Stellar swapped over with Thunderlane halfway between Longreach and Mount Isa at a small roadside parking area with facilities south of Kynuna, and rested in the passenger seat as the others used them. "Have we lost whoever it was you were worried about?" Thunderlane asked as he sat in the driver's seat beside Stellar .

"I think so." Stellar replied. "They might still be following us, but we're a long way in front of them now, I'd bet good odds on it." She told him.

"Good enough for now." Thunderlane agreed. "We'll change over again at Mount Isa. We can also have lunch there." He told Stellar.

Stellar smiled. "If things keep up, we should be there by lunchtime tomorrow." She estimated. "Maybe sooner, once we hit the unlimited speed areas of the Northern Territory's... well, I hesitate to call them 'highways', but the wider road areas of the Territory."

"Yeah." Thundelane chuckled. "You never cease to amaze me, Stellar. Even with your more disciplined self, I have to keep remembering that Jessie is still inside you, and you drag her out whenever you need her craziness."

Stellar laughed. "Yeah... And sorry for scaring you like that, Curtis." She replied. "I know, he's the super-cautious part of you... then again, you were the one that got this piece of japanese metal modified with that big engine and two turbochargers." She reminded Thunderlane. "Surely a part of you has been dying to find out what she's capable of, after so long puttering around the suburbs of Brisbane with her and only letting her out to play so much..."

Thundelane sighed a happy sigh. "Yeah, I guess you're right, there." He said. "I guess I'm just not completely comfortable with this new body of mine to really think I can still drive like that, yet." He explained.

"Then this is the best area to try her out and find out what your new limitations are... and exceed them." Stellar pointed out. "The Territory roads are a lot better than they once were, so you can plant the foot... I mean, plant the hoof and give this girl a proper thrashing... all the better to know what she's fully-capable of."

"I think you've done that already!" Thunderlane said with a chuckle.

Stellar shook her head. "I don't think I hit her top yet. She was still accelerating when we went over the top back there and I slowed her down." Stellar pointed out. "She's barely gone above one-sixty. I'm betting she'll top two hundred without the trailer or ute back there."

"Celestia, I must have been mad when I had this big baby put together." Thunderlane commented. "She was meant to be a powerful tourer, not a Four-Wheel-Drive racing machine."

Stellar chuckled. "Well... you got both." She told Thunderlane.

Thunderlane was about to reply, when Rumble and the Twins came back. "We goin', Bro?" Rumble asked.

Thunderlane slipped out of his seat and slid it forward for Rumble to get in. "Yep, in a bit, Little Bro." He replied as Rumble jumped up and scrambled inside the back.

"Thanks." Flitter said as she came up and climbed in after Rumble.

Cloudchaser got in the other side of Rumble and they buckled in as Stellar and Thunderlane climbed into the front again. Five minutes later, they drove off, heading for Mount Isa. Stellar actually leaned back a little and put her rear hoofs up on the dashboard. Thunderlane frowned at her, but the dashmat prevented her hoofs from scratching the plastic, and Stellar easily slipped into sleep.

Azure was lying on the bed over the top of the driving cab as the motorhome managed to keep up with the speed limit. They'd just left Winton behind after the American had made several phonecalls and everyone, save for Azure, had taken a good break outside the motorhome. The woman was in the main bed, asleep, as the driver and his co-pilot had swapped. The driver was having something to eat, as the American was fiddling around with a big-bored pistol. A number of darts sat on the table in a case, as he checked them over as well. "You think those are going to work against one of those... ponies, who knows all of their tricks?" The driver asked the American.

"They've worked before." The American replied.

"Yeah, but we're not facin' one of the smaller ones, scared and just acting out of self-preservation." The driver reminded the American. "You heard Allan. She can do things even he can't. And she knows how to use that bloody magic of theirs properly. She could be more dangerous than a herd of them together."

"That may be so, but we are not going to kill it." The American said. "We need it. It could hold the key to controlling this magic as a force, something that will give us a massive lead over the Chinese and the Russians, finally."

The driver took a long sip at the cold cola. "I think you're tryin' to hold onto a taipan by the tail, Mate. It's just gonna whip around and bite ya in the ass."

The American snorted dismissively. "You Australians. You have no idea about the complexity of international dealings." He put the dart pistol down. "These... creatures have abilities that go way beyond ANYTHING that's ever been speculated! Even the stories of alien technology, rumors of incredible aircraft and weapons... all of them could be rendered superfluous by the capture of just one of these creatures who truly understands what they have become and the incredible power they control!" He sat back for a second. "I shouldn't tell you this, but I have heard that others like this one have been seen before. Ones with horns and wings at the same time..."

Azure's eye flicked open in amazement! Other alicorns? Could they truly be the Princesses returned?

"If that's so, why do you need this one?" The driver asked.

