It was close to eleven in the morning by the time Mark got out of the bank. His branch's manager had been... a little overwhelmed by the amount of gold coins Mark had brought in to be credited to the family's account. But at least they could handle the bullion, since fossikers often brought their finds in to be assessed and processed. The gold being in coin form just made weighing them and assessing their purity much easier, if they ignored the strange markings, which included Celestia's profile on one side. By the time Mark exited the bank, the mortgage on Deep Waters Cattle Station was well and truly paid out and their bank account balance was much healthier.

Mark chuckled to himself as he crossed the street, heading for Roger and Melody's office. "I have never seen that asshole so flustered before... but at least he jumped right on processing the Bits, as Stellar called them." He said to himself in a soft voice. He promised to buy Cecelia something special for tonight, and maybe a little gift for Jumble as well. He moved to the vets' office and saw there were more people outside... but these people looked a lot less like the protesters. Most looked like the parents of older offspring; they gave him a smile as he passed them and opened the door... to a cacophany of chatter. Mark blinked with surprise, then headed in.

Inside, Mark found about thirty more Ponies there now, as well as the six that were there before. They were sitting around, chatting, as Azure Tracks explained things to the newcomers, and Melody gave them preliminary checks before they went down the hall to Roger's examination room. She was writing a lot more clearly, by the little notes that hung around some of the Ponies' necks by lanyards. Mark appreciated why many of the people were standing outside: the Ponies took up a lot of room, even if they were only about four foot high on average. Mark saw Silent Stride standing over in a corner, as he stood a full head higher than even the unicorn or pegasi stalllions. He saw Mark, his face lit up, and he made his way through the throng over to where Mark just sat down. "Uh, hi." Stride said as he reached Mark, who gestured him closer.

"Heya, Stride." Mark replied. "How are you handling things now, Mate?"

Stride sighed, looked down at the floor, then shook himself all over. "A bit better." He finally answered. "I'm still getting... getting used to being on my own, let alone with being a Pony." He looked at Mark. "Azure Tracks says that you have over a thousand Ponies staying on your station?"

Mark nodded. "Yes, we do." He said back. "Most of them are refugees from the Middle East, sent to us by our friend, Stellar Light Sparkle." Mark shook his head. "They were in such trouble, and we couldn't help but want to help."

Stride nodded. "Azure said you have room for one more?" He asked.

Mark smiled and nodded. "Sure. We won't leave any Pony out in the... well, the relative 'cold'." Mark told Stride.

Stride nodded as well. "So... if they're from the Middle East, how can you talk to them?" He asked.

"Stellar told us that Ponies have their own unique language, called Equish." Mark explained. "Apparently all Ponies know it, even if they don't remember it straight away. <And Stellar taught my wife and I how to speak it, too.>" Mark said the last sentence in Equish, as Silent Stride's eyes opened wide.

"<I... I can understand you.>" He said in Equish as well.

Mark nodded. "<Apparently most Ponies will remember Equish in about three words, once they hear it for the first time.>" He explained further to Stride. "<It's going to make communication a lot easier, with having Ponies scattered all over the world.>"

"<Yeah, you're not wrong.>" Stride agreed. "So, how many humans understand Equish?"

"Probably just myself and my wife, Cee-cee, understand it perfectly. Then again, we were taught it using magic, by an alicorn princess." Mark informed Stride.

"A... Princess?" Stride asked. "I... I remember Princesses... four of them."

Mark nodded. "As far as Stellar said, there are five of them. Stellar said a lot of you might not remember her, since she and her sister Twilight look almost identical. And with Discord screwing with your memories, it might take a while to get everything back again, if ever."

"Yeah." Stride agreed. He looked about. "So... what now?" He asked.

"Now... we wait for Azure to finish, and then we'll grab some lunch and head home." Mark said with a smile at Stride.

Stride nodded. "Sounds... like a plan." He sat beside Mark, who soon had Stride blissed out by stroking his mane and scritching his ears gently.

Cecelia and Jumble had finished cataloging another herd of the feedlots' inhabitants by the time Lunch rolled around. "<Feeling hungry, Jumble?>" She asked the little colt.

"<Yes, Mama Cee-cee.>" Jumble replied

Cecelia came close to giving a squee of her own at what Jumble had said. He'd started calling her that so easily, it made Cee-cee's heart swell with affection for the little foal every time he referred to her as his mother. As they walked back through the huge herd of Ponies, Cecelia was wondering what it would be like to be one herself; to run and play and laugh with Jumble, and snuggle with him as if she truly was his dam. She sighed as she watched him trotting ahead of her long-legged stride. Maybe she could ask Stellar if she could do something when the alicorn princess returned to Deep Waters in the near future.

They settled into Lunch together after Cee-cee had made up more food for the pregnant mares and foals, both of them sitting on the verandah of the bunkhouses with the pregnant mares as Cee-cee talked to them about what they could remember about their former lives. "<We're going to try and find someone to come and examine you before you give birth.>" Cee-cee told them in Equish. "<And hopefully everypony else as well.>"

"<We thank you for all you have done for us, Cecelia.>" One of the mares, a pegasus named Airy Skies, replied, the others nodding in agreement. She was extremely round, Cee-cee suspecting that Airy Skies might be carrying twins. "<Any professional help is most appreciated, for what we have experienced.>"

Cee-cee nodded seriously. "<I can't imagine what it must have been like, to change back and find you were so pregnant, especially if you weren't before.>" She said to them. "<Were any of you pregnant before you changed?>"

"<I was.>" One mare, who wasn't as far along as the other four, held up a hoof. "<Luckily, I still am. I don't know if that's due to me being pregnant before, or if this is the same child. Hopefully, it still is... and hopefully, they have also been Ponified.>"

Cee-cee nodded. "<Yes, a Pony giving birth to a human child would be extremely awkward.>" She agreed. "<Hopefully, we will find someone who can determine how things have turned out for you and your little one.>"

They all nodded in agreement. "<We can but hope.>" They all said together.

