Deep Blue, Part 3
Bon Bon rubbed her temple, letting out a long sigh as she and Turing spoke quietly in one corner of the room.
“Okay, this is bad, but at least Twilight still has control over her mind.” She looked over her shoulder, seeing Twilight poke through some of the ancient books in the room, her eyes going wide in childish delight. She then looked back at Turing. “We can get her to give you some orders. She could order you to fight!”
Turing Test’s ears twitched slightly. “Or we could convince her that it would be best for me to surrender in exchange for Grace restoring our friends.”
Bon Bon hesitated. “Yes. Those are both options.” She glanced over at Twilight again, working her jaw as if chewing on something. “Turing,” she said finally, “are you really all right with this? Do you know what will happen to you if we turn you over to them?”
“I can only conjecture. However, it is likely that it would mean my disassembly, my possible reprogramming, or simply my destruction.”
“And you’re okay with that?” She raised an eyebrow. “I feel like Twilight would be asking you this question; earlier she acted like she would be sending one of her real friends to their death!”
Turing took a step toward her. “That is accurate, Bon Bon, as I am her real friend.”
Bon Bon opened her mouth, but then shut it promptly.
“To clarify, I am not ‘okay’ with surrendering myself, but I am compelled to protect Twilight Sparkle and my other friends by both my programming and my personal regard for their safety.”
Bon Bon looked down, heaving a sigh. “That’s very noble, Turing Test. Well then, let’s tell Twilight to give you that order, and then we can settle this.”
Turing Test raised a hoof, stopping her as she began to move toward Twilight. “One moment, Bon Bon. As Twilight Sparkle is my end user, I must explain the situation so she may make a fully-informed decision. If we withhold crucial information, I would consider it an invalid order made in a non-clear state of mind. I could not obey that order over her earlier order not to surrender. She must be presented with relevant information.”
“She’s got the mind of a child!” Bon Bon hissed. “You want us to just dump all this information on her?”
They were interrupted by the sound of Twilight clearing her throat. “Um, Miss Bon Bon and Miss Turning Test--”
“My name is Turing Test, Twilight Sparkle.”
“Right.” She shuffled her hooves and looked over at Rarity and Rainbow Dash where they were laid on the couch. “Um, what’s wrong with those two ladies?”
“They’re… sleeping!” Bon Bon said, offering her a smile.
Twilight scrunched her face up. “Nuh uh! Their eyes are open!”
“They’ve… got some disease that makes them sleep with their eyes open!”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Hmmm.” She went over to Rarity and began to gently shake her. Her head was lolling and she shook limply as Twilight jostled her. “Wake up, Miss, wake up! Helloooo!” She shook her even harder, causing Bon Bon to wince. “Wake up, wake up! I’ve got some yummy oats for you when you get up!”
“Uhhh, oh no!” Bon Bon said, eyes darting to the left and right. “You stunned her just as she was waking up!”
“Stunned?!” Twilight whipped her head around and made a face at her. “She’s not stunned, all I did was move her a little! And what about the other lady with the rainbow mane? She can’t hear me either?”
“Sheeee’s a pegasus and is… probably pining for Cloudsdale!”
“‘Pining for Cloudsdale?’ What kind of horse-hockey is that?!”
“You are correct, Twilight Sparkle,” Turing said, stepping forward and cutting Bon Bon off before she could make another excuse. “They are not sleeping or stunned or pining.”
Twilight raised her head, grinning proudly and sticking her tongue out at Bon Bon. “I knew Miss Bon Bon was lying!”
Bon Bon grit her teeth, a growl rising in her throat.
“She did not intend to harm you with her deceit. She wished to avoid frightening you by informing you that these two are under the effects of a psychic attack which rendered them unresponsive. The one who did this to them is a pony named Grace who is stalking us through the ruins of this castle with the intention of causing further harm to us, possibly to the point of severe injury, brain damage, or death.”
Twilight’s eyes had been growing wider and wider as Turing explained the situation. Then her lip began to quiver and her eyes filled with tears. “Mmmooommmyyyy!” she wailed.
“Oh good job, Turing!” Bon Bon snapped, rushing over to Twilight. She tried to wrap her foreleg around Twilight’s mouth as the Princess-turned-toddler struggled. “Twilight, be quiet!”
“No! I wanna go home! My big brother’s really strong and he’ll beat you up if you don’t--”
“If you don’t be quiet, those bad ponies will hear us!” Bon Bon hissed, looking her directly in the eyes. “Do you want them to find us?!”
Twilight held her mouth closed, but she was still sniffling and holding back sobs, hyperventilating as only a terrified child could. She managed to shake her head.
“Good,” Bon Bon said. “Okay, now it’s going to be all right. Turing Test and I are both pretty tough and we’re going to protect you, but you need to be a brave little filly for us.” She smiled at her, holding Twilight’s head up as she did so. “Can you do that?”
“Uh huh,” she whispered through her blubbering.
“Okay. Just stay right there. The grown ups are going to talk for a little bit more now.” She let Twilight go, and motioned for Turing to follow her back to their corner. “Come on, Ma, we need a plan.”
“Was that statement intended as humor? Perhaps you are intending to defuse the tension--”
“I ought to defuse your brain, you bucket of bolts!” she snarled. “Why did you tell her all that?!”
Turing cocked her head. “There was no point in hiding the truth from her if we wish her to make an informed decision.”
She groaned at that. “I guess ‘sugar coating’ isn’t part of your programming.”
“I learned the use of sugar while assisting Pinkie Pie. Is that relevant?”
Bon Bon smacked her forehead. “It’s not… okay, look, we need to go find the others.” She jerked her head at the door. “Follow me. Twilight will be safe here.”
“Perhaps, but if our intention is to form a strategy that will rescue all our friends, it may be more expedient to help Twilight Sparkle reach a decision. I suggest that I remain with her while you seek the others.”
“You want me to go out there on my own?!” Bon Bon bit her lip. “That’s… I mean, I can, but I’d really like to have your help in a fight--”
“As we have established, I cannot be considered a reliable ally in combat. I would be compelled to protect you from harm if it were possible, and I would also be compelled to defend Grace and Glory if you attempted to use force against them, just as I did with Twilight Sparkle.”
Bon Bon worked her jaw, pushing her lips in and out. “Look… they aren’t really ponies. The RMCA has officially labelled them as ‘monsters.’ So it’s okay to attack them!” She smiled at that. “So, no problem?”
“They may be augmented, but scans show they are indeed ponies. They are not monsters.”
Bon Bon narrowed her eyes. “They can be both.” She let out a sigh. “Look, I get that you can’t attack them, but can’t you just stay out of it? I mean, couldn’t you just bend the rules here? You can’t think this is what Twilight would really want!”
Turing shook her head. “While that might make logical sense, it is not a matter of obedience. It is part of my default programming, which means that I am physically compelled to act in accordance with those directives. For instance, were I to attempt to poke your eyes--” here she jutted out a hoof at Bon Bon’s eye, causing her to flinch back, blinking before stopping short, “--you would be instinctively compelled to blink your eyes to protect them as you have just demonstrated. As a machine, I can no more resist my directives than you, as an organic pony, can fight your instinctual reflexes.”
Bon Bon rubbed her chin. “Couldn’t I just order you to ignore that?”
Turing shook her head. “I am compelled by the Second Law to obey reasonable orders, but Twilight Sparkle has given me the ability to use discretion to any except for her. As my end user, Twilight Sparkle is the only one who can compel me to make changes to my default programming. She is the only one who can order me to override the First Law.”
Bon Bon let out a long sigh. “Fine. Then we’ll do it your way. Keep watch and I’ll try to find the others. If I’m not back in half an hour, then you might want to come and get me.”
“Understood. Good luck, Bon Bon.”
As Bon Bon opened the secret door and made her way out, Turing Test went over to Twilight Sparkle.
“I-is Miss Bon Bon coming back soon?” Twilight asked, wiping away her tears.
“The probability is…” She paused as Twilight looked at her, shivering in fear. “Rectifying: Bon Bon is very capable. You may place your confidence in her abilities.”
Twilight took several deep breaths, managing to finally stop crying. She offered Turing a weak smile. “O-okay Miss Turing. I’ll be quiet and I’ll be really brave.” She brightened. “You must be really brave too! All the Royal Guard ponies are!”
Turing cocked her head to the side. “Please clarify: you believe me to be a member of the Royal Guard?”
Twilight nodded. “Yep! I can tell, ‘cause you’re wearing all that armor! Hey, maybe you could meet my big brother too! He wants to be a Royal Guardspony someday!”
Turing Test was silent for a moment. “Twilight Sparkle, I have many things I must tell you…”
***
The Throne Room lay just ahead of her. The gaping hole at the back wall between the two thrones, the crumbling ceiling, and the ancient hanging tapestries caught her attention for just a moment, but Bon Bon ignored the sights to focus on finding the others. She searched the alcoves, peeking behind the tapestries, and even tried to crawl up to the hole in the back wall to see if she could get a better view of the outside. Once she was satisfied that nopony was there, she turned to leave, back out the main entrance.
Then she heard two sets of hoofsteps. She strained her ears and heard that one of them was large and heavy and she knew at once who they belonged to.
She dove behind the nearest hiding spot, Celestia’s ancient throne, and activated her invisibility device, hoping that Grace wouldn’t get close enough to detect her or at least help her evade Glory if she needed to run.
She heard the pair enter the room and slow their pace.
“Hm. Another empty room, Grace.” Glory seemed to be moving about slowly, and Bon Bon heard as he went to a hanging tapestry. Then there was a loud smash and the sound of fabric as he smashed the area behind it, tearing away the tapestry, expecting to find something behind it.
“No need to expend your energy so,” Grace sighed. Then the two were very quiet and for a moment Bon Bon wondered if perhaps they’d left. Just the same, she didn’t dare risk a glance around the throne.
But then Grace spoke again. “I cannot sense any ponies here, Glory. Perhaps we should move on.”
Bon Bon held her breath, waiting for them to move, but then she saw a shadow rising up over the shadow of the throne and realized it was Glory raising his hooves, preparing to bring them down.
She dove out of the way at the last possible moment, just before Glory smashed the throne to pieces, splintering the stone floor where she’d stood only a moment ago.
If I hadn’t moved, that maniac could have broken every bone in my body! I should have known Grace was tricking me into letting my guard down. She detected me the instant she walked in here!
Bon Bon resisted the urge to cough as the dust cloud from his attack radiated out. But then looked down and saw that the dust was settling on her foreleg, providing a faint outline of its shape.
“You’re right, Grace!” Glory laughed, his eyes fixating on the outline of Bon Bon’s hoof. “No ponies here! Just filthy, sneaking little rats!” He sprang forward and swept at Bon Bon wildly with his hoof, kicking her directly in the chest and sending her flying.
Bon Bon saw the world flip head over heels as she rocketed at the wall, the breath knocked from her lungs once from his kick and again when she slammed into the back corner of the throne room. She heard the crackling of electricity and her body slowly faded back into view. The metal device the Doctor had given her was cracked and sparking.
