The Iron Horse: Everything's Better With Robots!

by The Hat Man

Touch

Maud Pie stared back at Turing Test for a moment, her eyes blinking slowly, before she finally replied in her usual monotone, “Hello, Turing Test. It’s nice to see you.”

Turing Test nodded. “It is also nice to see you, Maud Pie.”

The two continued standing there in silence for a few moments, a light breeze stirring up the dust on the bare ground around them.

Maud turned slightly and gestured to her cabin. “Do you want to come in?” she asked.

“If that is all right with you, then yes.”

Maud nodded and held open the door for Turing Test. She had a circular parcel with her as well as a small pouch hung around her neck, but otherwise she was apparently traveling light. She carried these things with her toward the cabin.

“Oh, and sorry about the mess. I didn’t know I’d have company.”

Turing Test didn’t expect Maud to be a messy sort of pony, but once she entered the small cabin, she saw what she’d meant.

Though the simple cabin was plain and unadorned, rock samples of every kind littered each table and desk and many different places on the bare, wooden floor. The samples were labelled, though what system of organization had been used to arrange them, if any, eluded Turing as she glanced around. Granted, she didn’t know much about rocks to begin with, but she was sure that Maud would explain if she asked.

Aside from the rocks, the place was just an ordinary, rudimentary cabin. There was a simple bed in one corner of the room. A table was next to the bed, and upon it there was a small cardboard box with some cloth inside. The box was labelled “Boulder’s Bed.” There was a kitchenette with a simple oven, stove, and sink, where a single dish was on the countertop. At the center of the room was a plain, wooden table. There were two stools on either side of it, and though it was the only eating space in the cabin, there were more rock samples and some papers on it, which indicated that Maud had been using it both for meals and for work.

This was where Maud did her work: a simple, one-room cabin.

Turing Test gently sat on one of the stools, testing it with her weight to make sure it would support her. Once she was satisfied that it would (they were apparently far sturdier than they looked), she rested her whole weight upon it and watched as Maud went to the kitchenette.

“I’m going to make tea,” Maud said.

“Understood.”

Turing Test was used to ponies offering her food or drink as a course of habit, even when they knew she wasn’t able to consume them. It was customary for organics, of course, so she didn’t mind, but it did strike her as a little odd that they could not remember such a basic thing. After all, pegasi didn’t ask earth ponies to go flying, so why should organics ask her if she’d like some tea or a snack?

And yet here was Maud Pie making tea and not offering her a cup. It was odd to not receive the offer, and yet strangely refreshing.

Maud Pie left the tea kettle on the stove and sat down across from Turing Test at the table.

“I didn’t know you were coming to visit,” Maud said.

“I apologize for the suddenness of my visit. Is my presence unwanted?”

Maud shook her head. “You’re welcome here. I just don’t know why you came.”

“It was a matter of great importance to me. Perhaps I was impatient, but I simply did not wish to wait for an answer.”

Maud raised an eyebrow at her.

“I apologize. Allow me to clarify my meaning.”

She tapped her chin, organizing her thoughts for a moment before she continued.

“In the time since our last interaction, many things have happened. I have achieved greater success with interpersonal relationships, friendships, and emotional depth. Though I still have difficulty with interaction, I believe I am making progress. One of my greatest achievements is my ability to feel affection. To feel such positivity in the presence of others has given my existence a far greater quality than I had anticipated.”

Maud continued to sit, watching Turing stoically, the blinking of her eyes her only movement.

“Affection and friendship have made me curious about other relationships. It was during a visit with Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire that I made inquiries about the nature of romantic relationships.”

A normal pony might not have noticed, but Maud’s slow, regular breathing was interrupted by her momentarily drawing in a slightly sharper breath, pausing a moment, and then going back to her usual breathing. It was a small reaction, but a reaction nonetheless. What it meant, however, Turing couldn’t say.

For a moment, she wasn’t sure if she should continue… and yet now she didn’t see how she could stop. Perhaps this was the “Point of No Return” she’d heard ponies mention before.

“I will be brief, Maud Pie. I began to seek potential romantic partners, but I was unable to determine who might be compatible with me. After some assistance from my friends, I determined that you, Maud Pie, possess many of the qualities I seek. We likewise seem to share many similar characteristics that could theoretically be conducive to a suitable match. Still, I had no reason to believe you would accept me, until I recalled your recent Hearth’s Warming Gift to me.”

Turing switched to U-Mode and levitated the pouch she carried around her neck over her head. She loosened the drawstrings and lifted out the small object, placing it on her hoof.

Maud leaned forward, even though she already knew what it was.

It was a small piece of rose quartz in the shape of a heart.

“You sent this gift to me for Hearth’s Warming, Maud Pie. You indicated that it made you think of me. As the shape is often associated with feelings of affection and even love, I considered the possibility that perhaps you intended the gift as an expression of such feelings.”

Maud sat back up and met Turing’s eyes.

“Please inform me, Maud Pie… am I correct? Do you care for me?”

Maud drew in another deep breath, but nodded.

“Perhaps… romantically?”

Maud’s cheeks flushed the barest color of pink, and the corners of her mouth curved upward gently.

“Uh huh,” she replied. “I do.”

Turing was silent. Her glowing violet eyes fixated on Maud Pie, and her ears twitched up and down.

“Understood,” she replied at last. She tapped her chin a second time, then said, “I had not considered what to do next, Maud Pie. Should we… caress each other?”

Maud’s eyes widened slightly at that. Turing detected an increase in her heart rate.

Maud opened her mouth, but a whistling sound was heard. She turned her head and saw that it was coming from the tea kettle. She pushed her stool back and went to the kettle, pouring herself a cup of tea.

Turing merely sat, watching the slow, meticulous way she made her tea. When at last Maud had finished, she made her way over to the table and set it down, taking a slow sip of it. Her heart rate slowed, and her breathing became normal.

“We don’t have to do anything, Turing,” Maud replied, her voice back to its usual calm, even tone. “To be honest, I’m not really experienced with this sort of situation either. But it might be best if we spend more time with each other before we do anything else.”

Turing Test nodded. “That seems like a good idea. I apologize if I suggested something inappropriate.”

Maud shook her head. “It’s okay.” She took another sip of her tea. “Boulder and I were going to head out to look for rock samples. My rocktoral thesis is all about understanding the different geological strata of different places in Equestria. Right now, I’m studying the Western Badlands to do a survey of the different rocks they have here. If you want, you could join me.”

Turing tilted her head to the side.

“It’s okay if you don’t,” Maud added. “Most ponies don’t really find rocks as interesting as I do.”

But Turing held up a hoof. “Actually, I would like to join you, Maud Pie,” Turing replied. “I enjoy learning new things and would also enjoy spending more time with you. I was simply curious as to whether or not such an outing would constitute a ‘date’ or not.”

