They should be showing up soon

"Excited?" Shining said from next to her

Cadance felt... Something about this, excitement? Sure, that was in the bubbling cauldron of emotions swirling around in what felt like her chest instead of her head.

"Yes. I'm trying to focus on that, rather than everything else."

Shining nodded, "It'll be worth it to see the look on Twily's face when she figures it out."

"I'm surprised you didn't bring a camera, you were really ready for this."

Shining elbowed her, "Oh yeah, you have no idea. Twilight loved these when she was little, and it meant that only thirty minutes of work would distract her for nearly two hours."

Cadance giggled, "Until she got good at them."

Shining laughed, "And until I ran out of books."

They lapsed into silence, enjoying each other's company until Cadance rhetorically asked, "We're telling her about... the, uh weird magic baby due date right?"

Despite being a funny way to say ‘imminent disaster’ Shining said, "Mhm." While leaning against her.

"Think she'll want to do science on me?"

Shining laughed, "I think she'll want to help."

"Right, right."

They lapsed into silence again.

Cadance smiled when she felt the Twilight approaching with her friends. She had a distinct magical presence to her that Cadance never had the ability to explain. How to explain a sense to someone without it? Imagine if you could touch at a distance, but only in theory? She never tried.

"Here we go." Cadance said, and Shining stood up straight

The bell rang and they exchanged a glance, Twilight and co walked inside, Pinkie Pie pushing through from behind

"Surprise!" Shining trotted up to Twilight and they exchanged their 'sibling greeting'. "Did you like the scavenger hunt?"

Twilight ruffled her wings as Shining mussed up her mane, "It was perfect! Just like how I remember them!"

Cadance moved to the side, blocking the sight of the cake that would give away the whole thing.

"This time I got to share it with my best friends!" Fluttershy landed as Pinkie began bouncing in place, having noticed the cake, the rest were still watching on. Cadance could feel Shining's rising excitement.

"There's just one more thing?" Twilight bumped Shining, "The book prize at the end~?"

Shining chuckled, "There's still a prize..." He backed up to where Cadance was standing, and she shimmied to make sure he could equally block the cake.

Does this technically count as a baby shower? I guess it'll have to...

Cadance missed something Shining said, Twilight made a face, "I don't understand?"

Oh! That's my que!

"Everywhere on Shining's scavenger hunt had something in common."

Nailed it. Now we just have to stick the pose once she figures it out.

Twilight turned away with a 'hmm' and began pacing, "First we went to the schoolhouse." There was a strange buildup of emotion somewhere else in the room that Cadance looked away from Twilight to spot.

"Then we read the foal free press..."

Oh... right, Pinkie...

Cadance watched Pinkie mime out the answer, the girls behind Twilight gasping once they realized what was happening. "After that we found Applejack's birth certificate." Luckily Twilight didn't notice, though Rarity flopped back onto her haunches and covered her mouth in surprise. It seemed like Rainbow was paying more attention to the spread than the puzzle.

"And then the last clue was under a crib..."

Pinkie Pie began steaming like a kettle

is that going to be okay?

"Hmmm... school... foal... birth certificate... and crib..."

Shining nudged Cadance just as the gears in Twilight's head clicked, she gasped and her eyes went wide, "Can it be?!" She looked over, "Are you two-?"

Aaaaaaand-

Cadance glanced to Shining, initiating what they'd planned, they both stepped around the cake and spoke in sync, "We're having a baby!"

Twilight was too shocked to respond, Pinkie wasn't, she was cheering in sheer joy before shooting off like a ping pong ball bouncing around the room. Twilight's face jumped through at least thirteen different expressions before, "I- I'm gonna be an aunt?"

Cadance and Shining just gestured again at the cake

Twilight flared her wings as she reared up, "This. Is. The. Best Prize EVER!"

Her face couldn't have radiated more joy if such a thing were even possible.

Ohmygosh, she's so cute!

The satisfaction of a surprise well sprung and Twilight's reaction sent Cadance into soft laughter, Shining joining in half a moment later. Twilight ran up to them and threw them into a hug. Cadance had to step closer to make sure Shining didn't fall over, but it worked. "I Love you guys!"

She definitely did. Cadance could tell.

Congratulations came from every direction, Fluttershy was beaming and hopping in place, Rarity was stuttering over something, Applejack was stomping her hooves in approval, Rainbow dash...

Rainbow looked away when Cadance glanced at her, she landed and smiled, stomping her hooves with Applejack.

Hmmm.

The cakes joined the gathering with Pound and Pumpkin in tow, the two excited just to be part of whatever was going on. Rainbow dash stalked away as Pinkie Pie exploded into pieces.

