//------------------------------//
// Family Matters 
// Story: Power Ponies: the First of the Secret Generation 
// by dracone 
//------------------------------//

	Aura, Melody, the foals and Aura's grandmother were all coming up to the train station, at different times. It was time to go, and leave Derby Heights behind. The city had grown a bit on Aura, as a result she was thinking of how place a new set of company complexes in the city, she already had an R&D building in the city, which she had found out had been pillaged to make the equipment that had produced Aurora. The filly in question was far too small to trot beside her, no matter what was said to the contrary, so she was riding on the pegasus mare's back, truth be told Aura actually liked the sensation despite having issues with other ponies of various sizes and ages doing the same thing to her in the past.
Rose was in the same situation as Aurora, the filly was riding upon Melody's back. In her telekinetic grasp was a cooler that was half filled with ice in addition to the goo samples that they collected from the fillies when the stabilizing agent had run its course through their systems. Both mares were relieved that the fillies in question hadn't become puddles entirely. The difference between Aura and Melody was that Melody had been trained to be comfortable with things on her back. Both mares knew what the coming family meetings would entail, neither was looking forward to such things. To make matters worse, or better, the two weren't sure which, Aura's grandmother was a retired super pony.
Lost Rite was an unusual unicorn, she was proud of her granddaughter while she didn't show it. While her parents were caught up in their little world, Lost Rite didn't care either way. Her husband on the other hoof, how she fell for such a bigoted pony was beyond her, had a similar mindset to her daughter and son-in-law. She was pleasantly surprised when her granddaughter had turned out to have her distinct mindset, despite having next to no interaction with each other. However to keep up appearances she ended up doing things she wasn't all that proud of.
They all filed into the private car that Aura and Melody had arranged, Melody putting the samples in the car's hidden fridge. Once they were on their way, the fillies were sleeping soundly, much to the relief of the mares, Aura said, “So, grandma, I think it best you start off with why you tracked me down, impersonated my parents, and why you're being so nice to me.” Melody looked over at her best friend, she too was curious.
Lost Rite gave a drawn out sigh before saying, “I always wanted to treat you with great kindness, but your grandfather and parents were bigots that would do everything they could to make all my efforts fruitless, so I took a few pages from the opposition I faced in my youth and put on a show of making it look like I despised you. I was almost all the anonymous donors and gift givers you had over your life, I made sure I couldn't be traced in those regards, just in case your grandfather or parents suspected something, I wanted to keep you safe from their wrath, and me safe enough to continue,” she took another deep sigh, “I thought that sort thing would be left behind when I hung up my mask.”
“Who were you, really?” Said Melody softly, also keeping an eye on Rose.
“Back in the day I protected Maretropolis the way you and your friends do,” said Lost Rite, “in those days I was the Mare-sterious Spellcross, but over time the super element of crime dwindled to a point my team and I weren't really needed, so we decided to retire from the super life and try at a normal one, which involved raising families instead just sitting around the base on slow days talking about what kind of families we wanted. The one I ended up with was about as far from my dream as it could get, when Aura was born it was my hopes that some semblance of the kind of family I wanted would be possible, but...”
“That never happened,” Aura cut in promptly, “I'm happy you were many of my anonymous benefactors over the years, that kept me going when even my best friend couldn't do anything to improve my demeanor.”
“She got surprisingly broody when she was in a foul mood back in the day,” said Melody with a despondent smirk, “but now she heads into her basement to work on private projects, so now she works through her sour moods, not much healthier, but definitely more productive.”
Aura shot her friend a mock angry look before saying, “Yes, well I will admit I do have some rather unhealthy habits that probably will end up mitigated by my new occupation of trying to be a mother,” she smiled at the filly next her, “she's so much like me in a lot of ways, and that scares the daylights out me. How am I suppose to keep a genius level intellect from causing too much damage while managing a business and fighting crime?”