Maud tapped her own chin at that. “Huh. I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Sure.” She took a long drink from her cup. “While we look, you can tell me about how things have been in Ponyville. Pinkie writes me letters a lot, but she doesn’t always explain things very well. I’d like to know how you’ve been.”

Turing nodded. “Understood. Then we will look for rocks and have a conversation for our date. I hope it will be enjoyable.”

“I do too.” Maud finished her tea and placed the cup in the sink. She went to her bed and reached underneath it, retrieving her saddlebag. She also reached into her pocket and held out Boulder, patting him lightly.

“I hope you don’t mind me bringing Boulder,” Maud said. “I don’t like to leave him alone at home on these trips.” She held him up for Turing Test to see.

“Hello, Boulder,” Turing said, bowing to the little pebble as she held it in her hoof. “I look forward to enjoying your company today as well.”

Maud held Boulder close to her ear, nodding slightly. “Boulder’s a little unsure about you still, but he just needs to get to know you. Don’t worry, though; he takes a little time to warm up to other ponies.”

Turing placed a hoof to her chest. “I will do my best to earn his approval.”

Maud continued watching her, blinking slowly once more before giving Turing another half smile.

The pair of them came over a ridge, and Turing glanced all around her, taking in the sight of the surrounding terrain. Mesas, buttes, gullies, and ravines scarred the land. They were marked by colorful bands of gray, then white, then darker gray, then red, and so on.

“I have never been in a place like this before, Maud Pie,” Turing Test said. “It is very different from Ponyville.”

Maud slowly negotiated the steep side of the sloping hill as she descended into a ravine. Turing followed her, the mechanical whirring of her legs echoing through the narrow, rocky corridor.

“This place has a lot of diversity when it comes to rocks,” Maud said. “It’s because of all the different geological strata that formed after repeated sediment settling and erosion. The relatively thin regolith layer makes it easy to examine them up close.”

“I am not certain I understand, Maud Pie,” Turing Test said, coming up alongside her. “My dictionary does not contain an entry for the term ‘regolith.’”

“It means the top layer of soil that covers rock layers.” She paused and pointed at the ground. Turing watched her as she dug at the ground with her hoof, scraping away the thin soil and almost instantly exposing solid rock underneath it.

“I see. That would explain why there are few large plants in this area.”

Maud nodded.

“You also said that these layers, which you call strata, were formed by settling. Then they were at one time underwater?”

Maud nodded again. She went to the wall of the ravine and ran her hoof along the rough stone. “This is a layer of sandstone. Other researchers found fossils of shellfish and other sea creatures. A long time ago, this place wasn’t a desert. It was an ocean.”

Turing’s ears rose at that. She glanced upward and saw the dozen or so layers of rock that were above the one Maud had indicated.

“How long ago was such an event, Maud Pie?”

“At least 47 million years ago,” Maud replied.

Turing wasn’t often prone to surprise, and yet she felt it then. The idea that such an event had occurred so long ago…

“Turing?” Maud asked, tapping her on the shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Turing faced her. “I apologize, Maud Pie. I was simply struck by the idea that such an event occurred so long ago in the past. Celestia is herself slightly older than 1000 years. Twilight Sparkle described an exhibit in the Manehattan Hall of Science which contained an ancient pony from 50,000 years ago. And yet such events are miniscule compared to the idea that an entire ocean once existed here many millions of years ago. It is strange to compare it to my own existence, which has spanned less than a single year.”

“Mm-hmm,” Maud said. “I think it’s pretty neat too.” She then turned and continued to walk down the corridor.

Maud Pie’s knowledge is substantial. Turing said to herself as she followed in step behind her. In that respect, she is like Twilight Sparkle. And also not like her. I must learn more from her.

Maud paused and looked down. “Hmm,” she murmured. She lifted a sizable boulder gently to the side and peered down at a small, glinting rock that was embedded in the ground. With a nod, she reached into her saddlebag and retrieved a small trowel and a pickaxe. Ever so gently, she dug out around the rock until more of it was uncovered. She then took her pickaxe to it and chipped off a chunk of it. Turing watched her in silence as she worked.

At last, Maud held the small rock aloft. “This looks like gold, but--”

“--but it is not.”

Maud’s eyes widened slightly. “Right. Huh… most ponies can’t tell.”

“I have the ability to perform spectrographic analysis using sensors in my ocular lenses. I do not know what it is, but its spectrum does not match that of gold.”

Maud gave another half smile. “It’s iron pyrite. It’s a sulfide mineral that forms naturally in a lot of different rocks. It’s not rare, but this is the first time I’ve found it in this area. Interesting.” She took out a plastic bag and a marker, bagging the sample before labeling it and putting it in her bag again.

“I’ve been trying to find other rocks and minerals in this part of the badlands. In addition to the clay, shale, and sandstone you typically find, I’ve discovered gneiss, peridotite, garnet amphibolite, and even a chunk of ilmenite.”

Turing tilted her head at that.

“That last one made me think of you, because it has titanium in it.”

“Oh.” Turing lifted her foreleg, examining it. “Then, at some point, I was a rock?”

“No. You were many rocks,” Maud said. “The different metals you’re made of, your hooves, and even your eyes are all made of different rocks.”

Turing slowly put her foreleg down and lowered her head. “It is strange for me to think about it, Maud Pie,” she said quietly. “The materials that were used to create me were once dug up from the ground, refined, and forged to make up the different parts of me. At what point did I stop being rocks and become something else? Or perhaps I still am no more than a collection of such things.”

Maud shook her head. “Rocks are old and they don’t change much, but they do change, eventually. That’s where metamorphic rocks come from. Besides,” she added, “organic ponies are made of rocks too, in part. Carbon, iron, phosphorous… you can find those in rocks and in ponies. We’re not that different, if you think about it.” She took Boulder out of her pocket and pet him gently. “Isn’t that right, Boulder?”

Turing was quiet, but she raised her head and lifted her ears again. “That is a wise perspective, Maud Pie. In a way, then, Boulder and you and I as well are all connected in some way.”

“Mm-hmm,” Maud replied, returning Boulder to her pocket. “But you’re more like a rock than most other ponies, Turing. That’s one of the things I like about you.”

Turing was about to reply when Maud gently reached over and placed her hoof on the side of Turing’s face. The gray mare gave her a small smile and took in a slightly deep breath before letting it out.

“Thank you, Maud Pie.” She glanced down at Maud’s hoof, which was still touching her face. “You are touching me.”

“Yes,” she replied flatly. “Do you want me to stop?”

“That is not necessary. Do you wish for me to reciprocate?”

“If you want to.”

Turing wasn’t certain of exactly what she should do next, but she decided that perhaps imitating what Maud was doing might be for the best. She reached out and placed her own hoof gently on the side of Maud’s face.

“Mmm,” Maud hummed, rubbing her cheek against Turing’s hoof. “It’s smooth.”

She lingered for a moment, then moved her hoof from Turing’s face and stepped back, continuing to survey the ravine.

