"Uh, Hello?" Curtis asked as he picked it up. The number wasn't one he was familiar with.

"Curtis! Where the hell are you?" Was the reply, making him cringe.

"Yeah, hello to you too, Mum." Thunderlane replied in a not-impressed voice.

"Where are you? Where's Dennis? And the Twins?" His mother asked. "We just got home and found a rather uninforming message on the fridge whiteboard that you're going away for vacation! What happened to the plans we had for the Twins' visit?"

"Sorry, Mum." Thunderlane replied. "But I got an offer from a friend that... well, was too good to refuse." Thunderlane said.

He heard his mother grumble. "And what offer was so good that you decided to take it up instead of staying with us?" She asked rather pointedly.

"Staying in a beach-house near a world-famous beach for almost nothing." Thunderlane replied, as Rumble came in. Thunderlane rolled his eyes at Rumble's inquiring look, and just turned on the speakerphone.

"Whaaat!? You're lazing about on a beach somewhere away from here instead of hiking Uluru with your father and I? How culturally insensitive are you?" She asked, as Rumble cringed and slowly made for the door.

"Rusty, Sharrah and Sarah all decided they liked the idea, and after all, it is free accommodation near a place where suites in hotels near the beach run into a hundred dollars a day or more, Mother." Thunderlane replied.

Rumble looked at his big brother and made certain gestures with his hoofs, to suggest throwing the phone as far away as possible. Thunderlane grinned, but moved and grabbed the keys to the Landcruiser, then gestured for Rumble to grab the other phone out of the 'Cruiser and bring it to him, as he tossed the keys to Rumble. Rumble grinned wickedly and raced off, flying out the door so as to not sound hoof-falls in the house.

"Don't you talk to me that way, Curtis. I am still your mother." She said down the phone, her tone completely adversarial.

"Mum, I did say that I might have alternate plans this year, didn't I?" Thunderlane replied.

"I DON"T CARE!" She yelled, making Thunderlane move the phone away from his sensitive ears. "Your father and I are going to find out where you are and come there, then the four of you can come with us on a proper family holiday!" she demanded.

Thunderlane could hear his father in the background, telling his mother to: "Drop it, will you, Alicia? If they're happier there, good luck to them."

"I have been planning this trip for two years, Alexander Terrence Marks!" Alicia yelled out, heard clearly over the phone as Rumble returned.

Rumble winced again. "Mama's going crazy again." He commented to Thunderlane softly.

Thunderlane nodded. "You got that other phone?" He asked Rumble, who pulled it out triumphantly and displayed it. Thunderlane unlocked the phone while Rumble held it, then he said "Go call Stellar, and tell her that's the number she's to call from now on, as this one will be out-of-service from this point on."

"Uh-huh, Big Bro." Rumble replied, and he headed back outside again, as Flitter and CloudChaser looked in carefully, wondering what all the shouting was about.

Rumble looked at them when he got outside. "Mum and Dad are back, and Mum's going crazy because we aren't there." He explained.

"Oh shit." Flitter said. She knew how crazy their Aunt Alicia could get.

"I take it Thunderlane's dealing with her?" CloudChaser asked.

"Uh-huh." Rumble replied. "Maybe you'd better lock her numbers out for now." He suggested.

"A good idea." Flitter agreed. "Come on, Sis, let's get to our phones." And the sisters moved back to the main beach-house.

Inside, Thunderlane could hear his parents arguing away in the background quite clearly. Alicia was being her intractably-worst, not budging an inch. Finally, he sat down at the small table in the bungalow's small kitchen, logged off the phone, then took the back off and pulled the SIM out of his phone. He left it sitting there as he reassembled the phone. He'd see about getting a new one sometime in the future... if he even needed one anymore.

Then there was a small 'boom' outside and a flash of light, and he saw Stellar drop to the sandy soil outside. He slid off the chair and walked out as she shook herself all over, then grinned at him. Then she saw his look and her face got serious. "What happened?" She asked as she reached him.

"Alicia's home." Was all Thunderlane had to say to Stellar.

Stellar face-hoofed. "Don't tell me. She phoned you up, started screaming about her ruined plans and demanded you and the others get home right away, or she'd find you all and drag you off on her ideal holiday." Stellar said.

Thunderlane chuckled. "It's amazing how accurate you can be, considering you've only met her... what is it, twice now?" He said.

"She's not someone you forget easily." Stellar reminded Thunderlane. "And the way she was trying to push me onto Rusty!" Stellar snorted. "Don't get me wrong. Rusty was a great guy, but he is much cuter as Rumble." She told Thunderlane. "I do love the little dude, but not romantically. I think he also knew that we'd never get involved that way, either." She sighed. "Besides, I already had a thing for his big bro." She admitted.

Thunderlane nodded, smiling softly. "Yeah, I was picking up on that, too, I will admit." He confirmed, as he saw Rumble looking around the door-jamb, listening in. "So, how do you feel about Rumble, then?" He asked Stellar.

"Honestly?" Stellar asked back. "He's the cute little brother I never had. I just want to hold him and snuggle with him any time he's around. " She said with a grin. "He's almost as welcome in my forelegs for a hug as his big bro is."

Thunderlane saw Rumble do something he rarely ever did: He was blushing so bad Thunderlane thought he was glowing. "Anyway, I took the SIM out of my phone. I have a back-up... I mean, what cop doesn't? So I can still call anyone I want to. Hopefully, if Mum thinks she can trace my SIM or my phone through GPS, she won't get any signal at all."

Stellar nodded. "Give it to me. I'll send it out about twenty miles off the coast... or better yet." She chuckled.

Thunderlane hoofed her the SIM card, and as Stellar's horn lit up, it vanished. "There." Stellar said.

"So, where did you send it?" He asked.

"Russell Island, in Moreton Bay." Stellar said. "If she can access a way to trace an inactive SIM, it'll lead her straight there instead of here."

Thunderlane chuckled. "Great idea." He had to agree.