“You'll have help,” said Lost Rite, “your friends and me, and hopefully your parents will do their best to support you. If your parents don't then it's their loss, you're an incredible mare, and have made more accomplishments in the past five years than they have all their lives, the fact they still can't see what an amazing daughter they have is their own failing, I know for certain that I didn't raise your mother to be so narrow minded, but your grandfather was another story.”
“Speak of,” said Melody, “where is the old bigot?”
“Last I check he was in Neighyork conducting business when he got himself foal-napped, I swear that stallion can't go a decade without falling into the most basic of traps.”
Aura and Melody giggled a bit before Aura said, “Given our extracurricular activities it's harder for us to fall into those sorts of things, although we do have some teammates looking into some reports in that city, with any luck he'll be rescued and the situation will make him less of a bigot.”
“We have a better chance of an ancient dragon awakening a good mood and sharing its vast knowledge in a peaceful manner, without everypony jumping to conclusions,” huffed Lost Rite.
“Yeah,” said the two other mares with an annoyed voices simultaneously.
“Why are you still with him? If he's not the kind of stallion you thought he could be?” Said Aura.
“I'm one of those old fashioned mares,” said Lost Rite, “I believe in honoring my vows and that the legal system doesn't have a right to intrude in matters such as this, so yes I never filed for divorce. Besides, how do you think it would look for a married mare back in those days trying to separate herself from the stallion she made a commitment to in front of a mass of witnesses?”
“Especially given the public status of grandpa in those days,” said Aura, “you would have been assaulted for false accusations while he came out the 'hero' in the stories the papers wrote.”
“Probably still would,” snarked Melody, “all the old money ponies really like him, “and they have the most economic and political weight to throw around.”
“Regardless,” said Lost Rite, “I think it best that mistakes made in the past be avoided when possible with the new generation.” They all looked at the sleeping fillies with smiles on their faces.
“You know,” said Aura, “I never really thought I'd find myself playing mother, and this isn't the first time I'm happy about being wrong, but is the first time the thought makes me feel serene.”
“Will you try having more?” Inquired Rite.
“I need to find the right pony first,” said Aura, “but Dark-Mare did leave me a means of allowing ponies to have foals when they are in some sort of position that doesn't allow it.”
“Aura,” said Melody with a gentle smile at Rose and a gentle pet of the filly's mane, “that made mare's tech was for incubating clones, granted we have some classified military data on how they combined the material of multiple ponies, but even then the notes say that without the right stimulation and a consistent means of stabilizing the resistant donor material what comes out could revert to goo like what came off of the fillies. We're going to have to answer a lot of questions, and chances are the hardest ones to answer won't involve family. We're both major figures in the public eye, us coming back with a pair fillies and no legal documentation to show where they came from will be hard. Chances are our enemies will watching the news feed, and the moment you mention Aurora is a clone that somepony made using materials your company makes without you knowing it some of them will definitely put together who you are when not at the office or home.”
“I know, and it could get worse, some might start putting together who some of our friends are, after all we interact with some of them on a regular basis. Sliding has always been a hot topic in more quite a few circles, somepony might put the pieces together.”
“We could always ask Inquiry for help, she's very good at und...”
“No,” said Aura forcefully, “she's barely better than a conspiracy nut, the fact she figured out who we all are was bad enough, but she also had to insist we make her an auxiliary member of our team. Can you imagine what she'd do once she's found out what Aurora has connections with, and who she becomes when she uses that thing? It's bad enough I had to find a way to get my horn to stop following me everywhere, but now I need find a way to allow her to remove that thing whenever she wants or has to, and I don't think her very real excuse that it just won't come off will work everywhere she goes.”
“You're right on that account,” said Rite.
“It's more than that,” said Aura, “They're going to have to be constant examples in the public eye, which means they have to reflect 'our' social stations. That means the best schools, the best outfits, and some sense of connection to some of the social elite of the city and beyond. Aurora has most of my traits, including my antisocial tendencies, she's going to be under a lot of pressure to have more than one friend that's has a parent ranked high on the social ladder.”
