//------------------------------//
// Chapter 2: First Night on the Town 
// Story: Power Ponies: the First of the Secret Generation 
// by dracone 
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																First Night on the Town

Radiance and Matter-Horn rushed towards the sirens. What they found was what looked like generic thugs with not so generic equipment, the designs had the telltale signs of Matter-Horn's arch nemesis. Both mares were quick to note that the thugs, whom were dressed all in black with face shrouding hoods and masks that covered their entire heads, didn't understand how to properly handle their shiny new toys. This meant that the two Power Ponies were able to quickly dispatch the thugs without incident.
“Dark-Mare has her hooves mired in this city,” said Matter-Horn as they resumed their aerial patrol, “that villain has been alluding me for the past 4 years now, I haven't seen hide or hair of her and now simple thugs with her hoof-work are robbing jewelry stores, corner markets and banks.”
“Yes it is troubling,” said Radiance, “even if she limited her activities only to this city and somehow managed to make sure word never left the city limits there is very little chance she could manufacture that kind of equipment en mass without some sort of...” Radiance went silent for few seconds before saying, “Mare-teria is here, that no good mercenary is in this city, she dropped off the grid 3 years ago and I figured she had just had enough with the whole villain thing.”
“So not only is my arch nemesis here,” said Matter-Horn as they picked up the sound of more sirens and flew towards them, “but yours is as...” Matter-Horn was cut off by a massive rock knocking her to the ground before turning into a blanket of ruby around her.
“Mare-teria,” hissed Radiance turning towards a building to the right and seeing a red mare with a mare in a suit made of a mishmash of materials that somehow managed to accentuate her form step from the shadows in a , “you disgrace of a mare.”
“Ah, Radiance,” said Mare-teria in a crazed voice after giving an evil cackle for twenty seconds, “of course you would be with Matter-Horn, the two of you always seem to come to each other's aid. I'm not here for a fight, just to deliver a message,” she threw a small disc the size of a hoof with a lens of some kind in the center of the top before making smoke swirl about her and disappearing. Radiance made a grown before going to check on Matter-Horn. Finding the Crystal overcoat had turned to water and washed away from her companion.
“What was that about?” said Radiance, “Mare-teria despises playing messenger, she didn't complain about it at all and just threw that,” she pointed to the disc, “and left.”
“Doesn't matter about her change in behavior right now,” said Matter-Horn, “somepony clearly wanted me to see something about this device or they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to make sure I didn't potentially damage or destroy it. Clearly Dark-Mare wants me to hear or see something.”
Matter-Horn trotted up to the disc and tapped the crystal screen in the center, a holographic image of a shrouded pony appeared, then a deep rumbling feminine voice said, “Matter-Horn I wasn't expecting to see you in this city for some time, no matter I have a countermeasure for you. The countermeasure is called MHC-007, rather uncreative considering the names of my other projects, but it should do the trick. A few failures, but advancement marches on. I was unaware you took so many safeguards to keep your identity hidden, that lovely sea colored coat and those cute little colors in your mane. Sadly not everything has gone smoothly, all my gene manipulation attempts have proven ineffective and for some reason I can't forcibly age your little copy beyond foalhood, not to mention your duplicate is proving resistant to my attempts to take control. Fortunately that project is being purged, in a few days it won't matter any more. In the mean time it's a good way to get you to do exactly what I want you too, or I'll speed up the cleansing process.” The holographic image disappeared and the disc blew itself to pieces, but Radiance raised a shield to protect the two from the flying shrapnel just in time. 

Mare-teria cackled before stepping from the shadows reveal a mare in an outfit that seemed to be made in a mishmash of materials that somehow looked pleasing and accentuated her form before saying a sinister silky voice, “I knew you'd come Radiance, you and Masked Matter-Horn are practically stuck together.” Radiance just growled at her, “but I'm merely here as a messenger, my pet over there is just keep your associate from attacking me,” with that she threw a bulky disk like object to the ground next to the Matter-Horn and disappeared in a cloud of steam. The moment she did the moving pony shaped wall suddenly turned into a mass of steam and floated away from Matter-Horn.
