The guard was going to snitch the next day. If Aiko was going to be treated right, I had to act right away! I mean, they weren't bad ponies, per se, but once they heard about it, they'd want to use it. That's how they think, I think. They have a tool, they use it. But Aiko isn't just a tool! I mean, of course she'll be super useful, but only when she's ready, and not by ordering her around.

Besides... As I walked through the hallways, I thought about how bad it'd be for the other ponies to see their new princess being yelled at. She had a reputation to uphold. It was important.

There was a guard leading to the leader portion of the hospital. They were learning! He saw me and nodded. "What do you need, Pinkie-Chan?"

Aw! I still liked being called that. "Konnichiwa! I have super big news and I need to talk to somepony in charge about it." He looked a little doubtful with a raised brow. "It could change everything!"

He pointed to the ground. "Wait here and don't move." He walked off down the hallway and I stayed put.

I was going to ask some big favors, so not chasing after him seemed like a good start. I pulled out a little rubber ball and began rolling it back and forth along the floor while I waited. Thankfully he showed up, but it took forever!

"Miss Pie, can you be more specific?"

Aw shoot, all that and more questions? "We have a way to start calming down the wild ponies, but it has to be treated with care and respect." I nodded firmly. "We really need to talk. This is soooo important!"

And off he went again, asking me to stay where I was while he went and talked to whoever. At least he came back with someone new. Someone I recognized. It was the officer guy that showed up during that attack. "Miss Pie, we meet again. You seem to be the center point of interesting things, and I'm told you're quite adamant about talking about this one." He crouched down to be on my level. "What's on your mind?"

I smiled at him broadly. He seemed reasonable last time we talked. "Hi there! Huge news! I found a princess, but she's delicate, and the ponies in the wing look up to her. I wanted to be absolutely sure we took it slow and easy while we got her used to things."

He looked properly interested. "Are you certain? She can control other ponies?"

I quickly nodded at that. "She can, but we want a good princess, not a bad princess." He looked a little mystified by my phrasing. "I mean, she could just start barking at people what to do and when, but she isn't. She has their respect, on top of being a princess. She's their friend, the way it should be. That's way better."

He rose up to full height, towering over me. "We don't need to interfere with her insofar as the tame ponies, but if she can calm down the ones that have taken leave of their sanity, we need to get her to work."

I spread my hooves wide. "She just grew her wings. She's tired, and scared, and in pain. Let us ponies take care of her and treat her right, and she'll be ready to help with that soon. Give us a little time, and you'll get a good princess."

I felt a tremble in my tail. Something was about to drop. I dived under a desk nearby, confusing the poor leader guy just before the light above us crashed down with a bang. The whole building shook softly.

"You'll get your princess right now. She won't be a good or bad princess if the hospital is brought down around our ears." He wheeled on the guard. "Go see what's happening, now!" The guard ran off in a dead sprint "Pie Pinkie, get your friend. I have a solid idea we're being attacked by one of the larger ponies. She either calms it down, or we burn through more heavy munitions putting it down permanently."

I made a face. Big or small, I didn't want another pony being hurt, though this was worse than hurt. Being killed was forever... Why was this world so quick to make people go away forever? "I'll get her..." I didn't want to, but it was better than knowing another pony was murdered. "Just don't hurt it."

He gave a bit of a grim nod, and I galloped off back towards the pony wing. Tears began to escape as I ran. Why was violence such a fast answer with them? I practically slid as I turned into the hallway, bumping against a wall before getting my hooves under myself and bolting for Aiko's room.

Hiro suddenly put a hoof out in front of me, blocking my progress. "What's wrong, Pinkie?"

I danced from hoof to hoof. "Big pony's attacking the hospital. If Aiko can't calm it down, they'll kill them!" I felt new tears flowing. Why did somepony have to be killed just because they're big? "Quick!"

Hiro opened the way, but followed me as I rushed to Aiko's door and began knocking on it with a rapid clop-clop.

Aiko's coltfriend slid it open and peered at me with surprise. "Hello, Pinkie. What's wrong? You look awful."

I felt awful! "We need Aiko, right now!"

He scowled. "She's still resting. We appreciate your help, but she needs to recover now."

"I'm sorry, there's no time for that." I slipped right between his legs and popped into the room. "Aiko!"

Aiko looked up at me with confusion. "What is it, Pinkie?" She slowly sat up and got up to her haunches. "What's so urgent?"

I pointed back into the hall. "We need your help calming a big pony down. If you don't, they'll kill them, forever!"

Aiko's ears flipped back against her head. "I don't even know if I can do that, Pinkie..."

I put my forehooves together. "You have to try! Once they kill them, they're dead..."

Aiko got up to her legs, wobbling a little. "Do you know how to do it?"

I darted ahead and got under Aiko, lifting her right up on my back and moving to cart her way. "We'll figure it out, together."