“But she is like you,” said Melody, “and you always seem to work best under pressure, she might very well have that same tendency. She's like a little you, and not just because she's your clone. Devoid of the stimuli you grew up with she still managed to think just like you would if placed in a similar situation, whether it was intended or not she's more you're creation than some super villain. Aura, she's the foal you would have if you had birthed her yourself, the ritual your grandmother is proposing will probably just act as a life extension for her, she may very well still look just like you when it's over.”
“And I'm okay with that,” said Aura, “most ponies would feel disturbed at the thought of looking at their clone, regardless of the age difference, but I see her as a potential hope for the future. These two are part of projects that were underground, and the project that begot Rose will be publicly denied when we try to bring it to light with only what we have now.”
“We need to make sure all those accountable for this are not just brought before a court of justice, but also rendered the judgment they deserve,” said Lost Rite, “secret or not, projects like what brought those two into the world are a potential threat to the public at large, because they say to everyone out there that their lives aren't as priceless as they believed them to be.”

********************************************************

Silence followed for several more hours. The train finally pulled into the Maretropolis station, they gathered everything from their car and made sure it was properly stored for carrying, the foals on the backs of the mares that were now seeing themselves as said foals' respective mothers, and headed home.
When Aurora awoke she gave what Aura thought was cute yawn and discovered she was in a large complex, predictably she said, “Whewe awe we?” as she was  looking about the extravagant complex that had an aesthetic that was mostly made up of artifacts and advanced furniture and architecture that somehow managed to be pleasing to the eye.
“My home,” said Aura, “This is Great-Horn Manor, a high profile estate that I designed and oversaw the construction of once my company became the economic giant it is now, while every square centimeter is known to the public most of the rooms are marked to indicate something very different, not to mention the natural cavern I extended into for housing my personal crime fighting facility The public mostly believes that the double P Citadel has my tech in it as a sort of publicity stunt.”
“Yes, well,” said Lost Rite descending the stairs, “You'll hang up the mask when the time comes.”
“Maybe,” said Aura, “but I plan on managing to make some of it happen on my terms.”
“You have all the materials needed for the ritual on hoof,” said Lost Rite, “I'll see about contacting your parents to at least get them to help with this one thing before going back to pretending everything you've done isn't worthwhile.”
“I should at least try to improve my relationship with them,” said Aura, “but they're still probably going to be closed minded elitists that only show up when they are under the impression that the event will be a major social one.”
“Why Fweenk thwat woo swaying that woo mwow have wuh daughter two the pwess mwight bwee wuh mwajor... Why cwan't pwonounce thwat word anymwore,” Aurora started crying, “mwy vocwabuulawy wiz swipping intwoo swmomthing bad,” she mewled sadly.
Aura picked up the foal and gently caressed her as she said, “it's okay, even if the bulk of your memories are gone by next month I'll be here to share in the kind that really matter.” Aurora sniffled and fell asleep with a sad whine against the mare that was holding her.
“She's young and needs her rest anyway,” said Lost Rite, “Now, put her to bed and come down here so we can start getting things ready.”

______________________________________________

At that same time Melody was getting comfortable with Rose in her abode. Much like Aura, Melody lived in an extravagant manor, unlike her friend though the manor had all it's decorations arranged so that the light would always hit them at the most attractive angles. Every room was filled with crystal lamp stands, bejeweled furniture (with genuine gemstones, not one was fake), and a host of other jewel themed aesthetic pieces, just looking about you could see this was the home of a pony that new jewels like none other. Melody's parents had envisioned her as a singer or dancer, Melody herself found her calling in jewel related marketing. That quickly expanded into the fashion industry as a whole.
She took a look back at the sleeping filly on her back and smiled as she used her natural magic to levitate Rose on to a nearby couch. For some time now she had found that her home life was missing something, but looking at a sleeping Rose made the feeling flow out from the mare. Melody realized she had a lot of explaining to do to her parents, how fortunate for her they would coming to visit within the coming week. After a quick check of the complex and its security system, which was designed and made by Aura, she headed for her study to get some books to help her with her new role.
