And Lil'pip pauses to wax poetic about Velvet for a little while, showing that she hasn't gotten over the school-filly crush she had on her. And Lil'pip adjusts her priority list, putting saving Velvet at the top, though she notes that not at the expense of the slaves.
Lil'pip fumbles at a lock, mentally wishing she had a Mintal to help, before eventually getting in and taking out some guard ponies, while the majority of them are kept busy outside trying to deal with Calamity's aerial attacks. She instantly realizes that she had fired and killed ponies based solely on assumption that they were enemies, granted it was true in this case, but it does give her a start. And looking around, we find that the pony who has already proven she will take any weapon she can find and make damn good use of it, has locked her self inside the Slavers armory.
Seven ammo boxes (half of them locked), two gun cabinets and a weapons locker (also locked) later, I was less like a pony and more like a walking arsenal.
I see good times ahead.
And proving that her curiosity trumps everything, after loading up, she starts hacking the computer to see what's on it, giving us two little bits, the first a message from the past, detailing more about the Ministries, giving us the Ministry of Morale, something about a ban on Zebra trade, which the leader of the MOM dislikes and only selectively enforces, and that the MOM seems to have a rather 1984 vibe, being able to charge ponies with sedition.
The second is from the present and a log from the slavers regarding their operations, we see that almost all of their slaves are being sold to someone named Stern, and that they have begun to branch out into enslaving foals. And ending on a really interesting note, talking about a new boss sent from Stern, and some rather unsettling ideas about what she did to some ponies that displeased her. it also mentions (not by name) Velvet's entry into their camp. and finishes on a just plain creepy WTH!?
All hail the living Goddess!
Emotionally, I was seething. I didn’t want to be hidden away in a barricaded room anymore. I wanted to go out there and hurt some fucking evil ponies!
Okay, yes she flat out states she wants to hurt evil ponies, but again you have to be taking it out of context or just intentionally looking at it wrong to think she LIKED hurting ponies, this was her rage talking, these ponies were enslaving foals. And this was not her wanting pain, this was her wanting justice, and in the Wastes the only justice comes from the barrel of a gun. Is it right, that's YMMV, does it make her evil or wrong, no. Again she just learned these ponies were raiding isolated homes, killing the parents and enslaving the foals, finding that out SHOULD piss someone/pony off just as much.
After a near brush with a missile Calamity saves her plot, and they split up trying to get all the objectivs done. With Pip eventually being reunited with Velvet, and proving she still knows how to put her hoof in her mouth
I stood tall. “I followed you out of the Stable. Came across the Equestrian Wastelands to find you. I’m here to rescue you!” I gave her my best winning smile. Then, worrying at how I might have sounded, I added meekly, “I’m not stalking you.”
- facehoof*
And the reunion is NOT what Lil'pip hoped. Not only is Velvet not a prisoner, but she is willingly helping the Slavers, claiming that Fluttershy (now reveled to be the Mare of the Ministry of Peace for sure) led her healers onto the battle field, they took care of all wounded, from every side, so how could she do different.
And I gotta go with Pip here there is a HUGE difference in caring for soldiers from the other side that were wounded in battle, and aiding slavers. Not suggesting she shouldn't have helped the first group she found, or walk away from any injured pony, but staying with them, waiting for them to be injured to help, and helping them to keep the ponies alive so they can be sold into slavery, she comes off as idealistic to the point of delusional at first, and, well she kind of is. Though once she realizes Pip does have a plan that could save all the salves she does come around and want to help. Again it's more of the "I hate this, but there's nothing I can do" mentality we saw in New Appleloosa"
And while they are trying to free the foals, we meet FOE's version of the Super Mutant. The Alicorns. Lil'pip has a brief freeze, before realizing that neither Luna nor Celestia would be aiding slavers and so whatever this thing was, it isn't her. She effortlessly smacks Calamity out of the air, her whole being just dripping with smug superiority as she mocks them. As well as always speaking using "we".
And Lil'pip shows that When all you have is telekinesis you learn to use it, especially when your enemies are kind enough to leave high explosives around for you to through at them, or giant boxcars you can crush them with.
Perk Time: Gaining her a bit more room on her saddlebags, which this being her, she'll need. Also a great on in game.
Thoughts, LOVED IT! Well the beginning was just as good as the rest of the story so far, no real flaws, it handled the whole thing well, and then we meet the Alicorn and HOLY SHIT! that introduction was perfect, threatening, menacing, creepy, leaving tons of unanswered questions. her personality was just the right blend of superior condescension and just smug "you are amoebas to me" mentality. And she was powerful enough to prove a real threat, something that couldn't just be shot till it died. And Lil'pip's solution was just masterful. This is where the story really starts to hook you in with mystery, what was that thing, are there more, it sets up the real adventure and plot very very nicely.
okay Velvet, oh boy Velvet, really don't think anypony brings up as much controversy as her, for a number of reasons, and well can't deal with them all now, but, I'll point out one thing that I mentioned already. her idealism. now i said she was idealistic to the point of being delusional, she was at that point. But, the thing is, it wasn't a straw-idealist, or straw-pacifist type thing. The ideals she holds, are never shown as if they are in and of themselves wrong, or that ponies shouldn't hold these ideals. But that the issue was her holding to these ideals, and ignoring the reality of the Wastes in favor of them, no matter how much doing so could harm her, or even get her killed, or worse. It is not her ideals that are shown to be wrong here, it is the fact that the Wastelands makes such ideals a death sentence that is the true wrong.
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