Both the super-heroines approached the disk and once they were right next to it it glowed and the form of a pony veiled in shadows appeared and said in a deep dark voice, “Matter-Horn, it's been a while. You're here sooner than planned, a pity really since I had such a lovely containment chamber almost set up for you. Fortuneatly I already have insurance against you, it's named MHC-001, I know it lacks the flair I strive for at times, but this time it is of little consequence.”
“Dark-Mare,” said Matter-Horn with anger, “what does that little project have to with me?”
“Everything,” said Dark-Mare, “do you remember those clips of your mane I took during one of our last encounters? Of course you do, I was surprised to find them change color, you're a clever mare in taking the extra step with your outfit. I took those clippings and made a little clone of you, I only recently got a stable copy and accelerated its age to filly age, I tried to do more but your genetic code counteracted all my attempts. I suppose I should have changed the name, but failures in projects are of little consequence and should be mostly disregarded. I've been trying find methods of controlling your little copy, but it seems the product is immune to every form of mind control I've tried thus far. And its also a massive goody-goody, just like you. It would seem that whatever makes you immune to mind controlling effects also drives you to be a hero, I find that as fascinating as I do revolting. You try anything to get in the way of my projects here and I'll put your cute little copy in danger, a subservient version of you as my personal maid would have been nice but I like to be a practical mare whenever possible.” With that the glowing image disappeared and the disk blew itself to pieces, and Radiance threw up a shield to block the shrapnel just in time.
Both mares just stared at each other for a moment with the realization that if one of them had been copied any of the other Power Ponies could have been duplicated as well. Matter-Horn then said, “she said I'm immune to mind manipulation, that explains why her hypnosis wave system didn't affect me in our first encounter. It also appears I'm immune to gene therapies,” she gave a smile before saying, “the only thing she's managed is giving me a daughter, and with my equipment finding her in the city should be easier than usual because I know just what to look for,” she pulled her goggles down over her eyes and said, “initiate scan, city wide, search for all genetic matches to 'Masked Matter-Horn', begin now.” Her goggles lit up and a top down schematic of the city appeared before her eyes and showed her 2 blips, one confirming her position while the other showed that what she was intending to find was on the other side of the city. She smiled again and told her goggles to mark the location, then told Radiance she was aware it was possibly a trap but didn't care at the moment because in her mind she had a filly to save. Her smile disappeared when the second blip vanished, if she hadn't marked the location it was at last she would have been very angry at everypony (especially herself).
“Matter-Horn,” said Radiance, “I know saving you're double, but we have to account for the fact that some or most of what was said was a like to spur you into action.”
“Alright,” said Matter-Horn, “after we find these other super powered ponies we can formulate a plan to take all the variables into account.”
“That's the friend I know,” said Radiance, “you do nopony any good if you let your emotions command you, Dark-Mare is your personal nemesis as such she knows more about your superhero self than anypony else, including me. The same holds true for me and Mare-teria, she's my arch nemesis, just like Dark-Mare is your arch nemesis. However it works both ways, we both know the strengths and weaknesses of our nemeses. So, what does Dark-Mare have that you are always able to take advantage of.”
Matter-Horn took a deep breath and said, “Dark-Mare is a narcissist, she's got a superiority complex that causes her to over look simple details that are possible avenues to best her schemes. She's around as smart as me, and has used that brilliance to make some truly twisted projects. It's not too far fetched for her to have made a clone of me, in fact my goggles got a blip of a possible clone before blocked the signal. She might have built a new fortress like base and is keeping my copy there or some sort of jamming signal designed to counteract equipment like my goggles was active,” she lifted her goggles to her forehead and looked over at Radiance before saying, “I tagged the location I got the blip before it cut out, we'll search that area of the city tomorrow, but now let's beat down some criminals, I have some newly acquired frustration I need to work out.”
“That's my girl,” said Radiance as she and Matter-Horn started their aerial patrol again.
With that both mares both took flight once again with Matter-Horn leading the way. On the renewed patrol the two heard the sound of fighting like they hadn't before. The two Power Ponies banked towards the sounds.