Aiko's coltfriend followed after us. "You're not leaving me behind! That's my wife!"

Aiko flushed deeply. "Don't go telling them that!"

Hiro coughed softly, also following. "We should focus on the matter at hand." He glanced sidelong at Aiko's coltfriend. "Pardon, but I'm not sure I ever caught your name?"

He looked surprised a moment. "I was Chiee, but that doesn't fit much anymore... I'll be Kuri. Yes, that feels right. I am Kuri, Aiko's husband."

As we ran along, Hiro kept asking the new stallion questions, which kept him from harassing me. I made a mental note to thank him later. "How is being a stallion working for you? You were a woman before, weren't you?"

He flushed softly. "With her, it's all worth it. It's... different. It's different, but not bad. I already liked women more..."

Hiro shrugged as we went. "Being a lesbian is very different from a straight male."

He squirmed, looking uncomfortable. "I know that! I know... Maybe it's how this sickness works. If I think about what I am, especially that way, I just feel..." He trailed off and they became quiet.

I rushed up a flight of stairs, past a soldier that waved us forward even as another powerful shake rocked the building. What did that big pony want? Didn't it know how much danger it was in? I scrambled up the flights of stairs, glancing back at my precious cargo as I went. Aiko was awake now. I wondered if she was in pain from being jostled or realizing the situation we were all in.

We arrived at the top and I practically barreled through the door there, emerging onto the roof. The huge head of a pony turned towards us immediately and blinked owlishly. Frustration faded from its features as a little smile spread across its... her? I'm pretty sure she's a she. Her snout. She gave a loud little coo of excitement and reached a hoof up towards us, lifting it from the ground to be even with the roof.

"Taking the shot," said a soldier just ten feet away from us, directing a huge gun at the giant.

"No!" I flung myself at the gun. Aiko fell to the ground with a squeak of pain as I wrenched the weapon off target. It let out a deafening bang, louder than the others I'd heard. No one died. "Aiko's here, the princess! Let us handle this!"

The giant looked startled by the big bang and drew her hoof back a moment before suddenly lunging forward with it, looking like she was ready to swat me, the soldier, and his gun right off the roof.

"Stop!" Aiko struggled back to her feet. "Stop!" The hoof paused mere inches away. I could smell the pony, her dirt and sweat. She was probably living off of whatever she could find. She was probably scared and lonely.

Aiko slowly approached the giant. "It's alright. Please, put your hoof down. We want to be friends."

"Friend?" The giant drew her hoof back slowly and set it down, settling on her haunches and utterly crushing several cars in the effort.

Aiko gave a little smile. "Yes, friends. This is a good place, but you musn't hurt anyone here."

The giant shook her head slowly, then rubbed over her belly. "Hungry."

A pony that big had to have a huge appetite! What did I even have to offer it? I dug out the last two Equestrian cupcakes I had. "You can have these!"

The giant tilted her head at me, then leaned in and slurped them right out of my hooves. I was slick with her saliva as a result, but the offering was accepted. "Hungry..."

I turned towards the soldier. "Do you have a place with lots of trees and grass and flowers around here?"

Hiro clapped his foreclaws together. "Great idea! I'll lead her to the park."

The giant looked hopeful at the idea and reached for Hiro. "Friend." Her giant hoof touched Hiro who stood still for her. Her frog flexed, grabbing him easily and she put him right on her back. "Hungry."

Hiro softly scratched with his claws, now mounted on the giant pony. "This way." He pointed with his other forehoof, and she rose up to her hooves and began trotting away towards, I hoped, food.

The soldier let out a heavy sigh, then frowned at me. "Good work, but tackling people isn't how we handle things, especially when you're infectious. If I get a tail, you're going down with me."

Aiko shook her head. "You're not... You're not a pony. I can tell. It's strange, but I feel certain."

The soldier talked into his funny thing, "Situation contained. Princess confirmed. New report, Hiro has left the compound." He paused a moment. "Negative. He is accompanying the hostile to a park, to eat if I gather correctly." He gestured back at the door leading into the building. "He's waiting for you down on the third floor."

I turned to see Aiko and Kuri talking softly. "Kuri, you want to help Aiko down?"

He nodded and looked eager to do just that. He got up under her like I had and we walked together down the stairs a lot slower than we had scrambling up them. The disaster was averted, for the time.

The leader looked pleased, with a hint of a smile. "I'll thank you not to scare my men too much. Most of them aren't eager to be horses, but you did well. Tell me what happened, step by step."

I held up a hoof to Aiko. "You relax. I have this." Aiko settled on Kuri and they snuggled quietly. "The giant looked really happy to see us, though she got scared when that big gun went off. Aiko was able to calm her down. She complained about being hungry, so Hiro led her to a park with some nice green things to nibble on. You don't have the supplies for me to bake her a welcoming cake big enough."

