Canning the Criminality
For a dragon that was frozen from the inside out, then kept in ice-induced torpor for hours afterward, waking up was hard to do. It took about six minutes after the final ice coat dissolved before Metallium regained awareness of her surroundings. She grumbled to herself a little as she recalled what had happened in her last few minutes of wakefulness. Insane little chew-toy, deliberately letting itself get eaten just so it can attack my weak points...
It didn't take long for her to realize that her equipment was gone: the minor weights on her hands were non-existent, as were the light armor and goggles she'd worn on the job. Which means...
"Hey, y'all?" a familiar voice spoke up. "Scaly's waking up."
A slightly louder grumble. No point in hiding it now, Metallium thought, opening her eyes and pushing herself upright. She gazed down at those before her: two pegasi in prison garb, whom she recalled had been given the opportunity to escape with their leaders; the insane robot herself, fully repaired and weapon held at the ready---
Serve me to a roc on a silver platter...
---and Princess Celestia, the ultimate target of Mr. Mocha's ideals, the full power of the sun she controlled barely contained behind her eyes. Metallium, who had all of her species' pride in their power and superiority, felt a little bit smaller meeting that irate gaze.
"You know who I am," the alicorn stated succinctly, "and you know why I am here. I do not take threats against Equestria lightly. Leave immediately, unless you want me to drag you out myself."
For a moment, Metallium was tempted to do just that and flee for home. There were several thoughts that stopped her from doing so immediately, though.
While her boss was surprisingly lenient when it came to failure, he was depending on her for a fair number of things. Letting him down was the last thing she ever wanted to do, and by not destroying the robot, she had done it. She genuinely liked and respected Mr. Mocha, not only because he was capable of besting her in a fight, but because he wasn't as soft-hearted as most of his kind. Disappointing him... she intensely hated the thought of it.
"That's why the sun rises and sets? Because of a single pony?"
"Oh, yes. That party hat on her forehead lights up and sends that pretty candle there up and down, up and down, like the world's biggest bandalore."
"I don't know what that is."
"Forget it. You understand what I'm talking about."
"Yes. It's crazy, but as long as it works..."
"It might not work for too much longer, my dear Metallium."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that Celestia has been around for a long, long time. Older than you. Older than me. Older, perhaps, than that young'un Torch..."
"Wow, that is old. ... Don't tell him I said that."
"My point is that alicorns age like you and I. And as they age, the same problems that everypony will eventually face reaches them too. Senility. Pain. Deterioriation. A loss of control. And with that in mind, what do you think will happen when her control of the sun inevitably slips?"
"...Roast us all alive...!"
"Or incinerate us all dead. Either or. All the heat and fire resistance in the world won't save a dragon from that. The reverse is true, too: imagine what would happen if the sun drifted away."
"...!"
"I see you're thinking it. A sharp drop in temperature spanning seconds. No more sunlight, no more warmth. An ice age that the world has never seen, killing everything. Plants, animals, sapient life of all races. Complete and total extinction."
"...Why hasn't anything been done about this? If she's not immortal, then...!"
"There is hope, Metallium. For centuries, experiments have been carried out across my entire family line. For many generations, my ancestors dedicated their time towards research and experimentation, determining a method of raising and lowering the celestial bodies that does not require a lone pony. I have continued their work, their designs..."
"I'm not sure I like that look you've got in your eyes, Cocoa."
"...But like every good researcher, I require assistance from without. When the time comes to introduce the final product, there is a good chance---yes, even a reasonably moderate chance---that the Princess will not take kindly to it. She will see the future and fight against it. So as a side project, I am developing what history will proclaim as the greatest armor ever created. That is where you come in, should you be interested."
"You're a crazy pony for talking to me like this. ...Tell me more."
The memories of her past experiences with Mr. Mocha returned to the forefront. At the time, his conversations with her had made sense. Everything and everypony had their end, and Celestia was no different. Mocha was capable of seeing the bigger picture, and he was in the middle of supplanting the Princess as the one who would raise the sun. She wanted to be able to see it done, even after he transferred control of his plans to the one replacing him.
And with that, Metallium's draconic pride and confidence resurfaced. She noted Celestia's visibly growing impatience, giving her a sneer in return. "I am not leaving until I have had my chance to deliver an ultimatum, Princess," she growled. "Did you think I came here just to torment these runts? There's more to it than---"
But that was as far as she was able to get before her body started glowing orange... and a sharp tingling struck every scale dead-center, driving her to distraction. With a snarl, Metallium furiously scratched at her arms to try and give herself some relief from the rash she'd been mysteriously inflicted with. "What---?!"
