//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Memories, a Train Ride and...New Heroes? 
// Story: Power Ponies: the First of the Secret Generation 
// by dracone 
//------------------------------//

				Memories, a Train Ride and... New Heroes?

Aura Mane sat in her office at the top floor of her Mare-tropolis office. Mare-a-Tech Industries was a project she started from the ground up, and had managed to make into a world power in only five years. On the tenth anniversary of the company she had received an ancient stone (the stone looked like granite, but felt like obsidian) statue of an alicorn, a fabled creature that was of passing interest to her. While moving it to her private museum, archeology was a passing interest to the sea green pegasus mare, she somehow managed to drop the statue, which was unusual because she was usually impeccably careful with her artifacts. Inside she had found a platinum like unicorn horn ornament, and without thinking had tried it on. In her defense it was not one of her brightest moments, considering she blasted burning hole into the image of one of her board of director upon seeing it (because whenever she saw the greed ridden stallion she got angry and cursed herself for not being able to fire him out of spite, such a thing would reflect bad on her company's image), then she had frozen her communication line when her secretary sent a message up to her that her afternoon meeting at three had been bumped down to five. With those suitably embarrassing moments before her she quickly stashed the horn in her briefcase and promptly forgot about it until she went to see her best friend.
The memory of the incident that gave rise to the Masked Matter-Horn was bringing an embarrassing smile to Aura Mane as she rode the train to Derby Heights in a private car with her best friend, Melody Show. The sun yellow unicorn mare with sea blue mane and brilliant lavender eyes watched as her friend pulled a news paper with the article, “Is This Trio Here to Rescue or Ravage?” The sea green pegasus mare with  a mane that was colored a vibrant orange, blue, and violet with sparkling indigo eyes set the news paper next her as if she was contemplating whether or not actually to read it another time, from the looks of it the paper had been read through enough times that the wears on it were becoming noticeable tears.
The train continued for another twenty minutes before the pegasus mare picked up the paper and started reading it again, while reaching for it she said in a voice that was intelligent without being condescending and had a hint of intrigue, “no reports of super powered individuals in the city and then a mass of sitings starting with these three a few months ago.”
The unicorn mare looked over at the pegasus for a few minutes, at which point said pegasus was reading the paper again, before saying in a gentle refined voice, “darling,  you really should put that paper down, you've read it enough times to tell me what the entire article says backwards in nine different languages,” came the refined, but pleasant, voice of the sun yellow unicorn with a sea blue mane and bright lavender eyes.
“Sorry,” said the sea green pegasus, “it just doesn't make sense, super powered ponies don't just show up in a place like that without a reason, and for some reason I feel it has to be me that meets with one of those three.”
“Yes of course dear,” said Melody, “but you're turning this into an unhealthy obsession, the last time this sort of thing happened was when you first found 'it' hidden in one of your purchases destined for your private collection.”
Both mares were in semi-formal business outfits that hid their cuite marks. This was how they always traveled, it saved the agony of dealing with raving fans and petitioners. The sad part was that both mares had to deal with both in recent years.
“I suppose you have a point, this is not where I expected either of us to be at this stage of our lives,” said Aura, “I imagined us both practically drifting apart by now because of our dedication to our jobs only to meet up in our twilight years and say how sorry we were for the whole ordeal and lament at the fact neither of us had foals.”
“You, my dear,” said Melody, “can be such a downer sometimes. Look at you, you have one of the most successful magi-tech companies in the world, you've found how to integrate magic into modern technologies as well as simulate spells with nothing more than appliances you literally find lying around.”
“Both my parents were unicorns, powerful ones,” said Aura, “there hasn't been a pegaus in the family for...”
“Over seventy generations,” said Melody cutting off her friend, “you've told me that at least a dozen times a month since we were fillies growing up together.”
“What about you and your 'accessory',” inquired Aura, “why did it's keeper decide to pass it over to you?”
“Probably the same reason you found your 'accessory' embedded inside a supposedly solid stone statue,” retorted Melody. The two gave a little giggle.
“I just wish this little outing didn't have to be so serious,” said Aura, “just once I'd like to get out of the city for legitimate relaxation reasons. Every time we have to leave the city it's for some truly serious matters, I'm just glad Mane-iac is staying locked up for more than a couple of weeks. How does that mare keep getting out of a cell designed to contain ponies with super powers? Hopefully the Ability Neutralizer my company created should prevent her and ever other villain in that special prison from actually getting loose.”
“It will be nice to see these new heroes,” said Melody, “maybe we might actually get a chance to socialize outside the team on super powered matters. I wonder what these three are like.”
Aura put the paper back into her briefcase and gave a sigh, “I just hope they aren't under the influence of a super villain, remember the last hero we found.”
Melody gave a shiver and said, “Gear Dog was a pleasant character, but when it turned out he was just an ordinary pet that had been been missing for three months and was power the suit he piloted I became very concerned for the dears health, fortunately we were directed to the villain that was responsible and your technological prowess gave everypony a happy ending.”
Aura smiled and said, “I certainly hope it goes better than that.”
“As do I,” said Melody, “you want to order something? It'll be almost an hour to hour destination now.”
“37 minutes and fourty-six point nine seconds from the moment I finish this statement, if my calculations are accurate,” said Aura.
“You really need to work on that quirk of yours dear,” said Melody, “not everypony finds it as cute as I do, of course I've known you longer than almost anypony else.”
The two sat there in silence for the rest of the ride. Aura glancing between her friend and briefcase a few times. Melody checking a small travel bag that she pulled from under her seat with her cerulean colored magic.