She threw it to the side. That thing might have been the only thing keeping Glory from shattering my ribcage! She risked a glance up and saw that Glory was coming for her. She looked back to the doorway at the entrance and saw Grace was blocking it, her eyes closed for the time being, but that would change if she made a break for it.
Wait a minute… a throne room usually has an entrance at the back so the royalty can enter there instead of from the front! She glanced to her right and saw the faint outline of a door. There it is! But trying to reach it would be stupid with Glory hot on my hooves! Wait…
“All out of places to run, Sweetie Drops?” Glory gave her a mock pout, jutting his lower lip out as he mimed shedding tears. Then his pout reverted to his predatory grin. “It’s time you learn what happens to those who betray the Order of--”
Bon Bon reached into her suit and threw a dozen small oblong red candies at him. He didn’t even flinch as they stuck to his face, neck, and forelegs. He lifted a foreleg and examined them. “More candy weapons? Hmph.” Then he looked down at her with a raised eyebrow. “What, did these little pop rocks fail to go off?”
“Those aren’t pop rocks.” She chuckled, noticing them start to glow, smoke rising from the spots where they’d struck him. “They’re red hots.”
Glory felt sudden, intense heat as the tiny candies began to sear his flesh. He roared in pain and rage, desperately shaking the candies off as Bon Bon rushed by him, kicking in the secret door and dashing down the hallway.
“Glory, she’s getting away!” Grace shouted, running from the entrance.
Glory shook off the red hots quickly, ignoring the pain as he made his way down the narrow hallway. He saw the exit just ahead, but also saw several round candies scattered around on the floor. Jawbreakers.
He grinned, lowering his head as he continued to run. That old trick? Trying to trip up your opponents with little round balls on the floor? Nice try, Sweetie Drops.
He leaped over the jawbreakers and through the door, out into the hallway, landing easily on all four hooves. He raised his head and looked all around to find Bon Bon when he heard a curious hissing sound. He looked down at his feet and saw that he was surrounded by several red, cherry-shaped objects placed in a circular formation. Their stems seemed to be rapidly disappearing. Smoking.
Cherry bombs.
His eyes went wide and he moved to get out of the ring of bombs, but they detonated at the same time, blasting a hole in the floor. He fell through, plunging into the lower depths of the castle, a howl of rage echoing upwards.
“Glory!” Grace screamed, skidding to a halt just before the hole. She peered down into the darkness. “Glory, are you all right?”
There was a cough below. “I’m all right! I will meet up with you as soon as I can, just get that little infidel for me!”
Grace raised her head. Though her eyes were closed, her extrasensory ability allowed her to “see” the outline of the hallway before her. The outline of the suits of armor, the hallway itself, and a very familiar shape of a particularly troublesome special agent running down the hall.
She clenched her teeth, sidestepping the hole as she pursued Bon Bon.
***
“Sooo you’re not a real pony?” Twilight asked, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.
“That is inaccurate.” Turing tapped one foreleg with another, the metallic sound echoing in the small room. “I identify as a pony and I am not imaginary. I would therefore say that I am, in fact, a ‘real’ pony. I am, however, mechanical.”
“Whoa…” Twilight breathed. Then she smiled, rising to her hooves, bouncing up and down at her. “Ooh, ooh, what’s it like?”
Turing cocked her head to the side. “That is a strange question. I only have experience as a robot and thus have no means to concisely express what it is like in contrast to an organic being.” She tapped her chin. “However, I can give some differences. I am able to utilize greater eyesight, speed, strength, hearing, and other faculties than organic ponies. In contrast, I have difficulty experiencing emotions, as they occur less frequently than with organics, nor can I experience the same sensation of ‘touch’ as you do. Furthermore--”
“What do you eat?” Twilight asked.
“I do not.”
“You don’t eat?” Twilight scratched her head as she considered that. She began to walk in a circle around Turing, poking and examining her. “Robots are weird!”
Turing lowered her head. “I see. You… find me strange now.”
Twilight came around and looked her in the eye. “Yeah, you’re weird, but you’re also really cool!”
Turing’s ears lifted, squeaking as they did so, which made Twilight giggle.
“Your ears make funny sounds!”
“I did not mean for that to be humorous. Still, it is curious that you still express no hostility toward me, Twilight Sparkle, even in your current state.”
“What do you mean, Miss Turing?”
“Twilight Sparkle, you have shown great kindness and acceptance of me in the past. Even now that you have been regressed, you still carry those traits.”
Twilight crinkled her nose. “Ummm, what does ‘reguessed’ mean?”
“My apologies. Allow me to clarify.” She sat down, holding out a hoof. “Twilight Sparkle, you have already been attacked by our enemy, Grace. The effect of which was to cause your mind to return to the time of being seven years old.”
“I’m seven and-a-half!” Twilight stomped her hoof indignantly.
“Seven and a half. But you are missing the point: you are not a child. You are an adult now. You are the Princess of Friendship and--”
“I’m not a princess!” Twilight cried, reeling back. “I mean, um, sometimes I pretend I am, but my foalsitter Cadence is a real princess! I’m just a regular unicorn!”
“Correction. You are an alicorn.”
“What?! But I don’t have any--” she turned to look at her back “--wings! Ohmygosh ohmygosh ohmygosh I have wings!”
Turing raised a hoof as Twilight began to leap and dance, flapping her wings ineffectually. “Please, Twilight Sparkle, you must keep your voice down.”
“Hey, can I fly?”
“From what I have gathered, you can, but not very skillfully.”
“Do I have my own kingdom, like Princess Celestia?”
“Please, Twilight Sparkle, I must ask you to cease your questions.” She stood up, placing her hooves on Twilight’s shoulders to prevent her from dancing around. “What you must understand is that a significant portion of your past experiences have been locked from your conscious mind. You have been made to forget much of your life. Physically, you are no longer a child.”
Twilight stopped at that, her gleeful smile fading. “You mean… I’m already a grown up?”
Turing nodded. “Yes. And you are my end user. In other words, you are my master. We may be able to restore your memory and help save your friends Rarity and Rainbow Dash as well.” She glanced over at Rarity and Rainbow Dash, still catatonic as they laid on the couch. A blanket had been found and thrown over the two of them. Twilight had even made an effort to “tuck them in.”
Twilight sank to her haunches, her lower lip quivering. “Y-you mean I grew up and don’t remember it? I’m a grown up princess and don’t live with my mommy and daddy anymore?”
Turing hesitated. Analyzing situation… attempts to ‘sugar-coat’ the situation will be counterproductive. She nodded. “Affirmative.”
At that, tears began to form in Twilight’s eyes. She began sniffling as the tears rolled down her cheek. “I… I can’t be a grown up! I’m t-t-too little to be a princess! W-what am I gonna do…” She covered her face in her hooves as she continued to cry.
Seeing her like this, Turing was uncertain what to do. She had seen Twilight become upset before, but she wasn’t sure if she had said the wrong thing or if perhaps there was any way to have avoided such a reaction.
“I… I want my big brother! Or my mommy and daddy!” Twilight sobbed.
Turing was still for a moment before resting her hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Please do not cry, Twilight Sparkle. As your friend, I will now attempt to comfort you.” She then rhythmically pat Twilight’s shoulder, her heavy foreleg jostling her as she did so. “There there. There there.”
Twilight looked up, blinking at her through her tears. She laughed slightly in spite of herself.
“Has the combination of reassurance through physical contact and the repetition of ‘there there’ adequately calmed you, Twilight Sparkle?”
“Y-you’re not very good at this,” Twilight replied. She swallowed hard. “But you’re kinda funny anyway.”
Turing cocked her head. “I elicit that reaction with some frequency.”
Twilight was still sniffling and trying to wipe her eyes, though her wet forelegs did little more than mat down the fur on her cheeks further. “Um, do you have a mommy, Miss Turing?”
“Robots do not have parents.” She tilted her head back and forth. “However, I do have friends. In particular, I have one very good friend who, like a mother, has instructed me, protected me, and has assisted me when I have experienced sadness.”
Turing stepped over to her and wrapped her forelegs around Twilight, embracing her. Twilight shivered at the sudden coldness of Turing’s metal hull, but then relaxed and rested her head on Turing’s shoulder.
“I wu-wish we had the grown-up Twilight here, Miss Turing,” Twilight whispered, shuddering as she held onto her robot friend.
“As do I, Twilight Sparkle.” She continued sitting there a moment longer before she finally said, “There… may be a way to bring her back.”
***
Bon Bon turned the corner and found herself in a much larger room. The tall, arched windows and the broad, open stage at the back, not to mention the cracked marble columns lining the room told her this must be the Ballroom. She slowed her pace as she made her way into the room, checking for an exit.
There wasn’t one. Suddenly she heard hoofsteps clattering behind her as her pursuer reached the room as well. And then a telltale blue glow radiated out, casting Bon Bon’s long shadow across the floor.
“Well… what now, Sweetie Drops?”
Bon Bon shut her eyes tightly and ran again, trying to put some distance between herself and Grace. Then her hoof caught on a crack in the ground and she stumbled forward, skinning her knees as she hit the ground.
Grace laughed behind her. That high voice echoing throughout the cavernous room, echoing off the high ceilings.
Bon Bon froze. This room is built for acoustics. The sound in here bounces all over the place!
Just the same, she raised her ears, turning them and her head as she slowly stood, listening for Grace’s hoofsteps. She heard the slightest of steps coming nearer. Behind her!
She threw another few red hots and heard a slight gasp followed by the sound of them clattering on the ground.
“You can’t sneak up on me, Grace!” Bon Bon yelled, keeping her eyes shut tight.
From the darkness, she heard Grace chuckle. “Perhaps. You have good ears, Sweetie Drops. But that won’t do you any good if I’m
here.
Or here.
Oh, or am I here?”
Bon Bon whirled about, breaking into a cold sweat as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Grace was throwing her voice, concealing its origin. With the echoes, she sounded like she was slowly circling her. With her eyes closed, she couldn’t tell where Grace was. She could be several meters behind her, prowling like a wolf. Or she could be less than a meter in front of her, lying in wait.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself. “Voice training in the Order’s choir?” Bon Bon asked of the darkness.
Grace’s chortle echoed all around her. “Oh no; I learned this old trick ages ago. By the way, I wouldn’t go that way.”
Bon Bon ignored her and broke into a gallop, only to run headfirst into a tall stone object, most likely one of the marble columns. Grace’s laughter rang out as she rubbed her throbbing head.
“I warned you, did I not?” More laughter. “But then you never were one to listen to my warnings, were you?”
Bon Bon grit her teeth. Her heart was thundering. Grace wasn’t as strong as Glory by a long shot, but a well-placed attack would take Bon Bon down nonetheless. And Bon Bon couldn’t risk opening her eyes to see where she was going or she could end up making eye contact with Grace. And if that happened… she’d end up just like Rarity and Rainbow Dash.
