Bellesmith sat in her seat, numb, her face gray and silent.
Ponies in lab uniforms shuffled around her, attaching the necessary wires and cables to her limbs.
She glanced up only once, to witness the length of red coils being attached to her broken horn. With a sigh, her eyes fell towards the metal box standing upon a pedestal before her.
At that moment, Dalton walked into view. He bore a weathered, mustached smile. "Ever the diligent unicorn, I see."
Belle exhaled through her nostrils. Silently, she avoided his gaze.
His smile dissolved. With a nervous clearing of his throat, he leaned in and spoke in a soft voice, "Darling, I am most terribly sorry for the fact that you've been pulled here yet again. If only I had more power in the facility, I'd—"
"Garnet can't do anything," Belle said in a mumbling voice. "This is Enforcer business now. It's out of all our hooves, including yours."
Dalton's mouth hung open. With a melancholic drooping of his ears, and stared off into the shadows of the magically humming room. "There was a time when Ledomaritans had decency, when they saw science as a study of nature, and not some mechanical artifice to be exploited. We're supposed to be discoverers, not plunderers." With a muffled growl, he lifted his head up and glanced at the empty, translucent windows high above. "It's all this damn war's fault. Peace should have been made with Xona years ago. If Sera had been around still, instead of Ledo, then we would have had a Queen whose logic overweighed her pride and—"
"Shhhh..." Belle managed a weak smile. "Watch what you say this deep underground."
"But it's absolutely unfair! They—"
"If Shell's running the place now, then there're more eyes and ears down here than there ever were before," she said calmly. "Don't say things that will get yourself in trouble, Dalton. You can't afford it—not at your age."
His mouth slowly shut. He gave a gentle nod. "You're a genius as always, darling," he said. "Dare I say a saint as well?"
She managed a dry chuckle, parting her mane to the side as the technicians added the finishing touches to her limbs. "Well, Pilate thinks so."
"Did you get any time with him? Any time at all?"
She gulped a lump down her throat and said, "We didn't leave each other's side." Her eyes twitched, as if spotting the shine of a crimson apple. Still, she uttered, "Not for one m-moment..."
"How I envy you at times," Dalton said.
Her face twisted confusedly. "Me? You'd like to be worked to the bone as well, Dalton?"
"I envy the fact that you have so many years left to cherish," he said. "Especially with your beloved." He gazed past her into nothingness as he whispered, "Long ago, back before the Confederacy grew militant, a community of ponies had a vision. They dreamed of a society built out of commitment, out of love, out of respect for the souls that inhabit this domain. Ponies would love each other, and their unions would infect the structure of civilization with their devotion, making prosperity blossom and spread throughout the world."
Dalton's eyes grew jaded as his jaw clenched into a wrinkled frown.
"But then the Matriarchy began, and the concept of unions bowed before the power of the one. Peace was a barricade against the flow of reckless ambition, and breakthroughs in magic became advances in weaponry. The only way to prosper was to make sure our neighbors did so our way, and to that purpose we annexed them, one by one, until we became what we are today. No wonder Xona wishes to resist us so much; we're a patchwork monster of assimilated cultures."
Belle looked at him with a sympathetic gaze. "How do you deal with it, Dalton? How can you stand to weather such a truth?"
He looked at her, and his lips broke into a smile. "I have Mildred, I have my children, and I have you. The way I see it, we were all placed on this world to love each other to the best of our abilities, even if those in power above us don't believe in the same thing. The way I see it, you are all my beloveds."
She returned a warm grin. With a melancholic sigh, she looked aside and said, "I wonder if Prime Enforcer Shell has a beloved."
"If you ask me," Dalton said, stepping back. "It's war." He nodded towards the technicians.
The technicians nodded back.
"Are you ready, darling?" Dalton asked as the metal sarcophagus rose up out of the floor on the far end of the room.
Belle inhaled sharply and said, "As ready as I am to be finished."
"Take your sweet time, Belle," Dalton said as he stepped out of the path of manalight piercing the box on the pedestal. "If anything, you can be guaranteed that the subject won't pressure you."
"Maybe I'll ask her who her beloved is," she said without thinking, closing her eyes.
"Sequencing Interface ind Three... Two... One..."
webstaurantstore.com/musselmans-apple-pie-filling-10-can/musselmans-apple-pie-filling-10-can.jpg
What did I say? Before it was only referred to as a 'cylinder' but now it's clear.
Dash be in there, the Element is in the box.
I Sense A Great Amount Of Important Backstory With Dalton...
