"I guess, here's my problem," she says, taking a deep breath. "I don't think me being recognized is going to be as much of a threat as you. No offense. I mean, you're the only human in Equestria. If somepony never heard of you, then it's only a matter of time until someone reports it, and it works it's way back to Fluttershy somehow. So, instead of me staying home and laying low, I think it would be smarter if it were you."

You pause, taking a deep breath.

"I would go stir crazy."

"So would I," Redheart says. "Now you can see why I really don't like either plan. No matter what, it's risky. No matter what, we could get recognized. There is no good way to do this."

"What if we left the country?" you ask.

"And go where?" Redheart asks. "Saddle Arabia? The Yaks? The Griffons? The Crystal Empire? Every single place has positive relations with Equestria."

"There's going to be risk no matter where we go. We need to find a place where we can at least reduce it as much as possible."

"I understand," she continues, placing her face in her hooves. "I just don't know what to do."

"What about some sort of desolate prairie? We could make a tree-house or find some sort of cave."

"How would we find food or water? Or even basic supplies?"

"We will have to rough it," you say. "It's not going to be easy, no matter what way we spin it."

"We're not prepared for that. It's not an option," Redheart says, raising her focus back to you. "That's where the line is drawn."

"Okay," you sigh. "So, if we leave the country, we need a permanent solution. Somewhere where all of this won't bite back at us. We can probably slip past some sort of immigration customs, but we still need ways to make money and enough resources to survive until we get there. So what do we do until we're fully ready?"

"Well, we're on our way to Balitmare," Red says, thinking carefully. "I can dye my hair and put make-up over my cutie mark to work in a store or something. If I'm lucky, I could work in a back room, just in case. But we'd need to find you something to do too."

"How about a night job?" you ask. "Like in my original idea."

Red rubs her forehead, then looks out the window.

"It's the best chance we have," she mutters.

You look down at the floor of the train car, feeling the weight of the plan begin to weigh down on you. There's so much to do, and all of it has to be done as soon as possible if you guys are going to be able to escape Equestria with enough funds to survive and get by unnoticed.

Then, you look up to her face. So calm, so serious. She's in this with you. She's in this with you all the way. She's willing to help you escape the clutches of Fluttershy for good. And then spend that new life with you, creating a new life for herself.

She abandoned everything she had. Without even a second thought. A job. A life. Friends. Her old place, even if she never used it that much. And now she's here, running away with you.

"Red," you mutter.

"Yeah?" she asks, turning to look at you.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" you ask. "All of... this? This won't be easy. And it's not going to be fun."

The edges of her lips curl in a bit of a sly smile.

"I wouldn't do it for anypony else, if that's what you're asking. You're worth it, silly."

You move off your seat and place your knees on the floor.

"I mean this is going to be really, really hard. And we'll be miserable. We'll be sick. And tired. And burnt out-"

"But we'll have each other," she says, cutting you off. "Anon, what are you saying?"

A hint of a smile curls on your lips.

"What I'm asking is, after all of this is over. After we escape and are able to start a new life, we're only going to have each other. And that's it. It'll be you and me, and a whole new world to explore and make our own. For the rest of our lives. Do you see what I'm saying?"

Redheart looks over the features of your face blankly, before her pupils grow wide. A faint rosiness grows on her cheeks.

"I don't want to do this with any other pony, Redheart," you say softly. "And if we're going to do this. I want it to be you and me. For the rest of our lives."

Her eyes begin to glisten from the sunshine beaming in through the window. Her tail gives an involuntary wag as her ears fully perk up.

"Will you-"

"Yes," she says, cutting you off. "Of course I will, Anon."