Stellar nodded, then said "And where is my favourite cuddle-colt?" She asked, grinning and giving Thunderlane a wink.

Rumble heard that and launched himself straight at Stellar, who turned around and grabbed him in mid-air. "Stellar Sis!" Rumble said with a massive grin.

"Oh? I've been given an upgrade?" Stellar asked Thunderlane and Rumble.

Thunderlane chuckled as Rumble hugged Stellar with all four legs. "Seems so." Thunderlane agreed. "Maybe I can upgrade you to that position permanently sometime in the future." He suggested.

Stellar moved to Thunderlane and crouched down. "I think I would like that, very much so." She replied softly, as Rumble nuzzled her cheek.

"Then hold that thought." Thunderlane told her. "I'll make good on it, someday."

"You'd better believe I'll hold you to that, Big Guy." Stellar agreed. Then she turned to Rumble and kissed him on the top of his muzzle. "Would you like that, Little Dude? Have me as your real Sister?" She asked the colt.

Rumble actually whickered softly. "I'd love you as my Big Sis." He answered.

Stellar nuzzled him, then gave a wink to Thunderlane. "Then we'll start practising for that from now." She told Rumble.

Rumble just grinned back and almost squeed.

=======

CloudChaser was sitting on the couch, her phone open before her. Flitter was at the coffee table, tapping away on her phone. "Okay, that's got Alicia blocked." Flitter said.

CloudChaser nodded. "I think I have all the numbers she can use blocked as well." She told her sister. "Good thing our Mom's not psychotic like Aunty Alicia is." She told Flitter.

"Yeah, no kidding." Flitter agreed. Then their phones rang simultaneously, making them jump. "Dad?" She asked CloudChaser.

CloudChaser nodded. "And Mum?" She asked Flitter.

Flitter nodded. "Okay." She picked up her phone in her wing after answering it and walked outside. "Hi Mum." Flitter said.

"Hello, Sarah dear." Her mother said. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything?" She asked.

"No, Mum. We're just doing damage control in regards to Alicia." Flitter replied.

"Yes, about that." Cecelia told Flitter. "She rang here, demanding we try and get in touch with you. She said she was talking to Curtis, and he hung up on her and disabled his phone. Now she can't call him." Cecelia informed Flitter.

"Yeah, about that, Mom." Flitter repeated her mother's phrasing, which was common in the family. "Alicia was screaming at Uncle Alex after butchering Th... Curtis' hearing. Curtis was waiting for her, then he signed off and pulled the SIM from his phone." Flitter explained to Cecelia.

Flitter heard her mother sigh. "Yes, quite understandable, under the circumstances, Sarah Dear. Is your sister with you?" Cecelia asked.

"She's here, but I think she's talking with Daddy at the moment." Flitter told Cecelia.

Cecelia chuckled. "Yes, it seems we both had the same idea at the same time." Cecelia said.

"As usual." Flitter replied.

"So, what happened to you that got Alicia so riled up?" Cecelia asked Flitter.

"It's... a bit of a long story, Mum, but we got invited to go on holiday up the coast..."

= = = = =

"Daddy?" CloudChaser asked as she answered her phone.

"Could it be anyone else, with your mother talking to Sarah?" Came a voice she knew well down her phone.

CloudChaser almost squeed as she held the phone close. "Oh Daddy! It's so good to hear from you!" She told Mark. "Alicia's going crazy again." CloudChaser said.

Mark sighed. "Yeah, I know, Sugar." He replied. "She rang us up and blasted us too, demanding we get in contact with you and tell you to make Curtis or Rusty ring her." Mark sounded disgusted. "If Cecelia hadn't been talking to her, I would have told her where to go and slammed the phone in her ear." He told CloudChaser. "So, how's one half of my favorite girls?"

"Um... getting there, Daddy." CloudChaser said. "Things have changed a lot just recently, and Fli... Sarah and I are still getting used to things."

"Really? Sounds serious." Mark said.

"Yeah, really serious, Daddy." CloudChaser admitted. "Things have changed... well, way beyond anything we'd ever thought could happen."

"For the better, I hope?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, in some ways." CloudChaser agreed. "But not in every way. We're working things out, still. But we've got somepo... someone who's helping us through it. She's been a really big help, too."

Mark's voice was sympathetic. "I'm glad you're not alone in this, Sharrah." He told CloudChaser.

"Frankly, Daddy, I don't know what we would have done without her." CloudChaser admitted. "Ste.. Jessie's kept us centered and focused on the important things, and helped us keep it together when I thought I was going to go crazy! But she just took charge and made sure we knew what was going on, and we made it through the weird parts, and now we're just working out what we're going to do next." She told Mark.

"Sounds like you've got some big decisions ahead of you, Sugar." Mark told CloudChaser.

"Yeah, Daddy." CloudChaser admitted. "The worst thing is... they all seem to be taking us away from you." She said, sniffling.

Mark was silent for a moment. "It happens, Sugar. We always knew you and Sarah would leave us behind eventually. That's what happens when you grow up. You stretch your wings and fly off to find your future... your destiny." Mark told her.

That made CloudChaser shiver. Her wings had opened by themselves, and she felt a twitch in her cutie-mark. "That's... closer to the truth than you know, Daddy." CloudChaser replied. Then her eyes filled with tears. "Ce...Gods, Daddy! I wish I could tell you what's happening over the phone... but I don't know where to begin! Everything's just... so different..."

"Ssshhhh... Easy there, my little one." Mark said. "No matter what's happened, your mother and I will ALWAYS be there for you." Mark reassured her. "Don't be afraid to come home if things get too bad. You're always welcome here, you know that." He reassured CloudChaser.

"No matter what's happened to us? Whatever we've become?" CloudChaser asked.

She almost heard her father frown over the phone. "Sharrah dear... Sugar... you're sounding very strange with what you're saying." Mark said. "I'm not sure what's rattled you so badly, Sugar, but your mother and I will NEVER abandon you, no matter what has happened. En-Ee-Vee-Ee-Arr, NEVER." Mark stated emphatically.

