Spark's Sake
Belle's hooves crunched over errant leaves and pine needles littering the path. Her trot was a serpentine one, weighted by hunger and exhaustion as she limped left and right during her sluggish ascent. It hadn't occurred to her how little she had eaten, how little she had drank during her frequent bouts of collapse. Even opening her eyes was a difficult feat; the sun stabbed at her vision through the trees as she stumbled her way home.
Nevertheless, she kept her lids open. She had to stay focused, had to keep eying the forests, the ridges, the shapes of Blue Shelf for a single sign. She looked for black stripes, for twitching ears, for a handsome, smiling face. She saw nothing but blurred color hung between empty cottages as silent and cold as gravestones. If someone told her she was the last pony in Ledomare, Belle wouldn't have doubted it. Roads that were once full of travellers and yards that were once brimming with residents were empty now. An eerie silence hung over the community; it weighed on her like an ocean, and she was suffocating with each hoof step.
She knew she was home by its smell, not from the sight of its entrance. She stumbled through the gate, tripping once. For several minutes, she sat on the stoop before her house, not wanting to get up. If dreaming was something like death, then perhaps she might meet her beloved there.
There weren't enough memories to go by, nor were there any walls to silence her tears. She pulled herself up—a whimpering task—and more or less threw herself into the house.
She collapsed against the kitchen counter, and immediately lost her breath. A mana lantern was brimming right in front of her. She wasn't alone.
"Pilate...?" Her lips trembled. Shuffling about, she spun on her hooves and stood straight up with a pale, sickly smile. "Pilate!" She galloped into the study. "Pilate, you're—" She skidded to a stop, panting, her chestnut eyes wide.
Enforcer Shell looked up from a dusty book that was floating in his magical grip. He gave her one glance, calmly slapped the tome shut, and murmured in monotone, "I am not your beloved."
Bellesmith gulped.
His good eye gazed at her. Slowly, he shuffled through the windowlight and pulled two more books from a shelf. "The archives in and above the facility is lacking as of late. This is all property of the Confederacy anyways. I do hope you will not protest my acquisition of them."
"No... I..." Belle swallowed again and leaned in the office doorway. "I d-do not protest, Enforcer Shell..."
"Good," he said, lethargically flipping through the pages of another book. "I doubt you would have much strength to do so." He inhaled and formed a stack with the canvas-bound items. "Word is, you haven't been up to much, lately. You seem to be encumbered quite a bit with the continual side effects of your sequencing. One wonders if you ever sleep to rest anymore..."
"How..." Belle's eyes tiredly narrowed. "H-how did you...?"
"It is my business to know everything I can," he said matter-of-factly, not even looking at her. "That's why I took over the experiment from the Council of Ledo, after all. I had a problem to solve, and you were the key."
"I... I tried... tr-tried to..."
"What matters is you brought me halfway. For a moment there, it seemed as though I would be empty-hoofed," he muttered, squinting through a final manuscript. "Albeit, I am a soldier, and more than anything I know how to adapt and survive." He gazed uper at her, his one eye sharply glinting. "That's something you're sorely in need of learning yourself, Doctor."
"Enforcer... Enforcer Sh-Shell, sir..." She dryly coughed and trotted towards him, trying to stand as upright as possible. Nervertheless, her chin and neck trembled as she said, "Please. Take me back. Let me return to the facility so that I can do more sequencing."
"How noble of you," he droned. "But exactly what would that accomplish?"
"I... I can get more information—"
"That you would only reveal in spurts after a prolonged period of catatonic silence? I hardly doubt that—"
"Look, I can get you what you're looking for!" she suddenly shrieked, her eyes flaring. "I can get you Rainbow Dash! Austraeoh! Eljunbyro! Whatever! Just let me connect back with her! For real, this time! W-with the machines and-and-and Dalton as supervisor and the entire facility providing—"
"Doctor Bellesmith, the facility has provided all it could," Shell said unemotionally. "You were given every resource when Professor Garnet was supervising, and I certainly have given you all I could and more. But when you underdeliver, you underdeliver. I came here to get a mission accomplished, and quite frankly, Doctor, you do not have what it takes to get the job done." He slapped the last book onto the stack with a loud thud. "Consider yourself discharged."
"Then why do you keep me here?!" she shouted, rushing up to him. Shaking. "Why take away so many ponies, so many gifted and talented equines, and leave m-me in this place like some infected th-thorn?! It makes no sense! If you really need me, th-then let me be of use! Bring me back into the facility again!"
"Doctor—"
"I want out of here!" she shrieked. Tears streamed down her cheeks. After two heaves, she blurted again, "I want out of Blue Shelf! I will do everything I can to earn it! I have to get out of here! I have..." She bit her lip, grimaced, and hid her face in her hooves. "I-I need to find him. I need to track down my beloved. I've... I've failed him..." She sniffled, then sobbed. "I don't know how or why, but I w-wasn't enough for him. We l-loved each other so much. It just doesn't make sense... it doesn't..."