Celestia had the gall to chuckle at this. "You may want to obey that call, hatchling," she 'suggested'. "It's not a good idea to keep the Dragon Lord waiting."
Metallium tried to glare at Celestia, but it was a glare with little force behind it. The persistent rash was partially responsible. "How do you know that?!"
"You are not the first dragon I've interacted with," Celestia stated, her voice filling with authority. "I have had my share of altercations with them in the distant past. I know what a personal summons to the Dragon Lands looks like." She shook her head, her wings flaring outward. "I care not for why you are deliberately endangering my little ponies, only that you are. Return to your home and don't disturb my subjects anymore."
"At the very least let me deliver my message!" Metallium protested. Inwardly, she winced: her voice wasn't supposed to sound that whiny. She guessed she had more in common with her big brother than she thought. "Seriously, it won't take more than a minute!"
"...Be quick about it," Celestia acquiesced, wings closing.
Taking the opportunity, Metallium spelled out for her what Mr. Mocha had told the dragon. She did not say who had informed her of such, only that her days and Equestria's were numbered if she didn't watch her control of the sun and moon.
...
"Duly noted," the Princess said after a few beats, unmoved by the dragon's statements. "Now leave, please. I will not ask nicely again."
She's not going to listen, Metallium griped internally. That apathy's all over her face. She huffed, a cloud of smoke vacating her nostrils. Forgive me, boss, but I'm afraid my loyalties to you have to play second fiddle to another. I've done my part the best I could.
Left with nothing else to try to accomplish, she went airborne. Ignoring the robot's complaints at getting smacked with a cloud of sand, she took off for home as fast as she could. She had the feeling that the reception she would receive when she returned to the Dragon Lands was going to be far from pleasant.
I watch as Metallium flies off into the distance at speeds I didn't think were possible for dragons. I keep my eyes trained on her departing form to make sure she isn't going to buzz Manehattan on the way out, and I put my weapon away when she's out of view. "She just had to get that parting shot off," I observe, wiping some sand off my sleeves.
"Good riddance," Gargoyle states, glaring at the horizon. "Dragons will always be bad news."
"What a total load of... sediment," Knight says, interrupting herself in time when she remembers that Celestia is present. "I don't know how she came to the conclusion that the Princess might lose control of the sun, but she's clearly lost her marbles."
"That would imply she had marbles to begin with," I tell her, shuddering as I remember how close I came to being eaten.
Knight rolls her eyes. "Whatever," she declares. "My point is that she is not so weak and feeble-minded that a fact of life is going to come crashing down on our heads! She's doesn't have to do anything!"
"She wasn't wrong, Ms. Knight."
That leaves all three of us blinking, and we turns towards Celestia as one. "She isn't?" I ask for the lack of anything more eloquent to say.
"To be more specific, she wasn't wrong about me needing to relinquish control of the sun and moon. She is not correct about my age being a determining factor. Rest assured that I do have a contingency plan where the moon is concerned." Her eyes and voice soften for a few seconds as she states that last bit. "And I do wish to safely give control of the sun to another someday, but it's going to be for reasons of my own, and at a time of my own choosing. Just as violence isn't going to make me change my mind, neither is my control in any danger of disintegrating."
"..."
Celestia regards me with concern. "You have the look of somepony with a lot on their mind, Fairy. Do you feel like sharing?"
I take a moment to think of an answer. In the background, the residents are coming out of hiding. "I'm just thinking about a major difference between your world and mine, Princess. Back home, the sun doesn't orbit the planet. It's the other way around." I ignore Gargoyle's quietly muttered curiosity and continue on. "We don't have to worry about the world and the sun having a collision, because the planet's already in a natural orbit. Here, everything's contingent on the actions of one individual. It's sobering to think about..."
"Looking at it that way, I can understand your apprehension..." Celestia starts to say, probably just as curious as the thieves but not saying it aloud.
"...and it lends credence to my belief that everypony in this world is off their rocker," I finish.
Gargoyle and Knight both stumble at hearing this. The Princess chuckles, unphased by my honesty. "You're not wrong, either. It feels like that sometimes, doesn't it?"
I can't resist smiling playfully. "Speaking from experience, Your Highness?"
