"Are you sure you're alright?" Homer hopped up beside me on the bed. He was still a pretty not-pony pony, and yet... "I'll bite him if you want."

He was still a dog at heart, and that was alright. I smiled at him and reached over to gently muss along his snout. "That's really nice of you, but we don't bite people, alright? Remember, it'll make more ponies, I think? Would you make more dogs? Maybe dog ponies?"

Homer grinned. "We can find out!"

"No." I softly pat him between the ears. "No biting. Pinkie Promise!" I led him through the steps of the solemn promise and he calmed down about it. Even dog ponies knew how important a Pinkie Promise was. "How's everypony doing?"

Homer tilted his head a little. "Hiro's being a good alpha, keeping everyone together." I nodded at him with a soft mmhmm. "I think Emma wants to spend more time with you. She's here a lot when you aren't and laying in your bed." Aw. I pouted a little, but waved for him to continue. "Aiko and her mate are doing well. They really get along, and they're becoming... famous, yes, famous in the wing. Everypony likes them."

I tilted my head. "That's really good to hear. Is Aiko's coltfriend really alright with being a colt? He was a human mare before you know."

Homer shrugged, a gesture I think actual dogs didn't do, so I credited his pony parts. "He seems happy, and he loves being around Aiko. He's the only pony Aiko doesn't ask to go away when she wants privacy, and I think he really likes being her special pony."

Special someponies. Aw... It was nice to see love blossoming even in uncomfortable situations. There were so many things worth throwing a party for. I had to get my head out of the box and start throwing parties without the usual favors and stuff. There wasn't any good reason I couldn't be celebrating this stuff with what we had!

I gave Homer a squeeze, hugging him just in time for one of the ponies to clop on the door. I recognized her. I mean, I've seen all the ponies that lived there, but we hadn't talked much so far. "Miss Pie? They want to talk to you." I tilted my head at her curiously. "The doctors."

Oh! I hopped up to my hooves. "I'll see you later, Homer. Thanks!" I bounced past the helpful mare and went out into the hallway out of our wing to find a doctor waiting there patiently. There were two soldiers guarding the wing itself. They nodded at me, but didn't do much else.

The doctor reached out a hand. "Miss Pie? This way." I followed after him on two legs and put a hoof in his hand, which seemed to surprise him, though I wasn't sure why. Why would he offer a hand if he didn't want me using it?

"They say you're very well behaved," he spoke with that nervousness on display.

"Of course I am." I tilted my head at him. "I'm a grown pony. I know how to follow instructions. I mean, I guess I don't always... Do you?"

He cracked a smile. "I suppose not. It's just, you're very dangerous, Miss Pie."

I nudged his palm with my hoof. "You're safe with me, promise. I know what I have to not do to keep it that way."

He relaxed a little as we navigated the halls. "Are you really an alien? From another world?"

Was it that hard to believe? "Yep! From the way you guys are all prepared, I'd think you were used to huge monster attacks. Why so surprised about a little pony alien?"

He seemed confused at that. "What do you mean by 'huge monster attacks'? This isn't television or movies."

It was my turn to be a little baffled. "You know, the huge pony hydra. You... You kinda killed it... It wasn't very nice, but you were prepared."

He squeezed my hoof lightly. "That used to be a person. Our military wasn't made to fight 'monsters'."

"What would you be ready for with all those things?" I didn't understand it. Why were they so deadly if not to keep monsters away from their people. It was the only good reason I could come up with.

He was quiet a moment before we arrived at Rina's office. "This is your stop."

I poked him with my free hoof. "You didn't answer! What are they there to fight?"

He sighed a little. "I'm not sure how it is on your world, wherever that is, but we only have one advanced species, human. They're ready to fight other humans that try to invade our land. I should get going. She's waiting for you inside."

Other humans? But... I nodded numbly at him and pressed into the office. I was so confused... Rina must have noticed it right away. She pointed to the usual couch. "Pinkie, you look upset. What's wrong?"

I waved my forehooves a bit. "Are humans, like, super strong and and I didn't notice?" She looked baffled. "Why would you need these super strong weapons to fight a human?"

"Do you mean the military?" Rina's head subtle nodded towards the outside. "We have a long history of battles and conflict. Do ponies not?"

I tapped at my chin. "Well, sure, we've had a few fights. Usually with hooves or magic, and a lot of yelling and arguing and not so much... this." That wasn't entirely true and I frowned. "There were a few bad cases. Is this like that?"

