closed Vacation Days! (attn IceStorm)

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind Dancer smiled and nodded at the reaction of the pie. She also couldn't help but blush a bit again at the comment on the she an w that she was happy that she got to live her dream. Cause then she got to see said show. "Hearing that once was bad enough, but working through everything made everything all the more special. As it is now, I'm just happy that ponies are enjoying my shows, and I do my best to make sure that everypony can," she said with a smile. She then went back to the pie. "And yup, strawberry silk pie. It's so smooth and creamy and strawberry-y. I can usually eat a whole pie by myself, but I try to show a little bit more restraint than that... Usually..." She said with a giggle as the hostess greeted them.

 

"Good afternoon," she said before recognizing Windy. "Oh! Hey Windy! Just got out of a show I take it?"

 

"Yup, grabbing some lunch and then taking my new friend to see the jousting matches later," she replies.

 

"Lucky! I'm stuck here until later in the evening. They'll be over by then. Oh well. Just the two of you today or will Sky be joining later?" 

 

"Just us two. Sky is making sure everything gets home," she replied to the hostess. The hostess them nodded and lead them to their table. The decor of the restaurant matched the decor and the theme of the rest of the casino. It looked like you had walked straight into Ancient Pegasopolis. Everything was made feeling the ancient cloud stone and modeled after the old architecture. The booths were also cloudstone and came with cushions for the ponies to sit on. Once they were seated she smiled back to Cloudy. "So, what do you think so far?"

[Cubbage]

Cloudy smiled at Windy's remark about eating a whole pie and giggled slightly at her "usually" comment. "Well don't feel the need to show any restraint around me! I know I won't be showing any myself!" As they entered the restaurant, Cloudy was once more impressed by the beauty of the architecture, even if it was all for show. She gazed around and nearly bumped into a waiter because she was watching the walls and ceiling rather than the space in front of her. "It's amazing! It reminds me of the Cloudeseum!" she said in response to Windy's question.

 

She could hardly read the menu because she kept being distracted by the atmosphere of the restaurant. It was so regal and yet informal at the same time. The cushions were as fluffy as any she'd ever sat on, and the tables and floors the cleanest of any restaurant she'd eaten at outside Canterlot. But it was filled with ponies in flowered shirts with fanny packs and sun hats. The juxtaposition made it rather charming.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

Windy couldn't help but giggle when Cloudy said that this reminded her of the old Cloudeseum,  and also told her not to hold back because she was around. "Nah, it's more of the fact that when I end up eating a whole pie I feel like talking a nap afterwards, and a nap is the last thing I wanna do right now," she said with a smile. "And I'm glad you're enjoying it! I don't come up here to the Cloud District very often myself, but when I do this is usually where I come to. I just find myself liking the decor better and the ponies here are a lot nicer than they are at the other casinos up here, at least to the locals," she told her as another waitress greeted them.

 

"Good afternoon! My name is Bright Skies and I'll be helping you today. Can I get you two started with something to drink?" the sky blue Pegasus pony asked before realizing who she was talking to. "Oh... My... It's... It's..." She said before taking a deep breath and then exhaling. "Sorry, I just never thought I'd get to serve my idol..." 

 

"It's okay," Windy said with a laugh. "I will take one of your mixed berry lemon lime sodas, and I'm happy that I can be an inspiration to you," Wind said with a smile.

 

The waitress pony then turned to the other Pegasus pony. "My apologies, I haven't forgotten about you. Just miss Windy here is the reason my little brother can fly again. It off nowhere the entire procedure for paid for and it completely changed his life. You certainly have an amazing friend, which means you must be a pretty amazing pony to." 

 

"Sure certainly is. Most of our cloud structures wouldn't exist without her," Wind said with a smile and a wink to Cloudy. The waitress nodded and then looked back to Cloudy.

 

"Well then, I certainly thank you for your contribution. What can I get you to drink today? If you like tea, I highly recommend our blueberry pomegranate iced tea. Probably some of the best iced tea I've had," she recommended. 

[Cubbage]

"Oh, that makes more sense!" Cloudy said in response to Windy's reasoning for not eating entire pies. She agreed that the ponies here looked a lot nicer. No one even commented on the fact that she wasn't looking where she was going (which usually happened in high-class places like this). 

 

When the waitress told her heartwarming story about her brother, Cloudy was touched. "Wow! That's amazing!"

 

She blushed hard at Windy's remarks about her being amazing and being responsible for most of the cloud structures. She flusteredly replied, "Well, uh, I don't know about that hahaha! The machines I work on produce weather clouds. Architectural clouds come out of a different factory and tend to be of a much higher quality and grade, so they require a lot heavier duty machines, which I don't work on. Not that I couldn't, because I totally could, but they're a hassle because they have to produce such sturdy, well, clouds, obviously, and so they tend to break down more often, need more oiling, require more electricity, y'know, the works. I'd forget half of the stuff I was supposed to do on them! Well, ok, maybe not, I mean, I never need a list when it comes to the cloud machines at the factory, but who knows, maybe for a more complicated design, I'd--" she stopped short when she noticed the waitress staring blankly at her, then blushed again as she resisted the urge to apologize.