Then, with a shout from over the other side of another yard, the foals all rose as one and galloped off, to the amusement of the mares and Cee-cee. Cee-cee saw that the herd of cows they also had on the farm were coming into one of the closer yards. There were only two hundred of them, and they weren't really used for milk production, but Cee-cee and Mark usually took enough milk off of them that it helped in various ways. She watched as one of the stallions closed the yard after the last cow was in, a unicorn mare putting the chain latch in place and securing the gate.

Cee-cee was so impressed at the way the ponies there had started coming together and helping where they could. They weren't too organised just yet, but it was early days at the moment, and they were still settling in at Deep Waters. Eventually things would settle into a routine, and then things would only get better. Cee-cee's head told her that this would happen, and she believed it with all her heart.

After doing some shopping and another three-hour drive, the three males approached the gates to Deep Waters. Azure was relaxed in the front passenger seat, but Silent Stride had spent the time just looking about the landscape as it passed by. Mark had noticed this as he'd been driving along. "You haven't spent much time outside Darwin, have you, Stride?" He asked.

"Does it show?" Stride asked with a grin.

"Oh yeah, Buddy. It shows." Azure replied.

Stride sighed as Mark punched in the code to open the gates into the keypad mounted to the side of the drive. "Yeah... I was born in Canberra, of all places. Lived there my entire life, right up until Jacob and I married." He looked down at his front hoofs. "Our families arranged the whole thing. I was seventeen, young and very pretty, and had just finished High school. Everyone was so happy that I'd been given to a bloke with such high prospects... then his job required us to move up here after six months."

"Ouch." Mark said. "From Canberra to Darwin? I bet you locked yourself into the air-conditioning for the first summer!"

Stride chuckled. "And more! I swear I slept in ice baths as well." He sighed. "But Jacob was making money hand-over-fist. We were doing so well... even if we were so far away from everyone that had mattered to us before-hand. I managed to make a few new friends over the years, but it seemed as if everyone back in Canberra kept forgetting about us... unless they needed money." He snorted. "I don't think I need to tell you how that went down every time."

Mark chuckled. "Believe me, I know how crazy Family can get." He told Stride.

Stride nodded. "Yeah. It's kind-of why Jacob was so upset at me changing like this. I was the only real support he had for the last three years. And now..."

"And now he doesn't have you any longer." Azure finished the sentence. "But in a way, that's his fault, not yours. He could have tried to make things work between you..."

"I honestly don't think he has the mental capacity to handle something like this." Stride interrupted Azure. "He has a great organisational mindset; any kind-of problem involving business logistics or organisation, and he could solve it." Stride looked at the two in the front as they went over a cattle grid. "But... this..." He sighed again. "I don't think he has the mentality it takes to deal with something he can't put on a spreadsheet or place in a box. Celestia knows I still have feelings for him... or did. But he isn't one for fantasy or science fiction, or any type of 'alternate' thinking. And he won't ever let his feelings get in the way of doing things 'his' way."

Mark said nothing for a little bit, then asked "What did he say to you?"

Stride looked up as they crossed the last cattle grid. "He told me he wished he could love me still, but he hoped I had a happy life as I am now... He said 'God works in mysterious ways', and that he didn't blame this on me." Stride told them, as his eyes teared up again.

Mark nodded as Azure looked at Stride. "I think he still loves you more than even he realises." Mark said, as he slowed to pull up before the main house.

Cecelia welcomed Silent Stride to their home as warmly as any pony could have asked for; the big stallion got a massive hug from her and she personally showed him around the home paddock, introducing him to a lot of the other stallions. He eventually found himself working with a lot of the other Earth Ponies in organising the way they used their abilities to raise food. Mark had tried, but he hadn't had much luck. Cee-cee could train them to use their magic, but helping them to use it to the best of their collective abilities was not her strong suit. But Silent Stride threw himself into the work with a passion. And it seemed he also found he was adept at herding cattle as well. He and about fifty of the other earth Ponies, as well as some of the Pegasi, took over handling the bullocks, once Mark showed them what needed doing. It seemed the cattle were far more willing to follow Pony directives than even Human ones, save for not trampling on Mark or Cee-cee when they moved through them.

"I was wondering what this meant." Stride said to Mark as they sat later on, enjoying a cool drink in the dimming light of the dusk, the Sun heading slowly down behind the ranges to the west of Katherine. He gestured to the circles on his flank, with strange letters running between the two circles.

Mark chuckled. "Maybe you also have a predeliction for organisation." He suggested. "Although that suspiciously looks like a magic circle, like a few that Stellar showed us when she was here."

Stride shrugged. "Who knows? But I feel so much better, now I have something to do."

Mark nodded. "Sometimes that's all we need to keep us on-track. For you Ponies, living up to your cutie marks seems to help you feel fulfilled with your lives."

Stride nodded. "Maybe I do have a purpose for my life as a Pony, after all."

Mark patted Stride on his withers before getting to his feet. "Maybe that's all you needed, was to find your purpose." He suggested. "Anyway, if we don't get back to the house soon, Cee-cee is going to have your hide as a rug and mine as a car-seat cover, if we're late for Dinner." He started walking back towards the house.

Then Stride cantered past Mark. "Race you!" He yelled out with a grin.

"Hey! No fair! I don't have four legs!" Mark complained as he picked up the pace... but inside, as well as outside, he was grinning as well.

As they moved over the coast of Italy almost an hour after leaving Cyprus, Stellar's head lifted from its relaxed position and looked North. She could feel concentrations of Ponies far to the north of their position, and some of them were full of ponies that, while not being tortured like the ones in Arabia had been, were definitely not happy. She looked back at the others. "We're diverting North." She told them in a calm voice over the helmet-coms. "There's groups of Ponies there we have to visit and check over."