When she returned from her study Rose was just waking up, “Whew awe we,” asked Rose with a bit of confusion.
“My home,” said Melody, “there's going to be a few changes around here since I learned about you. Secret government projects are one thing, but the kind of project that gave birth to you requires the willing participation of the donors. I wasn't even sent a notice they were planing to make me a contributor, did your handlers ever have you meet anyone else involved?”
Rose shook her head rapidly before saying, “No, Why nevew mwet anywun, evew.”
Melody took on a decidedly more wrathful look, which did indeed frighten the foal a bit, before darkly saying, “They didn't even know how to properly raise a foal, foals need to interact with other foals, they require socialization just as much as proper food, which I saw they didn't even give her either.”
“Mwiss Melody, you'we scawing me,” said Rose.
Melody snapped out of her dark musings and and took on a much friendlier tone, “Don't call me that, please just call me mom, I insist, after all I will be acting as your legal guardian and mother soon enough. Aurora is going to be having Aura as her mother, honestly I'm glad you entered our lives.” 
“Why?”
“We needed a hope for the future, a reason to keep going when it comes time to hang our masks up for the last time, and a reason to hang them up. Ensuring you girls grow up right is a good reason, and when it comes time to answer the call we'll also be sure you are ready. You both were following your hearts, the same kind Aura and I have, but you were far too reliant on your equipment and accessories, Aurora even chose to ignore the wisest council she had at her disposal, that will always prove to be a mistake.” She gave a little smile.
“Why woo smiling?”
“Aura was the same way when I first met her, it wasn't until she started her life as Matter-Horn that she really started listening to what others had to say.”
Suddenly the peace was shattered when she looked out the window and saw an ornate carriage pulling into the space before the door, she felt her legs grow cold and neck grow hot.
“What wonn?”
“My parents are a week early, and we just got home. I haven't even gotten your room set up yet. The coming conversations aren't going to be easy, especially since they like to harp about the family's heritage every time I see them and they've learned of something they don't approve of.” She sifted through one of her bags with her magic and brought up a copy of information regarding the project that created Rose she managed to make and had decided she'd keep for herself.

*******************************

After twenty minutes of furious door knocking, and swearing about the lackadaisical nature of the hired help, Melody's parents finally saw the doors to her estate open and stepped inside to have the door close behind them. Before the mare could even say anything her mother, a royal purple unicorn with a royal blue mane and tail in an ornate fuchsia dress, said in a prim voice with a disappointed tone, “Your staff needs better training if it took this long to get the door.”
Melody groaned before saying, “Aura and I were out of town for a few days, I gave the staff the week off, they'll be back in three days, we honestly thought we'd be spending a bit longer on our little trip. What are you doing here? You're scheduled for a visit next week!”
“Hm, yes,” said her father, a dark green coated unicorn with a monocle and expensive looking dress jacket, “it always pays to plan ahead, but that doesn't explain why your staff isn't here.”
“Because I literally just back a few minutes ago, father,” said Melody with irritation present in her voice, “I was going to contact the staff after I got unpacked, and then I'd bring them up to speed a few changes that will instigated immediately.”
“Very good,” said her mother.
“Care to join us in the next room? I know you have some business with me to attend to,” said Melody.
“Very good,” said her father as they made their way to one of the rooms adjoining the entryway.
“Us? You brought company on your way back I see,” said her mother.
“No,” said Melody, “I picked her up on the trip,” she brought the room's doors open to reveal Rose sitting on a couch with a sizable collection of papers on the coffee table, “before you say anything about the filly read the file on the table.”
Her mother decided to entertain her request and picked the paper up with her silvery-blue magic. When it reached her eyes she gasped and almost dropped the parcel, “This is an authentic military intelligence document.”
“A copy of one,” said Melody, “just read it.”
Her mother scanned through the document for a few minutes, the silence in the room palpable, a look disgust was present on her face as she passed the document to her husband, who silently took it in his dark lavender magic and began to meticulously read it as if it were some kind of immense contract.