 

The waitress continued, finally filling the awkward silence and making some drink recommendations. "Um, if it's ok, I think I'll just have a glass of water hahaha," she said. She needed to make sure she had enough bits to watch the show tonight, and besides, she almost never ordered anything besides water at restaurants. Other drinks were always overpriced and she wasn't willing to sacrifice.

 

As the waitress left, Cloudy buried her face in her menu. Ugh! She needed to pull herself together! She wasn't used to the attention that came with spending a day with a celebrity! The closest she'd ever gotten to this was when she got her Wonderbolts shirt signed, and then she was just another face in a crowd of adoring fans. Now this superstar was her friend, and if she understood correctly, Cloudy was her friend too! It was a lot to take in. She read the salad options.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Cloudy seemed to talk down her role a bit, v starting that the machines that she worked on only produced weather clouds. That the ones that made the structural clouds were a lot more advanced and while she could easily work on them they weren't her cup of tea. To many moving parts meant a lot of things to go wrong. She started to go into a bit of the intricacies of it before the stopped herself and simply ordered a water. That blueberry drink sounded pretty good though. "Actually, bring me one of those instead. That sounds pretty tasty as well," she said as the waitress nodded before retreating to grab their drinks.

 

"So, what do you think of Las Pegasus in general? Is everything living up to your expectations? A lot of ponies that come here either get super excited or super disappointed. It generally depends on when they come though. There's a lot more on the weekends than the weekdays, but there still something going on if you know where to look," she said with a smile. She then thought about the fact that Cloudy said that she worked in the weather factory on the cloud machines. 

 

"Oh hey, I just remembered. If you work in the weather factory your probably know my dad he's the one what works with the water and makes sure that it gets where it's supposed to. He also helps the reason and snow wings as well. His name is Water Wing, ring any bells?" She asked as they drinks were brought to them. So far she thought things were going well but she could see Cloudy hiding in her menu a bit. "Hey, is everything okay?" she asked her concerned. 

[Cubbage]

Cloudy was about to answer Windy's question about how she was enjoying Las Pegasus, when she mentioned her father, Water Wing. "Oh of course I know Water Wing! Well, ok, I've met him once or twice. I've only worked on water machines a couple times when friends needed shifts off. He's pretty nice from what I remember! Certainly helps keep the factory going! But I can't say I know much about him other than that he works with the water. I'll have to find him when I go back to work and let him know I met his amazing daughter! He must be so proud of you!

 

"And I'm enjoying Las Pegasus a lot! I mean, I had collected a bunch of travel brochures, so I had an idea of what my trip was going to look like, but I never imagined I'd end up spending the day with a celebrity!! I mean, how cool is that?? No disappointment from me!"

 

Cloudy realized she was probably talking too much again and went back to choosing a salad. Bad move. Windy immediately thought something was wrong. Ugh! Cloudy was such an easy pony to read sometimes. "Of course! Just checking out the salad options hahaha! Oh! I'm so rude! I'm sorry! What is your overall impression of Las Pegas--" she stopped short, remembering Windy lived here, or at least came here for extended periods of time to perform. "Er, um, nevermind" she blushed and giggled embarrassedly.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

It didn't really surprise her too much on both accounts. She said that she had only worked on the water machines a few times when some of her friends needed the days off and she had met him then. She told her that he was pretty nice from what she could remember and that he certainly helped keep the factory going. Outside of that though, she really didn't know him that well other than knowing that he worked with the water. She did add that he must be proud to have a daughter as amazing as her. "Oh, I'm not really all that amazing. Just very strong willed. Not many ponies can come back from the kind of accident that I had. I just never had it in me to give up..." she said thinking about it for a minute. "You know, when it's put like that, it is kinda amazing, but honestly, I'm not really that much different from anypony else. Really the main difference is that almost everypony knows my name now, and that can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing sometimes you know?" she replied.

 

She was happy though when she heard that Cloudy was enjoying her time here in Las Pegasus. She told her that things certainly hadn't gone as she was expecting them to and that this was way better than anything that she could have possibly hoped for. That there was definitely no disappointment coming from her. "Well, I'm happy that I've been able to help you relax and enjoy the place a bit more. Places like this are always more fun when you're doing things with friends. After a while of doing things on your own, everything does kind of lose it's charm after a while," she said before she listened once more after she had asked if everything was okay. She could tell by the way that she was talking that she was a bit flustered and that definitely wasn't what she was trying to accomplish. This was exactly one of those things like she had just commented on about sometimes everypony knowing your name could be a curse. Sure it was amazing to meet new friends, but she didn't like being that pony that overshadowed her friends. That wasn't fair to them and they shouldn't have to be forced to live up to some standard just for her. In fact she does everything she can to make sure that they don't have to.

