I woke up and sprang to my hooves, but Aiko wasn't where I left her, which was all cuddled nice and warm. A note on the ground revealed the truth. She had gone up to the roof? I went trotting up to join her, climbing up the side to find her there. I didn't know she could climb like that! "How'd you get up here?"

"I used a ladder." She pointed to a ladder propped up on a fire escape. "I've been talking to the ponies inside. Pinkie, do you know the pony we were talking to, last night, in our dream?"

I nodded quickly. "Oh yeah, that's Luna. She's great. She talks like it's ye olden days, but she's pretty cool for a princess." I grinned at her and leaned in. "She's been a princess longer than you have. She's one of my two princesses, three if you count Twilight, but she's my friend really, more than my princess, also kinda like you."

She shook her head at me slowly. "Friends with two princesses, and loyal to two others. You live an interesting life."

"I didn't even get to the best parts." I giggled as I plopped down beside her. "So what's the plan for today?"

We felt something. Something powerful in our heads. It brushed over us like a rough brush, then was gone. "What the hay was that?"

"I don't know, Pinkie, but I didn't like it."

~Can you hear this?~

I nodded at her quickly, and she let out a sigh of relief. "Alright, our connection wasn't harmed by whatever it was. Our friend in the camp's been telling me the camps are pretty full, but aren't growing any larger. The more 'unruly' were just shot, so only the ones that managed to pull through with their personality intact, or at least passive, were allowed to live."

I frowned. "Even you guys were better than that."

"Were we?" She tilted her head at me. "Only the sane and well-behaved can enter the hospital. It was only just as we left that we made a place for ferals at all, and I'd hardly call it a warm welcome, in the end."

I wilted at that. Thinking about bad things wasn't where I liked to be. "But we did change it, and we can keep right on changing it. Maybe... Maybe we can change it here too!" I put my hooves on her shoulders. "We have to keep our heads high, and a song in our heart. Things may look bleak, but it can only go up from here."

A loud banging brought their eyes down. Below them, in the building they had seized, someone was banging on the front door. "Open up!" commanded a Chinese male. "Come out slowly or be shot."

Aiko looked at me, eyes wide and body trembling. ~How did they find us so quickly?~

~I dunno, but we gotta get out of here.~ I turned away from her and pointed at my back with a hoof. ~Get on. Don't try flying or they'll see you.~

She hastily climbed up on top of me when a hole appeared beside me, the tile of the roof shattering.

"Stay where you are," said a voice over a loud speaker type of thing. Looking up I saw a big twirlibird like the kind I pedaled back at home, but this one was a lot bigger. I doubted anyone inside was pedaling at all. One of them had a big long gun and was pointing it at me. "Lay down and stay still, or be shot."

~I think we're surrounded.~

I heard the front door being smashed open. We'd soon have company from every direction. If I was alone, I'd probably book it even with them overhead, but I wasn't sure I could do it with Aiko on my back, and getting her hurt would just be the worst. Slowly, I sank to the rooftop. I could hear them stomping all through the building. The ladder shuddered as heavy boots clanged against them, and the soldiers were up and around us with guns drawn and pointed. At least they didn't shoot right away.

"You are under arrest as hostile foreign agents," shouted one man. "Put your hands behind your backs and remain on the ground."

I raised my hooves, but Aiko was on my back, so getting them back there wasn't happening. I assumed she did too. I felt her moving, but couldn't see.

Another man ascended the ladder. "What are you doing? They're horses. They don't have hands." He brushed the other soldier aside. "Get on your hooves, keep your head down, and no talking unless talked to. If you attempt to approach anyone that didn't ask to be approached, you will be shot. If you show any signs of aggression, you will be shot. If you attempt to flee, you will be shot twice just to be sure. If you'd like to not be shot, do exactly as I say. Do I make myself clear?"

Aiko clambered off of me first. "We'll do as you say, sir."

I stood up when she was off. "Alright."

I glanced aside at Aiko. ~At least they can't do a thing about this.~

~Thank goodness. Stay calm, we'll get through this.~

I was gonna say that! Somehow, I knew she knew that, and we both smiled a little, sharing a moment of solidarity.

They led us through the house to a black-painted van out front. I heard cars before, how did it sneak up on us? Imagine my surprise when it started and began rolling almost silently before it began to rumble later. A stealth car!

~Not stealth, electric. It's a hybrid. If they go slowly, they can be almost silent.~

~Oh. That's still kinda cool.~

~Very, so long as we aren't being driven to an execution yard.~

They made us stand in the back of the van, with one soldier keeping a gun pointed at us, and the others chatting to each other about nothing important. We couldn't see much from where we stood, and raising our heads up to get a peek got that gun waved at us, so we stopped doing that.

~Maybe I can hook up with one of the guards?~

~Interesting idea! But if he gets scared, that might be bad for us.~

Aiko sagged a little. ~True. Let's wait and see where we go. If they wanted us dead, they could have just shot us on the roof and been done with us. They probably want information.~

~I have lots of that!~

~Secret information.~

~Oh.~ I glanced around. ~I don't think I have much of that they'd care about?~

~Don't you? You know where some of our military is, and you know what state it's in. That's not useless information. We're weak and vulnerable, and soon they'll get confirmation of that out of us, by force if they have to.~

~Aiko, calm down. We're together. Hay, even if they try to split us up, too late! We're all linked up, so we'll be there. They won't get a thing out of us unless we want them to.~

Aiko smiled a little. ~Those are very brave words, Pinkie. I'm very proud to have known you.~

~Don't talk like they're already shooting us, sheesh. We're going to make it through just fine.~

We arrived wherever we were going and ordered to get out. Clambering free, I saw we were in front of a small stone building and they waved towards it. We clip-clopped out way along. I didn't pronk. I had a feeling any bouncing would set them off. "So..."

One of them frowned at me instantly. "What did we say?"

I shrank a little. "No talking, right, sorry."

We were led inside, and the soldiers stopped. "Go down the hallway, second door on the right. Don't deviate."

Alone, we went ahead. The door he specified was right there with a nice handle on it that I grabbed with my teeth and pulled open, revealing a tall alicorn in severe clothing and a little smile on her snout. "Hello, spies. We have much to discuss, I think."

Author's Notes:

Um...

1: Panic
2: Panic
3: How about we sing a song?
4: Then again, panicking sounds good.
5: Maybe she's on our side.
6: Why aren't you panicking yet?