As her father continued to read her mother said with a hint of contempt, “That a project so distasteful was being done without your consent, I take it that's no ordinary filly in the room with us.”
Her father put the document back on the table he said, “The legal ramifications of this are immense, but do to its nature those responsible won't merely play the part of the victim while throwing us an offering to turn our attention too, I am disappointed with those who think that a project like this could be something to go very far without anypony's notice.”
“According to that file she's basically your biological daughter,” said her mother, “I know you aren't the kind of pony to play any sort of prank, especially one this elaborate. Tell us how you came into possession of these documents.”
“I encountered her before I found them,” said Melody, “then managed gain access to a restricted area of the facility that was being used as her home, turns out the experts chosen to oversee her creation and act as her handlers decided to make some adjustments and contributions that they were told by the higher-ups they weren't allowed to do. How they managed obtain any samples from me for their project  has been eluding me since I made the discovery that I am the project's primary contributor, according to another set of notes I'm going pass along to the appropriate ponies the project director made it mandatory I be the primary contributor for the project.”
“Well, that's a charming as it is horrendous,” said her mother, “whoever is in charge of the filly's project is either a die-hard fan of yours are possibly one of the most obsessed stalkers I've learned of so far, the documentation we read didn't say was in charge, did you find out in any of the other documentations you have stashed away for later use?”
“No,” said Melody, “just the codename Mister Maestro, that doesn't give much to go on, especially since codenames are aliases designed to mislead others,” she gave a deep sigh, “the reason I gained access to all this and became aware of her is because,” she floated her bracelet over and slipped on immediately becoming Radiance, “I'm the super heroine known as Radiance.”
“Called it,” said her mother, “you know what that means dear.” Radiance and her father both let out a groan, her mother had a major gambling habit and she didn't seem to have any problems finding ways to make bets in her personal life.
“Yes dear,” said her father with defeat in his voice, “we'll attend any performances you want for the next year.”
“I would give a comment about being surprised,” said Radiance, “but in all honesty, I'm not. Just what was the bet you two made?”
“I bet your father that you were living a double life.”
“As somepony's eye candy,” snorted her father, “then she changed it before the bet was set to you going around as a vigilante. And on that note, I win to, honey.”
“Right, the foal,” her mother looking over at Rose, “she more than counts, especially since Melody provided proper documentation. So, what establishments will we be slumming for the next five months?”
“I'll tell you a day in advance, that way you can't have them shutdown before we visit, even if you try to do a rush job.”
Melody saw her mother give a little pout, the same kind that she and Rose seemed to inherit, it was commonly called the 'cute pout' because it made most ponies that saw it think it was cute as opposed to bratty, Melody had heard a whole trove of stories about her mother in her younger days getting out of problems with her pout, the tactic was something that her father liked to see while also having an immunity to the charm that had gotten her mother out of problems of the past.
“You'd really have me dine in place that common ponies frequent, that's just cruel.”
“You liked that ice cream parlor, and that doughnut shop, and that burger house, and that quaint pizzeria. Face it sweetie, sometimes the 'low class' establishments are better than the upscale ones, not to mention less of a strain on the coin purse.”
Melody rolled her eyes, she seemed to have her father's fondness for 'lower class' dining establishments while having her mother's more sophisticated pallet. “Could you two please not do all this in front of the filly that's basically your grandfoal, she hasn't even been settled in yet. And no, you are not allowed to spoil her for at least a year, she's barely six months.”
“So, what's her name?” Inquired her mother.
“Rose Adamant,” said Radiance as she slipped off her bracelet and set it down next the filly, “it's the phonetic pronunciation of her project's subdivision's name for her.”
“Which is?” Said her father.
“R053 4D4M4NT,” said Rose.
“Well, at least she has a name that is tied to your choice of profession,” said her mother, “and she looks almost like you.”
“She was an earth pony when we found her,” said Melody. This stopped all train of thought in the minds of her parents, “And somepony cloned Aura without her knowing about it, that filly is back home with her right now.”