When they turned the corner they saw two of the main reasons they were in the city, light colored mare in all white wielding a massive shield made of light that was keeping attacks at bay and small mechanical looking filly attacking with small projectiles. The attackers suddenly stopped, the reason was unclear until a dark colored mare in all black seemed to materialize next to the white one, the mechanical filly took this as a que and launched a set of seven pylons into the wall around the masked thugs and they seemed to freeze in time as they were getting up.
“Suspension field is up,” said a mechanical young feminine voice coming from the mechanical looking filly, “6 minutes until it fades, 5 until law enforcement gets here, Secrets get let's...”
“Hold, Filly” said the black dressed mare, “other secret protectors of the innocent approach.”
“Their might is known, they wish to ask about the power we have shown,” said the mare in white.
“Fine,” said the mechanical filly, “but we're doing it at base, I don't want to get almost taken down by the law enforcement again.”
Matter-Horn and Radiance landed next to the mares and mechanical filly, “greetings,” said Matter-Horn, “we wish to discuss...”
“We're taking you to base so that we can talk uninterrupted,” the mechanical filly cut in, Secrets take us to base,” the black dressed mare nodded and the shadows around her, the mechanical filly and the two Power Ponies enveloped them in a bubble, the two power ponies blinked a few times when the shadow bubble receded before looking around, what they saw was some very sufficticated equipment that seemed to blend quite well into a rustic medieval setting. 
“Where are we?” said Matter-Horn, “I didn't see this on the city layout.”
“It's an olden times themed amusement park, that hides many a mark, it was never demolished,” said the white mare as she materialized from the ceiling lights with a bright voice, “so we use this place until we learn that may be abolished.”
“Forgive my associate,” said the mare in black said, “she can only speak in rhyme while in this form and every other thing I say is ambiguous at best.”
“I'm Techna-Filly,” said the mechanical filly before tapping few points on her chest and neck to reveal a chestnut brown earth pony filly with green eyes and a red mane before continuing with, “these are my crime fighting associates, the Guardian of Insightful Truths,” she gestured to the mare in white, “and the Guardian of Veiled Secrets,” she then mare in black.
“That's all very nice,” said Radiance, “but why did you reveal your identity to us? You should never do that with ponies you don't know.”
“Insightful Truths and Veiled Secrets told me that it would be okay, after all I know their identity and their abilities let them know who you are.”
Radiance and Matter-Horn arched their brows before Matter-Horn said, “so they have some kind of mystical ability that lets them know their namesakes. And what do you mean their identity?”
“Your assessment is correct,” said the Guardian of Veiled Secrets, “it would be best if only Matter-Horn joined in the room for a moment.”
“Gosh-Danit, yer power down sequence is so fun to watch, but I think I can understand why. Radiance I'll show you to where I hang my mask up, Matter-Horn needs some privacy with the Guardians.”
“Why?” Inquired Radiance, “she's my best friend.”
“Then you should really understand, because who they are behind those masks is mine, we'll explain everything later.” The two left with doors making an obvious hiss as they closed.
Matter-Horn looked at the two mares, whom were now standing next to each other, and said, “if you have something to show me, do it already!”
The two nodded and held up their right forelegs before saying in perfect unison, “Ancient Power That Was Bidden, Your Power Now Must Be Hidden, By the Power of Moon and Sun, The Two Return As One,” in a flash a filly that looked like a young Aura Mane was before the Masked Matter-Horn.
Matter-Horn's eyes went widened before she took off her mask, which disengaged her color cloak (the magic woven into the suit made only so somepony with a close genetic match to the suits wearer could remove the mask to disengage that feature). With a trembling voice she said, “are... are you the failing project Dark-Mare was talking about in the message left for me when I showed myself super-heroine self to the city?”
The filly nodded before saying, “I turned into them with this,” and raising her right hoof to reveal an ancient bronze bracer that was twice the size of a standard bracer, “I intercepted it when she tried to dispose of it, I was foolish in deciding to put it on because no matter what I try it won't come off. She grew me, but the only things I've had interaction with is automatons. I don't even have name, I'm just called MHC-007. I need a name, I'm a pony not a science project.”