 

When she asked what her thoughts on Las Pegasus were, before pausing and then hiding back behind her menu, she pondered for a moment. She heard Cloudy apologies again and she raised an eyebrow. "What are you apologizing for? You haven't done anything wrong. Honestly I've never really thought about it cause no pony's really ever stopped to ask me about it. My answer for how Las Pegasus is really depends on which part you're talking about. The ground district is one of the worse parts of LP, but it's not all that bad, just don't go out alone at night. Ponies frequently try to take advantage of others there. The strip is a decent part of town, but it's also the busiest, and you have some of the older parts that are downtown. Over all I think Las Pegasus is a decent attraction, and it's most definitely a place ponies from all over can come to get away and just have some fun. However, when it comes to living in the city I'm not actually sure how much longer I'll be doing that. It's the performance capital of the world, right up there with Manehatten, but also like Manehatten, it's really not a place that I would want to raise a foal in. So once the little one is born Sky and  I will probably be moving to someplace close by that's a little quieter so that I can still perform here, but also be able to raise them in a worry free environment," she said speaking honestly about the city.

[Cubbage]

Cloudfeather chuckled at Windy's acknowledgement of her own amazingness. "Face it! You're an inspiration to everypony who knows your name! Look at all the great things these ponies have recognized you for! Charities, performances, giving them hope! You're amazing and that's that."

 

What Windy said about the standard of living in Las Pegasus made sense to her. She had been to several large cities and didn't feel any of them would be very good places to live. She hadn't even been able to handle herself in Canterlot when she had lived there, though that was arguably more the fault of her clutzy flying than the city's environment. She couldn't imagine trying to live in a city with lots of tall buildings to smack into. Cloudsdale was perfect for her. Not much to distract her and soft structures perfect for catching inattentive fliers. "Well if you're ever in Cloudsdale, feel free to look me up! I've been recruited to help set up for Wonderbolts shows (y'know, since I'm a cloud-making expert [she winked playfully at this]), so I'm sure I could be helpful if you ever need a stage or hoops or anything! Well, ok, not really recruited... more like I won a sort of company lottery? They're doing a show in Canterlot in a couple months, and they special ordered some clouds, which means getting staff to set them up, and even though they usually hire local pegasi for that job, this time they asked for factory personal, so I signed up, and I was one of the ponies selected! So I get to go to Canterlot in a few months to help set up a show! So then, I guess I kind of lied because I've never done it before... Well, not yet anyway. But I'm sure setting up will give me lots of experience so I can help if you need a hand!" None of that probably made any sense. Great. She kept smiling to try and hide her embarrassment as she finally decided on the salad she wanted.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind Dancer couldn't help but blush a bit more when she heard the praise and what's she'd heard ponies recognizing her for already and said that there was no denying that she was amazing. "I suppose that's true, but I really don't do any it for attention or added praise. I genuinely care for others and their enjoyment, but more importantly their health and safety. I try my hardest to make the lives of everyone around me better because it makes me feel good to do so. I've never really cared about anything else other than making other ponies smile in any way I can," she added.

 

Then as Cloudy started talking about what she was doing in Cloudsdale currently, her eyes started to light up. She was helping with the set up of a Wonderbolt Show? And she didn't think she was amazing! Sure she'd won a company competition for it, but more often than not that's exactly how big opportunities happen! She was certain that she'd be a regular set up pony in no time and when she offered to help her! The show was going to be a few months away in Canterlot, but she was excited for it and now Windy was to. "Oh! I've only been to Canterlot once myself. A bit to stuck up for my taste really, and the ponies there definitely aren't really about helping others. But I'm sure you'll do an amazing job. In fact, since you offered if you want some practice I would love to have you set up for a couple of my shows, and I have a major all-day music and performance festival that I'm setting up within the next couple months. I could really use more stagehooves, and with cloud props that could help lighten the hoofprint on the area since confetti and some of the other prop ideas would get in the reservoir and along the shore and would take a bit to get fully cleaned up so it didn't hurt any of the fish or other wildlife in the area. Oh we could also have you make the stands by the lake! They'll... Need to be anchored though... You'll find out why at my show tomorrow night," Wind smiled as their drinks were brought back.

 

"Sorry for the wait... The morning crew forgot to press the blueberries and the pomegranates into the juice we needed for the tea so we had to do that real quick. Do you both know what you're having today?"

 

"Don't worry about it! We aren't in a hurry and the day is still young. I think I'm going to have the Hurricane Salad with extra pecans and lots and lots of raisins," she said with a giggle. 

 

The waitress pony jotted everything down with her wing and then turned to Cloudy. "And for you miss?"