“How is it she was an earth filly, but is now a unicorn?” Inquired her mother, choosing to wisely disregard the statement about Aura Mane.
“When you create a pony artificially, like Rose,” said Melody, “they tend to be genetically unstable, in order to rectify this chemicals referred to 'stabilizing agents' are introduced to their system. Rose looked like she was eight or nine years old when we found her, but when she decided to stop ingesting the materials that served as her injection of the stabilizing agents her system rejected a sizable portion the genetic material used to produce her, and since my genes were in the highest concentration she stabilized as something similar to me, her coat went from its original color to matching mine in addition to her transition from earth pony to unicorn.”
“An overall improvement, in my opinion,” said her mother, “and whoever was pulling the strings for her creation certainly has some sense of good taste.”
“At least we know whoever was in charge of the contribution selection has to be familiar with the socialite world, otherwise they wouldn't even be all that aware of you.”
“Not that surprising, but that still doesn't narrow down the list enough for us to make an educated guess who decided what went into Rose's project.”
“I can accept that departments of the government will always have their little projects that are known only to a select few,” said her father, “but they have crossed a dangerous line, right into taboo territory. The worst part of it all is that the ones who should be punished won't for one reason or another.”
Melody looked over to Rose, the filly had fallen asleep on the couch during the conversation of the elder ponies, looking back to her parents she said, “I just want to do my best at being a good mother for her, the ponies that were raising her clearly didn't know how to raise a foal. They left the poor thing on her own while they left to attend to business out of town for who knows how long, it's a blessing she's so smart and a miracle she didn't starve in the time between when she was left on her own and when we found her.

_____________________________________________________________________

Aura awoke to the sound of her doorbell being furiously wrung, she tapped a button by her bedside to check a crystal monitor and see who it was. She practically bolted upright fully awake when she noticed it was her parents. The pair of royally dressed unicorns made her twitch. She rushed over to Aurora's room, she needed something to calm her storm of anger that was surging through her mind, one look at the four month old filly in her likeness relaxed her mind and heart, the sight of the sleeping pony that was practically a little version of her did the trick. She roused her grandmother and headed to meet her parents, Aurora still needed her sleep, the filly was still very young.
Once she and her grandmother were in position Aura hit a button hidden in the armrest of her chair that caused the doors to the outside to unlock and open in concert with the doors to the room she and Lost Rite were in. Upon pressing the button she mentally prepared herself for what would be coming next.
The moment they were in the room, with the doors closing automatically behind them, her mother said, “I see you still haven't gotten some proper help.”
“Actually my home staff was on a mandatory leave I imposed on them,” said Aura, “and they shall return by this evening. Now, what do I owe the pleasure your visit, mother?”
“Still insolent to your betters I see,” said her mother in her usual condescending voice, “your grandmother said you both had something to discuss with us.”
“Yes, she said something about you two assisting in a ritual,” said Aura, “I'd like to inform you as to why that is,” they both gave the pegasus a glare of annoyance, which was met with a leer of disappointment by Lost Rite, “While Melody and I were on a business trip out of town we stumbled upon a filly that happens to be my clone, she was created through science and not magic, she also happens to have a time limit on her life. Grandma said that this ritual she's planning on will free the filly from the fact she's on borrowed time, that filly is basically your granddaughter since she was created using a sample of me.”
Her father narrowed his eyes, “Do you have proof, besides your grandmother's word, she has had a habit of playing intricate pranks on ponies regardless of their affiliation to her.” As if on cue Aurora blundered into the room in a half asleep state.
“See for yourself,” said Aura, “use your magic to validate everything I said about her.”
Her mother gave the filly a withering look, that went unnoticed by the foal, before doing a simple analysis spell, only discover what she had been told was all true. “I see,” said her mother in a less condescending, but still very much condescending, voice, “she is as you have stated. As much as it pains me to admit it we can not allow our bloodline to end.”
