This story is a sequel to Spa and Order
Alicorns get sick in weird ways. It's enough to put a stallion off his love-themed holiday, something young Lt. Shining Armor of the Household Regiments is about to find out.
Part of "Cadance of Cloudsdale." Pre-reading and moral support by Axis of Rotation, GaPJaxie, horizon, Murcushio , SR Foxley, and my beloved spouse.
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Well, fuck that asshole.
How very... Classical. I like it. Well done on another Triumph!
Wow, this was quite the read! Cannot wait to read more!
9541512
Assuming I know who you're talking about, I agree that he can be hard to like!
9541529
Aw, thanks!
9541586
Thank you!
"Dear boy, you know what goes well with drinks? Some light, informative entertainment. Switch on the wireless set, would you?"
=========
Love is in the air!
I repeat: love is in the air. Facemasks are being made available at all bread-ration lines, free of charge, from city authorities. Please consult the daily bulletins in the Acta Diurna for updates as to where it has concentrated dangerously. Preening after exposure to love is not, I repeat NOT, advised.
Welcome... to Cloudsdale.
Some sad news today from the Foreign Quarter, dear listeners. A Class II color contamination has been declared, closing off many thoroughfares and shutting down quite a lot of airspace. There has been no loss of life, but many ponies were injured. May Celestia in her grace watch over them.
Joining us today to explain more about this tragic outbreak of color contamination and how to respond to it safely is official Safety Spokesmare for the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation, Clear Skies. Welcome!
I'm so glad to be here, Third Eye! Love the show. I don't like to miss an installment! It's so... civic-minded!
Well thank you, Clear Skies. We here at Cloudsdale Community Radio do strive to be civic-oriented patriots, after all!
The Cloudsdale Weather Corporation knows you do! And we appreciate your efforts!
So tell our listeners, Clear Skies, about color contamination. I believe this is the first occurrence of it in nearly a decade?
That's right, Third Eye! Back before the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation shuttered the dangerously outmoded and backward-looking Weather Factory, color contamination was, unfortunately, quite common! We're all familiar, of course, with the Magenta #37 escape attempt of 975, and Black Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in 983. And of course many ponies lost their lives in the Electric Blue containment breach of 950.
Not our cities finest hours.
I should say not! But thanks to the Cloudsdale Weather Corporations environmentally sound modern weathersmithing techniques, such incidents have been massively curtailed!
Until today.
Well, aren't you sharp as cirrus to notice that! Yes, today unfortunately there was a pinksplosion in the Foreign Quarter. Thankfully, the Cloudsdale Weather Corporations brand-new piezoelectric sky golems responded to the pinksplosion within minutes, and few ponies were harmed. Sadly, few is not the same as none! There are at least two confirmed cases who will struggle with the scourge of Pink Eye for many years, and many will suffer from severe and repeated bouts of Lovesickness until the pink can be thoroughly purged from their systems. The Cloudsdale Weather Corporation, in conjunction with the Senate, will be providing all necessary medical care completely free of charge!
How generous!
Isn't it just?
So what can ponies do to stay safe?
The piezeoelectric sky golems, which I'd like to STRESS are the product of Cloudsdale's second-to-none thaumaturgical engineering industries and are IN NO WAY imports, have established cordons around the epicenter of the pinksplosion, as well as those areas contaminated by fallout. Simply obey their commands, in this as in all other things, and you'll be as safe as a foal in a manger! Disobey, and well... they call them hot zones for a reason!
Ah, yes, speaking of which, we've gotten reports here at Cloudsdale Community Radio that unlike standard pinksplosions, which barely burn hot enough to melt normal cloudstuff, this one burned, and I have an eyewitness report here, "hot and bright and fierce and beautiful, like the sun, like a rainbow of only one color, like a heart torn from the chest of a still-living pony and smeared across the world until the terrible banality of reality diluted it to pinkness. It burned through everything, through white ice amalgam, through black ice barriers, through the minds of anypony who gazed upon it. I still feel the heat even now. I think I'll always feel it."
... flowery.
Gosh, isn't it? It sounds like this was some really hot pink! Maybe the hottest pink!
The what now?
The hottest pink.
Mmm, I still didn't get that.
The hot-
It sounds to this humble Safety Spokesmare, Third Eye, like you're using words that don't exist! That... particular shade... of pink has been disavowed by both the Cloudsdale Weather Corporation and Senate! It does not and cannot exist, and so the words that describe it cannot exist either! Because things that don't exist can't have referents that do exist! That's Cloudsdale Weather Corporation approved logic!
