"Oh dearest Octaaaaaaaaaviaaaaaaaa," sang the unicorn as she burst through the front door. "I've got a surprise for yoooooou!"
"Mnnngh." With a sigh, the gray mare delicately put her cello in its stand and turned her gaze on her. "Hello, Vinyl Scratch. What is it this time?"
The white mare reached her magic into her saddlebags and, with a flourish, produced a small set of seashells strung together with what seemed to be fishing-net string. "Taaaa-daaaaaaaa! For you, my lady."
Octavia took the object, carefully turning it around in her hooves. The shells had strange letters etched on them, and an odd white carving of a fish was hooked on between them. "...what is it?"
"It's a bracelet! The guy who I bought it from says it represents some guardian spirit, so I thought you'd like it. You know, a way to keep you safe if you're ever out on the ocean."
"Vinyl, when would I ever be out on the ocean?"
"Funny you should ask that!" the unicorn replied. "You know how our anniversary is next friday?"
Octavia leveled a look at her. "It's next thursday, actually."
Vinyl winced. "Oh. Well... then it's a good thing I got week-long cruise tickets!" Her magic shot into her saddlebags, pulling two slips of paper out, and she waved them in the gray mare's face with a wide grin. "Eh? Eh?"
"...A cruise."
"Yep!"
"...A cruise."
"...You're... not hydrophobic, are you?" Vinyl asked.
"No, I just... why a cruise?" Octavia asked. "I mean, you don't usually go all out like this. Did you win a raffle?"
"Wh--no! I just..."
Vinyl sighed, walking over to the couch and sitting down. "I... I know my job keeps me away at nights, and for long stretches of time. I... know we don't see each other as often as we used to, and... I just thought, if I could be with you, for at least a little bit, if I could... we've gotten a little distant, I think. I want to change that. I do. And getting away from it all--just you and me, on a ship to Haywaii, maybe we could, I don't know, rekindle the fire."
Octavia managed to keep her surprise down to a simple blink. "...You... actually want to do this for... us?"
"Yeah."
The cellist took a moment to examine the bracelet still resting in her hooves. "...I have to admit, you... do have a point. We haven't seen that much of each other, recently."
"I know, and I... I'm really sorry, Tavi. I really am."
"...why is it," Octavia mused, "that whenever I think I have you figured out, you surprise me?"
Vinyl grinned. "You want the philosophical answer or the snappy quip?"
The gray mare rose an eyebrow. "I suppose I should hear both."
"Well, the philosophical answer is that people are constantly experiencing the world and internalizing those experiences into processing, resulting in a constantly evolving personality that can produce unexpected results if given enough time." The unicorn leaned into the couch. "The snappy quip? I remix everything, babe."
Octavia shook her head, though there was a faint smile on her lips. "I should have expected that. Oh well, a cruise actually sounds like an incredible idea." She gave the unicorn a sly glance as she sashayed out. "I can't wait to see you in a swimsuit."
"...Vinyl Scratch, why are you wearing broadshorts?"
"Okay, first of all, they're trunks--they don't go below the knee." The unicorn flipped her mane. "And, well, they cover my cutie mark. I don't want to be distracted by fans asking for autographs--this week is about you and me, not DJ PON-3."
Octavia sighed. "I... suppose I can see the reasoning behind that," she grumbled.
Vinyl smirked. "What, were you hoping to get some fine flank view? Cause you know, that can still happen at some point."
"What I was hoping for," the gray mare deadpanned, "was to see you embracing your feminine side."
"...I'm interpreting that as fine flank view."
"And maybe a little maturity."
"I can be mature!" Vinyl protested. "See how I'm not staring at how incredible your flank looks in that one-piece? I'm treating you like a person, not a pinup."
Octavia blushed. "That--I--you can't--"
"Unless," Vinyl cooed, "you want me to treat you like a pinup. Say the word, Tavi. Just say the word--"
The flustered gray mare shoved her suitcase at the unicorn. "Just--I--I'm going to find, find a place on the deck for us. Take these to our room, please?"
"Sure. Oh! You still have the bracelet, right?"