Keep her talking. I might be able to get a fix on her, even with that voice-throwing trick. In the meantime, I have to find an exit without using my eyes...
Bon Bon swept her hoof out methodically, feeling for obstacles and making her way forward as she tried to keep an image of the Ballroom in her mind. “It’s been a long time, Grace,” she began, “but I remember everything you told me about your past. It was over one of our chess games. Despite everything else, those were good matches.”
“Is that so? Even though I beat you every time?”
Bon Bon gulped and wiped her brow. It’s still hard to hear her. She’s moving, but still throwing her voice. Gotta stay focused! “For what it’s worth Grace, I’m sorry for what happened to you. Getting abandoned by your own mother in that orphanage…” She heard a slight misstep. “And then running away when the other foals bullied you for being a ‘crybaby.’”
Grace laughed, but Bon Bon heard the barest edge in it. “Children can be so cruel. But that’s just the natural state of what ponies are. We dress it up with society and manners and talk about harmony and other sentimental garbage, but ultimately we cannot fight our dark, sinful natures.”
Closer now. A well placed attack could… no, I have to be sure! “Look, Grace, growing up the way you did, I can understand why you feel so much hatred.”
“Hatred? At one time, that may have been true.” A sigh. “Years of manipulating adults with my sob stories or playing chess for money as a foal. And then when I got older, flirting my way into high society parties only to clean out jewelry boxes in the hostess’s bedroom. ”
Bon Bon nodded. “And then your luck ran out and some very bad, very angry ponies tried to beat you within an inch of your life.” She swallowed. Grace’s breathing was louder now. She was getting angrier, having a hard time controlling herself or her voice projection.
“Yes, that’s so. Truly, my youth was a time when I felt disgusted with the whole of the world.” A calming breath. “But then one of the Sisters found me, rescued me, and brought me to the Umbral Order. I knew peace there. I had friends there. We accepted our inner darkness and impurity, even knowing we were unworthy. And I thought you were one of us. Oh, you looked so much better in your habit, Sister Sweetie Drops.” Then her voice built into a snarl, and it was right behind her. “And then you betrayed us!”
Bon Bon whirled around, flinging a bundle of exploding candies behind her. There was dull thud and the sound of crackling further away. She’d missed.
Then she heard the rustle of fabric from Grace’s habit as she moved in from her left. Bon Bon rolled out of the way, the swipe of Grace’s hoof just grazing her ear. She threw another bundle, but heard that miss as well. Grace’s hooves clattered as she receded back into the darkness.
She tricked me! She knew I was trying to locate her and she tricked me anyway! Hot, angry tears welled up behind her closed eyelids and she shivered. More than any other time this evening, perhaps more than ever before, she was afraid. There was only the voice and the sounds in the darkness. A monster without mercy was hunting her and she was powerless to even look at her.
No! I have to get control of myself! She grit her teeth and sucked in a long breath. Just think of your friends, Bon Bon. Think of Lyra and it’ll be so much easier. She felt her heart slow, and she raised her ears again. Grace had stopped moving, but she could hear her panting: Bon Bon’s attack had come close enough to give her a scare.
Bon Bon smiled. She didn’t need to panic. She just needed to listen. Fine, Grace. Let’s bring out the big guns.
“You know, you don’t deserve your cutie mark, Grace,” she whispered. “You’re no strategist. You’re not even that great of a chess player! I nearly beat you a bunch of times and I’m no better than the average pony!”
The barest chuckle. “I think you might be overestimating your prowess, Sweetie Drops. But in any case, my cutie mark isn’t for chess or strategy. It’s for manipulation.” Another of her ladylike chortles. “You see, I got it back at the orphanage when I tricked a few of the others into fighting each other and then managed to convince the caretaker that I had nothing to do with it.”
Bon Bon swallowed. “Why would you do that?”
“Two reasons. One, because there were less ponies to share dessert with and it was Ice Cream Night. And two, they were cruel little sinners, brutes who showed me no kindness whatsoever and I enjoyed seeing them dance.” A clacking sound. Teeth? She was grinning at that thought. “But only once I received my gift did I truly understand my full destiny: I, the Queen, wield the power; but I am protected by Glory, my Knight; and all the others are mere Pawns, not unlike dear Rarity. And your little friend Lyra.”
Bon Bon tensed up.
“Oh, yes, I can tell how important she is to you. If you give up now, Sweetie Drops, then you’ll be spared the agony of seeing what I’ll do to her.”
She yelled reached into her suit and began throwing more of her weapons blindly. The pop rocks, the red hots, anything else she had up her sleeves. They all clattered around, accompanied by Grace’s high-pitched, cackling laughter.
“Poor little agent. You really thought you could oppose the will of the umbrum? The wages of sin is death; Sombra opposes the proud but gives Grace to the humble. Open your eyes and let me cleanse your sinful mind.”
Bon Bon let out a long sigh. “You keep talking about the Order, Grace, and pretend that you’re still a member of the Sisterhood, but it’s gone.” She sniffed, rolling her eyes behind her eyelids. “And you’re right back to where you started. It must tear you up inside.”
Grace was quiet. Bon Bon strained, but she heard nothing. I think I struck a nerve that time. I better keep poking at that...
“Here you are,” she continued, “stealing again like some common thief. Sure, now you’re stealing a robot for some unknown industrialist, but it’s just the same thing.” She gave a dry laugh, shaking her head. “You and Glory are just using your new abilities as hired muscle. You’re no nun; you’re just a thug.”
Silence. But then: “The money we make will revitalize the Order.” Grace’s voice was quiet, but there was a ragged, angry edge to it. “How dare you accuse--”
“If King Sombra was so tough, then he wouldn’t need you or the Order’s help to come back! Why don’t you just admit that all that pageantry, that holier-than-thou attitude, and all that garbage about ‘tithes’ and ‘revitalizing’ is just an excuse to feel useful when the reality is that even you don’t have faith in what you claim you believe!”
A staggered breath, an oncoming growl, and then a hoofstep toward her. And then a crunch as Grace, unfocused and seething with anger, accidentally stepped on a small piece of candy, one of the many Bon Bon had used to cover the ground. And Bon Bon heard that sound and knew right where Grace was.
She flung another packet of exploding candy at the sound and heard a shriek of fear and rage followed by the loud crackling of the candies detonating. Bon Bon turned her head away from it and opened her eyes. She was only a few meters from the stage. She leaped up, scrambling onto it, but then heard the sound of running and felt hooves latch onto her tail. A blue light shined right behind her, casting a towering silhouette onto the back of the stage.
“Look at me! Look at me!!”
Bon Bon’s heart lurched into her throat as Grace began to pull her backwards. She kicked back blindly and felt her hoof strike something. There was a surprised grunt and the pull on her tail was gone. She bolted backstage and found a stairwell. She made a break for it.
Back by the stage, Grace rubbed her sore jaw, but shook off the pain as she pulled herself onto the stage and ran after Bon Bon. But when she got to the stairwell, she saw that the pathway was blocked. Long, thick strands of taffy and caramel were strung along the way, webbing across it and threatening to ensnare anypony who tried to descend.
“Say goodnight, Gracie!” Bon Bon’s voice echoed up the stairwell, followed by her mocking laughter.
Grace was shaking. She ground her teeth together and her breath came in short, intense bursts. She was ready to scream, to stomp and buck and smash everything in sight, but some small bit of her sanity told her that this would only make Sweetie Drops feel even more proud of herself. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to calm down as she gingerly rubbed the small wounds she’d received from Bon Bon’s little toys.
No matter, she told herself. She’s just delayed things. She turned around, intending to backtrack across the stage when she spotted something through one of the cracked ballroom windows. It was Lyra, making her way across an outdoor walkway from one area of the castle to another. She had her head lowered and was glancing around her and over her shoulder as she bit her lip.
Grace’s frown dissipated, forming back into a toothy smile that would have looked right at home on a shark. “Well… someone should really tend to that lost lamb…”
***
The bookcase opened out into the library and Turing looked around, ears squeaking on their hinges.
“Scans show no intruders in proximity.” She turned to look back at Twilight. The grown mare was pawing at the ground and jutting her lip out in a childish pout. “Are you certain you will not give your consent to my request?”
Twilight shook her head vigorously.
“Understood. Then I must go and assist Bon Bon to find the others. Please remain here until I return and do not reveal your location.”
“Okay, Miss Turing. I will.” Twilight looked up at her as she hugged herself. “You won’t take too long, will you?”
“I am unable to give an estimate, but I will make haste.”
With that, Turing left and Twilight pulled the lever to shut the hidden door. She settled into the room, shivering out of cold and fear, when she heard the sound of galloping followed by a voice.
Somepony was calling for help, and they were getting closer.
Twilight glanced back at the lever as the cries became louder and more piteous. If somepony needed her help, then…
She reached for the lever and pulled it down.
***
Pinkie Pie ran outside to the ruins of the castle garden. It was walled in and the long rows of what had once held beautiful flowers now held nothing but barren dirt or masses of tangled vines. Ivy and moss crawled up the walls and tall stone columns and over the many statues, some of which had toppled to the ground and crumbled. She looked around, trying to find an escape route, but there was none. She was surrounded by high, stone walls.
She heard hooves hitting the ground behind her and turned to face her pursuer.
Glory stood there. He’d caught sight of her wandering the castle and given chase. He was smiling, and he didn’t even look winded after chasing her through the many hallways. “I finally caught up with you,” he said. “You gave me a run for my money, but the game’s over now.”
Pinkie tried to smile back. “Does that mean it’s my turn to chase you? I’ll give you a head start!”
He raised an eyebrow, but actually let out a small chuckle. “I’m afraid not.”
She gulped, eyes darting around. “Um. H-hey, what happened to your girlfriend?”
“She’s not my-- we separated.” He rolled his eyes.
“Oh, um… well, I guess you’re free to see other ponies, then!” She flashed a grin, eyes darting side to side. “Mmmaybe someone less crazy and less brain-damagey?”
“See other ponies?” He stroked his chin deliberately. “Well, you’re another pony. And I’m seeing you.”
“I’m… spoken for? I’m already in a long term distance relationship with a statue!” She chuckled, which got Glory chuckling too.
“Oh, and who is this mysterious statue?” He looked at one of the nearby statues atop a pedestal. “Is it this guy?” He suddenly struck at it with one hoof. The statue shattered into tiny chunks with a single blow, causing Pinkie to gasp and stagger back, falling on her rump. In no time, she was against the back wall of the gardens. “I guess you’re back on the market. But I don’t think I’m your type.”
Pinkie’s lower lip quivered. “Why are you doing this to my friends and me? Why’d you hurt Dashie?!”
His expression turned serious. “Grace and I have no need to explain ourselves.” He reached forward, smashing his hooves into the wall on both sides of Pinkie, cutting off her escape route. “Come with me willingly and be a good little hostage or I’ll break your legs and drag you back. What will it be?”
Pinkie trembled as he leaned down at her. “Ah ah ah--”
“Well?!” he roared.