CloudChaser's eyes slowly dried up at her father's emphatic support. 'Thanks, Daddy. I just guess... I needed to hear it from you." She replied.

Mark's tone was all sympathy and support. "I know, Sugarcube." He replied. That sent a shiver down CloudChaser's back. A memory of somepony else calling her that flashed through her mind too fast for her to catch, save the voice saying 'Sugarcube'. "Now, you and your sister get yourselves home here as soon as you can. We'll make sure Alicia and Alex don't show up, either. I think you need the support only Family can give at this stage, so don't hesitate, Sharrah. Come home as soon as you're able." Mark told her.

CloudChaser nodded to herself. "We will, Daddy. I promise."

"Thatagirl." Mark's voice was full of love. "Stay close to your sister and your new friends, and remember: You are loved."

"Always, Daddy." CloudChaser's eyes were full of tears again, but happy ones this time.

"See you then, Sugar." Mark said, before cut the connection.

CloudChaser sighed happily and sniffled. Then she saw Rumble looking at her. Putting her phone down, she reached out for him and he jumped into her lap, hugging her close.

= = = = =

"...And that's when Curtis pulled the SIM on his phone." Flitter told Cecelia.

"I see." Cecelia sighed. "Goddess above, my sister needs to be committed sometimes." She told Flitter. "How's your sister taking it?" She asked.

Flitter smiled. "She's just gotten off the phone to Dad, Mum. She's... looking like she's had a great weight taken off her shoulders." Flitter answered.

"That's good." Cecelia said. "Your sister and your father always could talk anything over." Cecelia admitted. "How are you doing?" Cecelia asked.

Flitter sighed. "Getting there, Mum." She said back. "Things... the weirdness factor here hit fifteen a few days ago, and it's only just settling down. We're coping the best we can, with Curtis and Rusty and their friend Jessie... if it hadn't been for them... I don't know what we would have done, so far away from Home." Flitter admitted.

"Sounds like you've been through a great trial, my daughter." Cecelia replied. "Is there anything we can do to help? Should we come down there...?"

"No, Mum." Flitter was quick to answer. "In fact, it might make things worse." She admitted. "Give us a little bit, and we might all head up there for a bit. As isolated as the station is, that might be a good thing for the moment."

"I see." Cecelia said back. "I know you're not telling me everything, Sarah, but if you think you need to hold things back from me at this point, I know you have a good reason to do so. You're a very sensible person, I know this for a fact. So we can discuss things when you get here." Cecelia told Flitter.

"Thanks for not prying, Mum." Flitter replied. "This... it needs to be seen to be believed." She told Cecelia.

"Then come home, Daughter. Then we can all face this together." Cecelia told Flitter, her voice full of confidence.

"Will do, Mum." Flitter said with a smile. "We'll call before we arrive."

"You do so, Sarah. We'll be ready to welcome you." Cecelia reassured Flitter.

"See you then, Mum. Bye for now."

"Goodbye, and drive safely, Sarah Dear." Cecelia said before she rang off.

Flitter felt a lot better as she shut down her phone and switched it off. She looked at CloudChaser, who was walking back outside with Rumble on her back. The smile on her sister's face was all she needed to see to reassure her everything was still right at home.

Then Rumble held out his forelegs. "Hug?" He asked.

Flitter grinned, sat down and took Rumble from CloudChaser's back, hugging him close. Then CloudChaser hugged her sister and Rumble as well, nuzzling each other and the little colt, too.

=======

Cecelia put the phone down and looked at Mark as he entered the room. "Thoughts?" She asked.

Mark sighed. "Whatever's happened, it's big. Life-changing, from what Sharrah told me... and didn't tell me." He answered.

"Sharrah's holding back?" Cecelia said, incredulous. "My god, this has to be huge, then." She told Mark.

Mark nodded. "Yeah." He agreed as he sat down at the kitchen table. He picked up a paper and opened it, showing grainy images of strange horse-shaped figures that were multi-coloured in shades natural animals rarely came in. "Do you think it could involve this?" He asked Cecelia.

Cecelia leaned back against the counter. "Maybe." She admitted. "Is there any directives on what to do?" She asked.

"The CSIRO says to keep them calm and contained until they can be picked up for quarantine... but I think we need to know for ourselves what's happening before we get in contact with the government." Mark stated.

Cecelia nodded, her face stern. "I have to agree. The government can't truly be trusted... especially with our children." She said back.

"Then we'll sit down and talk this through, like Family... and then decide with them." Mark told his wife.

"I agree." Cecelia confirmed. "Now... we just wait."

=======

Eventually the five pony friends had gathered in the beach-house. After eating dinner, they sat and discussed things. "So... all your parents have contacted you. Thunderlane and Rumble's mother is going crazy for no good reason, and Flitter and CloudChaser's parents want them back home... but aren't pushing the issue." Stellar stated.

"That's how things are, yes." Flitter agreed.

Stellar looked at Thunderlane. "Do you think your mother will carry out her threat to find us?" She asked.

"It's a good bet she'll try." Rumble replied, as Thunderlane sat, thinking. "She's totally mental when she's like this. Once she gets her mind locked on an idea or a slight, she will chase it down with the tenacity of a tracking dog."

"Wonderful." Stellar said, frowning. "Where do your parents live, Flitter?" She asked.

"The Northern Territory, not that far from Katherine. We own a big property there, about five hours outside of town." Flitter revealed.

Stellar nodded her head. "That... that might not be too bad." She said thoughtfully. "It's far enough away that we can stay incognito, and still close enough for anything we need." She looked at the Twins. "And if your parents really are supportive, then we can get them to purchase things for us as well." She said.

"So... you're thinking of relocating, then?" Thunderlane asked.

Stellar nodded. "It's not a bad idea, and it'll throw your mother off the scent." She said. "We're still too close to civilisation here for my liking, and we can leave for the US from there as well as we can do from here."

Thunderlane nodded. "Okay then. Let's get ready, then." He said.