"Because they did not understand who or what they were and what they could do." The American explained. "One went psychotic and destroyed a private facility that was probing their abilities. The other one it was with slipped through our net, we're not sure how. A third one seems to have gone to ground in another country, but this one! She is unknown to us, and at least we have a means of tracking her. Plus she isn't lying low like they are. She is out and about... and displays knowledge of her abilities way beyond what we had confirmed in the others. Her capture is the highest priority now."

"And the others?" The driver asked.

The American made a nasty noise. "They are superfluous." He replied. "If they let us have her, then we don't need to keep them. If they get in the way... there will be four less of these things to worry about."

"You're bloody heartless, you know that, right, Durrach?" The driver said with disgust.

"A heart is only a hindrance in this game, Moller." The American, Durrach, replied. "There is only one's duty to one's country and the place it has to have to surpass all others in this world we fight over."

Azure barely kept himself from shaking in fear. Durrach would kill all the others, even the colt, just to get to the big one? His mind might still be mostly human, but even his conscience, human or pony, railed against what this American maniac was saying. But what could he do?

There was time left.

He'd think of something...

Kynuna, McKinlay and Cloncurry were passed by easily. Not even the local highway patrol bothered them. But it seemed there was the beginnings of tensions in the ranks. "Hey, can we pull over for the night?" Flitter asked.

"Yeah! Even our parents never drove us straight through when we were driving to visit you, Thunderlane." CloudChaser added.

Thunderlane looked at Stellar where she sat in the passenger's seat. "What do you think?" He asked. "Should we risk it?"

Stellar's horn-tip lit up for a second, a brilliant white instead of the normal magenta glow, then faded. "I can't see any problems... but we'll choose a road motel outside of Mount Isa." She suggested. Dropping her hoofs to the floor, she looked behind her. "Rumble, could you get my tablet out of my bag? I want to check up on what accomodations are available in Mount Isa."

"Sure." Rumble replied, unbuckled and scrambled over into the back after opening the crash barrier. A few minutes later, he handed the little computer over to CloudChaser, who handed it to Stellar as Rumble dropped back into his seat and secured the crash barrier again.

"Thanks, Rumble, Chaser." Stellar said as she started up the device and brought a list of the accomodations in Mount Isa up. "Hmmm... I'd say the Abacus Motel would suit our needs, Thunderlane." She told the stallion. Stellar got out her cellphone and called the hotel. "Yes, I'd like two rooms close together, thanks. One with a double and a single, the other with two singles. Ground floor would be appreciated." Stellar waited, then grinned. "You can? Good. Yes, the booking will be in the name of Jessie Maescen." Stellar waited for a little bit, then said "No, we won't need the meal service. Does the big room have an open shower?" She asked, then grinned. "Excellent. Thank you very much, we'll be there in a few hours." She waited for a little more, then replied "No, we're just leaving Cloncurry." Another pause, then Stellar said "Good. See you in a few hours. Thank you very much." And she disconnected. "All set. We've got the rooms for the night, and we can stock up on some new produce while we're in town." Stellar told them all, which got cheers from the back seat.

Thunderlane grinned as he checked his rear-view, seeing the joy on the others' faces as they contemplated a night on soft beds and more than just alfalfa and oats to munch on.

Three hours later, Thunderlane followed Stellar's direction around to the Abacus motel, not far from Mount Isa's airport. The City often called the 'Oasis of the Outback' wasn't the sleepy town a lot of southerners thought of when they thought of places like her, but had never seen. Mount Isa was a true city, spread out over the plains and encircled by the huge, deep mines that gave the town its purpose. The Abacus Hotel wasn't a small road inn, either. Two-storied and quite capable of taking almost a hundred guests, they parked outside, and Stellar went in. Standing up on her hind legs with her shoulder bag over her side, she walked into the office.

The lady behind the desk smiled at Stellar. "Hello! How can I help you?" She asked.

"Hello. I booked two rooms over the phone earlier. My name is Jessie Maescen." Stellar told her.

"Ah yes! We have a couple of outside rooms for you, as you asked." She pointed them out to Stellar, who got out one of her prepaid debit-cards.

"Good." Stellar replied as they finalised the arrangements and Stellar paid for the rooms.

"Just overnight, then?" She asked.

"We're on our way to see relatives in Katherine." Stellar explained.

"Ah... A long way to go." The manager said.

"Better we go to see them, than they come and invade us." Stellar said back with a grin.

"I know that feeling all too well." The lady replied, chuckling. "I hope you enjoy your stay." She said as she handed two keys over.

'So do we. Thanks very much." Stellar told her as she gathered up everything together and headed out again. She motioned to Thunderlane as she dropped to all-fours and trotted around to the side of the building. She stopped in front of the two rooms and checked them over. "Very nice." She said as she perused the bigger room. She watched as Thunderlane drove up and parked across the two rooms, and she disconnected the trailer for him, so he could back the Landcruiser in beside it. Then everybody got out, Stellar opened the second room and looked it over, nodding in approval. "These will do." She said to Thunderlane as he walked up beside her.

"Good." He replied, smiling.