Aura Man smiled down at the filly before saying, “Dark-Mare believes the opposite, but I believe what you do. You're me, in a way. You were cloned from pieces of my mane that were cut free, apparently my disguise charm for my suit has a time limit when pieces of me are removed. To me you're not just a clone, you're effectively my daughter. My maternal instincts went into overdrive when I managed to confirm you were real, if Radiance hadn't nipped that in the bud we would both be in trouble now. You know who she really is?”
“Not anymore,” said the filly, “I only know that stuff when I'm the Guardians, when I return to being me I get a massive head pain and I only retain the knowledge base of the Guardians for about twelve seconds after turning back. Except if I focus on the information before turning back, if I do that then I retain the knowledge. That's how I was able to know who you are when I first used it, the knowledge is what gave me the resolve to continue being the Guardians...”
“Because you wanted to do your mother proud, even if she never got the chance to meet you,” finished Aura Mane, “you look six years old, and I last encountered Dark-Mare 4 years ago. So, how old are you?”
The filly started crying as Radiance and the filly that no longer in mechanical armor entered and they all heard her say, “4 months, I've known my best friend for the past 3 months.”
“That's most of your life,” said Aura, “how are you maintaining your current physical age?”
“Bio-stabalizing agents were laced into the food I ate, 2 days ago they were cut and I tasted something else in my food so I stopped eating what they gave me and instead have been sustaining myself on the snacks that my best friend brings me.”
“You aren't naming her,” said Aura, “why?”
“Because she deserves to tell you her name herself.”
The red maned filly smiled and said, “my name is Rose Adamant, sorry for the late introduction.”
“Radiance, she needs a name,” said Aura, “a real one. I would do it, but I'm rubbish with names.”
“Of course dear,” said Radiance, “she's you, but not you. So, a name that sounds similar should do. Aurora Flame has a nice ring to it.”
The little sea green filly smiled and said, “I like it. Hi, my name is Aurora Flame.”
“Hello baby,” said Aura, “just know no matter what mommy's here,” with that she brought the filly into a motherly embrace.
Causing a drawn out “aw,” elicit from Radiance and Rose Adamant.
“I'm sorry to ruin the moment,” said Rose, “but I think I just learned Dark-Mare thinks she's found a way to make a more subservient clone, she'll begin the project tomorrow.”
“Rose, I'm sorry,” said Aurora, “but I've been keeping something from you, something you need to know.”
“How long?” asked Rose.
“Two weeks,” said Aurora, “I wanted to make sure I had enough information to answer your questions before I told you, I'm sure I do right now, but I think I've held off on it long enough.”
“I understand,” said Rose, “what do you need me to know?”
“Before that,” said Radiance, “you need to tell us who your parents are so we can provide a suitable excuse for why we found you out so late at night.”
The brown filly slumped and said, “I haven't seen my parents in the past 5 months, I thought they disappeared for a few weeks every few months for business reasons. But when a representative of their employers came looking for four months a few months ago I realized something was wrong and built the suit to gather information and keep from getting hurt. Their names are Gold Hoof and Racing Stride,”
“The technologies experts that dropped of the grid twenty years ago,” said Melody, “how did you not hear the news two weeks ago?”
“What news?” asked Rose, then looked at Aurora before, “you know what she's going to say, so you tell me.”
Aurora hung her head with guilt and said, “your father and mother were found washed up at Neighyork City, your father was confirmed dead by a medical professional in the employ of the police and your mother is in critical condition in Neighyork General Hospital under heavy guard.”
“Daddy's gone,” said Rose through tears, “why didn't anypony contact me about that?”
“Because that's related to what I have to tell you,” said Aurora, “you aren't listed as next of kin, in fact you don't have a birth record. Just like me.”
“Are you saying I'm cloned from somepony like you? Aurora I need to know,” said Rose.
“No, you're an amalgam of over twenty different ponies,” said Aurora, “you're 'parents' only comprised a total of ten percent of the genetic material used to make you, your primary donor with forty-nine percent of the total contribution doesn't even know she's a donor.”
“Who is she?” asked Rose with a trembling voice, “I need to know.”
“A mare as intelligent as she is beautiful with a strong sense of morals,” said Aurora, “a pony of create creativity and intuition.”
“You're describing her, but not naming her. Tell me who she is,” Rose practically yelled.
