It wasn't a flashy kind of magic. It wasn't something I could even show to someone easily, but I could feel it. Pinkie was there, just an inch away. I just had to reach to her, mentally. We were bonded, for now. I didn't feel stuck, and I knew she didn't either. We could pull apart any time we wanted. That was the most miraculous part. My magic had somehow forged a bridge between us, more like a drawbridge than anything else. Now that I had it, I felt like I could move that bridge up to someone else and lower the bridge to their mind, forging a new connection.

Was this my talent?

I felt a little tremble run down my legs and I kicked against the floor even as I looked towards the source. Adorning both of my flanks was a symbol of one star with a line going out in many direction to smaller stars. It felt very important, and I couldn't help but gaze at it quietly a moment.

"Your cutie mark!" Pinkie practically screamed it. "Oh wow! We have to have a party." She began to bounce around me. "You're a real adult pony now. Ponies on my world aren't considered proper adults until they have one of those, and you do. You're one of the most grownup ponies around, except me."

I couldn't help but giggle at the idea of Pinkie being the most adult of anything, but her joy was infectious as well. I couldn't help but feel happy, elated... That symbol. "What does it mean?"

"It's who you are, and your talent." She waved a hoof lightly. "See, you're the center of attention, but you're also what can bring people together. You're a star, that usually involves magic, but not always. You're still working on your magic, but you got this part down." She poked me right along where my star ran to a smaller one. "Even Twilight couldn't do this, not easily anyway. This is your special talent."

I nodded swiftly. "This is beyond amazing. How do I test it?"

"Didn't you just do that?" She tilted her head before tapping it. "We're together now, right?"

"I have to do more than that. You're easy, relatively. We're already good friends." I got it and tried to snap fingers I didn't have, which was little more than waving my hoof a bit. I ended up clopping my forehooves together. "I'll reach out to one of the ponies in the camp and see if I can't make a new link, and talk to them, tell them they're not alone, assure them, and maybe get information."

"Great idea! You can make them happy and we'll know what to do next. You do that. I'll keep an eye around here." She saluted sharply before dashing off to who knows where.

I moved to a window facing across the road at the camp. I didn't want to stay there for long. I felt exposed. Someone could see my horsey face peering out and decide to put me with all the others, and there wouldn't be much I could do. I left the sight and returned to the center of the room.

~It'll be alright.~

I smiled at Pinkie's unexpected contact. We were still attached, of course she could talk, and likely knew how I was feeling. ~Thank you, Pinkie. I'm going to let go of you and try reaching out now, alright?~

~Okay! I'll let you know if anything super exciting happens, so don't even worry about it.~

I drew away from Pinkie, mentally, and we cleanly separated. No pain or headache, we were simply two again instead of conjoined. I had been a little afraid it would mess up somehow, but it hadn't, and I let out a sigh of relief before turning my mind towards the camp across the way, reaching to the familiar presences of all the ponies within. I could feel them, all of them. Collectively they were scared, with waves of concern and confusion washing over me, but that was the group think. I needed to get much more specific.

Pushing in closer, I felt a calm presence. He was older than the others, and didn't seem to be very worked up. He was mostly asleep, but even his half-dreaming thoughts were gentle. It felt like a good place to start. I lowered that bridge to him, gently knocking on his door. Alright, so the metaphors get a little crossed, but we don't have a lot of applicable metaphors for what I was feeling, so I went with it.

Confusion was the reply. I pushed with warmth and a smile. I was there to help. I thought it as firmly as I could. He heard it, and the door opened, the bridge connected, and I could feel him. He could feel... wait? He wasn't a he. At least, physically he wasn't a he. He could feel I wasn't a he either, in my mind or body.

~Hello?~

His thoughts came with an odd flavor. He thought in Chinese, of course. His syntax was different, and it 'felt' different, even purely mind to mind. I replied with a sunny tint, ~Hello. My name is Aiko, from Japan.~

~Aiko? You sound nice. You sound like my daughter.~ There was a little sadness there, but also a warmth.