Stellar looked at the Twins and tossed them the key to the smaller room. "The shower in our room's more suited to us, so use it if you want to." She told them, to the Twins' nods.

While they headed in, Stellar and Thunderlane started unloading the 'Cruiser, with Rumble's help. "What are we going to do about more supplies?" Thunderlane asked Stellar.

"There's plenty of produce stores here. We'll restock using my ute, that way, we won't get the 'Cruiser dirty inside, and it'll give my Crewman a chance to stretch it's legs." Stellar answered.

Thunderlane nodded. "Good. I'll also go over the 'Cruiser tomorrow, before we set off again." He said.

"If you weren't going to, I was." Stellar agreed. "Even with two vehicles, we don't need a breakdown anywhere west of here. It's hardly a place fit for man or pony." She smiled at Thunderlane.

He chuckled. "How long have you been waiting to use that line?" He asked.

"Since we left Longreach." Stellar answered. "How did you know?"

"Partners, remember?" Thunderlane replied. "I know your sense of humor pretty well by now, Stellar."

Stellar giggled. "Yeah, well..." She moved to him and nuzzled him tenderly. Thunderlane stretched his neck up to Stellar and returned her caress. "I'm so glad I'm here with you." She told him.

"Likewise." Thunderlane said back. "It might have been nicer if we hadn't had to hide, or if my mother hadn't been so crazy... but we dealt with that, and we'll just go on from here."

Stellar chuckled. "You always were the logical one." She nuzzled him again.

Thunderlane nickered softly as they stroked their faces together.

The Twins were in the big shower, washing each other down. Stellar had provided a number of long-handled brushes and washers to clean themselves with, and a shampoo-conditioner mix for equines that did their coats the world of good. Rumble had managed to squeeze between them both, and they were washing him down, now that they were clean. As Flitter used a washer to wash Rumble's ears out, CloudChaser was washing out his tail. "How did you get so dirty?" Flitter asked Rumble.

"I dunno." Rumble answered. "Just a talent, I guess."

That got a snicker from the girls, as they continued to scrub him down. Before they could use up a whole heap of towels getting dry, Stellar stepped in and smiled at them. "Okay, Hold still." She said as her horn lit up, a little spell-ball hitting each of them. As it flowed over them, the water flowed out of their coats and onto the floor, then slithered like snakes into the shower area and down the drain, leaving them dry, but refreshed. "There you are, dry as can be." She grinned.

"Cool!" All three of them said at once.

Stellar nodded. "Okay, now Thunderlane and I are going to get cleaned up, then we'll go and get some more supplies. The last of the fresh food is in your room, Flitter, so you and Chaser can look after Rumble while we're gone." As Rumble opened his mouth to say something, Stellar cut him off. "Yes, Rumble, we'll go flying this evening." She promised.

"Okay." Rumble said back, smiling.

Stellar nodded. "Stay indoors for now, in the air-con. I'll renew your spells before we go out." She told them. "The 'Cruiser will still be here if you need to get anything out of it. Rumble, here's the spare key and remote." She hoofed Rumble the extra set.

"Will you be long?" CloudChaser asked.

"A bit. But enjoy the normality while you can." Stellar suggested. "And you, Little Bro, make sure you preen your wings properly." She told Rumble.

"Uh-huh, Stellar Sis." Rumble agreed, then Stellar let them leave for their own room.

"Will Rumble be sleeping with us?" Flitter asked Stellar.

"No. He's got the single bed in here." Stellar answered Flitter, as she got out some more bathroom supplies.

"So, does that mean you and Thunderlane will be sharing a bed, then?" Flitter asked slyly.

Stellar chuckled. "Yes... but do you think we'd really do anything with Rumble there?" She asked back.

"Uhh.. when you put it like that, probably not." Flitter agreed.

Stellar just grinned and walked away. "What was that about?" CloudChaser asked as she munched down on one of the last of their granola bars.

Flitter shaked her head. "Stellar can be so mysterious at times." Was all she replied.

As Thunderlane and Stellar stood in the shower, washing each other down, Stellar moaned with pleasure as Thunderlane paid dedicated attention to her wing-roots. "By Celestia! I'd forgotten how much of an erogenous zone our wing-roots are." She told him as she washed his broad back.

Thunderlane chuckled. "Honestly, if anyone had told me I'd be washing down a mare one day, I would have thought I was doing punishment detail at the mounted unit." He said to Stellar as he used the long-handled brush with his forehoof to do her sides. "Somehow... that image isn't anywhere near as good as this is."

Stellar smiled back at him, as she rinsed down his flanks and back. "I can see where you'd feel like that." She admitted.

"I must be getting used to being this way." Thunderlane commented. "I'm starting to almost forget what it's like to be Human."

Stellar frowned. "That's not good. That could be very dangerous." Stellar said to him, and scanned him, then growled. She touched her lit horn to his forehead.

Thunderlane gasped, then shook his head. "What was that for?" He asked.