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A little over a half hour later the train pulled into the station and the voice a female announcer with an inviting voice that somehow also managed to sound irritated with a hint a condescending attitude bellowed over the intercom, “Derby Heights, all passengers destined for Derby Heights unload now, thank you and have a nice day.”
The two mares mares grabbed all their luggage. For Aura that meant her briefcase, a pair of large saddlebags and a larger than average travel case (she liked to travel practical and light); for Melody that meant three small jewelry bags, four travel bags, a large collapsible screen and a set of standard saddlebags (the excuse she always gave for being half of a traveling fashion show was that she always liked to look her best, and surprisingly the unicorn's magic was able to carry most of it while the jewelry bags were stashed in her saddlebags on her back). The two got off the train surprisingly fast, even if you considered they had their own private car on the train.
The two mares made their way to the hotel they had reservations with, they figured they would be in the city for about half a week so they had booked a room for a whole week (they had to keep up their public appearances after all).
The hotel, amusingly enough called Racing Mares, was one of the classier hotels in the city. The two had reserved a suite near the top level, reserving the penthouse seemed a little excessive to the two. Once they arrived the receptionist was far from pleasant, and the bellhop proved to be one of the more pleasant of the ponies employed by the hotel (he did however have a rather abrasive personality that combined with the attitude of the receptionist made the mares wonder how hotel had gotten its reputation as a high class establishment, at the very least he handled all their luggage with genuine care). Once they were in their suite they saw nothing other than class in terms of how the room was designed. A pair of queen sized beds were on opposing sides were across from the door, a well furnished kitchen with genuine marble flooring and a large stock of fresh fruits in the silver-lined refrigerator were among the  experience the two mares got with the room. 
In addition high end crystal lamps were tastefully hung from the wall along with tasteful crystal chandelier that hung from the ceiling at the dividing point between the bed and kitchen areas, the restroom was down it's own hall and had tub that was big enough to comfortably seat four stallions twice the size of the mares with room to spare (Aura commented on the lack of a shower extension immediately filled out the part of a room form asking for what she was dissatisfied with, Melody rolled her eyes at her friend knowing that only Aura would go for the service survey for the room upon entering it) while the sink was far to ornate for the tastes of both mares (although both the sink and tub were stocked with high end soaps, conditioners and various other fur and mane care products) and the toilet was a little bit gaudy in the opinion of both mares (what with it the whole thing being encrusted in gold and requiring almost twenty minutes with both mares searching to discern the handle from the overly ornate silver relief that covered the cistern and entire back of the unit).
“Are you done with the survey?” inquired Melody not really caring much for the survey, “I think we should get to work, the sun went down while we were inspecting the restroom.”
“Of course,” said Aura, “I'll get my suit,” Aura Mane went to her larger than average old fashioned travel case and flicked the rollers before placing her right hoof and left wing above the case. The extended appendages were bathed in a lavender light and the top of the case faded away, like it was an illusion spell, to reveal a masked purple jumpsuit with pink star bursts near the hooves, modified flight  goggles and a silver like unicorn horn accessory. She took the outfit into the restroom and emerged as her alter ego known to ponies far and wide as the Masked Matter-Horn and gave a nod to her associate when she stepped out and headed to the balcony. Her outfit making her appear to be a dark violet mare with  a forest green mane and oak brown eyes. Melody Show reached into her smallest travel bag and  slipped on purple bracelet. The moment she did she was in her purple suit, with stylish purple mask, and stepped over to the balcony as her alias known to the world as Radiance. Giving Matter-Horn a moment check everything she asked if the other masked mare was okay. To which Matter-Horn said she was fine and took flight, Radiance just shook her head and followed on a manifested (and stylish) flying carpet.
As the two Power Ponies flew on their impromptu patrol they heard the sound of sirens and smiled to each other and gave a “let's get to work” nod to each other as they made their way to sound of the sirens. First night in the new city and they were already going to make an impression. They both wondered how long their luck would hold, but never voiced it.