”Props thinks she can patch up the hull damage, but the steam engine is going to take an extra long period of time. We’re grounded for the time being.”
Bellesmith nodded, lying in the corner of the dark room as she cradled the soundstone in her forelimbs. “And what of Floydien?”
”Mr. Floydien is… angry.”
“But isn’t he always angry?”
”It’s different this time. It’s focused. It’s channeled. I shudder for anypony within earshot if he were to cross paths with your captor.”
Belle sighed. “Yeah, well, Pilate, he’s not the only one ready to blow a gasket at the sight of the enforcer.”
”How are you being treated, Belle? Has he hurt you terribly?”
“I… uhm…” Belle fidgeted. “I’ve been left alone for the most part.”
”Please don’t hide the details from me. I want to know everything.”
“I am being honest, beloved. Shell is… distant.” She gulped. “It’s almost as if he’s not really there. Quite likely he thinks that he’s done the worst he possibly can to me so far. I’m expected to bend psychologically to his will now.”
”Though I shudder to make the suggestion, it is probably prudent of you to play along, Belle. So long as he expects your fealty, I suspect he’ll keep you in one piece.”
“I don’t think I even fit much into the equation. He’s obsessed with his daughter, Imre.” Belle sighed. “May the Spark liberate her soul…”
”Did his love bring about her death?”
“I’m still trying to figure it out, Pilate. But however she died, it’s traumatized him intensely. He’s intent on communicating with her through sequencing. He’s in denial of a great deal of guilt. If it was any other stallion, I’d almost pity him.”
”Is that even possible?
“What? Sympathizing with Prime Enforcer Shell? Spark, no!”
”No, I mean sequencing with Imre so soon after her death.”
Belle bit her lip. “Theoretically, yes. I’ve heard of cases where it’s been done before. What matters is having the right equipment. And this Far Ridge place…” She shrugged into the shadows. “I simply do not know.”
”You just keep him preoccupied, Belle. We’ll find a way to get to you. I swear it.”
“Pilate, how can that possibly be an option?” Belle exclaimed. “It’s been proven time and time again that the Noble Jury is no match for battleships, and with the skystone on the fritz, what chance is their in outrunning Shell’s… erhm… shells?”
”We simply can’t leave you in his clutches!”
“We’ve been heading north, Pilate,” Belle said. “It’s in the opposite direction of where you need to be going.”
”Where… we need to be g-going?”
Belle’s face hardened as she said, “Go save Rainbow Dash, Pilate. Get her, Roarke, and Kera out of their predicament. Then you can worry about me.”
”B-but--”
“All that matters is Rainbow Dash, Pilate,” Belle said. She smiled painfully, her eyes moist. “Bring the wind to her wings, and she’ll take care of the rest.” The mare shuddered. “She always does.”
Silence.
”You have always been a beacon of hope and courage for me, beloved.”
“Now now, Pilate. Don’t speak with such finality.”
”I-I cannot help it…” His voice wavered with emotion. “Every time the stone goes silent, I’m convinced it’s the last time I will ever hear from you. I can’t sleep… can’t think straight, knowing you are where you are…”
Belle clenched her eyes shut, taking a few seconds to compose herself. Bravely, she changed the topic. “Any news from Josho?”
Pilate hesitated a bit. ”N-news?” He cleared his throat, and his voice evened out slightly. ”Not exactly. Because of the entanglement, I get… uhm… s-sensations, mostly. I feel a jolt every now and then, as if his pulse is quickening. I also find m-myself getting a little bit short with the other crew members.”
“Short?”
”Ebon asked me if I wanted dinner delivered to my bunkroom and I responded with a blunt request indicative of our pegasus friend.”
Belle managed a weak smile. “Yes, well, Ebon does have a habit of being nosy.”
”He only means well. He’s such a fantastic, sincere friend. Everypony on board is so fantastic, Belle. You… You should be with us. By the Spark, you should be…”
“I’m working on it, Pilate. It’s not gonna be easy. I have to find a way to convince Shell that… that…”
Silence.
”Convince him of what, beloved?”
There was a series of hoofsteps trotting towards the door to the room.
“Pilate, I have to go.”
”But Belle--!”
“Manawave silence!” She sneered, shoving the glowing shard into the fibers of her tail hairs. “I mean it!” She cleared her throat and folded her legs beneath her.
With a creaking noise, a wave of bright light wafted over Belle’s figure. She squinted into the outside world.
Evans’ shadow stood in the doorway, flanked by two guards. “We’re here,” he said in a dull tone. “The Prime Enforcer wants you.”
Belle exhaled slowly as she was hoisted up on all fours. “I’ll try to contain my excitement…”
So, Belle's playing along to the tune of Shell's madness, the Jury knows that Josho's alive, and Belle needs to convince Shell of... something.
So many secrets running around Belle's head. Let's see where this leads.
Curious. And we still don't know what freaked Roarke out. She's not gonna be escaping soon either unless out little spy gets here way.
Why do I get the feeling that Floydien won't be too happy with postponing his appointment with Shell? Though I agree with Belle; getting paint bucket first might be a smart choice.
Also, why is the image of Pilate being snippy so funny? I'm imagining Josho's attitude expressed in Pilate's verbiage, and the result, oddly enough, is something like a snooty English waiter.