"Getting rid of a trap." Stellar replied. "I'll have to check everypony we come across, too. It seems our adversary has left little post-hypnotic suggestions in our minds. If we relax into things too much, we risk our intelligent selves being over-ridden by our animal instincts." Stellar explained. "You bastard, Discord. I knew you'd gone off the rails, but not by this much."

"So, what now?" Thunderlane asked.

"I can block his suggestions." Stellar said. "Maybe even remove them permanently. But it'll be a lot harder if they manage to take over than to block them out beforehand." She told Thunderlane. "I'll block them on everypony here with us when I renew our disguise spells once we get out of the shower."

"What about yourself?" Thunderlane asked.

Stellar closed her eyes and scanned herself. "I don't have them. It seems my rebooted memories eradicated them when they were uploaded." She sighed. "Let's finish up and get out. I don't want to, but knowing our friends are at risk... I want to get rid of Discord's influence on them once and for all."

"I hear you." Thunderlane agreed. They finished up washing each other all over, then they stepped out, dried off and went into the bedroom area.

The others were waiting, Rumble bouncing on his bed with glee.

"I need you to come here." Stellar said to all of them. "Time to renew our disguise spells."

"Okay!" was the reply, and all four pegasi gathered before Stellar.

She gently touched Rumble, Flitter and CloudChaser on the forehead, then her magic weaved about them again, renewing her spells. "Okay. All done."

"Can we go for a swim?" Rumble asked.

"Best to wait until I get back, Kiddo." Stellar told Rumble. "After all, you don't know how to swim as a pegasus yet. If I'm here, then I can pull you out if you get in over your head." She said, nuzzling Rumble in a sisterly manner.

"Okay. You're right, Sis." Rumble admitted.

"Just looking out for my little bro, Rumble. I'd hate for anything to happen to you because we weren't careful." Stellar said to him in a soft voice.

Rumble nuzzled Stellar back, then gave her a hug, standing on his hind legs. Stellar wrapped her huge wings about him, and held him close. "Love you, Little Bro." Stellar whispered in his ear

"Love you too, Big Sis." Rumble replied, as Thunderlane looked on with a loving smile on his face.

"We'll spend some time together when your brother and I get back, I promise." She promised Rumble.

"Can't wait." Rumble replied.

Stellar handed Rumble her tablet. "Here, have some fun with this, but you know what you shouldn't do, right?"

"Uh-huh." Rumble tucked the tablet under a wing and gave Stellar one more nuzzle before he headed into the room where Flitter and CloudChaser were still grooming each other out.

Thunderlane smiled at Stellar. "He's loving having you as a big sister." Thunderlane told Stellar.

`"I'm loving having him as a little brother." Stellar replied with a huge grin as they moved to her ute, where it was on the trailer. "Okay, before we leave." Stellar said as she removed the car cover. "I've got a new set of bags for you, to replace your pockets." She told Thunderlane. She handed him a belt with two little bags on it. "You can wear it standing upright or down on your hoofs."

Thunderlane buckled it on as Stellar directed him, then tried it out. "Hey, they work." He commented.

Stellar smiled. "Here's your old wallet, with a few prepaid cards and some cash in it and a shopping list." She said. "Once we get to the shops, we can go our own ways inside and get what we need, then move to the ute and join up there."

'Good plan." Thunderlane agreed.

Stellar got the ute off the trailer, checked what was in it and removed some boxes to the Landcruiser, then they got in and headed out.

As they drove through the streets of Mount Isa, the sun heading towards the horizon around them, Thunderlane looked at Stellar. "What are we going to do about the old food we have in the back?" He asked her.

"Produce stores have big bins out the back for their own stock that goes stale." Stellar reminded Thunderlane. "I'll just transport all our old stuff into them, and that will be that." She said.

Thunderlane chuckled. "Why didn't I think of that?" He said, then sighed. "You really have been thinking things through, haven't you?" He asked.

Stellar smiled. "As my memories settle down more and more, I find my thought processes to be quick and comprehensive." She said. "I've done a lot with the Equestrian Army, from tactical and strategic planning to logistics." She told Thunderlane. "My grandfather made sure my education delved into even the smallest and distasteful areas of planning, including dealing with trash. A good commander ships stuff out of their lines as well as ships it in."

Thunderlane nodded. "Yeah. Camping in some areas is the same. You carry everything in, then carry it out again."

"Take only pictures, leave nothing but footprints... or hoofprints, in our case." Stellar agreed.

Thunderlane chuckled as well. "Yeah. Campers need to have that old saying drilled into their heads before they go anywhere." He said in agreement.

"Ah, here's the place." Stellar said, as she pulled into the forecourt of a big produce store. She drove around the store's parking area, until she spotted the bins, and as her horn lit up, the ute's tray got a whole lot lighter. Two of the bins erupted in dust, though, startling some of the staff for a second. Stellar then drove around the front again and parked in a spot where a forklift could easily get access to the ute's tray. They both got out, Stellar standing on her hind-hoofs, and Thunderlane matching her. "Got your shopping list?" Stellar asked.