"As you see fit, Stellar. You're driving." Thunderlane replied, the twins tittering softly at Thunderlane's casualness in answering, after what had happened on Cyprus.

Stellar smiled back at Thunderlane as the group rolled and banked, changing course towards the North. She contacted Traffic Control for the area and got permission to divert from their planned course, then started scanning for the nearest group of Ponies. Eventually, they found themselves flying up over the Alps and Switzerland, then into Germany. "There's a big group very close now..." Stellar informed the others as they looked about.

"Over there!" Rumble said loudly, pointing with a hoof at a once-familiar sight.

Stellar looked closer, to see a group of pegasi walking and bouncing on a group of low-lying clouds. They seemed to be making it rain over a certain area, and the new group looked up as they heard Stellar's field-ramjet approaching. They waved as Stellar and the others circled them, and Stellar announced "Okay, I'm going to drop the field." She said, as she slowed them down to as slow as she could with the ramjet still working. With a flash from her horn, the heating array vanished and the field collapsed, releasing the five ponies to fan out in line beside one another, as they moved to land on the clouds with the other Ponies. As they landed, Stellar noticed some of them were taking up a defensive position, as the others seemed to move away from them. That certainly wasn't what she'd call friendly, or even normal for Ponies. But she put on a big smile as they steadied themselves and yelled out "Hello!"

As the other ponies gasped and started talking to each other in what Stellar recognised as German, she could feel their surprise at seeing her. It was obvious that it was her that had caused their reaction, since they seemed to be ignoring the other four. "<Stay here for now.>" Stellar whispered to Thunderlane in Equish, then she strode forward towards the others. "Um... Hallo...?" She tried in a more-German accent.

The Ponies chuckled, but one of the stallions stepped forward. Stellar could see there were nearly twenty mares and three stallions there, a fairly normal distribution. "Willkommen." The stallion said, then he switched to accented English. "I am Air Blaster. I hold out a welcome to our community for you." He held out a hoof to Stellar, who smiled widely as she clopped her own against his.

"Danke." She replied. "I am sorry. My German is very limited." Stellar apologised.

Air Blaster waved a hoof dismissively. "It is all right. Many of us understand English quite well, even if we do not speak it." He told Stellar. "So... You are remarkably large for a Pony mare... and you have a horn as well as wings?"

"Yes, I do." Stellar answered. "That's because I'm not just a pegasus, I'm an alicorn."

Stellar felt something sweep through the pegasi at that moment; the word 'alicorn' obviously had triggered memories for all those there, seeing her for the first time. They all talked on in very fast german for a moment, then, as Air Blaster gestured, they all lined up and bowed to her, the word "Prinzessin" being whispered through the crowd.

"You may rise." Stellar told them, in what she hoped was a less-than-condescending tone, as the twenty-three stood up again.

"What... what are you doing here, Princess?" Air Blaster asked. "And escorted by so few?"

Stellar chuckled. "I'm travelling to the United States, to try and connect up with the other Princesses." Stellar replied. "I am Princess Stellar Light Sparkle, junior princess in Princess Celestia's court and sister to Princess Twilight Sparkle." She introduced herself, then the others, as Rumble settled onto Stellar's back and waved at the other pegasi.

That small action looked to break the ice a lot more than anything that Stellar had said, as the german pegasi seemed to relax and gathered closer. After answering a number of questions, Stellar and her group were invited down to the Pony colony, just outside of the town of Heidenheim. They found the town was, for some reason, being very welcoming of the Ponies as they flocked there for safety's sake, supposedly, until Stellar uncovered that a lot of the folk there knew horses well, and had accepted that, if people were going to be turning into sapient animals, 'At least they are horses... of a sort', was the popular opinion amongst the resident human population.

"Air Blaster, do you think your group would be amenable to taking in more ponies, especially if they're in trouble?" Stellar asked him.

"I would think so." He answered with an assuredness that heartened Stellar. "Why do you ask, Princess?"

Stellar sighed at her title being used... again. But if it got help for those who needed it, so much the better. "There are other Ponies to the east of here whom I can feel are in dire need of sanctuary. Not every human town or group feels the way towards us that the people here do." She explained. "I need somewhere close to them where I can send these Ponies that I know they'll be safe and cared-for, until the way home to Equestria re-opens."

"I see." He replied. "And you would like us to help look after them?"

"If you would." Stellar confirmed.

Air Blaster nodded. "I am sure most of us here will agree to this, Princess." He replied. "Will there be many?"

"That I am unsure of at this time." Stellar answered with a little uncertainty. "I do have alternate places I can send some, but I feel it would be better to keep them as close to their original location, if there is a safe place nearby, like you have here." She explained.

Air Blaster nodded his head. "That I understand most perfectly." He replied. "What about language?" He then asked.

"<Equish is a language all Ponies speak and understand.>" Stellar replied to him in Equish, and Air Blaster was most surprised that he understood it almost immediately. "<Often, all a Pony has to do is hear it, and they remember it clearly after only a few words.>"

"<Yes, yes.>" Air Blaster replied. "<It is as you said. I could understand you perfectly, even after you spoke only three words, yet I have never heard this language spoken before today.>"

"<It is our native tongue, Air Blaster. As I said, all Ponies know it, save maybe for the youngest.>" Stellar explained to him. "<No matter where we are from, we will always be able to communicate with our fellow Ponies in this language.>"

Air Blaster nodded. "<I understand, now. It is good that we have this common tongue. The world is too broken-up by languages as it is.>" He said to Stellar. He then inquired "<Would you care to visit our little refuge, then?>"

"<I'd love to.>" Stellar replied. "<As would my friends.>" She moved closer to Air Blaster. "<I need to leave them here, while I travel east. There are Ponies in danger there, and I must help them. Knowing my friends are safe here would make things far easier on me.>" She told Air Blaster.

