New Republic Empire

I woke to a muffled, static voice. I was still blindfolded.

“The news of the captured spy will be passed on to the Solar Empire,” I heard a strong, female voice shouting. “This is the first Empire spy we Republicans caught, so let this remind you that not all hope is lost!”

Captured spy…?

I figured that the voice was coming from Princess Luna, from a radio or tv. Back in the orphanage, we had a tv. We only had one channel on it though. Whenever the time had come for the only foal show, the tv would be so crowded, I could rarely see what was happening.

Suddenly, someone spoke next to my face.

“Heya.”

I jumped from instinct, but that was when I realized that I was sitting in a chair. The cloth covering my eyes was ripped away from my face, and I squinted as I had to adjust to the sudden change in brightness.

I saw a pony figure in front of me, and I recognized him as Hold, one of the officers who caught me.

“Your years of being a spy are over,” he said coolly.

I’m the spy in the news? So they think I’m a spy.

“Solar Empire will finally lose one of their own to us!” Hold said happily.

“Y-you’re gonna kill me now?” I asked, too scared to believe it.

“Uh, not yet. The Princess wants us to get some info outta you first.”

Info? Uh oh. I have no secret info about the Solar Empire whatsoever.

"Your interrogation begins tomorrow," Hold said as he headed for the door. "We won't inflict pain on you if you answer our questions."

He closed the light before shutting the door. I waited in the dark in terror until the next day.

I heard the door creak open, and the sudden break in silence made my heart lurch. I threw my gaze at the door, and a hooded pony in a cloak step in.

The cloaked pony carefully closed the door. Then the stranger made their way towards me, at snail speed.

When they got close enough, they pulled back their hood, revealing their face.

I gasped when I recognized her. It was that freckled orange pony from a few days ago!

"Hi," she said, expressionless.

I remained silent. I wasn’t sure what to make of this.

She sighed, and suddenly started working on untying my ropes bounding me to the chair.

"You're not the spy," she said suddenly.

I was relieved to hear that somepony thought I wasn't a spy. But she sounded so sure, which made me wonder how she knew.

"It was a all a huge mistake," she continued. My right hoof suddenly broke free, and it snapped painfully as I straightened my leg for the first time in days.

"How do you know?" I asked her. “How did you even find me?”

She glanced right into my eyes. She looked away just before she spoke.

"I'm the real spy they're looking for."

I gaped.

"That note you found belongs to me. I guess I dropped it in that alley. Whoops." She chuckles uncomfortably.

I had mixed feelings, but for now I decided to he thrilled I was being rescued.

My other hoof was unbound, and I stretched it eagerly, despite the cracking sounds and the painful popping in my joints.

I was freed! I relished in the ability of being able to move around.

"Looky here, son," the orange pony said slowly. "My reputation as a spy is ruined due to the news of me being captured. But if I run back to and make it seem like I escaped myself, Celestia might keep me. I'll help you get away from this place, but then I will skedaddle."

"Wait," I said quickly, an idea forming. "Can you take me across the border with you?"

She hesitated.

"I could," she said, emphasizing 'could'.

"Please take me with you," I said, adding a desperate tone for I truly was desperate. "I need to get out of this Republic."

The orange pony gave in.

"Fine. It shouldn’t be too hard to get you across the border. But then you're on your own."

"Thank you," I said, smiling for the first time in as long as I could remember.

"C'mon," She said, glancing at the door. "It's four AM. Those guards will be here soon to check on ya."

I had butterflies in my stomach as I watched her peek out the door.

"Go!" she whispered. Her legs were tensed. "Stay close behind me."

She galloped off, and I raced after her. I hadn't moved in days, so there was no way I could sprint much.

But I have to.

She was really fast. Probably the fastest earth pony I've ever seen. I realized how loud our hoofsteps were, but I figured she had already thought about that.

"Turn the corner," she said over her shoulder. Literally one heartbeat later, she altered course, going left. I skidded to a stop before doubling back to the intersection of the hallways.

"The exit is on the right," she informed me after a few more seconds of running. She didn't sound breathless at all, and I was already gasping for air.

She lunged out the door and I followed her. It was still dark out, which worked to our advantage.

The place seemed like the orphanage from the outside, except not as old. There was barbed wire fences all around.

"Follow me," the mare said again. She ran to the side of the building. I watched with confusion as she charged right at the ten tail-length fence.

Then, she jumped, clearing the fence like it was a log.

She waited for me e on the other side. "Hey," she said. "Aren't you gonna come over?"

I stared at her. "Not everypony can jump like you!"

She stared back in bewilderment. "Aren't you a Pegasus?" she asked. "Don't tell me you can't fly."

I realized what she was talking about, and I never felt so embarrassed.

The mare grunted in frustration. "I'll help you out."

She reached into her cloak and pulled out some rope. She held it between her teeth and started swinging it like a cowgirl.

She lassoed a nearby branch. She yanked, and the branch completely tore off. It landed on my side of the fence at an angle, forming a sort of path to the top of the fence.

"Hurry up," she urged.

I placed a hoof uncertainly on the wood. Suddenly, white light outlined my silhouette in front of me onto the wood. I whirled around and saw the prison place come to life. I heard a faint alarm coming from inside it.

“Hurry up!” the orange pony repeated, yelling this time.

I staggered to the top, heart racing as I went as fast as I could but also being careful not to fall off. I was a few more steps from the top, but the sight of the barbed wires made me hesitate.

“Oh Celestia,” the mare muttered. She got her rope and lassoed me around the chest and pulled me up and over the fence.

I sprawled gracefully onto the wet grass. She thundered past me with the lasso still attached to me. She dragged me along until I finally found my footing.

“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice breaking because I was sprinting to keep up with her.

“Straight to the border,” she replied, her eyes fixed on the dark forest path ahead of us.

“How are we going to find our way?” I manage to sputter out.

“There’s old railway tracks leading to all over Equestria. Nopony uses ‘em anymore, so we’ll just follow that. In a few days’ walk we’ll get across the border.”

I nod. A few days…