[Cubbage]

Cloudy rolled her eyes internally at Windy's remarks about not wanting attention. Of course she didn't do it for attention! Cloudy knew that! And so did everypony else, she was sure. But that was just another thing that made Windy so amazing! She did what she did out of genuine love and care, not want for praise.

 

The more Windy talked about setting up for shows, the more Cloudy wished she could take back what she had said. She laughed nervously at the end of Windy's generous (but somewhat frightening) offer and politely declined. "Oh, hahaha, I uh... don't know about that... I mean, the Wonderbolts show will be my first time ever doing anything of that sort, well, aside from arranging a sky for a rain or something of that sort, but that's totally different than setting up clouds for aerobatic demonstrations, and besides, the job is just going to be a matter of putting the clouds where I'm told, not building or shaping them, not that I couldn't shape them, just that they've got local professionals who will be doing that, i'm just kind of there to unbox, assemble, and place, y'know? Nothing like building bleachers or setting up for dance shows or anything like that! I don't think I'd be the pony for that job! You'd want someone with real experience. I'm just a weather pony! I work on machines that make clouds because I was so lousy at placing them to begin with!" she was becoming acutely aware that she was working herself up into what almost seemed like a panic attack. Gosh, she was just so nervous all of a sudden! Why was she nervous? Windy was making an offer! She didn't have to accept! But it was basically a career offer! And from a famous performing pony to whom thousands of ponies looked up! She took a moment and took a deep breath, slowing her heart rate, before continuing, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I appreciate the offer, but I can't accept. I don't think I have the capabilities you're thinking I do. I don't know why I offered in the first place. I guess I'm just so nervous and excited to be with such a high-standing pony that my mind is running even faster than it normally does. The truth is that I'm really nervous for the Wonderbolts job. I think it will be easier in some ways than weather management, but harder in a lot of others. I was never good at weather management. I'm great at the chemistry side of things. I could tell you a cloud's chemical and molecular makeup without even touching it! And I'm fantastic with cloud machines, but when it comes to actually arranging clouds, making wind, and all that jazz, well... I'm about as good as any other pegasus. I lived in Canterlot and worked on the weather team there for a while, but I didn't stay for long because I wasn't a focused enough flier and would often end up crashing into towers or spires because I wasn't watching where I was going. What finally did it for me was crashing into a tower and landing badly on my wing. I wasn't  able to fly for two months. I've learned to be a lot more careful since then, but I'm just nervous the Wonderbolts show will be just like weather management and I'll end up messing up all over again. The only reason I signed on in the first place was for a chance to be backstage with the Wonderbolts. Plus it's a one time deal, no commitment. To be honest, if it were anypony else, I probably wouldn't have signed up for the lottery." She fidgeted with her fork absentmindedly as she spoke, and was thankful that the waitress returned when she did, leaving no time for comments on her insecurities. Hopefully Windy would order and then forget all about Cloudy's monologue and they could go back to talking about less serious things.

 

She looked back at the menu quickly to remind herself what she had wanted, then turned back to the waitress. "How spicy is the Magnus Jumbalaya? And can I order it to be more mild?" The waitress affirmed, and Cloudy decided to stick with her choice. "Then I will have a mild Magnus Jumbalaya," she smiled at the waitress, silently thanking her again for stopping her monologue, and then looked around the restaurant some more to try and find something to change the subject to before Windy could say anything in response to her word vomit.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Windy listened as Cloudy spoke. It seemed that here nerves were getting the better of her and started second guessing herself a bit. She said that she was literally just unboxing and planning things but had little experience in building things, generating effects, or creating wind. Windy smirked at that last comment. She was going to speak up but cloudy continued, saying that she'd have to decline on the offer. That she probably would want someone with more experience than her, and that she was better at the chemical side of things than anything else and she was already super nervous about the Wonderbolt job. 

 

She also added that she did used to be party of the Canterlot weather team, but she moved away because she would constantly lost track of herself flying and crashing into one of the buildings. Cloudy mentioned one crash where she landed on her wind and wasn't able to fly for a couple months.Wind Dancer couldn't help but wince a bit, and rub over the scar in her wing in response. She knew exactly what that felt like.

 

Hearing that though she extended her own wing to show Cloudy the scar that she had. "That scar is from an accident I'm Cloudsdale from when I was a filly. Remember when I said those cloud pillars aren't as soft as they look? I had just discovered my talent for being able to control wind and wind gusts when the weather factory lost control of a storm and it went rogue through the city. I thought I could stop it or help steer it away, but being a filly what winds I could make were no were near strong enough and I got overpowered by the storm..."