"Do you have a name picked out for the little one?" Fluttershy's voice drew Cadance's attention away from her mounting concern that Pinkie Pie had just broken into pieces. Nopony else looked worried, so it was probably normal, a Pinkie thing, her mind eventually decided.

"We haven't even gotten the chance to talk about anything just yet. We only really found out yesterday."

Applejack asked, "Is that why the sudden trip down here?"

Cadance nodded, before she could verbally respond, Rarity interjected, "Oh! When are you due Princess? Hearthswarming?"

Cadance lifted a hoof placatingly, smirking as she said, "Actually, I'm due in two and a half months."

Shocked faces and silence from the three mares. Rainbow from over Shining's shoulder called over their conversation, "Wait wait, wait wait, what did you just say?"

Twilight and the Cakes turned at the interruption, Shining gave Cadance a knowing smirk.

Cadance smiled, "I'm due in two months."

Rarity fainted.

Twilight tilted in place, "What?"

Applejack was the only pony who managed to verbalize a more cohesive question. "Now, you mean yall're giving birth that soon? Or- 'cause you just said you found out yesterday?"

Cadance's smile didn't waver, but her hoof shifted, "We found out a few weeks ago that I was pregnant, at The Gala."

Shining finished for her, "It was only yesterday we found out the due date."

"Oh my..."

"But- Bu-" Twilight stuttered, "How is that even possible!?"

Rainbow added, "And how are you so calm?"

Cadance was getting more suspicious of Rainbow's behavior, the specifics of it. It just felt off to her

That's an oddly specific question to ask...

Cadance chuckled, "Honestly? I let it all out already."

Shining slung a hoof over her shoulder, "Oh yeah, we had a nice long freak out session that night."

Cadance summarized, "It's an Alicorn thing."

"Well if you ain't worried, than all I've gotta say is congratulations Princess."

Cadance giggled, "Please just Cadance."

"Nah, feels right."

"Is Rarity okay?" Twilight said

Fluttershy, who was cradling the mare while Rarity fanned herself with a hoof, rolled her eyes, "She's fine."

Rarity bolted up from her upright lying position, "Fine?! There's so much to do! Two months! How could you cope?!"

"I have an excellent husband."

Shining smiled.

"Darling! You're not even showing yet? Do you have a room? Details! I need Details!"

Everypony shared a laugh at her dramatism. Rainbow broke up the group by declaring, "How about some cake?"

"Alright sugarcube, I guess you've been waiting long enough."

Shining said, "I got this one." The cake was surrounded in a purple glow and was subsequently subdivided into numerous similarly sized cake slices. Thanks were shared, cake was had, and the cakes started playing some music from somewhere. Cadance found herself drawn towards Pinkie, who was reassembling herself.

Despite the whole point of the party, Cadance was glad to have a little bit of the attention taken off of herself. She approached Pinkie, cake in aura, and sat down at the table.

"I'm surprised you managed to keep the surprise a surprise Pinkie." Cadance felt slightly self conscious about saying 'surprise' so many times in a single sentence, but -eh-

Pinkie flipped a hoof after readjusting her mane, "Tell me about it!" She said rhetorically

"Thank you." Cadance inclined her head, "I hope it wasn't too much trouble?"

Cadance inwardly rolled her eyes at her pointless question.

Seeing as that it caused you to explode, I'm pretty sure I know the answer

"Piece of cake!" Pinkie turned her head to the side before shaking in place. That is, her entire body began to vibrate up and down like somepony was shaking her... Really hard.

"Pinkie? Are you okay?" Cadance worriedly asked, not sure if this was normal or something else.

All she got was "DoOozIe!" as the pink mare shook in place, vibrating away from the table while rotating.

Cadance looked away from the sight only to see Shining holding up Twilight as the rest of the mares stumbled around in confusion, like someone had just set off a flash bang. Flopping ears, glazed eyes; then, Cadance felt something graze past her, something else. Like if someone looking at you from behind could be translated into a figure striding past you. The fur on the back of her neck stood up, and she started instinctually backing up in confusion.

Just as quickly as it started, it stopped.

"What in the world was that!"

"I think I'm gonna be sick..."

Shining’s concerned voice cut over the crowd, "Is everypony okay?"

The Cakes had escaped as soon as something started happening, clearly not willing to let their children be anywhere near the scene as soon as something strange happened.

"Dear me, what just happened?"

Cadance came to the same conclusion Twilight did, "The elements!"-"Silver!"

They looked at each other, "What?"-"Wha-" Cadance waved her hoof, "Silver came with us, said she wanted to meet the new elements of harmony." She explained

Pinkie shouted in-between shakes, "The Tree!"

They all shared a determined look between each other, and Rainbow was the first one to kick herself into high gear, flying out the door with a, "Well what are we waiting for!"