Turing merely stood there for a moment as she glanced down at her hoof.

Strange, she said to herself, that such a short moment of physical contact elicits such a strong reaction from my cognitive function. I wonder, did Maud enjoy that as well? I will ask her at an appropriate time.

After gathering more rock samples that afternoon, the sun began to set and the badlands became steadily colder as an icy winter wind blew across the rocky terrain. Maud and Turing made their way back toward the cabin, passing by a tall, wooden observation tower.

“Hey!” came a shrill voice.

Maud and Turing Test looked up to see that an earth pony mare wearing a circular green hat and khaki jacket was looking over the railing at them.

“Hello, Jelly Stone,” Maud said, raising her voice loud enough to be heard, yet somehow not loud enough to quite be considered yelling.

“Don’t just say ‘Hello, Jelly Stone’ at me like that!” the mare shouted, sticking her nose in the air. The mare was yellow with a flaming orange mane and tail and emerald eyes. “Just who or what is that with you?!”

Maud blinked slowly, glanced over at Turing Test, then back up at the Ranger. “That’s Turing Test.”

“What in Equestria is a Turing Test?”

“She is,” Maud replied. “I just told you that.”

“Hello, Ranger Jelly Stone,” Turing Test said, deciding to speak up. She waved a hoof at the ranger who just gawked at her. “I am a robot: a mechanical pony.”

“W-well, what are you doing here?! Are you some kind of new-fangled thing from Manehattan?!”

“No. I am from Ponyville. And I am here to visit Maud Pie to attempt to initiate a romantic relationship.”

Jelly Stone gasped, her face turning red. “What what whaaat?!” she exclaimed. “Maud Pie, is that true?!”

Maud glanced over to Turing Test, then back up at Jelly Stone. “Yes. I guess you could say she’s my girlfriend.”

Jelly Stone laughed nervously. “Y-your… heh heh, you’re not serious are you?” She waved a hoof dismissively, shaking her head. “No, no, you’re just pulling my leg! Nopony would have some… some machine as a girlfriend!”

Maud raised an eyebrow. “Why not? Your last boyfriend needed batteries.”

Jelly Stone turned an even deeper shade of red. “What what whaaat?! N-no! I don’t-- who told you about that?!”

“You did.” Maud smirked. “Just now.”

“Ugh!” Jelly Stone groaned, rolling her eyes. “You really are a pain in the flank, Maud Pie! Well, go take your rocks and make sure that clunky machine pony doesn’t damage anything in the Park!”

She turned to go back inside the observation tower.

Turing waved her hoof. “It was nice to--”

The door slammed roughly.

“--meet you,” Turing finished. “Ah. I do not think she likes me.”

Maud shrugged and continued on her way back to the cabin as Turing followed. “She’s nice, but she’s too excitable. She cares a lot about the park though.”

“Park… Maud Pie, most parks I know are filled with trees and benches. This place lacks both.”

“This is a National Park. Ponies come here to look at the nature. Jelly Stone is a Park Ranger, so she tries to keep it clean and safe.”

“I see.” They continued in silence for a few moments. “You mentioned that her boyfriend also operated on batteries? By any chance, is he also a robot? Perhaps we could engage in a ‘double date.’”

Maud turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. “That was a joke.”

“Oh? I do not understand the meaning.”

Maud paused, rubbing her chin. “Well, I meant…”

Turing listened with interest as Maud explained her meaning.

“I see. Thank you for explaining it to me.”

“You’re welcome,” Maud said as they continued walking. As they came up over another hill, the cabin came into view.

“I am not certain if it is relevant, Maud Pie, but I am also capable of such an action.”

“What action?” Maud asked, looking to her.

“Allow me to demonstrate.” Turing paused, stiffening her body. There was a slight change in the pitch of the electrical hum she produced, and her whole body began to vibrate, kicking up a small cloud of dust as she did so.

Maud’s eyes were slightly widened as she stared quietly for a very long time after the demonstration.

At last, she simply said, “That’s good to know.”

They at last reached the cabin and went inside. Maud hefted her saddlebags off and began to remove the samples, placing them on whatever free surfaces she could find. As she laid the final sample on the window sill, she grunted and rubbed her back.

“Are you all right, Maud Pie?” Turing Test asked.

“Mm-hmm,” she said making a face. “I’m just a little sore. I’ve been carrying a lot of rocks, and they’re heavy. I wrote a poem about it.”

“Interesting. May I hear it?”

Maud paused, looking up as she recalled the poem. She cleared her throat:

Turing’s ears twitched. “I understand. You are very talented, Maud Pie.”

“So are you,” Maud said, turning to face her. “I like the way you tell jokes. Besides Pinkie Pie, you’re the only pony who makes me laugh.”

Turing tilted her head. “Is that so? I am glad. Without your assistance, however, I am not certain that I would have been able to develop a sense of humor at all. Even now, many ponies do not seem to understand my style of joking.”

“Well, I do.” She grinned slightly. “Do you have any new jokes?”

“One moment. Accessing…” She tapped her chin for a moment, then proceeded. “Two muffins were sitting together in the oven. One of them says absolutely nothing, as muffins are not sentient. They merely sit in the oven for 10 minutes at a temperature of 200 degrees centigrade until they are baked, removed from the oven, allowed to cool, and then eaten.”

Maud chuckled slightly, then grunted again, wincing as she did so.

“Are you certain you are all right, Maud Pie? Perhaps I can assist you.”

Maud shook her head, but continued rubbing her back. Turing Test went over to her and placed her hoof on the spot Maud was rubbing, gently pushing it herself.

Maud let out a soft sigh. “That feels nice. Can you keep doing that?”

Turing nodded and kneaded the spot. “Is that all right, Maud Pie?”

Maud nodded, but held up a hoof. “Hold on. Would you mind rubbing my back a little?”

Turing shook her head. “Not at all.”

Maud pulled off her frock and went to the simple bed. She lay on it, stretching out on her belly. Turing went next to her, but hesitated.

“Maud Pie, are you certain I can do an adequate job? Also, I am not always aware of how much strength to use and I do not wish to injure you--”

“It’s fine,” Maud said. She closed her eyes. “I trust you.”

Turing Test still hesitated a moment, but then gently applied her metal hooves to Maud’s back. She began to rub and knead in much the same way she had seen Pinkie Pie knead dough at Sugarcube Corner, hoping it would be adequate. She was careful not to apply too much pressure, knowing that her strength was more than enough to injure a pony if she didn’t exercise caution.

Despite her misgivings, however, it was apparently effective. Maud let out a long, contented moan as the metal hooves gently massaged the tense, sore spots on her back.

Maud Pie is allowing me to touch her in this manner. It seems she finds this pleasurable. I did not intend for this to be sensual, but I wonder if it is being construed that way. The spa my friends occasionally visits also provides such a service with no romantic overtures.

She scanned Maud’s biometrics.