Shell gazed down at her quietly. He raised a hoof... and brushed her aside. Levitating the books, he trotted slowly into the kitchen on heavy haunches. "A lot of things don't make sense, Doctor. Some of us, however, know the fine art of patience. Maybe someday, you too will learn it. I, at least, have faith in you in that regards. That is why you're still here. The experiment must go on."
She slowly calmed her breaths, gazing up at him. Through her tears, she squinted at what he was carrying. With a furrowed brow, Bellesmith murmured, "What... Those are Pilate's books." She sniffled and stared at him squarely. "What do you need them for?"
He made for the doorway. "Not all of us are so hopeless, Doctor. We had what we need now. Stay here until further instructed."
Her mouth hung open. As Shell left the cottage, and the door slammed shut, her ears didn't twitch. She stood up straighter, murmuring aloud, "Why would you need me, unless I still had answers to give? But I had no answers. Just words... just symbols..." Her eyes twitched. With a gasp, she glanced into the kitchen, eyeing the glowing light of the lantern that resembled a floating manasphere. Just then, she clenched her teeth. "He left... on a zeppelin?!"
Her breath turn into a hiss, and that hiss turned into a snarl. With a ghostly burst of strength, Belle jumped onto her hooves and thundered out of the cottage. The door flew open and dirt kicked up beneath her legs as she rocketed towards the Enforcer.
Shell was turning around at the last second.
"You!" Belle shrieked and flung her forelimbs into him. It was like flower petals slamming against a gray stone. Shell held her back with one hoof, and yet she snarled and spat at him. "Where is he?! Where did you take him?!"
"You're weak and exhausted, Doctor," he said in an icy tone. "I think you should lie down—"
"No! No more sleeping!" she shouted. "No more sequencing, no more searching. All you want is answers! All you want is a solution to the puzzle! Is that why you took him?! Is that why you stole my beloved away from me?!"
"This proves nothing except that you are as hysterical as you are delusional—"
"He doesn't know anything!" she said, her voice degenerating into a sob. "He's a scholar and a researcher, yes! But he knows nothing! He hasn't seen what I've seen, or felt what I felt!" She hissed and shoved ineffectually at the stallion. "He has nothing that you want!"
"Nothing but a new series of clues," Shell retorted, his eye narrowing, slicing her panicked expression in two. "A living lexicon that can and will open the door that you are blind to."
"Let me see him!" Belle growled.
"And unlike you, he answers to persuasion—"
"Let me see him!" she shrieked. "I'll unlock your damn door! I'll tell you all about the pegasus! Just let me—"
"You have not flown all the paths she has flown," a thunderous voice rang in her ears. "You do not have her wind."
Belle's eyes widened. In a fit of dizziness, she tilted her muzzle towards the heavens. "No!"
"She is the key, the spark for this world, and for you..."
"No, not now!" she fell on her leg joints and heaved. The mountains spun around her. "Please, for Spark's sake! Not right now!" she sobbed.
"You can ask and you can beg but you cannot even help yourself," Shell's voice said as his blob of a shadow wandered off into the tempests. "And a Ledomaritan with no worth does not deserve a beloved..."
She clenched her teeth as her eyes flickered red and rolled back. "Don't... don't leave me..."
"Shhhhh..."
In a cloud of dust, Belle fell to the dirt below. "Pilate..."
"Listen to the wind, my child, and it shall save you."
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Hah. I knew Pilate wouldnt just up and leave like that.
Not sure if this is really bad timing, or really good timing from Whitemane.
Shit.......I think Enforcer Shell accidentally dropped it
Anyways, who else thinks Belle and Dash are going to raise some heavy shit now?
Methinks the zebra is no more.
Whitemane is taking a more direct role in things now. Belle was about to get herself in serious trouble, and Whitemane remotely knocked her out for her own good. As much as we would have liked to see her rage against Shell, this is probably better. However, it's looking more and more like Belle is not the key to Rainbow Dash's revival. "You do not have her wind." Seems pretty conclusive. Along with "Listen to the wind, my child, and it will save you," it's sounding like the 'wind' is something external to the both of them, something Belle needs to retrieve and bring to Dash.
i.qkme.me/35m2pn.jpg
I- I...
Oh hell, this isn't going to end well. Things are cascading like a high-level network meltdown.
Also, I really want to see Bellesmith go super-glowy and walk with invulnerability through the Depths of the Facility before cracking Rainbow out of storage and resuscitating her.
Fuck Enforcer Shell. Seriously.
Oh, and
FOR YOU WHAT, WHITEMANE
FOR YOU WHAT
1653621
Fair enough.
Rise Up - Testament
Get yo shit together Belle. So Belle isn't the wind Dash needs? Then what is?
1652515
I'm gonna agree that its some sort of external force/artifact thing.
And Dash is the spark for Belle? So Belle has to bring the wind to Dash, and then Dash will bring the spark to Belle. Reciprocation! Then they can both go save Pilate and overthrow Douchey-Mc-Douche-pants Shell and all the rest of the stupid overlords. Or something. Until tomorrow!