The CWC has a logic department?
The Cloudsdale. Weather. Corporation. Say the full name. Like a polite pony. You're a polite pony, aren't you, Third Eye?
The, uh. The Cloudsdale Weather Corporation-
Better!
-has a logic department?
We sure do!
...
Were there any other questions, Third Eye? We're always glad to inform the citizenry, you know!
No, I uh, I think we've covered everything. Thank you so much for coming out!
Oh, no, thank YOU for having me! The Cloudsdale Weather Corporation is always glad to do its civic duty!
Coming up next, listeners, we have a sponsored segment on telling the difference between things that exist and things that do NOT exist. Brought to you by the Clousdale Weather Corporation.
It sure is, Third Eye. It sure is!
=========
"This 'pinksplosion' sounds dangerous. We should make sure to keep the Princess far away from it!"
"... you're lucky you're cute, Captain."
~~~fin~~~
This is part five of Welcome to Cloudsdale. The previous part may be found here.
The next part may be found here.
The Welcome to Cloudsdale masterpost may be found here.
9541724
I think I love you.
Hey I remember this
Whoof.
… I think this is the first Cadance of Cloudsdale story I've read.
(Also, psst, you seem to have some runaway italics near a paragraph beginning “Lieutenant Shining Armor!”.)
9541640
Well, more like 'teeth-grindingly obnoxious'.
Part of that is because he can walk over every other character and never gets any serious consequences for it. It's getting old. In fact, I'm waiting for Shining Armor to tell him as much: His 'aloof immortal' act is getting real old, and there are a number of actual immortals about who don't need to act like complete *ssholes to everyone else to feel better about themselves. You know who else does that? Discord.
I missed this; Our Princess Mi Amore Cadenza.
Ah, I'm so happy to see another update for this continuity. This was well worth the wait, Skywriter! Hopefully Cadance allows second chances on that riddle of hers.
I think the italics exploded at this part, unless that was intentional.
Hmm. Well, that didn't go how I was expecting.
Bubble-stuff and tog clubs! I love the mixture of innocence and squalor you've got here.
Is Cadance sick because Cloudsdale is sick? Is that the kind of thing we've got going on here?
9541737
This may be a bad time to announce I'm thinking about cheating on you with other comments sections, then. :)
I have a lot of fun with Welcome to Cloudsdale, and may eventually take it "on tour."
9541952 It's not cheating if they are open comments...
(As a husband for (counts on fingers) almost 35 years (ye gads I'm old), I would say duty is a huge part of it. To be there when she needs you instead of out having fun. To be holding a sick and squalling rug rat so she can just get five minutes in the bathroom to finish being sick herself. To care so much for her that when she is cut, you... are headed to the bathroom to get the bandages right then darnit even if the WOW raid is just starting and they'll kick you for being an AFK tank.)
It’s been a while since I’ve read some Cadance of Cloudsdale, yet I can’t help but relive when so fell in love with it so long ago. Wow, how the time flies. This slow-burn romance for a canon pairing that started 7 years ago still somehow keeps me wanting to see its conclusion, and I’ll wait as long as I need to to reach it.
The poor filly. I too was surprised that Shining's version of The Answer went down as it did. And I'm beginning to suspect that was actually the whole point.
It's like Skywriter is purposely dragging out why H.E. Smiles is being such a pain deliberately.
Lovin' it!
9541724
No one appreciates a good corporate PR shill.
9541640
I just want you to give us a story, eventually, where we get to see Auric's face when he realizes that yes, Shining Armor is the stallion of Cadence's heart and life. It will be glorious.
Also -- loved Spitfire in this. She'll do just fine with the "yelling at ponies" thing.
Clearly the problem here can be solved by renting Cadance a copy of The Princess Bride.
It’s so great to revisit this larger story again, and this was a very satisfying one-shot full of great characters and world building. I’ve always been a big fan of the idea of the two Equestrian Captains of the show having some history, and meeting in a seedy strip club (or the opposite of one) with kicks thrown and comraderie growing from it fits the bill... and yet it was somehow much more sweet than that description suggests. I was thinking that Shining would bring Spitfire back to help with the Princess’s mission, as they could use someone local who knows how things really work. I’ll hold out hope that he still might when Cadance feels up to hiring.
I’m glad that Shining call Auric on his overprotective routine... Personally, while I agree that the catbird is a jerk, the fact that I know how wrong he is in the end makes it easy for me to put up with him and instead sympathize with him a bit.
