An Island, Two Mares and a Bottle of Rum

Chapter Twelve

Stealthy Ponies, Nosy Mares and Wonderful Booze

***

Clop clop clop.

A shadowy figure galloped across the corridor, turning round the corner.

Clop clop clop.

Reaching for a nearby vase, the figure concealed itself behind the porcelain object, looking around cautiously. Finally, seeing that there was nopony around, it trotted towards the sacred wooden door - the kitchen.

As she entered the room, Vinyl exhaled in relief and turned on the light. The kitchen was empty, given the late hour; and that was only good, for she didn't want to be caught rummaging through the crew's wine supplies, especially after the aforementioned crew had granted her and her marefriend a room on board.

The DJ tiptoed towards a stack of boxes that was crowning the corner of the cramped kitchen and began running through the contents. She took a bottle of red wine (at least it seemed red to her) and began searching for something harder, maybe some whisky or-

Oh Merciful Celestia! Vinyl staggered back, wide-eyed. The sight that had been just revealed to her through a divine revelation was mesmerising. It felt as if she had just died and ended up in heaven. She had just witnessed the ultimate meaning of life, and the final goal and the source of everything awesome in the world.

Right before her, lay a box full of beautiful one-litre bottles that smiled at her and begged to take them. Bottles full of rum. Staggering, Vinyl reached for the box with her magic, grasping it tight in her telekinetic grip.

"There, there, babies," she cooed, cradling the box with a smile. "Mommy's here; mommy will take care of you..." She pondered for a moment. "Well, maybe share you with mommy's marefriend..."

"Talking to inanimate objects is the first sign of approaching insanity."

Vinyl yelped, dropping the box, thankfully, without damaging the precious alcohol, and turned round quickly, seeing a mint unicorn mare leaning against the door, her hooves crossed, a smug grin upon her face.

"Just so you know," the mint mare concluded, standing on all fours and trotting towards the fridge.

"Who the hay are you?" Vinyl wondered suspiciously, protecting the sacred box with her body.

The unicorn opened the freezer, levitating a bag of hayfries, humming under her breath. "I can ask the same question. Stealing rum, huh? Way to the spend the night." She concentrated her magic and the bag popped open.

Vinyl rubbed her chin thoughfully. "It ain't stealing if I share, right?" she asked carefully.

The mint mare laughed, frying her food magically. That's some quality spellcasting, Vinyl mused. Far beyond my limits. "I like the way you think." She shook her head. "No, thank you. My forte is... hunting after bigger fish, so to speak." The mare chuckled, tossing the confused DJ a wink.

"It ain't fish. It's rum," Vinyl retorted blandly, eyeing the mare. Is she stupid or what? "Good ol' stuff, you know?"

"Oh, a simpleton. I see," the mint unicorn observed, placing the hot hayfries back in the bag.

"Well, maybe I am!" Vinyl snapped, taking a defensive stance. "If I knew what that means!"

"Not on good terms with grammar as well," the mysterious mare said with a chuckle and trotted towards the door. "Good night... What was your name again?"

"Vinyl," the DJ replied coldly. "Vinyl Scratch."

"Lyra Heartstrings," the mare introduced herself and opened the door. "Good night, Vinyl Scratch."

With that, she took her leave, leaving Vinyl blinking dumbly at her new acquaintance.

"All ponies on this ship are crazy," the white mare mumbled, lifting the box and checking the contents. "There are no brakes on the crazy ship..."

***

"Tavi, I brought some booze!" Vinyl exclaimed cheerfully, trotting into the small stateroom.

The cellist yelped, quickly covering herself with a blanket, blushing fiercely. "Vinyl!" she yelled angrily. "Didn't they teach you to knock before entering?!"

Vinyl blinked in astonishment. "Well, I didn't... Wait a minute." A sudden realisation dawned upon her. "Tavi, you were-! Aw dammit!" The DJ pouted, eyeing the embarrassed mare.  

"I told you not to get started without me!"