They're... ON HOLIDAY?

Day 4 - Shipwrecked?: 5/7

93's shadow falls on the duo of griffons engrossed in a chess match, making them look up when the shadow doesn't move again. With a winning smile, 93 nods to 99526 who unrolls a small package made of large leaves and goop that it's been holding under its foreleg, revealing the set of freshly made chess pieces. One entire side is made of simple green goop while the other has grains of sand scattered over them as a distinction.

This finally draws the griffons' interest and one reaches out to pick a piece, upon which 93 clears her throat with a smirk.

"Nu-uh. Not for free," she says, which makes the griffon frown and withdraw.

"You might have missed it, Missy," grumbles one griffon, "But everything we had sunk with the ship. Until the Celestial Seas Cruises gets the insurance payout we're pretty dry."

"No, really? I didn't know!" 93 gasps in a sarcastic surprise, rolling her eyes, "Seriously, catbirds, you wanna play with a real set and teach a newbie instead of repeating 'rock takes leaf' ad nauseam?"

The griffons exchange looks before one of them sweeps the makeshift 'pieces' away and redraws the grid in the sand.

"Let's call it a draw," he says.

"Pffff, sure," sneers the other, "Bughorse here saved your ass."

"We'll see about that. So where do we even start?" the first one chuckles before taking 99526's package, this time without being stopped, and begins filling the grid with the pieces, "Chess has always been the game of kings. Sometimes it's even been used to settle wars and disputes between griffon families without bloodshed. Fathers would train their sons in both tactical warfare, swordplay, and chess-"

99526 plops its butt into the sand, observes, and eventually gets an idea.

***

"Are you sure you're okay?" Shining Armor shoots yet another suspicious glance to a group of drones who have so far successfully managed to build Cadance a complete beach umbrella, a small table, and a deckchair from sticks, goop, and jungle leaves based on 10013's and 65536's earlier experiment with Chrysalis, much to the confusion of other cruise guests. Now they're resting around in the sun, enjoying the flow of love from Cadance nourishing them, "Not feeling weak, tired, or anything?"

"Honeyyy, we've been over this. Four times so far, actually," Cadance smiles at him in yet another attempt to comfort him, "They're not even draining me, I'm just radiating and they're eating it. It's sort of fun to watch, actually, but I doubt anyone here could see what I see using magic," she glances at 20100 who kicks its hind leg as its ears twitch, "Heh, nom!"

"Fine," Shining Armor sighs, "Just... be careful, okay? If you feel anything out of place- nnngh?!" he almost swallows his tongue when, as one, every single surrounding drone raises its head and they all look in the same direction towards the jungle without any audible communication or prompt.

"Whoah!" Cadance blinks in surprise as well.

"Thank you for the love, food princess!" 10013 stands up, waves at her with a look back and a smile.

One moment later, all drones are gone, obscured by the other guests.

"Creepy! I told you they were creepy!" the unicorn huffs.

"Shiny..." Cadance rolls her eyes.

"I have to see where those weirdos ran off!" Shining runs off.

Following the nefarious black menace, the Emperor of the Crystal Empire tracks the drones down towards the edge of the jungle and to a duo of griffons playing a match of chess with a bigger, female changeling unknown to Shining.