Deep Blue, Part 1
“...So that’s what’s going on now, Applejack,” Twilight said. “And that’s why there’s no reason to worry about Turing Test.”
Twilight and Applejack were making their way down the road in Ponyville. The pair were picking up supplies from the stores and the outdoor market. Applejack had been busy preparing for the fall harvest lately and Twilight had finally caught up to her five days after Maud had left Ponyville to talk about what had happened with Turing Test, Fine Print, and all the other things that had happened.
“Well… all right, I admit I’m a little less worried now that I know what’s been goin’ on, Twilight.” She hesitated, glancing sideways at her. “Now, yer sure that Gadget removed the codes from Turing Test? She ain’t under nopony’s control no more?”
“Absolutely! And after my meeting with Princess Celestia, I’ve made it even clearer to Turing that she isn’t to harm anypony. She’s safe! As gentle as a newborn foal!”
“An’ what about… you know, the other stuff?”
Twilight raised her eyebrow. “The… ‘other’ stuff?”
Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Like, that she don’t actually like nopony?”
“Ah.” Twilight sighed. This was the part of the conversation she’d been dreading. “Look, I’ve talked to our other friends about it and I’ve decided that even if Turing can’t feel affection just yet, she still cares for me and her other friends. She genuinely appreciates having friends and is grateful to know Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and now Pinkie Pie too! Not to mention Bulk Biceps, Scootaloo, Maud…”
“All right, all right, I get yer point.” Applejack sighed. “Look, I ain’t sayin’ no.” She took off her hat, raising her head solemnly. “After all, I’m a pony o’ my word, and I said I’d try to make friends with her if you did and now it’s pretty clear it’s just me’n Fluttershy that ain’t made friends with her. Though I’d feel a little better if she made a little peace with Fluttershy first, to be honest. After that, sure, I’ll get to know ‘er.” She replaced her hat, then shifted her saddlebags, grunting with a slight wince on her face as she did so.
“Um, Applejack, are you okay?” Twilight frowned, glancing back at the saddlebags. “You’re moving kind of slow today and you keep making faces like you’re in pain.”
“Nah, it’s nothin’.” She waved a hoof dismissively. “Probably just carryin’ a bit too much.”
Twilight blinked and her frown deepened. “Applejack, those bags are pretty full, but I’ve seen you carry more. Lots more.”
“Yeah, but I’m tired after the early fall harvest. Fall’s the best time fer apples, ya know.” She sighed. “Look, I admit I ain’t been feelin’ at my best, but it ain’t nothin’ to fret, so don’t you worry ‘bout a thing. Let’s just get our shoppin’ finished so we’ll be good and ready fer Nightmare Night.”
Twilight shrugged, but then she smiled. “All right, if you say so. Just do me a favor and take it easy, okay?”
Applejack tipped her hat. “Will do.”
“All right. Now let’s get some…” She stopped, noticing that Applejack had lagged behind her and was staring off at something. “Huh? What is… whoa.” She’d followed Applejack’s gaze and spotted what she was looking at.
“Hoowee, lookie there, Twi.” Applejack couldn’t help but grin and even Twilight felt her heart skip a beat.
Standing nearby the Carousel Boutique was a stallion with a gleaming white coat, and a dirty blonde mane. He was exceptionally tall, nearly twice the size of a normal stallion, muscular but proportioned, with large brown eyes, a chiseled jaw, and legs like stone pillars. On his flank was a golden sword laid across a golden shield.
“Who is that?” Twilight asked. She composed herself. “I mean, if he’s new to Ponyville, maybe we should go say hi.”
“Pretty handsome lookin’ guy. Tall drink o’ water too, ain’t he? Makes Big Mac look almost normal-sized. But it looks like he’s in a hurry.” She frowned as he turned and quickly trotted in the opposite direction, turning down an alleyway. She sighed as she watched him go.
“Well, maybe we’ll see him around and get another chance to say hello,” Twilight said. She smiled and tapped Applejack on the shoulder, getting her attention. “Let’s finish our shopping. We can check out guys later.”
“Alright, alright,” Applejack said, returning the smile. “He was too tall fer me anyhow. I like a fella I don’t have to strain my neck to look at.”
The two shared a laugh as they continued, putting the stranger out of mind.
***
Rarity frowned and rubbed her chin, almost pouting at the flowing white gown on the dress form in front of her. “Oh, I just don’t know. It still seems so old fashioned.” She sighed. “I really think we might want to modernize the look a bit. It might as well be a toga!”
The mint green mare next to her giggled. “You’re being too harsh on yourself! The other musicians are going to love it! Well, maybe the stallions wouldn’t.” She elbowed Rarity, giving her a sly sideways glance.
The two of them were in the Carousel Boutique. Lyra Heartstrings and Rarity were both in the upcoming Ponyville Music Festival and Rarity had agreed to design some dresses for Lyra’s group. It was late and Rarity had closed the boutique for the meeting.
Rarity rolled her eyes at Lyra’s joke, but smiled. “Really, Lyra, you’re too kind. I suppose they’re acceptable… mmmaybe just a little pink trim, some lace for accents. And yes, of course, I’ll have something else for the gentlecolts in your ensemble.”
Lyra nodded and looked more closely at the gown, squinting her eyes at it. “I guess some trim would be fine. But nothing too showy. Besides, I’m--” Just then, her belly growled, loud enough to wake up Opal from where she slept in the corner. Her cheeks flushed, she hid her face behind a raised foreleg.
“I suppose we have been discussing the Festival a bit late,” Rarity said. She offered her a smile. “Should we call it a night?”
“No, no, it’s fine!” Lyra insisted. Her belly rumbled again.
Rarity chuckled. “Very well, but I insist you get a snack. You can follow through the back room to my kitchen. Help yourself, please!”
Lyra grinned. “Thanks, Rarity!” And with that, she rushed through the back way, out of the showroom floor.
Rarity again inspected the gown and was about to take out her sketchbook to plot some redesigns when she heard a light knock at her front door. She whirled around and saw two figures sitting just outside. She came closer and looked out. It was hard to see them in the darkness outside, but there was a mare and a stallion.
“I’m dreadfully sorry, but we’re closed!” Rarity called. “If you would be so kind as to call tomorrow--”
“Please, Miss,” the stallion said, coming closer to the door. He wore a grin and gestured to the mare behind him. “My mistress only wishes for a few moments of the famous Miss Rarity’s time.”
Rarity smiled at that. “Well, if it is just a few moments, then I suppose I could.”
She unlatched the door and the odd pair walked in.
The stallion was the same white-coated, blonde-maned stallion Twilight and Applejack had seen earlier. Over his chest and upper forelegs he wore a coat of armor which was shining like steel but had a black tint to it. The tall stallion had to duck his head as he entered. He looked down at Rarity with a calm smile and brown eyes. “Thank you,” he said, his voice a rich bass.
The mare shared her partner’s coat and mane colors, though Rarity could only see a small amount of her mane peeking out from under the dark blue nun’s habit she wore. The garment draped over her ears and down the back of her neck. The habit had a steel plate across the front, displaying an emblem with the image of a unicorn with a flowing mane and curving horn and pointed fangs, (a detail that did not escape Rarity’s keen eye). On her flank was the image of a few chess pieces, specifically a pawn, a knight, and a queen. She had a similar calm smile on her lips. Curiously, she had her eyes closed, though this did not prevent her from turning her head toward Rarity.
“Miss Rarity!” she called out. She drew her name out in one melodious breath, her voice high and lilting. “We have a task for you.” She stepped forward as the stallion turned his head.