Octavia rose her hoof with a small grin, showing her the ring of seashells. "Yes, I still have the bracelet."
"Great! Just want to make sure." Vinyl hefted the suitcase onto her back. "I mean, just in case anything happens."
The cellist rolled her eyes. "Do you really think a charm bracelet's going to keep me safe?"
"Hey, the guy who sold it to me said it represented a guardian spirit. Kapha... Ka'hoopy..."
"You know," Octavias deadpanned as Vinyl pulled a card from her wallet, "if you can't pronounce it--"
"No, I got this! Here it is. Ka'ahupahau. She trapped sharks. Or, is a shark? I don't know." The unicorn shrugged. "Look, the point is I trust Ka'hoopy will keep you safe."
"Really."
"Hey, I paid good money for that bracelet!" Vinyl said. "Even if it doesn't work, it's still pretty, right?"
"Well, yes, I suppose it is." Octavia shook her head. "Look at me, being so critical--I really need to relax."
"Yeah, this is a vacation."
"You know what? You're right." The mare held her head up straight. "I'm going to march right up that gangplank, find a place to tan, and plop myself right down. After all, what's the worst that could--?"
"'Scuse me!" A gold and grey pony shot by them and rushed onto the cruise ship.
Octavia blinked. "How rude!"
"Well, they're departing in, like, three minutes." Vinyl shrugged. "We really should get moving."
"Ah, yes! Onward, then. A week of relaxation is just what I need."
Rest, Relaxation, and Rabbits
"Aaaaaaaaah..."
Octavia let herself stretch out on the chaise lounge next to the deck pool, her legs burning faintly as they reached their limits before they relaxed. She reached out idly to the side table next to her, picking up a trifold mirror and opening it. A pleased hum murmured past her lips as the rays of the sun focused gently on her face. True, with her coat color she didn't really need a tan, but that didn't mean that sunbathing now and again wasn't relaxing.
Her fun in the sun was interrupted when she felt a shadow fall over face and, reluctantly, opened her eyes. Perched atop her mirror was a stern-looking white bunny with a captain's cap upon his head.
"Oh. Hello. Are you the ship mascot?"
The rabbit frowned, pointing at the hat.
"Oh, the captain, I see." After a moment, Octavia shrugged and decided to roll with it. "Very well then. It's a pleasure to meet you sir. What can I do for you?"
Narrowing his eyes, the rabbit produced a pamphlet from his hat and pointed at a specific portion.
"...only guests may use the provided tanning equipment?" Octavia blinked. "But I am a guest. This is my vacation."
The white paw moved down the pamphlet to the entertainment schedule.
"Ensemble performance?" Octavia blinked, looking down at her cutie mark. "Ah! I apologize, captain, but while I am a musician by trade I feel I must re-emphasize that this is a vacation for me, not a hired musician."
The rabbit remained unconvinced.
Octavia frowned. "I can understand wanting some professionalism from those in your employee, sir, but at the same time disturbing your clientele will only result in negative reviews which could harm your business. Would you kindly step off my tanning mirror please?"
After a moment, the rabbit pointed a paw at his eyes, shifted it to her, and hopped off the mirror. Octavia looked on as he bounded away, her brow raised.
Then she leaned back into her chaise lounge. "Well, that just happened."
"Tavi! Hey!" Vinyl Scratch trotted up with a grin. "Got our stuff stowed away. How's it going up here?"
"I just had a most interesting encounter with a trained rabbit."
"Oh, you met the captain?" The unicorn slouched onto the lounge next to her. "How was that?"
"Well, apparently he thought I was one of the musicians hired for--" Octavia blinked, turning to Vinyl. "Wait. Was he actually the captain?"
"Yep. Captain Angel Bunny, fluffiest sailor since Commodore Vellón."
"...How does a rabbit end up as the captain of a cruise liner?"
"He's got connections," Vinyl explained.
"Connec--he's a rabbit!" Octavia protested. "Even if he's somehow linked to a massively corrupt underground navy, there is no way he has the skill to run a ship!"