"Yep. And you?" Thunderlane replied.

"In my bag." Stellar said.

"Then let's go." Thunderlane grinned. The pair moved off together and went into the big warehouse.

Azure wasn't feeling that well. Being cooped up in the motorhome all the time was slowly draining his mana and his motivation and he needed to get out, stretch his legs and just be amongst nature. He looked at Catherine, his 'handler' and former partner at ASIO. "Cathy... I need to get out for a while. Do you think we can stop somewhere?

Cathy looked at Azure with a smile. "Sure. I'll go see if we can find a place."

Durrach was sitting in the passenger seat in the driving cab when Cathy approached Moller. "Can we find a place to pull over? Allan needs outside."

"Tell him to hold it." Durrach said.

Cathy fumed. "Listen, Buster! You may be in charge of this mission, but Allan is still one of us! And if he needs to go outside, then we're going to give him that opportunity!" She snapped back at Durrach.

Durrach was about to snap back, but Cathy got in his face. "We also need him. No-one else can track your precious target, remember? If he gets sick or dies, where will that leave you and your precious mission?" She asked softly.

Durrach thought this over, then nodded. "All right." He looked at Moller. "Find a place, away from prying eyes."

"Sure." Moller acknowledged the command, and within ten minutes, they'd pulled over in a small lay-away at the side of the road. Keeping the motorhome between the road traffic and Azure, He and Cathy walked off into the small line of trees that had managed to grow up here by the diversion. Azure disappeared behind a tree for a few minutes, then came out and laid down beside the trunk of the biggest tree there. He closed his eyes and rested his head against the smoothness of the ghost gum, his horn-tip glowing as he felt the life-force within the massive tree.

Cathy looked upon him with sympathy. Allan had been a really nice, stand-up kind-of guy that had lots of friends and nobody really disliked. He'd joined ASIO three years ago after University and had done a lot to help out. She'd been partnered with the slightly-older man and they'd found they were well-matched.

They'd been watching a group of Muslims that information had suggested were plotting a attack, when Allan's transformation had begun. Fortunately, they'd been able to stay focussed and even as Allan ponified, they'd been able to get the crucial information and as Allan became quadrupedal over the second night, raids carried out had netted a large amount of home-made explosives and twenty immigrants who were planning on detonating explosives inside shopping centers.

Cathy had used one of their back-up cameras to document Allan's change, so the scientists that worked for ASIO and the CSIRO had a very good understanding on the process now, as far as timelines go. But Allan had found himself confined to the main building of ASIO in Canberra, and Cathy had remained with him. Allan had told her that, without her being there, he didn't know how he would have adjusted as well as he had done.

Then Durrach and his six cronies had arrived. He'd tried to bulldoze his way through everyone, had tried to have Allan locked away permanently, then tried to have him put on a military transport for the States. Only the threat of being told to 'Fuck Off!' officially and not-so-officially had led him to realise that he wasn't going to just over-ride everyone when it came to Allan. Some other ponies had been allowed to be shipped for the 'Program', as Durrach referred to it, but he came to realise that the agents that worked around the pony known as Allen still considered him one of their own... and after him being able to track down other ponies by their energy signatures came to light, Durrach had been more than willing to allow him to continue working with the other agents.

Durrach walked out of the public toilet block in the lay-away with a new sense of respect for Australian public works. The conveniances were clean and well-maintained, unlike some he'd seen in the US that, if he'd had his way, would have been bulldozed and buried. Moller and his partner Derrick were sitting in the shade, a pair of fold-out chairs under them and a cooler or esky, as they called them here, between them, drinking cold Coca-Cola as they waited for Allan to finish up. Durrach approached them and asked "Got one of those for a thirsty Yank?"

The pair eyed him, then Moller got one of the bottles out and handed it to Durrach. "Thanks." He said as he cracked the twist-top and took a long draw on the ice-cold dark liquid. He'd been surprised how different Australian Coke tasted to the stuff he drank back home, but he found himself liking the flavor. The cane sugar gave it a different taste to the corn syrup American Coke had, and he'd found it to be more enjoyable. "I have to say this, guys. There aren't many things I find out here that are better than back home, but you lot have cracked it when it comes to Coke. I will state that the Coke they make out here is better than the original."

Moller and Derrick chuckled. "That's pretty big of you, coming from a Yank."

"Hey, I might put the mission first, always, but I can... what do you Aussies say? 'Call a spade a spade' when it comes to shit that doesn't compromise the mission." Durrach told them. "I mean, I've even gotten used to eating Vegemite... at least on toast."

That got a laugh from the three of them as the Aussie males pulled out another chair and let Durrach sit down. They chatted on, just relaxing for a short while, and maybe, just maybe, Durrach understood the Aussies a little better than he had.