“Well,” Rarity began, “if I am able, I’d be glad to…”
The mare’s eyes opened. From them came a glowing, deep blue light. Rarity stared at them, her pupils dilating and her body going stiff. Her mouth hung open and she slowly sat down. Her eyes clouded over and she was still, her breathing becoming slow and shallow.
“There’s a good child,” the mare said, her placid smile in place. She leaned in closer, holding Rarity’s chin up with one hoof. “We have an invitation for you, my dear. We…”
She paused. “Oh dear.” She closed her eyes and turned to face her companion. “Glory, dear, there’s a unicorn in the kitchen,” she whispered. “Would you retrieve her?”
“Of course, Grace,” he whispered back, nodding to her. He turned and went out the front door, going around the back.
Lyra was in the kitchen quickly fixing a sandwich, oblivious to what was happening in the showroom, when she heard a clattering sound at the back door. She peeked around the corner and there in full view was the stallion, Glory, towering over her and slowly approaching her. He had a calm smile, but his eyes were narrow and fixed on her.
“What? Who are you?!” she cried, backing up. “R-Rarity! Someone’s broken in!” she yelled over her shoulder. There was no response and she turned back to the approaching intruder.
“Don’t be frightened, now,” he said, his deep voice reverberating in Rarity’s small kitchen. “Go to the front room.”
“What are you doing here?” Lyra demanded. “Are you a burglar? I-Is this a robbery? What do you want?”
Her heart pounding as she continually backed away from Glory, she searched around for something to defend herself. Her eyes darted around the kitchen and she spotted a cast iron skillet hanging on the wall and quickly used her magic to levitate it over to herself and held it up in front of her.
“Don’t come any closer!” she yelled, staring up at him. She swallowed. “I… I mean it!”
He only raised an eyebrow and gave a snort.
Her back to the wall, she looked around and saw no way out. Giving one final scream, she swung the heavy skillet at him and struck him upside the head, the edge of it smashing him right in the temple, a gong sound echoing through the empty house.
The blow should have knocked him to the floor, but Glory only smiled. He didn’t even budge or flinch at the blow, as if the heavy weapon were no more than a gentle breeze.
Gasping, her blood going cold and her lower lip quivering, Lyra huddled against the back wall and let the skillet drop. Glory caught it and held it vertically between two hooves.
“Go to the front room,” he repeated. Without even the slightest grunt or straining, he pressed his hooves together, folding the heavy iron skillet in half like a sheet of paper. He let it drop, clattering to the tile floor. “Now.”
Lyra, eyes tearing up, nodded slowly. She gingerly stepped back to the front room, glancing back at Glory as he followed her. When she returned, she saw Rarity slumped over, the strange mare, Grace, sitting in front of her.
Grace’s eyes were still closed, but she still turned to look directly at her. “Oh, Glory, you naughty thing! You’ve frightened her half to death!” she chortled, holding a hoof over her mouth demurely. She then beckoned Lyra slowly with one hoof. “Come here, child.”
Lyra did so. “P-please, I don’t know what you want,” she said, choking back a sob.
“I only want to know one thing: are you a friend of Twilight Sparkle?” Grace asked.
“Huh? Oh, well… yes, although I knew her better when I used to live in Canterlot…”
Grace’s smile slowly crept into a tight-lipped rictus. “Then we shall invite you to our little party as well.” Grace opened her eyes and Lyra’s fears melted away. Everything seemed to fade as she lost herself in that gaze. There was no more showroom, no more emotion, and no more thought.
There were only the words...
***
The next day, it was the afternoon before Nightmare Night. Bon Bon was busy in her kitchen, busily making batch after batch of candy. She’d already sold a bundle to be distributed to the eager colts and fillies who’d be going door to door. She smiled as she took a deep whiff of the caramels cooling on the countertop.
“I just love Nightmare Night!” she exclaimed, mostly to herself.
Which of course meant that she nearly jumped out of her skin when Lyra, who’d been watching from the doorway, said “Me too.”
“Lyra, jeez!” Bon Bon whirled around, but her hard eyes softened when she saw Lyra giggling.
“Sorry, sorry. Anyway, tonight should be a lot of fun!” Lyra went over to a bowl of newly wrapped taffy pieces. She levitated one up, preparing to unwrap it, licking her lips as she did so.
“Ah ah!” Bon Bon said, glaring at her as she caught the taffy in midair. “Come on, Lyra, these are for the foals!”
Lyra’s lower lip quivered and she turned her head, looking up at her with a pout. “Not even one?”
“Not even…” She paused, again softening. “All right, all right, you win. Take it.” She let go and Lyra eagerly unwrapped and quickly devoured the sweet.
“Mm! Sho anyway, I wash shinking,” she paused, chewing the sticky treat before swallowing, “that we could go catch a scary movie before nightfall, then go dance off the adrenaline at the big Nightmare Night Ball at City Hall!”
“Sounds great! I’m glad I decided to just take orders instead of running a stall this year. It’ll be nice to relax and let other ponies handle the candy selling!” She went to fetch more wrapping paper and pretended not to hear Lyra steal another piece of candy. “Hey, I was thinking maybe we could do the haunted walk through Ponyville Park around midnight this year! Should be pretty scary.”
“I can’t.”
Bon Bon frowned at her as she returned. “Why not? Think you’ll be too tired?”
“I have plans.”
Bon Bon looked at her more closely. Lyra’s expression changed ever so slightly. She was still smiling but there was something in her eyes…
“Um, what kind of plans?” she asked, glancing sideways at Lyra.
“Just a scavenger hunt. I can’t say more,” Lyra replied, blinking several times.
“Well, that sounds fun. Can I come?”
“No.”
Bon Bon’s eyes popped open at Lyra’s firm, abrupt answer. “What? Just ‘no?’ Why not?!”
Lyra’s eyes were glassy and they seemed to gaze right past her. Her smile seemed forced, as if glued on. “You are not invited.”
“What? ‘Not invited?’ But Lyra, why not?” She put a hoof to her chest and frowned at her. “I don’t understand, we said we would spend Nightmare Night together!”
Lyra’s left eye drifted off slightly. “You are not invited.”
Bon Bon froze. She swallowed and looked Lyra up and down. “Okay, Lyra,” she said slowly. “That’s all right. We can hang out until your scavenger hunt. Just tell me, when is it?”
Lyra’s gaze slowly returned to normal. “Oh. It’s… it’s 10 o’clock.” She scrunched her eyes shut and rubbed her temple. “Ow. My head hurts. I should go see the doctor; I’ve been getting the worst headaches lately.”
“Yeah. Good idea. Um, excuse me, Lyra, I need to go upstairs for something.” She turned to go and heard the sound of Lyra’s magic activating. “And don’t eat any more candy while I’m gone.”
“You got me, Bon Bon.” Lyra chuckled, putting down the taffy.
She trotted up the stairs of her house, through the hall, past Lyra’s room and then to her own. She shut the door and latched it before going over to her closet, opening it and shoving several boxes and things out of the way. She walked in a little, then glanced over her shoulder and saw her open window.
Better be sure, she said to herself. She went to the window, shut it, and closed the curtains. She went back across her darkened bedroom, into the closet, and pushed the clothes hangers aside and pressed her hooves to the back wall. She pushed in ever so slightly and shoved it upward, revealing the hidden compartment behind it. She locked it into place and examined the shelves.