Vinyl shrugged. "That high up the chain, it's really just a bunch of paperwork and being able to keep cool under any circumstance. It's not like he's the helmspony or anything."
"...He's. A. Rabbit."
"Tavi." The unicorn put a hoof on her shoulder. "I get that you feel a need to question the wisdom and/or sanity of putting a rabbit in charge of a cruise liner. That's totally normal. However, this is a vacation, and you should really, really, just relax."
Octavia stared at her, mouth agape for a moment or two.
Then, with a sigh, she leaned back onto the chaise lounge. "Fine. But if we capsize, I know who to blame."
"That's the spirit!" Vinyl grinned broadly, rolling onto her back. "So... I'm guessing you want to just lay here and soak some rays up for now?"
"Quite so."
"Okey doke. I'll just... lie here." Vinyl coughed. "Beside you. Doing the same thing."
Octavia shut her eyes with a small smile. The gentle sway of the boat beneath her, the scent of salt on the wind, and the sound of water crashing against the hull combined to provide a surprisingly calming environment. She let her mind drift, drift as wood on the sea, drift as jellyfish in the ocean, drift as foam on waves. The images of various coral reefs and beaches passed through her mind, forming a dance to the rhythm of the boat.
"...just... sitting here."
Octavia didn't open her eyes, but she did roll them. "Vinyl, if you feel repressed, you're always free to--"
"No, I can relax. I can. And I'm relaxing with you, which is great." The other chaise lounge audibly squeaked, presumably as Vinyl adjusted herself. "Yep. This is what a vacation is all about. Us. Relaxing together. Sharing the experience."
"Hmm."
"Yep."
...the rhythm of the boat's rocking once more took Octavia down, down into the depths of her mind, to a place where she could simply let the sunbathe her in warmth and light and--
"So, actually, I was thinking, what should we do tonight? I mean, there's... there's the game room, or we could... I dunno... just eat, like a date, or, uh--"
"Dinner sounds good."
"Right. Riiiight."
....the rhythm of the boat once again led Octavia into a peaceful--
"Hey, there's a snorkeling class day after tomorrow. You want to do that?"
Octavia sighed, folding her mirror up. "Vinyl, if you're bored you could just say so."
"What? No! No, I'm not bored! I just... I thought, if we did some things together--"
"Fine. We'll go to the snorkeling class. Right now, though, I really do want to just relax."
"...yeah. I guess you're right. This isn't Ponyville. The crew's got everything handled. Nothing's going to happen."
"Mmmhmm. Nothing at all."
Magenta eyes peered through the flickering light of the passageway, golden hooves clipping quietly along. The pony to whom both belonged kept herself alert, unwilling to let even the smallest shadow escape her notice.
"Where are you...?" she murmured, almost to herself.
Her ear flicked, and she slipped into a crouch. With cautious steps she moved forward, her wings slowly extending. She kept her breath steady, low, as she approached the door. The sound came again, muffled through the wood; it was quiet, yet familiar.
With a grin, she reached out a hoof, grabbed the door handle, and swung the door wide. "AHUIZO...tl?"
"Meow," meowed the white cat on the couch.
"Oh. It's just you, Mr. Tibbles." The pegasus narrowed her eyes. "Wait. Ahuizotl never leaves you alone."
"You're quite right, miss Do," purred a familiar voice from behind her.
She only had the briefest moment to spin around before an all-too-familar blue hand grabbed her by the throat and slammed her against a wall.
"Don't you know how rude it is to break into a guest's room?" asked Ahuizotl with a sardonic, sharp-toothed grin.
"Was planning... on getting... some roomservice," Daring grunted.
"You're rather late, then. Not only have I already ordered roomservice, but I have triggered the Totem Tiki!"
Daring gasped. "NO! You can't have--"
"The activation was surprisingly easy," Ahuizotl gloated. "Now all I need is--ah, but you probably already know, don't you miss Do? Still," he mused as she struggled in his grasp, "you have been surprisingly problematic in the past...."
He snapped his tail fingers. "I know! I believe it's time for you to... take a swim."