Analysis complete: Maud Pie’s pulse has quickened and she appears to have greater blood flow to her face as well as a slight increase in body temperature. It is possible she views this action as more than platonic. Though that was not my intention, I also feel satisfied that she is allowing me to touch her this way. Curious…

“A little more to the left, please,” Maud said. Her voice was still the same monotone as usual, but there was a slight increase in her pitch that Turing’s keen ears detected.

“Understood,” Turing replied, and she dutifully moved to the spot Maud indicated.

Touch.

Organics seem to value it greatly. I wonder how it must feel to them.

At last, Maud pushed herself up and gently pushed Turing’s hooves away. She let out a satisfied sigh and picked her frock up off of the floor, dressing again before she went to the kitchenette.

“That was very nice, Turing,” she said. “I feel much better.”

“I am glad to help, Maud Pie. In truth, it was an experience for me too. I am not certain how to explain it, but I also enjoyed touching you.”

Maud paused, even as she placed a pot of water on the stove, and looked back at her.

“Ah. Did I say something inappropriate?”

Maud did not answer, but merely went over to her and hugged her.

She held her like that for several long moments, though Turing wasn’t certain why, before returning to her work.

Turing watched her as she made a simple dinner of stone soup with a small piece of bread. She sat across from her and watched her eat it. While Maud ate her supper, Turing Test told her more about the things that had happened since they’d last seen each other. She told her about Grace and Glory, befriending Fluttershy and Discord, traveling to Manehattan and then to Trottingham, befriending Applejack after helping on her farm, celebrating Hearth’s Warming, visiting the Crystal Empire, and finally the events that had led her to Maud’s doorstep.

Maud mostly listened in silence, occasionally stopping to ask questions. “Besides making friends, what else have you been doing?” she asked.

“Mostly, I have been studying magic with Twilight Sparkle. I am improving in some areas, but I still do not have her skill. However, I was able to learn some shield magic from Shining Armor during my visit.”

To prove her point, she switched to U-Mode and Maud suddenly bumped her nose on a thin, glowing barrier that had been placed over her soup bowl as she tried to sip from it. She raised an eyebrow at Turing Test, but Turing could tell she wasn’t really angry. Regardless, Turing removed the shield and returned to neutral mode. After that, Maud continued eating in silence, apparently considering all the information Turing had told her.

The silence was finally broken when Maud asked, “So, Turing, why are you here?”

Turing tilted her head. “Is that a philosophical question?”

Maud shook her head and took another sip of her soup. “What I mean is that I know you want to experience a romantic relationship, but I don’t really know why you picked me.”

“I see.” Turing leaned forward over the table. “As I stated earlier, you have many qualities I find compatible. Or, putting it another way, there are many things that I like about you.

“You speak very plainly, which makes it easy to understand your meaning. You say what you mean, and while your facial expressions and vocal communication are not very dynamic, I am always certain of your sincerity. Furthermore, I admire your devotion to your interest and your willingness to share it with others, even though they do not share your enthusiasm. Additionally, I am happy that you seem to find me aesthetically pleasing and that you accept my status as a robot, which many organics find difficult to cope with.”

Maud’s half smile returned. “I like a lot of the same things about you. I wish more ponies would just say what they mean, like you do. And even though I don’t express myself the same way other ponies do, it doesn’t seem to bother you. Besides, you’re still a pony, and I think how you look makes you interesting, even if not everypony thinks so.”

“In actuality, many ponies seem to find my appearance disturbing.”

Maud reached out and patted Turing’s outstretched hoof. Their eyes met.

“Don’t listen to them. You’re beautiful, Turing.”

They stayed like that, facing each other, before Maud removed her hoof and finished her dinner. It grew darker as she lit a lantern and catalogued her remaining rock samples, then prepared her bed.

“That parcel you brought with you,” Maud said, breaking the silence as she pointed at the package, “is that your generator?”

Turing nodded. “I apologize for being presumptuous, but I decided that it may be wise to have a suitable means of recharging myself if I stayed for an extended period of time. However, if you wish, I can leave and allow you to sleep. Or, with your permission, I can enter sleep mode until morning. I can stand in one corner or even outside the cabin with my eyes deactivated to avoid disturbing you.”

But Maud merely shook her head. She placed Boulder in his little bed box and got into the bed, then moved over slightly and patted the spot next to her.

“You… wish for me to stay there?”

Maud nodded. “But only if you want to.”

“Maud Pie, I… am I to understand that…”

Maud shook her head. “I just want to be next to you. I don’t usually do cuddling, but I think I might like it with you.”

Turing wasn’t certain this was a good idea, but she’d come to learn more about relationships, and here was a pony inviting Turing to be closer to her. Perhaps it would be best to accept Maud’s offer.

“Understood. One moment.”

She approached the side of the bed and gently began to ease her hooves into it. She gingerly stepped in, noticing the thin, firm mattress sank but not as much as she thought it would. It was as hard as a rock, and Turing found it fitting for Maud. She eased in and rested her head on the pillow.

“This is the first time I have ‘slept’ in a bed,” she told Maud. “It is… odd.”

Maud snickered. She reached over Turing to the lantern. She opened the lid and blew it out, causing the room to go almost totally black, save for Turing’s glowing eyes. Maud lay down next to Turing again, the warm violet glow of the mechanical mare’s eyes illuminating her stony face.

Maud moved closer to Turing, snuggling up next to her until her body was pressed against hers, and closed her eyes.

“Maud Pie?” Turing asked. “Are you comfortable? I know that my body is not soft or warm like an organic pony’s. I will not be offended if it is not comfortable.”

“Mm-mm,” Maud murmured, shaking her head. “It isn’t uncomfortable at all…”

Turing continued to lie motionless as Maud settled in next to her. Gradually her slow breathing became ever slower, ever more rhythmic. She was asleep, cuddling next to Turing Test as naturally as a filly sleeping next to her mother.

I am not certain if I should enter sleep mode or not. I do not think Maud Pie would mind. Shutting off my eyes may help her sleep more soundly.

It was then that she realized that she didn’t want to turn off her eyes. She wanted to watch the mare next to her sleeping. She wanted to continue to hear her breathing. And now, with this body pressed against hers, she became aware of something else:

Maud’s heart.

It was beating slowly, steadily, and Turing could feel the soft, rhythmic cadence of it against her hull now that Maud was curled up next to her. Before that moment, Turing had merely considered the beating of a heart to be a biometric to detect the health and perhaps emotional status of organics. But now…

Something about that sound, the closeness of it, the rhythm, the fact that it belonged to Maud… somehow this sound was special.

Analyzing cognitive function… cognitive loop detected. I am feeling something. However, I am unable to determine what it is. I am only able to determine that I… like it. I do not wish to enter sleep mode. I wish to experience this.

She hesitated for a moment, but then gently, ever so slowly, draped a foreleg over Maud.