“Ahhhchoo!” And then she sneezed confetti all over his face. The two just stared at each other. “Um… oops?”
He blinked. “Sombra help me, this is the worst assignment of my life.” He sighed, shaking the confetti off. “Fine. Hard way it is!” He reared up, preparing to bring them down on Pinkie when a metallic blur rushed by, sweeping Pinkie off her hooves before he could strike.
Glory whirled around and saw Turing Test carrying Pinkie, running for the exit to the gardens.
“Bye bye and don’t forget to write!” Pinkie called as she sat on Turing’s back, waving a handkerchief at him. “Good luck with your evil plan! But not really!”
Glory was about to give chase, but he realized that even with his speed, he would never catch up to the robot. However, he had another idea.
“Hey, Machine!” he yelled, getting Turing’s attention. “You might want to look at this!” He turned to a nearby column and kicked it, breaking it at its base. It began to collapse, slowly toppling over like a felled tree. And Glory stood directly in its path, his head raised and his feet planted.
Turing skidded to a halt, casually letting Pinkie slide off her back.
“R-Rinny?” Pinkie asked.
Turing didn’t respond. Instead, she ran toward Glory and leaped at the column, throwing herself at it and shoving it out of the way with all her might before it could land on him. This gave Glory the chance to rush forward at Pinkie Pie and pin her to the ground, one heavy hoof pressing down on her chest.
“Ha! I knew you wouldn’t let me get hurt, even if I tried to harm myself!” Glory threw his head back as he laughed, but he kept one eye on Turing as she got back to her hooves after deflecting the falling column. “You poor, simple wind-up toy. I can’t believe anypony would pay good bits for you! But since they will… has Twilight Sparkle rescinded her order?”
Pinkie squirmed under Glory’s hoof. “What? Rinny, what’s he talking--ow!”
“Quiet!” Glory snarled, pressing his weight down on her. “Well, has she?!”
Turing’s ears lowered. “She has not. I cannot surrender to you.”
“Well then…” Glory scooped up Pinkie and held her tightly in one foreleg. “You better tell her that now we’ve got ourselves a hostage again. And if she doesn’t order you to surrender, then we will--”
“Sta...tue…” Pinkie gasped, struggling to breathe.
Glory rolled his eyes. “Are you still on about that? Look, I just smashed that…” He trailed off when he looked at the pedestal where the statue he’d smashed minutes ago had once been. Or he thought it had been. Only now there was another statue perched atop it. A pegasus statue wearing a dress, weeping into its hooves. He peered closely at it. “What in the world is--”
“BOOGABOOGA!”
The “statue” suddenly leaped at him, removing its hooves from its face as the revealed monster shrieked at him with a fearful, wall-eyed gaze.
“Waugh!” Glory reeled back, his grip loosening as he did so, allowing Pinkie to squirm free. As she got free, the statue monster reached into her dress and pulled out a small disc with an hourglass symbol on it and applied it to Glory’s forehead.
“Now, Doc!” Derpy exclaimed, flying back out of Glory’s reach.
The Doctor stepped out from behind a mass of vines and held up a large button in one hoof, pressing it with the other. There was an explosion and suddenly the space around Glory seemed to form a kind of sepia-toned bubble, freezing him in his tracks.
“Wow, you froze him!” Pinkie exclaimed.
“No, no, just temporarily slowed the passage of time in a localized area,” the Doctor said, rushing over to help her up.
They all noticed that Glory was still moving, albeit very slowly. And his startled expression was gradually shifting into one of pure rage.
“Ooh, not good! Come on, Rinny, let’s go!”
“Acknowledged.”
The group of them ran back into the castle, up a staircase and leaving Glory far behind. As they dashed down a hallway, Turing took the lead. Soon they had made their way to a hallway filled with suits of armor and came to a stop to catch their breath.
“Scans indicate that this area is clear. Pinkie Pie, though I am glad you are unharmed, I wish to know who your companions are.”
“Oh!” Pinkie Pie smiled as she swept a hoof at Derpy and the Doctor. “Well, she’s Muffins and he’s Time Turner!”
Derpy and the Doctor raised their heads and stared at each other.
“Derpy, your real name is Muffins?!” the Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Doctor, your real name is Time Turner?!” she shot back.
The two began to squabble until Turing interjected herself between the pair. “My apologies. Am I to understand that you are both friends of Bon Bon, who is also known as Sweetie Drops?”
The two exchanged glances and then nodded to Turing.
“Understood. I am Turing Test. Though, to avoid future feelings of resentment similar to what you both experienced, I am also known as Unit 003M.”
“Aww!” Pinkie Pie moaned, poking at the ground with her hoof. “I wish I had two names too! Maybe I could come up with one! Like ummm… ‘Surprise!’”
Derpy cocked her head to the side. “Isn’t your real name Pinkamena?”
Pinkie blinked but then her eyes lit up and she jumped forward, hugging Derpy tightly. “It is! Yay, I’m in the Two Names Club! Everypony, the meeting is on Tuesday and membership dues are due by the end of the month.” She reached into her mane and pulled out several small pieces of paper. “Here are your membership cards.”
They all exchanged glances before turning back to Pinkie.
The Doctor cleared his throat. “Yes, well, thank you very much, Miss Pie. However, on to more pressing matters…” he turned his gaze to Turing, his eyes wide and his smile beaming. “Are you some sort of mechanical pony?!”
“That is correct. I am a robot.”
“Ha! Oh this is just brilliant! Derpy, come look at this! The shape, the form!” He lifted one of Turing’s legs, examining it carefully. “I daresay, whoever built you, my friend,” he said, elbowing her in the chest, “they did an absolutely marvelous job!”
Derpy rolled her eye, placing her forelegs on her hips as she hovered. “Doc, stop marehandling her.”
“Hm?” He looked down at Turing’s leg, still in his hooves. “Ah! Yes, well…” He put her leg down, chuckling nervously. “No harm done. I take it you’re a friend of Pinkie Pie and the others, then?”
“Affirmative.”
“Af… ‘affirmative?!’ Hahahaha!” He threw back his head as he laughed, causing Turing to glance inquisitively at the others. “Ha! ‘Affirmative,’ she says! You know, this might sound strange, but you remind me of a dog I had when I was four.”
“My apologies, but perhaps we should…” She stopped in mid-sentence, her ears twitching. “I have detected the sound of hoofsteps. Analyzing…”
They all froze as the sound of galloping came ever nearer.
“I-is it the bad guys, Rinny?” Pinkie asked, hiding behind her robotic friend.
Turing didn’t respond at first, but placed herself ahead of the group, her knees bent and ready to spring into action. Then she slowly relaxed. “No. It is another friend of ours.”
Bon Bon galloped into view, her hair mussed and her knees scraped, but otherwise unharmed. “Turing Test? What are you doing out here? And… Doctor?! Derpy?!”
The pair stepped out, waving to her sheepishly.
“What in the world are you two doing here?!” Bon Bon shouted, stomping her hoof. “Don’t you know how dangerous this is?!”
“Well of course we do!” the Doctor replied, playfully punching her in the shoulder. “That’s why we came after you.”
Bon Bon gawked at him, working her mouth as she tried to form words. “But you didn’t want to have anything to do with this! You said you were done with the RMCA!”
“Ah. Well, yes, the thing is…”
“What he means,” Derpy said, fluttering over to her, putting her hoof on Bon Bon’s shoulder, “is that we were worried about you, so we stopped passing out candy and tracked you out here once you started following Lyra and the others!”
“I had to explain the situation to Miss ‘Muffins’ here,” the Doctor said, causing Derpy to blow him a raspberry, “but we found the bridge destroyed so she gave me a bit of an airlift over the chasm. We snuck in and nearly found Pinkie Pie in the Hall of Hooves, but she ran off when she heard us, mistaking us for Grace and Glory, I’d wager…”
Pinkie rubbed the back of her neck with her hoof, lips sealed tight as she looked away.
“...so I brought some of my other gadgets to help. Unfortunately, we had to use my one and only ‘Time Bomb’ to save Pinkie from Glory’s clutches. That’s when we ran into Turing Test and now you!”
Bon Bon shook her head. “Okay, first of all you shouldn’t have come here. But second of all,” she said, taking a deep breath, drawing herself up, “have any of you seen Lyra?”
They all shook their heads.
“Oh. W-well, that doesn’t mean anything.” She sighed. “Anyway, let’s get back to the library. Except you, Derpy.”
Derpy looked around before pointing a hoof at herself. “Me?”
“Yes. I need you to fly back to Ponyville and… and tell Spike to send a letter to Princess Celestia.” She swallowed. “I didn’t want anypony else to get hurt, but this situation is out of hoof and you’re the only one who can get out of this castle and back to Ponyville fast enough. Just make sure Celestia tells the guards not to rush in blind or else they’ll just become more victims for Grace.”
Derpy smiled and gave her a short, determined nod.
They ran down the hall, stopping at a window to go over the directions one last time with Derpy.
Bon Bon turned to Turing as they watched Derpy fly off into the night sky. “Turing, did you get Twilight up to speed?”
Turing lowered her head. “Affirmative. However, she has forbidden me to surrender.”
Bon Bon sighed. “So… guess that’s it. She ordered you to fight instead?”
Turing hesitated. “I informed her that it was against the First Law for me to fight.”
Bon Bon blinked. “Wait. Did you tell her she could order you to ignore that Law?”
Turing remained perfectly still. After a momentary pause, she said, “I did not provide that information. She did not ask.”
The Doctor and Pinkie exchanged glances as Bon Bon let out a long breath.
“Well then… so much for telling her the truth so she could make ‘an informed decision.’” She leaned in, narrowing her eyes. “I guess I’ll do the job, since you wouldn’t.”
Bon Bon walked ahead of the group. Turing plodded behind, causing Pinkie to look over to her.
“Rinny? What’s going on? Did... something happen to Twilight?”
Turing Test glanced over to her. “I will explain…”
***
Bon Bon wearily trudged into the library. She turned to move down the aisle when she heard hoofsteps shuffling. She tensed up and gingerly made her way forward. Her companions were right behind her but she raised a hoof to her lips as she turned around and they froze. Bon Bon pointed at Turing and motioned for her to come closer.
“Do you detect anything?” she whispered.
“Auditory scans indicate one pony… pattern is erratic. Unable to determine.”
But then they saw a shadow on the floor, right by the table in front of the secret room. The figure stepped out into full view from behind one of the towering bookshelves.
“Lyra!” Bon Bon cried, dashing forward. Laughing and shedding happy tears, she ran over to Lyra and threw her forelegs around her neck. “Oh my gosh, Lyra, I’m so glad you’re all right!”
She waited and noticed that Lyra was not hugging her back. Instead, she was sniffing her neck. “Whoa, hey Lyra, heh heh, that’s… that can wait ‘til later.” She blushed and pushed Lyra back. “Listen how did you…” Bon Bon froze when she saw Lyra’s face.