She returns it. "Like you wouldn't believe." Celestia looks up at the incoming locals, all of whom have reverence or awe in their eyes. "I'm sure you have plenty of work to do, Fairy, so I won't keep you any further." The presence of Metallium's tunnels isn't lost on her. "As it happens, I have business of my own to attend to here. It'll be some time before my chariot catches up to me." A smile. "We can talk more about the differences between our worlds later."
I give a short bow. "That should be fun."
She nods, first at me and then at the inmates. In what is a clear dismissal, she steps away to address the town's citizens directly.
We haven't shot straight back to the city just yet. Instead, we're seated at a small lunch area within the hotel. I wanted to get to work capturing that griffon hunter, but the staff stopped us and requested that they treat us for helping stop the dragon. The two thieves agreed to this before I could say anything, saying that flying cross-country at top speeds requires a lot of energy. Even now, they're in the middle of scarfing down pasta-and-potato sandwiches on sourdough bread, with a few glasses of water for hydration.
"...What are you looking at?" Gargoyle had snarled when she noticed my curiosity. "If you burn a lot of energy, you don't make compromises on nutrition."
"They aren't for everypony," Knight added in-between mouthfuls. "Just those who like to carbo-load. If you get plenty of exercise, it all works out. And hey, sourdough bread is delicious. Bonus."
'Exercise', 'works out'... I used to think my jokes were bad.
Most everypony is distracted by the alicorn on the beach, leaving me alone with the thieves. I'm taking light---very light---sips from another one of those little Heartbreaker-flavored drinks, watching them closely to make sure they don't try to run. They don't seem eager to, though; if anything, it looks like they have something on their minds.
The two of them finish their meals at about the same time and push their plates aside. "Are you done delaying?" I tell them as I put my own cup down. "Lingering around here isn't going to make your cells go away."
The pegasi have an unspoken conversation consisting entirely of eye movements. That by itself seems suspicious, but by watching them closely I can determine that they aren't going to take violent action. "About that..." Knight brings up with obvious reservations. "We'd like to help you with your current situation."
...?! "Caught me off guard there," I flatly admit. "You said you of all ponies want to help me?"
"Are you hard of hearing?" Gargoyle replies in the same tone.
"You're not in any position to negotiate on this," I remind them. "And even if you were, I don't believe you wouldn't take advantage of this for personal gain."
"Look, robot. As we said earlier, just because we're thieves doesn't mean we don't care." Knight hovers up to eye level, her forelegs folded. I will never cease to be amazed at her species' anatomy. "Manehattan is our home. We have nothing to gain by all of this ruckus going on. It may even make our lives worse, for all we know. Even if you think we're just being pragmatic..." A pause. "Um... I think that's the right word. Anyway, even if only that, it still means that we all want the same thing."
"Do recall that I threatened you both with wing removal when we first met," I respond after a second.
"And you already apologized for that," Gargoyle answered immediately. "I didn't think about it at the time, but what kind of self-admitted killer robot would humble itself before wanted criminals?"
"That's what anypony would call 'hidden depths'," Knight adds. "You've got heart. You're just not very good at showing it."
...Are they trying to compliment me or insult me? There's evidence for both.
Gargoyle takes my silence as an excuse to keep talking. "That aside, what matters is that we want to help. Would you at least give us a chance? Please?"
I don't know about this...
I'm wary about accepting their help. We didn't meet on friendly terms, and until they complete their sentence---whatever that may be---they're on the opposite side of the law. If I'm being honest, I don't trust them. How committed are they to proving themselves? "I'll need some background and credentials from the both of you," I say, which causes them both to look hopeful. "Any particular strengths you have, why you chose a life of crime, that sort of thing. Be completely honest." I gesture at the blonde-and-white-maned one. "Gargoyle, we'll start with you."
While Knight sits back down, Gargoyle takes a few moments to think over what I'm asking before shrugging. "My real name's Maverick," she starts off. Oh, now that is just wrong. "Previously out of Cloudsdale. I got my name because it took me years longer than most foals before I received my Cutie Mark. I joined the Wonderbolts for a little bit, but I wound up outside on my tail."
"The Wonderbolts... they are that team of elite stunt fliers, right? Why did they kick you out?"
"I was a little too insubordinate towards the higher-ups," Gargoyle continues. "Sarcasm when it wasn't needed, laughs at the expense of other ponies, and crud like that. They put up with it for a while because I was that good a flier." Boastfulness, or statement of fact? ... Then again, they did get to Canterlot reasonably quickly. I'll give her the benefit of a doubt for now. "Then Spitfire took over as Captain, and I said something to her that the previous Captain would've just shrugged off." She winces. "Had to visit my chiropractor ten minutes later."