~What's your name, sir? I'm sorry for barging in on you, but it's hard to reach you in person.~

~Oh, I understand that. They've put all of us with the horse sickness away, hoping the problem goes with us... Are you not in here?~

~No. I'm close though. Are you alright? Are they treating you well?~

~I'm as fine as I can be. Last year I was feebly blowing out the candles on a cake with over ninety candles on it. This year, if I get a cake, it will be blown on by a girl horse with wings. I'm not sure how old I am anymore, but I feel younger than I have in a very long time.~

I put a hoof over my mouth. How traumatic had that been? ~Are you alright?~

~I wasn't. I was very angry at first. You have no idea. You sound young, even here... Do you know what it's like to finally reach peace with death?~

I shuddered softly. ~No...~

~I should hope not. I had. I was dying, and I finally found my peace with that, just to become a horse. Is this a sign that I'm not meant to go yet?~

~Perhaps, sir, or would you rather ma'am?~

~Sir works better for me. Well, you found me. Perhaps my purpose begins here. Why did you come to this place?~

I smiled a little as I sat up. ~We're going to save both of our people. We're going to save everyone. Ponies are meant to become part of humanity, not overwhelm it, or supplant it. We are humans!~

~Damn right.~ I could feel a proud swelling from his side for a moment. ~My daughter was taken to another camp... I don't know which one.~

~We'll look for her, when we can. I found you, so that'll have to do for now.~

~Right.~

We began to talk, in a manner of speaking. Impressions flowed between us. He had so many more years, which led to a lot of memories to get lost in if I didn't stay focused, but he had a sharp mind, and he cared for his fellow people. He wanted to help, and I wanted to help. We had that bond, if nothing else.

~I need to sleep,~ he softly told me. I could feel him rolling on a cot. ~They get angry if we're not asleep on time.~

~I'll be back tomorrow, promise.~

~Tomorrow.~

I drew away from him, and we separated.

I reached out for Pinkie and we found one another so easily. ~Pinkie?~

~Hiya! Looks like the lights are dimming over there, but I'm not sure why.~

~The ponies are going to sleep. They have a bed time.~

~Yuck. I'm glad I'm an adult and get to decide my own bed times. How'd it work?~

~It worked great, but I should probably follow their example and get some sleep.~

~If you want, go ahead. If we're like this, I can wake you up if I need to.~

I settled down, curling up. I wasn't alone. It was like Pinkie was with me. I missed my husband, and my new wife. Thinking about them made Pinkie hug me tighter, and I felt better. She wasn't a replacement for either, but she was a friend, and that was almost as good.

I woke up in an increasingly familiar garden. Pinkie was right beside me. "Hey! I've been here before."

I turned to her with a slow blink. "Oh, yes. This is your world, right?"

She bobbed her head. "Sure is!" She clopped her hooves together. "Hey, that means I'm home."

"I'm afraid it doesn't." Luna stepped into view. "I don't know how this can be, Miss Pie, but you are a dream projection, just as this, all you see, is a dream, not truly Equestria."

I waved a hoof at her. "She's been stranded here, trying to help us."

Luna frowned softly. "This cannot be. Pinkie is in Ponyville, with Twilight and her other friends." She looked to Pinkie directly, staring at her. "You must be... an echo perhaps?"

Pinkie tilted her head. "I don't think so?"

"Of course you wouldn't. In order for you to have gone to them physically, we would need a bridge to their world, which we do not have, or I would have gone instead, and tried to render some aid to these ponies we have wronged so terribly." She tilted her head back at Pinkie. "Can you explain that?"

Pinkie tapped at her chin. "Well, it kinda involves time travel."

Luna hissed softly. "You should never perform such an act! That magic is beyond forbidden, and with good cause. Pinkie, have you any idea what harm you could cause?"

Pinkie squirmed a little. "I think I might have... been the reason it all happened in the first place?"

Luna's eyes widened. "P-Pinkie! Pinkie..." She took a slow breath, then looked to me. "Did you speak truthfully? Is Pinkie helping you?"

"She is." I nodded at her. "She's shown me many things, including my magic, and my purpose." I turned to show my cutie mark.

Luna smiled gently. "A fine mark it is. Pinkie, you are guilty of a very severe crime, but now is not the time for punishments or chastising. You must return yourself to Equestria without further damaging things." She offered her hooves towards Pinkie. "Please. You can tell me the entire story when you are here. I will not judge you until I've heard everything."

Pinkie nodded, looking a little scared, which didn't flatter her at all. "I can't yet. I have to finish helping her." She pointed at me. "I made this mess, I'm going to make sure she, and her country, and this other country, uh, two other countries are all okay."

Luna shook her head. "You've taken responsibility for three countries? Pinkie, you are mad, but may destiny be at your side." She looked to me and put a hoof on my shoulder. "This news has rocked me to the core. I'm afraid I must consider on it. Go and return, I'll call for you when I can."

The dream ended to find Pinkie hugging me physically. We had a lot to do.

Author's Notes:

Luna discovers the typo that Pinkie made of the entire world and is a bit distraught about it for some reason.

Aiko made a new friend.

What to do?
1: Forget sneaking around, approach the government openly and open diplomatic channels.
2: Convince the ponies to free themselves
3: Try to convince the guards the ponies should be free
4: Approach the people of the city and try to convince them the ponies should be free
5: Spread some pony plague. They'll never know what hit 'em!