 

"My left wing got wrapped almost completely around one of those pillars, shattered the wing joint and Brooke the bones here," she said pointing on her main flight arm. "here," moving up just past the main joint. "And here," she said pointing the last point just before the second joint. "And I tore every ligament in the main joint. It took every bit of pleading and every last bit my parents had just to convince the doctors to not just amputate it. I wasn't able to actually fly normally until about five years ago when the right pony just happened to be watching me dance and wondered why I never got off the ground. Next thing I know is getting a letter from the Las Pegasus medical center asking my to come in to meet with them and now I'm here," she commented with a short pause. "Just from what bit I've been able to talk with you, I know you have a powerful personality. You're a lot stronger than you believe yourself to be and I have all the confidence in the world that you're going to do an amazing job. Don't let one or two bad experiences hold you back," she said with a warm smile.

 

Cloudy then further added that the only reason she actually signed on was for a chance to be backstage with the Wonderbolts. At that moment an idea crossed her mind. "Hey! That gives me an idea! One that will help you confidence a bit and making this a bit more fun. Why don't I give you a backstage pass and you can come early to the show tomorrow and see how everything works? You don't have to like a hoof, just watch and learn. Plus, during my shows the only thing that would matter is that they are clouds. I don't need and fancy shapes or the like and I generate all of the wind that I need in my routines. That was you have a little bit of experience to help you make your decision and figure out of it's something that your like or not. This way we can get your conference up to, and you get free back stage access for my show," she said, giving Cloudy a wink.

[Cubbage]

Hearing Windy's story about her accident as a filly touched Cloudfeather. She had no idea she had gone through such a terrible trial! She was impressed by the pony Windy was today as a result of her accident. It seemed her generosity rivaled that of even the famous Rarity! 

 

Unfortunately, Windy proceeded before Cloudy could tell her this, switching back to the topic of doing show setup work. Once again, her offer was incredibly generous. Backstage passes?? How cool was that?? Buuuut she still wasn't sure how comfortable she was with the idea of setting up for a show. Gosh darn it, her and her big mouth! "That's a very generous offer of you, but... Oh, I just don't think I could. For one, I don't think I could feel comfortable accepting a backstage pass when I haven't done anything to earn it! And for two, I really just don't think show setup is for me. I guess if you really need me to, I can come and help, but I'm content to make the clouds. I don't need to be a part of shaping them." 

 

As she finished saying this, she remembered that she wanted to comment on Windy's story. "Oh, and about your story about your wing... That sounds truly awful. I'm so sorry that happened to you. But I'm also so impressed with the pony you've become as a result! I mean, look at you! No wonder everypony is inspired by you and paying such high compliments! You're an inspiration to everyone!" She was humbled to be friends with such an amazing pony.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

Wind Dancer shook her head when the mare in front of her said that she hadn't done anything to earn such a gift so she wouldn't feel comfortable accepting it. "Nonsense! You don't have to do amazing things or have to be all fancy for gifts! And you certainly don't have to be any of that in order to be my friend. I for one think you're perfect the way you are, and I won't take no for an answer, on the backstage passes anyway. Besides, they are only five bits more than the tickets themselves. I don't really like charging for others to see me, but I know the casinos have to pay the ponies watching the event as well. In fact, most of the backstage bits go to the security," she said with a smile. When she heard that Cloud would be willing to make the clouds, but didn't think that she would want to be responsible for shaping them, Windy clopped her hooves. "Oh! That's perfect! Cause you see! I actually shape the clouds with my winds for most of my effects, but it's really hard and taxing tiring my routine to make clouds and produce enough winds to make them do what I want. Having a pony already making the clouds so that I can shape them is perfect!" Wind Dancer cheered, her salad, and Cloudy's Jambalaya were brought to the table.

 

She then heard Cloud say that everything sounded awful, and that she was sorry that she had gone through that, but that she was also impressed with the pony that she'd become as a result! She added that it was very little surprise that ponies were inspired by her and looked up to her like they did. "I know... and continuing to be that inspiration and providing that beacon of hope is everything for me. I love seeing other ponies overcome whatever obstacles may be presented to them and move on to live the happiest life a pony can ask for, and I do everything I can to make sure that happens,"  she said wrapping her primaries around a fork and biting into one of the juicy mini tomatoes.

[Cubbage]

Cloudy considered the offer as her soup was gently placed in front of her, but became momentarily distracted as the heat of the bowl caused a barely-noticeable area of the table around it to condense from clouds to water droplets. Most ponies didn't notice things like that, but clouds were her thing, and so she did. She also noticed that Windy was still talking and dialed her focus back in on what she was saying, catching the end of the sentence and giving a bit of a smile like she had been listening all along. "Well, if I only had to make the clouds, I guess that wouldn't be too much trouble... Hm... If you're sculpting, you'll probably want something fairly soft and easy to work with, yet firm enough to hold its shape. Probably just a little bit firmer than a standard cumulus. Those hold a shape about as well as memory foam. You can sculpt them, sure, but just be ready to have your artwork gone less than a minute later. Hm... Aha! I know just the thing! It's a simple formula that I think will give you just the right consistency for your act!" then the realization hit her that as a professional, Windy probably already knew what grade of cloud she was looking for and only really needed Cloudy to put the formula for it together in her cloud machine. "That is, if you don't already have a formula in mind. I mean, if you have one you've been using, then it's probably a good idea to stick with that. Why change something that works, right? Haha"

