Funniest thing I've read in this entire story.
Okay, first, I gotta admit that the end of chapter 34 was pretty scary, even if I knew it was coming (albeit I thought it was happening in chapter 35). Probably owed to the fact that Littlepip has been less sadistic lately, what with her bemoaning the contrived stupidity of the scuffles with the Steel Rangers. If these were the only chapters I read I might be inclined to believe that Littlepip was mostly decent. So I'm going to genuinely give credit to the end of chapter 34. That was genuinely well-done on the author's part. Kudos n' stuff.
However, I have read the rest of the chapters that came before this, and I kind of come to the conclusion that, when I step back and look at it, what Littlepip does at Arbu isn't really very different from what she's been doing throughout the entire story.
So there you have it. I don't see a very big moral difference here. Sure, you got small details, like how they aren't actually threatening her or attacking her, but even then, you have things like her assassination of Deadeyes (complete with gambling your friend's life so you can fulfill your own sense of self-righteousness!) or that raider who was unarmed and begging for his life that she sadistically gunned down. If I were to decide that those events were morally acceptable, then it seems to me that it would logically follow to think the same of this. Even the fact that she sets them on fire isn't really noteworthy, as she's been hauling that gun around for half the story and she's already used it on other ponies. So she's a sadist who happens to be pointed in a convenient direction. What else is new?
Now, I say that chapter 34 was well-done. Chapter 35, however, is when things get funny. Basically, the entirety of chapter 35 is about Littlepip going into turbo-angst mode. Hooooooly shit, it's like... I've complained about this character being a first-class angst-train, but fuck she really goes all-out. "Oh no, did I do the right thing? But they had to die! Didn't they? I'm so horrible! My girlfriend hates me! I don't deserve her! Corrupted Kindness! AHHHHH!"
I love this. I honestly love this. This scenario is a perfect, potent mix of wanton brutality and angst. It's the purest distillation of what this story is all about, all summed up in one perfect, glorious incident.
But it's the reactions of the rest of Team Protagonist that really tickle my funny-bone. Xenith's reaction is amusing in that it's a complete non-reaction. This is probably because her personality can be described as "reserved" or "what personality?" Next on the funny-meter is Calamity's reaction.
Calamity is basically the only member of the group who has a problem. The most murder-happy member of the party, the guy who has the "shoot on sight" attitude towards raiders that cheerfully extends towards children, is the only member of the group who objects to what Littlepip does. Oh, I get a kick out of you.
SteelHooves doesn't give a shit, really. Though he does take the time to thank Littlepip for failing, because up to this point she's been too good and she's set too high of a standard that he could never attain. You're killing me, story.
But really, it's Velvet Remedy's reaction that takes the cake for the comedy award. How does the team's token pacifist react? She's totally fine with it. More than that, she goes on a huge tear about how Littlepip was totally in the right for going and murdering shit again, because they were murderous cannibals. Of course, it's not really that much of a surprise. After all, she's never really raised any objections that actually stuck around for longer than the paragraph they were introduced. For someone who hates violence, she's awfully quick to go along with the rest of Team Protagonist's more trigger-happy inclinations, and here she's 100% behind Littlepip. Y'know, because that's totally the way pacifists act, feel, and think.
And for added measure, she goes "no, I'm the one who was real evil yesterday, because I valued the life of my pet over the life of another pony. You just murdered a bunch of dudes you hated." My sides.
And lastly, there's Homage's reaction. Oh boy oh boy oh boy. She is not happy. Chapter 34 ends on a whole "I regret to inform you that Littlepip has fallen to the dark side," a disappointment that lasts for all of half the chapter. Then more messages come in. First Derpy sends a letter that basically amounts to "eh, it's probably not any different from that time she saved me at the beginning of the story" (it's both funny and infuriating when the story agrees with me). Then one of the merchants that Littlepip invited to look at the basement comes in, and then the old guy who's apparently a Steel Ranger scribe incognito (wait, what?) comes in with his ledger that shows that the town is actually a secret Enclave breeding program intended to mount the perfect production of Sweeney Todd, and Homage is all "welp, disregard all that, I suck cocks, Littlepip was totally right to kill them all horribly."
Because it's not like Littlepip could develop as a character after this and do something to redeem herself and regain the esteem of her girlfriend. Nope, she does jack shit and the problem literally resolves itself before they get onto the next quest, as Homage goes right back to singing her praises over the radio because, y'know, the hero was right all along! But I guess that makes sense, given that Homage's personality basically boils down to "LITTLEPIP IS THE MESSIAH" and "SO MANY ORGASMS," and taking one of those away would fracture her limited psyche. Boy do I hate their relationship!
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha oh these characters. I hate them so much. This chapter has left me positively giddy, I swear.
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