Dr. Stable knew of an antidote before locating her.”

“Maybe,” Apple Bloom said, fidgeting in her seat. “But I’d feel bad about leavin’ before we knew if Granny Smith was okay.”

The door opened behind them, and Dr. Stable came out. Both Apple Bloom and Turing Test noted that he looked disheveled and had big red smooch marks all over his face.

“Well!” he said, adjusting his tie and ignoring Apple Bloom’s giggles. “The good news is that it seems Granny Smith will be fine.”

Apple Bloom let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness!” she exclaimed.

“We’ll need to keep her under observation until she comes out of this, but the toxin she ingested from those mushrooms simply needs to run its course. They are known colloquially as ‘Madcap Mushrooms.’ Antidotes do exist, but these mushrooms are not common to this region of Equestria, so unfortunately our little pharmacy has nothing in stock. Just the same, there shouldn’t be any lasting problem.”

“That’s good to hear!” Apple Bloom said, smiling at the good news. “Uh, about how long until she’s back to normal, Doctor?”

“Probably another six to eight hours.”

Apple Bloom gasped. “Six to eight hours?! But… but that means Applejack could be wanderin’ around somewhere like that all day!”

“Then I strongly suggest you go find her,” he said, adjusting his glasses. “However, you should exercise caution. These mushrooms can cause extreme reactions, and their effects can depend heavily on the victim’s mental state. Symptoms can include frightening hallucinations, paranoia, and even panic attacks. Please be wary, as Applejack may unintentionally injure you in the course of trying to retrieve or restrain her.”

“It is doubtful she will be able to injure me,” Turing Test said, placing a hoof to her metallic chest. “I will retrieve her.”

She looked down and saw Apple Bloom stroking her chin.

“Wait a minute,” Apple Bloom said, “if we could find her an’ cure her…”

“But Dr. Stable indicated that he does not possess the antidote.”

“Maybe not, Turing, but I know somepony who might!” Apple Bloom said, leaping to her hooves. She picked up the bag of mushrooms sitting nearby and gave them to Turing. “Come on, let’s head back to the farm, an’ we’ll go from there!” She turned to go but looked over at Dr. Stable. “Uh, sorry about Granny. Please take good care of ‘er, all right?”

“Not a problem,” Dr. Stable said, giving her a reassuring smile.

That said, the filly and the robot swiftly took off down the hall.

A moment later, Dr. Stable saw a very bedraggled Big McIntosh being trailed by a green mare with her reddish-orange mane in thick dreadlocks. He also noticed that Big Mac had Fluttershy completely tied up with rope and slung across his back.

“Ah,” Dr. Stable said, raising an eyebrow at the trio. “Mushrooms?”

“Eeyup,” Big Mac said calmly.

Fluttershy hissed at that.

“Whoa, whoa, mellow out, Fluttershy,” said the green mare, gently patting Fluttershy on the head. “Everything’s gonna be groovy.”

“Um, excuse me, Miss…”

“Oh, hey,” the mare said. “My name’s Tree Hugger. Blessings!”

“Um… you too?”

“Yeah, this is all my bad. See, like, I was picking mushrooms with Fluttershy here, but I totally got my mushrooms all mixed up. These can open up the doors of perception, but if you’re not ready, it can be a real drag.

“So, like, I came to give Fluttershy the right ones, but I found her at her place with this dude tying her up and I was like ‘Well, if that’s what you like, I’m cool with it,’ but then he got all--”

“Okay, okay, I get it!” Dr. Stable shouted.

“Whoa, no need to freak, doc,” Tree Hugger said, placing a hoof on his shoulder. “Anyway, I brought the right mushrooms and all, but, um… like, can I have the other ones back?”

“No,” he said flatly, and turned to Big Mac. “Mr. Apple, we should probably get Miss Fluttershy a bed and… wait, are you covered with… bite marks?”

Big Mac sighed. “Eeyup.”

“Oh, right,” Tree Hugger said, stifling a chuckle. “Fluttershy here was getting in touch with her inner fruit bat.”