Aura mental facehoofed as she thought, Of course that mare wouldn't think in terms of common decency, she tapped the base of her right armrest and made her horn rise up.
“And now she thinks she can do something by trying to make a fake horn,” said her father.
“No,” said Aura as she pulled her horn up and placed on her head, a bright flash followed and the Masked Matter-Horn was sitting in her place, “I'm coming clean about what I've really been up to.”
“So, you've been pretending to...” said her mother before a beam of cold froze the mare's mouth shut.
“I'll have you know I'm the genuine article,” said Matter-Horn, “and unlike you I've actually put everything into making the lives others better. You both keep harping about our 'noble lineage' and 'duty to set an example to the rabble', I'm here to say that you just can't do all that by attending fancy parties and acting like others are beneath you. You both act like spoiled nobles set up as minor antagonists in a poorly written play, at least I do what I can to show that I'm worth every bit they say about me when they give me a title. You on the other hoof just go on and on about things that should have stopped mattering before you were even born, frankly I'm surprised you've managed keep your social standing as long as you have.”
“We always make it a point to know the right ponies,” said her mother, “something you seem don't seem to have properly learned. Seriously, you're idea of night on the town is dress in that ridiculous outfit and fight crime, the law enforcement officers are there for a reason.”
“That's enough out of both of you,” said Lost Rite, “seriously, how did my own daughter turn out so wrong? I used to do the same thing as Matter-Horn in my youth, I had tried to teach all my convictions, but you turned out just like your father, I can't even see any of myself in you anymore.”
“And why should I care about something like that? It nothing to do with me,” said Aura's mother.
“It has everything to do with you, Spell Tome,” said Lost Rite, “if I hadn't been running around being superhero then I wouldn't have met your father, and thus you would have never been born.”
“Did your husband know?” Inquired Aura's father.
“Nope,” said Matter-Horn and Lost Rite in unison.
“There are certain boundaries that heroes are unwilling to cross,” said Matter-Horn, “and one of the big ones is that you don't tell them who you are until circumstances demand it.”
“That never happened,” said Lost Rite, “I hung my mask up a long time ago, things were quiet on the super problem end of things during the age you grew up.”
“I actually read up on it,” said Matter-Horn, “that period was called the No Powers Age by the media, because there were no incidents that involved super villains or required superheroes. This time is different from the prior age of superheroes, mostly in that the super villains made an appearance before the heroes, usually it's the other way around.”
“Well, at least she can cast some kind of magic,” said Spell Tome.
“I'm going to report her to the authorities the moment we leave this complex.”
“Good luck,” said Matter-Horn, “Half the police force wants to thank my associates and I for the work we do another forty-nine percent want give us medals, ten percent are total fans of our work and joined the force for the main purpose of getting better looks at us and the remaining one percent are actually invested in our arrest. That and in our civilian lives we're all good friends with the bulk of the police force, you're just going to upset most of them by going to demand I be arrested for being a superhero. Sorry to say it, dad, but you're not going get what you want on this one. Everything I just said is putting aside what I'm known for doing during my day job, if you go and 'accuse' me of being a superhero chances are the entire police force is going laugh in your face, matter what city you're in.”
“I'm sorry to say it, but she has a point,” said Spell Tome, “she always had the highest marks in school, she managed lower us on to platform with no surrounding floor without us even realizing it. 	“I've never been so proud of our daughter before now,” said Aura's father.
“You never seemed to be proud of me,” huffed Matter-Horn as she removed her suit with her mechanical systems, “in fact you've practically played the disapproval game since I was born.”
“It's because you didn't fit the ideal,” said Spell Tome.
“Then maybe you should adjusted the ideal,” said Aura indignantly, “instead showing disapproval at my lack of an ability to meet your ideals you should have reshaped the ideal around me. At least in my business and as Matter-Horn I'm able to do things to make things a little better and brighter for others. I'd gladly give up the entire fortune I've earned if it meant that another life could be saved in some way, but sadly it seems I can do much more good while I still have access to the resources my business and fortune provide. Now, since the three of us want to minimize our interactions, and pleasantries have been exchanged I recommend we make preparations for his ritual grandmother has planned for extended Aurora's life.”