"Right. We can start packing up immediately." Stellar said. She looked at Flitter. "Do you think your parents would like two more cars?" Stellar asked Flitter.

"I... I guess so." Flitter replied. "Are you going to take both vehicles up there?" She asked.

"I think it would be a good idea." Stellar answered. "After all, if we do sell them, then selling them up there would be better." She said. "No-one would associate us with them, then. And we wouldn't have to go in as we are to sell them, either."

"What about petrol stops and such?" CloudChaser asked.

Stellar smiled. "I can handle that." She said. "I've got a few spells that will come in handy."

Thunderlane grinned. "Then what are we waiting for?" He asked. "Let's get packing."

=======

Stellar was looking at her ute as the others packed up. Then Thunderlane moved up to beside her. "Do you think you can still drive her?" He asked Stellar.

"Better than you could." Stellar grinned back at Thunderlane. "But that's not the problem. If we're going to take both vehicles, we're going to need a car trailer." She told Thunderlane. "Plus, we can store a lot of stuff in the Holden, while we drive up there in the Landcruiser."

"Makes sense." Thunderlane agreed. "So... we just drive down to the servo and hire a car trailer, then?" He asked.

"Sure." Stellar said. "I know, the driving's going to be the easy part... but as I said, I have some spells that'll help us get around the problem of people freaking out."

Thunderlane chuckled. "I'm going to want to see that." He said. "Shall we?" He held out the keys to the 'Cruiser.

Stellar grinned. "Let's go!" She said, snatching the keys and heading for the Landcruiser, her old shoulder-bag appearing beside her and strapping itself onto her around her neck, hanging in front of her...

Once she was in the front seat, Stellar adjusted it as much as she could. Her horn was just barely short of sticking in the sunvisor, but her rear hoofs reached the pedals easily enough to use them, and she could shift the handle of the auto-gearbox easily enough, too. After familiarising herself with the controls, she started the Landcruiser up and headed out, Thunderlane belted up beside her.

Ten minutes later found them pulling into a garage on the outskirts of the township, where an assortment of trailers-for-hire were waiting to be hired out. Stellar backed the 'Cruiser up to a car trailer, one fitted out with more rugged suspension and bigger tyres. "Okay, now for some magic." She told Thunderlane. She closed her eyes and muttered some words as her horn lit up, and they were both covered in a purple flash three times. "Right. if that worked, most people are just going to ignore us, cameras won't even see us, and if we interact with someone, they'll just act normal and forget about us once we've been away from them more than thirty seconds." She informed Thunderlane.

"Damn. Why don't we just rob some banks while we're at it?" He asked sarcastically.

Stellar chuckled as she undid her seat belt. "I know. The temptation to abuse my power is an enormous one, but that's why I'm so disciplined. The temptation doesn't even get a chance to form." She explained.

Thunderlane nodded as they got out. "I'm glad I don't have such temptations." He admitted.

"Not everypony can be an alicorn." Stellar agreed.

They walked down to the station building and went inside. Stellar spotted the self-service machine in a corner, and headed to it. While she dealt with the machine, Thunderlane went and checked out the shelves. He grabbed a basket and filled it up with muesli bars and other usable food products, as well as oat-based cereals. They were a bit expensive, but Stellar had said she could afford them. He added the usual snacks, and a good deal of bottled water, then waited for Stellar to finish.

The person at the counter was watching them, but Thunderlane noted he just looked bored, rather than jumping out of his wig, as if he either didn't see them, or he didn't see them. Stellar approached him, Thunderlane behind her, and he watched as Stellar dealt with the staff-member. He seemed to not even see Stellar properly, calling her 'Miss' and treating her no differently than any other customer. Thunderlane then put everything he'd grabbed on the counter as Stellar left him with a card to pay for it all.

"Big road trip, eh?" He asked Thunderlane.

"Yeah. Going out west to see relatives." Thunderlane answered, as the staff-member tallied up the consumables.

"Safe journey, then." He said, as Thunderlane used the card on the EFTPOS machine, keying in the PIN and watching it spit out the receipt. The bags had already vanished, Thunderlane noted, and took the receipt in a wing.

"Thanks, and a safe night to you." Thunderlane replied as he left. He looked at the staff-member from outside, and the guy just looked as bored as he was before. "Damn. I am SO glad Stellar's on our side." He said as he saw Stellar locking the trailer to the Landcruiser's trailer hitch.

Once they were done, Stellar drove around to the diesel pumps, and they filled up both the big fuel tanks. "Two hundred litres of fuel each side?" She looked at Thunderlane.

"What can I say? She's built for long-distance travel." Thunderlane chuckled.

"Mind if I modify her just a little?" Stellar asked.

Thunderlane looked worried. "Well... I guess so." He said.

"Thanks." Stellar replied, giving Thunderlane a kiss. He nickered into the kiss, then watched as Stellar used her magic on the driving seat and controls. The roof changed shape slightly, the pedals moved further towards the seat, and the steering column extended slightly out and dropped as well. Once she was done, Stellar moved the seat back and down a fair amount, and Thunderlane saw the driving position was a lot better for her. "If I got this right, you'll find that even you can sit here and drive her, now." She told him.

"Beauty." Thunderlane said, nodding appreciatively. He trotted around the other side and climbed in, getting himself seated as Stellar used the card facility at the pump to pay for their fuel, and once she was seated, they started up and headed for the park.

=======

Rumble was making himself useful by loading up Stellar's ute with the boxes she'd shown him. He found he could barely move the big bags of alfalfa, though, but he did manage to get most of them rolled out to the verandah next to the ute. The Twins were packing up their stuff and Stellar's for her, and making sure everything they'd brought in was ready to be loaded. Rumble cleaned out the fridge and freezer as well, being careful not to let the chest freezer's lid fall on him as he hovered under it.

By the time Thunderlane and Stellar returned, things were almost complete. The bungalow was emptied of personal belongings and cleaned up, and the beach-house was almost ready to be cleaned out as well. "Great job, guys! You've done really well." Stellar praised them.