So she means "outside on my tail" both literally and figuratively. Nice to know. "I'm assuming from the fight you and your cohorts gave me at the Pyre that you have some prior combat experience? Most of those hits were on point."
"More like that was the first fight where I could actually put my abilities to use," Gargoyle clarifies. "In addition to the little training I received before I got the boot, I'm also well-versed in pegasus-style boxing, and I'd just earned my black belt in karate before circumstances forced me into a life of crime."
...How does a pony learn karate, let alone master it? "And those circumstances would be...?"
"Lack of funds and lousy money management," she states bluntly. "After the Wonderbolts, I was working part-time jobs and throwing almost everything I earned at my fighting lessons in the hopes of gaining employment as a security guard, bouncer, or what have you. When I lost my last job four months ago and couldn't find another before my landlord came knocking, I started getting desperate. So when I found the Midnight Castles robbing somepony else in my apartment building not long after, I talked to them and got their 'okay' to join them."
Iffy at best. Even if she's telling the truth, it still feels fairly shallow. On the other hand, it's not a straight-up sob story: instead of exaggerating details to try and get my sympathy, she's admitting that her problems are her own fault. I'll peg this one as a 'maybe'.
My attention shifts from the blonde to the cherry. "How about you, Knight? What's your background?"
"If you must know..." she starts to say, but pauses. Why is she being so reluctant? "My birth name's Magnum."
Please don't tell me... "'Magnum'?"
"My parents had high hopes for me, so they gave me a name derived from an old legend. Some stallion called 'Flash Magnus'."
...Oh. For a moment, I thought she was connected in some way to the company that manufactures the Pantheon line's buster cannons. Silly me.
Knight's mood sours the more she talks. "Big disappointment I turned out to be. I wanted to join the Wonderbolts: washed out almost immediately. Wanted to play professional hoofball: got sidelined and replaced due to an injury. Wanted to join the local weather team: was scapegoated due to a slipup in the schedule. Tried to become an entertainer: was thrown out the moment my cousin spotted Countess Coloratura. Became a pet groomer's apprentice..." She tugs on her uniform's collar, showing a large patch of discolored hair below her neck. "...draw your own conclusions. I tried to be the great pony my parents wanted me to be. Care to know where I ended up for my efforts?" By the time she asks that, she's all but spitting. "Halfway down the tracks on the train towards Loserville!"
Someone's bitter. "And you were desperate enough for money that you became a thief?"
"More like I became addicted to the concept," Knight clarifies. "I lifted a few bits from a snobbish pony's saddlebags. She was too busy looking pretty to notice. Did it a few more times to other ponies and was never discovered, let alone caught. I even managed to snatch a few from Salamandra, and boy did that make my heart beat..."
Probably would've strung you up on her strings and made you dance in a crypt if she'd caught you. "You'll be paying them back. No questions asked."
Knight winces. "Yeah, figured that was coming. Anyway, I wanted to see how long I could go before I was outed. Nopony ever found out I was doing it, and if they were carrying enough, they never missed what I took either. So I kept doing it, taking only what I needed to get by. Eventually somepony did find out and approached me with a job offer..."
"A brick wall and a jerk?"
The both of them snort back laughter, though it's Knight that answers me. "Wow, it's like you know them. Been a member of the gang for a month before we got that offer to empty out the Pyre. Gargoyle even took it upon herself to give me a few boxing lessons in-between thefts. Then you showed up and brought my hot streak to an end." She frowns, staring at the floor off to the side. Her tone is lackluster, lacking some of the energy from earlier. "My life's been a long string of failures and accidents, robot. Tried to be a good girl, tried my hoof at being bad... nothing's working out for me. At this point, I'm hoping that my stay in prison is a lengthy one. At least then, I know I'm guaranteed to stay fed."
It takes a few moments before I realize that I'm tapping my chin thoughtfully, but I keep up the motion anyway. "In that event, why were you the one who approached me and asked to help out?"
Even the criminals here have cute little horsey snorts. I can't believe I just thought that with a straight face. "I don't know. I... I guess I just wanted one last chance at doing something useful with my life. I gave up trying to live up to my parents' expectations a long time ago, but..." she sighs. "After helping fix the jail and not having the walls crash down or anything like that, I feel like I ought to at least try."
