“Now’s the time to hack, Wingless!”
Me and Wingless had just heard the radio exclaim that the rebels were here and that Lema was ready to fight. I knew that this was the perfect time to go at it.
“I’m on it, Prancey!” Wingless called back, using her hooves to clumsily hack into the broadcast. It was meant for wings, but that wasn’t stopping her, it never had before.
There was a buzzing noise, then Wingless started frantically talking.
“Attention to all the rebels,” she started.
“And all Banditos that may be left,” I added.
Wingless shot and aside glance at me, but she continued regardless.
“Lema are cruel, they are oppressors, any rebellion is crushed instantly. They may not kill you, but they make you feel like you wish you were dead. Prancey is here with me, and he can attest to that. I’m urging you to get out while you still can, running away doesn’t make you wrong. If there’s anypony out there, from any background, get out while you can. Fight back—“
I heard the radio then cut out again.
Dammit, she’s back.
Regardless, Wingless broke through and continued.
“We’ll take them down, believe me. Head East and find Trench, we’ll be there.”
There was an intense buzzing, and I turned the radio off.
“Great speech, Wingless, but how will we get out of here?”
“We’ll find a way.”
I wondered how Solarius was doing, but I couldn’t worry about him right now. He was apparently a commander, so I assume he had it figured out, but still, I had to save Prancey. Guards were all over, some heavily armed, but there were just as many ponies trying to escape the pandemonium. It seemed that everypony wasn’t bad here.
I was using my small size to keep me hidden from the guards as I approached the massive central building. Upon reaching there and slipping inside, I noticed some guards in some ridiculously high-tech armor, I knew I had to dodge those. They were all patrolling a large central building with 9 different corridors and an elevator in the center. I presumed that the dungeons were down and I could ride the elevator there.
I decided to make a break for the elevator and pressed a button to open it.
Then I waited. And I waited some more.
For being high-tech, this elevator was very slow.
It was taking so long that some of the guards in the room came up to me.
“Hello, state you business,” one said.
“I,” I started, “don’t mind me, I was just going down to feed the prisoners.”
“Why do have a shotgun?” The same guard asked, pointing their wing at my back where the shotgun was.
“Just so I could shoot them, you know in case they were acting up.”
The guards around the elevator looked at each other inquisitively. Soon, one of them said, “That’s not how we usually do it, but if Ocin ordered a change in the way we do things, I can’t question it. We need to take you up to Ocin to get you outfitted.”
I nodded awkwardly as the elevator arrived. A couple guards came with me, while the others went back to patrolling the area.
The elevator ride felt like an eternity. Soon, there was a light ding and the elevator door opened.
A grey batpony was seated on the throne with a greying mane and red eyes. He looked like he was completely done with absolutely everything. I wondered how old he was.
When the guards around me bowed, I figured I should do the same.
“Hello, gentlemen,” the pony on the throne said, “I see you have a new mare with you.”
He took a long hard look at my slightly dusty body and added, “One that needs a bath, no less.”
“Yes Sir, she said she was going to feed the prisoners and shoot them if they were acting up,” one guard said. They almost sounded afraid.
The pony narrowed his eyes and his frown deepened. “Very well,” he said. Then, he focused his gaze on me. “Your armor and meal are in the room right behind the throne, you’ll need it.”
I peeked around the throne, and sure enough, there was a room behind him.
I quickly trotted into the room behind it, and found a loaf of bread, some water, and a suit of armor. None of them were built for me, so I found the smallest and attempted to slip inside it. The armor was still very large around me, but I could at least put it on and keep it on. In the room behind me, I heard a faint, ”I’ll take her down myself, you can be dismissed.”
I walked back into the main room, where the two other guards had left. The pony on the throne looked straight at me.
“I’ve dealt with too many ponies like you. Who are you, and who the buck do you want to free?” he growled.