Cathy watched Allan as he lay against the tree, his horn-tip lit and his eyes closed. She wondered what was going through his mind right at that moment. She crouched beside him and stroked his forehead, around his horn. She could almost feel the magic his horn contained. It was so pure, so full of life. She saw his eyes were leaking tears, though, and she just wanted to hug him close.

For Azure Tracks, the magic of the land he was born to, that he loved, was renewing him slowly. It flowed from the earth below him, from the tree beside him, filling him gently with life and healing him. He cried softly with the pureness of it, making him finally feel that, perhaps, being like this was not a curse, as he'd thought. But something was still missing. Something still prevented him from accepting what had happened to him. Something he could feel, but eluded him yet. He took a shuddering breath and let it slowly die away, as his horn glowed brighter.

"Are you all right, Allan?" A sweet voice flowed through his melancholy and he smiled. Opening his eyes, Azure looked up at the one human in his life that had never lost faith in him.

"Cathy..." He said softly, smiling at her through the tears. Cathy smiled back, stroking his face gently. Azure leaned into the gentle caress and nuzzled her hand. "I thank Celestia you're here." He told her.

"Who?" Cathy asked.

Azure chuckled. "I'm not sure myself. It just sounded right." He told her.

Cathy giggled. "Are you okay?" She asked.

"No." Azure replied. "I... I'm not whole, yet. I'm physically complete... but there is something missing inside me. I have no idea what it is yet, but I know I have to find it." He told Cathy.

Cathy nodded. "I'm not surprised. After such a long and complete transformation... I would be truly surprised if you weren't still lacking something." She told him. "Can you remember anything else yet?" She asked him.

Azure shook his head. "Just that... horrible creature and what it said to me after it grabbed me." He answered.

Cathy nodded. "Five score, divided by four." She remembered out-loud, and Azure cringed. "Sorry." She said and stroked his ears softly, making Azure nicker softly.

"It's okay." Azure replied. "I only wish I truly knew the significance of it." He told Cathy.

"It'll come in its own good time." Cathy told Azure, moving closer to him and actually hugging him. Azure whickered at the embrace, and did his best to hug Cathy back.

A little while later, after Azure had had some cold water and some lettuce, carrots and apples, they all got on-board and started off again. Moller looked in on Azure. "You okay now, mate?" He asked.

"A lot better, to be honest." Azure replied. "I'm still getting used to how this body works inside."

Moller nodded. "Hopefully, it settles down for you soon, Allan." He ruffled Azure's mane, then headed forward to take the shotgun seat.

Durrach moved past Azure, giving him a faint smile, then headed into the back bedroom. Taking off his sunglasses and shirt, he collapsed onto the bed and went to sleep very quickly.

Stellar walked out of the supermarket with a shopping trolley full of nicer nibbles than the produce stores had, just to fill up the corners: Lots of vegetables, some salad dressings and other fruits, and a good deal of fish. She saw Thunderlane leaning up against the side of the ute, and she took her keys out and unlocked it. Bowing to Stellar in thanks, Thunderlane loaded up the back seat of the Crewman with what he'd bought. Stellar approached the other side and did the same. "You got a lot." Stellar commented.

"Well, we will be invading Mark and Cecelia in a short time from now, with three more hungry ponies, as well as their daughters. I'm just making sure we have enough food so we don't eat them out of house and barn." Thunderlane replied.

"Ah, very true." Stellar agreed as she used her magic to help her lift a big esky into the Crewman, with the fish and other goods that needed to be kept cool into the tray, and anchored it down. "We don't want to wear-out our welcome." She agreed.

They slid in once they were loaded, then drove out. "Any signs of trouble?" Stellar asked.

"Not a bit." Thunderlane answered. "I spoke with over a dozen people as I walked around, and I didn't get one of them freaking out about talking to a pony." He chuckled.

Stellar chuckled as well. "Goes to show you, the spells really do work." She said. Then she pulled over into a small shopping area. "Great! An open post office!" She said. After she'd pulled over, she left the motor running and said "Be back in a minute." She climbed out, headed inside and came out ten minutes later with a large paper carry bag. "Okay! Now we can head for the hotel." Stellar said as she put the bag in the back and climbed in the front seat again.

"What was that for?" Thunderlane asked.

Stellar grinned. "A simple money-making scheme." She said as they drove off. "I have bags full of Equestrian bits." She told Thunderlane. "I put a dozen of each denomination up on E-bay after I finished changing and got access to my funds, then pointed it out to several people I have contact with amongst the Brony community online."

Thunderlane thought on this, then it hit him and he started laughing. "You mean... you put genuine Equestrian Bits up for auction, then showed where they were to Bronies?" He asked.

"Yep, and rabid bronies at that." Stellar added. "I even stressed they were made out of real gold, just like the ones in the show are. Not one of them is still below a thousand dollars in their auctions."

"By Celestia..." Thunderlane said.

"Yep. I'm even going to come out of this ahead of the falling gold prices at the moment." Stellar revealed. "The auctions run out tonight, so I'm going to bag the coins, which I already have cases for: I got those in Brisbane before I left. Once they're bagged, a little anti-tamper spell for security, and I'll send them out in the morning." She explained.