She shook her head. "From our earliest times, there have been struggles for resources. A good weapon allows one man to intimidate another into possibly not attacking, and if they do fight, the better is a little edge."

"Little edge? How do you not end up with a bunch of... dead people? How do you end up with anypony at all?" I tried to imagine the old classic battles, fought with hoof and spear and magic, instead with these terrible weapons. There wouldn't be a pony standing. It made me a little queasy just thinking about it too hard.

"There are a thousand excuses for every little iteration we make. We need to be better than 'them', even if 'them' isn't there yet. It's not always rational, but it's there, and we are very good at mechanics and technology in general. As for dead people, that sometimes happens. War isn't something to be taken lightly. Now, Pinkie, I was told you were attacked today."

I paled a little at the memory of it. "Yeah... I stopped him though, and they took him away."

Rina leaned forward. "I don't believe it was that simple... Pinkie, it's alright to tell me the whole truth. We're friends, and I'm here to help."

What was she driving at? "Thanks, but really, he tried to hurt me and I stopped him. I held him down until the other guards came."

Rina looked at me evenly a moment. "I heard there was another person there."

Oh yeah... "He was hurt by their weapon, badly... He almost died, I guess." Why was I being so hesitant about it? "He was bleeding... a lot."

Rina nodded slowly. "And how did that make you feel?"

"How did that make me feel?!" I hopped up on the couch. "Bad! That's how! He was... They were supposed to be friends, and he did that... He could have killed him. He did kill him. If I hadn't jumped in when I did, he would have died."

Rina seemed show satisfied. Was she happy he almost got killed? "Thank you, Pinkie. Now be honest with yourself. Was this 'just' a little fight?"

I was ready to start yelling at her, but it came crashing down on me. That wasn't just some little fight... He could have shot me too. I could have died. He could have hurt me in all kinds of ways, and he'd be worse than a hydra. He'd know what he did, and he wouldn't care. It wouldn't be for food or something, just... I buried my face in my hooves and cried. I couldn't think of what else to do, so I just cried.

I heard a soft shaking and looked up to see Rina was offering a box of tissues. I took a few and wiped my snout with them. "Thanks..."

"Pinkie, it's alright. What you did was very brave, and frightening. It's perfectly natural to feel this way after such a traumatic experience." Rina left the box near me, where I could reach for more tissues. "That soldier owes you his life, I'm told, even if it will be on four legs. He is likely to be very thankful, and resentful. Do you understand?"

I considered that with tapping hooves. "I guess he probably wanted to be human, but it's better than being dead..."

Rina nodded softly. "I'll be speaking to him later today, to remind him of exactly that, and the hurt he is undoubtedly feeling, knowing his fellow soldier tried to kill him. He may say some hurtful things to you, but I want you to remember, you did what was best at the time, and you should be proud. Be patient with him, and kind. He will have his own hurts to work through."

That made enough sense to me, and I gave a little smile. "Maybe we should throw a 'glad you're still alive, even if you got a tail' party." She looked a little baffled and I shrugged. "Parties are sort of one of my 'things'. Um... Did the doctors learn anything from my time with... You know, the one that snuck into the hospital?"

Rina frowned at that. "I don't approve of them putting that on you. Pinkie, correct me if I'm wrong, but you're worried for this man, are you not?" I quickly nodded at that. "You want him to be happy, do you not?" I bobbed harder. It's like she knew me! "You should not have been asked to infect him like that. It was cruel, and I'm sorry you had to do that, especially with him being kept away from all the other h--ponies. I can tell you he's fine, physically." She tapped her chin. "I am developing a theory, however."

"What kinda theory?" That sounded like a Twilight kind of thing to say, but I guessed Rina was kinda smart like Twilight.

"I think being in the company of other intelligent people help keep infected humans from losing their intelligence. Your ponies, in your group, all had each other. None of you were isolated when you were adjusting, and you're all well-mannered, especially compared to the 'wild' ponies. The man you infected was thrown into isolation just at his most crucial time..."

Oh no... "Is he alright?"

Rina shook her head. "He's fine, physically, but mentally... He's like an animal. He responds to hunger, thirst, and seems ready to try to spread his infection whenever he has the opportunity. He gets excited anytime someone without the disease come closeby, then returns to despondency, so long as water and food are provided."