"Thanks!" The three cleaners replied, as Stellar headed for her ute. As she drove it out, Thunderlane drove the 'Cruiser and the trailer in its place, as Stellar came around behind them again. Ten minutes later, the Crewman was tied down securely to the trailer and Stellar was loading it up with the heavier items, balancing the load. Thunderlane, CloudChaser, Flitter and Rumble were loading up the Landcruiser with personal items and more perishable foodstuffs. All-in-all, it took less than two hours to have everything loaded, cleaned and everypony aboard, ready to go. Stellar finished locking up the beach-houses, then climbed into the passenger seat beside Thunderlane and buckled herself in. "Ready to move out, Captain!"

"Everypony else ready?" Thunderlane called out, looking back over his shoulder.

"Aye, Captain!" Came the reply from the back.

Thunderlane chuckled. "Then let's get this road trip going." He said, and eased off the brake. They carefully made their way out of the park and onto the roads.

Stellar looked back, then said "Oh! Nearly forgot!" She told the three, and they were surrounded in her magic for a short time. "There! Now you're as safe as Laney here and I am for public viewing." She said.

"Laney?" Thunderlane asked, to Rumble's snickers and grins from the twins either side of him.

"Working on it." Stellar just replied as they headed out of the suburban area.
[

=======

Several hours later, they were turning from the Bruce Highway along the coast onto the Capricorn Highway, which would take them inland, when Thunderlane saw what was called 'disco lights' in Australian slang: the flashing lights of a police vehicle in their rear-view mirror. "Stellar, I'm pulling over. We've got a road patrol behind us." Thunderlane said to Stellar.

"It's late Friday night." Stellar replied. "It was inevitable." She checked the spell on Thunderlane. "Okay, we're good. You got your licence?"

"Yep." He'd gotten his wallet out and slid the licence from it, then dropped his window. "What do you think?" He asked.

"Probably RBT* and Licence check, the standard stuff." Stellar suggested.

Thunderlane had his Police ID as well as his licence ready, as the officer came up to his window. "Hey, Senior." He greeted the officer.

The officer, a senior constable, was a little taken aback. "Evening. Just doing the usual." He said, as Thunderlane handed his licence and ID out. "You from Coopers Plains district?" He asked after reading the ID.

"Yep. Just on the way to see relatives in Katherine." Thunderlane answered.

The officer chuckled as he handed the licence back. "That's a long way to go to see your rellies."

"Tell me about it. But if we don't see them once a year at least, they invade us instead." Thunderlane explained.

"Ouch." The officer replied. "I can understand why you're heading west, then." He held out the breathalyser unit, and Thunderlane breathed through the pipe. Once it had done its job, the officer grinned at Thunderlane. "Okay, no problems here. Take care and don't let your rellies get away with too much."

"Don't intend to. Thanks." Thunderlane said. After the patrol car pulled away, Thunderlane looked at Stellar. "Wow. Those spells really do work." He said. "Want to swap?" He asked.

"Sure." Stellar unbuckled as Thunderlane did, then they got out and swapped over. Stellar reset the seat as Thunderlane climbed in, then she joined him and they took off again. Stellar chuckled. "Our passengers didn't even wake up." She commented to Thunderlane.

"Not a bad thing." He agreed. They drove on into the night, passing sparse traffic for a while, manoeuvring around the big trucks and semi-trailer rigs that sped through the night when they could. Thunderlane decided it might be time to have a good talk with Stellar. "So... you really had a crush on me for over five years?" He asked.

Stellar smiled. "Well... I did look at some other guys in that time, I will admit to you. But there was something that always led me back to you." She told Thunderlane. "With twenty-twenty hindsight, it's obvious now that I picked up on you and Rumble-Rusty as being transformed Ponies, and it made you far more attractive to me than other guys were. Plus your personality meshed well with mine, too. You never let me get in over my head, but acknowledged that I could take on a lot more physically than others could. For that, I was very grateful." Stellar said.

Thunderlane nodded. "Yeah, I have to admit, I felt much the same. There was always something different about you, something that made me want to work with you, rather than anyone else. I just didn't understand why at first. Now I do, obviously, but it doesn't change the fact that we worked together a lot more than the other teams did."

"Ponies work well as teams. It's in our nature." Stellar said. "Plus we're both military... as much as the Wonderbolts were military. The Royal Guard were always a police force more than a military, but I've commanded regular troops in battle as well, so I have the best of both types of training, plus more." She explained further. "Not that being a Wonderbolt is easy, by no means. Their selection process is one of the most rigorous there is, even amongst some of the other elite teams on Equis. To earn the right to be called a Wonderbolt is to have truly excelled above every other branch of the service."

Something in Thunderlane swelled with pride at Stellar's words. He'd made the grade, as had CloudChaser. For Stellar to consider him amongst the Elite of Equestria's military... it brought home to him how much he'd accomplished in his former life. "I just wish I could remember it." He sighed.

"It may come back to you in time." Stellar suggested. "If not, I'll peruse my tome when I've got a chance. There might be a memory-restoration spell in there I can use to bring back memories in you and other ponies." Stellar added.

"That'd be good." Thunderlane agreed. "I hate knowing there's so many things I used to know, and I can't remember them, especially since it seems they are very important memories, as well."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Stellar agreed. "At least I knew what was coming, and secured a way back to myself before Discord grabbed me and sent me here... let alone tricking him like that." She giggled softly.

"Yeah... how did you do that, anyway?" Thunderlane asked.

"Twilight's magic and my own feel extremely similar." Stellar explained. "So, instead of casting magic the way I'd usually do it, I started thinking like Twilight, and how she'd do magic on him. Plus bamboozling him before revealing myself made him assume I was Twilight. When he and I actually faced, I didn't do any magic at him and merely talked to him, which meant he didn't get a chance to analyse my magic and spot the differences. It was very tricky, but it worked. I was able to out-smart him, and now I'm here, with all my magic and belongings... hopefully, I can make a difference to ordinary ponies' lives here."