Fluttershy hissed again.

Big Mac made a sour face as he stared evenly at Dr. Stable. “She thought I was an apple.”

***

Applejack crashed through the underbrush, barely noticing the small scratches and scrapes she received as she leaped at her attacker through a bush. Once again, her quarry was not there, though she could hear the taunting, synthetic laughter echoing out at her.

She wiped the sweat from her brow. It was so bright in the forest, a fact that momentarily struck her as odd. She paused to catch her breath as she felt her heartbeat rhythmically pounding in her ears.

She felt so odd. She was hot and tired, and she suddenly realized that she wasn’t sure how long she’d been out in the Everfree. An hour? Five minutes? All day?

“Wearing down?” the robot’s voice echoed out to her.

“Not on yer life!” Applejack shouted, raising her head, eyes darting around to find her quarry.

“You really are a terrible liar,” Turing’s voice said. “You should accept that you have lost. Your soft, weak body cannot take much more. If only you were forged from metal, like me, instead of stuck with that weak, aging sack of flesh and bone.”

“I’ll show you who’s weak!” Applejack shouted back, dashing off in the direction of the voice.

“Really? Then show me.”

There was movement behind her, and a putrid, sulfuric smell. She turned at the sound of something stepping out from the forest.

Three timberwolves.

The leader of the small pack growled at her, lowering its head.

But to Applejack, these were no mere ordinary timberwolves; these were made not of wood and leaves and vines, but of metal plates and gears and wires.

“So… brought out more robots, have ya?” Applejack said, laughing in spite of the thundering of her heart and the pit of dread in her stomach. She glared at the wolves. “Well, I’m not scared o’ these contraptions any more than I am of you!”

The wolves looked to each other. Their tactic of paralyzing their target with fear or letting it run away only to trip so it could be taken down was not working. This pony looked ready for a fight. The beta male whimpered.

“You are not afraid?” Turing’s voice called to her. “Then prove it.”

“I will!” Applejack shouted, and gave a guttural howl as she dashed right at the lead timberwolf. The hapless beast only had a moment to give a look of confusion before the crazed mare whirled around and kicked it with all her might, shattering it into a pile of sticks and thorns.

The other two wolves turned and ran rather than face such an opponent.

“Ha! I told ya!” Applejack shouted, looking up through the canopy of leaves with a triumphant smile. “Ya see that?! Ya can’t beat me! Ya can’t beat me!”

She broke into loud, long laughter.

“This is crazy.”

She froze. That voice. It sounded like hers, but she hadn’t spoken. Had she?

“Yer gonna be a hard worker someday, ain’tcha? Everypony’ll see.”

She gasped. That easygoing baritone voice was so clear, so warm, and so achingly familiar.

“D…” she whispered, barely daring to utter the word. “D-daddy?”

And then came the mechanical laughter.

“You!” she screamed, fighting back her tears. Somewhere in the shadows amid the trees, she saw the glowing violet eyes. “How dare you! How dare you!”

She charged after her tormenter once again. As she did, her hat caught on a branch, ripping it from her head as she obliviously ran deeper into the Everfree.

***

Turing Test followed closely behind as Apple Bloom galloped toward the farmhouse.

“Why have we returned here, Apple Bloom? Neither Applejack nor an antidote are likely to be found here.”

“You’ll see!” Apple Bloom said, looking over her shoulder and giving Turing Test a knowing wink.

They approached the farmhouse, and Apple Bloom halted by the back door. She put a hoof to her lips and gave a sharp, shrill whistle.

There was a clattering inside the house, and the screen door burst open as a blur of brown and white fur dashed over to her.

“Good girl, Winona!” Apple Bloom said, pushing the eager dog back slightly as she licked her face.

“I see. You intend to have your dog locate Applejack, Turing Test said with an approving nod. “That is a sound strategy. Even my own abilities cannot compare with a canine’s olfactory sense.”