Chapter the 26th: In Which We Learn About Ledomare
So, the next chapters with the sequencing could be very interesting. I'm glad we get to see more Dash, but I think this time we might get some information closer to current time. I'm really looking forward to these next few chapters.
We must move onwards!
Dashie!
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I never knew I didn't know so much about me. It makes me question how much about me I know that I knew before I realized what I know isn't true.
Hope that was confusing enough.
So they can have kids without them being stolen away! And sarcophagus? Hope you're not claustrophobic, Dash. Onward!
Sarcophagus, eh? That implies that it's Dashie's container, though I can't help but wonder: a. How they're keeping her alive, and b. How they're keeping the wild chaos forces at bay.
This reminds me greatly of the Soviet Union...
1541006 SOVIETS...
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get a concrete background on the history of Ledomare in this chapter. Apparently, they were once a peaceful nation until the "Matriarchy" began. (Interesting choice of words...I'll keep my eyes out for any future references to Axan.) Then, Ledomare became a nation of war and fighting - and in order for this kind of country to survive, it had to expand. That's why there's such a rich diversity of species - they're all from lands that Ledomare conquered. The reason why everyone we've seen so far is so skilled in magic is because they have to be to work at the science facility. And I think this is a rather interesting history - back in the day, it was peaceful and harmonious. Now, it is a nation of war and chaotic unrest. Before, only ponies (I'm assuming) lived in Ledomare. Mow, a myriad of random species take residence here. An interesting contrast between harmony and chaos, and one that I do not think was unintentional. This, Imploding, is very good writing. Kudos to you, good sir. (Or ma'am...or turkey...I don't think any of us are entirely sure what you are...) We get another reference to AppleDash here as well, (I'll forgive you due to the awesome writing) and we get some more sequencing in the following chapters. Those chapters seem to be the shorter ones, so that means I can rest my fingers a bit. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
I wonder how Discord is doing?
my guess is that this society is either the past version of silvadele, or the opposite of it. it has to be one or the other.
No...oh god please no....HOW CAN I NOT SEE THIS UNTIL NOW! WHY IS THIS MOVIE GETTING IN MY HEAD AFTER READING THIS CHAPTER! Why now and not before? Why The Cell? They ain't visiting dreams.
But yeah I don't know why but I suddenly got remind of The Cell....such a god dang weird movie if you ask me.
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I believe you forgot to mention that the place wasn't named Ledomare before, also of how it changes name on depending on the ruler at hand. Like maybe the Harmonious time where when it was called Seramare and etc.
Well, if it ain't Dalton J. Exposition, hander out of all worldly and political backstory. To be honest, that whole thing seemed a bit heavy-handed.
I declare that this can not go wrong!
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I agree, this chapter and the last have been exposition dumps, but I'll forgive it for the simple fact that this is the Austraeoh-Eljunbyro-Innavedr-whatever story cluster and information has never been so freely distributed.
Sweet time Belle...
Sweet i e Belle...
Sweetie Belle! Yes, I know just because it hasn't been said doesn't mean I should and I'm not funny.
i bet rainbow is in the metal sarcophagus
He looked at her, and his lips broke into a smile. "I have Mildred, I have my children, and I have you. The way I see it, we were all placed on this world to love each other to the best of our abilities, even if those in power above us don't believe in the same thing. The way I see it, you are all my beloveds."
THIS.
>Sequencing Interface ind Three... Two... One...
indIANA JONES
This matriarchy is sad. And the name is very familiar and foreboding.
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You are such an asshole, man. How could you? I expected better.
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Indiana Jones is best pony.
Well, into the fire . . .
Okay, so this Beloved business is the result of some societal wide philosophy? Must suck for the people who aren't in a relationship.
Bucking commies.
Okay, so back to the Animus! Woo! All Belle and no Dash makes Aiyon an angsty reader.
No, it doesn't; it just mildly perturbs me is all.
I simultaneously hope for and dread the day when Belle starts to love a fictional Applejack just as much - if not more - than Pilate, and the feels will be delicious.
Man, am I an emotional masochist or what?
And now I've pegged Dalton; He's Dr. Marcoh. This is too easy; throw me another one!
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I'd say Ledomare seems more fascist (with slightly less racism), considering how heavily militarized and autocratic they are
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They are definitely a Stern society, but not one I can't imagine doesn't or hasn't already existed.
I can easily see a society building itself around stone cold principles in war times.
War changes everything, even if the answer is simple, the actions used to reach those goals are often atrocious.
Bellesmith is Tempus Shadow confirmed.
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I agree, Belle is Tempest Shadow!
Or- Fizzlepop Berrytwist :D