Thunderlane nodded. He stayed silent as Stellar manoeuvred around a large triple-trailer rig and roared up past it in an overtaking lane. Once they were past it, he asked. "So... You're not going home, then?" He asked her.

"Maybe, eventually." Stellar answered. "My mission here is to save ponies and get them to where they can be free. If they want to go home to Equestria, then I'll do my best to see they do. Those who want to stay here... then I'll be their alicorn." She wriggled in the seat a little and repositioned her wings. "Ponies always need an alicorn. Our presence gives their psyches an anchor to help them feel comfortable wherever they are. So, since I'm sure Celestia and Luna will return, and most likely Twilight will to combat Discord... I'm not sure about Cadance, but she's got the Crystal Empire to worry about now. She's not likely to stay here and deny her destiny."

"And you? Do you have a destiny?" Thunderlane asked.

"My destiny is always the same: To be the protector of ponies, no matter where I am." Stellar replied. "And I won't leave the ponies of Earth unprotected. They'll need a strong alicorn to defend them again all aggression, and there's no-pony more qualified than myself to do that, at least of those that will stay here."

Thunderlane nodded. "So... an alicorn queen, then?" He asked.

Stellar chuckled. "If that's the title they give me, then I'll think about it." Stellar said. "I am already a princess, so it's merely a slight change in status for me. But I'll take no more titles than those that are necessary."

Thunderlane nodded. "You're not exactly someone lacking in humility when it comes to titles, are you?"

Stellar chuckled. "To be honest, I hate them." She revealed. "They have their place, but as a warrior, they only get in the way." She told Thunderlane. "I prefer to use my rank, rather than the title of 'Princess'... even if it is one I don't find to be... inappropriate."

"Inappropriate?" Thunderlane asked.

"Yeah." Stellar answered. "The titles Celestia and Luna have are more appropriate: Alicorns of the Sun and the Moon are, of course, very practical and descriptive. Twilight is the Alicorn of Magic and Princess of Friendship; again, appropriate. But me?" Stellar chuckled. "Apart from my ranks, and being a princess, they had a tough time labelling me. But eventually, we settled on 'Alicorn of Honor', and 'Princess of the Blade', a title I actually won off Luna."

"I see what you mean about them being... appropriate." Thunderlane replied. "So... Luna was the Princess of the Blade before you?" He asked.

Stellar nodded. "Yeah. I was her student for a time, just as Twilight was Celestia's student. I'd learned about the old title while doing research on the times before Luna's 'Time-out'." She explained. "But a title like that can't be bestowed by transference. It has to be taken in combat. So, I fought for five hours in the Royal Guard Arena against all-comers to get Luna to fight me... and I beat her to submission. I demanded the title as her ransom, and she gave it up to me quite willingly. Celestia bestowed it on me, and thus I got my Princess title." Stellar smiled. "That was a glorious sparring match. I have never enjoyed sparring with others as much as I did that day, especially taking on my mistress with few restrictions."

Thunderlane chuckled. "Remind me never to get you really mad at me." He told Stellar.

Stellar grinned at Thunderlane, and they chuckled together as they drove into the night.

=======

By the time the sun had started to rise behind them, Thunderlane was driving again after getting six hours' sleep. Stellar actually had retreated to the back seat and was getting some sleep herself, between the Twins, with Rumble beside his brother. "So, did you ask her?" Rumble asked Thunderlane.

"Ask her what?" Thunderlane replied.

"You know! Does she like you?" Rumble asked.

Thunderlane chuckled. "I hardly think she'd be as passionate with me as she has been without liking me, Little Dude." Thunderlane answered.

"Well, duh!" Rumble replied. "But did she say so?"

Thunderlane smiled softly. "Not in simple words..." He said back.

Rumble snorted. "Words are never simple when it comes to Love." He said, in a voice that sounded a lot older than his ten years.

Thunderlane nodded. "Truer words were never spoken by a ten-year-old colt." He agreed. "But a lot of others will underestimate you because of that."

Rumble grinned. "All the time, Big Bro."

Thunderlane chuckled, as they passed a sign saying 'Longreach 100km'.

=======

Stellar awoke as the Landcruiser came to a halt. She blearily looked about and saw they'd pulled into another service station. She looked at Thunderlane. "We need fuel?" She asked.

"And breakfast." Thunderlane said. "I say we fuel up and find someplace to have a meal." He grinned at Stellar. "I'm bloody hungry, too, you know."

Stellar chuckled as she unbuckled herself. "Okay, Girls, get out but stay by the car. We may need to leave in a hurry." She told Flitter and CloudChaser.

"Okay." Flitter replied, but they started doing stretching exercises as they waited. Stellar activated the card payment system for Thunderlane, then she went into the kiosk.

"Remember to use the facilities, Little Dude." Thunderlane told Rumble. "I certainly will be." He grinned.

"Okay, Big Bro." Rumble said, and headed for the toilets. There were a few people in there, but Rumble noticed they seemed to ignore him as he walked by them and entered a stall.

Flitter and CloudChaser did the same, the female toilets being empty at the time, to their relief.

Thunderlane watched as Stellar came out of the kiosk again, bags around her in the air. He watched the humans there, frowning as they totally ignored her as she walked openly across the court. "Goddamn magic." He chuckled.

Stellar grinned as she loaded up the Landcruiser with the supplies. Thunderlane looked at Stellar "You make it look so goddamn easy, just walking along like that." He told her.

"Why shouldn't it be easy?" Stellar asked. "The first rule of being a successful warrior is: the simpler the solution, the better." She told Thunderlane. "The second is: Make it look as easy as possible. It makes your troops think you know what you're doing."

Thunderlane actually laughed at that, as the fuel tanks finally filled. Once he'd put the hoses away and secured the fuel fillers, he turned to Stellar. "Be right back." He told her, heading away.

"My turn last, as usual." Stellar said. "It's a good thing I have an alicorn-sized bladder as well." She grinned as she checked over the restraints on the ute.