Sitting on one shelf was an accordion folder. On another was a briefcase with the initials “SD” on it. She removed both of these and placed them on her bed. She unbuttoned the front flap of the accordion folder and found several smaller file folders inside. She flipped through the tags, mentally noting the names on them: Abbadon, Basilisk, Bugbear…
She smirked at that last one. A moment later, she found the files was looking for. “RMCA-210 and 211: Grace and Glory…” She flipped through the files. She’d seen symptoms like Lyra’s before. She’d seen them on the faces and in the eyes of dozens of victims in interrogation rooms and hospital wards. And that was just on those who were still able to talk at all.
She grit her teeth at the thought. She then went to the briefcase, opening it to reveal several brightly colored squares, spheres, and cubes. No doubt about it: she was going to need some of her special candy tonight. And there was something else she would need…
***
Twilight knocked on the door to Turing Test’s room.
“One moment.” Turing slowly opened the door just a crack. “Hello, Twilight Sparkle. Do you require my assistance? There are four minutes and eight seconds until today’s magic instruction, unless you wish to begin earlier.”
“No, no, nothing like that, Turing,” Twilight said, waving a hoof and shaking her head. “Could you come out please? I promise to look away if you want to keep your Nightmare Night costume a secret.”
“Understood.” She waited for Twilight to turn her head and then moved into the hallway, closing the door behind her. Pinkie Pie had told Turing that it was more fun to surprise your friends with your costume instead, so she wanted to go for the full effect. “What do you wish to discuss, Twilight Sparkle?”
“Well, first of all, I’m really impressed with your magic practice. You’re getting better and better at levitation and light manipulation. And it’s taking less and less time for you to see a spell and then try to replicate it without just flat-out copying me!”
“Abstraction is part of my higher cognitive function. I still lack your ability, however. For instance, I am unable to teleport.”
“Teleportation is very difficult anyway. And you’ve still learned a lot. A lot more than an organic pony could learn in so many weeks!” She smiled at her. “I want you to know that I’m proud of you.”
“Acknowledged.” Turing tilted her head to the side, then righted it. “Rectifying: Thank you.”
Twilight nodded. “But that’s not the main thing I wanted to talk to you about.”
Turing stood up straight looking at her directly. That was one good thing about Turing: Twilight never had to worry about having her attention.
“Turing, let’s talk a little bit about what happened with Pinkie Pie earlier this week.”
“Which event do you refer to?”
“I mean what you told me. About,” she swallowed, her smile fading, “about you getting angry.”
Turing’s ears twitched. “Your expressions and vital signs indicated agitation when I informed you of it. You did not comment at that time, however. I calculated this as a sign of indifference.”
“It wasn’t. I just wasn’t sure how to talk to you about it.” She sighed. “Look, first of all, Turing, I want you to know that I’m glad you didn’t do anything destructive.”
“As stated, I would never harm Pinkie Pie. I am in fact incapable of harming anypony, and will take extra precautions in light of your emphasis on Princess Celestia’s directive.”
Ever since her meeting with Celestia, Twilight had made sure to follow her guidelines. Turing was always with her or Spike whenever they went out, she’d informed Gadget and Vanderbull that they would need to share any findings with Celestia, and, above all, she made it clear to be extra careful about not harming anypony.
“That’s good. And I want you to know that I do trust you. Second of all, I want you to know something: it is okay to be angry.”
Turing cocked her head to the side. “I do not understand. Anger is a negative emotion. My actions were deleterious and frightened Pinkie Pie. That cannot be acceptable.”
“Yes, that’s true. But being angry is normal, at least for organic ponies.” She put her hoof on Turing’s shoulder. “I think it’s part of your own development to get angry sometimes. And I’m not disappointed with you for feeling that way. But I do want you to know that it’s important to control your temper when that happens.”
“My anger made me behave in counterproductive ways. It interfered with my judgment and I nearly alienated myself from Pinkie Pie instead of continuing my efforts to befriend her. I could set a subroutine that would cause me to shut down when I experienced anger again. That would prevent further negative actions.”
“No, Turing,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “That wouldn’t solve anything. I want you to learn to make good decisions no matter how you’re feeling. I know emotions can be overwhelming, but not having them is the opposite of what you’re trying to achieve. You were right to get some space from Pinkie Pie, but not to berate her. Next time you feel that way, try to be strong and ask yourself if you would make the same decision if you weren’t angry.”
Turing Test nodded. “Understood. I will attempt to preserve rationality during emotional states.”
“I’m really glad to hear that.” She smiled at her again and motioned for her to follow her. The two made their way toward the library for Turing’s next magic lesson. “Tonight’s Nightmare Night. This is a good chance to be seen by a lot of other citizens of Ponyville, especially children. Some of the ponies out there will be really nice!” She slowed and looked at Turing with a frown and somber eyes. “But not everypony. Some ponies might be afraid of you or say mean things. I know you don’t usually react to that, but if you do get upset, just stay calm and tell me or one of the others. We’ve got your back.”
“Acknowledged. I will do my best to interact and not be distracted by negative comments.”
“Good.” Twilight nodded and increased her pace as she led Turing onward. “Now let’s work on some other tricks. Some defensive spells for a change!” She paused. “Oh, I almost forgot. Rarity invited both of us on some mystery scavenger hunt with our other friends. That should be fun!”
***
Bon Bon walked over to the odd little dome-shaped building. Various gadgets and gizmos protruded from the lawn. Windmill-powered devices, odd doodads that looked like weathervanes, a veritable garden of hourglasses, clocks, and sundials, and a host of things she couldn’t even identify. She also noticed a strange statue sitting amongst them; a pegasus statue wearing a robe and covering its eyes. That was new.
She went to the door and knocked.
“Just a moment!” called the stallion inside.
Bon Bon sighed and sat down, hearing clattering and muttering coming from inside the dome. She looked around, examining the various devices and then looked over her shoulder to see that same statue…
Wait. She paused, squinting at it. Was it there before? It looks like it’s closer. And… it’s turned a little toward me?
She shook her head. My nerves are getting to me. I need to concentrate! She closed her eyes and rubbed them. But when she opened them again, she could swear that the statue was even closer, still covering its eyes.
Behind her, the sound of the iron door unlatching caught her attention and she turned to face the familiar brown earth pony stallion who called the place home.
“Ah! Miss Bon Bon!” he exclaimed in his Trottingham accent, a big smile on his face. “I didn’t expect to see you today! Well, come in, my friend. Both of you!” He turned to go back inside the house.
Bon Bon blinked. “Um, there’s only me here, Doc. Who else…” She turned around and screamed when she saw the face of a ferocious creature, the same statue, lunging at her! She fell back, foreleg raised defensively, staring up at its grimace, its outstretched hooves, its unsynchronized eyes…
“Wait. Derpy?!”
“Heehee, I got you, Bon Bon!” She laughed, dropping her threatening look. “Like my Nightmare Night costume? Doc helped me out with this special powder! When I cover myself with it, I look just like a statue, don’t I?”
Bon Bon responded by gasping for breath as she clutched her chest. “Jeez, I’ll say.” She took a deep breath, got to her hooves, and trotted inside.
As usual, the place was covered with all sorts of inventions. Machines and devices that did who-knows-what adorned the walls, the tables, even the floor. It wasn’t the first time Bon Bon had been there, but she still had to take a moment to look around the room, eyes wide and sparkling at the wondrous creations all over the Doctor’s lab.
“By the by, as long as you’re here,” he said, walking out from a nearby hallway, “perhaps you’d be so good as to give me your honest opinion of my costume?”
Bon Bon blinked and turned toward the Doctor’s voice. “That’s… what.”
The Doctor was wearing a costume that vaguely resembled an upside-down lightbulb, only it was green and speckled and had a large plastic leaf at the top…
“Doctor, are you a pear?”