I hope Belle doesn't think Shell can be redeemed. He tried to kill her beloved, which is unforgivable.
Wait a minute. I don't know if the Tree of Harmony exists in this universe ... but if it does, we can probably expect Equestria to be overrun with vines sooner rather than later. After all, tons of chaos can't be good for its health, and there's no way to heal it what with most of the Elements out of commission. Meaning that the ring could deteriorate even faster, threatening reality as we know it. Now there's a nice piece of Fridge Horror to chew on.
Hmm, I wonder how she'll get Shell to sequence. All of the characters who have survived sequencing have had their horns sheared off. Maybe Shell's brain wil melt? Nah we won't be that lucky.
3533585 An interesting point. Our tumblr writer had a LOT of swearwords to say after that episode.
3533585
That actually occurred to me shortly after the episode aired. I think in my Austraeoh-headcanon, the Tree of Harmony is connected to the machine world (it even looks metallic, for crying out loud).
Just keep on living the life you've been given, Belle. You can make it!
Two fillies, playing along with their captors in hopes of saving their friends.
~Basso
3533737 And of course something is going to go horribly wrong
things are going to get very messy, because even if Belle is successful, Shell Cannot beielve anything she, or so called Imre says. It goes against everything he is.
Something tells me facing what Imre truly thinks of him will finally break Shell. He'll confront the fact that he has failed everything he ever stood for and he will lose.
I keep thinking...doesn't Shell sequencing mean he'd have to remove his horn, or does he want Belle to sequence for him and communicate through her to Imre? I hope it's the former. He's crazy enough at this state that he's missing very obvious details like the sound stone...unless he just doesn't care about it, and he's seeming to not focus on things so maybe if he is that out of it he'll remove his horn to sequence...and be vulnerable to attack...at this point as much as I'd like Nevlams to eat him, I'd be fine with having Floydian PASTE his ass.
Oh, Belle. Hopefully your level of awesomeness is enough to carry you through this.
3534260 The biggest question,will he subvert the "Don't shoo the messenger" rule when he's told?
3535232
No. He will definitely shoot the messenger.
Fortunately, I always thought it should be Belle who lands the killing blow. For all his obsession with Dash, he's more Belle's nemesis.
It's funny when you think about it. As the Jurors were slowly healing the wounds that torture and isolation had torn into Floydien's psyche, he became less and less focused on his hatred for the Ledomartians. Even so, he never really sought vengeance, only a way to escape. What they did to his beloved ship and to himself may have broken him - but only when Simon died did he reach that critical point when nothing you have is more precious to you than a chance to have your revenge. On the one hand, he is now a greater weapon in service of the Spark than ever before... on the other hand, he teeters at the edge of damnation. Also, while his confrontation with Shell seems written in stone, I also worry about the fact that at some point he almost certainly will meet Nightshade in person; that, I am sure, will be just lovely for the both of them. Related picture for today:
static.comicvine.com/uploads/original/11/117031/3253986-tumblr_m8hoydgzdz1r3onvto1_1280.jpg
3534419 N-e-v-l-a-m-a-s, damn you.
I keep wondering how Evans plays into all of this. Is he loyal to shell out of fear or admiration?
Belle has the opportunity to buy a lot of time for herself. Maybe even weeks. Rainbow Dash and the others in the hold have no time at all. And since we know that our favorite pegasus lives to see another battle (right, IC...), she'll have plenty of time to save Belle. But realistically, what that really means is that there's plenty of time for things to go wrong in saving Belle.
I think Shell's too far gone to be convinced of anything at this point, but hey, may as well give it a shot.
Belle needs to cause a mutiny somehow.
That will get rid of Shell and maybe get her back south also, then we won't have to use up 15 chapters just to get her back
IIIIIt's Dashie's evaluation time!
This was sad...but almost heartwarming. Almost. I don't think any harm will come to Belle as of right now, and if she plays her cards right, maybe she can manipulate Shell's shattered mind to her own will...But Belle's not really that kind of a person. These are my thoughts so far.
-MASH
3629040
Your right that bell is not he kind of pony to manipulate, but when lives are on the line, it will be interesting to see what lengths she will go to, to get back to the jury and plate.(sorry about the gramer)
I beleve we will not see much of her intell the end of the story
>Belle exhaled slowly as she was hoisted up on all fours. “I’ll try to contain my excitement…”
I misread "excitement" as "excrement"
Well, at least Belle's still hanging in there. Pilate's almost keeping it together. I'm interested to see what Imre might have to say to Shell, considering she offed herself to stay away from him. That is what happened, right? It's been a while...
Onward!
That actually sums up my feelings about Shell quite well.
Let's see how this confrontation goes...
-Spirit
Speak for yourself, Belle.
3705604
You should continue to contain it.
Dammit, Belle, stop being so likable and strong!
5480927 Smoke shit evry day
"Can you make a collect call?"
So, the Jury's actually faring pretty well. Floydian's begun to heal, Nancy Jane is getting patched up, Josho's alive and kicking (and they know it), and Belle's ready to run rabid on Shell's shell of a mind.
Finished Pablo Honey.
If belle can convince shell to chop off his horn, that'd be great.
That is Floydien's secret, boomer.
5484281
People do that you known. They get high off the fines.
Last thing we need it Belle getting high as a kite...then getting blown sky high.
8082729
Is.. Is that a hulk reference?