Maybe that's another career she could try after she serves her time.
Let's see. Pros: Obviously fast, with some fighting ability. They seem to be on the level; I'm not seeing any tells that would indicate they're lying. Phantom would do a better job detecting them, but I like to think I'm decent at it. My instincts are telling me that their request is genuine. Cons: they're still criminals, with everything that word brings. There's a risk that they're doing this just for the sake of looking out for number one, and my instincts have been proven wrong before.
...
Alright. My decision's made. "Listen closely, you two," I say to them sternly... before showing them a broad smile. "From now on, I will not be addressing you as 'Gargoyle' and 'Knight'. From now on, you are 'Maverick' and 'Magnum.'"
There we go: there's the life in their eyes I've been waiting for. "You mean...?" Maverick asks hopefully.
I summon the Javelin to my hand and stand up straight. "Yes. I still have to run this by the Princess and the Royal Police, but barring rejection, you'll be working directly for me. Our current---and hopefully only---assignment will be to get to the bottom of yesterday's breakout, continue to capture or drive away those responsible as required, and discover who masterminded the entire operation. Given what I've had to face so far, you probably won't be fighting directly: you'll be serving as my backup instead, handling tasks that I would normally do if the encounters didn't dictate otherwise.
"I will expect you to follow some ground rules. First, Maverick, I don't want any insubordination like the sort that got you removed from the Wonderbolts. When I give you orders, you follow them without any smart-mouth remarks. That goes for you too, Magnum. Second, you will return to your cells at the Department at the end of each work day. When you give your reports, I will be there to ensure that you stay honest. And finally, remember to be professional. I don't expect you to like what I tell you to do; I just expect you to do it. Crystal clear, ladies?"
...
...
I've been hugged more times since I got here than I have in all my years prior. Maybe I should find a shovel and give my dignity a decent burial?
Maybe another time. I'm too busy smiling.
The Mocha twins were at opposite ends of their suite: Caramel reading about the previous day's catastrophe in the Minutes, and Hazelnut in her preferred exercise uniform doing some routine stretches on a practice mat. There was nothing to indicate that something terrible was about to happen.
Which of course meant that it was inevitable. Hazelnut paused in mid-motion, slowly lowered herself to the ground, and rested her head against one leg. A long, high-pitched wail that would have split the air if it had been any louder escaped her.
"Hazel!" Caramel jumped out of her seat and galloped to her sister, offering her hoof. It was accepted, and Hazelnut pulled herself upright. "What happened? Are you alright?"
"Remember how I thought I'd ditched that headache at breakfast?" Hazelnut bit out, one eye closed as she grimaced at the pain. "It returned with reinforcements. Feels worse than it did last night."
"You don't think it's a migraine, do you?"
Hazelnut flinched at the pain. "Carrie, I can't even think straight right now. I don't know if it's a migraine or not!"
Carrie took a step back at the unexpected vitriol. "Hazel, calm down. I'm right here. Please, let me help you."
"I took something for it last night," Hazelnut bit out as Caramel led her off to the side. "Don't know if it's too soon to take it again. Been feeling nauseous, but I didn't want to bother you with any of that..."
"Always have to be the tough mare, don't you?" Caramel frowned as she considered their options. "I don't think there's any two ways about it. If it's this bad and the medicine isn't helping you, then we've got to get you in for an appointment."
Hazelnut stared at her like she'd willingly dunked her head in paint. "Are you crazy? As bad as it is out there right now?"
"I'm not going to stand around and watch you suffer," Caramel told her firmly. "I'm taking you to the doctor. No questions asked, so let's get your suit back on you and go."
"I'm telling you, it's a bad idea..." Hazelnut complained even while her sister led her out of the room.
The more tomboyish of the two, for all of her protests, knew that there was no way Caramel was going to back down on this. With both of their parents long since passed, their grandfather due to follow them at any time, and no other living relatives that they were aware of, either of them would give everything they possessed if it meant protecting the only family they had left.
Stats
Page generated in 0.021 seconds
Total duration
1,003 users online
1,364,975 hits today, 2,167,270 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
11305863
Japanese lore says yes, English lore says maybe, from what I understand. Personally I dont care to much for it cause I just think they should let the souls rest.
Not to mention that it brings up the question of where Model A's soul come from or if the various Model W's that are used by a single person have souls.
11311890
Can't say I ever thought about that last part. Though truth be told, considering that Master Albert was the one who created Model A in the first place, I think I'm better off not knowing.
