I decided to take a stand, though that didn't stop me from also getting dressed. "I'm not going to be a tool against humanity. Call off whatever attack you have in mind."
She raised a brow lightly. "Oh, sudden backbone?"
Cindy snorted in disgust. "Why do you care about them so much? Our ponies need us."
"Our ponies can wait a second." I was back in my clothes and feeling less vulnerable. "These people are just trying to survive. Leave them alone."
The stranger waved a hand dismissively. "If you care so much, you do it. But do it on the go. We're leaving." She became a soldier again, gun included, and opened the door, waving for me to follow.
I followed after her, but I was trying to find that place I had before, the feeling I had when I ordered the ponies away. We emerged into chaos. Soldiers were running around, and the sound of combat was growing thicker. My stomach clenched at the thought of ponies or humans being on the wrong end of a bullet or infectious exchange. She led me towards the holding pens as I heard Cindy in my head.
~If this is so important to you, I'll help.~
~Thank you. We're kind of stuck together, let's try and cooperate.~
I could feel that place, and reached mentally for it. Suddenly I could feel all the ponies around me. They were swarming from all sides, and they were being hurt and killed, but they had the advantage of numbers by far. That advantage would win them in the end, but at a monstrous cost. I mentally ordered them to retreat and the mass hesitated. Another mental scream got them pulling back, most of them. I could feel a handful ignore my command.
When I focused on the present, I saw the shapeshifting soldier glaring at me. "Happy now?" I realized she was one of the ones that didn't listen. She was a pony? She, he? I don't know. It didn't look like a pony at all. "We have to move." She grabbed my arm and yanked me roughly to the holding pen then shoved me in, locking the door behind me. "Stay put, you freak!"
She looked to the other soldier on guard duty there. "They need you up front, I'm your relief." The soldier was quick in moving.
Lone Wing and Sandra came up to me quickly, both wagging their tails. When had they let Lone Wing out? He had one one of those bands around his body that prevented his wings from being unfolded. I was happy to see them both and gently rubbed the top of their heads. "You OK?"
They both gave a nod as Sandra pointed with a hoof at the soldier I came with. "Who's that?"
"I have no idea, but they're on our side."
The ground rumbled softly before a very familiar trio of heads poked from the ground. "Hello there!"
"We wanted to go like you asked."
"But we had to rescue you first."
"We hope that's alright with you."
The enormous hydra pony withdrew into the ground, leaving a sizable tunnel behind her. The other ponies in the pen noticed the escape route and dashed for it, vanishing into the hole. I pointed at the drugged unicorn. "Take him." Lone Wing grabbed him by the scruff of the neck with his mouth and we all retreated hastily into the dark tunnel.
Cindy provided light from her horn and I felt a mental nudge before I lit up my own horn. It seemed so obvious how to in retrospect, but I didn't have time to contemplate it. The shapeshifter dropped down into the tunnel after us and took up the rear, but not before she collapsed the tunnel behind us.
We were out.
The tunnel took maybe half an hour of hiking to get through, but we emerged in a basketball court. The hydra pony was sitting there, watching us as we came out. All three heads were smiling joyfully. The rescued ponies were gone, scattered to wherever they wanted to be.
That left us with the shapeshifter, and the drugged unicorn. The shapeshifter nodded towards the hydra. "You did fine work. You're free to go."
"Aye aye," said one of the heads before they approached me. "We're glad you're safe."
"Don't get captured again."
"Call me."
They vanished into the earth, leaving no tunnel behind that time.
Sandra tilted her head. "Were they three people, or one person divided?"
Cindy made an expression of distaste. "I'm not divided from William. We are two people, though I feel us growing closer."
The shapeshifter shook her head. "They were three humans, if that's what you meant. Friends, at least. They were two men and a woman, now all female. They seem happy enough about their new position in life. Enough of that. We are leaving this city before they carpet bomb it. If they couldn't secure the American S-Class, they'll try to destroy it."
Lone put the unicorn he held down. "S-Class?" He looked like he tried to think about it, but got nowhere very quickly. This was all so very far outside his comfort zone. "We're safe now, want to play?" He rolled over, displaying his permanent erection at the shapeshifter.
Sandra snorted softly and looked to me. "I don't get that brainless, do I?"
"Not that I've seen." My words were enough to comfort Sandra for the moment. "Can you grab the unicorn?" Sandra lashed out several tongues and lifted the limp form from the ground easily, swaying her dragon-like tail contently.
The shapeshifter advanced on Lone Wing and with a swipe of a bladed arm, she destroyed the band restricting him. "We're far from safe. Keep it in your pants."
"I'm not wearing those..."
She ignored his complaint and began to march away, and soon we were following her.