//------------------------------// // Day 3 - Storm: 9/11 // Story: They're... ON HOLIDAY? // by Nameless Narrator //------------------------------// The storm rages again, albeit weaker than in the early hours of the morning. The rain is whipping the deck, and the occasional lightning flashes in the distance. Clearly, the rainy but mostly peaceful day was just the storm’s eye, and now that the evening is here, the course has sent the ship back under the black and heavy boiling clouds drenching the top deck of the ship with torrents of water. With the experience now not being unique anymore, however, 10013 finds itself back on the observation platform atop the entertainment complex, curled up under a chair with its legs hooked by the chair’s, and staring into the distance now with more curiosity than fear. Why is the flashing happening? How big is the storm? Why is there a scary noise afterwards? All questions that will likely never get any answers, but are still fun to ponder. And who knows? Maybe 10013 will stumble on a line of thought which might be useful to drones at large, possibly entirely unrelated to current events. 10013 isn’t alone on the dark deck lit only by glow coming through the glass walls of the entertainment complex floors, or at least never for long. Occasionally, ponies whom the drone can identify due to the yellow letters on their dark clothes take a brief trip around the deck before returning inside. Lightning flashes nearby. In 10013’s recent experience, a big rumble should be coming soon. In the world of numbers, 10013 starts counting in hopes to identify the relationship between the light and the noise past its current guess that “the sound takes longer to happen when the light is further”. *RRRRUUUUUUUMBBBLLEEEEE!* There it is. *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!* The entire cruise ship shakes with the second loud noise happening within several seconds of the first, and 10013’s hive link receives the feelings of confusion from multiple sources closely following the sudden screeching sound of tortured metal under pressure. Despite the nighttime darkness, 10013 narrows its eyes as it spots smoke billowing from the side of the ship. What? *** Falling feeling wakes 99111 up, followed by a thud as the drone hits the wooden floor. “Whuh?” it tries to stand up but keeps falling to the side. For some unexplained reason, whatever normally makes it fall to the ground is making it fall in a slanted manner - towards the wall. Its stomach lurches as it slides to where the floor meets the wall with the window. Having too many chips to reasonably spend, 20100 gave every drone a bunch, and they all ran upstairs to some place the ponies called a… a… rest for runts? Something like that. There they got these long lists of pony foods and drinks, so they dug in. 99526 was the first one to feel the overload of bloating, so 99111 escorted it back to the fanatic cabin. So… where is 99526? “Uhh, guys? The floor is being weird!” it broadcasts through the faint connections instinctively kept together by 93.   “Ow ow ow ow ow…” 99380’s pained groan is the first one to connect, “Blurghhrhghgh!” incoherent sounds of retching come from 99526 next. “I’m okay but there’s a huge pile of ponies in the corner of the casino!” they hear 20100, “Everything is tilting and the SECURITY ponies are dragging everyone out.” “93, 387, YOUR MAJESTY, 10013, ANYONE?!” calls out 99111, “What’s happening?!”  “THE SHIP BROKE!” 10013’s sharp tone cuts through the incoherent chaos, “Something went boom and it’s sinking!” Sinking? Into… water? 99111’s hive links shut down all at once as a chill runs down its spine along with its memories of drowning from yesterday suddenly pushing everything out of its mind and playing on repeat. I gotta get out! I gotta get out I gotta get out IgottagetoutIgottagetoutOUTOUTOUTOUT! The drone’s wings burst to life and, now floating in the middle of the skewed cabin, 99111 finally regains some stability. Out out out! It bolts upwards towards the door, grabs the handle, and pulls it down. The instant the mechanism clicks, force far beyond 99111’s strength slams the door open as water bursts through, splattering the drone and getting into its eyes and nose. The tough membrane covering the drone’s eyes serves well as a shield, but as it breathes in the salty water, the memories from yesterday drown 99111 before the water does. Wings suddenly frozen with terror and legs flailing without coordination, 99111 screams- “HELP M-” -before breathing in more water. Opening its mouth further to cough and throw up is the last straw and 99111 sinks down into the rapidly filling-up cabin.    “...High Score… please…” 99111’s world moves and a spike of burning agony rammed through its mind wakes it up. Its barrel cracks from outside force pushing at its belly, and it finds itself held above the surface of water once again.  This time, however, the face it can see mere inches from its own is 10013’s. “Wh-” 99111 opens its mouth which gets immediately closed by 10013’s hoof. “Hive link only! I copied a transformation into your head as best I could but it might not be complete and I don’t doubt it hurt. DON’T use it right now,” 10013 stops 99111’s reflex. 99111 nods, hanging for dear life with its forelegs around for some reason buoyant 10013’s neck. Carefully kicking its legs, 10013 moves them both towards the bolted down wardrobe the corner of which is above water. “Hang onto this for a second,” it says. When trembling 99111 latches onto the wood, a green shimmer passes 10013 who sinks into the water. A few moments later, 10013 drags itself back towards the surface by the wood of the wardrobe and faces 99111, “Everyone else is scared but only you were the one panicking beyond any control, so I came here first. Good thing too.” “...I’m sorry…” mumbles 99111. In the real world, 10013 pulls it into a hug with one leg, using the other holding the wardrobe to keep itself steady. “Now, this is going to be terrifying, buddy, but I know you can do it. Use the transformation and take a deeeeep breath,” says 10013 after letting go of 99111 whose barrel balloons up, “Good job!” the drone leader does the same and now they’re both easily bobbing on the water, their heads bumping into the new ‘ceiling’, “I dug a hole in the side of the ship-” “What?” “The corridors were full of fleeing ponies and floating… everything. I don’t know if we can get out that way. Besides, the ship is already sinking. If 387 gets angry with me for that anyway…” 10013 grits its teeth, “Then so be it. I’m getting you out.” “I’m sorry you had to come here first-” mumbles 99111 again. *Slap!* “Keep it together, please!” 10013 rubs 99111’s cheek after hitting it, “The worst is yet to come. We might have enough air or we might not, but we for sure WON’T if you panic during the next part. If we get through the hole then this transformation should get us up to the surface but it’s gonna be a while. Hook your foreleg through a hole in my hind leg. I’ll lead the way. Ready?”  “No,” 99111 trembles but starts taking a deep breath again. “AND THAT’S THE DRONE WAY!” 10013 grins and starts dragging itself under the water, fighting against the air inside its buoy form pulling it upwards. The underwater darkness is so much worse than the simple lack of light in the tunnels. Where their bioluminescent eyes would normally cast enough light to achieve some direction, now it barely helps 10013 see the nearest surface to grab onto and pull. Thankfully, the moment the duo drag themselves through the dug out hole, the direction in which the air inside them is pushing them changes, causing them to begin tumbling upwards along the side of the ship. It takes all 99111’s effort not to scream as it loses direction and starts moving against its will, but 10013’s hind leg is there, the only thing keeping it from panicking again and this time drowning for sure. Its lungs are burning, its head is throbbing, but eventually its ears pop along with a cacophony of noise assaulting it. Distant screaming, crashing waves… …the roaring of wind and rain.  99111 opens its eyes and breathes in. The ship is partially submerged on its side with a horrific vertical tear leading from the top deck all the way down and letting water inside. I’m alive… “We’re not done here, buddy,” 10013 senses that 99111 is barely remaining conscious against the onslaught of stress, “We gotta figure out what’s happening,  where it’s safe, and how to get the others there!”