Assist characters get!
So Celestia has been planning her retirement for quite some time then. Curious why she seemingly started rushing it then...
It's too bad they didn't try interrogating for more information. Taking advantage of that draconic Pride could have rewarded some free nuggets. Oh well.
Yes join the herd:
So this is the long powerplay by one family. I bet they came woth the eeasoning later
11311890
Yeah, that's fair. Though I may personally not see it that way, I acknowledge, that X and Zero have suffered enough to last them a dozen lifetimes!
Model A can also be looked at as an outlier, (since the story of ZX advent is pretty self-contained and doesn't have a lot of impact on the biometals themselves) even though he does bear a resemblance to Axl, both appearance-wise and ability-wise. (even though I know about some of the extended X lore beyond the games, I'm still limited in that, so this point is still up for debate...)
weak
accepting
11315074
Noted. I'll go after them.
I remember riding the Blue Streak.
Monk
11320972
I'd been there maybe... five or six times between '91 and '06. The Corkscrew, Iron Dragon, and Gemini were about as much as I could take. Stuff like the Blue Streak and Magnum... those were more my siblings' thing, not mine.
I gladly admit the Iron Dragon's my favorite 'coaster, though. I miss not being able to go there again. 🙁
11321540
ing sense, because Zero was just a damn torso at the end of X5! 
)
That's kinda the running joke of the X/Zero fandom. That Zero can die and come back on a whim. I do personally believe, that it started with Megaman X6, with the horribly translated line "I hid myself, while I repaired myself." (which makes no f
The original Japanese version seems to have tried to make Zero's return more of a mystery, than a one-note, nonsense self-repair!
Now that I've caught up and thought about it I can see post Ragnorok Zero popping up in ponyville sans helmet and possibly legs too shortly after nightmare Moons' return. Much to Leviathans' surprise...then humor that even atmosphereic reentry can't permanently stop him.
11321649
I'll have to think about it.
...That's pretty good omake material, at least.
11321766
I am now imagining Zero complaining that he is not a backpack/bag of holding as he is strapped on Leviathans back.
"Stop laughing! I still have a arm! I can still smack you dammit!"
Or him just sitting there as the crusaders and his cyberelf go to town on his long hair.
11321781
I realize that it's because I've only been awake for a few minutes by this point, but I had a mental image just now of him as Threepio from the original S.W. trilogy. Thanks. >^_^<
11322096
You're welcome.
I've always loved giving good authors fun little ideas.
I've gone back and read this chapter (Canning the Criminality) to try and recall if Levi and Twilight had already met at some point, and realized a plot hole that never occurred to me: If Shining and Cadence are already married, that means Twilight is already the Element of Magic. If Twilight is already the Element of Magic, then Nightmare Moon has already been defeated...and if Nightmare Moon has been defeated, then Princess Luna should already be present and handling the Moon, which would likely throw an even bigger wrench in Quarter's plans than Levi did.
Are Shining and Cadence not married yet and just keep showing up together because of their statuses and I somehow missed that part, or is this some sort of alternate timeline where the wedding happened before the Nightmare Moon event?
11806935
I try to stay true to canon events unless there's a very good reason for a deviation. At this point in the timeline, since we're still well before Nightmare Moon's return, I'd have to say Shining and Cadance keep showing up together because of #1: their statuses (as you guessed), and #2: because prying those two lovebirds apart with a crowbar is an exercise in futility.
Even through the END of this paragraph I thought that I was Celestia who was glowing. it might or might not be.worth trying to find a way to rephrase for clarity.
At their level of wealth they don't have doctors who make house calls? Or does this version of Equestrian have relevant medical equipment that won't fit on a cart (like an MRI in real life?) that Caramel suspects would be required for this?
Is she starting to go through a forced Alicornification that the final trigger for was slipped into her food or something on her father's orders? It would fit with both his objectives and his established methods (super-pony medical techniques on children).
11832817
Don't really see the need, to be honest. The scene gave no indication of Celestia using any magic. Since the scene was being told from Metallium's perspective, if Celestia had been using any magic, the dragon should've seen her horn glow first before the rest of her. There was nothing like that in there.
Also, I was under the impression that the continued use of pronouns instead of names was enough of an indicator that the paragraph was focusing on Metallium instead of Celestia.
...Wow. That is almost pure evil. I'll have to consider this. Thanks for the idea!
11832856
As a Dungeons and Dragons Game Master I shall take that as a compliment!