Aura Mane had caught on what Aurora saying and looked over at Radiance who took the hint before saying, “me, sweetheart,” she removed her mask and continued, “my name is Melody Show, and the reason she was describing me was because she wanted me to tell you myself. Looks like I'm using a different doctor from now on, maybe I should change medical facilities just to be safe.”
“If I'm science project then the medication that the ponies I called my parents had me was bio-stabalizing agents to keep my system stable,” said Rose, “is that really my name? I don't ever remember... those ponies calling me that, just little nicknames parents usually give their fillies.”
“No,” said Aurora, “you're really called project R053 4D4M4NT, you probably saw the file with your image on it and thought it said Rose Adamant.”
“Well I think it's a lovely name,” said Melody Show.
“Thanks,” said Rose, “I stopped taking my medication yesterday, so I only have two questions. How long do we have? And, what happens when they where off.”
Aurora swallowed and said, “my worst case scenario is better than yours, but your best case scenario is better than mine. My worst scenario is I regress to point in my development where I can't survive outside of a tube or surrogate mother for more than a few seconds, your worst case scenario is you turn into puddle of organic goo; they could probably pump massive amounts of stabilizing agents into the goo to bring you back but it wouldn't be you just look and sound and smell like you but without any of the amazing mental properties you posses,” she took a deep sigh, “your best case scenario is you feel a tingle and almost noting about your physical structure changes, my best case scenario is I age regress to point that I require somepony to nurse me because I'm the equivalent of newborn foal physically.”
“That's what you get when you crunch the numbers?” inquired Aura, Aurora nodded.
After a few minutes said, “by my calculations I have 9 hours and four minutes before the effects of my stabilizing agents lose effectiveness, since Rose regularly consumed her stabilizing agents in higher dosages than me I calculate she has 76 hours before she feels the effects.”
“That's a little over three days,” retorted Melody, “she can make it to her supplements easy in time, you can share.”
“No,” said Aurora I want to live my life without the need for those things, even if it means I'll stop being alive needing something like that.”
“Same here,” said Rose, “If I become nothing more than puddle goo when this is over then so be it, and I take it Aurora is just as stubborn as her mother.”
“You're deduction is quite accurate,” said Aura, “it seems a lot of my personality was carried over to my daughter.”
Aurora started crying before she said, “I'm not going to live to have grand-foals, clones have their lives end at the age their donor provided a sample.”
The others ponies in the room looked at her and Aura said, “not if I can help baby girl, I'll dedicate a sizable portion of my personal resources to making you live past the age I was when Dark-Mare took some clippings from my mane. She thinks your her insurance, but when she finds out you're gone from wherever she was keeping you then she'll probably finally slip up.”
“Come on we have suite with more than enough room,” said Melody, “we're taking you back to Maretropolis when we leave at the end of the week, either truly as who you are or just memories of what we try to fight for.”
“Alright, but I'll have to assume the form of the Guardians again,” said Aurora, “we can't let anypony know this is our headquarters.”
“Does your little trio have a name?” asked Radiance.
“I like to call us the Mysterious Protectors,” said Rose Adamant.
“Looks like she got something of yours other than a strong desire to protect other ponies,” Aura Mane, “So Aurora,” the filly's heart fluttered with joy when she heard Aura say that, “how do you become the Guardians?”
“Oh this such a treat,” said Rose with excitement.
Aurora took a deep breath and said her chant, “Dragon's Power that lies forgotten, Ancient Force that others say is Misbegotten, Lost power that crashes through, Now the One becomes Two,” at the last part of the chant she glowed and assumed the form of a mare in black and mare in white.
Melody's eyes went wide and she said, “Aura, I think she's using an ancient artifact like you.”
The sea green pegasus only nodded and thew her hood back on, and thus changing back to her colors as Masked Matter-Horn, Melody once again donned her mask and re-assumed the alias of Radiance. “So,” said Matter-Horn, “can Insightful Truths carry a passanger along with her like Veiled Secrets?”
“This is indeed within our power, be warned danger follows our hooves at the hour,” said Insightful Truths.
“Could I get a translation please,” said Radiance.
