How to Disappear Completely

by shortskirtsandexplosions


Blend

"Sunset Shimmer is... was the apprentice to Princess Celestia," Flash Sentry explained. "That's about... as much as I've learned about her life here in Equestria." He looked across the gondola of Prince Blueblood's skiff. "Seems like a really important role. I guess. I dunno. Anyways..." Stifling a yawn, he sat on folded forelimbs and continued. "At some point she went to the Dark Side."

"She what?" Soarin asked.

"She turned evil. Kinda sorta. Whatever. She wasn't a very nice pony."

"Well, if she's 'Marefriend Number One,' then she turned out to be a real supervillain."

"Heh. You know it, dude."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. Where was I...?" Flash blinked. "Oh yeah. So... she turned against Princess Celestia... or something. She came to Earth—my Earth—and while on some sort of power trip she came up with a way to use the magic funneling through the portal to dominate everything on my side."

"Yeesh."

"Oh, yeah, it sounds crazy. Only 'cuz it was. Sunset Shimmer... wasn't exactly in the right mindset for a long time. I don't know what went down between her and Celestia, but it couldn't have been pretty. So... uh... sometime after she arrived, she went back through the portal into Equestria. She was able to grab this... this thing called the Element of Magic and bring it back. With it—she had the power to transform into a crazy demon girl and mind control everyone she came in contact with. But that's when Twilight Sparkle—the Princess of Friendship—came through the mirror after her and stopped Sunset in her tracks. I... uh... I helped Twilight as much as I could at the time, cuz it was long after I had broken up with Sunset and I was... I was pretty smitten with Twilight when she first arrived—"

"Wait a second..." Soarin gestured. "Hold on just a minute..." His jaw hung agape. "You mean to say that Princess Twilight Sparkle—the Princess of Friendship—is 'Marefriend Number Two'?"

"Uh huh."

"And you had a hoof in helping her take down an Equestrian supervillain... who happened to be your 'Marefriend Number One?'"

Flash gulped. Flash sighed. Flash nodded. "Uh huh... ... ..."

"Phweeeeeeee..." Soarin leaned back, fanning himself. "Dude... no wonder you've got issues."

"Mrmmmmmm..." Flash buried his face in his hooves again. "Tell me about it."

Soarin winced. Fidgeting, he blurted, "But!" A hopeful smile. "You saved the day, didn't you? Or at least Twilight did." He twitched. "Princess Twilight and you."

"Oh, trust me..." Flash looked up with a faint glimmer of warmth in his otherwise dull eyes. "Sunset Shimmer turned over a new leaf. She's... almost unrecognizable from the bit—" He grimaced, but swiftly twisted his words: "—bitter teen she used to be. Like... she's done so much good... so much good for Canterlot High and the people back where I'm from. It's... it's really..." A weak smile—weak but earnest. "It's really something else." A nod of the head, eyes full of clouds. "I wouldn't mind being friends with her now. I guess... I guess there's nothing stopping me, it's just..." His words trailed off.

Soarin blinked curiously. "And Princess Twilight..." He already knew the answer.

Flash gave it anyways. "She went back. Back here. To Equestria."

"Is..." Soarin searched with his eyes. "...is that the reason you came through the portal—?"

"No!" Flash sneered.

Soarin legitimately jumped back.

Flash blinked... then sighed. "Trust me. Twilight Sparkle is the last pony I want to see right now."

"You sure about that, bro?"

"... ... ..."

"Because..." Soarin rubbed his chin, then shrugged. "...because maybe it wouldn't hurt, y'know?" His eyes narrowed. "Maybe you should just go on and let her find you."

"No." Flash was quieter this time. He shook his head. "No, I... I gotta do what I gotta do on my own."

Soarin chuckled, gesturing at the skiff. "Does this count as being on your own?"

Flash bit his lip.

After half-a-minute passed...

"Burned by an apprentice of royalty," Soarin murmured. "Then falling head over hooves for the Alicorn of Friendship." He smirked sideways. "If I didn't know better, bro, I'd say you had a thing for prince—"

"Don't."

Soarin shrugged. "I mean... that's tough. That's real tough, dude. I feel for you. Believe me."

"Thanks..." Flash looked off.

"Still doesn't explain a few things," Soarin remarked.

"Well... it's simple, really..." Flash gestured. "Sunset Shimmer—from what I understand—has this magic book. She can write in it and a pony on this side of the portal can read it. I think it's how she manages to keep up with both Celestia and Twilight. She communicates with them like... a long range magical cell phone service—"

"That's cool and all, but not what I meant," Soarin said. "Never mind how Twilight's come to know that you're here in Equestria. That doesn't bother me anymore." Soarin's brow furrowed. "What bothers me is..."

"Yeah...?"

"Why... like..." Soarin fidgeted. "...why is this Sunset Shimmer... who has obviously committed grave crimes in this world and beyond... who has been defeated by the Princess of Friendship...—why is she allowed to stay in the human world..." He stared sharply at Flash. "...but for some reason you're not allowed to stay here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Flash gulped. "I'm just a kid, Soarin. Lawfully... human or not... I've got no reason to be in this world. I ran away and now—"

"Dude..." Soarin bore a sincere expression. "You're miserable over there. That's super flippin' obvious!" A blink. "Over here, you positively glow. Sure... you're sleepless and crazy as a lark—but we can work on that!" He grinned warmly. "We can fix it! We can get you to where you need to be and—heck—you can start a brand new life here! I mean... wouldn't that be awesome?" He even chuckled. "I mean... you've got all the qualities of a good pony! Really, you do! Just look at you! You're..." He waved a hoof. "You're kind-hearted. You're courageous! You're obviously attuned to the Elements of Harmony. Figuratively and literally! I mean—you helped Princess Twilight get back her Element, after all."

"It's not that simple, Soarin—"

"Why?" Soarin smirked wryly. "Because you're some 'icky' and 'untrustworthy human?' Tch... come off it, bro. You're totally... totally pony material! If Sunset Shimmer can live in your place, then I don't see why you can't live in a place like Equestria. I mean—you practically blend right in!"

"... ... ..." Flash blinked. "You mean I can disappear."

Soarin looked at him sideways. "Like... isn't that what you wanted from the beginning?"

Flash Sentry was silent. If he had an answer, there wasn't one to give at the moment. The clouds rolled by, and the bright glimmer of the day melted all around him.