 

She took a spoonful of the jambalaya and quickly closed her lips around it, a decision she regretted instantly as she felt the broiling liquid sear the insides of her mouth. She immediately spurted the mouthful back into the bowl and took a long drink of her ice water. "Wow! I was not expecting that! I forgot that soups are usually served hot hahaha!" she laughed, now realizing how disgusting her action had been. "I uh... think I'll give it a minute to calm down," she chuckled.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

Wind Dancer smiled at the enthusiasm that Cloudy now had. She was excited, and was already thinking of ideas. That was the kind of pony that she was happy to see. Her excitement faded a bit when she presumed that she already had a formula and just needed her to put it in a machine. She also couldn't hold back a giggle when she took a bit of the jambalaya only to find out that it was much too hot. She took a large gulp of water before saying she should let it cool. Wind took another bite of her salad before replying. 

 

"Yeah, and jambalaya is usually decently spicy to," she started off. "And actually I don't have any formula or anything for the clouds I use. I'm fact most of them are condensed from vapor and mist that I make of the surface of the reservoir or the pond that surrounds the volcano that the Mareage has. I could do so much more if the clouds were already made. I would need some that can hold shape for the designs, but I also need some clouds that can hold like a bellowing shape while dispersing. You'll see why tomorrow," she giggled taking another bite.

[Cubbage]

"I asked them to keep it on the mild side, so hopefully the heat of the pot is the only heat I'll be getting tonight..." Cloudy mused in response to Windy's remarks on jambalaya. "I love mixing clouds on the go! I mean, don't get me wrong, lab formulas are super cool because then you can make all sorts of clouds, like these ones (she patted the table, indicating the types of clouds she was referencing), but making clouds from raw water using nothing but good ol' pegasus magic? Now that's what I call fun! And exercise! But as for bellowing dispersement... Hm... You'll probably want more of a fog cloud than a traditional cumulus or cirrus. That'll be tricky to work with, though, I should warn you. If you try too hard to shape them, you might end up condensing them into a thicker cloud and then they won't give the effect you want. And they don't hold their shape very well, either. Hm..." she thought on the problem some. Perhaps there was a way to make a thicker fog cloud that could hold its shape longer? This was certainly going to be a challenge. Maybe she'd invent a new formula! From the sounds of it, she would be spending the next few days off work in the laboratory!

 

That was an intimidating thought. She had always loved the chemistry side of cloud making, but the laboratory... It wasn't the place for her. Most of the memories she had of it were repressed by her depressed state while working there. It all seemed like a haze to her, even though it had taken more than a year of her life. She could remember her parents talking seriously with her after one of their family dinners. Their concern for her well-being... If it hadn't been for them, she might not have ever left the lab. She might have become a recluse! That was definitely not something she wanted!

 

Aaaand Windy was talking again. No, she had been talking. Cloudy just missed the first few lines being lost in thought... again. She really needed to work on that! It had gotten her in trouble in the pas-- Stop! She's talking!

 

Cloudy payed attention for the remainder of what Windy said, and tried to piece together her words' full meaning from there.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind listened once again as Cloudy spoke. She appears to be contemplating. She couldn't help but smile a bit when she said that she hoped that the temperature would be the only hot thing she would experience tonight. She did order it mild, so that would definitely help. She enjoyed the idea of just making the clouds from raw water with good old fashioned Pegasus magic. She then started thinking out loud about some of the clouds that could be used patting the table as an example of the variety of cloud formulas that can be used. The idea of a dense fog was exactly what she was looking for.

 

"I think a dense fog will be perfect! That's kind of what I make in the first act of my show tomorrow night before I shape it into a hurricane onto the water in front of the volcano outside of the Mareage! I only need the clouds to hold their shape long enough to show the shape of the winds that I'm controlling. The wind is the show after all, but ponies can't see it without something in the sky to show it to them," Windy started again before noticing the mare seemed to be in thought again. Windy would wait for a reply to see what the thoughts were on her new friend.

[Cubbage]

Cloudy found herself now getting excited over the idea of helping with the clouds of the show. After all, making clouds by wingpower was normal, but could be taxing, depending on the density, temperature, and water content. But certain clouds were made by wingpower simply because it was cheaper and easier than using cloud machines to do it. A team of pegasi could make a thin fog faster and more evenly than a machine. And fogs weren't in high demand anyway because they serve no logistic purpose. They make it harder for pegasi to fly and harder for other ponies to see. So their uses were highly rare. 