Her eyes were big, dilated, and they wandered around. Her nostrils flared and she jerked her head around, examining Bon Bon from one angle, then the next. She sniffed the air and pawed at the ground, then lowered her head to sniff a nearby open book.
“Ly...ra…?”
Lyra raised her head, twitching her ears, then reared up on her hind legs and let out a loud whinny before trotting off without a word.
Bon Bon shuddered and slumped to the floor as the others came up behind her. “Lyra…” Her voice caught in her throat. “She’s… she’s become…”
The false bookcase suddenly clicked and pulled back, revealing the secret room. And standing behind it were Grace and Glory.
Grace stepped out. She had her eyes closed as she smiled gently. “I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘feral.’” She chuckled. “Reduced to no more than primitive, base pony instincts. A mere animal.”
Bon Bon rose to her hooves, teeth grit and legs shaking as hot tears spilled down her face. “You… you…”
Grace and Glory faced each other. Glory sniffed derisively, his lip curving into a cruel sneer. “What do you think she'll call us this time, Grace? ‘Monsters?’”
“Oh, or perhaps ‘psychopaths!’” Grace said, clapping her hooves together. “I always enjoy that one!”
Bon Bon said neither of those things as she leaped over the table, lunging at Grace’s throat. Before she made it, Glory snatched her out of the air, holding her up by the head between both hooves. A chorus of protests and cries of fear went up from the onlookers, causing Lyra to spook and break into a gallop, knocking over several stacks of books as she did so.
“Go ahead!” Bon Bon screamed. “Come on, whatever you’re going to do, just do it!” She snarled and reached for the both of them, even as Glory held her at bay.
“You know, Sweetie Drops, I thought it would be pleasurable to break your mind,” Grace said, holding her face just outside of Bon Bon’s reach. “But rather than reduce your brain to mush, I’ve finally given you a proper penance for your sins. Your friends, including your very best friend, are all lost to you, their minds twisted under my gaze. And despite your efforts, your slander, and your silly little trinkets, you were powerless to stop it.”
Bon Bon stopped struggling. Her screams ceased and gave way to piteous, loud sobbing. Grace gave a nod and Glory roughly threw her to the floor. She lay there, her face buried in her hooves, sobbing uncontrollably as the two stared down at her.
Grace leaned down, her smile beatific as ever, and she whispered to Bon Bon, “Now you live with it.”
She slowly walked away, revealing Twilight huddling in the room, her head covered as she shivered in terror, but she otherwise appeared to be fine, as were Rarity and Rainbow Dash.
Glory cleared his throat. “Your other companions are unharmed,” he said, keeping his eyes on them. The Doctor glared at him, his eyes narrow and hard. Pinkie was covering her head and rocking back and forth, crying quietly to herself. And Turing, as ever, was just staring at him with unblinking violet eyes. “Your little friend who was dressed up like the statue isn’t here. Let me guess, she went for help?”
The others exchanged glances.
“That seems to be a ‘yes,’ Glory,” Grace said. She sighed. “Let’s end this cat and mouse game now that we’re all here. You have two friends who are catatonic, one who is age regressed, one who has the mind of a beast, and now a special agent with a broken spirit. The authorities will still take time to get here and so we’ll make our ultimatum: Glory and I will be in the former sanctuary of the Elements of Harmony; one floor up and keep going to your right; send the machine alone and have her surrender to us.” She turned to face Turing Test. “Fifteen minutes. We’ll be waiting.”
Grace trotted off, Glory looking over his shoulder at them. “Like she said, you get fifteen minutes. Give us the machine and you’ll never see us again. If you don’t, then we’ll make our exit, but some terrible night when you think we’re just a fading memory, we’ll come for you.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’ll never have a night when you won’t look out your window and into the darkness with dread. I can promise that.”
Glory followed Grace, leaving the party behind.
“Miss Turing!” Twilight wailed, running to her. “I was s-so suh-scared! The b-bad lady saw me when I came out to help Lyra! She said if I didn’t be quiet the big bad guy was gonna hurt me, or he was gonna hurt the other ladies! S-so I didn’t say anything when you all came--”
“Why didn’t you tell her?”
They turned as Bon Bon slowly rose to her hooves, still shaking, her face still drenched with tears. She looked at Turing with bloodshot eyes. “Well, Turing?” she asked. “Why didn’t you tell Twilight about the First Law?”
Turing glanced to Twilight, then back to Bon Bon.
“Answer me you cold, heartless machine!” Bon Bon shouted as she stomped over to Turing. She got right into her face and yelled “Why didn’t you get Twilight to give you that order?!”
Twilight gingerly stepped toward Bon Bon and laid a hoof on her shoulder. Bon Bon looked to her, still seething with rage, her teeth grit and her breath ragged and her voice strained and choked. But then she softened her gaze when she saw Twilight could barely look her in the eye.
“Umm… Miss Turing told me that I could order her to surrender,” Twilight said quietly. “But, well, then I asked her what would happen. She said the bad guys would probably take her apart.” Twilight sniffled. “B-but Miss Turing’s really nice. I didn’t want them to hurt her, so I s-said no.” She swallowed. “I’m sorry.”
Bon Bon let out a long, shaky sigh. “I can understand that.” She swallowed, looking at Turing. “But did Turing tell you she could fight them instead?”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Wellllll she said something about the First Law. That she couldn’t hurt ponies and she had to protect them from getting hurt.”
Pinkie gasped. “So that’s why you put me down to protect Glory when he knocked down that pillar!”
Bon Bon stomped her hoof. “You risked Pinkie Pie’s life out of some stupid myopic programming?!”
“Though he has shown resilience, I could not take the chance that he would be harmed--”
“But you could gamble with your friends lives?! What is wrong with you, Turing Test? It wouldn’t have been a problem if you had told Twilight that she could order you to break that Law!”
Twilight raised her head. “What?! Miss Turing, you didn’t say I could make you do that!”
“Well you can, Twilight,” Bon Bon said, taking Twilight by the shoulders. “In fact, that’s pretty much the only choice. If Turing Test doesn’t surrender, then she’s the only one now who can stop Grace and Glory. She strong, fast, and immune to Grace’s psychic attack. At this point, the only way we’ll ever save our friends is if we force Grace to heal them. So order Turing Test to fight and she’ll listen to you!”
“No.”
Twilight looked to Turing. “What? But, Miss Turing--”
“Just ignore her, Twilight,” Bon Bon said, forcing Twilight to look at her. “You’re her master and can make her do whatever you say! If you won’t make her surrender, then make her fight!”
“Twilight Sparkle, do not give me that order.”
Bon Bon whirled on Turing. “You keep quiet!” She turned to Twilight again. “Twilight, please, it may be the only way to save everypony!”
“But--”
“Do it!”
“Twilight Sparkle please do not make me do that!” Turing shouted.
The others all gawked at her; it was the first time any of them had heard her raise her voice.
Bon Bon sighed. “Why? Why don’t you want Twilight to order you to fight?”
Turing lowered her head and sat down heavily on the stone floor. “I am a robot. I have made attempts to become more than a mere automaton. But others fear me. Thus, I dressed in that silly costume tonight to help others fear me less. I wanted them to know that I only wish to make friends. Whatever hostile purpose I may have been created for originally, I have left it behind.”
She raised her head. “There is more. I have realized that there are no other machines like me, but there may be more one day. I am the first of my kind, and so my actions will reflect on all others to come after me.” Turing Test stood up and walked right up to Bon Bon. “What sort of future will that be if my actions establish the precedent that violence is acceptable? That would prove that those who fear me and my kind are correct to do so.” She turned away, her voice softening. “It is my directive to make friends. What sort of friend harms others?”
Twilight went over to her, placing her hoof on Turing’s shoulder. Turing looked back at her.
“Please, Twilight Sparkle. I beg you: do not order me to become a monster.”
Twilight’s lip quivered as she looked back and forth between Turing and Bon Bon.
Bon Bon licked her lips and nodded her head. “I get it. I see.” She lowered herself until she was flat on the ground. “Those are good reasons, Turing. I have to admit, I admire how pure your heart really is - violence is awful and there’s nothing good about hurting other ponies. And I should know.” She swallowed. “But just the same, you’re putting your own wants and even the needs of some future robots who don’t even exist yet over the well-being of your friends. And your friends are living now, Turing. They need you.” She pointed at Twilight. “She needs you.”
Twilight began to cry. “B-but Miss Bon Bon… I don’t want to order Miss Turing to die! And I don’t want her to hurt ponies if she doesn’t want to either! Th-that’s not fair! It’s not fair to make her!”
“Correct, Twilight Sparkle.” Turing raised a hoof, silencing Bon Bon’s protests. “However, Bon Bon is also correct.” She stood and bowed her head to her. “My apologies. Harming others is terrible, but I am not being a good friend by failing to defend you and the others. Nor is it fair to burden you with the responsibility for my actions, Twilight Sparkle. Therefore, I have a request for you: order me to make my own decision in this matter.”
Twilight nodded. “Okay, Miss Turing. You can do what you think is the best thing to do now. Um, I order you.”
Turing bowed her head. “Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.” She began to walk away, prompting Bon Bon to start after her.
“Wait, Turing… what are you going to do now?”
Turing paused for a moment. Then she replied, “I will do what I can.”
***
The former sanctuary of the Elements of Harmony was a long room, cavernous and empty, and the former mechanism which held the Elements was standing motionless, the platforms flat and vacant.
Turing Test entered the room, the servos and gears in her body whirring and echoing throughout the area. Grace was at the far end, lounging on the floor, singing a high and lilting melody. Glory stood between Turing and Grace, his brown eyes watching Turing as she approached. He smiled calmly, taking a few steps to meet her.
“She really has a lovely voice, doesn’t she?” He took a deep breath. “Well, Machine, what’s your answer?”
“I have a proposal,” Turing said. “If you restore my friends and leave us all in peace, we will not pursue you and we will be able to resume our lives. Nopony will be harmed and all of us, yourselves included, will leave this place in the same condition as we entered it.”
Glory glanced back at Grace.
“I don’t think so, Machine,” Grace said, ending her song and rising to a sitting position. “We came all the way here for you. And we will not leave empty-hooved.”
Turing tapped her chin. “Very well. If you will first restore my friends, then I will surrender myself to you and you may do with me as you wish.” She held out her hooves. “I will become your possession. All you need do is restore my friends. Is that acceptable?”
Glory nodded. “Now that’s more--”
“No.”
Glory jerked his head around and saw that Grace was smiling.
“Uh, Grace, isn’t that what we wanted?”
Grace let out a long sigh. “The acquisition of the automaton is one of our goals. But we did not issue penance to the Children of Harmony merely to pull it back again! No, Machine, your friends’ minds are gone. Forever.” Grace placed a hoof over her heart. “They have long since been judged guilty by the umbrum. We are merely the instruments of their will.