Maud stirred slightly in her sleep, but even though she was unconscious, she lightly took hold of Turing’s foreleg, murmuring slightly as she laid her hoof on it.

Touch. Turing considered that word. Organics value it so much that they seek it even in a state of unconsciousness. It must be a wonderful sensation.

And yet, I…

She put the thought aside, instead focusing on the mare next to her. For the moment, she decided, that was more important.

As the light of dawn seeped in through the windows, Maud stirred, her eyelids fluttering, and she awoke, slowly opening her eyes to see Turing Test still lying next to her, her eyes still activated.

“Good morning,” she intoned.

“Good morning, Maud Pie,” Turing replied. “Are you well rested?”

She nodded and sat up, rubbing her eyes, before glancing over to where Boulder still lay in his own little bed.

“Maud Pie, shall I--”

“Shhh,” Maud said, holding a hoof to her lips. “Boulder’s still asleep,” she whispered, “and he gets cranky when he wakes up early. Give him a few more minutes.”

Turing nodded and began again, this time more quietly. “Maud Pie, shall I prepare breakfast for you?”

Maud shook her head. “I like to do it myself. It helps me wake up more.”

She went to the kitchenette and began to prepare a pot of oatmeal as well as a fresh pot of coffee. As she did so, Turing merely stood by, watching her.

“You were awake when I woke up. Didn't you sleep?”

“Negative. Instead of entering sleep mode, I opted to watch you as you slept.”

Maud slightly raised an eyebrow at that. “You watched me sleep all night?”

Turing nodded.

“Why?”

“I simply found the sight interesting. It made me feel… pleasant.” She tapped her chin, reconsidering the phrasing. “Peaceful.”

Maud blinked, and then smiled, apparently satisfied with that answer.

“I apologize if my behavior was inappropriate.”

“It's all right,” Maud said. “It is a little strange, but I guess I don't mind.”

As Maud turned back to making breakfast, Turing's ears twitched.

“There is someone approaching your cabin,” she said. “They are running, so it may be urgent.”

Sure enough, the clatter and crunch of galloping hooves on gravel was heard, followed by a frantic pounding of hooves on the door.

Maud opened it to reveal Jelly Stone, who was standing there panting and out of breath.

“Maud Pie! Oh, it's just terrible!” she cried. “There's been a--”

“Shh,” Maud said, again putting her hoof to her lips. “You'll wake Boulder.”

“What what what?!” she exclaimed. “This is no time for--”

“It is too late: he is already awake,” Turing said from inside the cabin, causing Jelly Stone to peer around Maud. Turing held the little pebble aloft in her hoof. “And you have made him cranky.”

Maud sighed as she turned back to Jelly Stone. “Well, I hope you're happy now.”

Jelly Stone puffed out her reddening cheeks indignantly. “Y-you two are-- ugh!” She took a deep breath, calming herself. “Listen, there’s been a landslide! Two of our rangers were examining an alcove for signs of erosion when the side of the rock wall came down and blocked them in! We’ve sent somepony to get more help, but the nearest small town is an hour away, and we don’t know if the rangers have enough air to last that long!”

Maud’s eyes widened.

Jelly Stone took her hoof. “Please, Maud Pie!” she pleaded. “I-- we need your help clearing the debris!”

Maud gave a firm nod. “Okay.”

Turing Test trotted over. “I will also assist you,” she said.

Jelly Stone nodded. “Good. We could use an extra set of hooves.”

Maud took Boulder from Turing and patted him. “Come on, Boulder. I could use the moral support,” she added, and deposited him in her pocket.

The three mares made their way to the site of the landslide, which apparently occurred a few short kilometers to the north of Maud’s cabin. They came to the rim of a deep canyon. Looking down, they saw a river rushing through the middle of the area.

“Okay, there’s a path going down to the bottom,” Jelly Stone said. “Just be careful; the ground is a little unstable.”

“I’ve been through here before,” Maud intoned, peering down the steep sides. “I found some samples of carbonatite, amphibolite, monzonite, nepheline syenite, and a really great sample of luxullianite.” She took on a far-off, dreamy look.

“Maud Pie, I believe we should hurry.”

Maud nodded. “Sorry. I got caught up in the memorites.” She blinked. “Memories. Sorry.”

“Well, if you’re done,” Jelly Stone said impatiently, “then let’s get to the path and--”

Maud held up a hoof. “That’s okay. I know a faster way.”

With startling speed, Maud suddenly leaped over the side of the canyon rim, drawing a gasp from Jelly Stone. Then, as Jelly Stone and Turing watched, she nimbly hopped from stone to stone, hoofhold to hoofhold, as she rapidly descended down the sheer, nearly vertical wall.

“W-wow…” Jelly Stone breathed, drawing herself up, her cheeks reddening slightly. Then she turned to Turing Test and frowned. “Well, come on, metal pony. I guess we’re taking the slow way down, unless you can hop down too.”

Turing shook her head. “It would be unwise to follow Maud Pie’s path. However, I have my own way. Engaging P-Mode.”

Before Jelly Stone could ask what she meant, Turing’s wings suddenly appeared, sliding out from the compartment in her back, and her jets came to life. Once they were ready, she took off and used them to make an aerial descent into the canyon.

Jelly Stone heaved a sigh and ran for the nearby cliffside path.

At the bottom, the area had a bit more of the scrubby plants that grew along the shores of the river. Surrounded by the towering stone walls and buttes, Maud paused to take in the beauty of the place before she heard the low roar of Turing’s jets as she descended.

Turing set down next to Maud and cut her jets, folding up her wings.

“I’ve never seen you fly before,” Maud said. “You look too heavy to do it. Like a rock.”

“‘Rocks are heavy / The wind is light,’ Maud Pie.”

Maud nodded. “Right. Well, let’s find that landslide.”

“One moment,” Turing said, twitching her ears. A moment later she said, “I can detect the sounds of other ponies a short distance upstream. I believe they are coming from the team of rescuers. Please follow me.”

The two of them ran along the bank of the river before coming upon a pair of rangers standing near a pile of dirt and rubble.

One of the rangers, a unicorn stallion with a mustache, turned his head. “Oh, Miss Maud Pie! Thank goodness you’ve come!” he exclaimed. Then his eyes bulged as he saw Turing Test next to her. “And um… what is that?”

“Hello, Joshua Tree. Hello, Glacier Bay. This is Turing Test,” Maud said. “She’s a machine pony. She’s also my girlfriend.”

The ranger, Joshua Tree, screwed his face up, his mustache curving to the side as he eyed Turing uncertainly.

“That is true. She slept with me.”

Both rangers cheeks reddened.

Maud simply turned. “You should phrase that differently, Turing,” she monotoned.

“Understood. Clarifying: we went to bed together.”

Maud blinked slowly as the two rangers turned even redder. “Close enough.” She then went over to the landslide, rubbing her chin as she examined the pile of rubble. “The other rangers are trapped in there?”