“Exactly! My companion here insisted I just looked like some sort of upside-down speckled green lightbulb! Can you imagine?”
Derpy rolled her eyes.
“But why…”
“Why? My word, have you ever eaten a pear? Eugh!” He shuddered. “Ruddy awful things. Absolutely terrifying.”
“Look, um, Doctor, this is kind of an emergency,” Bon Bon said, narrowing her gaze as she walked over to him. “I need to discuss that little commission of yours.”
His smile faded. Then he forced it back into place and turned to Derpy. “Uh, so sorry, but would you please be a lamb and let us discuss something privately? It won’t take long.”
“Okey dokey, Doc!” she said, giving him a mock salute. She then took off and flew back outside, presumably to practice her statue pose some more.
“I never said I would finish it. It wasn’t finished when they shuttered the RMCA.”
Bon Bon’s hard eyes didn’t move. “I know.”
“Plus, you know,” he said, laughing nervously, adjusting the collar of his tie, “it’s not as if I was ever an agent.”
“Consultant. I know.” Bon Bon grinned ever so slightly. “But it’s not like you to leave something like that unfinished. Not after how obsessed you were with it.”
The Doctor was tight-lipped and his eyes shifted to the left and right. Finally he heaved a sigh. “All right, it’s done. Never had much call to use it, but it works.”
“Great. Where is it?”
“Hold on, I never said I would give it over,” he said, glaring at her. “You lot went under years ago. And you, if you’re going around hunting monsters again… that’s treason if Celestia ever finds out. You must be mad, digging around in the past, and believe me, I ought to know! What could be so--”
“Do you remember the Umbral Order?”
He froze and looked down at the floor. “Yes,” he said quickly. “Nasty bit of business there. Good thing they’ve gone now, isn’t it?”
He looked up to her with a smile and saw the scowl on her face.
“No…”
“Grace and Glory. I can’t be sure, but I can’t take the chance.” She swallowed and her gaze softened. “I’m seeing those old symptoms in my friend. I think she got to her.”
“Her? Who?”
Bon Bon stepped closer. “Lyra.”
The Doctor held up a hoof and went into the hallway. There was the sound of things moving and the clatter of different objects being shoved out of the way. When he returned, he carried a small brown box on his back. He gave it to her wordlessly.
Bon Bon smiled. “Thank you, Doctor.”
“If you see those two,” he said through gritted teeth. “You remind them why they left Equestria in the first place.”
Bon Bon nodded, taking the box and placing it in her saddlebag. She stared at the Doctor a moment… then erupted in a fit of giggles. “I’m… pfft, I’m sorry, but I can’t take you seriously when you’re dressed like that!”
“What? Oh, fantastic!” he groaned, throwing his hooves up. He pulled the costume off as Bon Bon trotted to the door. “By the way, enjoy your Nightmare Night! I’ll be passing out treats to the foals with my statuesque friend out there.” He paused. “Bon Bon.”
“Yes?” she asked, looking back over her shoulder.
“Just… stay safe.”
She gave him a smile and a short nod before walking out the door and into the soft orange glow of the setting sun.
***
Twilight paced back and forth outside her castle, waiting for her friends to show up. She was dressed in a blue wizard’s costume, complete with the conical hat. Not to mention a pair of spectacles hanging from a string hung around her neck. Since nopony had recognized her Starswirl the Bearded costume from last time, she hoped somepony would appreciate her Marey Plodder costume this time.
“I’m here, I’m here!” called a familiar voice. Twilight turned to see Rarity trotting over. She was wearing a silky red dress and when she came closer, she could see a pair of fangs protruding from her mouth.
“Ooh, vampire girl!” Twilight exclaimed, kicking her forelegs in the air. “That’s a great costume, Rarity!”
“Yes, though I wonder if this red dress is a bit too revealing.”
Twilight chuckled. “And if Applejack were here, she’d remind you--”
“--yes, yes, that ‘we don’t normally wear clothes.’” She rolled her eyes. “This from the pony who refuses to ever take off her hat.”
“Is Applejack coming on the scavenger hunt tonight, by the way?” Twilight asked, tensing up as she waited for the answer.
“Unfortunately, no.” She heaved a heavy sigh, dropping her head to look up at Twilight. “I practically begged her to come, but she said she was too busy managing her stall tonight. Caramel apples and bobbing for apples and no doubt some other apple-related things. Still, she said she would be glad to see us if we stopped by!”
“Well, that’s too bad. But I have some good news: Rainbow Dash can come tonight! She said she’d meet us for the scavenger hunt after, and I quote,” here she held up her hooves, making quotation marks with them, “‘some world-class pranking,’ end quote.”
“To be expected, I suppose. But still, that’s fantastic!” She smiled warmly. Then her eyes went wide. “Oh my… it’s a Nightmare Night miracle!”
Twilight turned to look and gasped. Fluttershy was walking over to them.
“Fluttershy?” Twilight gawked at her. “How… I thought you hated Nightmare Night!”
“Yes, and you told me there was no chance in Tartarus that you’d be coming out tonight!”
Fluttershy hid behind her long mane, smoothing it with her hooves. “Oh, w-well, I thought I should try to be brave. Even though I’m not. Because I’m shy. So very shy.”
Twilight and Rarity glanced at each other, then back to her. “Um… well, okay, if you think you can handle it,” Twilight said slowly, putting a hoof on her shoulder.
“Sure. Besides, I wanted to eat some candy.” She smiled up at the two of them. “I do love candy even though I’m shy. So very, very shy.”
“Well, glad you could join us,” Rarity said, looking her up and down. “Although I do wish you’d worn a costume.” She paused when she heard Fluttershy giggle, covering her mouth with both hooves.
She leaned in closely, narrowing her eyes. “Wait a minute… those eyes… they’re blue...” She gasped. “Pinkie Pie?!”
“Aww, you guessed!” said ‘Fluttershy’ in Pinkie’s voice. She reached into her hair and pulled out an orange cupcake with a pumpkin-shaped piece of candy on it. “I’ve been working on doing an impression of Fluttershy for months to get this right!”
“Wow, that’s a pretty good impression,” Twilight said breathlessly, still wide-eyed at how perfect her costume was… although now that she looked, she saw Pinkie’s poofy tail protruding from the back of her Fluttershy costume.
“Yes,” Rarity agreed, “you’d almost swear you two were the same pony!”
“Ha! That’s funny!” She took a bite of her cupcake. “Mm! So, where’s Rinny?”
“Well, she should be out any second,” Twilight replied, looking over at the castle doors. “Turing said she wanted to make sure it was perfect so she… oh, wait!”
They all turned and saw the castle door slowly open. They heard the whirr of Turing’s mechanical legs and saw as she stepped out, revealing her costume in the moonlight.
Twilight gawked, mouth hanging wide open. Rarity’s eye twitched. And Pinkie continued munching on her cupcake.
“Hello - everypony. Beep boop.”
“Darling… that’s… what are you wearing?” Rarity asked, just staring at her. Twilight, meanwhile, still hadn’t managed to close her mouth.
“I have utilized household items to fashion a costume. Is it satisfactory?”
Turing Test was wearing a brown cardboard box with red plastic cups for eyes and a rectangular slit for a mouth to create a mask. A bent clothes hanger protruded from the top to make an antenna. Flexible vent pipes adorned her legs.
“Turing,” Twilight finally managed to say, “did you… did you dress up as a robot for Nightmare Night?!”
“It - seemed - appropriate,” she said, resuming her exaggeratedly stiff speech mannerisms. “Pinkie - Pie - suggested - that - I - choose - a - costume - that - would - be - unexpected. Beep.”