“Now, the only guarantee I will offer is that we won’t hunt down your remaining companions. If you accept that mercy, then shut down so we may gather you up. Otherwise, we shall take our leave now and one day return for the others when they are most vulnerable. Take that offer or leave it. Just know that if you leave it, then their blood will be on your hooves.”
Glory turned back to face Turing. “Well, you heard her.” He shrugged. “I guess you have your answer.”
Turing was silent, but her eyes shrank momentarily. “That is not acceptable.” She spread her legs and lowered her head. “If you will not restore my friends willingly, then I will compel you to do so by means of physical force.”
Glory threw his head back, his loud laughter filling the hall. “Don’t make me laugh!”
“It seems I already have.”
He rolled his eyes. “I guess Twilight Sparkle ordered you to fight us instead of surrendering. Not a good idea.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re pretty strong, Machine, but I’m practically invincible and trained in combat.” He spread his own legs, pawing at the ground as he glared at her. “Do you really think you can defeat the strongest pony in Equestria?”
“Do you? Cancelling First Law.” Turing’s ears lowered back. “Engaging E-Mode.” The sound of the pistons in Turing’s legs was enough to startle Glory momentarily, but not as much as the sight of Turing suddenly below him. She’d crossed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
“What--”
A brass hoof rocketed up into his jaw as Turing uppercut him. The force carried him upward and he hit the ceiling, smashing into it and causing the ancient stone to crumble. Turing dashed back as he fell to the ground. The crumbling ceiling came down on him, burying him under the rubble.
Grace stood agape at the end of the room, her hooves flying to her mouth after witnessing this single attack.
The rubble shifted and Glory burst from it, shaking the gravel and dust from his mane.
“It will take more than that, you filthy Junk Heap!” Glory roared.
“Thank you for your feedback, you above average-sized Meatbag.” She sprinted directly at him, but then dodged him as he struck at her with his foreleg, moving to his right and then backhanding him across the face. The sound of metal hitting bone rang out and he staggered to the side. Before he had a chance to recover, Turing pursued him to his side, whirling 180 degrees around and aiming her back legs at his barrel. She bucked with all her might and sent him flying through the wall, blasting a massive hole through it. He fell amid the rubble, landing in the empty courtyard at the center of the castle.
She peered down at him through the hole. Though he was stunned and groaning, he was gritting his teeth and struggling to get up.
“Please remain still,” she called down to him. “I will now render you unconscious. Switching to P-Mode.” Her wings shot out from her sides, the pistons in her legs disengaging. A moment later, the roar of her jets echoed over the castle and she took to the air, shooting straight upward, high over the castle and out of sight.
Grace had likewise rushed over to the hole in the wall and looked down at Glory in the courtyard. “Glory! Are you all right?”
Glory coughed and shuddered as he tried to get to his hooves. “I’m… I think so, but…” He paused, his ears twitching. There was a high-pitched whistling sound and it seemed to be getting louder. He looked up and directly overhead saw a metallic glint in the moonlight. It was coming right at him. It was Turing Test, rocketing at him at full speed.
His eyes went wide and he scrambled to move, but his legs buckled as the roar of Turing’s jets became deafening.
Turing came down from the sky, cutting through the air like a meteor. She slammed into Glory’s back with all the force of a freight train, smashing him into the ground. There was a thunderous sound as the stone floor of the courtyard shattered into large chunks from the sheer force of the impact. A cloud of debris billowed out with the shockwave and Grace staggered back from her vantage point. When she looked again, she saw that Turing was standing over Glory.
Glory was on his side, eyes closed, mouth open, his armor crumpled and his body covered with a thin layer of dust. Turing shook the dust from her own hull and touched her hoof to his neck.
“Vital signs positive. Target is alive, but subdued.” She raised her head and peered up at Grace, who slowly backed away from the hole. Turing re-engaged her jets and gently flew back up to the sanctuary as Grace continued to back away from her. “Resuming neutral mode.”
Her wings folded back up and she began to approach Grace.
“G-Glory…” Grace whispered. “How… how dare you?!”
“It was not my preference to harm him. I still would prefer not to harm you.” She stepped closer. “Restore my friends’ minds and I will not be forced to do so.”
Grace seethed, her back arched as she breathed in and out. “You hideous, soulless automaton!” She spat at the ground. “You think I would ever help you? Go ahead, use whatever force you wish, I will never submit to you!”
“Perhaps, after your apprehension by the authorities, you will reconsider.”
“That will never happen.” Grace opened her eyes, causing the deep blue light to shine over Turing.
“I have analyzed the psychoactive energy you produce,” she said, continuing to approach her. “It is far too weak to affect my systems.”
Grace let out a gibbering laugh, her pitch shifting wildly. “Is that so? Well then…” She took a deep breath and clenched her teeth. Veins in her forehead bulged and the light from her eyes grew brighter and brighter until it was as blinding as the sun.
Turing’s legs suddenly locked up and she froze. Warning: extreme levels of psychoactive radiation detected. Analysis: effect is similar to high electromagnetic interference. System compromised. Locomotion inhibited.
Grace’s laughter intensified. “Oh ho! Not so mighty after all, are you, Machine? It seems with enough power, even your mind is vulnerable.”
Turing continued to receive warning messages from her systems. Attempting shutdown of visual sensors… error. Shutdown has failed. Central processes compromised. Multiple errors detected in memory. Grace’s ability was having an unexpected effect on her, she realized. Rather than simply wiping her mind, it was interfering with her systems and causing several small errors. Alone, they would be easy to fix. But too many of them would cause her cognitive systems to fail. And they were multiplying rapidly. Her mind would be destroyed.
Total system failure will occur in: 45 seconds.
“I want you to know that after I’ve eradicated you, I’m going to go back to that library and turn your friends’ brains into soup!” Grace shrieked. “And then anyone else who gets in my way! I will leave a trail of broken minds stretching hundreds of kilometers across this nation, and I want you to know that every single one of them will be your fault, Machine! Every last one!”
“I… cannot… allow…”
Warning: system failure in 25 seconds. System analysis indicates that Mode Switch is still active. P-Mode offline. U-Mode online. Processing data… solution detected.
Turing began to twitch and shudder as she tried to break free. “Stop… please…”
“Begging, Machine? Trying to save your life?” Grace laughed, holding Turing’s face in her hooves as her blinding gaze bore into her.
“Not… mine…” Suddenly, Turing’s horn slid into place. Spell analyzed. Extrapolating data and emulating.
Turing’s horn fired two beams into her own eyes and they began to glow.
They were deep blue.
The light from Grace’s eyes dimmed as her pupils constricted. She gazed into that perfect light, that same mind-bending light she’d always cast onto others, only now it was stabbing back into her mind. It grew, it reached in, and it consumed absolutely everything. She felt the world drop away and she began to fall into a vast empty expanse of blue. And as she faded away, her last thought was: So deep… there is no bottom…!
A piercing scream ripped through the hall as Grace’s mind imploded, and a blue wave of energy radiated out from the two of them and over the whole of the castle.
***
Down in the library, that shockwave washed over them all. Bon Bon, the Doctor, and Pinkie all held their ears as Twilight, Lyra, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash suddenly shouted in pain and collapsed where they stood.
Pinkie Pie went to Twilight’s side and Bon Bon went to Lyra’s. Both of them groaned and slowly got to their hooves.
“Twilight?” Pinkie Pie asked, helping her up. She frowned, holding her chin up. “Are you… okay?”
“Hm?” Twilight rubbed her forehead, wincing in pain. “Oh wow… Pinkie, I have the worst headache.”
They all froze.
“T-Twilight?” Pinkie Pie’s eyes lit up and happy tears formed in her eyes. “You know me?” She held her breath, awaiting her answer.
“Um, yeah, of course I do, Pinkie.” She raised an eyebrow. “Why wouldn’t I?” Then she blinked as the events came back to her. “Wait. Turing and I were in the dungeon. Where--gah!” She didn’t get to finish that sentence as Pinkie swept her up in a tight hug. But she dropped her once she saw Rarity and Rainbow Dash stir and sit up from the couch.
“Ugh, my mouth is all dry,” Rainbow Dash said, smacking her lips. “What the hay happened?”
Rarity gasped. “The others! They were…” Then she looked around and it hit her. “We’re all together. And Rainbow Dash, you’re fine!”
Pinkie Pie swept them both up, holding them tight. “When I get back, I’m throwing you all the biggest Happy Un-Brainwashing Party ever!”
Rainbow Dash gasped for breath. “First of all, do they even have those? And also what?!”
Bon Bon was outside helping Lyra up. “L-Lyra?” she asked carefully.
Lyra rubbed her eyes. “Oh jeez, I feel like I woke up after a night of too many ciders.” She looked up and saw Bon Bon standing over her. She was crying, and doing a very bad job of holding back sobs. “Bon Bon? What’s wrong? Are you all right?”
Bon Bon didn’t respond, but instead threw her hooves around Lyra’s neck, clutching her tightly, crying into the back of her mane.
“Um… not sure what just happened,” she said, smiling and returning the hug, “but I’m happy to see you too.” She waited a moment, then cleared her throat. “Bon Bon, you’re getting my mane all wet. Could you let me go?”
Bon Bon shuddered and shook her head, holding her even tighter.
Twilight smiled at the pair of them, but raised her head as the Doctor cleared his throat.
“It seems you’re unaware of what happened since you were attacked, Princess Twilight, but it appears that Turing Test was successful in defeating Grace.”
Twilight’s eyes widened. “Turing! Oh my gosh, where is she?”
***
Twilight appeared in the sanctuary in a flash of light. She glanced around to get her bearings after teleporting and spotted Turing. She was sitting on the ground, her head lowered. As Twilight approached, she saw a heap of something on the floor and gasped when she saw what it was.
It was Grace. She was flat on her back, limbs splayed at odd angles, the subtle rising of her chest was the only movement she made. Her blue eyes were open, but dim and milky. Her mouth was open slightly and Twilight saw a thin streak of drool trailing from it.
Twilight then looked to Turing, whose eyes were blinking on and off intermittently. Going to her, Twilight heard her muttering something. They were disjointed half sentences and fragments of words, mostly, but she realized that she was also hearing voices. Familiar ones.
“What do you say, robot? Are you ready to get this show on the road?...”
Twilight blinked. That was Rainbow Dash’s voice.
“...everypony can laugh, so you must have a sense of humor!” Pinkie Pie “...I’ll come visit you later on, if you’re okay with that…” Gadget “...Your robodonkadonk looks fine, darling…” Rarity “...I will never send you away for as long as you care to stay with me…”
She covered her mouth, feeling a lump in her throat. That last voice had been her own. Turing was going through old memories of her friends. But then, in a different voice, Turing said, “Good night, Daddy. I love you.”
Twilight blinked. Who was that? That’s no voice I’ve ever heard…
Turing’s eyes blinked on and stayed on this time. “Memory defragmentation and repair complete. System recovery at 100%.” She raised her head and then jumped to her hooves when she saw Twilight. “Twilight Sparkle. What is your status?”