“An’ her sense o’ smell is good too!” Apple Bloom said. She turned back to the dog, who was panting and wagging her tail eagerly. “Okay, Winona, listen up! I need ya to find Applejack, ya hear? Go get Applejack!”

Winona barked and took off running in a straight line toward a hill overlooking the orchard. Apple Bloom and Turing Test followed her up the hill to an oak tree. Winona paused and began sniffing the ground.

“This tree,” Turing Test said, walking over to the mighty oak’s trunk, “appears to have some fractures in its bark. They appear to be recent and at least partially match the size and shape of Applejack’s hooves.”

Apple Bloom raised an eyebrow at that. “That’s weird. Why would Applejack go kickin’ an oak tree?”

Unfortunately, there was no time to consider the question as Winona suddenly took off again and they followed her down the hill, through the trees… and right to the edge of the Everfree Forest.

Winona slowed to a halt and sat down, letting out a soft whine as she put her ears back.

“Oh,” Apple Bloom said, her eyes widening. “Oh no… Applejack musta wandered into the Everfree Forest!”

“I have flown over the Everfree Forest and travelled through it to the Castle of the Two Sisters on one occasion, but it is my understanding that it can be potentially hazardous. In Applejack’s probable state of mind, she could potentially become injured or--”

“Don’t even talk like that!” Apple Bloom cried. She took a deep breath and hardened her gaze. “We’re goin’ to find her.”

Turing nodded. “Understood. However, it would be wise for us to remain close together for protection. My abilities should be sufficient to protect you and Winona from any wild predators.”

“All right,” the filly said. She then stroked Winona’s head and back as the little dog whimpered and looked from her to the Everfree. “I know it’s a scary place, Winona,” she said quietly, “but we gotta go. Applejack’s in there, okay? Come on now, we need ya to find her.”

At the word “Applejack,” Winona got to her paws. She gave one last glance at Apple Bloom and a short bark before she began to walk into the Everfree. The three of them stepped onto the path leading into the forest, following Winona as she periodically stopped to sniff the ground.

“Earlier you mentioned somepony who may possess an antidote, Apple Bloom. You have yet to specify who that could be.”

“Well, we just might be goin’ in the right direction to find her too,” Apple Bloom replied. “Ever met a zebra, Turing?”

“Negative. But I doubt she has met a robot either.”

“Good point, but if I know Zecora,” she said with a smile, “then I doubt it’ll give ‘er much trouble.”

***

A short while later, the two found themselves following Winona through yet another bush before stepping out into a clearing.

“Blech!” Apple Bloom said, brushing leaves and briars from her coat. “Applejack musta gone everywhere except the path by the way Winona’s trackin’ ‘er! I sure hope I don’t get poison ivy from doin’ this.”

“I hope I do not get it either.”

Apple Bloom blinked and glanced over at Turing.

That was a joke. Ha ha.

Apple Bloom rolled her eyes.

“My apologies. I am attempting to ‘lighten the mood.’ It seems I was not successful.”

“My mood’ll lighten when I find my sister,” Apple Bloom said. It was then that they both heard Winona barking frantically.

They followed the sound and spotted what she’d found. Lying on the ground beneath a low-hanging branch was Applejack’s familiar brown, wide-brimmed hat.

“Oh my gosh!” Apple Bloom cried. “Her hat! She never goes anywhere without it!”

She was reaching for it when she suddenly heard Winona bristle and growl, placing herself between Apple Bloom and the edge of the clearing.

“Winona? What the hay are ya--” Then she froze, sniffing the air and making a face. “Ugh! What is that?!”

Turing Test leaped in front of her just as a creature emerged from the woods. The wooden body had blended in with the surrounding flora, but the creature’s glowing green eyes made Apple Bloom’s blood run cold.

“Timberwolf!” she screamed.

“A curious creature,” Turing said calmly. “Is it classified as an animal or plant?”

“Never mind, Turing, run away before--”

The timberwolf snarled and pounced at Turing Test, latching its jaws onto her face.

“Turing!” Apple Bloom screamed.