Shining turned towards Mr. and Mrs. Cake, who were both worriedly peering out of the back door. "Sorry! We've gotta run!"

Cadance silently joined the fray as they all jumped out into the street. Twilight galloped underneath where Cadance had taken to the sky, "Why didn't you tell me Silver was here!?"

Cadance shouted down as they began nearing the edge of town, "I told her to keep a low profile!"

Shining, at the front of the pack yelled, "Form up everypony! Twilight! Do you think you can guide a teleport?"

Twilight lit her horn, "On it!"

"I think we may be overreacting a little!" Cadance shouted.

Pinkie, bouncing along with them, called out, "If we're going to teleport, why are we all still running?"

Everyone shared a few looks as Applejack slowly came to a stop at the front of the group. Everyone slowing to a stop with her. Rarity panted quietly as she fixed her windswept mane and Rainbow said, "My bad." As they all grouped up around Shining and Twilight. With a couple of shared sheepish looks, they teleported without further ado.

Cadance was first surrounded by the muggier air of the Ever Free jungle as the displacement of force from their arrival moved the air around. Then it was the fern she was standing on, followed by her getting her bearings. Just in front of her and the rest of the group was the gorge that housed the Tree, the bridge, and the castle of the Two Royal Pony Sisters.

Shining looked around, "Not straight to the tree?" He asked Twilight

Who nodded and said, "Just in case there's a trap."

Cadance had a short moment of offense on Silver's behalf before remembering that Silver would definitely do something like that

"Good thinkin' ahead Twi'"

"What's that?" Pinkie asked, pointing over the edge of the gorge. Everyone first looked to Pinkie, then in the direction of her hoof to see a pink balloon float up past the rim of the gorge, up to the trees and then out over the canopy.

Rainbow Dash landed in befuddlement, "Is that a balloon?"

It was; a balloon the same colour as Cadance's fur.

"Huh" Shining contributed

Cadance looked around, which was easy, she was the tallest, "Do any of you mind if I do this myself? Silver's more likely to respo-"

Applejack interrupted, "Lemme stop ya right there Cadance, ain't nopony doing anything alone 'round here."

Rainbow added not the end, "No offense, it's kinda our thing."

I can't argue with that... I mean, I did ask...

Cadance nodded, "Then let's go. Where are the stairs?"

Twilight noted the stairs by walking down them, Pinkie bouncing down behind her, followed by Shining, Cadance, Applejack and Rarity. Rainbow and Fluttershy taking wing and hovering right next to the stairs.

They all quietly walked down the stairs, Pinkie somehow managing to do so while bouncing down each step. As they reached the bottom, Cadance's taller height granted her a view of the Tree's cave and the...

Streamers?

Rainbow, who had flown forwards, verbally questioned the nature of, "What is..." Before trailing off at the sight as they got close enough to see inside.

Strung into and over the rock walls and the ceiling were pink, purple and gold streamers. The floor had a series of flashing coloured tiles in the center, along with cushions and chairs around it. The balloons floated around on an invisible breeze which equally flowed over a banner that read: 'Cadance's Baby Shower'

What

Cadance's mouth slowly opened, as if she had something to say. She didn't, she and the rest of them just stared on until a portal opened off to the side. Silver herself pushed a comically long cart with their cake and other foodstuffs through before coming through the portal herself and sending the onlookers her own confused glance.

"Silver? What is all this?" Cadance asked softly. Silver still clearly heard her though, even over the sizeable distance. Cadance watched Silver's ears swivel around to face her

"Uhhh..." Silver said, hooves still on the cart, "A clever distraction?" Then she snorted, "I was really banking on you all forgetting teleportation to finish setting this all up. Dang it" Followed by an unreadable gesture, "Whatever."

Cadance began walking into the room, straight towards Silver, Silver just watched, not yet realizing what was happening. About a third of the way through the distance, Cadance's smile gave it away.

"Princess... Wait, hey, no." Silver waved a hoof and stepped behind the cart, using it as a shield, as Cadance got closer she lit her horn and spread her wings. Silver continued to protest, "We can talk about this." She tried diplomatically, backing away, even from behind the cart

Cadance grabbed the cart and rolled it out of the way, after, she closed the distance and wrapped Silver in the warmest hug she could manage.

"We talked about the hugging! Ahck!" Silver went stiff as Cadance squeezed, "Seriously Cadance! I'll explode! I'll do it!"

Cadance laughed, but let her go. "I can't believe you sometimes."

Silver stumbled away, glaring with a smile on her face. "Next time, I'm going to tase you."

"Noted."

The rest of the mares, plus Shining, wandered into the party area. Pinkie commented, "Wow, she even got the Tree of Harmony!"