Rumble was watching the humans around him as he washed up. They were completely ignoring the fact that he was a pony, even bumping into him accidentally and excusing themselves as he dried his hoofs. He just shook his head as he exited the toilets. "Totally wicked!" He exclaimed, grinning to himself.

He watched as Flitter and CloudChaser emerged from the female toilets and headed his way. "Wasn't that just freaky?" He said to them.

"Not kidding, kiddo." Flitter replied.

"It was like we were invisible!" CloudChaser said, as Stellar galloped towards them.

"Incoming! Biological emergency!" Stellar yelled as she sailed over the trio and into the toilet block.

Rumble looked at the Twins, and they all broke up laughing...

=======

Half-an-hour later, the five friends were relaxing in a park outside of the town, munching on food as they enjoyed breakfast. "So, what you're saying is, the magic you cast on us means that the humans just ignore us. If they do interact, they have to remain calm and then forget about us thirty seconds later." CloudChaser asked.

"That's right." Stellar confirmed.

"That's wicked!" Rumble exclaimed. "No wonder everyone in the toilets was ignoring me."

"And that is the whole idea of the spells, Lil' Dude." Flitter said as she ruffled Rumble's mane. "To stay out of sight."

"Well, to stay incognito would be more the proper way of saying it." Stellar said. "We're not invisible, because people could run into us and expose us. By doing it this way, they see us but as far as they are concerned, we're nothing special. Even less than noteworthy, they just ignore us." Stellar told them with a smile.

"So, how long does it last?" CloudChaser asked.

"About three days." Stellar informed CloudChaser.

"So, it'll last until we reach our parents' station." Flitter stated.

"Pretty much." Stellar agreed.

Thunderlane was feeling... ruffled. He'd preened his wings after they'd parked and alighted from the Landcruiser, along with the others. It seemed they all had their wings out-of-joint from sitting that long. "I need to fly." Thunderlane announced to everypony there. "My wings are all sore."

"Yeah, me too, Big Bro." Rumble added.

"I think we all do." Stellar affirmed. "Let's start with some stretching exercises. Just line up and watch what I do." The others lined up with her on the grass, and they all extended their wings and followed Stellar's stretching routine. Once they'd been through it twice, even Rumble was moaning with relief.

"Ahh... so cramped! Celestia... It's never felt this good after a long stretch..." Flitter stated.

"Mmm... yeah! I can feel my primaries again." CloudChaser agreed with her sister.

Rumble flicked his wings, and he rose almost ten feet off the ground, giggling as he hovered there. "Let's fly!" He said, and shot into the air. The Twins shot up after him, while Thunderlane and Stellar followed as a slightly more sedate pace. They grinned at one another and spent about an hour up in the air, racing around, laughing and just exercising their wings.

"It's a pity there's no clouds out here." Stellar said to Thunderlane. "I could have showed you the proper way to cloud-sit and do a little weather magic."

"We can work on that later." Thunderlane replied. "For now, just stretching our wings is fantastic!"

"Hah! Okay!" Stellar said back, and they finally headed back down to the Landcruiser. Stellar had them land a little distance away, and they walked up to the 'Cruiser, watching for anyone who seemed to be... taking a little more interest in them than was good for them.

"Problems?" Thunderlane asked.

"Dunno." Stellar replied as they reached the big four-by-four and the trailer. "My danger sense is giving me odd signals." She checked the spells. "Our spell disguises are still working... Maybe it's just me." She said as she thought about it.

"You know what they say about instincts in the service, don't you?" Thunderlane asked.

"Yeah, trust your gut." Stellar answered. She sent a small pulse of very low-key magic over the area...

=======

In a big white motorhome parked not that far away from the group, three men, a woman and a pony were sitting, monitoring the group. The pony, a light blue unicorn with a multi-shaded dark blue mane and tail, was concentrating, trying not to get detected. He winced as Stellar's detection spell went right through the van, but he barely managed to deflect it around himself. "Ah shit!" He exclaimed.

"What's wrong?" Asked one of the men.

"The big one." He answered. "Celestia above, she's more powerful than any other pony I've ever felt. She nearly found me." He explained.

"Then the tip-off was good?" The man asked.

"There's five of them there." He said. "Two stallions... no, one stallion and a colt, and three mares. I thought they were all pegasi, but the bigger one... she's casting spells like a unicorn."

"So, she can cast spells, then?" Asked the woman. "Like she knows what she's doing?"

"More than I do." The unicorn admitted.

"This changes things." One of the other men said. "Why can't we see them? Why haven't cameras picked them up?"

"I don't know!" The unicorn replied back in a frustrated voice. "They must be using magic to camoflage themselves."

"If that's the case... then the big one just got upgraded to 'definite capture'." The second male said.

"Affirmative." The other men replied.

Azure Tracks looked at the large mare as she climbed back into their vehicle. There was something about her... something that made him want to go to her, to be with her... to surrender to her and do whatever it was she wanted him to do... just for a smile from her...

=======

Stellar could feel...something. Something that wasn't right, but felt familiar. Putting it aside for the moment, she climbed into the Landcruiser's driving seat and once everypony was secure, she drove off, heading back out of Longreach and onto the Landsborough Highway. Once on that road, she picked up speed and started eating up the kilometres again.

"What's wrong?" Thunderlane asked quietly as Stellar checked their rear view again.

"I'm not entirely sure." Stellar admitted. "But there's something that tells me we've been noticed by someone, and they're out there now, looking for us."

"Shit." Thunderlane said. "That's all we need."

"Better to deal with it before we go off jet-setting, than have to deal with it on unfamiliar territory." Stellar pointed out. "Do you think your mother could have...?"

"Frankly, yeah. I'm afraid she could and she would." Thunderlane interrupted. "She's a total control freak, as you know. I wouldn't put it past her."

"Lovely." Stellar said, frowning. "Well, we'll continue on as if we don't know, but we'll keep a weather-eye out for them, to make sure that there really is someone following us before we react." Stellar told Thunderlane. "Forewarned is forearmed."