"<I can understand that perfectly, Princess. Have no fear for your friends. We shall keep them safe for you until you return.>" He promised, then called to the others in German, as Thunderlane, Rumble, Flitter and Cloudchaser walked up to Stellar.

"What's going on, Stellar?" Thunderlane asked.

"They're taking us to the center of their refuge." Stellar explained. "You lot can see what the go is here, and if there's any other resources in this country that might be useful to us, such as other refuges. I have to go East and deal with some problems... hopefully not as bleak as the one I dealt with earlier today." She sighed sadly, as the others hugged her. Stellar smiled and nuzzled them back. "Thanks for your support, guys. I don't know how I'd handle things if you weren't here with me."

"We're always here for you, Stellar." Flitter said back.

"Yeah! Without what you've done for us, we'd probably still be back in Brisbane, scared out of our wits and so confused, we wouldn't know what to do." Cloudchaser added.

"Not to mention what could have happened if that American idiot, Durrach, and his team had gotten their hands on us." Thunderlane said.

"Yeah! We might have been in a one-way trip to the States with them, too, but as little better than prisoners." Rumble chimed in.

Stellar nodded. "Very true." She agreed. "And that is very disturbing, that some faction in the U.S. government... or maybe operating outside its control, is rounding up Ponies for very nefarious reasons." Stellar said. "I'm going to have to put a stop to it, as soon as we have a base of operations and the time to do so."

Thunderlane and the others nodded. "We're with you all the way, Stellar!" Cloudchaser said emphatically.

"Tell us what to do, and we'll do it." Flitter agreed.

Stellar grinned. "Thanks. For now, let's follow Air Blaster down and see what the go is here. Then I'll see about what I can do elsewhere."

The Four nodded, then walked over to where the other pegasi were jumping off the cloud and drifting down towards what looked like a very large farm. They joined them as the lead pegasi touched down inside a large cluster of buildings, seemingly made to ward off prying eyes as well as inclement weather. As Stellar landed, the Four clustered around her in formation, other Ponies emerged: Unicorns and Earth Ponies came out of the buildings, most of them wide-eyed as they saw Stellar standing a full-head higher than the others.

Air Blaster addressed them in rapid German as Stellar found herself the center of a growing mass of foals of various ages. Rumble tried to help the Twins keep them orderly as they massed around Stellar, who gave them welcoming smiles and the occasional "Hallo, meine kleinen Ponys", to their delight. Stellar found she was remembering more and more German, the longer she was there. It was as if her memory contained the language, but it needed refreshing after a long absence of use.

As they cautiously moved through the throng, Stellar learned they were just outside the town of Hiedenheim, in southern Germany, next to a large reserve and other farms. The owners of this farm had changed back into Ponies only four days ago, yet had been more than happy to welcome others there when Ponies approached them, needing shelter and a refuge from those who were showing various degrees of hostility towards them.

"Are you leaving soon, Princess?" Air Blaster asked Stellar.

"As soon as I can." Stellar replied.

"Then may the deities protect and guide you, Princess. We shall await the ones you send to us, and await your return as well." Air Blaster told her, and almost all the Ponies there bowed to Stellar as she spread her huge wings.

"I shall return before sunset." Stellar told them all, gave Thunderlane and her friends a wink, then turned her attention to the skies. Stellar leaped into the air, leaving Heidenheim behind as she shot forward, heading eastwards. The border that no longer existed was crossed in seconds, the real one at the Country's eastern frontier was crossed minutes later. Stellar winged her way across Czechia and Slovakia. She could feel Ponies there, but few were feeling anything close to being afraid, save for a few young ones. Most of the Ponies were also on the move, already heading for Germany's borders. Stellar mapped where they were going, but moved on. There were Ponies far more lost than these ones were that needed her help first. She'd return and direct these ones on her return flight.

Hungary was her first destination on this flight. She could feel concentrations of Ponies out in the wild, most likely forced out of the cities and into the countryside by Humans who couldn't understand what was happening. But at least she couldn't feel that part of her precient vision acting up again. There would be no mass graves this time to deal with... at least so far. She found the closest point to the center of the massed Ponies and landed, deep inside a lovely forested area that seemed to be preserved. Once down, Stellar lifted her horn and charged it up, a ring of soft, white magical energy drifting out from it and heading out across the forest.

Wherever the ring went, seemingly drifting slowly, but moving at a very fast pace, Ponies lifted their heads at its touch as it located them within the country's borders. Stellar then teleported them to her, as she had done in Arabia. As they arrived, Stellar welcomed them all to her. "<Welcome, my little ponies.>" She said to them in Equish. "<I am Princess Stellar Light Sparkle, and I have called you here to send you to where it is safer for you, than roaming around this forest and country-side without direction or protection.>" She explained.

The Ponies were startled, of course, but they calmed down with Stellar's presence and influence. A mare walked up to Stellar and asked "<Where... where are you sending us, Princess?>"

"<There is a refuge in Germany, not too far away.>" Stellar answered. "<They are more than willing to take all of you there, and give you shelter if you need it. Those of you who were comfortable where you were, I shall return you there if you so desire. I will not break up families that accept those amongst them who have returned to their true selves again.>" She explained, to lots of chatter in Hungarian, a language Stellar had no real inkling of how to speak.

Then they all approached her. "<Please, Princess, take us to this place.>" One of them said. "<There are none here who wish to stay. We would have gone already, but none of us knew where it would be best to go. There are a lot of humans who are very supersticious here, and while they have not hurt us, they shun us and drive us from our homes into the forests.>"

Stellar nodded. "<Then prepare yourselves. A new home awaits you.>" And she spread her huge wings, her horn glowing brilliantly as she teleported them all to the outskirts of the Heidenheim refuge. They were not there for more than two minutes when they were spotted, then met by others from the refuge and taken in to where they were made very welcome.