“Turing Test, you are a robot!”
“Correct. I - am - a - robot - dressed - as - a - robot. Nopony - will - suspect - me. I - am - a - robot - in - disguise.”
Rarity leaned over to Twilight, never taking her eyes off Turing. “Did you know she was going to dress like that?”
Twilight tilted her head to the side. “No. I didn’t want to interfere. She seemed excited about her costume because she made it herself.”
“As excited as she can be, that is?”
“Exactly.” Twilight sighed, but offered Turing a smile. “It’s very nice, Turing. You ready to go?”
“Affirmative.” She turned to look at ‘Fluttershy.’ “Your costume is also adequate, Pinkie Pie.”
“Thanks, Rinny!” she said. “Yours is really good too!”
Twilight rapidly looked between the two of them. “Turing, how did you… oh never mind.” She rolled her eyes and led the small group off toward town.
***
“Come on over, everypony! We got bobbin’ fer apples over here!”
Applejack was at her little spot downtown, her usual wooden basin filled with water and apples, not to mention her caramel apples all lined up on a table nearby. She was dressed from head to hoof in a black and white striped prison jumpsuit with a rubber ball and chain on her hind leg for effect. She turned and saw her friends coming over and flashed a broad grin.
“Good gravy, Rarity and Twilight! Y’all look perfect!” She paused as the two came over and tapped her chin. “Let’s see… vampire and Marey Plodder?”
“Oh thank goodness someone got it!” Twilight cried, holding out a hoof and looking up to the heavens. “Everypony thinks I’m Starswirl the Bearded again and that I just forgot my beard!”
“Dang, if that ain’t irony, I don’t know what is.” She turned to see Pinkie Pie, still in costume, walking over to the candy apples and her eyes bulged. “Hey Fluttershy, I’m surprised to see you of all ponies here!”
“Thanks!” she said in her normal voice, causing Applejack to stagger back.
“Pinkie Pie?” She raised an eyebrow, frowning after recovering from her surprise. “Oh, sugarcube, I sure hope you’re tellin’ everypony it’s you in that costume. Otherwise, Fluttershy’s gonna have some strange conversations tomorrow mornin’.”
“Of course! I’m just doing this to surprise everypony; I wouldn’t want to give Fluttershy another reason to hate Nightmare Night!”
“By the way,” Rarity said, tapping Applejack on the shoulder, “have you seen Turing Test’s costume yet?”
“Oh. Is she here?” Applejack looked around and spotted Turing standing nearby. Her head was twitching as she glanced all around her, taking in the sights of the costumes and vendor stalls and decorations that surrounded her.
“Interesting.”
Applejack gawked.
“Turing!” Rarity hollered. “Come over here, darling, and show Applejack your costume!”
As she approached, Applejack leaned over to Twilight. “You mean to tell me that your robot dressed as a robot?”
“I know, I know…” Twilight groaned, putting her hoof to her head.
Turing halted in front of them. “Hello - meat - horse. I - mean - Applejack.”
She made a face. “Howdy.” She looked at her costume. “So… yer a robot, huh?”
“Correct. I - am - a - robot. I - am - here - to - take - Equestrian - jobs. Beep boop beep.”
Applejack stared at her, wide-eyed. Then she smiled, trying to hold back her snickering before finally losing her composure and broke into full-blown laughter.
“Applejack?” Twilight asked, raising her eyebrow. As AJ continued to laugh, Twilight frowned. “You don’t have to be mean.”
“Who’s bein’ mean? That’s actually pretty funny!” she managed to say through her laughter. “Color me impressed!”
“Impressed - is - not - a - color. Boop.”
Applejack stopped laughing, frowned, and waved her off. “Okay, ya had yer moment, now git before ya start annoyin’ me again.”
“Acknowledged. Now - proceeding - with - primary - objectives: 1. Acquire - candy; 2. Give - acquired - candy - to - Pinkie - Pie...” She walked away, leaving Applejack, Rarity, and Twilight alone. The latter two both looked to Applejack with smug grins.
“Yeah yeah, I know what yer both gonna say.” She sighed. “I already said I’d give her a chance, Twi. You just remember yer end o’ things.”
“Right,” Twilight sighed. Getting Fluttershy to see Turing won’t be easy, though. I’ll need to get everypony’s help to convince her…
Just then, Rainbow Dash landed nearby them. She was dressed as Daring Do with a pith helmet, jacket, and even a painted-on cutie mark to match her idol.
“Hey everypony! Some good pranking going on tonight! Kinda works up an appetite.” She eyed the caramel apples on Applejack’s table.
“Well, go right ahead,” Applejack said, taking one from the table and passing it to her. “This one’s just fer you, Rainbow Dash.”
“Sweet!” She took a bite and instantly made a face before spitting it out, sputtering and gagging. “What the… is this an onion?!”
Applejack grinned as Twilight and Rarity stifled their own laughter. “Told ya I’d getcha back fer last year.”
***
The night went on smoothly after that. Turing got a lot of comments on her costume from many of the townsponies and also was unsurprisingly good at the different carnival games. She proved a quick learner at the Spider-Toss and the Pumpkin Catapult, both of which won her a large amount of candy. It seemed even Pinkie had enough candy for herself, though, so Turing decided to share it with the local children.
“Thanks Miss Robot!” said Pipsqueak as she poured a portion of her candy into his bag. “You’re not so scary after all!”
“Child - lulled - into - false - sense - of - security - with - treats. Mission - successful,” Turing intoned. The other fillies and colts gathered around her giggled, though judging by the way their eyes darted to their classmates, it was obvious to Twilight that they hadn’t understood what she’d meant.
Button Mash rushed to the front of the line. He was wearing a blue suit with some sort of spiny mohawk protruding from the back of a modified hood. “You may be an evil minion of the evil Dr. Robotnag’s evil plans,” he shouted, pointing an accusing hoof at Turing, “but I, Pronto the Porcupine, will stop you in your evil tracks!”
Turing’s head cocked to the side as everypony stared. Then Button gave a subtle wink and she raised her head. “Your - attempts - to - stop - my - master - will - not - succeed. But - I - do - not - wish - to - be - destroyed. Perhaps - this - candy - will - distract - you? Beep?” She held out a bag of assorted chocolates.
“Wellll, I guess I can let you off with a warning this time,” he said coyly, a grin on his face as he took the candy while the other foals giggled at their little scene.
“I - am - glad. Firstvictimoftherobotapocalypsesayswhat.”
“What?” He blinked. “Awwww man!”
He and the other children talked excitedly as they wandered off. Twilight walked over and put her hoof on Turing’s shoulder.
“Turing, you’re doing really well tonight! The kids really seem to have taken a liking to you, everypony seems to think your costume is hilarious, and even Applejack let her guard down a little today!” She smiled broadly. “You even seem to be getting better at being funny, if you don’t mind my saying.”
Turing lifted the box on her head up. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle,” she replied in her normal voice. “When I first learned of Nightmare Night, I made it a point to scan as much data and make as many inquiries about it as I could. I learned that costume choices seem to be either a form of wish fulfillment or a means of confronting fears. Why organic ponies enjoy scaring each other or being afraid themselves is not something I understand.”
“It’s… complicated,” Twilight replied, adjusting her hat. “It’s kind of fun when you’re not really in danger.”
“Understood.” She turned and watched as various foals met up with their parents or older siblings. “My research indicated that many ponies also enjoy the chance to emulate the actions or mannerisms of characters or archetypes. You, for instance, indicated that you are dressed as Marey Plodder. Rainbow Dash is dressed as Daring Do.
