//------------------------------// // Filler // Story: How to Disappear Completely // by shortskirtsandexplosions //------------------------------// The sun had fully risen, and with its light came a mesmerizing array of canyons, ravines, and chasms. They stretched infinitely beneath the floating prow of the Midnight Oil and—subsequently—beneath Flash Sentry. He gazed in wonder at the elaborate topography of the region, never staying particularly uniform in shape or configuration—but a constant chaotic shift of rock, granite, and limestone. How the ponies piloting Fancy Pants' prized vessel could manage to navigate that area of Equestria—much less tell east from west—was a mystery to the young teenager. As the morning waxed on, Flash took note of the vessel's propulsion. A series of large metal fans positioned at the stern helped guide the ship forward, maintaining its remarkably swift velocity. Even though he couldn't figure out precisely what was steering the craft, he was pretty certain it was mechanical. It was of strange relief to him that not everything in that universe was bound by magic. Despite the casual attitude of the ship's owner, the crew operated with utmost efficiency, minding their posts and keeping the vessel's operations in order. Gone was the awkward incompetence he briefly witnessed when he first landed on board. Then again, there wasn't a wayward young prince falling overboard every other second. Flash wasn't certain who or what these "Diamond Dogs" were that Fancy Pants and Prince Blueblood were attempting to negotiate with. Neither did he know who they were rendezvousing with. All in all, the teenager was a confused observer of this business affair—which wasn't entirely a strange experience to be having in the land of Equestria. Only this time—it would seem—he was being carried along for the ride. The Midnight Oil was simply doing the job of "being carried away by the breeze" for him, which made the whole prospect simpler. In the end, Flash decided not to stress it. All that mattered was that he stay out of everypony's way and plan—someway, somehow—to return back to Ponyville once he was done observing everything. He still had Vinyl Scratch's headphones to give back, after all. The sun rose higher. It was approaching noon, and the cool breeze warmed slightly. Flash spent most of the trip near the bow, drinking in the scenery unfolding beneath him. The pony crewmembers all around him didn't possess any noticeable electronic machinery. Nor did he detect any wireless communicators or advanced forms of navigation. What's more, the landscape beneath him seemed... curiously bereft of civilized culture. Sure, "Diamond Dogs" lived out there—but he only knew that because he was told. Plus... these canine beasts sounded fantastical at best. It was Flash's guess that Equestria as a nation was—by and large—mostly uninhabited... or else just sparsely populated. When he used to hear brief descriptions of the place beyond the mirror-portal back home, he envisioned sprawling cityscapes and royal metropolises. Instead, everything seemed... barren. Majestic. Expansive. It was as though he was flying over a grand frontier of spectacle and amazement. It was far different from what he expected, and it was a pleasant surprise. The land of ponies was a simple place, Flash realized. And that was fine by him. He liked simple. Or—at least—he could get used to it. That was as equally frightening a prospect as it was hypnotizing. He lessened his anxieties by listening to the rambling words of those around him, most chiefly Fancy Pants...