Twilight breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m fine, Turing. And it looks like you are too. Whatever Grace did, it seems like it’s gone now. From all of us.” She put her hoof on Turing’s shoulder. “You did it, Turing. You saved us.”
“I am relieved to see you are unharmed. However…” She looked down at Grace. “Extreme measures were required to accomplish this.”
She sank back to the ground, her voice becoming softer. “I used my ability to emulate magic to recreate Grace’s ability in an attempt to stop her. I used it on her and the result was a feedback loop, creating a burst of psychoactive energy. It seems it was enough to negate the effects of her attacks on her victims.”
Twilight sat down beside her. “I know you had to do something you didn’t want to, Turing,” Twilight said, putting her foreleg around her, “and I’m sorry. But even so--”
“I do not wish to discuss it.”
The suddenness of Turing’s declaration made Twilight stop. Just the same, she nodded to her and said, “Okay.”
They were both quiet for a moment before Turing spoke again. “The RMCA, the group that Bon Bon once belonged to, was devoted to hunting monsters. Bon Bon indicated that even something that has the appearance of a pony can be a monster as well.”
Twilight nodded. “I guess that’s true. Grace and Glory really were monsters, Turing.”
Turing lowered her head even further. “I was not referring to them.”
Twilight drew in a breath, realizing her meaning. “No, Turing, you--”
“The authorities will likely be here soon. Will you wait with me until they arrive, Twilight Sparkle?” She turned to face her. “Please?”
Twilight opened her mouth to say more, but shut it again, somehow sensing that Turing would not listen to anything she had to say. Not then at least. Instead, she merely nodded.
Sitting there, they watched through the windows as the golden sun began to peek over the canopy of the surrounding forest, waiting in silence until the Royal Guard arrived.
To be continued...
And thus ends this darker chapter. Next chapter will be a bit more of a palate cleanser - something cuter. 
References this time around include:
-Bon Bon's bit about Rarity and Rainbow being "stunned" is a reference to the famed "Dead Parrot" sketch by Monty Python.
-Bon Bon's saying "Goodnight, Gracie!" is a reference to the old George Burns and Grace Allen gag: "Say goodnight, Gracie!" / "Goodnight, Grace!" (Although, as I learned, it's actually not them who did it!)
-Another crack from the Doctor: him thinking Turing reminds him of a dog he had when he was four after she says "Affirmative" is a reference to K9, the robot dog the Doctor traveled with, especially when he was "Four." That is, when he was the Fourth Doctor, played by Tom Baker.
-Of course the joke about "two names" references the alternate names of the Doc, Derpy, Bon Bon and even Lauren Faust's original name for Pinkie: "Surprise."
Hope you all have enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you next time!
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Great chapter! And although she did what she needed to do to save her friends... Poor Turing!
I really hope that Twilight manage to help her...
And the fight scene between Bon Bon and Grace was very good!
I can't feel my face.
Wouldn't 'rushing in blind' technically work?
And so, The Zero'th law has been learned, and Turing is fully aware of the weight it bears.
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I think you missed a reference.
That was a particularly good chapter.
I also must say, that was also a very fitting, and satisfying end to Grace!
6326792 I sure hope so!
6326792 What I assumed happened is that Turing used her own spell against her. So she's probably gone for good, now that the Royal Guard are going to lock her up. But what of Turing, now the Celestia will have seen the danger of ponies coming for her?
Also,
I can't help but think of Parakarry from Paper Mario.
Great work, I'm really enjoying this story. And I positively love the references you are using.
However, while other comedians did use the "say goodnight" gag (and I don't know who originated it). George and Gracie also used it in their TV and radio shows. I'm very sure I remember seeing and hearing it.
6327119 George Burns would say "Say goodnight Gracie!" but there don't seem to be any instances of her replying "Goodnight, Gracie!" It's a bit of an urban myth, which I didn't know until when I was writing the author's notes. See here for details.
6326402
Thanks. The aftermath of Turing's actions will come next (though they'll be of a more personal nature). I'm glad you like the fight scene; I had that planned for a while and worked a lot with Green, my artist, to get that drawing just right. I was pretty pleased with it when he showed me the final product.
6326440 You can feel your face? I'll assume that's due to an emotional reaction, in which case I'll take this as a compliment. Though, if not, I'm gonna feel like a jackass.
6326780 such memes. very humor. many imgs. wow.
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6326730
Only if they're literally blind. With Grace, the general rule is "Spot her before she spots you. And then make sure she doesn't spot you at all. Which is hard because her ESP makes it impossible to sneak up on her." Glory, you'd just need enough ponies to take him down. But it would take either a whole lot of ponies or just one very determined robot.
6326792 6327028 6326924 (@KeyBladeHero) I almost didn't keep that "Dead Parrot" joke, but I figured this chapter could use a little levity. (@ all 3 of you) As for Grace, she's as damaged as the others were, meaning that she might well be like that permanently, but it's a magical effect. She's not physically brain dead, but she is in a coma. She won't be in this story anymore, though.
6326837 "Goodnight, Daddy. I love you..." One might think that's a "My Little Dashie" reference. Or maybe it isn't.
Ah. Yes. Of course, Turing can copy spells...
And we have the title drop, too.
...And that was impressive. Fortunate, given the results, certainly... but I wasn't expecting anything that big.
And it was a good chapter in general, I thought, just to be clear; that was simply the thing that stood out most to me. :)
She's taunting him.... GO TURING TEST!!!!!
Poor Turing, but she was defending her friends and I think that's all that matters. I hope that if Celestia tries to use this as ammo against her that all the ponies she saved protest most loudly.
6326792 I think all this still functions:
there's just no data.
Hopefully Glory won't be a dummy and try to withhold the info of who hired them.
Then we might get to see el Fuego Twilight. Cause she is going to be pretty angry at somepony for Turing having to get so (non)emotional for doing what needed to be done.
Well then... we see the final conclusion.
And that is the fact that when not restricted by her laws... what holds her back?
That's the thing about Turing, she thinks that as a robot, following others orders like a Yesman is going to happen, she can't simply disagree with someone if they don't show themselves to be dangerous in the way she can intervene.
It's good she managed to find a way around it at least, even if it is a conditional order...
Grace... alright, shitty childhood? Are you kidding me? Hell... that's so freaking cliche that isn't even funny. 'Get bullied as a kid?' 'LET'S KILL ALL STUDENTS IN AMERICA!' So say mr millionaire who could live his life in luxury. Here? I have no idea, she certainly isn't living up to her chess board deal, if her Cutie Mark WAS about manipulation, you'd think Celestia would get that?
Heh, kidding.
Anyway... Turing's little, you know, 'daddy' thing...
CALLING IT RIGHT NOW, she's basically the movie version of Astro Boy, basically father remakes his daughter kind of deal? Hmm.
Right now, epic fight scene, brainwashing, hate and all.
Also, Grace... although she can be seen as a monster, it was clear she must have had some form of companionship with Sweetie Drops at one point, it's clear she is really personal and petty when it came to 'taking the easy deal', simply return the memories, no? The moment Sweetie Drops came into the picture, her mind was set on her.
... it kind of reminds me of that Steam game where you play as a character who infiltrates and plays as a close friend to the leader, can#t remember the name now.
Good job... Celestia, DON'T do what we expect you to do in this scenario.
I wonder what would have happened if Grace had looked in a mirror, would that have had the same effect?
6328206 I originally was going to have a confrontation with him and Turing in the next chapter, but I think I can move on without the guy, probably. I'd say Turing gave him a pretty solid beatdown, so he won't be going anywhere for a while.
6329014 Guess you'll find out if that pony squeals like a piggy or not.
Hat Man you evil, evil person! How could you leave us like this!?
6329083
It is when used in a cliche context. If it were cliche in every context then it would render the idea completely useless. At which point it would not be used and would then no longer be cliche.
Paradox's aside, I think it was implemented correctly this time. I like it.
6329753
... Fair enough, still, shitty childhood, turned evil.
Kind of a lame backstory.
6329083 Sorry if Grace's origins (at least the very short version I gave here) wasn't to your liking.
I considered a longer version of it, perhaps as a flashback, but I thought it might slow down the plot and steal intensity away from the scene with Bon Bon. However, I think Grace's origin fits her character perfectly. If you'll allow me...
One of the themes of this arc is the topic of monsters. The arc begins with Nightmare Night, where ponies masquerade as monsters. Bon Bon was an agent of the Royal Monstrosity Containment Agency. Grace and Glory, due to their augmentation through alchemy and dark magic, have become monsters in their own right, despite appearing perfectly normal. Indeed, the duality of monsters versus "normal" is the constant overlying theme: Grace says "Ponies are the real monsters," and Bon Bon's comment that sometimes someone can be both a pony and a monster eventually relates to Turing's situation. That is, she wishes to be a pony, but others see her like a monster. Nightmare Night gave her a chance to parody that idea, but ultimately she made a decision to utilize a terrible power and, in her own view, became a monster herself.
So it is with Grace. She may have always had a few of the wrong switches turned off in her brain; not everyone with chemical imbalances turns into a psychopath. But nothing brings out the psychosis like neglect (and in horses/ponies, foal rejection can actually lead to severe problems in adulthood, to borrow from real life). Psychopaths often find themselves abused and disrespected and find themselves becoming more predatory and they get really good at convincing themselves that everyone is just as awful and selfish as they are, so it's okay to mistreat them. Grace became more and more jaded, better and better at hiding her tendencies behind well-crafted, saintly smiles, until the Order finally reached out to her, validating everything she believed (that deep down, ponies really are monsters). As is so often the case, cultists aren't stupid or ignorant or gullible... they're often just lonely and need some sense of identity and connection.
What we all may one day fear is that we ourselves are the monsters. And all it may take...
...is a fall from Grace.
Hot damn, maybe I should put this in a blog post!
Oh, sorry, forgot about the rest of your reply. Well, can't say what Turing's little comment meant just yet. Make all the predictions you like. Hm hm hm...
As for Sunbutt, you'll find out next chapter.
6329506 I considered that question, actually! But honestly, that seemed like such a weak achilles heel and it has really been done to death. If I'd had more time this chapter, I considered taking a suggestion of having Pinkie showing Grace her own reflection and then have her shatter it, reaching through it and yanking Pinkie over to look at her... but I just didn't have the heart. I wuv my cwazy pink horsie.
But yeah, I'd say no. The energy she produces is blue, but the light itself isn't the agent. So it would reflect the light, but not the psychoactive energy.
6330334
... WHY CAN'T MORE AUTHORS BE LIKE YOU?!
I mean, all problems I've had with this have been washed out, completely, dammit I mean, hmm...
Well then, borrowing from real life ponies and horses, as well as actual psychology.
As for the Monsters message... there needs to be another chapter to help her get over this methinks, however, I don't know if this arc is done or not... hmm...
Maybe Applejack helps out? Who knows.
I learned something new today, now, to the future!
“Affirmative master"
Oh good, Glory survived. Now Maud has the chance to trash him for threatening her sister. "Strongest pony in Equestria," my flank.