Once Stellar was sure the first group were safe, she took to the skies and headed south. Over the next few hours, she located and transported groups of Ponies in Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Albania, Serbia and Kosovo, then east to Bulgaria. She found a great number of Ponies, in all around two thousand, and sent them to the refuge in Heidenheim. Stellar knew they would send some of the groups onto the other two refuges in the north of Germany, once they were identified, their names and cutie marks recorded, and any issues they had were handled.

It was close to mid-afternoon as Stellar flew over Romania, towards the ancient Carpathian mountains. After sending the other ponies she'd found in the south of the country to the refuge at Heidenheim, she'd felt an urging to head up north this way, towards the mountains. A part of her was sensing more ponies... but not the usual feelings. It wasn't her Solar disc from her cutie mark that was twitching, it was the Lunar crescent... which hadn't reacted like this before. As it grew stronger, Stellar glided lower, across the face of the cool and ancient peaks in this old part of the planet.

As she banked around a ridge that came down from one of the peaks, she saw the mouth of a large cave, sitting at the top of a sheer section of cliff. She realised it would be practically impossible for humans to ascend the face of this overhanging cliff-face, so steep it was as to actually stick out farther at the top than at its base. The feeling she was getting was coming from inside the not-overly-large entrance, so she landed and walked inside cautiously.

There was a breeze coming from inside the cave out through the entrance, and a familiar smell came with it, a smell Stellar recognised intimately: The smell of Thestral ponies. Having served alongside them for a lot of her careers in many lives, it was as familiar to her as the scents of her parents. But there were enough different scents all mixed together that it proved impossible to separate out any one individual scent from the others... at least at this stage. Her violet eyes adjusted to the dark as she went in beyond the reach of the direct sunlight, and she moved deeper into the caves, which opened out the further she went.

Eventually Stellar emerged into a section of the cave which was a huge cavern, full of many small bubbles in the walls. She let go a loud chirp, imitating Thestral sonar, and her keen ears picked up and differentiated between continuing tunnels and the finite bubbles. But what she didn't expect was that the return of her sonar echo was accompanied by the chirps of dozens of others. She found she was surrounded by literally hundreds of other lifeforms, all Pony-sized, and not just up along the walls. She heard the faint whispers of Thestral-speech, wondering who she was and why she was there. As she reached out with her magic, the glow of soft magenta light from her horn-tip barely lighting the grey darkness, Stellar felt the fear from many of those there. Most of them didn't know who or what she was, to her astonishment. Their public minds... were of older times, without Human contact or that of anything from Modern Equestria, which puzzled her greatly.

Then she heard one of them, who was very close, whisper ">She bears the mark of the Queen! But also of the Princess of the Day!<"

">Do you think she serves them both?<" Came another voice. Stellar realised both voices were young, maybe eight-to-ten-year-old foals at best... which probably explained why they were whispering so loudly.

">I do not know. Her fur is dark, like ours... but she has feathered wings... and a horn as well! She looks like a Day Pony... but not.<"

">Maybe she is another of our mother's Children, like we are, but she hasn't been changed yet.<" One other, a male voice this time, suggested.

">She's too big to be a child!<" The second voice answered.

">Maybe we should try to make friends with her?<" The first voice said again.

">Best to stay away. We don't know where Mother Luna is now, or where we are, but we know this place is not anywhere near Home, or where Mother Luna left us.<"

">I wish she was here...<" The third voice said sadly, and the other voices answered him in kind.

Stellar felt their sorrow as she looked about. There were so many others here who feared her, but had hope that Luna would return soon. Then Stellar remembered something Luna had told her about, something the older Alicorn had confessed to one of her other 'sisters' in another reality... about the foals she had taken from Canterlot before she became Nightmare Moon, and had tried to make herself followers like Celestia had; her 'Children of the Night', as Luna had explained. More memories of her other selves came back to her, and she remembered anew something Luna had taught some of them...

Opening up one of her pockets, she pulled out a big music box, one that Luna had gifted her with. Putting it down, she slowly wound the mechanism, then prepared a spell for herself. As the spell started, Stellar lifted the lid of the music box, and a tune started...

...And Stellar sang...

Listen, Night's Children
I've come here today
For to make good on a promise

Listen, Night's Children
The time will be soon
To leave this Cavern of Shadows

As Stellar sang in Equish, the crescent moon in her cutie mark lit up brilliantly, as did her horn, and the ceiling of the cavern changed above everypony. As soft clouds seemed to swirl about overhead, a beautiful full moon appeared in the center of them, slowly filling the cavern with silver moonlight and highlighting where Stellar slowly danced around the music box, as if spot-lit.

Fear not, Night's Children
I'll show you the way
Through all the darkness around you

Weep not, Night's Children
For there is a place
Flowing with Beauty And Passion

As Stellar sang, the Thestrals came out, entranced by the familiar tune and the similar-but-different verses to those they remembered from when Luna sang to them. They gazed upon the alicorn mare as she turned and treaded around, singing with a voice that carried to all the levels, even though it seemed soft and inviting.

I'll lead thee, Night's Children
Off to a new home
Where many others await thee

I promise you, Children
That soon, we'll away
Back to the land we were promised

As Stellar danced, she began to change, the spell altering her looks. Her huge, feathered wings seemed to shimmer in the silver light and became even bigger bat-wings, like a Night-wing. Her long horn curved back at the tip and along its length, rendering it like the horn of a Sabrehorn. Her eyes became slitted, and the whites turned to silver as the slitted pupils dilated in the soft light. She now looked like a Thestral Alicorn mare; a look that suited her very much. She smiled as her fangs emerged from her upper lips, to a mouthful of sharp, carnivore teeth. She turned, raising her head proudly and crooned to the Thestrals, a lot of the adult mares crooning with her...

