To the Letter

“It will follow your orders to the letter”

These words that started the incident that turned out to be one of the biggest scandals in Princess Celestia’s millennia long reign.

The specific object in question was actually a robot, a side project her new apprentice and  potential heir to the throne (something only her Royal Highness was aware of) Twilight Sparkle created in her spare time to make the Princesses royal duties easier.

It was a bipedal specimen, 6 feet tall and covered in metal plates that hid and protected the inner workings. It had two arms that lead down into hands with 5 digits, and opposable thumbs. It was unable to speak, but could understand any commands it was given, and had quite remarkable hearing

Celestia was quite pleased with the Robot. It followed orders quickly and efficiently. For weeks she used it to do the little things she didn't have time to do herself, refill inkwells, fetch books, deliver messages, etc.

This all changed, however, the day the Robot was in the same room as Celestia and the pony that brought her her tea.

There had always been a running joke between her royal highness and the tea pony, an aging unicorn who had worked at the castle since he was just a colt. He would bring her tea while she carried out her royal  business, she would taste it, call it terrible, and then laugh and do it all over again the next day. Celestia and the tea pony had developed a friendship of sorts, and this inside joke had been going on for several years.

Unfortunately, robots do not know of “inside jokes”

“Your highness, would you care for your tea?”

The Princess nodded and he poured it for her, adding 2 sugarcubes and a splash of milk, then placed the tray on her desk. She levitated it to her mouth and took a sip, then commented

“Awful. If you bring me this glorified water again, i swear i'll have your head delivered to me on a platter”

The two laughed and the tea pony left. Silently, the Robot watched from the corner. And it registered the command.

The next day when the Celestia was brought her tea, the process repeated again, and she once again made a comment on how terrible it tasted
And the Robot followed her orders to the letter.