//------------------------------//
// Lobby 
// Story: How to Disappear Completely 
// by shortskirtsandexplosions 
//------------------------------//

	Flash was led inside the candy shop and it was then—under the bright glow of artificial lighting—that he finally experienced the full degree of dizziness.  He stumbled more than once, much to his embarrassment, but Octavia was swift to keep him steady.  Soon, he was led to a plush red chair situated in front of an adorably tiny round table.  He sat down slowly, and as his vision fogged and unfogged, his ears made out Bon Bon's distressed voice.

"Oh goodness!  Did he hurt himself?"

"Fell right off the ladder!" Lyra's voice squeaked.  "I-I think he might have broken his spine in a million places!"

"Oh n-no!"

"He'll have to eat with the assistance of unicorn nurses!  Bed sores will be his nemeses for the rest of his life!"

Octavia groaned, "Ladies... calm down.  He just banged his head, that's all.  Good heavens..."

"You okay there, Brad?" Bon Bon asked from behind the counter.

"What did Princess Buttercup ever see in Humperdinck?"  Flash Sentry dribbled, eyes rolling.  "She could have just said 'no' when he first proposed to her..."

Bon Bon and Lyra's noses scrunched with perfect synchronization.  "Huh?"

"Ahem."  Octavia looked over at the other mares.  "Could you, perchance, procure something cold?  Ice-chilled, preferably."

"For his head?" Bon Bon asked.

"Precisely."  Octavia nodded.

"I-I've got some flavor ice!"  Bon Bon said with a nervous lilt to her voice.  Putting on a hopeful smile, she turned and dashed towards the back room.  "Just wait right there!"

"I'll come help!" Lyra said, chasing the mare.

"Lyra, I can get it on my own—"

"I feel c-calmer around you, though!"

"Oh Lyra..."

As the pair rushed into the backroom, Flash Sentry sat up straight in the chair, catching his breath.

"Stay focused," Octavia spoke firmly.  "Does it hurt?"

"Just... kind of woozy," Flash Sentry muttered, teetering a bit in his seat.  He gulped.  "Everybody... everypony here is so friggin' nice."

Octavia raised an eyebrow.  "Is there a reason why we shouldn't be?"

"And another thing too..."  Flash smiled crookedly as his vision fully returned.  He glanced her way.  "Is Carrot Cake—like—the only stallion in all of Equestria?  Heheh... talk about pressure..."

"... ... ..."  Wordlessly, Octavia took a calm seat across from him.  She folded her forelimbs atop the table and gazed with placid purple eyes.  "Mister Brad... you're not from around here, are you?"

"Heh..."  He rubbed his head, only to wince.  There was the pain.  His spine shook, and soon he was sighing.  "What was your first clue?"

"In fact, I doubt you're even from this continent," Octavia muttered.  "Or this planet."

The teenager froze in place.  He felt his ears drooping—his tail curling tightly to his flank.  He knew that every pony body part was giving a pony signal of pony guilt.  It didn't help that Octavia was staring resolutely—almost sternly—at him the entire time.

"Isn't that... k-kinda silly... M-Miss Melody?" he wheezed, feeling fifteen years younger and stupider in the crack of his voice.

"In a world ripe with magic, 'silly' comes with the territory," Octavia said matter-of-factly.  Her tone was "librarian," Flash thought, and it almost eased him until she said the next bit:  "But you wouldn't know much about magic, would you?"  She tilted her head to the side.  "Just as you wouldn't know anything about flying or the Princesses or Canterlot."

"You saying... that I'm not a pony?"

Octavia raised an eyebrow.  "Is that what I'm saying?"

Flash winced.  He rubbed the growing ache in his fuzzy skull and cursed beneath his breath.

"What exactly—pray tell—are 'shit nuggets?'" Octavia repeated.

A groan escaped the stallion's lips.  "Please forgive me.  I promise.  I'm not here to hurt anypony."

"Oh, of that I am perfectly certain," Octavia said.

Flash's eyes darted her way.  "You are?"

"You're not very much capable of anything, Mr. Brad," she said.  "At least harmful."  She waved a hoof in the air.  "Your penchant for cleaning gutters is sublime.  Let's not debate that."  Her eyes narrowed.  "But you're not exactly in your element, and I think it's remarkable that you've maintained yourself so well.  Quite swimmingly so with the locals."

"But... n-not with you?"  There was a melting tone to Flash's voice.

Octavia leaned back with a contemplative sigh.  "To be perfectly honest, I didn't think much of it until you questioned the very nature of the Princesses."

"Yeah, well..."  Flash chuckled out the side of his muzzle.  "A dude who's into princesses probably needs to go see a shrink."  He gulped.  "I'm not making any since, am I?  Do horses get concussions?"

