A world of shiny colors unlike anything it’s seen in its life so far opens before 20100 along with the door to the glass-walled casino overlooking the cruise ship’s main deck.
“Woooow…!” the drone breathes out, bursts of colors from slot machines reflecting in its teal eyes.
SECURITY ponies are walking around, observing the numerous groups of mingling griffon and pony passengers busy by various tables or sitting in front of tall, flashing boxes that make loud noises of all kinds which nonetheless don’t bother the ponies whatsoever, so 20100 doesn’t get spooked… much.
As the drone stands in the doorway, eyes open wide, more guests push past and head off to the reception desk for a brief exchange before moving on to the least populated table where a pony wearing a black suit with a white shirt immediately starts giving them small pictures.
So far, 20100 understands absolutely nothing about this bustling place aside from it being full of noises and shinies, but it seems that the key to everything are small, two-colored discs that one trades for shinies at the front desk. Considering that 20100 left most of the shinies it got yesterday for drawing back in its stash, the drone flies up to be face to face with the rather surprised receptionist stallion, and puts five two-bit coins it has on itself onto the desk.
“Umm, hello!” 20100 smiles, “I’d like to trade these shinies for the discs that make those big boxes go clang clang and flash, please.”
To the pony’s credit, he simply counts the coins and gives the drone ten small, red discs with the number one painted on them.
“Do you need a tour?” asks the pony politely and raises an eyebrow in surprise when the drone shakes its head.
“I think exploring is part of the fun, right? Nothing has tried to eat me so far,” it beams happily, adding, “I like it here.”
“Well then, enjoy yourself,” the pony says after a moment of hesitation caused by the peculiar interaction.
With the one-bit chips split safely between various leg holes due to them being larger than their equivalent coins, 20100 moves towards the most interesting thing in here - the flashy box. It’s simple, the only pony scribbles on the whole thing are above a lever situated on the left side of its front face, reading ‘PULL’, and the whole thing is covered in pictures. An experimental prod of the hive mind reveals nothing about the box’s function, probably because the only barely accessible high rank link is 93’s and that one is fully occupied with providing a communication extension for the weak links of other drones. 93 is likely sleeping and this is her mind working on instinct.
20100 pulls the lever. Nothing happens aside from a set of scribbles which the drone previously missed due to the sensory overload caused by the colorful slot machine covered in pictures of pirates and fruit lighting up. The scribbles read ‘INSERT’. After sniffing the slot, 20100 puts two and two together and pushes a single casino chip in.
Nothing happens. After a brief bout of detective work, 20100 pulls the lever for the second time.
The machine whirrs and starts flashing, causing 20100 to at first scuttle back and then start giggling and happily clapping as the three small windows in its center begin spinning. The drone doesn’t know where to look first - at the flashing pictures, trying to make out what the small pictures on the spinnies are, or where the clicking is coming from.
The first one stops with a click. 20100 twitches. The picture it’s showing is a chest!
The second one stops, showing a chest!
The final one stops - a pony with a black skull hat holding a slashy in its mouth!
*CLING CLING CLING CLING!*
*Thump.* *Thump.* *Click.*
With the final click, the machine stops, leaving 20100 staring in amazement. What does the picture mean? What’s making it flash? Why does it eat the soft discs? Is it happy? Is it angry? SO MANY QUESTIONS!
“Huh…” 20100 looks down at a small alcove in the lower portion of the box where there are now two soft discs for some reason.
What would High Score do? High Score wouldn’t waste resources, and my resources here are these discs.
With that conclusion in mind, 20100 stashes one disc into a leg hole, and inserts the extra one the machine spat out into the slot before pulling the lever again.
Chest, weird two red balls on a string [cherries], chest.
20100 happily watches the show and claps in the end when two chips fall out of the bottom slot.
What’s making the pictures change and move? Can I do it with my drawings?
Again.
Apple. Chest. Chest. Two chips. Clap. Clap. “Ehehehe!”
Again…
***
“GUYS, YOU GOTTA SEE THIS!”
Thanks to 93’s hangover having subsided dramatically over the past hour, the excited mental call reaches every single drone on the ship along with the ping marking 20100’s position inside the casino. Shortly after, the calling drone finds itself surrounded by a semicircle of bobbing black heads having a tough time remaining focused amidst all the sounds and colors.
“I found a duplication box!” 20100 taps its hoof against the slot machine.
“What does it do?” asks 36658, meaningfully staying as far as it can from 99111.
“You put this disc thingy they call a chip in… and you get two back!” 20100 beams, sitting next to a pile of one-bit chips bigger than itself.
A bold claim like that requires a demonstration, which 20100 repeats several times, accompanied by ‘oooh’ and ‘wooow’ of the drones watching the flashy display.
“Can I try?” asks 99380, “Wait, where did you get these chips in the first place?”
“I traded a few shinies that I got yesterday for them.”
“Goop!” pouts 99380, “I don’t have any.”
“No worries!” 20100 presents a pile of chips to it held in both forelegs, “Here ya go!”
99380 follows the instructions and-
Cherries. Banana. Apple.
The box plays a couple of somber notes and nothing falls out.
“Awww. Did I do it wrong?” 99380 scratches its head.
“Uhhh, no?” 20100 tilts its head, equally as puzzled, “Let me try again just in case.”
Chest. Pirate. Chest. Two bits.