Ooooo-ooo-ooo, ooooo-ooo-ooo
Ooooo-ooo-ooo, ooooo-ooo-ooo
Oooooooo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo
Oo-oo-oo-oo-ooooo, oooooooooo

Ooooo-ooo-ooo, ooooo-ooo-ooo
Ooooo-ooo-ooo, ooooo-ooo-ooo
Oooooooo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo,
Oo-oo-oo-oo-ooooo, oooooooooo

Soon now, Night's Children
A new world awaits,
Where soon your mother will join thee

So come now, Night's Children
Very soon, we will stay
Far from this Cavern of Shadows

Sung to 'Come Little Children'
By Kate 'Erutan' Covington

Stellar looked about her as she closed the lid of the music box. All around her, the Thestrals were out of their bubbles and tunnels in the soft moonlight, looking at her with awed expressions. She smiled at them all, trying to channel Luna and win their trust, if only enough so they could talk.

Finally, one young mare... Stellar saw they were all quite young, not one of them over their twenties... stepped out of the ring and moved closer. She bowed to Stellar, and they all bowed. Stellar could see all three sub-species of Thestral were represented; Night-wings, Sabrehorns and Nightwalkers. There seemed to be about three hundred of them or maybe more, at a quick count. ">You may rise.<" Stellar said in a soft, friendly voice.

After they did so, the mare closest to her asked ">Mistress? Who art thou?<"

Stellar was about to answer when, from one of the upper galleries, a shout came. "<Commander!?>" called out an incredulous male voice, as one of the thestral stallions, bigger than almost all the others, spread his wings and leaped into the air, heading down towards her.

Stellar recognised him almost instantly. "<Cimmerian?!>" She asked in reply, as he came down and landed in a space that had been quickly vacated. Stellar trotted forward and she hugged him to her, as they both laughed.

Cimmerian Shade had been further back in the caves, trying to make more rooms out of smaller caverns, when he'd heard the beautiful singing and recognised the voice, if not the song. He'd trotted through back to the main cavern as the song finished, amazed at the moonlight filling the cavern during the day time. 'Could it be Luna?' He'd asked himself. 'But that sounds like Stellar!' He emerged through the other Night-wings, to see the altered figure of Stellar standing in the middle of the cavern floor, surrounded by the other Thestrals; and so happy was he to see her, he couldn't contain himself...

Stellar hugged Cimmerian for a long laugh, then let him step back again. He looked Stellar up and down then nodded appreciatively. "<It's been a while since you looked like that, Commander... or should I be calling you 'Princess'?>" He asked.

At that word, all the Thestrals gasped and immediately bowed again, some touching their noses to the floor. "<Oh no...>" Stellar said in a soft whisper, looking about her. Sighing, she repeated ">You may all rise.<" In the Thestral tongue; the Thestrals did so, but kept their eyes downcast. Stellar glared at Cimmerian. "<What did I tell you about calling me that?>" She asked him in a voice that threatened many, many wing-ups in his future.

"<Yeah, I know.>" Cimmerian replied. "<Don't call me Princess; I work for a living', unquote.>"

"<And yet you still do it.>" Stellar said back.

"<You're not in uniform now, Commander.>" Cimmerian pointed out.

"<I am always in uniform; you know that.>" Stellar rebuffed Cimmerian's point.

Cimmerian chuckled. "<Have you still got your armors then, even with Discord dumping us here?>" He asked.

"<Even with that.>" Stellar replied, before lifting her head and allowing her Lunar guard helmet to slide onto her head, before the armor slid out and encased her in its protectiveness. That got another gasp of astonishment from the Thestrals as Stellar stood tall and proud before them, every inch a Commander of the Guard. "<And the rank's now Knight-Commander, Cimmer.>" Stellar informed Cimmerian.

Cimmerian grinned. "<Yes Ma'am! Knight-Commander, Ma'am!>" He said, saluting her. Then a large number of other Thestrals, almost all larger in proportion to the other Thestrals, emerged and lined up, saluting Stellar.

Stellar returned their salutes with a joyful grin, then said "<How many of us are here, Lieutenant?>" Stellar asked Cimmerian.

"<There's close on two hundred of the Lunar Guard here, Ma'am. The rest of these... they seem to be Thestrals from before the Fall, Commander.>" Cimmerian confirmed to Stellar what she had felt.

"<How did they get here, then?>" She asked as she peered at the mare that had approached her, gesturing her forward as her armor retracted again.

"<Apparently, Commander, they say Luna wanted to hide them from Celestia as her sister had heard about new thestrals being seen about Equestria.>" Cimmerian reported. "<From what Luna said to them, Celestia thought they were like the original Thestrals that Discord created, the ones that were... you know...>"

Stellar nodded. "<Yes. Vamponies.>" She shuddered as all the Thestrals chirruped a warding against Evil, with even Stellar joining in.

"<Yeah, just so.>" Cimmerian confirmed. "<Anyway, the last thing they remember before waking up here fourteen days ago, was Luna teleporting them away somewhere. I think that they either didn't make it here until we started changing back again, or they've been in Stasis for all this time, here in these caverns.>" Cimmerian surmised.

Stellar nodded. "<That's interesting, but not truly relevant to this situation at this time.>" She told him. She turned to look at the Thestral mare who had approached her before Cimmerian had butted in. Stellar gave her a smile, then moved to her. ">I am Princess Stellar Light Sparkle, Second and Apprentice to Princess Luna.<" She said in Thestral-speak.

The Thestrals were consumed in chatter at Stellar's statement. The mare was awestruck at what Stellar had replied. ">You know our mother?<" She asked.

Stellar gave her a soft smile. ">I do indeed.<" She answered. ">My Mistress and I are very good friends.<" Stellar confirmed. ">And to whom am I speaking?<" Stellar asked.

Looking shyly at Stellar, the mare replied ">I am Dusky Shades.<"

Stellar moved past Cimmerian and lowered her head to gently nuzzle Dusky. ">I greet you, Dusky Shades, as a Princess should.<" Stellar said to her in a kind voice. ">I greet all of you, as Second to Princess Luna.<" She called out after lifting her head to the assembled Thestrals.