 

But Windy needed a fog cloud nonetheless. And the more she thought about it, the more possible the idea of a fog formula that would mimic the texture of a wing-made fog cloud seemed! Low dust content for less adhesion, but high water content, processing would have to be high pressure and the effect would probably work better at higher altitudes, where the atmospheric pressure was lowest, causing the greatest contrast between processing and releasing... Everything seemed to click! She was fairly certain she could do it! In fact, she was sure it had been done before, but nopony had saved the recipe because of how useless it was in practical circumstances. Well she was about to invent a recipe! It was going to be glorious! She wouldn't get any scientific recognition for it, of course, but at least she would take pride knowing she had done it! And Windy, of course would be delighted, so that would be a plus! All that was left was to grab a sample of Windy's wing-made cloud so she could get an idea of the consistency, then take it back to Cloudsdale and start work on a synthetic version. This was going to be--

 

Windy was looking at her expectantly. Truth be told, after the other pegasus had finished speaking, Cloudy had become lost in thought again and the conversation at hand had left her mind almost entirely. "Uh... Yeah! That sounds great!" she said, summing up her entire thought process that had taken... who knew how long. Probably only a few seconds, but she still felt awkward knowing she had zoned out. "I can't wait to see the show tomorrow! If what I saw earlier today is any indicator of how good you are when you're outdoors, then I know it'll be spectacular!" she said with all sincerity. She took another spoonful of jambalaya, this time blowing on it several times before taking it into her mouth. There was a bit of a kick to it, one she assumed would build as she continued to consume the soup, but the flavor was amazing! Windy hadn't talked this restaurant up at all! It met every expectation!

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind Dancer was relieved a bit when she started see the excitement building in Cloudy as she thought more about what she was looking for. She couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking, but it seemed that they were promising. She took a few more bites of her salad, feeling the crisp cool vegetables and the hurricane dressing crunch between her teeth. She herself started thinking about the jousts later. Wondered if anypony she knew would be participating. She also started to wonder if they would let her and Cloudy go a round. That would be fun, but she wasn't sure that she had that much pull here. It never hurt to ask thought right? Worst thing that can happen is they say no. 

 

She then heard Cloudy say that her ideas sounded great. "Amazing! I'll be looking forward to that! I'll have to show you the reservoir at some point then as well, since that's where that particular performance will take place, at the end of the festival. I actually live in a cloud home above that reservoir," she said with a smile. 

 

When she heard Cloudy continue, saying she was excited for tomorrow's show now that she'd been talking it up, she giggled a bit. "Yeah, tomorrows routine is the one I started my career with, and is a Las Pegasus favorite. It's the only one on my rotation of performances I do that doesn't change because of the special place it holds in my heart. And since you're getting a back stage pass, you don't have to worry about waiting in line if you show up later than you intended. Trust me, this show will be standing room only. Oh, and be prepared to get wet. I always save something special for the front rows and the VIP sections," she said with a wink. 

[Cubbage]

Cloudy sipped her soup as she let the other mare talk (for once), and then swallowed before speaking. "Ooooh I can't wait! I just know it's going to be awesome!" she said, clapping her hooves together excitedly. "What time should I be there tomorrow? I don't want to be late..." she said, removing a notepad and pen and then flipping through pages of checklists and packing lists until she came to a page entitled, "Las Pegasus Vacation Ideas". She poised her pen above the page, ready to take down the time.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

Wind Dancer smiled at her eagerness as she finished up her salad. She let out a small, yet not so quiet burp before blushing a bit and giggling. "Whew... Pardon me..." she started. "Tomorrow we usually start setting up around four. Though that's usually just making sure the water jets are functioning properly. Last thing i need is a jet shooting off at the wrong angle and catching me in passing. I'm usually in my green room getting dressed around then until about four thirty."

 

"After that I mingle with the guests and the VIPs that come in, and then from there about five to six thirty I'm out with the little ones in the area singing autographs and doing little dances with them and generally doing anything I can to make them smile before the show. Usually if I have VIP spots open, I'll let a family with little ones fill those spots to let them get a front row experience at no additional charge. If you want the absolute full experience, you'll probably want to be here around three thirty. That way your here before we get anything started."

 

At this point Bright Skies came back over to them. "Are you both doing okay? Can I get you any refills?" she asked politely.

 

"Definitely, I'll also take four slices of your strawberry silk pie. Two for me and two for my friend here," she added with a smile. She was contemplating ordering a second salad instead, but she couldn't come here and not get pie. That would be sacraligious! 

[Cubbage]

Cloudy contemplated the schedule. She certainly wanted the full experience, but three-and-a-half hours was a long time to wait for a show to even start... She did love foals, though... But the foals would probably be focused on Windy, and might find it odd to have some random pegasus there. It would probably be best if she came at 5:00 when the VIPs made their way in. Although, Windy might be more asking her to come early rather than inviting. Would it be rude of her to not come at 3:30? She didn't want to insult her new friend! Ok, 3:30 it was, then. She would bring something to keep herself entertained. Perhaps a book or something! She could get in some reading time! That was something she needed to do more of anyway...

