And this one opens In Media Res, Lil'pip was taking the advice of her new book, and checking out an abandoned building, getting trapped by the robots guarding the place. And not just robots, but brain-bots. A nod to a standard Fallout robot, and yet, I'm with Lil'pip, I really REALLY can't see ponies doing that even to animals, it just, it makes no sense at all. And this is the only time this particular type of robot shows up so, letting it slide. Still disturbing though.
And suddenly Lil'pip learns how to self levitate, which, the ability for a unicorn to do so is now canon, so, nice job there. Though she can only do it for a few seconds right now, and it takes a lot of effort.
And we also get the first of Lil'pips soon to be infamous through out the Wastland, borderline blasphemous, little vulgarities. They are a YMMV issue, and well I find most of them at least worth a chuckle once, some are still rather funny to me.
And now we get some more hints at the mystery of the war, a propaganda poster that seems to declare the Zebras as the enemy. As well as a message from AJ to Breaburn, who seemed to be the pony in charge of this factory, asking to try and patch things up after some falling out they had had.
And Lil'pip's jaunt into the factory pays off for our kleptomaniacal heroine, money, ammo, a new book, a stealth buck, and what will pretty much become her go to and most preferred weapon, Lil'Macintosh
A bit of introspection in a playground blasted by the balefire, and an introduction to another ponified Fallout stable, Sparkle Cola, which seems to be carrot flavored, YUCK!
And another visit from Watcher, and some more backstory hints regarding the first info about the Ministries, a well as a funny, and yet creepy and reoccurring bit about Pinkie Pie watching you. FOREVER!, followed by some exposition about the Mane 6, without ever naming them, the virtues associated with the Elements of harmony, and about virtues as a whole, which is something that is a constant, steady and important theme through out the fic, though it's played low key enough that this little speech doesn't immediately nail you with that, simply putting info out there that only latter do you see how important it will be.
And this is then followed immediately by our first introduction to the major antagonist for most of the story, Red Eye, though we don't learn his name till later or how big a deal he'll be. His little speech, is hard for me to get a read on given what I know of him from later in the story, and dissecting it would take to long and have way to many spoilers for his early in the story. Though Lil'pip, still a bit naive about life outside the Stable, takes the weird voice on the flying radio at his word and thinks that he is the leader of the ponies in the Wastelands, heh, heheh, hehehehehehehehehe.
More random looting, and it's becoming apparent already, and will get more so as the story goes on, that every locked box in the Wasteland is simply waiting for Lil'pip to come and unlock. Given how much focus it took her to learn, and the fact she spent years doing it before this, her being that damn good isn't an issue, but does raise a bit of fridge logic about why more of those hadn't been opened, some of them had valuable enough stuff inside, and had to be flimsy enough that the lock could have been forced. But minor quibble now. It also shows us the magical cure-all of healing potions, the FOE version of Stimpacks, though the FOE version is actually much much more feasible that it can heal your wounds instantly. And one more tiny little find, a tin of Mint-als. Those will certainly NEVER be important to this story at all...
And enter the aptly named Calamity, putting a few holes in our heroine, because of some mistaken identity, but even with a pegasus she knows she can't take, who could easily finish her off, she forces herself to walk on bleeding, wounded legs to try and at least give the caravan of ponies a warning, try and buy them some time, once again showing the type of mare she is, one who will do ANYTHING to protect innocent ponies, no matter what it costs her.
The fact that Lil'pip is almost killed simply because some pony thought she looked like trouble will be a theme that weaves through her development and her story, but we'll talk about them when they occur, spoilers.
Perk Time, and even MORE skill points for our heroine, though still not the best move, since you should take that one as your first talent if your going to use it, get the most benefit out of it.
Alright this chapter, the first half really isn't anything special, just her doing a little exploring and a very Fallout-feeling few scenes, that beyond her finding Lil'Macintosh, don't seem to have any bearing on the story and are promptly forgotten. The second half, has some good stuff, and it's only on the re-read that I notice something amazing. (get to that in a second) More deepening of the mystery of pre-war Equestria, what are the ministries, why is Pinkie on a poster for one, what did Watcher mean Another well-meaning idea that was so much better on scroll. And then some present mystery, who was that other voice on the Spritebot, what did he mean (I never thought he was the leader Lil'pip thought he was, i figured he was just some nut job talking big with maybe a small group of followers) and finally introducing Calamity, and nearly killing Lil'pip
now the big thing I only noticed now, debated whether to put it hear but it fits best WARNING: FAIRLY GOOD ENDING SPOILERS ABOUT LIL'PIP
The fact that the introduction of the idea of Virtues, which is treated as just an off hoof comment by Watcher more or less, with Lil'pip just shrugging it off, and then the chapter ends, pretty much showing us exactly what her virtue is, even if she doesn't realize it. Without being blatant about it. She was already ready to die, excepted it, but the instant she saw other ponies in trouble, she ignored her only hope of surviving, walking on bullet filled legs, agony all the way, to try and possibly aid them, to throw herself in front of the bullets for them to warn them, give them a chance, knowing she couldn't win the fight, she would rather die doing her best to save others then just hide and try to survive. Wiling to Sacrifice herself for total strangers, just to give them a chance. THAT is the kind of pony Littlepip is.
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