Octavia suddenly asked:  "Are you from the portal world?"

Flash did a double-take.  "The what world?"

Octavia spoke:  "A few months ago... something phenomenal happened across the Kingdom of Equestria.  Now—we are used to magical anomalies."  She rolled her eyes.  "And villainous creatures—I shudder to say—happen with every season.  But this scenario was quite different.  It came and went like a summer storm."  Her gaze centered on Flash as she explained, "Several large... holes opened in the sky.  By that—I mean inexplicable gateways to another world.  They were mostly witnessed by pegasi... but a few were seen by mountain villagers and valley townsfolk.  Ponies described large... windows as t'were... windows that looked into a world with tall buildings made out of steel... wagons that could move on their own... and a curious population of bipedal creatures—all incredibly taller and larger than equine beings."

Flash was already chewing on his bottom lip.  He thought about the Friendship Games.  He thought about Principal Cinch egging on her prized pupil.  He thought about the holes torn through reality as a result of it—and the near calamity that struck all of Canterlot High and the surrounding counties when a mystical demoness ultimately manifested herself.  And after all the things he remembered, it was the very last detail that made him wince the most.  He looked towards Octavia with a guilty expression, and he almost took responsibility for it all with the tone in his voice:  "Was anypony hurt?"

Octavia tilted her head aside at that.  "Not at all.  At least—none that I'm aware of."  She took a breath.  "The portals disappeared just as quickly as they began.  But ponies were talking about them for weeks afterwards.  It didn't help that they helped confirmed some wild rumors that had been floating around for years."

"Rumors?"

"Of the gateways," Octavia said.  "Canterlot Castle prides itself on having an exemplary, courageous, honorific Royal Guard."  She nearly snorted—daintily so.  "However, that does not stave off the inevitable gossip that comes with protecting such supremely important things.  For a while now—ever since the redemption of Luna—there's been talk of gateways... mirror doors to other worlds.  Several ponies believe that one exists in every royal castle in Equestria.  In fact, a lot of ponies think that one is secretly being held here in Princess Twilight's palace."

"Gateways...?"  Flash's muzzle hung agape.  "You mean there's more than one?"

Octavia merely blinked.

With a gulp, Flash leaned away from her.  "I really suck at this, don't I?"

"That depends."  Octavia cocked her head aside.  "Concern what must you be... 'sucking?'"

"You're... you're not afraid of me, are you?" Flash murmured.

After a deep breath, Octavia folded her forelimbs and said, "No."

Flash's shoulders relaxed slightly.

"At least, I'm not concerned for myself," Octavia murmured.  "For you—on the other hoof—I don't quite know what to think.  If you are indeed from another world completely... what would compel you to come here?"

"Please, I don't mean to make a big scene," Flash said.

"No offense, Mr. Brad—if that's your real name—but you're not exactly good at avoiding awkwardness, are you?"

He winced.

She saw it, and she donated a gentle smile to ease the tension.  "I can tell that you're quite eager to make friends here.  If it helps you to know, that's a remarkably equine trait... something that you should probably stick to if you truly intend to make yourself comfortable here."

"I'm not—like—moving to Equestria or anything."

"Are you not?"

Flash blinked.

"What would bring you here if not a desire for permanent residence?" Octavia asked.  "I would shudder to think that you're 'spying.'"

"I'm not spying!" he hissed.  His ears folded back as he sighed.  "Look, I dunno.  I just..."  He gazed down at the floor.  The pain in his head was throbbing now.  "... ... ...I just want to be away for a while."

"Away from what?"

Flash clammed up.

Octavia nodded knowingly.  "I do not mean to press.  Regardless, I'm certain you can respect my concern."

"I do.  And thank you."  He looked up slightly.  "It's appreciated.  I'm sure the others would appreciate it too."

"From what I can tell, they don't know better.  But mark my words—they'll notice soon enough.  If you wish to continue this masquerade—for whatever purpose—you will wish to be less stiff about it."

"Stiff?"

"Relax.  Be yourself," Octavia said.  "For starters—what is your real name?"

"I... I'm not sure I can tell them..."

"But you can tell me," the mare remarked.  "I do believe I deserve that, at least, yes?"

He gulped.  "Flash," he said.  "Flash Sentry."

Octavia let loose a delicate little laugh.  "I don't see why you bothered with 'Brad.'  Your real name is far more pony than anything else I've heard you say."

He smiled nervously at her.  He breathed a bit easier.

"Well then, Mr. Sentry..."  Octavia brushed her smoky bangs back.  "Your secret is safe with me—at least until you're comfortable enough to tell the others yourself."