">Why... why are you here, Princess?<" Dusky asked, still shy even after the warm welcome from Stellar.

">I am here to give you hope, my little Ponies.<" Stellar answered. ">You are on a new world, far from Equestria at this time. But Luna is here as well as myself. While she is still lost to us, I will help you to find your way from these caverns, to somewhere far better.<" She looked around as the Thestrals drew closer, moving past the Guard to gather around her.

Dusky looked at Stellar, her heart feeling the truth of Stellar's words, but her head was still full of questions. ">Where, Princess, will we go?<" She asked.

">There are sanctuaries for Ponies being created around this new world.<" Stellar answered. ">I myself am heading for one in a distant land which my sister, Princess Twilight Sparkle, is putting together as we speak. She is also trying to find the way back to Equestria, so we can return home.<" Stellar explained. ">When my sister and I reunite again and find the Princesses, then I shall return to you and bring you from this shelter to somewhere far safer for you, where other ponies will welcome you as brother and sister Ponies.<" Stellar told them.

">What of the Princess of the Day? She hates us!<" One Thestral stallion called out.

Stellar sighed. ">That was... a very long time ago.<" Stellar answered. ">Things have changed greatly since that time.<" She moved towards the stallion, her eyes filled with sympathy. ">Celestia reconciled with Luna and the Thestrals a long time ago.<" She told him as she reached him. ">Ask Cimmerian Shade if you do not believe me. He served in Celestia's Night Guard before Luna was reconciled with her sister, and became part of the Lunar Guard after that.<" She grinned back at Cimmerian, who was standing proudly at attention. ">And he and I have served together a great deal in the past.<"

">It's all true.<" Cimmerian confirmed. ">I was a private in Princess Celestia's Night Guard, advanced to Corporal, then because a sergeant in Princess Luna's Lunar Guard upon her return. Now I am a Lieutenant in the Lunar Guard, and serve our Mother faithfully in her Personal Guard as well.<" Cimmerian told the others.

">So do not be afraid of Celestia. She knows that you Thestrals are just Night-Ponies, like any of her own Day-Ponies, and are not vamponies or monsters of any kind.<" Stellar reassured them. ">Now, I have to go. My sister awaits me where she searches for the way home to Equestria. I will come and bring you all to where it is safe and far more pleasant as soon as I can.<" She told them all.

Dusky Shades looked at Stellar ">But... how much longer are we to wait here, Princess?<" She asked.

">A week.<" Stellar promised them. ">The trip across the great ocean to the lands of the west should not take me more than a week.<" She answered to Dusky Shades. ">If things work out better than I plan for, even that time will be lessened, but even if Discord himself were to cause me trouble, I shall return for you as the week ends. I promise you this, all of you.<" The sincerity in her voice rang true to all there. ">And those in the service of Mother Luna shall remain here to guard and protect you all against the dangers that lurk in this place, until I return. Once we all move on, then they will help to guard all Ponies from danger, whether Ponies of the Night or the Day... it does not matter. We are all Children of the First, born from the stars, just as Mother Luna was, and she loves us all. Even Celestia loves you now, as much as Luna will allow her, at least.<" Stellar smiled.

That got a round of chuckles and giggles from all those there. ">We thank you for your comforting and loving words, Your Highness. We will wait patiently for the day of our deliverance from the shadows.<" Dusky Shades said, and chirps and whistles of agreement filled the air.

">And I thank you for your faith and trust in me.<" Stellar replied to them. ">I shall return as soon as possible.<" Stellar flicked her ears at Cimmerian, who recognised the ear-flick code immediately. He followed Stellar out towards the caves' entrance, and he smiled as Stellar shifted from Thestral Alicorn back to her normal self as she approached the light. She stopped short of the light-spread from the cave entrance and said "<I will keep my promise, Cimmer. I'll be back before a week is out, one way or the other.>" She sighed. "<Finding a place for light-sensitive Night-Ponies is just going to take a while.>"

"<I understand, Stellar.>" He replied, knowing that Stellar liked to be called by name when alone with friends... and he also knew she considered him to be a very good friend. "<We'll keep the others safe until you return.>" He looked around at the caves. "<It's not too bad in here, really. It's very secure. Nobody from the local area seems to want to climb up here after we got here, and we only occasionally get other Thestrals arriving below. It's easy to hear them at night, and we keep a watch out for them... but we haven't had any new arrivals for the past three days.>"

Stellar nodded. "<Keep it up, my friend, until I return. It will be so good, having you and the others here back with me again.>" She grinned and nuzzled Cimmerian tenderly. "<If my heart didn't already belong to another, I would seriously consider taking you as a consort, Cimmer. I tell you this, because you have a right to know how I have felt about you from our past together.>"

"<Really?>" Cimmerian asked. "<That's... a BIG compliment, Stellar. I am honored.>" He bowed to her, and Stellar bowed back. "<So, who's the lucky stallion?>" He asked.

"<Thunderlane.>" Stellar answered. "<He's the...>"

"<Whoa! Whoa!>" Cimmerian looked both shocked and surprised. "<Thunderlane? That Wonderbolt-wannabe?>"

Stellar laughed. "<Not such a wannabe-Wonderbolt, Cimmer. He made the grade to Wonderbolt recruit not too long before Discord started his tantrum.>" She informed Cimmerian.

Cimmerian snorted. "<Well... that being the case, I guess he makes the grade, then.>" He replied. "<Then again... a lot of the younger mares and older fillies in there have been eyeing us newcomers off. It seems we out-shine their own stallions by a few orders of maturity and size.>" He grinned.

"<Planning on starting a herd?>" Stellar asked slyly.

"<I might just do that.>" Cimmerian agreed.