“Yes,” Joshua Tree said, “but you need to be careful! The rock face is still unstable; I’ve been trying to levitate the rocks out one-by-one, but it’s taking forever, and I’m not sure that even that won’t cause another rockslide!”

The other ranger, Glacier Bay, a pegasus mare, stepped forward. “I just wish I knew if Isle Royale and Mammoth Cave were okay!”

“A moment,” Turing Test said, walking up to the landslide. She tilted her head and twitched her ears. “Beginning auditory scan… complete. Faint breathing and two heartbeats detected. They are alive!”

“Oh, thank goodness!” Glacier Bay replied, placing a hoof to her chest. “Well, we need to get them out, but this landslide is so unstable that I’m not sure if we can without risking somepony else’s safety!”

Turing tapped her chin. “I will conduct a visual analysis of the structural integrity of the area,” she said. Her eyes fixated on the landslide, tracing it from the bottom to the top of the rock wall. It was mostly rocks with some dirt, but it stretched up the tall face of the rock formation from which it had collapsed.

“What do you think, Turing?” Maud said, coming alongside her.

“I believe that I may be able to switch to E-Mode and clear the debris by breaking the rocks apart, but it is very likely that the upper rock wall will continue to collapse as the pressure at the bottom of the rock face is released. With no way to stabilize it, the strategy would be impractical.”

Maud glanced up at the rock wall, then back to Turing Test. “Would two ponies work?” she asked. “One could smash the rocks at the bottom. The other could break apart any other rocks that fell.”

“That would theoretically be effective, but I do not believe there is an organic pony capable of smashing rocks as effectively as I.”

The two nearby rangers began snickering.

“Have I said something amusing?” Turing asked, tilting her head.

Maud didn’t reply verbally, but instead picked up a sizable stone, about the size of a bowling ball. She lifted it easily, then casually tossed it into the air before striking it with her hoof, shattering it to pieces in midair.

A few smaller pieces of gravel from the impact bounced off Turing’s hull with a soft, metallic tapping sound. Her eyes constricted.

“Impressive, Maud Pie. I did not know organics had such abilities. Very well, let us work together.” She swept her hoof at the rockslide. “As stated, one pony must break rocks at the bottom while the other prevents rocks falling from the top from injuring her.”

“Right,” Maud said.

“Before we get our rocks off, do you want to be on the top or the bottom?”

Silence, save for the rushing sound of the water and the sound of two hooves smacking two different faces on two different rangers.

“You know,” Maud said, “it’s adorable that you aren’t doing that on purpose.”

“Apparently not, but thank you for the compliment. Still, we should hurry.”

Maud nodded. “Okay. I’ll smash the bottom rocks. You’re stronger and faster than most ponies, so you should watch for the rocks falling from the top.”

Before Turing could reply, she placed her hoof on Turing’s shoulder, meeting her gaze.

“Keep me safe, okay?” she said.

Turing looked down at the hoof laid gently on her shoulder and then back to Maud.

“Understood,” she said. “Let us begin. Engaging E-Mode.” There was a hiss and a loud sound as the pistons in her legs engaged.

Maud rolled up her sleeves and reared up on her hind legs. With a sound like a jackhammer, she began digging and pounding at the rocks and boulders gathered at the foot of the rock wall. A dust cloud began to form and the debris from her rapidly striking and smashing the rocks built up around her, with some of it falling into the river to be washed away.

Sure enough, as the pile at the bottom began to clear, sizable chunks of the rock face above them came loose and tumbled down. Turing Test leaped high into the air, striking one after another, batting them away or smashing them like they were nothing more than falling leaves.

The sound of hooves was heard and Joshua Tree and Glacier Bay turned to see Jelly Stone galloping over to them.

“I’m here, I’m here!” she exclaimed breathlessly. She stopped to pant. “Now let’s… let’s get started on this job!”

Joshua Tree smiled and stepped aside, pointing to the scene before them.

Jelly Stone gawked. Maud and Turing were working together to clear the rockslide with ease. Most striking was that Maud wasn’t even glancing up from her work; she was trusting that Turing Test would not allow any of the falling rocks to hurt her.

“Impossible…” she breathed.

Soon enough, the rockslide was clear enough to see the alcove. The two trapped rangers peered out, blinking in the sudden sunlight. They looked dusty and had some small cuts and scrapes but otherwise seemed to be fine.

Maud reached out with a hoof. “You’re okay,” she intoned in what she must have thought sounded warm and comforting. One ranger took Maud’s hoof, and she pulled him out as the other rangers led him away. Maud then helped the other. Turing stood back and watched for more falling rocks as she did this.

Glacier Bay couldn’t contain her elation. “You did it!” she cried, leaping into the air.

The sound reverberated throughout the canyon, and a crack formed in the damaged rock wall. A pair of rocks came loose and hurtled down toward the group. As they cried out in fear, both Maud and Turing ran forward, simultaneously leaping at the rocks to deflect them.

Turing merely smashed right through hers, but Maud kicked out with her back hooves, successfully smashing the rock, but ricocheting off it and landing in the shallow waters of the river.

“Maud Pie?” Turing asked, running to the river’s shore. “Are you all right?”

Maud stood and trudged to the shore. She nodded, then shook the excess water from her dampened mane and tail.

“I’m fine. Just wet.” She glanced up and down at the shoreline. “It looks like we did it.”

“Affirmative. Shall we return to your cabin now?”

Maud nodded. “I want to get dry.” Then her stomach gurgled. “Also, I never got to have breakfast. I bet Boulder’s hungry too.” She reached into her pocket. “Aren’t you, Boul--”

She paused, her eyes widening. “Boulder?” She dug around in her wet pocket for a moment more before holding out an empty hoof. “He isn’t there. Where could he have--” She blinked, then glanced back at the river. For the first time in all the time Turing or the rangers had known her, she actually looked worried, as her lips curved into a frown and worry lines creased her brow.

“It seems that Boulder washed out of your pocket when you fell into the river,” Turing surmised. “We must rescue him.”

“What what whaaat?!” Jelly Stone cried, jumping forward. “Don’t be ridiculous; it’s too dangerous! That river gets deeper further downstream! Besides, it’s just a rock any--”

Maud turned and stared at Jelly Stone, her eyes narrowing slightly, silencing her in an instant. Then she turned back to Turing, and took up her hoof in her own hooves.

“Boulder is important to Maud Pie,” Turing stated, turning her eyes to the river, “and, therefore, he is important to me.” 

Her eyes whirred as she focused her vision on the spot where Maud fell. “Replaying memory… calculating direction and speed of the water… probable trajectory determined. Now locating…”

Without another word, she turned and took off down the shore, her hooves kicking up dust and dirt as she continued scanning the river. A few hundred meters upstream, she skidded to a halt.

“Engaging U-Mode.” As her horn slid into place, her magic glowed, and something under the water illuminated. A moment later, an object levitated from the rushing water as Turing drew it out. She set the small rock on her outstretched hoof before returning to neutral mode.