“In my case, I analyzed common fictional ideas about automata and cross-referenced them with the images I scanned from Button Mash’s comic book. By affecting the mannerisms and dialogue of a more stereotypical robot and wearing an ineptly-made costume, I thought to present myself as a mockery of the fears many ponies seem to have about me. It was my hope that satire would alleviate those fears.” She lowered the box back into place over her head. “Beep.”
Twilight stared at her, mouth open. She breathed in deeply, chest swelling, and smiled at her. “Turing… that’s actually very clever! I’m amazed you were able to do this all on your own!”
“Correction: I received some help from Pinkie Pie. She helped me to plan out some things to say that she believed would be more humorous. Though I am not certain why verbal insults and threatening job security in Equestria are funny, I have come to trust that she knows what she is doing.”
“Ah. That explains it.” Twilight resisted the urge to sigh. She had hoped this “character” was entirely Turing’s invention, but it was working out well regardless and it was still Turing’s idea, even if Pinkie helped make it funnier.
Just then, Pinkie, still in her Fluttershy costume, suddenly bounced over, waving her hooves to get Twilight’s attention. “Twilight, omigosh, here come Lyra and Bon Bon!” Pinkie pointed and Twilight followed until she spotted the pair.
The two of them were dressed alike. Both were wearing matching black suits and ties as well as sunglasses. They had mutual stony, deadpan expressions.
“Great costumes, you two!” Twilight exclaimed. “Are you two secret agents?”
“No,” Bon Bon said quickly.
“What?” Lyra cried, losing her deadpan in an instant. “But I thought we were supposed to be the Mares in Black!”
“No, I told you we’re the Blues Sisters!” Bon Bon snapped. She resumed her deadpan stare. "We've got 15 bits, half a cart full of hay, and we're wearing sunglases at night. Let's hit it."
“I thought you were those two gangsters from that Quarab Trotantino movie,” Rainbow Dash said as she landed among them.
Bon Bon rolled her eyes as Lyra giggled.
“Twilight Sparkle, are these two friends of yours?” Turing asked, interrupting the exchange.
“Oh, um… yes!” Twilight said, blushing slightly. “Turing Test, this is Lyra Heartstrings! We knew each other back in Canterlot.”
Lyra bowed.
“And, um…” Twilight looked to Bon Bon. She squinted her eyes and her smile became tight and strained.
“Bon Bon,” she sighed. “I’m a candy maker and I’m Lyra’s housemate.”
“Oh right, right!” Twilight exclaimed, chuckling nervously.
“It is nice to meet you, Lyra and Bon Bon.” Turing raised her mask to look at them more directly. “I am Turing Test. I am a robot, an artificial pony, and Twilight Sparkle is instructing me in making friends. I hope we will develop such a relationship.”
“I remember, I saw the newspaper!” Lyra exclaimed. “It’s nice to meet you!” She raised a hoof to her chin, still smiling. “So, um… what’s it like being a robot?”
Turing tilted her head. “I do not believe I can give a clear answer. I have always been a robot and have no comparison.” She put out her hoof, holding it upwards, letting her mask fall back into place. “If I were to ask you what it is like to be an organic pony, how would you answer?”
“It’s actually pretty great!” she said immediately. Then she paused. “Although, I mean, I have wondered about some things.” She leaned closer to her and Twilight. “Say, um… do you know if that one mare is coming back here soon?”
“Huh? Who do you mean?” Twilight asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You know. The one with the, um… mechanical hands.” Her eyes lit up and her smile grew wider. “I’d reeeeally like to ask her some questions!”
“Oh good, it seems everypony is here!” Rarity said, trotting over to them, derailing Lyra’s train of thought completely. “My my, Lyra and Bon Bon, you two look rather stylish in those suits!”
“Well, at least everypony likes them, even if we don’t know what we’re supposed to be,” Bon Bon sighed, rolling her eyes.
Then there came a sound that made them all raise their heads. It was the sound of the Ponyville Clocktower and the bells were ringing out, audible even over the energetic Nightmare Night festivities, music, and games. It tolled the time, the bells finally stopping after ten long, resounding chimes.
Both Rarity and Lyra raised their heads. “It’s time,” they said in unison.
The others looked at them, startled by their synchronous statement.
Bon Bon tensed up, sucking in a deep breath as she watched Lyra’s eyes gain a faraway look.
“We should go now, everypony,” Rarity said, the look in her eyes matching Lyra’s.
“Yes, we don’t want to be late,” Lyra added, strolling alongside her.
Twilight and the others just looked at each other and shrugged. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were already on the tips of their hooves at the thought of this mystery scavenger hunt.
“Lyra, you’re coming too?” Pinkie asked. “All right! It seems like we almost never get to hang out!” She turned to Bon Bon. “So I guess you’re coming too, right Bon Bon?”
“Um, I…”
“She’s not invited,” Rarity and Lyra said at once.
“Whoa whoa whoa…” Rainbow Dash said, holding up her hooves. “Just like that, Rarity? And you, Lyra? I thought you and Bon Bon were practically attached at the hip!”
“She’s not… invited…” Lyra said, though her eyes were becoming unfocused. “I… want to… but…” She held her head, wincing suddenly.
Twilight looked from her to Bon Bon, who was looking down at the ground. But as Lyra clutched at her head, she went over and put a hoof on her shoulder.
“No, Lyra, it’s fine.” She looked her in the eyes and gave her a small smile. “Seriously. It’s… it’s okay. Just have fun and, you know, be safe.”
Lyra looked at her blankly for a moment, then slowly smiled in return. “Right. Sure. Sorry you can’t come.”
“No worries.” She hugged her and then stepped away, slowly walking off as the rest of them formed a circle.
“So, where is this little scavenger hunt?” Twilight asked.
Lyra and Rarity donned matching mischievous grins.
***
“Whoa…” Rainbow Dash breathed. She stared up at their destination as they emerged from the Everfree Forest. “The Castle of the Two Sisters… whoever put this together, they’ve got great taste in Nightmare Night locations!”
The ruined castle, dark and foreboding as ever, looked even more intimidating and menacing as the moon was the only illumination in the dead of night. The sounds of the creatures in the Everfree sounded close and their screeches and howls only served to chill them further and spur them onward across the bridge and into the courtyard.
“Scanning…” Turing Test said suddenly, her voice startling them all. “Unidentified energy readings detected in this vicinity.”
“L-like what kind of energy?” Rarity asked.
“As stated, they are unidentified. They could be magical in nature, or the result of a slightly anomalous pocket of electromagnetic energy. More data is needed.” The group was silent as they edged closer to the rickety, rotten wooden doors. “I have also detected increased heart rates and heightened breathing from you all, indicating distress.”
“Th-that’s just excitement! I’m not scared!” Rainbow Dash declared, taking flight and zooming ahead of them. “In fact, I’m going in first! We’ll see who’s the bravest pony this Nightmare Night!”
The others, in spite of their fears, had to admit that they were pretty excited about this mystery scavenger hunt that somepony was throwing. They looked to each other, smiling eagerly, and rushed after her.
I know this castle, Twilight told herself. It’s nothing special, just a bunch of hallways, suits of armor, and some childish tricks that Celestia and Luna had installed. There’s nothing to be afraid of!
She of course was not aware of the two ponies standing at the window in the highest tower, watching them.
***
Bon Bon tread lightly behind the group of them. Occasionally one of them looked behind them as she followed and she thought she might have been discovered. But then they went on and she realized the device the Doctor had given her was still working.
An invisibility device, she marvelled to herself, grinning slightly as she crept toward the castle entrance. Maybe this way I can sneak in before either of those two know I’m here!
