99380 has to admit it's feeling a little anxious about sending 36658 to 99111, but it has to admire 99111's novel concept of facing its fears. Drones normally don't face their fears, because their fears are monsters capable of killing them in a myriad of painful ways, and the only way to survive in the tunnels is to face the other way and flee as quickly as a drone can. A surviving drone is one who learned to watch out for the telltale signs of various fears and successfully managed to avoid meeting the source of fear itself on painfully too often repeated occasions.
Despite that, 99380 is now carrying its own makeshift umbrella made from leaves and sticks, less and less sure why it's doing it with every step, towards the trio of paladins resting in the shade. It barely even registers Ten and Bright Star watching it as it shuffles towards Sun Hammer, shaking more and more. The massive mare, in contrast, seems busy repeatedly scribbling something into the sand with a levitating stick. To 99380, it looks vaguely familiar to the shape of the hive mind map of the cruise ship.
The stick suddenly flicks through the air, and 99380 locks up, unable to make a sound, when she hears her quietly mumble:
"-force focused outwards. Which cabins-?"
"Acting Grandmaster? I believe you have a visitor," says Ten, sitting up straight from his previously slouched position against a tree.
"I'd try being a little less intense, Acting Grandmaster, or we might have a repeat of this year's recruitment day," Bright Star snickers, forelegs crossed under his head and watching the sea.
Hearing that, 99380 breathes out in relief:
"Acting Grandmaster? Oh holes! Did I get the wrong pony? Miss Acting, do you know someone by the name Sun Hammer? Looks exactly like you but a lot bigger and spookier."
Sun Hammer sits up, which makes her easily twice 99380's size, and the drone realizes it made a huge mistake.
F-F-F- Face. F-F- Fear.
"Isforyou!" it stretches out a trembling foreleg with the flimsy umbrella stuck in a leg hole, staring ahead at Sun Hammer's chest and not daring to look upwards at her face.
Sun Hammer leans in to examine 99380 up close, making the drone whimper and its eyes tear up.
"You're the ice cream one, aren't you?" she asks in a carefully measured voice. The stick levitating around her traces several lines along 99380's carapace, "The pattern of scars is unique, and your carapace is chipped here and here," the stick taps behind 99380's ear and left hind thigh, "I won't hurt you, so stop shaking and explain why you're here. Is there a problem?"
"Shade!" is all 99380 blurts out, jabbing its umbrella hoof towards Sun Hammer again.
Her face goes blank.
"Sunny, I think you have a not so secret admirer and they brought you a present," Bright Star's telekinesis deftly catches the stick thrown his way like a crossbow bolt.
Ten gasps, looking in horror from Sun Hammer to Bright Star who rolls his eyes and casually tosses the stick back to Sun Hammer.
"We're off duty, Ten. Pull that stick out of your ass," in a whisper that only the two present changelings can hear, he adds, "...you're worse than Sunny. At least she's just unaware..."
"You... brought me... a parasol?" asks Sun Hammer slowly, "Why?"
"Umm- I- well- High Score once told 10013 something about, umm, facing your fears... and then 10013 told 99111 about it when it saved 99111 from drowning... and then 99111 told me about it... and I thought it was, umm, impressive and... I thought High Score would like us drones to be, uhh, better like 36658 always says," 99380 wipes its eyes, "And 10013 and 65536 made an umbrella thingy for the Queen and she seemed to like it, so I made one for you. It's not as big and I couldn't find the right leaves but-"
YOU ARE READING
They're... ON HOLIDAY?
Fanfiction[SEQUEL TO: They're EVERYWHERE!] Several years after the changeling invasion of Canterlot, queen Chrysalis gets an invitation to attend a cruise followed by a stay in a luxury holiday resort on an island belonging to the Griffon Empire. Supposedly...