Whitemane, what the fuck.
1652467I'v had this exact video on replay or the whole day!
1655055. lol That's awesome.
Wow. Blue Shell, congratulations. You've learned the all-important aspect of being an insufferable cunt while furthering a totalitarian regime.
And also, Whitemane has successfully reversed one of my previous comments, in the most fitting way:
memeorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Shh-No-Tears-Only-Dreams-Now-Rustled--500x200.png
1654633
Pwease... dun owerfrow me pwease.
1. Belle's not seeing black and white anymore; soon, she might stop seeing in black and white.
2. Fun fact: aria is Italian for "air."
1655459
Sorry, bud, but you're kinda evil
Maybe if they overthrow you nicely? I'm sure there's a nice little town somewhere you can be mayor instead
I knew Pilate wouldn't simply leave her!
Damn that Shell guy-pony!
1655473
LEDOMARE, SUPREME OVERLORD OF... Riverton.
Well, if I work hard I can attempt to conquer its Tri-State area or something.
Also, this has given me a glorious idea for a story detailing King Sombra's mayoral election.
Just imagine Sombra in a tie and business suit delivering a POWERFUL EVIL ORATION on how he's going to cut Ponyville's debt. (It's harder than you'd think; look at how many disasters they have!)
Pfftt.
Do it. I'm sure it'd be riveting. He'd accomplish more that way than he did in the actual show, anyway 
Ass...
1655644 Sombra actually would be a good mayor for Ponyville.
Namby Pamby: "How do you plan to revitalize our economy after the latest disaster?"
Sombra: "CRYSSSSTALS"
Namby Pamby: "Well, most of the crystals in the Ponyville area are in diamond dog territory. What do you plan to do about the diamond dogs?"
Sombra: "SLAAAVES"
Haha! I called it! Knowledge! Knowledge is what everyone wants, especially oppressive governments.
And I reeeeeeeeaally do not like enforcer shell. At ALL...
So why do they still need Belle if they think Pilate is better suited for sequencing with RD? She must still have something of use, they must just be waiting for her to be less delusional?
Onwards!
Ugh, poor Belle. These fits seem to be popping up at exactly the most inconvenient time. Let's just hope Whitemane knows what she's doing, and that Pilate is still alive somewhere- even without his trusty manasphere.
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
So we get lots more emotions in this chapter, although Imploding does seem to be segwaying back into the story portion a little bit. We were right about Pilate too. He was taken by force. These big military officials seriously do not understand the bond between beloveds...it's like Jack and Rose from Titanic. Also, I thought it was cool to see Whitemane pull Belle out of the action before she got herself into serious trouble attacking Shell. It's a nice way to show that Whitemane is truly present and always watching over Belle. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
P.S. Dang it, it's eleven minutes late...ah, well. I don't think anyone really minds.
When you feel like taking an axe to Shell's head, you know that IC/SS&E has done a good job.
that bastard is going to die, i can tell already.
As if he'll be able to do anything...HA!
So that's Belle's quest, villain, and goal clearly set out. Time to Adventure: T minus 2-3 chapters!
1859795>>2125796 i dont mind that you are eleven minutes late im 20 weeks late to reading it
2589104 Bitch pls I am 29 weeks late
get on my level
2711458
And I'm almost twice that late.
dang. Still, for some reason i've been getting the feeling since the begin that Shell isn't completely void of decency. Just mostly.
I knew Pilate didn't just leave.
And Whitemane ruined Belle's attempts at possibly getting Pilate back 
Also, I am determined to use every face at least once. I've used almost all the PInkies, almost all the Flutters, all the Derpies, all the Apples, all the Dashes, almost all the Rarities, All the Trixies, almost all the Twilights, and half the bottom row.
1652871
Just thought I should point out that you read it wrong. But this is old news, now.
This wind stuff is getting crazy.
This is painfull...
Called it.
It's all about that wind. Wind sealed Discord. Wind blew away the ashes. Wind carries Rainbow on her journey. More and more I feel like this is all inspired by the intro to the Wheel of Time.
3419375 99 weeks later... we're getting exponential with this!
Alright, Whitemane's here to rally the troops and hone Belle!Dash's willpower. Come on, girl! You can do it! Show that phony Sun God who's boss! They'll see who the real second-rate alchemist is! Fight! Fight!
Seriously the key and the gate the midnight armory is beyond the stars and the spheres are the key, Yog does not suffer fools and there are days worse than death.
We are one tentacle away from some cosmic horror show
And at this point the true nature of Ledomare is revealed. It sees all as expendable, and thus is not worth serving. it will likely collapse in a decade at most due to internal dissent.
04/25/2017 14:40 UTC
8119336
I second this.
Like the great Roman impire, tehire deck is about to fold.
They've been playing the wrong cards,
And they WILL lose the game
Oh dear, crap has hit the fan.
The ending of this chapter has the last words of Rainbow Dash in Austraeoh!
2711458
29 weeks, huh? Yeah, that's pretty late... but not compared to 553 weeks! Boom, dunked on.