//------------------------------//
// A Very Short Journey 
// Story: Legends of Equestria: The Long Road Back 
// by JimmyHook19 
//------------------------------//

Another day proceeded to dawn in the sky, as days are known to do from time to time, and our brave duo awoke in their beds and sat up. Almost immediately after getting up, they headed downstairs and into the downstairs area of the hotel in which they were staying, which was very nice. As their food was taken to them alongside hearty morning doses of coffee (coffee is apparently served in doses now), Starswirl looked in concern at Mistmane.

"There's something that is concerning me greatly," he said, as the band struck up another block of peppy tunes. "Project 722 seemed to know where we were with alarming levels of accuracy. How did they manage that, I wonder?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Mistmane admitted. "But they seem to have very advanced technology and a lot of support to back them up. Just who runs them?"

"I've got you covered for that piece of information," Starswirl replied. "According to research that I conducted alongside Sunburst and Starlight, Project 722 was set up in the aftermath of the sighting of Somnambula and a giant cat thing. If that isn't fishy, I have absolutely no idea what is. The government created it as a special division of Military Intelligence, and based on their activities gave them a blank check to act as they saw fit out in the world, including the authority to impose lockdowns on cities as they saw fit."

"I still wonder what the device that Flash Magnus referred to is," Mistmane sighed, as she went back to her coffee, something she urgently needed as she was very tired and drowsy. "Oof. These long days are doing a number on me. How much coffee did I get through today?"

"You're still on your first mug," Starswirl replied. "Look, I know this seems relatively out of character for me, but it would seem that you need a rest from taking a long journey today and yesterday. To this end, I have noticed on this map that there is a very popular tourist spot not far from here, which has short lines owing to a current situation."

"I'd been wondering how that works with us," Mistmane said, as she finished her plate and it was whisked away just as suddenly as it had appeared. "What about ponies?"

"The ponies here, as well as ourselves, are transformed humans. And the strange energies that do this render the subject immune to the effects of the virus. I'm still not entirely sure how this process works, but I can tell you for sure that it has benefitted us greatly."

"And seemingly can't protect us from injuries," Mistmane said, noting Flash Magnus' rather beat up appearance.

"We're not Mary Sues," Starswirl rebutted. "Let us start our journey when we have finished our food. Adventure awaits us, and I know the only place to do it. Let us enjoy a day of magic at the Happiest Place on Earth!"

Mistmane's eyes widened when she heard that. "How long will this take?" she asked. "I think I can feel the caffeine kicking in."

"It's only a short stroll," Starswirl said, as he slammed his mug down. "Come! Let us go!"





Drinking all of that caffeine rapidly proved to be a mistake on both their parts. When they exited outside, having finished eating their food and drinking their drink, they abruptly set off at very high speed. To try and simulate how fast they were going, the next sentence will contain no commas.

They began outside the hotel and then they headed south and then they turned right and then they turned left. As you can see, the sentence is intended to be read very quickly. And as the California heat was only just starting to permeate through the sky, moving so quickly wasn't so bad an idea at the moment.

They once more turned right, and then to the left, and then took two more right turns. They then kept to the right, and following that act of keeping to the right, they suddenly kept left as the road junctions splintered and tried to confuse them on their way. Mind you, their brains were working on overdrive, so that was hardly a surprise that as they whizzed along, crowds of confused people looking at them.

"Whoa, dude," said one guy, a green skinned dude with two tone blue hair. "Are there ponies over there?" He sounded rather stoned.

"That's grooooovy, man," said another, a green skinned woman with red hair in dreadlocks. "This pot is seriously good."

"Causing us to see horses," the first replied. "Next I'll be quoting the Grateful Dead."

Our heroes went on their way, oblivious to all the nonsense going on, and merged onto a road. After they had merged onto a road, they then went on their way as they walked along, following this road. And then this road turned into another big road, which was big like the sky. They whizzed over a river with the speed of a thousand thundering gazelles, which is a silly simile, if you think about it, as one thousand gazelles running together would all run at the exact same speed, thereby making this comparison utter nonsense. But it was with this onwards that they went and kept to one right (and no other rights), as this allowed them to hold the right three lanes (and not the wrong three lanes). Whilst holding the right three lanes, and not the wrong three lanes, they merged into yet another big road, they took another exit, and then turned right, followed by a left, and another left, and then kept left before they arrived outside a big set of signs with the legend DISNEYLAND: THE HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH. The two ponies, quite happy at having finally arrived at such a marvellous place, went inwards through the gates and proceeded to have a fun filled day filled with fun, oblivious to the great danger that hung over their heads.