“Certainly,” said Rose as she donned one of suits of armor and once again became Techna-Filly, in her now mechanical voice she said, “Insightful Truths can take passangers along her light jumps just as easily as Veiled Secrets can take us across her shadow path, but it seems that no matter where we decide to go we will ecounter a problem that has a tendency to prove dangerous.”
“An old enemy will meet us at each point we appear,” said Veiled Secret, “their power will prove problematic for us.”
“Ours or yours?” inquired Matter-Horn.
“There is no real difference,” said Veiled Secrets.
“My double speak true, what is an enemy to us is also enemy for you,” said Insightful Truths.
“That whole speaking in rhyme thing must get annoying very quickly,” said Radiance.
“Like you wouldn't believe,” said Veiled Secrets.
“Or protection her holds strong, but against what is coming will not last long. We must hurry so as hide our base, otherwise they will no a place where we reveal our face,” said Insightful Truths.
“That means it's time to go,” said Techna-Filly.
“Truths I'm with you,” said Matter-Horn, “Filly, Radiance your with Secrets,” the other four nodded before a shadow bubble enveloped Radiance, Veiled Secrets and Techna-Filly before they faded into the shadows as if they were never their to begin with. Matter-Horn stared at the spot for moment before she felt herself be enveloped in bright light, when she blinked the spots out of her eyes she was standing next to the bank (which was just six blocks down from the hotel).
“Ah, I see a thorn in my side has joined the pain in plot,” came Dark-Mare's voice, “I was just about to activate a little toy to search for you, it's based of that lovely locator spell woven into your goggles Matter-Pain.”
“Not one of your most original nicknames Dark-Mare,” said Matter-Horn. At the same time she was thinking, So that's what she meant when she said we didn't have a full hour.
“I admit it's true,” said Dark-Mare as a series of of explosive devices attached themselves to walls of light that sprung up to protect the pair, “but you have less than minute to make a choice. Keep yourselves safe and risk damaging the complexes and streets around us, and possibly innocents, or contain them with yourselves so as to minimize the damage and potentially end yourselves.
“Another option is always open if know where to look, you will find that I do not play with the same rule book,” said Insight Truths as she wrapped each bomb in a bubble of light and shot them straight up at an incredible velocity.
“Judging by how those things aren't losing speed I calculate they'll reach the minimum point for orbiting the planet in...”
“Six point two-eight seconds,” finished Dark-Mare with contempt, “I was well prepared for you Matter-Horn, but your associate's abilities are still not fully known to me, I shall retreat for...” the rest was cut off as she was caught in chains made of light and pulled out of the shadows for both mare to see. Matter-Horn showed visible surprise.
“Calming Scents, you're Dark-Mare? But you've been doing so much good for everypony in every town and city you've been to, why would you act in villainy?”
“You know nothing of me,” said the gentle green earth pony with a white mane and a cutie mark that displayed a smiling cloud next to a smiling sun, “I've always been this way since before you mad your appearance, you presented a challenge that I knew I lacked so I played your villain and reveled in the freedom it gave me that I thought I was missing. The mane and coat of your clone told me very little, even her eyes didn't tell me who you were. Why? Because of the the five hundred and seventy mares in Maretropolis eighty of them have all of those features to some degree, I accounted for genetic degradation before and during the cloning process when I ran my comparative analysis. I didn't dilute the sample with other samples, however I planned on mixing a sample of my own code with the samples I had from you to make the products more maluable.”
“I'm sorry I have to do this,” said Aura Mane as her horn adornment glowed an icy blue at the tip.
“No your...” the rest was cut out when she was struck with the stasis ray, Then Matter-Horn called in the rest of the Power Ponies on their private long range magic channel and said they she had another mare for transit to the super villain penitentiary.
A few seconds later a dark green mare in a pink racing bodysuit adorned with wight arrow point in many different direction handed Matter-Horn a note and raced off.
Reading the note allowed Matter-Horn said, “looks like you found the ponies you were looking for... which reminds me,” the mare in pink returned and passed her a not and did bunch of small quick running circles around the two as Matter-Horn read the second note, “who is this? And, what is her power set? The villain, not your new friend, we can learn those later. Sincerely, Fillysecond.
“That's Dark-Mare, her real name is Calming Scents.” Fillysecond nodded and raced of.