He gave a mix of a snort and a chuckle. "We don't have the supplies to feed your new oversized friend, but she could help us secure more. When she returns, I want her pacified."

I tilted my head. "Like a foal, or like the bad kind of pacify?"

He rolled a hand. "More the former. Get her washed up, comfortable, and do your thing. Morale is your specialty, is it not? Greet her warmly. There's work to do, and she could help us get it done." He turned his attention directly on Aiko, looking her over.

Kuri pawed at the ground with a little growl, then looked sheepish. "Sorry. I don't mean to be rude."

The leader crouched to be on even footing. "Are you two a couple?" Kuri nodded quickly. "Then you keep right on protecting your girlfriend. She's a very valuable person right now. Your friend, Miss Pie, has insisted she be given some time, and she'll get some of that, but there are things we absolutely need to get done as soon as possible. Do you understand?"

Aiko leaned in from on top of him. "We understand."

Kuri nodded softly. "I'll keep her safe, sir."

He rose to his feet and turned to me. "Keep an eye on them, and the rest of the ponies. So far as we've observed, ponies don't attack other ponies unless provoked or desperate. I'm afraid the latter is becoming more of a possibility, but your people may have the easiest time moving around without causing a reaction."

It suddenly hit me. "Wait, are we actually part of things now?"

He gave a hard smile. "You always were, you're just being upgraded from dangerous patient to dangerous agent. You haven't misled or tried to deceive us, so far. You've acted in our best interest, even at your own loss." He reached out a hand towards me. "Consider yourself recruited, on a temporary basis."

I sniffed, feeling a little overwhelmed. I put a hoof in his hand and we shook on it. "So long as we don't kill anymore."

He frowned a little. "We'll try not to, but I can't make that promise."

It'd have to do. "Just give us a chance to do something other than that." I turned to Aiko and Kuri. "Kuri, go ahead and take Aiko back to her room. I'm gonna bake up something special!" I suddenly remembered Hiro was off guiding that giant around. "I hope Hiro gets back alright..."

The man lifted his shoulders. "He's police. They're built out of good stuff. If he can get through this, he will."

We split ways. He had other things to do, and I had a new mini-party to plan! That evening I shared the tale of Aiko's taming of the giant with the others and we each had a slice of pie.

The colt clapped his hooves. "Amazing! Could she have calmed down the hydra we saw when we arrived?"

I considered that with a tap of my hooves. "Maybe. That one seemed really angry, and hungry. This one was lonely and hungry, but not angry."

His mother pulled him back gently. "Don't mind him, he is always full of questions."

I waved a hoof at her gently. "It's nothing. A few questions from a foal isn't going to bother me any."

She gave a little smile, but didn't reply further.

The party went well, if not as amazing at the first one, and everyone left with a satisfied expression.

Emma strode up to me and gave me a little nuzzle. "If you won't go steady, can we at least be dating?"

Eep, that again! "I don't know how long I'll be here. I'd be really sad if I got your hopes all worked up and then vanished on you one day... There are so many ponies here that want to be your friend, why don't you let them?"

Emma moved beside me and sank to her belly. "I have a friend." She threw a leg over me and pulled me in. "Her name is Pinkie Pie."

Homer suddenly bounded over. "Two friends!"

Emma smiled at Homer. "Yes, at least two, but Pinkie is my favorite." She squeezed me gently. She was very affectionate and loving even, but I worried it'd just hurt her in the end.

I squirmed around in her grasp until I was facing her and gave her nose a little lick. "I can't be your coltfriend, just your friend. With extra icing if you like, but you should find somepony else to be your coltfriend."

Emma pouted a little, tail twitching. "Is it because we're both mares? We worked past that last time. Do you want a stallion?"

I did enjoy stallions, though mares could be fun too. Neither of those mattered! "Emma, really... I'm going to go 'poof!' one day and I don't want to leave a super sad marefriend behind, just happy friends, with happy memories." I leaned in and bumped noses with her. "I'll always remember you."

She gave the ghost of a smile. "Can I come with you? I'll follow your instructions and I'll stay out of the way. Did you say you were a baker? I could help with that."

I nuzzled into her throat. "What if I said yes, then vanished. You would be twice, no, triple sad! This is your world."

She rolled up to her hooves. "I'll fix this for you, somehow." She trotted away with new determination that I hoped wasn't for anything that'd cause trouble later.

Homer moved into the spot she left behind and snuggled up to me. "Hello!"

I giggled. Homer had the right attitude! "Hi!"

"Are you really going to leave?" He tilted his head and looked a little sad.

Aw shoot. "Eventually? I don't know when."

He rubbed noses with me, pressing his wet nose to mine. "I will protect the pack while you're gone. We'll be ready for you to come back."