"Always." Thunderlane agreed.

=======

After a while, they got trapped behind a roadtrain which was moving at only sixty KPH up the highway. As the traffic lined up behind them, Stellar took note of what vehicles were back there as they rounded a bend in the relatively flat road. She tried to remember which ones she'd seen back in Longreach, and she managed to identify eight of them that had been following them out of Longreach that morning. "Hmmm... better odds than I thought." She said to herself. There was an overtaking lane just three hundred metres up ahead, but she knew a lot of the lighter cars would most likely be trying to jump ahead of her... if she didn't do something to better their speed. The diesel Landcruiser was no race van, but its turbocharged eight-cylinder engine did have a lot of grunt. The Chevy 6.5-litre V-8 had a great deal of power as well as great fuel economy, especially when turbocharged, as long as it wasn't weighed down that much... "Reduce the weight..." Stellar said to herself, then grinned as her horn lit up. "Hang on, everypony! We're about to find out what this big baby can really do." Stellar told them as she dropped it into full-time 4x4 mode and revved the engine. The MP3 player started playing AC-DC's 'Heatseeker'...
Heatseeker by AC-DC

"What?" Thunderlane said, as Stellar planted her right hoof to the firewall.

Just as the roadtrain moved over to let the faster vehicles past, Stellar turned the Landcruiser out into the traffic and accelerated with a roar of V-8 power. Anyone close enough might have seen a magenta glow under the trailer, as the big Four-by-Four surged ahead of the cars and other vehicles up the hill almost as fast as a race car could. Using the manual-trip-changer function of the gearbox, Stellar held the engine's revs to the redline for each of the five upper gears as they passed the roadtrain, then slid across in front of it, three hundred metres ahead of the slowing rig. Some of the faster cars and utes managed to get past her as they roared up the hill, but most had to be content with slipping in behind her as the space between the long rig and the Landcruiser opened up more and more.

The Twins had screamed, Rumble had been cheering, and Thunderlane had just held on as they reached the top of the hill and the overtaking lane ended. Merging across behind six of the fastest cars, Stellar slowed a fraction to allow the trailer to touch down carefully on the road, allowing the Landcruiser to take up the strain of the loaded trailer once again while losing only a little speed.

"Fracking hell!" Thunderlane exclaimed. "How the buck did we just do that?" He asked Stellar.

Stellar was grinning wickedly as they left the majority of the slower vehicles to get past the truck as best they could. "You know how powerful this 'cruiser is, Laney." Stellar reminded him. "I just took the weight off its back and allowed it to stretch all four legs." They were cruising at nearly a hundred-and-thirty KPH now on the outback highway as they headed back downhill again. "And now we're back under the speed limit, so no-one's going to bother us." She grinned.

Thunderlane shook his head as 'Heatseeker' finished playing. "Dammit, Jessie! I'd forgotten what a crazy driver you can be at times." He told Stellar as they followed the pack along the highway. Stellar just gave Thunderlane a crazy grin and kept driving.

"Play it again!" Rumble yelled out from the back seat, but Stellar let the track change to 'Shoot To Thrill', and concentrated on the road.

"Settle down, Squirt." Thunderlane ordered Rumble back to his seat. He then looked back at Jessie. "Okay, what was that about?" He asked.

"There were a number of vehicles following along behind us that had been there since Longreach." She explained. "I was just thinning out the odds of some of them following us."

=======

Back in the pack, the motorhome had been watching as the traffic crawled along behind the roadtrain. "Oh, come on! I could bloody run faster than this!" The man driving said, as the one in the shotgun seat used binoculars to watch the Landcruiser with the trailer at the head of the pack.

"Let it go. As soon as we hit that overtaking lane, that Toyota's going to be stuck there while all these cars and utes pass it." He told his comrade.

The third male, who had an american accent as thick as his hair, looked at Azure. "Anything?" He asked.

"I'm not a mind reader... that I'm aware of." Said the unicorn. "But they are there, in the troop-carrier... and the big one's casting again. What is that she's doing...?" Azure asked.

"Truck's moving aside. Everyone hold onto something." The driver said. "I'm going to have to ride this heap to it's limit if we're going to get past that roadtrain."

"Just drive." The American replied.

Then the shotgun seat said "Holy..."

"What?" The American asked.

"The Toyota! It's... it's going up that hill like it's a bloody race car!" The driver exclaimed.

The American and the woman looked out, to see the 'Cruiser racing up the hill ahead of the pack, like it was a V-8 supercar. It moved over eventually, some of the more powerful cars passing it by, but it was still going more like one of them than a heavily-laden family tourer. "How the fuck...?" The American asked, as the Landcruiser started moving out of the line of sight over the top of the hill, being chased by most of the pack. Luckily for them, the rig was only half-way up when it was their turn to pass, and they did a reasonable job of it for such a big motorhome. But as they crested the hill, the Landcruiser was nowhere to be seen.

"Can you still feel them?" The woman asked Azure, who closed his eyes and his horn lit up.

"Yes, barely." He answered. "Her magic is so strong, I think I could follow her anywhere, now that I have her signature..."

The American nodded. "Good." He said. "We'll catch up with them again, and when the time is right, we'll strike."

Azure was feeling divided inside. He knew his duty was to help capture the rogue ponies... but at the same time, this American seemed to be only too easily dismissive if some got killed along the way. Thank Celestia that hadn't happened yet... but Azure was only too sure it just might, and very soon...

Author's Note

And the gang gets moving! Not exactly as Stellar intended, but any good officer knows plans fall apart within the first five minutes of execution.

And who are our mysterious pursuers? Stay tuned for the next episode! Already in the works...

P.S.: RBT is an Aussie contraction for Random Breath Testing, where the police breathalyse drivers for alcohol and drugs usage (If anyone didn't actually know that.)
Oh, and this Landcruiser is real! I have actually ridden in it, and it can accelerate like this without a load on it. The owner works where I work, and it is a really wicked machine!