“You named her that?” Said her father with surprise.
“Actually, it was Melody's suggestion. One of my many failings is my lack of an ability to develop names, a failing I'm hoping she didn't inherit.”
“I thought you were already prepared,” said Spell Tome.
“We prepared the place the ritual will take place,” said Aura, “but as it stands all who are involved in it need to make personal preparations, grandma has provided the necessary instructions, they can be found in your guest room all with directions to where the ritual will be held. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get ready to give my clone a chance at being her own pony,” with that Aura left the room with all her supplies.”

******************************

It was almost three hours after her discussion with her parents, Aura wanted to be contemptuous, but she decided set that all aside to make the ritual work. There was always the chance her parents could contaminate the ritual, with how overly complicated it was that was a distinctive possibility. Aurora was lying asleep in the center of the ritual circle, her grandmother and parents came into the chamber in similar aesthetics to her. That is to say, all of them were in a sort of body paint that was in a set of ancient designs around their entire bodies. Despite the pain to set up the ritual itself merely required them to each place a drop of their blood in an open space of the circle without disturbing any of the markings and do a two minute chant. After that it was over. Even so, rituals can't be rushed. After another half hour five minutes of clearing their minds of all negative thoughts, such things could have an desirable effect on the ritual, they all began the ritual, moving in a clockwise motion starting with Aura.

___________________________________________________

While Aura was dealing with her family issues Melody was watching as her mother practically squeezed the terror out of Rose while her father gave the files a dirty look. After a bit of uncomfortable silence he said, “How long?”
“You're going to have to specify, father,” said Melody.
“How long have you been gallivanting about as a vigilante?”
“A few years now, and yes Aura knows, in fact she's part of the same team as me. There are six of us, seven if you include the sidekick, we've done a good job of protecting Maretropolis and are even considered great heroes. We want to hang up our masks eventually, and it could possibly be easier if we had somepony to come home to, besides Rose needs me. The ones raising her have been away for weeks, that's not a good thing when you have a foal as young as her around the house.”
“You said she looked a bit older when you found her,” said her mother, taking a break from squeezing the life out of Rose. Rose herself quickly wriggled her way out of the mare's hold and scampered over to Melody. “Care to explain that one?”
“The way she was created allowed the ones in control of her tank to accelerate her aging process to a point they deemed adequate. She looked like she was around six or seven years when we found her, same goes for Aura's new filly. Due to the nature of artificially grown lifeforms they often require some kind of chemical mix to keep their genetic sequences stable, both of the fillies were given this agent in two different ways, which makes sense because the requirements for stabilizing them are quite different. Rose was given hers under the guise of being part of a carefully managed diet.”
“She's as pretty and smart as you,” said her mother, “I'm just sorry it had come with news about this secret life of yours.”
“Aura and I were in agreement, it was time to let our families know. Tomorrow we'll be meeting back at our headquarters with some of our other teammates, and dropping off some resources we acquired on our trip. They need to go over everything, and everypony is quite good at what they do. Regardless, this is the life we chose to partake in.”
“When I said I wanted her to do something different and meaningful I didn't expect this,” said her father, “that's why I kept pushing Melody to be part of the music industry.”
“But I chose to spend my time with jewelry and made a business out of it,” said Melody with a smile, “if I hadn't I would have probably never gotten my special accessory, and would have certainly never found Rose.”
“Well, regardless I'm just happy we have a granddaughter to spoil,” said her mother, “at the rate you're going you might never have another foal.”
“Thank you for that lovely visual mother,” said Melody, “I'll show to your room now, Rose come along.”
The filly said nothing and just tapped Melody's side, she rolled her eyes and lifted the filly upon her back with her magic, this earned her a happy giggle from the foal, which in turn earned happy chuckle from her father and joyous giggle from her mother. They all headed down the halls to the room she chose to designate as theirs.