They're... ON HOLIDAY?

Day 1 - Shippy time: 2/9

"No no no... ugh. We're setting up a new time. You listening?" he asks and they all nod, "This is all trip time with a fresh set of rules. Understood?"

"Trippy time!" 99380 nods as things get much clearer.

"Oh, just like that time when I tried making a new version of agonyslayers by licking that colorful slimy hopper-" 36658 nods knowingly.

"NO! NEVERMIND!" 387 facehoofs with an audible crack, "New name - it's ship time."

"Shippy time," smiles 99111.

"I will slap y- yes, shippy time," he sighs in defeat, "Shippy time is like breaky time but you can sleep. You might even have to work too but only when someone explicitly asks you to."

"Explicitly like swearing or..." asks 10013.

"The other explicit," 387's eye twitches.

"Understood," 10013 nods, "I asked because we get both of those a lot. I think we cleared everything up, right, guys?" it looks at its fellow drones.

"About digging...?" peeps 99526.

"NO DIGGING!" 387 barks, "Under any circumstances. If you make a hole in the ship we'll sink and if by any miracle you survive, I will personally make sure you regret living for the rest of your short time because if you prove to be a burden or even a direct problem then the Queen will connect your failures with those of every drone back home. She might even order you to collapse the shrine to High Score and wipe your minds to forget everything about it. Understood?"

*Gasps all around!*
*Nod nod nod nod!*
*Spoooooked face!*

"Good," 387 continues, "10013, you're in charge of the drones here. First, you're to find your two cabins and then get cleaned up properly, soap and everything."

"Yes, 387!" 10013 looks around with a determined expression, "We can't disappoint High Score so we gotta be the cleanest and shiniest drones ever. Let's go!"

"Yaaaay!"

The drones march off, leaving behind a faint black trail.

"Why do I know this will end badly no matter what I say?" whispers 387 and sits down into the stomped layer of black ash by the door left behind by the drones. No reason to dirty anything else until he takes a bath himself.

***

After such a long time of walking through open fields and forests, the narrower corridors of the cruise ship, albeit still easily wide enough for entire carts, feel so much more like home. Unfortunately, that's where the good part for 10013 ends, because it can understand perfectly why the clumped up drones behind it are so uncharacteristically silent. The deck where the higher ranked passenger cabins are is filled with stern-looking, armed and in some cases armored escorts of all sorts, none of whom look even remotely pleased with the changelings being there, shooting them dirty glares through narrowed eyes.

Despite all that, 10013 leads the way, supported by the knowledge that the Queen would probably be at least mildly angry if something happened to any of them. That is, until one of those leather-clad warrior zebras 36658 noticed earlier steps in front of 10013, looks down, and ask in a stern voice:

"May I have a word, changelings?"

10013 stops and looks up. The group behind it shuffles backwards with the exception of Smiley who... smiles.

"W-We gotta go- go downstairs and get c-cleaned up. Umm, top orders. Sorry," 10013's ears fold back.

To its surprise, the zebra gives it a puzzled glance before stepping aside and adding:

"I didn't mean to frighten you. The baron of Northern San Palomino, however, would be interested in talking to you when you have a moment," she nods to the door she's guarding.

"W-We'll tell the Queen-"

"I was specifically told to ask one of you, not your Queen or any, as he called them, 'high rank'."

10013 blinks in surprise.

"Oh... okay," it nods, its voice steadier now that it doesn't look like any kicking is on the way, "We'll see what we can do," it pauses, "Umm, thank you for being nice."

The zebra is clearly at loss for words, so she only nods. One awkward moment of silence later, the drones resume walking.

"...she was so big..."

"Oh goop, I completely forgot to check how she tastes," 36658 facehoofs after a while.

"I wouldn't risk making a nice zebra mad by biting her," 10013 shakes its head.

"I WOULD ASK FIRST!" huffs 36658 indignantly.

"And if she said no?"

"I would wibble," replies 36658, clearly proud of its plan.

"And if she still said no?"

"Uhh, wibble more?" 36658 loses some of its decisiveness.

"Aaaand if attempt number three fails too?"

"Then I know she's a soulless gribbler in disguise and I run."

"Fair point," 10013 leads the way down a staircase onto the servant deck.