A moment later, Maud came up behind her and swept up Boulder, holding him to her chest. “There you are, Boulder,” she said. “I know you like to play, but Camouflage isn’t a water sport.”

She placed Boulder back in her pocket and looked to Turing Test. Her breathing returned to normal, and she gave her another half-smile. “You saved him. Thanks,” she said.

“You are welcome Maud Pie,” Turing replied. “I am glad that I was able to locate him before he reached a deeper part of the river.”

Maud tilted her head. “You can’t swim?”

“Not at all,” Turing said, nodding. “Due to my weight, I cannot remain buoyant. To use a common expression, I would ‘sink like a rock.’”

Maud’s breathing intensified. “You tease,” she said. Slowly, she came over and held Turing in a tight embrace.

“Ah. Hug engaged,” Turing said, returning the hug.

Maud hummed contentedly and pressed her face into the coils of Turing’s mane. “Mmm. Your mane is really warm. It’s soft and smooth, too.”

“It acts to draw heat away from my internal systems.”

Maud continued holding Turing, rubbing her face against her mane.

“Maud Pie?” Turing asked.

“Sorry,” Maud said, finally releasing her and stepping back. “I’m cold, and it feels nice.”

“I am glad. However, we should return to your cabin to dry you and get you fresh clothing in addition to a meal. I do not wish for you to become ill.”

“Okay,” Maud said. She reluctantly ended the hug and began to walk away.

It was then that she noticed that Jelly Stone had caught up and was watching them. She was frowning, and her ears were drooping beneath her round ranger’s hat.

“Hello, Jelly Stone. Is something wrong?” she asked.

“O-oh, um…” She heaved a sigh and gave her a weak smile. “No. No, it’s okay. Thanks for your help.” She took a deep breath as she glanced at Turing. “Both of you.”

Maud nodded, and they both began to walk away.

Turing lingered a moment and looked down at her own hooves. Embracing. She touched her shoulder. Shoulders. She then placed her hoof on a coil of her mane. Warm. Soft. Smooth.

Turing lowered her ears. I cannot avoid this issue. I must inform Maud Pie.

Slowly, she began to follow behind Maud as they made their way out of the canyon.

Maud Pie approached her cabin and was almost to her front door when Turing came to a stop and said, “Maud Pie, I apologize, but I need to discuss an issue of significant importance with you.”

Maud paused and turned to face her. “What is it?”

Turing looked down. “Maud Pie… I do not take pleasure in saying this, but I believe it would be best if we do not continue this relationship.”

Maud blinked. “Why?”

Turing held out a hoof. “Touch.”

Maud glanced at her hoof. “You want me to touch your hoof?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Turing shook her head. “Negative. I mean that ‘touch’ is the issue.” She put her hoof down and stared back at Maud. “Maud Pie, do you enjoy touching me?”

Maud smiled. “Sure.”

“I had surmised that. You have touched my face, my shoulder, my mane, and displayed on numerous occasions that you enjoy physical closeness and contact with me. And based on my readings of your increased pulse and blood flow as we approached your cabin, I believe you were anticipating more physical contact. Am I correct?”

Maud looked away. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “If you wanted to.”

Turing shook her head. “It is not that I do not wish to. However, I have not properly clarified something to you: I do not have such physical desires. And that is the primary source of the problem.

“Maud Pie, when you touch me, or when I touch you, it seems to give you pleasure. I have previously enjoyed hugging and hoof bumps and other physical interactions for the meanings they held. Through my interactions with other ponies, I have come to appreciate various emotional states. Happiness, affection, amusement, and many others, for instance. These emotions are so potent and so incredible that I am incredulous that I once existed without knowing them. However, these emotions are mental states.

“In contrast, my time with you has led me to consider the physical side of things. In books, I have often read of physical sensations, and now I have witnessed them with you. I do not know what it is to be warm or cold. I do not know smoothness or roughness. My sensors can detect texture and pressure, but these are only data, and they have nothing that equates to ‘sensation.’

“Your vocalizations of pleasure when I massaged your back made me notice such things. Furthermore, last night, while you slept next to me, I could feel your heart beating.” She stepped closer to Maud, placing her hoof on her chest. “I became aware of its rhythm and its significance as a symbol of your existence. I found it pleasant. I listened to it as you slept. I believe that I began to comprehend the significance of physical sensation.

“However, unlike emotions, which I have gradually been able to experience, I am not capable of experiencing physical sensation. I cannot feel the warmth of your body. I cannot feel the softness of your coat or the gentleness of your touch. And… due to my lack of reproductive urges or sensitivity to chemical pheromones, I cannot feel physical desire for you. It is most likely that I will never feel such things.”

Maud reached for Turing’s hoof as it was still pressed against her chest, but Turing withdrew it and stepped back, lowering her gaze. “Maud Pie, you are unique. I enjoy your company, but I believe that I am inadequate as a romantic partner. I believe that it would be best if you had a partner who could appreciate your touch and desire you in return.” She raised her head slightly, the servos in her neck whirring quietly. “I believe I have already discovered a suitable replacement for me.”

Maud tilted her head slightly. “Who?” she asked.

“Jelly Stone,” Turing replied.

Maud frowned. “What?”

“Based on her physical reactions with regard to closeness to you as well as her cool reception to me, especially with regards to our interactions, I believe that she has a ‘crush’ on you and views me as a competitor.” She shook her head. “I do not wish to deprive an organic pony of a relationship with you when I cannot fully appreciate you. You are unique and wonderful and I wish for you to be happy. You should be with Jelly Stone or another pony of your choosing.”

Maud stood there in silence when Turing had finished. She took in a long, deep breath before letting it out with a slowness that could be compared to continental drift.

“Turing,” she said at last, “do you like me?”

“Yes,” Turing replied immediately. “I believe I have stated that.”

“Do you not like it when I touch you?”

“No, Maud Pie. I enjoy the significance of the action. I simply am incapable of taking pleasure in it as an organic pony would.”

“Then, do you not like touching me?”

“As I stated, physical closeness is satisfying for me in a mental way. The sensation of your heart beating was pleasant for me, as were your vocalizations of pleasure when I was rubbing your back. It made me happy to know that I was making you happy.”

“Hmm,” she intoned. She scratched her head. “Does it bother you that you can’t feel things physically?”

“Somewhat. I have become accustomed to the idea that, in some ways, I will never be like organic ponies. But I am more concerned that this disability will make me an inadequate partner for you.”

Maud closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she was smiling. “Then don’t worry about it.”

Turing cocked her head.

“If you worry about what you aren’t,” Maud intoned, “then you might not be able to appreciate what you are. You shouldn’t deny your own happiness just because you can’t experience it like other ponies. I wish you could feel the same things for me that I do for you, but if that means giving you up for somepony else, then it really isn’t important to me.