He practically whimpered:  "Th-thanks.  That means a whole lot to me."

"Yes..."  Octavia squinted at him.  Her voice was soft and contemplative.  "I can tell that it does."

Before Flash could respond to that, the air filled with the scampering of little lady hooves.

"We're b-back!"  Bon Bon exclaimed, carrying a plastic bag full of blue ice.  "Sorry it took so long!  I had to refill the ice machine with water!"

"And I helped!" Lyra exclaimed.  Her horn glowed as she telekinetically grabbed the cold package and glided it across the air.  "Here you go!"

The thing collided with Flash's skull, mushing in place.  Whap!

"Ow!"  Flash clenched his teeth hard.  "Balls!"

"Lyra, honestly!"  Octavia chided.

Lyra grimaced hard.  "Oops..."  She lifted a hoof, shivering.  "I-I just wanted to make sure his head—"

"Was totally dashed asunder?  Bloody Tartarus, love..."  Octavia leaned in and gently spread the cold bag over Flash's forehead.  "Here.  Just apply gentle pressure.  It should relieve the pain."

"Yeah... I getcha..."  Flash leaned back, pressing the package to his skull—relishing in its cold, blissful touch.  "And thanks."  He looked over his shoulder.  "I mean it."

"Just sit back and try to rest yourself," Bon Bon said with a smile.  "We only want the best for you, Mr. Brad."

Flash glanced at Octavia, then back at the others.  "Somehow... I totally believe that."  He gulped.  "Now... about the gutters..."

Bon Bon was about to protest...

...when the door to the front of the establishment ringed.  A brownish-gray horse with slicked hair and a necktie mosey'd on in, standing tall and proud with an even taller, prouder smile.  "Well, good day to you fine fillies," he said with a slight accent, deep and twangy.  "Sure is a beautiful day in Ponyville, don'tcha think?"

Flash Sentry's blood ran cold, and it was not because of the ice.

"Filthy Rich!"  Bon Bon chirped, instantly twirling to face him.  "What a pleasure!"

"Uh uh uh..."  Filthy waved a hoof, smiling.  "Just 'Mr. Rich,' will do, darlin'.  Heheh... we've been over this."

"A thousand pardons."

"How's business?"

"A little slow this week, but the numbers are better than last month."

"Well, I'm mighty glad to hear it!"  Filthy adjusted his tie, admiring the decor of the place.  "A young entrepreneurial soul such as yourself is bound to move up the ladder like lightning!"

Bon Bon giggled.  "Well, I don't know about that, but I'm glad to have made friends with so many patrons."

"Now about that discussion we had last week..."

"Oh!  Yes!"  Bon Bon leaned on the tip of her hooves.  "I'll have the peppermint rolls delivered by Friday!"

"By Friday?  Why—my dear—you don't have to hurry!  I was hoping for next Monday—"

"I... uh... I got an extra start."  Bon Bon smiled sheepishly.  "I really appreciate this opportunity to have my own patented sweets displayed at Barnyard Bargains."

"Well, it'll help us both, my dear," Filthy Rich said.  "And you bet your pretty mane that I'll be passing out loads of pamphlets concerning this place."  He leaned aside, winking.  "I reckon you'll be referring ponies to my store all the same..."

"Heehee!  You bet!"

"Well, alright then!  Looks like all our ducks are in a row!"  Filthy glanced at a tiny cylindrical canister atop the counter.  "What's this here?"

"Uhm... a local fundraiser," Bon Bon explained.  "It's to help Miss Cheerilee set up a new recreational center for colts and fillies."

"Well, sounds like a good cause if I've ever heard one!"  Filthy reached into his bit bag and grabbed a liberal amount of coins.  He proceeded to plink them neatly through the narrow slot of the canister.  "Our young'ns are growing up mighty quick!  Feels like only yesterday that lil' DT was learning how to trot on all four hooves.  Figures she could learn a thing or two from a gymnasium.  So could all the others."

"Hehe!  I know, right?"

All the while, Flash was watching—and listening—with a stunned expression.  His ears perked up as he murmured, "Holy cow..."

Octavia leaned in.  "Hmmm?  What seems to be the matter?"

"He's actually not a douche bag here..."

Octavia's muzzle scrunched.  "I beg your pardon?"

Flash adjusted the cold press to his head as he looked at her.  "You know... a douche..."

Octavia's muzzle scrunched even harder.

"That thing that girls use to clean their... I-I mean to rinse their..."  Flash coughed.  "Do horse girls even need to...?"

Octavia's muzzle resembled a velvety raisin at this point.

"Yeah..."  Flash wheezed, turning towards the front of the candy store.  "...not very 'relaxed,' Flash..."