Thunderlane shook his head. "That... is amazing." He replied. "And so simple! Luckily you had them with you... or is this another of your contingency plans?"

"A little of both, really, if I am honest." Stellar answered. "While gold appears to be somewhat of a universal currency, both on Equis and Earth, it makes sense to carry some no matter where I go. After all, people have been doing it on Earth for centuries."

"True." Thunderlane agreed. "And it is a clever way of getting funds quite legally." Then he asked "So, what if they don't pay?"

"The terms are, no funds up front, no coins." Stellar told Thunderlane as they negociated traffic. "So if they don't pay, I don't post. I'm dealing only through Paypal, so I knows the funds are secured by their insurance, as do the buyers."

"Sensible." Thunderlane agreed as they turned into the street the Abacus Hotel was in. "Then again, you always could be sensible. It's just at times, you didn't want to be." He pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess." Stellar said as she pulled into the parking area near their rooms. She left the ute sitting beside the trailer for the moment, and they hauled some of their groceries and other foods inside with them. After knocking on their door, Flitter, CloudChaser and Rumble came out and helped, taking some food into the Twins' room as well, just in case they wanted to eat. The older perishable food was quickly despatched to the bins and they replaced it.

Twenty minutes after unloading concluded found the five ponies around at the pool. The setting sun slowly inched towards the horizon as they enjoyed their time in the cool, covered waters. Stellar was teaching Rumble to swim as a pegasus, using his wings to support him and propel himself through the water. He was enjoying it, giggling like a foal as he swam easily from one end of the pool to the other, popping up at the other end and shoving himself up out of the water into flight, then landing beside the pool and trotting carefully back down to Stellar. They shook themselves out all over as they stood on the grass, then Rumble hugged Stellar again. Stellar leaned down and held Rumble close to her, nuzzling him lovingly.

Thunderlane watched from where he and Flitter were making dinner. He was barbecuing fish fillets, while Flitter was chopping up vegetables and making a big salad for all of them. He couldn't help but smile at how close Stellar was becoming to Rumble, and how much his once-twin brother was truly becoming a ten-year-old again. Maybe if he could talk to their father without their mother being there (or with her hog-tied and duct-taped, perhaps), he might even consider Stellar as good marriage material. After all, she was a Princess. It wasn't every day an ordinary stallion like himself got to marry a Princess... except for Stellar's brother, apparently. Then again, Shining Armor was the brother of two princesses, and was apparently a Duke, according to what Stellar had told him about the social rank of her family. And he had become a prince after marrying Princess Cadance... at least before everypony got thrown out of Equestria and onto Earth by Discord.

Thunderlane watched as Stellar and Rumble played with a big beach-ball on the other side of the pool. Rumble looked so innocent, so child-like... even though Thunderlane knew a lot of Rusty still existed in his head. Eventually, they stopped when Thunderlane called out "Dinner!" and everypony came back around, to the products of their labors. Thunderlane was so glad Stellar had taught them about their Kinetics. It made doing things like cooking so much easier. As he watched, Rumble settled with his plate next to Stellar, and just sat with her as Thunderlane cleaned up a little, then settled on the other side of Rumble as they ate.

They did go on a short flight after dinner, looking at the oasis city from the air, but Rumble yawning widely brought their short flight to an end. Back in their room for the night, Flitter and CloudChaser settled onto their beds very quickly and were asleep in minutes after grooming and preening themselves beforehand, as they'd gotten used to doing.

In their room, Thunderlane had made sure Rumble groomed himself out and preened his wings properly before settling him into bed. Stellar was encasing Bits into the protective cases she'd bought, then was placing them in Postpaks for mailing the next morning. She'd checked the auctions on E-bay, and had a list of people who'd paid their account already. Seventy-three of the eighty-four Bit coins she'd put up for auction had been paid out, for well over a thousand Australian dollars each, the other eleven just waiting on payment. Thunderlane looked at the stack of coins in cases on the bed, as Stellar wrote out the names of the recipients on the postpaks, wrapped the appropriate coin (or coins) in bubble-wrap and a protective spell, then slid them into the paks. There was a fast-growing stack of postpaks ready to be posted the next morning when they left.

"This will bring in a good stack, won't it?" Thunderlane asked.

"Yeah, more than I've paid out so far for our stay in Noosa and the trip out here." Stellar confirmed. "So we'll still be ahead, even with what I've spent so far."

"A good thing." Thunderlane replied. "I'd hate to be beholden to you for all this." He told Stellar.

Stellar snorted. "Don't worry about it." She told Thunderlane. "If I don't spend my money helping out other ponies in need, then my mission means nothing." She told him.

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?" Thunderlane asked.

"The safety of all ponies is my responsibility as a Princess." Stellar answered. "Until I find either Celestia or Luna, and they take it up themselves, as far as I know, I am on my own here. Therefore I am the one who has to go into those places where ponies are in danger, the places ordinary ponies cannot go, and bring out any I find there to safety. I might even have to forget about letting Celestia or Luna take up the mission, because they don't have my advantages."