The Tree had a few balloons tied to it, including several streamers, and a painted rock at the base of it.

"Wait, yeah!" Twilight started, breaking out of her confusion, "What did you do to the elements?"

Silver made a face in Twilight's direction, "I asked them for help. Well... The Tree, it's complicated." She waved Twilight off.

"You did call this whole thing a distraction Miss... Maybe a more thorough explanation is in order?"

"Eh, only if Cadance is okay with the spoilers." Silver looked to Cadance for confirmation of that fact, when she nodded Silver continued, "I looked into the future, to see how Cadence's pregnancy would go, with Harmony helping me cast the spell, it was safe."

"You..." Shining started, "Looked into the future?"

"Yeah" Silver said, clacking her jaw.

Cadance started, "Well ignoring that, what did you see?"

Silver made a face like she forgot what she was talking about, "Oh! Right, everything works out. You're loud, she's born, all the normal stuff."

Cadance felt... relief of a kind. Just accepting that everything was going to be fine wasn't really where her head was at. So it felt delayed, like half believing everything was fine, but she still had to do something about it; which, she realized, when it comes to time magic, was probably actually the case.

"She?" Fluttershy said

"Spoilers." She stated, Silver turned to Cadance, "Sorry."

"I don't mind." Cadance said on reflex, even though she was already told.

"Well..." Silver gestured out to the everything, "There's a party, don't you ponies like those?"

Twilight stepped forwards, visually taking the lead for the mood of the room. "How are we supposed to know you're not lying?"

"I could give a detailed description of Cadance's..." Silver trailed off, "You know what? No. I'm not proving it that way, you're just going to have to accept that I'm not."

Applejack made a face, "I dunno, it-"

Silver locked eyes with Applejack, "The sky isn't real." came out as an even statement

She made a face, "Oh... Uhhh..."

"Compelling no?" Silver pointed to a table in the corner, "There's a table there for gifts. I'm gonna go." Silver tossed out her golden ring, opening the portal again.

Cadance interjected herself in between the two, "You're not staying?"

"No." Was all the response she got.

Busy enough to have to go, not busy enough to set it up to begin with.

Cadance moved out of the way, "Okay... See you Thursday."

Silver left, the portal closed. Twilight seemed seriously displeased and voiced as such a moment later, "Cadance! Why did you just let her go?"

Cadance, not ready for the level of vitriol, stepped back, "I- Well, she was going to leave anyways... I just-"

"Hold on." Shining interjected, "Let's not start going at each other."

"Of course," Rarity added, "I'm sure you have a good reason Cadance?"

"I do." Cadance couldn't believe what she was about to say, "I think you all need to put a little more faith in Silver."

Shining raised an eyebrow, "Didn't she tell you she was going to try and destroy the Crystal Empire?"

Cadance sent him an annoyed look, "Shining!"

"Just trying to be the neutral party."

Twilight spoke right after, "We have no idea what she did! Or what it meant... ugh..." She face hooved, before straightening up in surprise, "What does he mean destroy the Crystal Empire?"

"Shining!"

Shining smartly turned away from Cadance to address his sister, "Where's all this coming from Twilight?"

Twilight went through a few expressions before settling on abashed, "Well... Discord told me a lot about... Things"

"That's hardly a good explanation." Rarity said, "Why, every time I've seen you this week, Discord has always been somewhere nearby Darling."

"He talks a lot about you at our tea parties."

Pinkie bounced once, "Yeah! You two have been hanging out a lot!"

Cadance smirked, but shuffled the expression away as Twilight began to flush slightly, "That's not the point. The point is, he opened up to me about his past with Silver, and from what I've heard, she can't be trusted."

Cadance smiled, "I don't think she can be trusted either, but... I still do. Trust her that is."

Twilight's analytical brain couldn't comprehend the logic of that statement, her eye twitched slightly as she tried. Shining, sensing the oncoming argument placed himself in-between the two mares. "Maybe we talk about this tomorrow? Silver is right about something." He gestured at the banner, "Today is Cadance's day, we can celebrate now and worry about all the messy details of the criminal hiding out in The Empire tomorrow."

Cadance walked up next to him and kissed him on the cheek, "It's your day too, you big goof."

"I'll take it."

Pinkie pulled a colourful phonograph from somewhere and excitedly yelled, "Sounds like it's time to party!"

Author's Note

I feel like I struggle with this many characters in a single scene. I always try to support for a balance between realism and focus from Cadance's perspective, while still trying to make each of the characters seem relevant before they do or say important things.

Feel free to make comments on how I executed that, and if anybody's got any tips, please feel free to share.

(Or unrelentingly criticize me, if that's your thing)