That sounded awful. "Can we help him? He was a nice enough stallion before we turned him into a pony. The other ponies are alright, so why can't he be?"

Rina lifted her shoulders. "I'm afraid I simply don't know. I hope it's reversible, but we won't know until they release him, which is unlikely in his current state. He's a danger to everyone around him, even you."

"How's he dangerous to me?" I tilted my head a little at her.

Rina leaned back in her chair. "If he's only interested in the very basics of life, he will defend his food and water, and attempt to secure mates, of which you qualify."

I blushed at that and burst into a little giggle. "I could handle him. He isn't that strong or anything, and even if he was, he wouldn't be the only over amorous stallion I ever ran into."

"And all the other... mares in your wing? Would you be alright with them all having to fend him off?"

Oh, well... "I guess that wouldn't be good. Still, we really should help him, shouldn't we?"

She nodded slowly. "I agree, Pinkie. If we have that opportunity, I'll tell you. Helping him, that's exactly the sort of task I think you'd appreciate, not infecting him in the first place. It'll be hard to internalize this, but it wasn't your fault he's a pony now. If you had refused, they could have, and would have, just dragged in another pony to do the job instead. I'm sure you were very kind to him while you were allowed to."

I thought back to our wild time together and felt myself coloring. "We were getting along just fine..." Like two ponies in season, rutting our little brains out. I felt I didn't need to go into detail about that. "I hope he's alright..."

Rina gave a little smile. "We'll do what we can. Tell me, Pinkie, do you feel lonely?" She must have noticed my confusion. "You are the only 'actual' pony, anywhere. You're the only representative of your nation. Of your entire world, if your story is to be taken at face value."

I rolled my hooves slowly over each other as I nodded. "I guess that's true... I miss my friends. All of them, but especially the other Element Bearers, and the Cakes! Oh gosh, I hope the bakery's doing alright... And the little cakes! What if they need a foalsitter?"

Rina raised a brow curiously. "Element Bearers?"

I nodded quickly. "We were kind of heroes. We saved the world a bajillion times!" I threw my forehooves wide. "We were called that because we used to wear these fancy necklaces called 'Elements', even though we turned them back over to the Tree of Harmony. It's a bit of a long story."

Rina twirled a pen. "A story I wouldn't mind hearing, if you'd like to share?"

Well, if she wanted... "Alright, so, it started with the return of Nightmare Moon." And I began the story of our adventures. She kept asking questions. What kind of magic could Twilight do? Why did we do that? Why didn't we do this? But mostly she listened and wrote things down.

"You know, laughing can't make a tree change shape."

I nodded at her, "Oh sure. If they were just scary trees, laughing would make us feel better, but they really did change. I think it was a spell from Nightmare Moon." That seemed to mollify her and we continued, to the part where Nightmare Moon was banished and Luna was returned.

"You destroyed the 'evil' in her?" I nodded quickly. "There are some that would say you forcefully mind controlled her." I looked confused. "She didn't choose to reform or change, you chose for her."

That was more confusing. "But... she apologized and Celestia and she hugged and everything was alright!"

Rina nodded lightly. "So, since the end result was positive, a little loss of individual freedom is acceptable."

I raised a lone hoof. "..." I had meant to say something. "Um... Yes? I guess?" I had the impression Rina was judging. Judging harshly! "Are you upset?"

Rina shook her head. "Believe it or not, there are many that agree with you. We don't have 'magic' to make criminals see the error of their ways and turn a new leaf so automatically. There are also many that say that forced change isn't real change. I'd love to speak to your princess and see how well she adjusted to this change."

It hit me. "Oh yeah, she did kind of have gnawing guilt and stuff that ate away at her from the inside until it almost destroyed all of Equestria." Rina raised a brow at me. "We took care of it! She's all OK now. She just had to be reminded she had friends and to let the past be the past."

Rina leaned forward a little. "And did you use 'magic' that time?" I shook my head. "Why not?"

I considered that for a moment. "I guess it wasn't what we needed. She needed our support, not magic. Luna's become a friend now that we've gotten to know her. She's really a nice pony. I was happy to help her."

"So magic is only for use on 'bad' ponies. A measure for severe criminals, especially repeat offenders or strangers."

She was digging a bit harder at that then I really knew what to do with. "I guess so?"