The timberwolf tried to bite down as its prey remained motionless. However, its teeth could find no purchase in the tough, metallic creature before it. It let go, backing away in confusion from the strange pony, leaving a thin trail of drool across its face.

“I apologize, but I am inedible,” Turing said, staring at the timberwolf. “Please remove yourself from the premises, or I will deter you physically.”

The timberwolf stared back at her, cocking its head.

Turing dug into the earth, scooping out a large rock. She held it between her hooves. “Engaging E-Mode,” she said, then crushed the rock between her hooves into little more than fine powder.

The timberwolf got the hint and turned tail, dashing back into the forest.

“Turing, that was awesome!” Apple Bloom exclaimed, rushing over to her, hugging her foreleg. Then her eyes went wide. “But… wait, if timberwolves are around here… an’... an’ Applejack’s hat is here… oh. Oh, no…” She looked up at Turing Test, her eyes filling with tears. “Don’t tell me that s-she--”

“There is no need for alarm, Apple Bloom,” Turing Test said, holding up a hoof as she often saw Twilight Sparkle do when she wished for silence. “I did not detect any blood on the timberwolf’s teeth. Furthermore, it is unlikely that it would attack us if it was not hungry, indicating that it has not fed. Also,” she added, going to the center of the clearing, “I detect several impressions in the ground that match Applejack’s hooves. There are also several prints that match those of the timberwolves. While she may have confronted the creatures, it seems that she was victorious.”

“Oh thank goodness!” Apple Bloom said, wiping her eyes. “But… just the same, why would she run off an’ leave her hat like this?”

“I do not know. Perhaps, in her current state, she did not notice that it was missing.”

“Well, in any case, she’ll want it back,” Apple Bloom said, placing it on her head. Then she frowned as the large hat slipped over her eyes. “Uh, maybe you should carry it.”

Turing Test put on the hat, adjusting it around her hinged ears. She looked down at Apple Bloom, who gave her an approving nod.

“Is it aesthetically pleasing?”

“Yep! Lookin’ mighty fine, Turing.”

Turing raised her head. “Acknowledged: I am lookin’ mighty fine.”

There was a rustle in the bushes, and they all turned again to face the figure that emerged from the forest. Apple Bloom beamed when she saw who it was.

“A dog, a filly, and somepony strange,” Zecora said, eyeing the trio, “have ventured far from their home on the range.”

“Zecora!” Apple Bloom exclaimed. “Oh boy, am I glad to see you!”

“As am I, Apple Bloom, my dear. But tell me now, who is this here?” She pursed her lips as she came closer to Turing Test. “Forgive me if I seem unsettled, but who is this mare that’s forged of metal?”

“This here’s Turing Test, Zecora!” Apple Bloom said, gesturing to her. “She’s a robot!”

“That is correct,” Turing Test added. “I am a mechanical pony. I would be willing to explain further, but we are currently searching for Apple Bloom’s sister, Applejack. Apple Bloom has indicated that you may be able to assist us.”

Zecora raised her head. “Assist you, now? Please tell me how.”

“Applejack ate some funny mushroom, an’ now she’s gone all loopy!” Apple Bloom said. She took a mushroom from the bag they were carrying and showed it to Zecora, who gasped when she saw it.

“The Madcap Mushroom is known to me, but does not grow in Everfree.”

“Then… ya can’t help?” Apple Bloom said, her ears drooping.

Zecora smiled. “A cure does grow within these woods. But I must see if I’ve the goods. Come to my home, dear girl and bot, and I will see if so or not.”

***

Turing looked all around the little hut that Zecora called home. The masks and other decorations that hung on the walls were certainly a departure from what she had seen in her other friends’ homes, but she regarded them only with curiosity. After all, Zecora had only expressed mild surprise upon meeting her before readily allowing her into her home, which was certainly more accepting than most ponies tended to be.

Apple Bloom trailed Zecora and helped her retrieve various herbs and other ingredients as the zebra began mixing them in a bowl or crushing them with a mortar and pestle.