 

When the waitress returned, Cloudy was about to ask for a refill when Windy ordered herself and Cloudy two slices each of strawberry silk pie. "Oh, thank you!" she said to Windy. She hadn't looked at the price on the desert, figuring she wouldn't be having any, but--- wait, she hadn't looked at the prices for anything! She had been so caught up in the conversation that she had forgotten to see how much things cost! That certainly wasn't like her! Normally (and especially on trips), the prices were the first thing she checked! She budgeted things out neatly so that she always had enough to do what she wanted to do, and sometimes a little left over to go back in the piggy bank. But this time she had forgotten to see how much her meal cost! She was certain she had enough in her souvenir fund to cover it, but it still made her uneasy not knowing how much she was spending.

 

She requested a refill in addition to the pie, then waited for the waitress to leave before asking Windy, "Um... I sorta forgot to look at the prices when I was ordering... How much does the pie cost?" she was a bit embarrassed to ask, as that was generally poor etiquette, but she felt like she needed to put her mind at least somewhat at ease by know how much more she was spending on desert. 

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Windy was happy when she saw the scribbles and saw that she was planning on being there at the time she suggested. Not that she couldn't get her in if she was late, but she's need to know she was there first. As it was now, the slices of pie were brought out and almost as instantly as they were placed on the table Windy's pieces were gone. Some would wonder if she was even able to taste the pie at the rate she inhaled it. 

 

When Windy heard Cloudy say that she kind forgot to look at the prices of everything here, and was asking how much this lunch was going to cost. "Well, the salad was fourteen bits, and the jambalaya was twelve, and the pie is four bits a slice, but I can pay for that since I was the one that ordered that much of it..." Wind giggled and blushed a bit. "Honestly this is one of the more reasonably priced restaurants up in the cloud district. Like I said earlier, most up here like being elitists, and because of that, they think that their time is worth more than it is," she smiled, squirming a bit and unable to hold back the temptation. "Bright! I'll take another slice of pie please!!"

[Cubbage]

Cloudy had to put her head down a bit to hide the giggles trying to make their way out of her stomach after watching just how quickly Windy snarfed the pie. It was probably a side-effect of being pregnant, after all, and she didn't want to offend. 

 

"That is quite reasonable!" she said in response to the prices. "Don't worry, I've got it covered. I budgeted this whole trip! Being cloud machine technician might not be the highest-paying job in Equestria, but I make enough for trips like these with some left over to spare!" she took a sample bite of the pie and -- Oh wow. Her face lit up as the flavor coated her tongue. It was everything Windy described and more! By far one of the best -- if not the best -- pies she had ever had! She quickly mimicked Windy's approach at eating it, devouring the entire slice in moments. Now she understood. "Wow. Just wow. That was amazing!! It was so good!!" she returned her tongue to the plate to lap up any crumbs or specks she had missed, then gave the area around her mouth a swooping lick to clean it, as well. "I see what you mean now when you say you could eat a whole one! You weren't kidding!" she laughed at herself for being so sloppy with the pie.

[IceStorm]

~~~Wind Dancer~~~

 

 

 

Wind Dancer was relieved a bit when the mare didn't seem too concerned about the prices. It wasn't like she didn't have the bits the cover it herself after all, and she would have hated for this pony to spend most of her vacation fund on her lunch! That would have been one poor way to show somepony friendship that was for sure. She added that while being a cloud machine technician might not be the most paying job in Equestria, but it definitely wasn't bad and allowed her to take vacations like this one and still have enough of a budget left over. "Oh, that is good! You probably should be one of the higher paid jobs in Equestria though honestly. If it wasn't for ponies like you who make our daily infrastructure, then ponies like me wouldn't be able to do what we do. That's kinda the reason I give most of my bits away. All I'm doing is dancing and having fun making other ponies smile. I don't need a giant lump of bits for that," she smiled.

 

When she watched Cloudy start eating the pie, or rather, taking a bite and then inhaling the pie much as she did, she couldn't help but giggle a bit herself. When she commented on it, she smiled back. "Right!? I told you! The pie here is amazing! Normally I'm a cake pony, but this pie takes the cake!" she said giggling at her own joke. She watched her lick up the rest of the crumbs and smirked back to Cloudy. "Should I make that two extra slices of pie?" she asked her playfully, looking back at the clock to check the time. They still had about an hour or two before the jousting matches started. They would want to get their tickets soon, but they still had time for more pie, and maybe a trip through the gift shop. She might have only just met her, but she wanted to make Cloudy's time here in LP a trip to remember, and for all the right reasons.