Amazing, as usual
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Now a longer analysis of the chapter:
The Awesome -> Both fight scenes where very well written, both for the Bon Bon/Sweetie Drops vs Grace fight (although I'm surprised that Bon Bon didn't try use really loud sounds against Grace) and Turing Test vs Glory/Grace (if your illustrator decides to do an additional drawing for this chapter, Turing uppercutting Glory would be a great scene for it...).
Also, Derpy playing the Weeping Angel (with the help of the Doctor) against Glory was a great use of Chekov's Gun.
But maybe the most awesome, if understated, moment was when Turing asked Twilight to order her to make her own decision about the situation - by doing it, Turing assumed full responsability by her actions.... In order to protect Twilight and the others, she deliberately threw away the possibility to use the "fellowing orders" excuse for her actions, pointing the blame towards herself.
The Funny -> The "Weeping Derpy" and the "Two Names Club" where hilarious (how Derpy and the Doctor didn't knew each other's real names! Or maybe it makes very much sense).
The Sad -> The sad part is the crashing down of Turing after her defeat of Glory and Grace: although she did what she did to protect her friends and assumes full responsability for it, she was forced to use a terrible spell to do so, and as result, now thinks that she herself is a "monster"...
The way that Turing was trying avoid to receive the "fight" order due the her directive, the First Law and her understanding that her actions would influence how future members of her species would be treated and how her (necessary) actions drove her towards a light Heroic BSOD were an a point of Turing as the Fetteted.
These are not actions of a monster and I really hope that she gets a lot of hugs in the next chapter and that somepony drive such point home...
Maybe she can't realise that she liked somepony, but her actions let clear that she does!
(personally, I think that the fact Turing isn't avoiding the responsability and probably several testimonies at her favour will make Celestia look more favorable to Turing herself - how long she erase such spell from her memory).
Also I think that we will see who hired Glory and Grace to try capture Turing again because it is not the kind that give up easily.
I can't wait to read the next chapter! Maybe the Doctor/Time Turner could help with understanding Turing.
Is it me or did this chapter have a Big Hero 6 vibe in it?
So now the laws of robotics no longer apply since Turing can now ignore them? After this incident, Princess Celestia is going to give Twicorn a big fat 'I told you so.'
Yes! Yes! HK... Err... Turing! Give in to the robotic logic and make the inferior organic meat bags pay!
I mean uhh... Good job Turing?
Great chapter, author person! I loved the fact you actually had the laws of robotics work against Turing in such a way.
Though now that she has started down the path to the dark side, her fall will surely be swig..... Uhhhh, what I mean to say is... HEY LOOK A SILICONE BASED ORGANISM!!!
*runs away in the confusion*
Yes. Just yes. No words, just yes. Gotta love Turing going full badass. Excited to see what happens next.
Before reading, I would like to know a few things from up to date readers.
First, does the robot actually have no emotions, like the description claims, or is it a lie and the robot gains emotions later on? Because, a lot of stories about AI make the mistake of thinking emotions can be learned without them being built into the AI.
Second, does this story make any sense? Because if something has no emotions, it literally cannot care enough to make friends.
So, either way it seems the description contradicts itself. Either it makes friends without emotions, which is impossible, or it gains emotions, which is also impossible. Unless Twilight, or someone else, actually changes the robot and adds emotions.
6330359 Oh, that makes sense!
6338094 Well, I'm not a reader, but I am the author, if that will do. If not, that's fine, I'll leave your question to one of the readers.
One thing I will say is that maybe the description isn't that great. I keep tweaking it a little to get just the way I want it. I actually changed it now that you've pointed out that it is a little confusing.
6338326 You being the author is fine.
That makes a lot more sense now. Leaves room for actual emotions, but still tells you that she seems cold to others. So, is she true AI, or is just just a computer simulated to mimic intelligence? I think mass effect did it the best; VI (Virtual intelligence) is mimicking intelligence, but AI (Artifical intelligence) uses a quantum computer to simulate, and greatly improve upon, the neurons of a living being. Just curious.
6338391
Excellent question! Actually, quite a few of the readers have speculated on it and it's something the characters discuss: whether she has real thoughts or is merely programmed to simulate it (or even if there's a difference). There's some Turing in there, some Searle, and a lot of stuff dealing with Identity Theory, Emergent Properties, and a lot of philosophical questions about the mind.
While I do know the answer of how her mind works, it's actually not something that has been revealed in the story up to this point in the narrative. You'd have to find out the reason why by reading, but in the story nopony has figured out how this particular robot works. One ongoing theme of the story is that technology is lagging behind in many areas: there are no advanced computers (though they do exist as the room-sized primitive ones), no internet, no automobiles, no TV, etc. In the first chapter, Twilight discusses how clockwork automatons used to be all the rage a century ago, but this particular robot is far more advanced and capable of operating independently. Who created her and how is an ongoing mystery.
I hope you choose to read the story and, if so, I hope it's to your liking. Feel free to leave comments or any thoughts you have. I love interacting with my readers. Or my potential readers, in this case.
6338505 Makes sense. Imr going to read this I think, so I'll have more input later on. However, I will say this; linear computing will not under any circumstances make a true ai. The reason we can actually think and experience memories how we do is because of simultaneous processing. Every part of the brain is an independent memory and processing unit, and each one connects to dozens or hundreds of other neurons. The connections strengthen or weaken, changing the amount of hormones and ions that can go through (hormones allow for the neurons to change temporally in a complicated way for certain things like emotions, while ions are used to exchange electrons), allowing for a none-binary computing method. It's way too complex to talk about this more than that, but I hope if you do decide she is true AI that you take this into account.
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But seriously, glad you're enjoying the story.
6341866 Hey, glad to see you've been reading (enjoying?) the story. Since you've been leaving some feedback, I thought I'd catch up to some of it.
Yep. It's not entirely her fault, as pony society has magic to lean on, but yeah, the slowing of technology vs the impact of said technology is a major theme.
Kind of the point, actually. At this point, Turing had a very weak grasp of what emotions actually were. But if you'd like a drink, I'll share a bottle with ya.
img09.deviantart.net/bd0e/i/2015/210/9/1/cutie_mark_bourbon_whisky_by_maruraba-d8rg0dp.jpg
Her dialogue is pretty fun to write, too. Glad you're liking it!
Well, that's a fair point, but I've always been annoyed by the idea in fanfics that Twilight has heard of anything science or magic related and is an instant expert on it. What Gadget is talking about isn't too hard to understand by modern standards, but this sort of stuff is actually a bit beyond Twi's level of knowledge. She's an expert on magic and technology that directs or runs on it, but wouldn't be able to recreate Gadget's work without a LOT of extra study. I imagined that this sort of thing wouldn't be familiar to her, though I understand where you're coming from.
Actually, you're assuming that Talon Turing and Alan Turing are exactly the same or that their work is also exactly the same. It may not be explicitly Alan Turing's idea, but there are some who've speculated that an artificial mind of sufficient complexity would gain sentience and perhaps emotional depth. It's hardly been proven as nobody in real life has created true general artificial intelligence or a positronic brain or anything that approaches the complexity and overall versatility of the human brain, but it a classic sci-fi trope and I wanted to toy with some of the science for the sheer fun of writing something thought-provoking and speculative. I'm not expert, so I won't give my own opinion on whether any of this is true or not, but some seem to think it is, and I'm interested in questions of inner life, consciousness, and social ramifications of those issues.
With the reveal that Fine Print helped build Turing, the implication is that her creators didn't intend for her to have real emotions. There will be more on all this later on.
If you're well-read on the subject, however, I'd relish the chance to learn a little more, so feel free to keep leaving comments or even drop me a PM to clue me in.
Hope to hear more from you later!
I wonder if Celestia will arrive along with the guards. Considering that Turing has matured since the last time they met, it would be interesting to see the two of them having a conversation. I think they both could learn something from each other.
Celestia better not be a cunt and say, "Ho Ho, I'm perfect and special, and can do no wrong. I said that Turing cannot harm anypony, and yet it DEFENDED a princess of the country and saved said princess's mind from two obviously evil ponies that commited mind rape and killed or injured countless ponies, so I will destroy Turing. Even though if any other pony did the same thing I would be eternally grateful. LOL". Or anything of that nature. Celestia will be queen of the cunts and will rule dunderville for the end of time if so.
I'm hoping Turing's decision to not be violent until the last resort, and then saving multiple ponies from a fate worse than death will show Celestia the errors of her ways.
6345002 Fair counter-points to most of that. I would enunciate more, but I have been up for almost 24 hours, so my brain is engaging in multiple illogical logic loops, as Turing would put it. Illogical logic loop, now there is an oxymoron if I've ever heard one. Heh. My characterization of Celestia in the comment I made this chapter really shows my deteriorating cognitive functions. Zzzz.
Anyways, I am now caught up, and I am glad I decided to read this in spite of my initial misgivings. This was much, much better than I expected. I also stopped questioning most of the aspects of how a real AI's brain would work, because it was giving me a headache. So I have now completely suspended my disbelief! Well, maybe not completely; I still need to be able to make actual criticisms in the case of a logical fallacy or mistake after all! Looking foward to the next chapter!
Oh, and I have decided to put your story in my secondary favorites library titled "Best of the Best". About one in every six fics I favorite gets there.
6346326 That is not an example of the Zero'th law, as the ponies in your example are not trying to harm anypony. Therefore, the option logically exists that there is the possibility to save all three.
The Zero'th law is for when violence between others can not logically be stopped in any fashion, without harming at least one party. Furthermore, it is called the Zero'th law, because it is not hard coded like the three laws, but rather the end result of an adaptive system that encounters a conflict between the three laws, and reaches the conclusion to ignore the first law. Whether this decision is based on logic, emotion, or alliances can vary.
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Thank you very much for your kind words as well as for your intelligent feedback. I'm very honored that you've placed it so highly among your other favorites! I hope you enjoy the coming chapters, and you will get to see Celestia's reaction to Turing's actions along with her own reaction to what she had to do.
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What about them indeed?
That name sounds a little fishy. I think you were really floundering when you came up with that one.
...... it's moments like this that give me that sinking feeling of dreaded despair where we learn the origins behind a character, and it tears out our hearts and stomps on them.
And since I am normally about as emotional as Maud Pie, that's saying something.
I think I know the secret behind Turing's main processing unit. It is based on the most complex computer known. A brain.
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sunset shimmer
starlight glimmer
seafood dinner
see the similarity?
Watch bronies react season 5 to get the joke
6352342 Ohhh, that's right! Now I remember that joke.
Backhoofed.
Turing has no hands.
If you use actual move names, alter them to fit an equine fighting style.
6365291 I considered that, actually, though the problem with using a term like that in what's supposed to be a quick fight scene could be problematic: I didn't want there to be a moment where the reader read it in the middle of the scene and went "What? Oh oh, I get it." Still, nice catch. :)
6326740 sorry but what?