“Your knowledge of remedies appears to be very extensive,” Turing remarked as she sat by Zecora’s cauldron. “How did you attain your expertise?”

Zecora chuckled. “I traveled from my homeland dear, but kept its teachings very near. Roots and herbs and leaves and bark, found in day or in the dark; I knew their names since being a filly, and though some have thought it rather silly, my skills are not pedestrian, to those we deem Equestrian. Knowledge sought and swapped and learned, knowledge only fools would spurn! Delight in pain and illness lifted, by the cures that I have gifted. It is my joy and thus my drive, to help the ponyfolk to thrive.”

Turing tilted her head. “Oh.”

Apple Bloom smiled at Turing. “Zecora here can cure just about anything, Turing!” she said. “An’ it looks like she can help Applejack, Fluttershy, an’ Granny Smith!”

Zecora’s eyes widened, and then she frowned. “Alas, you did not say to me, that I should make a cure for three.”

Apple Bloom gasped. “Ya mean there ain’t enough?”

Zecora shook her head. “I have the herbs to cure just one. For more, I’ll need to make a run.”

Apple Bloom furrowed her brow but nodded. “Okay. Well, we’ll use this cure on Applejack, since she’s the one still wanderin’ around the woods. If it ain’t too much trouble, Zecora, we’d still like some fer Granny an’ Fluttershy.” She flashed Zecora her best puppy dog eyes.

Zecora smiled, nodding solemnly. “I’ll find those herbs and meet you here. Just take care and keep this near.” She held up the cure, which was a blue powder, and poured it from her bowl into a small bag. She tied it with drawstrings and then hung it around Apple Bloom’s neck.

“An’ this’ll help Applejack?” Apple Bloom asked, holding it out on her hoof.

“It works if eaten or inhaled, but do make sure you’re not assailed.” She narrowed her eyes. “The Madcap’s lies turn friends to strangers, and kindest aid to violent dangers. Watch well your sister’s state of mind, for you may find her quite unkind.”

Apple Bloom nodded. “All right, Zecora.” She then smiled and hugged her. “An’ thanks a lot fer all the help!”

Zecora smiled and turned to face Turing Test.

“Agreed,” Turing Test said, getting up from her seat. “I will now take Apple Bloom and Winona and continue searching for Applejack. Thank you for your assistance.”

Zecora pursed her lips and rubbed her chin. “Forgive me if you do not know them, but have you heard old tales of ‘golems’?”

“Affirmative. They have been mentioned to me.” She tilted her head. “They were mentioned as mythical automata created by a race known as the Yudacorns.”

“Ah,” Zecora said. “Forgive me if I seem uncouth, but I heard such tales in my youth. Ponies of stone with glowing eyes, made to walk and work and rise. But such a creature you are not; instead you call yourself ‘robot?’”

Turing nodded back to her. “It is the designation I have used for myself. Though I see the similarity in such a mythological figure, I am a creation of science, rather than magic.”

“I see,” Zecora replied. Then she chuckled to herself, flashing a smile. “As a foal I viewed such things with fear… but now that I can see you here, I see you’re not a cause for fright. For a machine, you’re quite polite!”

Turing bowed. “That is very kind of you to say. I hope that we may see each other under less perilous circumstances.”

That said, the group left the hut together, Zecora to find more herbs to make another batch of cures, and Turing Test and Apple Bloom to resume their search for Applejack.

It wasn’t long before Winona caught the scent once again.

***

After another twenty minutes, Apple Bloom was so focused on trailing the dog that she almost tripped over her when Winona finally stopped. She’d rounded a corner, and suddenly they were all greeted by blinding sunlight as the treeline broke.

“Whoa!” Apple Bloom cried as she skidded to a halt. Luckily, Turing Test put out a hoof, stopping her before she fell onto Winona.

“Are you all right, Apple Bloom?” Turing asked.

“Yeah,” Apple Bloom said, breathing heavily as she caught her breath. Then she looked up and saw where Winona had led them.