Was I ever going to come back? I didn't know. Still... "Thank you, Homer. You keep everypony safe." I kissed either of his cheeks and slid up to my hooves. "That's enough sad stuff, let's talk about something else."

Homer dashed off and returned with a rubber ball in his left forepaw. He set it in front of me. "Fetch?"

I giggled a little. "Fetch is what you used to do. We're both ponies, so now it's called catch, and the rules are a little different." He looked confused, but his forward perked ears said he was interested. I pointed down and he waited as I moved away from him, then turned and gently lobbed the ball towards him. "Catch!"

He snapped the ball up in his mouth, but moved it swiftly to a paw. "Now what?"

I waved my hooves around. "Throw it back!" He threw the ball eagerly, but a little wildly. Maybe he was still getting used to having paws like that? I jumped for it and caught up as I dove to the ground and rolled back up to my hooves. "Catch!" I threw it back and we went back and forth.

About ten minutes into the game, the colt timidly approached. "Can I play?"

Homer tossed him the ball and he squeaked, catching it lightly across the snout. The colt took the ball in his mouth, wings flapping, then hurled it as best he could towards me.

What was a two player game became three, then four, then a dozen. We were passing that thing all over the place. A lot of these ponies were still getting used to not having hands and had to mouth it. They made jokes about indirectly kissing each other. I didn't quite get it.

As the ball sailed towards a pudgy unicorn, he managed to grab it in his magic, and looked quite surprised. He dropped it to the floor and turned to me. "What happened?!"

I pointed at the ball. "You did it right. You're a unicorn. Unicorns can pick things up with their magic."

The other ponies clopped politely as the few other unicorns looked eager to try their hooves at that. He grinned. "Let me try that again." With a little time, he managed to lift it up and hurl it towards the next pony in the game without putting his mouth on it. It became a challenge among the unicorns to get better at holding the ball and throwing it straight and smooth.

One of the other earth ponies looked to me curiously. "How do you hold the ball in your hooves like that? I'd like to not have to use my mouth every time."

I held out my hoof and flexed my frog, the sensitive and powerful muscles of my pony palm. "You can grab onto things like this." I heard there was some pony magic involved at some point, but they didn't need to know that.

Soon there were very few mouths touching the ball, and everypony was having a grand time practicing and tossing it between themselves. Even Homer caught on and began catching it in his paws instead of lunging for it with his snout, no matter how good he was at using his muzzle like that.

The guard pony wandered towards me. "Miss Pie? Your friend's back. He's in the infirmary."

I went tense. "Is he alright?!"

He nodded lightly. "They say he'll be fine, but he needs rest and is being thoroughly checked on while he's there."

That was all I needed to hear. I nodded at him before sprinting away from the game to see Hiro. I heard the rough cheer of someone making an especially difficult toss or catch, and I knew the game would go on without me.

I found the room he was in with the help of a passing doctor and softly knocked on the door.

The door opened to reveal a female doctor human. "Ah? Are you the famous Pie Pinkie?"

I smiled brightly. "That's me! I'm here to see my friend. Is Hiro alright?"

She nodded. "Hiro Sasaki is fine, mostly. Come in." She waved me in and closed the door behind me. "Beyond this point, all personnel must be dressed for biohazards."

I looked confused at that. "I'm already a pony, you can't make me double a pony."

She nodded hesitantly. "I suppose that's true, but give me a moment. I don't have that protection."

She put on super heavy looking clothes that covered her up from every angle. She even wore a filter thing for the air. She was a shining knight against disease. "All ready. Shall we proceed?"

I followed after her as she pressed a series of buttons that unlocked the next door and we went into a little hallway. It hissed and began to fill with smoke. "Please try to not breathe this." I held my breath tightly, and it went away soon enough, thankfully.

The next door opened and there he was! He was sprawled out on a bed, looking a little dizzy. "Hiro! Are you alright?" I rushed up to his side and noticed he was all sticky, everywhere. "What happened?"

He rolled towards me. "She's fed, then she decided she really... really wanted to play. I'd rather not go into details, but you may know something about this?"

The doctor nodded. "It would be good to have a full accounting."

He sighed, looking a little embarrassed with his colored cheeks. "Well..."

Author's Notes:

Pinkie sure gets a lot done this chapter! A party, instructional games of catch, relationship drama, avoiding things getting shot, and becoming somewhat enlisted in the armed forces. Yep, definitely a busy day. Did someone typo?

Vote time!
1: Hiro gives a full blow by blow of how the giant mare tried to get friendly with him, and apparently succeeded to some extend.
2: Contact with Equestria happens out of nowhere! How'd that happen?
3: Aiko emerges, recovered and radiant, and can assume her princess role.
4: It's time to go on that first mission with the giant pony.
5: Perhaps a covert mission to see how things are through the city would be a better idea before bringing out the goliath?