Excellent job on letting us spend a bit of time with the prayer-givers... they were charming, each in their own way, and it gave an extra touch of empathy for their prayers at the end which wonderfully complemented the overwhelming scene. We all suffer together indeed. Shining’s devotion being a needed anchor for a Cadance being swept away by a maelstrom of Alicorn power was a great scene to cap the tale, with the understanding between the two protectors following on from that. I do wonder about the Pinksplosion... is pink simply the color of love’s power incarnate? At first I took it as simply Cadance’s magic flooding everything, but then I remembered that her unicorn magic is blue (Shining’s is pink). Either way, Too Much Pink is simply objectively more entertaining.
9541882
Interesting angle. Cloudsdale clearly has problems that are relatively easy to sweep under, made worse by the fact that Pegasi can more in three dimensions more readily than any other tribe so there's a lot of "under" to sweep into. And props to Skywriter for keeping with a theme alluded to in the show itself, that Pegasus Ponies on the lower rung of society literally live on the lower rungs. We've seen that with Vapour Trail, a single child of apparently well-off parents with a cloud home and Sky Stinger, who has lots of siblings and who grew up on the ground. Or Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, for that matter.
Though I think it's not just Cloudsdale. I doubt Canterlot would've been much better on Hearts and Hooves Day. Cadance's problem is more that she's half a goddess: She hears all the prayers but she can't give them miracles. Kind of the worst possible deal there.
9542625
This. Imagine Cadance having to go through the challenges we know she'll face in the future without Shining Armor by her side. That won't end well. Who's going to be there for her? Auric? Good luck with that. The only upside might be that Chrysalis wouldn't be able to drain as much love from Shining Armor then. Might, because Shiny isn't going to stop loving Cadance no matter whether she knows of it.
9542627
Also interesting insight. Has Cadance seen Shining Armor's barrier magic yet? Maybe she's instinctively copying it to protect herself and/or channelling her own budding love for the one whose magic is supposed to keep her safe.
Ultimately, every character struggles with the same questions to different degrees: What is love? How can I find it? Am I worthy of it?
The only one who thinks he has an answer is Auric, but he's wrong. There are no easy answers to this. So everyone bumps into each other, sparks fly but they drift apart again, like the furniture in Cadance's room.
The puns. They never end (well for Shiny.) I loved the random bit of (very British) comedy between the two guards at the end. Really brought the fic some levity that it sorely needed right at that moment, taking the very introspective and dramatic tension down a notch so the meeting with Cadance would be smoother. I would have dearly liked the meeting to be a bit more emotional, a bit more tender maybe... or, well, anything more than it was. Felt like a short snippet compared to the dialogue after. I admit it was probably fitting, seeing as how this fic was all about Shiny in the end.
9542627 You seem to have a good taste for fics as well. Wonder if I'll ever coerce you into drawing a cover pic for a fic.
9541952
I have no problem having an open relationship with your comments.
Well, this was certainly a good read.
Fantastic work, both on its own merits and as a link in the chain. Cloudsdale is a city in a tailspin, and HE Skies still refuses to let go of the controls. Part of me suspects that the office is empty, just waiting for Cadance to decide she's had enough and charge in.
For now, she has to deal with a sudden prayersplosion, a lictor who she probably should've heard out, and a griffish "benefactor" who's either her worst friend or her best enemy. (And seriously, asking what the meaning of love is like she's trying to solve a crossword clue may be half the reason why she's still searching for an answer.)
Brilliant work with Spitfire's origin, and with portraying the city's rot at every level. And the scene of Cadance hearing the lovelorn was truly epic. I have to wonder if that sort of thing has happened to Twilight.
All told, wonderful to see another entry in the saga. Thank you for it. Here's looking forward to the next one.
Thoughtful, pun-filled, and witty. Overall, this installment was plenty of fun and had the worldbuilding, as well as the Shiny and Cady character highlighting, that your writing showcases. Was very worth the wait.
9541724
Someone needs to collect all of these together. I think you've pretty much got a story in of itself here.
Hopefully the Princess doesn't end up like Psycho Mantis, hearing everypony's smutty thoughts.
Or, if you happen to be in Canterlot where they're more fancy about talking about nubile mares getting their saddles on, a dressage club.