The area before them was a great expanse of pools of muddy water that bubbled and gurgled like soup coming to a boil. Apple Bloom wrinkled her nose at the sickly smell that rose from the bubbles as they burst. Lines of earthen walkways criss-crossed the area, which was dotted by reeds and cattail plants as well as the occasional stilted mangrove tree growing directly out of the water.

“A swamp?” Apple Bloom said, laying her ears back. “Why would she come here?”

“I do not know. However, I have recorded several geographical maps of Equestria, and I believe this area is identified as ‘Froggy Bottom Bog.’”

As if to punctuate her words, a large bullfrog leaped out the water, landing on a lily pad nearby the path in front of them. However, the frog gave a start when Winona began barking.

“Huh? What is it, girl?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I believe I know,” Turing said, pointing with her hoof.

Apple Bloom’s gaze followed where Turing was pointing, and on the horizon she spotted a familiar orange figure wandering along a path.

“Applejack!” she cried and started to dash forward. No sooner had she begun, however, than Winona bit on the end of her tail and tried to pull her back.

“Hey! Winona, stop it!” she yelled, yanking her tail free. The dog continued to bark, her ears back. She looked out at the bog and then back to the pair of them.

“It seems she does not wish to go into the bog, Apple Bloom.”

“She’s just bein’ a scaredy-dog,” she replied, rolling her eyes. “Fine. Winona, sit!”

The dog immediately sat, still eyeing her nervously.

“I’ll be fine, girl,” she said, patting her on the head. “Now stay put, ya hear? Stay!”

Winona looked like she was about to ignore the order and get up, but at last she laid her ears back and whimpered.

“All right then,” Apple Bloom said. “C’mon, Turing, let’s go get Applejack!” She placed her hoof on the small sack Zecora had tied around her neck.

Apple Bloom and Turing made their way out onto the earthen paths crossing the bog. For once, Turing had more difficulty keeping up with Apple Bloom as her hooves sank into the mud repeatedly, making it a little harder to follow the little filly than usual.

“Apple Bloom, I suggest we approach Applejack with caution,” Turing Test said quietly. “I am able to hear her from this distance. It seems that she is muttering somewhat incoherently.”

“Muttering? An’ whaddya mean ‘somewhat’ incoherently? What kinda stuff is she sayin’?”

Turing hesitated. “She appears to be upset with me.”

“With you?” Apple Bloom asked, slowing her pace as she looked back at Turing over her shoulder. “What for?”

“Unknown. Regardless, she may not be pleased to see me.”

“Well, you’ve got me with ya. Maybe I can calm her down.”

“That strategy might be effective. Still, it would be advisable to proceed with caution.”

“Right,” Apple Bloom said, her eyes narrowing with determination. “Don’t worry, I’ll get through to ‘er.”

They slowed their pace as they gingerly came up behind Applejack as she walked down an elevated path between two roiling, muddy pools. They could even hear her as she mumbled to herself, jerking her head left and right.

“Lousy machine… thinks she’s… can’t talk to me like… make ‘em proud, they’ll… they’ll all see…”

Apple Bloom took a breath. “Um, Applejack?” she asked slowly.

Her sister whirled around. Her mane was disheveled, and her eyes were dilated and glassy.  “Apple Bloom? Wha… what’re you…” she began, but then her eyes refocused as she saw Turing Test standing next to Apple Bloom.

“Ah ha!” she shouted, pointing a hoof at her. “I finally found ya! Now gimme back my hat!”

Turing Test looked upward, noting that she was still wearing Applejack’s hat.

“Of course you may have it, Apple--”

“Nopony steals my hat!” she screamed, stomping her hooves.

Turing tilted her head at that. “I did not steal it, Applejack. Apple Bloom and I discovered it in the woods.”

“Liar!” Applejack shouted again. “You stole it after ya told me that you just wanted to replace me!”

Turing Test and Apple Bloom exchanged a confused look before turning back to Applejack.