***
“It looks like the guests are here, Grace,” Glory whispered. “That little message you put into Rarity and the green one worked out perfectly.”
“Indeed. I am so glad the Children of Harmony came to our little gathering. And they brought the machine with them. Tonight we shall consecrate this holy place.”
“It’s a shame we didn’t get them all. Four out of six. I’m a little surprised the pink one didn’t come with them.”
“Ah, but it seems she did,” Grace said, her eyes still closed. “I can see beyond that veneer. She’s disguised herself as one of the others. How droll!” She chortled and then froze. Her features went from a calm smile to a toothy grin. “Glory.”
“Hm? What is it?” he asked, looking down at her.
“It seems we have an uninvited guest.”
Glory peered out the window again, but saw no one. “What? I don’t see anypony.”
“Oh, she’s using some clever gadget to conceal herself. But she cannot hide from my blessed sight.” She motioned for Glory to lean down so she could whisper to him more clearly. “She’s here, Glory. Our old friend Special Agent Sweetie Drops has arrived.”
To be continued...
Insert Vincent Price laugh here.
Okay, first order of business is to thank my artist, Colby Green, and my editor, GaPJaxie for their monumental help on this chapter. The picture of the gang in costume is something I asked Green to come up with quickly and he delivered in full force. Jaxie helped trim this chapter down a lot. It needed some pretty heavy rewrites and some scene cuts, some of which I might use later, but you may get a deleted scene if not! 
Meanwhile, it's time to play "Spot the Reference" again, kiddies!
-The title of course references a certain landmark chess-playing computer.
-The RMCA is a nod to the SCP universe.
-A bunch of "Doctor Who" references, of course:
+Derpy's costume is a reference to the Weeping Angels, the ultra-creepy monsters from "Blink."
+Doc dressing like a pear is another reference to the Tenth Doctor's apparent dislike of them.
+A very slight reference, but Doc working unofficially for the RMCA is a reference to the Doctor's off-again-on-again relationship with UNIT.
-Costumes:
+Twilight's Marey Plodder is of course a reference to "Fifty Shades of Gray." Wait, that wasn't it...
+Pinkie Pie disguising herself as Fluttershy references "The Crystal Empire," but I figured she did that for information purposes; she's doing it now for fun.
+Turing's costume is a reference to the Tin Soldier costume pack for "Team Fortress 2." Her line about being a robot in disguise? Hm, can't remember. Some other franchise Hasbro did.
+The jokes about Lyra and Bon Bon's costumes reference, of course, "Men in Black," the "Blues Brothers" (Jaxie suggested Bon Bon's extra quip), and "Pulp Fiction" from Quentin Tarantino, all of which involve dudes wearing nice black suits.
One last reference is Grace and Glory's names. They're named after the creepy final boss tune from the "Jet Set Radio" games:
See you next chapter!
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....yay
Great chapter! The interactions between the characters are great
I can't to see her bring down Grace and Glory (with help of Turing Test?) 
! (Probably Turing Test is No Sell towards their mind controlling powers...) That would be good way to make Turing Test and Bon Bon friends.
I'm enjoying the participation of Doctor Whooves and Bon Bon/Special Agent Sweetie Drops!
The Mane6 costume were nice and Turing's was a blast!
(The ilustration was very good!)
I confess that when I read the title I thought that we would see chess.
Maybe later...
Wonder if Grace and Glory are related to the one's who build Turing... but apparently they are more interested in the Elements of Harmony...
And Applejack's medical condition is a plot point...
I wonder if there is a connection between it and her reluctance towards Turing...
Waiting for the next chapter!
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......
Love the costume.
Not sure about the secret agent / brainwashing plot.
Turing is a god of humor. That disguise is ingenious.
replygif.net/i/538.gif
I love this chapter so much.
Eh... a secret agent sub plot ?
Not too fan of these kind of thing , but given the fact that Turing's creators are part of a shady secret organization , I see how it might be usefull to the plot.
Recruiting a retired secret agent that revealed herself saving you from a concealed danger to chase a secret organization , or at least to help protecting yourself against it , make sense. Somewhat.
Seems interesting. Will read.
Expects reference to organic meat bags being inferior. Will be disappointed if none exist.
Oh, so she's pretty much like a robotic Maud.
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We got those.
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Like references to movies about robots? We got those too.
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Guess you'll have to make that comparison for yourself, but, for the record, Maud is in this.
Welcome to the story, and thank you for commenting. I hope you like what you see!
You mean by a lot of other citizens of Ponyville.
Machines.
Also, I could have sworn that Turing Test knew how to teleport already, as I seem to recall her doing so during her first magic lesson.
I thought she teleported into Twilight's room, after Twilight teleported there to collect her thoughts after Turing copied Twilight's spells perfectly. Maybe I'm simply remembering wrong?
6220752 Well, at least that was the only typo.
And no, you are remembering that correctly... Turing can teleport, but only by perfectly mimicking that exact casting of the spell. So she was able to teleport to Twilight's room from that specific location. Because she was emulating, not learning the spell, she wouldn't be able to teleport elsewhere in any other situation. She could probably learn how to do it, but teleportation is exceptionally complex magic, so even a machine like Turing would take a while to get it perfectly.
I would have never suspected you would be a TF2 player. Color me surprised.
Oh, why don't you go tell a creampuff about the magic of friendship.
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Well, all I have to say is "You're welcome for the help advancing your space program." Uh, were there any bits in particular you liked?
Love that second reference there, but for the life of me I can't come up with a satisfactory acronym for RMCA. Best I can get is "Royal Monster Capturing Agency", but that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. Nice chapter overall, keep up the amazing work! ^_^
...So I'm curious. If there was a plan for that bit (you know the one I mean) before Episode 100, what was it? :D
Oh, and given the expression on seeing the bugbear, I gather that this is after Episode 100?
re Weeping Angel Derpy:
Hahahahahaha! :D
"Machined and devices"
"Machines"?
...Ack! The title didn't say Part 1, so I wasn't expecting a cliffhanger! No! :D
So, some interesting developments here...
6220790 I see.
I want to see Derpy show up as a 'statue' and clobber Grace or Glory from behind. PLEASE????
Plus, I can totally see Turing going, "Initiating Beat Down Protocol, enabling Trash Talk Subroutine!" before tearing into them. Oh, and since this is Nightmare Night and Luna should be making an appearance... what if she happens to spot the confrontation and intervenes????
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! FREAKING AWESOME!
This chapter is the 'Slice of Life' equivalent from the original canon, HAH, awesome, so much awesome...
So, here we are at Nightmare night and as always, Turing is as hilarious as ever, look at her SOOOOO awesome!
Now, Applejack is feeling... ill? Sickness? Maybe a condition? I read this guys comment that she had a condition, can someone fill me in about that?
And of course we have Secret Agent Bon Bon here as well, this is going to be so funny and... awesome, I've been saying that a lot.
MARVELOUS!
There, new word.
Anyway, subtle reference to hand fetish Lyra, and Bon Bon as always is awesome as a secret agent, she has her secret mission and all, I can just imagine this being a movie made, 'Robothoof, Double Bon seven.'
Hehehehe....
Also, PICTURE FOR THE WIN!
Man... the next chapter is going to be bloody excellent.
No additional character development, except for the fact Turing has developed her sense of humor a lot, but I still think she put in her own effort despite Pinkie helping out.
And now, ONTO THE FUTURE, GIVE ME EPIC FIGHT SCENES DAMMIT!
Beep-Boop, Maggots.
wiki.teamfortress.com/w/images/thumb/f/f8/The_Tin_Soldier.png/198px-The_Tin_Soldier.png?t=20120727201119
And then they were Terminators.