"Advantages?" Thunderlane asked.

"My armor, my weapons and my memories." Stellar listed off. "I am assuming that the Princesses will be like most other ponies: without most of their memories and without control of their magic to any great extent." Stellar explained to Thunderlane. "I can help them with Magic, but I think not with their memories. Plus I have weapons and armor that nothing the Humans have can penetrate or damage, but can go through their weapons and armor like it was cardboard." She grinned nastily. "So I can go into areas of great danger, find the ponies and bring them out to safety. Places like Russia and the Middle East blocs. China and Asia. Africa and India. If they have ponies there, I shall find them and rescue them, no doubts and no exceptions. We are not meant to be amongst Humans... at least, most humans. I have no doubt that there are some who will welcome us with open arms and friendship, but until we find those people and establish sanctuaries, as well as a way back... For the moment I have to evaluate and deal with each case as I come upon it.."

Stellar hung her head, looking at a hundred-bit coin. "And as sure as I am sitting here with you now, Thunderlane, there will be bloodshed. Something tells me ponies have already been killed or oppressed elsewhere. Some will not let go of us willingly. I will do everything short of killing them first, but if that's what it takes, humans will die. How many... that's up to them. I just hope they give me a choice."

Thunderlane moved to sit with Stellar as she cleared the bed and stretched herself for a moment, getting all the kinks out of herself. She nuzzled him lovingly, then kissed him deeply. "I am so glad you are with me." Stellar told him.

"Always, if you let me." Thunderlane replied.

"I'd like that, a lot." Stellar admitted. She laid down on the bed and stretched out, gesturing for Thunderlane to join her. He carefully stretched out before her, then rolled into her embrace. Stellar snuggled into him from behind and laid her head along his.

Thunderlane nickered softly as she hugged him. "Stel'," Thunderlane asked softly, "Do you think there's a chance? You know, you and me? With you being a princess and all..."

"To be honest... if Shiny could get Cadance to realise that he loved her, and convince Celestia of it as well... then I don't have a problem with you." Stellar softly nuzzled his cheek.

Thunderlane sighed happily. "Then... I hope you don't mind if I pursue you like the most precious person in my life."

Stellar chuckled softly. "Not at all. Go for it." Stellar told him. "The worst that can happen is that Celestia dithers about it, then I just marry you anyway when they go back to Equestria."

"You'd do that?" Thunderlane asked.

"Sure" Stellar told him. "If they're there and we're here... not much they can do about it."

Thunderlane squeezed a little closer to Stellar, and went to sleep a very happy stallion.

Rumble looked at the adults on the bed across from him... and smiled. Both parts of him were in full agreement with the pair being together. He'd always liked Jessie, even before she'd become Stellar. His mother trying to foist him off onto Jessie hadn't ruined their friendship, either, which surprised him. Usually when they brought a girlfriend home, even if they were only a casual aquaintance, Alicia had the most annoying habit of trying to make them see that he was a suitable candidate for a husband. It had cost him more girlfriends than he'd ever lost by himself. But Jessie had stuck around... and now he knew why. Jessie had been in love with Curtis... not that he minded at all. Curtis had been very unsure about himself with girls. To see Jessie liking him that much was great, in Rusty's eyes. And now as ponies, it made even more sense to the ten-year-old. Rumble knew he'd find a nice filly or mare one day. An awesome colt like himself was always in demand as a stallion. He'd just have to grow up a good bit first... maybe. After all, sometimes the best romances started with colts and fillies.

A little after One AM, a white motorhome drove into Mount Isa. Only two of the five people aboard her were awake. Moller sat in the shotgun seat as Derrick drove, Moller giving him directions. Cathy and Azure were asleep together in the upper bed, while Durrach was asleep in the aft bedroom.

"What do you think?" Derrick asked. "Pull over for the night?"

"Nah. Refuel and restock, then we can get going. We don't want to get too far behind them." Moller answered.

"I hear that." Derrick agreed. Finding an all-night service station open, Moller fuelled up the motorhome's big tanks, as Derrick went shopping. Ten minutes later, they were driving out of the station again. "Damn but they charge like wounded bulls there." Derrick commented to Moller.

"What do you expect? They're one of the few places open this time of night. Of course they can charge what they want to." Moller replied. "But the bill's being covered by whatever agency Durrach's working for, so don't sweat it. It's not our money."

"Bloody yeah." Derrick agreed as they headed off into the night.

Author's Notes:

Another chapter. i know this one's a little short, but I hit a good place to end it, so it works for me.
Some terms:
CSIRO: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Basically the government's sponsored think-tank of labs and other things. Works in well with universities, too.

ASIO: Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation. Australian equivalent of the FBI and CIA combined. Works in the domestic field as well as overseas, to a limited degree. Also separate from the Australian Federal Police.