“You said you’d be Apple Bloom an’ Big Mac’s new sister! Ya acted like you just wanted to help out an’ be friends, but it was all a lie!” She grit her teeth, snorting hot air through her nostrils like a wild bull. “You even sent yer robot wolves after me! Well, I showed you! Ain’t nopony, robot or otherwise, that can get the best o’ me!”

“Applejack, stop!” Apple Bloom cried. “Listen… we know ya ate a mushroom back at the house, but we found out it was some kinda poison mushroom! It’s makin’ ya see things!”

“Apple Bloom is correct. It also affected Granny Smith, and--”

“Quiet!” Applejack shouted. She looked at Apple Bloom, her gaze softening. “Now just relax, Apple Bloom. I know she musta told ya some cockamamie story about me, but it ain’t true. Now come over here by me, nice an’ slow. I’ll make sure she won’t hurt ya.”

Apple Bloom smacked her forehead. “Hurt me? Applejack, Turing Test ain’t done nothin’ bad to nopony! She’s my friend!”

Applejack gasped. “Sh-she’s… no! She ain’t--”

“Listen to yerself!” Apple Bloom shouted, a crack in her voice as she pleaded with her sister. “Stealin’ yer hat? Robot wolves? Come on, that’s crazy!”

Applejack stared back at her, her jaw slack as she panted. For a moment, she was quiet, and Apple Bloom smiled, thinking that perhaps she’d gotten through to her sister.

But Applejack saw the way Apple Bloom moved her neck and thought she heard a soft mechanical whirring. She saw her sister’s desperate eyes and thought she saw a faint purple glimmer behind them.

“No…” she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. Then she clenched her teeth, eyes aflame. “You monster! I see it now! Yer turnin’ my sister into a robot too!”

Apple Bloom groaned. “All right, that’s enough,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Turing, maybe we should just grab ‘er so we can--”

“I won’t let you!” Applejack screamed, and charged at Turing Test suddenly. “I’ll never let ya hurt her!”

Apple Bloom gasped and dove out of the way as Applejack rushed at Turing Test, aiming a hoof at her.

Turing Test merely hopped backward, avoiding the blow. This seemed to only infuriate Applejack even further, and she struck at her with her hooves, trying to land blow after blow as Turing Test slowly retreated.

“Applejack, please stop,” she said calmly, continuing to back away and dodging each hit. “I assure you that I have not harmed Apple Bloom.”

“Tell it to someone else, ya junkheap!” she snapped. She then whirled around and aimed her back legs at Turing Test. Mustering as much force as she could, she landed a mighty buck square into Turing’s jaw, a mighty clang ringing out over the bog. The hat Turing wore fluttered off her head and onto the ground.

Turing’s head was pushed back, but only slightly, the force barely enough to jerk her head in the opposite direction. With Applejack’s hooves still planted into her jaw, she slowly glanced back at the crazed mare. If she could heave a sigh, she would have.

“Applejack, assaulting me is pointless. I am--”

And then her back hooves slid backwards. She looked behind her and saw that her retreat had caused her to step onto unsteady, muddy ground. Applejack’s last blow had unbalanced her enough that she was beginning to slide down the embankment, toward the deep, muddy water below.

“Oh.”

She began to scramble to climb back up the embankment, but her prodigious weight caused her to sink into the mud; she could not gain a hoof-hold. Unless she did something quickly, she was going to fall.

Determining solution… P-Mode inadvisable, as jets require up to ten seconds to build sufficient thrust. Recommend seeking assistance.

She looked up and saw that the only one close enough was Applejack.

“Applejack, I am slipping. I require your assistance immediately!” she exclaimed.

But Applejack only wore a cocky grin. “Guess I ain’t obsolete yet,” she said. Then she leveled her hooves at Turing Test again and bucked her right in the chest.

Turing Test fell backward silently. She seemed to hang in the air for a moment before she tumbled off the embankment. Then gravity took over, and she plunged into the water, creating a massive splash as she sank like a stone into the muddy depths below.

To be continued...