“Listen, Jelly Stone is just a friend. I’ll talk to her and let her know that I don’t feel the same way. Like I told you, she’s a little too excitable. Most ponies are. I don’t usually get these kinds of feelings about other ponies. But you’re different.

“Turing Test, I like you, not anypony else.” She walked over and put her hoof on Turing’s face. “I like how you mean what you say; I like that you’re quiet, and that you’re unselfish; I like the jokes you tell; I like that you’re strong, but still gentle; and I like that you’re made of different minerals and stones. You’re not like any other pony I know, and I don’t care if you can smile or laugh or feel desire. You being a robot doesn’t make you inadequate; it makes you unique. If you care about me, want to be close to me, and are happy being with me, then that’s enough.

“If you want me to be happy, then just be yourself, because I’m happy being with you.”

Turing’s eyes shifted, and her ears twitched. Slowly, gently, she placed her own hoof on Maud’s face in return. She watched as Maud closed her eyes and held Turing’s hoof in place, next to her.

“Maud Pie… I do not know what to say.”

Maud opened her eyes. “Just tell me: do you want to be with me?”

Turing nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay then.”

With that, she took Turing’s hoof and led her inside the cabin, shutting the door behind them.

A moment later, the door opened a crack as Maud set Boulder down on the front step.

“Play outside for a while,” she intoned, giving a small smile as she patted him. “I’ll come get you later,” she added, and shut the door.

The two spent the next few days collecting rock samples, trading jokes for poems, taking in the sights of the badlands, and generally enjoying each other’s company. Each night, Turing lay in bed with Maud snuggling next to her. She counted each embrace, each caress, and each moment as something new to experience.

On the third evening, as the sun began to set, Turing and Maud exited the cabin. Turing’s generator and her heart-shaped piece of rose quartz were both packed and secured to her body.

“Are you sure you have to go?” Maud asked. “You could stay here.”

Turing nodded. “Affirmative. Twilight Sparkle gave me permission to leave Ponyville temporarily, but she will be expecting me to return. I am still learning about friendship and interacting with other ponies, and I must fulfill my directive.” She paused, tapping her chin, before holding out her hoof. “Would you like to come with me? Ponyville is a very nice place to live.”

Maud shook her head. “I have to finish my studies too,” she replied. “Ponyville is nice, but the rocks and geological strata are well documented. There isn’t that much to study, and I want to complete my rocktorate.” She sighed. “I guess we both have responsibilities in our lives right now.”

“Correct,” Turing said. She glanced down, then added, “I will miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

“I… am not certain if I have attained sufficient emotional maturity to determine if I am capable of understanding ‘love,’” she said.

Maud Pie stiffened, raising her head slightly.

“However, I feel something for you. I cannot explain it, but it is more complex than affection. When I am with you, I feel as though I am not so strange, and that there is another pony who understands me, and that I understand as well. Therefore, I wish to tell you that I appreciate you to a highly substantial degree.”

Maud gave her usual half-smile. She leaned in close and placed a kiss on Turing Test’s cheek. She lingered there for a moment before stepping back. “I appreciate you to a highly substantial degree too.”

Turing’s ears twitched. “Acknowledged. Goodbye, Maud Pie.”

She stepped back, spread her wings, and took off into the sky, the setting sun at her back. Below her, a gray mare with a purple mane continued staring after her long after she had disappeared over the horizon.

It had been a few hours since Turing had returned, and she’d been strangely quiet. It was nearly time for bed, and Twilight made her way through the halls of her castle until she spotted the open door that led out to her balcony. She peered through the door and saw Turing standing on the balcony, her front hooves resting on the railing.

“Oh, there you are, Turing Test,” Twilight said, coming up behind her. She stood next to her, likewise putting her hooves on the railing. Below, nearly all the cottages and buildings of Ponyville had gone dark. Above, the cloudless night sky was lit up with thousands of stars. The moon had only just begun its trek across the night sky.

“Yes,” Turing replied. “Here I am.”

“Heh,” Twilight chuckled. She stared up at the night sky. “You haven’t said much since you got back. Um… is everything okay? I mean, did everything work out with Maud?”

“Unexpectedly, yes, Twilight Sparkle,” Turing said. “At one point, I was certain that Maud Pie would eventually reject me because of my status as a robot. Specifically, I thought that my inability to experience touch would become an obstacle. However, Maud accepted me, including my limitations, and I believe I now have a greater appreciation for physical interaction among organic ponies. Maud Pie is… special.”

Twilight put her foreleg around her. “That’s really great, Turing,” Twilight said. “You’re lucky to find a special somepony like that.”

“Acknowledged. Additionally, she gave me another present.”

“Oh?” Twilight asked.

Turing slid a small envelope over to her. Twilight levitated it and took out the small piece of paper inside. Carefully scrawled in ink was a poem:

You are no rock.
You are a robot.
But you are gray.
You are hard.
You are quiet.
You are not like gneiss,
But you are nice.
You are like a rock.

My heart was like a rock.
You flew in like wind,
and eroded that part of me.
Now my heart flies on the wind.
Under watchful amethyst eyes,
I sleep.

You are my rock.

Turing Test.

Twilight smiled and put the poem back in the envelope. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get Maud’s poems, but that was sweet of her.”

“I agree. Being with another in that way and being viewed in such a way is a wonderful experience. However,” she said, her ears lowering with a squeak of her hinges, “Maud Pie and I have two separate existences. I do not wish to give up my time in Ponyville or be away from you or my other friends. Similarly, Maud does not wish to leave her studies. Despite our mutual desire to be near to each other, our circumstances will not allow us to do so. Even though I cannot fully experience physical sensations, I find myself missing the closeness of her. I am not certain if my cognitive systems are fully capable of processing this feeling.”

Twilight raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I have been running a diagnostic on my system, and no errors have been detected.”

Twilight scratched her head. “Uhh, well, I guess you’re fine, then… right?”

“If I am fine,” Turing whispered, leaning against the railing, “then why do I feel as though some part of me is broken?”

Twilight smiled sadly and heaved a sigh. “I think your internal systems are working perfectly,” she said, patting her on the shoulder. “It’s going to be okay, Turing. Just think about when you’ll see her next!”

Turing nodded slowly. “Acknowledged. I will attempt to do so.”

Twilight let out a long yawn, covering her mouth with her hoof. “I’m going to bed, Turing. Do you want to come inside?”

Turing shook her head. “Not yet. Please have a good night, Twilight Sparkle.”

Twilight nodded as she turned to go. “Same to you, Turing Test.”

As Twilight Sparkle left, Turing Test continued to stand there. She looked up at the stars, noting that they looked the same over Ponyville as they did over the Western Badlands. She found herself wondering if Maud Pie was up that night, looking at the same stars and thinking of her.

She wondered if Maud Pie would miss her touch that night as much as she, in turn, would miss the soft, steady beating of her heart against her hull as she held her throughout the night.