As always I love so much about this, but for some reason "Pink like the end of all things" tops everything else. Spitire being just a bouncer at a reverse strip club before getting a suggestion Shining armor, amazing. Pretty much everything, both good and bad, Auric says, is just either great fun, super dramatic, or a combination of the two. Just how clear this makes it that even now Shining is hopelessly in love with her is just perfect. But in the end no matter how many good bits, that single line is what stays with me the most.
Having only read this story and its immediate precursor, I am rather puzzled about many things. However, one thought I can express with absolute confidence is my relief and satisfaction at Shining calling out Auric on his BS.
Someday I must know how Auric interacts with Flurry. I know that day is still far off.
Man, that scene with Cadance at the end still got me tearing up on a re-read.
This cleaned up really nicely (modulo some verb tense issues that got introduced with the edits, if you're still fiddling with it; if not, don''t worry about it). Really glad to see it go live!
9543569 I need to make a masterpost or something somewhere, yeah.
I'm not sure about collecting them elsewhere formally though; part of the point of Welcome to Cloudsdale is that its hidden metafiction within the comments of larger stories, kind of a reward for drilling down. I sort of... stumbled into it, because Skywriter actually likes it and I have his tacit permission to put what is essentially fanfiction OF his fanfiction within the comments of his larger work.
Is it weird that the thing I want to know most now is if Cocoa and Champagne ever figure it out themselves? Maybe they need a little push to hash it all out.
Also, poor lovestruck Shining always being assumed gay. Such a great running joke.
Fun and interesting. A worthy entry in the cycle.
I really liked Spitfire, and Shining Armor's almost unwitting devotion was wonderful and somehow hilarious to behold.
9544287
Please point out, I want it to be consistent. Dang it, I never should have constrained myself to an artifical rule...
9543697
My local pony thread termed it a "clad club."
...
There is a shocking amount of convergeant thought on this particular idea, isn't there...?
9544466
Does the google doc still have the most recent version, or can you copy and paste the current version in?
For twenty beautiful minutes today, I lived in a universe in which there were words in the Cadance of Cloudsdale series that I hadn't devoured yet. It was a lovely vacation; thank you!
9541512
No, he's not gay, he just said it like three times!
9545569
I was told that the idea also occurs in "Conversion Bureau"-type stories, which I've never really read. It's an obvious funny idea that people just leap to, I guess.
9546119
Hopefully you can live in that world a bit longer.
9546073
Okay, I copied the FiMFic version back over to Gdocs to account for all the fiddly little corrections I've been making here on the site.
9541747
I hope you do! You're in the credits, so it'd be a little awkward if you didn't.
9541813
I hope that's a good whoof! Also, italics fixed now, thanks.
9541831
In this chronology, the griffs were Discord's direct creations, and I think they bear more than a little of their maker's stamp.
9541835
It's good to post more of it, too!
9541874
I certainly hope she does, too! Otherwise this whole series will end with a deconstruct of the idea of boiling things down to a simple concept I suppose.
9541882
It kind of seems that way! Although I suspect she'd be at least a little overwhelmed by a perfectly healthy community under the circumstances.
9541957
You're not really married until you've helped clean up some form of barf.
9542186
I hope the wait is not too long.
9542212
True love ain't just perfect success the first time, I guess!
9542575
It's almost as though there's something sinister going on.
9542598
Well, I mean, I do when it's presented in the form of a nice meta-fic in my comments.
9542625
We'll see if this series gets that far.
9542627
Magic aura colors be darned, she is the pinkest of all princesses.
9542741
It would have been a different and also enjoyable way to go, but I felt this way kept it on theme a little better, maybe?
Obviously this neat symbolism you noticed was TOTALLY INTENTIONAL because that would make me smart and cool.
9542894
Thanks for saying so!
9543259
Glad you liked! I hope the next one begins to answer some questions. My pre-readers are growing impatient with the languid pace of my reveals, so I'll probably step it up a little.
9543486
Thanks so much! It means a lot to hear you say that!
9543674
I suspect a little of that goes with the territory.
Fission Mailed?
9543732
I was fond of it myself.
9543752
It kind of is BS, isn't it! Hopefully if you decide to trawl the previous stories it clears things up a bit rather than muddying the waters further.
9543819
I actually am not sure how he'd react, but that's probably beyond the scope of this series anyway.
9544349
Maybe they'll figure something out someday!
9544465
Great! Glad it worked for you!
9546174
Two points, nothing but net.
9547456
Anytime! Pink princess words from you make my day!
9546341
Juggling a lot of things today but I'll try to find some time to take a pass.