"Alright." I pointed into one of the rooms. "This is now our hospital. Only injured and medically trained are allowed in, everyone else, stay out. Exception for our guards." I indicated the soldiers and they saluted sharply.

"Zhang." I looked directly to her.

She met my gaze a moment before her eyes fell and she began to tremble, but she said nothing. I closed the distance and put a hoof on her shoulder. "You saved a life today. You may have annoyed me a lot, but that counts for more than that." I smiled at her gently. "Remain on point. If they need you, for light or another timely zap, you're the only source of either in this entire damn building, alright?"

She mumbled an agreement and moved off into the crowd. It'd have to do. I turned to the crowd, most of them looking at me expectantly. "Alright, Pinkie's getting some needed rest, it's time for me to step up."

One of the soldier ponies scowled. "You're the leader, you shouldn't be doing that at all. That's terrible planning."

I tapped my head. "Without Pinkie, I'm the best at maybe defusing things without going in guns blazing, and we don't have enough soldiers to lay down that much fire." I pointed at the disconcerting pony. "I'm taking him, one moment." I reached out and laid a hoof on his head gently, reaching for his mind. He let me take it, and he joined my network.

~Leader?~

~Yes! You know that?~

~Everyone looks at you like leader. You leader?~

~I am. We have a job to do. Can I count on you?~

~I'm ready.~ He rose up into alert position, snarling softly and displaying sharp teeth. ~Where?~

I heard Pinkie's sleepy voice and distant mental presence. ~Don't leave me behind...~

~Pinkie, go to sleep, stay there. You've earned some rest.~

I tried to push her deeper into sleep, but she resisted it as best she could, like a man clinging to a vine over a bottomless pit. ~I can help...~

~Pinkie, sleep, now. You're a good person and a wonderful friend, but you've been through so much.~

~Friend?~ The sharp-toothed pony looked at me curiously. ~What wrong friend?~

~Yes, that's Pinkie. You met her, the pink one.~ I imagined Pinkie, and he saw the image and began to nod quickly. ~We're leaving her here to sleep and rest.~

~Okay.~

Pinkie complained a little more, but I gently pressed down on her until her grip weakened, and she fell into a slumber. A shriek caught my attention.

"She's gone!" came the unfamiliar shriek of one of the ponies.

I rushed over to see where Pinkie had been resting was just an empty space. "What? One moment." I reached out with my network, but she wasn't there anymore. I suppose I should be considering myself lucky the languages I did remember, but I wasn't thinking about that with Pinkie gone. "Where'd she go? Did anyone see her go anywhere?"

They all shook their heads. She was gone... Just gone.

It was up to me to make this right. I took a slow breath before I set down a hoof. "This changes nothing. We're going to pacify this building, then I need to reach Japan to avoid a messy conflict. We're getting this done, and sparing all of Asia a war it doesn't need. We didn't ask to become ponies, but here we are, and we're worth having around. Let's prove it!"

The crowd erupted into rough cheering as I pushed for the stairs. I could feel all the bright points of their minds, even the ferals. They had truly fallen beneath my banner, and their support filled me with new energy. I prayed Pinkie would return, but even if she didn't, I would get done what we set out to do and make the world right again.

I emerged onto the stairs with the frightful pony with me. ~What's your name? You have a name don't you?~

~Yes.~ He tilted his head a little. ~Good name.~

~What name is that?~

~I am me.~ He let out a sound that sounded like a mix of a bark and a whinny mixed with a predatory growl. ~You are... Aiko.~

I nodded at him. "I am. You are now Sharp Shadow."

~That's a funny name.~ He seemed to accept it, funny or not.

We began to move through the building. It was to be the first, but far from the last, place I would restore order. Even if Pinkie was gone forever, her impact and instructions were clear. It was time to be a real princess.

Feral ponies were gently calmed and gathered, the more ornery put to sleep, some while being held at bay by Sharp. None had to lose their lives. Humans were approached slowly and assured that all was well in hand. We made our way to the roof, then came back down. When we reached the first floor, there were flashlights pointed in from the lobby. The military had arrived, though most of the building was pacified already. I greeted them and instructed them as to what was going on, and they spread upwards to secure things as I pushed on with Sharp to see the lower floors returned to civility.

When I finally reached the bottom floor, the door was open, and the leader was standing there, watching me expectantly. "I received word from the radio. So you've handled the situation?"

I nodded at him. "I have, now it's time to handle another. Permission or not, I am leaving and contacting Japan to prevent the further loss of life. I assume you understand why and won't stand in my way."

He nodded at me lightly. "Your tone is a bit imperious." He smiled. "As one would expect from anyone called a princess. Go, do what you must. I'll make sure the paperwork's completed."

He didn't stop me, nor did the soldiers. I walked out into the dim light of the evening with Sharp at my side to see the building had been surrounded by tanks and other vehicles. A soldier rushed out to intercept me, holding a radio. "We've got them on the line. Talk to them."

I'd have to convince them I was who I said I was, and that I spoke the truth. I smiled a little. I could handle that. I would help make the world right again.

Author's Notes:

Last time:
1: Aiko takes charge of clearing out the building and keeps Pinkie down for now to rest and recover. 9.2 votes
2: The Chinese military arrives to enforce peace. 2.5 votes
3: Click! The power's back! 2 votes
4: Pinkie insists on finishing what she started and goes back out to try to reach the leader again. 5.3 votes
5: Leaving is good. Let's bail! 0.5 votes

It's clearly Aiko's time to act, even if Pinkie doesn't like it.

Oops, Pinkie went away... But she kept warning she'd do that eventually. Aiko stepped up and is ready to assume the mantle of princess. She's going to do what's right for the world, and the ponies in it. The war is over. This story, at least this part of the story... maybe over?

Where'd Pinkie go?
1: Tell us what happened to Pinkie or I swear to god...
2: Look, I said already to tell us where Pinkie is! I'll hunt you down at a convention!
3: How'd things work out in Europe? I want to hear that!
4: You don't seem to have told us where Pinkie is? I'm a l33t hacker, I can find where you live!
5: Africa's such a huge place! What sort of strains popped up there?