“Huuuuh…” 10013 examines the box from all sides.
“I… think it might not work that way for anyone other than 20100,” says 36658 who has been uncharacteristically silent until now, “Mind if everyone else gives it a shot, buddy?”
“Of course not!” 20100 shrugs and shoves a chunk of the pile towards the others, “I can always get more chippies, it seems.”
“Can I try too, please?” asks 65536 politely, “I know I’m not part of-”
*PILE SHOVE!*
“Hee hee hee!” the Nightguard drone accepts the presented chips and patiently waits its turn with the duplication box.
Some experimentation and a bunch of lost chips later, 36658 stops 10013 from putting in another chip.
“I think we tested my theory enough. 20100, this flashy box is yours.”
“It definitely looks like that,” 10013 nods and backs off.
“Awww,” pouts 20100, “I was hoping you guys could have fun with it too…”
“Hmmm…” 36658 crosses its forelegs on its chest.
“You’re thinking of something, aren’t you?” asks 10013.
“Probably something High Score related,” 99111 snickers.
“Don’t be mean!” 99526 nudges 99111 who hangs its head.
“...just joking…”
“No, nothing about High Score right now,” 36658 ignores it, “About 93, actually, and something she said. 10013, you’re a smart drone, can you help me?”
“Umm, sure?”
All drones huddle closer out of sheer curiosity but 36658 whispers something into 10013’s ear.
“That’s… interesting,” 10013 looks around, “20100, can you try more of these boxes? I can’t tell you why yet.”
“Ooooh, a secret plan. I like it!” 20100 salutes and trots off to find a different slot machine that’s not occupied.
10013 turns to 65536 next.
“Buddy, I think you’re the right changeling to ask because you know the most about ponies. Do you know pony games? Like drone ball, dodge drone, curling, and other stuff?”
“Curling? Is that new?” asks 65536.
“Yup. I’ll explain later.” 10013 nods, “I need your opinion on what games are the most random.”
“Oooh,” 65536 salutes too, just for the feel of it, “I went with Mister Night Hunter into a place he called ‘gambling den’ because there were ponies fighting, and he explained all about games of chance to me. We gotta find a spinny thing on a table ponies call a roulette, a bigger spinny wall thing called the wheel of fortune, or a big table where ponies throw dice and bet on numbers.”
“Everyone else,” 10013 looks around, “I dunno, grab some chips and see what they can be used for, maybe?”
Smiley eats a chip.
*Bleh face.*
“Not for eating, good attempt,” 10013 nods, “Any ideas, 65536?”
“I think they’re like pony bits, but for this place, so maybe you can try to ask around what they can be traded for.”
“20100, where did you get the chips?” asks 65536 mentally.
“Front desk!” replies the drone, “And, by the way, the two machines I found duped the chips for me too.”
“Okay, it’s not the machines, it’s you then,” summarizes 10013, “Come here and let’s do some more testing.”
As the others spread out around the casino, 65536 leads 10013, 36658, and 20100 to a roulette table where the patrons shoot them somewhat confused glances.
“My buddy here would like to place a bet,” says 65536, looking up at the croupier and nudging 20100 carefully carrying several stacks of chips on its back.
“How much and on what? The minimum bet is five bits,” replies the pony.
“I got all these from dupl- slot machines,” 20100 shuffles up and down, making the stacks on its back wobble, “So… what do I bet on?”
“A color and a number,” replies the fascinated croupier to the groaning of patrons around the table annoyed that their game is being interrupted.
“Blue and 9999,” smiles 20100.
Being a polite staffer, the pony barely visibly winces before explaining the most basic rules and offering that the changelings should watch a few rounds before entering and betting, which sounds like a properly smart suggestion, so they wait while hovering above the table.
“Ooooh,” 20100 nods when it gets the idea several minutes later and a new round starts, “Alright, umm… all these chippies on black 13.”
“Betting everything on a single slot is… unwise for a beginner,” the croupier can’t help himself, “The odds of winning are extremely low.”
20100 shrugs.
“I can always get more chippies later from the machines.”
“As you wish,” the pony watches everyone place a much larger sum of their chips on the table in hopes of winning 20100’s pot before spinning the wheel and throwing the ball.
When it stops spinning, everyone glares at 20100 excitedly hovering up and down with a massive grin.
“Black… 13…” announces the croupier, “The only bet, winner takes all,” as if trying to persuade mostly himself, he adds robotically, “No magic is being used, this place is, like every casino, equipped with the best detection systems revised for changelings.”
“I’VE GOT ALL THE CHIPPIES!” exclaims 20100.
10013 and 36658 exchange glances.
“I guess 93 hit the peeky gribbler right on the head,” says the great leader, “So… what does it mean for us?”
“I think it means that 20100 won’t have special goop,” shrugs 36658.
“What’s this all about anyway?” asks 65536, listening intently.
“I don’t know if I can tell ya, buddy,” 36658 shakes its head, “93 kinda made it out to be a critical hive thing. Sorry.”
“Hah, no problem!” 65536 laughs, “I know a whole bunch of guard things I’m not supposed to tell anyone. I know secrets gotta stay secrets sometimes.”
“YAAAAAAY, EVEN MORE CHIPPIES!” comes from the table above and behind them, “Uhh… I don’t think I can carry that many anymore.”
Three looming shadows fall on the changelings as a trio of massive earth ponies wearing black suits block the lights.