Time for some replies!
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I understand why some might not like this turn of events. It is a little out there and based on probably the most "wtf" moment out of "Slice of Life." But this is just for this arc (and it will probably only be a two-parter, mmmaybe three), and it's a good opportunity to have Turing Test face a much more dire threat.
6221294
Thank you! And as for the RCMA, it will be discussed in the next chapter. Buuut if your curiosity is too strong, then what the hay: check under the spoiler text to see that it's Royal Monstrosity Containment Agency. You were close!
6221579
Unless Derpy suddenly gains superpowers, I don't think she's equipped to clobber a nigh invulnerable juggernaut or a mind-bender.
Luna has grown to appreciate Nightmare Night, but, at least in my headcanon, she treats it like Celestia treats the Summer Sun Celebration: she chooses a different town every year from now on. So no, she's not going to appear in this arc. Don't worry, she'll be around.
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To everyone else, thanks for the comments! Seems the rest of you enjoyed the humor, in particular Turing's costume. I'll be sure to tell Green that his artwork was appreciated. It also looks like a lot of you are anticipating the confrontation with Grace and Glory, with some predicting a no-holds-barred curbstomp. Interesting...
See you next time, folks! Beep boop.
6222579 All Derpy has to do is scare them enough that somepony else can get in a good blow. Plus, this is the Pegasus who we saw demolish town hall on screen. I think she could take 'em.
6222579
Oh, I forgot to mention Turing's costume! Yes, that was good. :)
6222579
Nice~ We anticipate a lot for next time...
And no, the most WTF moment had to have been Stevie Magnet suddenly appearing in the hottub.
No words...
This seems really irresponsible of Sweetie Drops. The Rainbow Power/Elements of Harmony are essential for the defense of Equestria and on general principle you put "protecting the innocent," above "apprehending the perpetrators." Yes, telling Twilight that Rarity and Lyra are mind-controlled will probably blow any chance she has of catching the monsters. But, the risk isn't worth it.
And there are the Villains again,....sadly i have to stop at this bad point right now, and have to read tomorrow again, i supposed that was a bad point for a break, but i have not much time right now.
Hmm, Glory can take a frying pan to the face, but can he take a full body press from a Turing Test?
And if Grace and Glory actually hurt her friends, I wonder if Turing's eyes will turn red while she starts yelling, "EXTERMINATE".
[youtube=www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwCClbsYOJM]
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Actually, it is possible that Turing would have problems to act against the villains... This chapter let clear that Turing is going to great lengths to do not hurt ponies (Frist Law of Automata, Anger Control, etc.). If Grace and Glory use her mind-controlled friends against her, it is possible that Turing get frozen in a genuine Asimovian First Law Dillemma: She must not hurt ponies, but to free her friends, she must run the risk to hurt them (a strong version both due the First Law/Self-Control and her friendship). A weaker form of the dillemma would be if the only way to free her friends, Turing needed to hurt - not only contain like she was doing with Fine Print/Umehara, but actually hurt - Grace and Glory...
Maybe I'm thinking that Turing is more Asimovian than she actually is, but it would be really interesting to see how Turing deals with the dillemma...
Or she could surprise us defeating the villains by doing something unexpected enough to surprise the villains to allow Sweetie Drops get the drop (
) on them
If Turing get frozen by the dillemma and was criticized by that, maybe Rainbow would defend her - after all, she faced a similar dillemma under the first attack of Discord (Stop Discord or Save Cloudsdale).
6227571 I do enjoy this story.
6227585 Yay!
6222634 "Thirsty?" Oh yes, I get it.
Also...
lh6.googleusercontent.com/vDW3ufvFhziHo-bzkZrNxnZMGP2F7y3MOpdoNjUhn0ErXPpQwpXOfVqD0fxsfFUzBzlXXGeUNNiC_Bc=w1576-h611
And yes, Grace and Glory are OCs. They aren't a reference or from anything else, pony or otherwise. Thanks for the comments!
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A very good point! But rest assured, Bon Bon has her reasons for actions, and you'll find out more about them next chapter.
6228096 The song is what inspired the names, yes, and that creepy "faux religious" bit, especially at the start did get that train of thought rolling. As for the supernatural, it's no moreso than the other fantasy elements in this story. After all, magic is commonplace and even a lot of the technology that currently exists in Equestria is based on magic. How Grace and Glory got their powers as well as their backstory will be introduced next chapter.
Great story by the way. Loved it and I hope that Turing gets out of this situation ok. The trap is about to be sprung and things are about to go south fast.
I've got to say, I love how you're incorporating things from recent episodes into this story. You've got stuff from Slice of Life and Amending Fences in there.
Interestingly, the voice actress for Pinkie Pie also does the voice of Fluttershy, so that's actually a reference within a reference...
6232275 Oops, I forgot to include that in the reference list! That was an intentional joke, but I forgot when I was writing the author's note. I'll add that later today.
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These kinds of comments are what keep me going. Thank you so much! I hope you both enjoy the later chapters as well.
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Out of curiosity, have you ever played a game called Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic?
I'm also still waiting for the inferior organic meatbags to be referred to as what they are...
I reached the end, and it's a cliffhanger! Noooooooooooooo!
I can't... Hold on.... Much longer!!!
Grace and Glory are neat ; antagonists with a plan. A nice bit of mystery with them ; I doubt they are robots , since they are so much more advanced than Turing.
Unless this is secretly a re-telling of terminator 2 and the simpler easier to program Turing was sent back in time to protect Twilight and forgot her memory.
He looks impressive , but is soft and malleable ; useless in attack and defense. Yet he DID take a pan to the face.
So he looks superficially ostentatious but has steel underneath? Like a ROBOT
Knows how to play chess and chess related activities. Master of moving tiny things on a board with hooves without knocking them over.. Defiantly not a mastermind.
I have to admit, I did not see this subplot coming, but you are making it work. This situation does sound like it could be a good chance to teach Turing more about what she can and can't do when trying to keep others out of harms way and protecting herself. I can't wait to see how this turns out!
Edit: Also, I actually thought that Turing's costume was a call back to when Spike wore a dragon costume for Nightmare Night.
I think that after this arc it will be the Fluttershy arc, right? If so, it would be a good one to put some discussions about if Turing is actually conscious or not (Fluttershy would certainly argue that her animals are conscious if not in the same way of a pony - and if consciousness can exist in a flux of levels, it is possible that Turing is) and how she thinks (I think that Twilight and Gadget are getting it in a way, but they must understand that Turing thinks in a very specific way, fellowing logic - so A to B to C... hence why she got angry with the fact that jokes are dependent of absurd (break of logic). To Turing, at her actual stage of development, the letter of the law is the spirit of the law - and a lot of problems could come from it.
Alan Turing's original Imitation Game article could be a good source of arguments to the defense of his namesake:
http://www.loebner.net/Prizef/TuringArticle.html
6233974 I shan't give too many spoilers, but I can assure you that Grace and Glory are not robots. Also that Turing is not from the future.
6235081 Glad you're enjoying this as well. Indeed, this will really test Turing's
metalmettle.6287076 That is the normal reaction to that chapter. Just wait til the illustration for it is done.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy the rest!
Sees video: J.S.R. Music, COOL!
Presses Play: NOPENOPENOPENOPENOPENOPE...
That is going to bite everyone in the ass. She needs to be able to Lay the smack down on these bad guys.
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Please tell me thats pony version of "meat bag" from HK-47!
You see. I happen to play an obscene amount of TF2. I didn't think there'd be those kind of references here.