Thankfully, she let it go, and the story continued. She let up on the questions and let me talk about our adventures, so I did! Discord and Chrysalis and Sombra and Tirek! All the bigguns and even the smaller ones. By the time I got closer to the current day and started going over the story with Will and her friends, she stopped me. "Thank you, miss Pie. We may have more questions about that later, but right now, do you have any way of contacting them? Surely they miss you as much as you miss them."

Did they? If I was in the past, they didn't even know I was gone yet! How could I get a letter to them, a world away... "If only Spike was here..."

"The dragon?"

I perked my ears. She had been listening! "Yeah, he could send notes to Celestia by breathing fire on them. I think it was magic fire, but you get the difference."

She looked a little curious. "Was this something only Spike could do?"

I nodded quickly. "So far I ever saw, it was just him. Maybe other dragons could do it, but I never saw one try before."

"But you do have a dragon."

I paused. "Oh yeah. Hiro! Oh wow, I really should try that! Wait, can he even breathe fire? We have to try! I bet he'd have fun doing that, um, not around other ponies, of course. He's a nice stallion."

Rina smiled gently. "You'll keep me informed if there are any results, I hope?"

"Of course!" I bounced down from the couch. "Thanks for talking. I feel a lot better."

"I'm sorry for bringing this up." Rina gestured at the door. "What will you do if you see Takuya again?"

Takuya? "Well, I'd keep an eye on him, of course. If he minded his manners, I guess I'd leave him alone. Grudges aren't very nice. Even Discord got a second chance, so I guess he should get one too. Meanie."

She seemed relieved at my words. "Good. He may not cross your path again, but if he does, I don't want you losing your composure. He did wrong, but that doesn't give you an excuse to try to hurt him."

"Hurt him?" I tilted my head at him. "I don't want to hurt him... I just want him to never do that ever again never. Grabbing me like that, hmmph."

"Grabbing?"

I didn't mention that part. "Oh, um. He kind of wanted to play with me, but he wasn't very polite about it."

Rina set her pen down and clasped her hands. "Did he... What did he do, Pinkie? I'm asking you to be very specific."

I licked over my lips. Did I have to talk about that part? It wasn't that big of a deal... "He wanted me to lift my tail for him, you know, like mares and stallions do..."

"And did you?"

I reddened a little. "I pretended to, to distract him... We didn't do anything, and then we were wrestling for his weapon on the ground. We didn't play... I would never play with a stallion behaving like that!"

Rina leaned forward towards me. "It's alright if you feel a little... peculiar. It's a very personal and violating attack, even if he never penetrated you, to have a man demanding you consent under threat of force. Did you feel violated?"

Did I? Did... My eyes strayed around the room as I dug around inside of myself. Not literally! That would be silly, but I thought really hard. "I was scared. I didn't want him to hurt anypony else, or me... So I did what I had to do... The other ponies looked so scared."

Rina set her clipboard aside and stood up. She approached me quietly and set a hand on my head. For just a moment I felt the urge to nuzzle the hand and lick it gently, but I managed to quash that as she gently pet me for a quiet moment. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. You are a very brave woman." I was a mare! "Thank you for protecting the others, and yourself. You did very well." She knelt down in front of me, holding my cheeks in her hands. "If you need to talk, about anything, no matter how odd it may feel at the time, you ask them to bring you to me, and we'll talk. It's alright to have feelings right now. If you want to cry, you should. If you don't, that's fine too. Just don't hold it in."

I nodded a little and nuzzled a hand, keeping my tongue in! It'd be really awkward to turn my nice doctor into a pony against her will. "Thanks for talking, even if it felt kind of funny at times. I think... I think it was good." I flashed a smile at her, and she stood back up.

"I'm glad to hear that. We'll talk again soon. You've given me and the others plenty to think about." She paused a moment. "I won't speak of your personal feelings, Miss Pie, but I assume it's alright to share your stories?"

I waved a hoof at her. "Oh sure. No harm in that. If other doctors want to hear about Nightmare Moon, go right on ahead." I didn't see anything wrong with sharing exciting stories! It was fun!

I bounced to her door and she let me out, to quickly bound back to the pony wing. I had some ponies I needed to hang out with...

Author's Notes:

Pinkie has a good chat, learns some things about humans, and ponies, and works through some of her feelings. It was a good talk.

But who is she going to talk with next?
1: Hiro
2: Emma
3: Aiko
4: Homer
5: Make some new friends!