"<Then good luck to you, Cimmer. I hope you find somepony or ponies that will make you very happy.>" Stellar congratulated him. "<Now, I have to be going.>" She said, and Cimmerian nodded. She gave him one last nuzzle, then spread her wings and took to the air, shooting out of the cave entrance and off towards the North-west.

Cimmerian watched Stellar until she was out-of-sight. "<All luck to you too, Commander. And may it be as short a time as possible before we meet again.>" He said. Then he turned and headed back inside. "<I can't believe that she, of all Ponies, is hitched up with Thunderbutt...>"

As he passed under the moon-image, he failed to notice a small magic circle engraved into the stone beneath it, the runes and lines glowing faintly in the moonlight...

Stellar soared on, back over the lands she'd crossed before. Her magic could find no Ponies in distress, none of them that remained behind feeling threatened or out-of-place. She sighed with relief. She'd always known not all those who found themselves on Earth would want to leave; and not every human who came in contact with Ponies would feel threatened by them. Stellar also knew that, eventually, she would have to begin playing the games of Politics. Some human governments might want to try and take 'responsibility' for the Ponies, both before and after the eventual return to Equestria. As a princess and as the only one that Stellar felt would remain on Earth, she knew that she would eventually bear responsibility for those who stayed. How things would play out... remained to be seen.

The U.S. government was playing dirty at the moment; although Stellar could sense something was driving them; something, or someone, who was playing forces off against one another, and her heart and mind could only think of one person: Discord. He was here... every part of her told her so. She, who knew him better than most through her association with the Council of Thirteen, could almost feel the slimy touch of his chaos worming its way imperceptively around the world. And she knew in her heart there would be a reckoning; Discord Prime had hinted strongly at it, that it was why he'd sent her there. But for now, until she found him, other matters had priority: She had to reach America; find Twilight and the other Princesses; and help re-establish the portal home, or find a way to make one. There were spells, but they would take time to enable from here. But that was a problem for Future Stellar, as Twilight would say. For now, getting back to the others and heading for America was Step One.

Heidenheim quickly came into view; the touch of her friends filling her with hope and joy as she circled. She could see trucks and other vehicles with Ponies aboard heading there, and even columns of Ponies walking along the roads, some pulling carts. Pegasi guided the columns, flying low overhead. She waved to them when she was seen, pegasi rising up to greet her and fly with her. Eventually, Stellar saw Air Blaster bank towards her. "Willkommen, Prinzessin!" He yelled to her, and Stellar waved as she headed down with him to the center of the refuge. Stellar could see truckloads of fresh supplies were also arriving at one big warehouse next to the village, unicorns handling the unloading with various degrees of efficiency as she came into land in the center of the small-but-growing township on the outskirts of the human town.

Once she'd landed, Stellar found herself surrounded by the Ponies of Heidenheim, as well as the multitude she'd rescued from the countries to the East. Most were speaking Equish properly and constantly now, only reverting to their human languages when speaking to those they knew. It took a long while for Thunderlane, Rumble, Flitter and Cloudchaser to reach her, so surrounded was Stellar by those who wanted to express their thanks.

Afer giving her friends huge hugs, and settling Rumble on her back, she addressed Air Blaster. "<I am sorry to have brought all of these to you, Air Blaster.>" She told him. "<Hopefully, the way back to Equestria will not take too long to find and activate.>"

Air Blaster just grinned as Stellar saw that he was now flanked by two pretty Pegasi mares. "<It does not matter, Princess. Those you have sent to us are always welcome. The two other refuges are ready to take the overflow from us as soon as we have finished processing them for our records. It will take time, but we will not turn away Ponies in need, for they are all our kin.>" He answered Stellar, to rousing cheers from all the Ponies there.

Stellar felt tears welling in her eyes. "<Thank you... I cannot thank you enough, all of you, who open your homes and hearts to others of our kind, as well as others who are from our world as well.>" She told them, seeing a group of Griffons who were seated to one side, chattering on to each other. "<It makes everything else I've faced worth the feelings I have felt.>"

Everypony there nodded towards Stellar. "<You are welcome here anytime, Princess.>" Air Blaster stated, to more cheers of agreement, even from the Griffons and some others. "<When the way home is open, come back, and those of us who want to go home will follow you there. The rest of us will be here when you return, and we shall welcome you into our homes and our hearts again.>"

It took hours for Stellar to receive all the hugs from everyone there; even the Griffons saluted her and shook hoofs, some of them wanting hugs as well, especially the chicks. The Five even stayed for Dinner, not wanting to turn down such an invitation and maybe insult their hosts. And the Sun slowly set in the west as Stellar and her friends said their goodbyes and took to the skies again, the Pegasi and Griffons escorting them as best they could, until Stellar's ramjet ignited again and the five travellers soared up into the darkening sky, leaving their new friends behind them.

"Are we gonna come back there again?" Rumble asked Stellar.

Stellar grinned as the others giggled and chuckled. "Oh, most definitely, Little Bro. Most definitely." Stellar stated with absolute certainty.

It had already gotten dark as the five travellers crossed the French coast and headed out over the dark waters of the Atlantic Ocean. "Next stop, New York!" Stellar said back to her friends as they trailed along behind her.

Thunderlane chuckled. "I can't wait." He commented as they soared along out into the darkness, only the stars out above them tonight...

Author's Notes:

Hi everypony!

Here's the second part of the chapter that has delayed me for so long. I hope no-pony's offended that it took me nearly ten freaking months to get this chapter sorted out! However, Life in general and other story ideas had parts to play in this, as well as me reviving another hobby I used to enjoy greatly before I lost the room to work at it. Now i have the room back to set up my work area, and while getting back into it is slow going, there has been progress. Progress here, too.

Things should be a bit more regular now. i have a backlog of chapters for certain stories, some are also being worked on as well as I sit here, and with the Christmas holidays approaching, i should have more time to sit down and work out where some stories are going, and how i can get them there.

So, here's hoping.