“I lovely mare, but a bit odd with penchant for making many a dare,” said Insightful Truths.
“Yes, but she is trusted friend,” said Matter-Horn, come on let's get to the suite,” with that Insightful Truths and Matter-Horn took flight.
When they arrived at the balcony frazzled Radiance, exhausted looking Techna-Filly with a little less than half her armor and a very annoyed looking Veiled Secrets met them just inside the room. The two Guardians said their return chant.
The chant was followed by, “ah, oog, headache. This one's pretty bad, Mare-teria did that to Rose's Armor? No wonder she looks exhausted and angry.”
“What happened to the missing pieces of her armor?” inquired Aura as she removed her outfit and returned it to her hidden compartment. I swear all I need is a duffel bag, saddlebags and this thing, why must everypony insist I bring more than that?” she said more to herself than anypony in particular.
Radiance just shook her head as she remove her bracelet and slipped it back into her bag, “she turned part of Rose's armor into a warm bubble bath, the poor dear was sliding round on the street for ages, and to make matters worse the only part of her outfit that can be removed right now is her helmet.”
“Then Radiance is going to have to make a quick return tonight and cut the rest off of her,” said Aura, “why you, because Aurora has do a chant to assume her identities and I've just finished tucking my outfit away, your the only one hear who can do a very quick change and use her abilities to get the rest of Rose's outfit off of her.”
“Alright,” Radiance, “Rose, I'm going to have ask you to hold perfectly still while I work, if you don't I might hurt you more than I would like by accident.”
“Understood,” said Rose as she removed her helmet.
To her credit Rose really did stay still and after Radiance finished cutting her out of the rest of her armor, which took a little over a minute, she said “Well, Rose your free of that suit now,” as said suit fell to the floor with a light clang.
“We're going to have to remove those things from the room discreetly,” said Aura.
“The Guardians can help with that,” Aurora.
“Oh no, you are not calling on that power this time young filly,” said Aura, “I have the feeling that you've been relying on their power too much, and when you become them they probably are telling you how much of a bad idea it is when you do that.”
“In stereo,” said Aurora, “and worse it's me tell me that, which is more of headache to deal with.”
“That headache should be enough of an incentive to only call on them in an actual emergency situation,” said Aura, “I know you like to be practical, just like me, but sometimes you need to choose between practical options. In this case what are other options?”
“The return feature on the armor is probably still working, but it might be a little unstable in its flight. Matter-Horn or Radiance you could fly the armor back to base, but we really want to keep that place a secret as much as possible. Or we can stash can have Rose can take one of you to where she's been living with to get travel case to carry the armor's remains with us out of the city, since neither of us have anything that might be considered luggage.”
“See, that wasn't so hard,” said Aura, “Melody, which option sounds best to you?”
“The last one, we need to see what it those two have been up to, besides making Rose Adamant and only keeping her here.”
“Agreed,” said Aura, “that's a project for tomorrow, for now we should all get some sleep, Aurora there's something I'm going to need to do with you before you call it a night,” she walked over to her travel case and opened it up, the normal way, and pulled out a gray chest harness that looked like it could fit Aurora and passed to her as she pulled out a matching headband and saying, “put this on, it will let me monitor your condition and if there's any dramatic change in your condition or you wake up it will wake me up.”
They both put them on at the same time and Aurora asked, “will I feel any... augh, chest pain.”
At the same time she said her gasp of pain Aura said, “oog, headache. I'm making a note to personally test these things more often, the magic is supposed to tickle or tingle not feel like...”
“You're being bucked by Mistress Mare-velous or Saddle Rager,” Aurora finished.
“I was going to say something a little difference,” said Aura, “but your analogy helps drive home just how painful the experience is, I might use it as a bit of joke later on. Let's get to bed now.”
Aura and Aurora took one bed, and Rose and Melody to the other after all the doors and window had been closed and locked properly (something all four ponies were paranoid about to the point they locked the closed door to the bathroom hall and propped a one of the room's furniture up against to further obstruct anypony who was daring enough to enter the room through that way). With all their safety checks triple checked, at the instance of Aura and Aurora, the four ponies turned out the lights and climbed into bed and drifted off to sleep.