Anon Quest: 4.1 The Glutton of Hollow Mountain.

Mission #4.1 The Glutton of Hollow Mountain.

>It’s been happening for the past three days.
>This horrible, recurring dream that’s been ruining Red Anon sleep.
>It’s beginning to become a concern for his party. How can they be led properly if their leader isn’t well rested?
>As DM, you already know the meaning behind his dreams, but in his case, he can only grasp a few confused fragments, that are beginning to become more and more clear.
>In his latest, he remembers lying on the ground, gripping at his stomach as he bled out from a massive gaping wound.
>The only thing he sees is the sight of a lovely angel; eerily familiar, but unrecognizable. She’s sitting beside him, desperately telling him to rise over the loud noise of explosions and shrieking in the background, along with the massive sound of slowly approaching footsteps.
>There are teeth…and he had a brief memory of an image resembling some cavern or tunnel…that’s the most he can grasp.
>He’s yet to realize what the dreams are about, as they always end prematurely, with him awakening in a cold sweat; his heart racing fearfully.
>Applejack’s beginning to think it’s growing into a serious problem, but Pinkie has a good idea.
>Yesterday, she told him he should, “Pray to the dice for luck,” something he clearly doesn’t understand, but Pinkie gets all too well.
>Hopefully for his sake, luck will come in his favor.

>As the evening hits, with the sun still hidden by the dense clouds, Anon and his party ride in on the destination of their latest quest, Hollow Shades.
>Hollow Shades is a relatively small village, themed around blue, completely surrounded in foliage with a hint of fog across the ground.
>They’re very well known for their production of corn, and are often credited as the birthplace of popcorn.
>Entering town, there’s a noticeable barren vibe, as there are very few ponies roaming the streets, despite it not even being evening.
>As Applejack watches from the window, she asks Anon, “Anon, you’ve been here before, right? Is it usually this quiet?”
I don’t believe so.
>Spike announces from the driver’s seat of the wagon, “Where do you want me to stop this thing?”
“There’s a place called the ‘Sweetseed Tavern’ up ahead with a metal sign of three bubbles. You can just stop once we get there,” says Anon.
>Rainbow Dash clacks her two front hooves together, telling the others, “Thank Celestia. I could use a drink after the morning we’ve been through. I swear that Tamer’s wolf was thiiis close to biting my tail off.”
>Rarity jokingly tells Dash, “We really must do something about your drinking problem darling,” causing Pinkie to snicker beside her.
>“Oh ha, ha. Very funny Rarity,” responds Rainbow Dash, “Let’s not pretend the Grand Galloping Galla never happened.”
>Dash begins doing a crude impression of Rarity’s voice, intentionally sounding as obnoxious as possible.
>“Oh Blue Blood, I don’t think I can have any more wine. I’m beginning to feel a little vulnerable.”
>She performs a very animated fainting motion accompanied by a dramatic swoon, and Pinkie’s snickering turns into outright laughter, causing the others to break into giggling and mouth covering.
>Rarity embarrassingly sinks a little into her chair; her face bright as a beet and her rabbit ears slightly lowered.
>Context: Seeing as most of the other girls have changed classes at least once in these quest, you had suggested Rarity experiment with a new class as well. It took a good five minutes for her to find something she thought would fit her, and even then, she didn’t choose a new class. No. She actually chose a species; the Floratic.
>Florati are forest dwellers that are considered rare, and very intelligent. They are commonly brown, though in Rarity’s case white. They are small, with sharp claws that Rarity also lacks. They posess lion like tails, fluffy manes around their necks, and most notably, tall rabbit like ears. Not the most trustworthy, these creatures are best known for sending travelers on paths to nowhere, luring, or downright stealing children to play with, tempting weak willed men for…reasons, and all around mischief making with their Illusionary, mind altering magic. That didn’t matter though. When making her choice, Rarity told you, “They simply look too adorable! Their little manes even remind me of a boa. When I choose this class, I insist you give me a sparkling blue dress to accompany the look…and an updo hairstyle.”
>You doubt glamorous dresses are conducive to combat, but whatever, this is a fantasy setting.
>Rarity tells Spike, “Can you drive a little bit faster, Darling?”
>“Don’t worry, Rarity, I think we’re already here,” Spike responds.
>The wagon comes to a halt, parking outside of the pub to their left, and everyone quickly unloads; Applejack the brown clad Combatant, Rainbow Dash the gray Thief, Rarity the redundant description Floratic, Fluttershy the virgin white dress wearing Practitioner, Pinkie Pie the yellow shirt, blue vested Engineer, Red Anon the crimson Soldier, Twilight the silver robed Elementalist, and Spike the Driver.
>Spike locks the doors of the wagon, as Anon pushes the tavern doors open, allowing his friends in.
>They each thank him as they enter, with Rarity even calling him a “little gentlemen” much to the dismay of Spike.
>Entering the barren, but not empty tavern, they are collectively greeted by the owner, Bitterseed; a green earth colt with a thick brown mustache, and his adorable young daughter, Umami.
 “I’d like a round of grape cider for my seven friends and I,” Anon announces as he closes the door behind him.
>The colt tells him, “Right away Anon,” and begins filling their mugs with the assistance of his daughter.
>The party gather at the front counter in anticipation, as they’re served one by one.
>Dash of course gets the first drink.
>He tells them, “I must say, it is so reassuring to see that you’ve arrived with your little friends.”
>Anon receives a mug from the filly.
Of course. There was no way we could resist the cry of an entire village.
>He takes a sip, with the tart taste causing him to pucker his lips slightly.
>The filly asks everyone, “Do you guys know what it looks like? I never had the chance to get a good look at the thing.”
>Applejack tells her, “The letter we were sent had nothing about looks. Just that this “Gastra” feller was gobbling livestock, crops, and anypony that tried to stop it. Sounds horrible.”
>Bitterseed’s head lowers as he elaborates the situation.
>“It has been a very bleak time as of late. Gastra is a dragon from the north eastern part of Hollow Mountains.”
>Fluttershy eeps.
>“A-aa-a dragon?!”
>“Yes, a dragon. Serpent like, with blue scales, orange hair, and razor sharp rows of teeth from what I’ve heard. Nopony’s sure how long it is. Some say it’s evergrowing, but I think it’s around eighteen…maybe nineteen meters.”
>Fluttershy’s cup begins to viciously shake in her trembling hooves.
>“Maybe I should sit this one out guys. You all know how I am with…dragons.”
>Twilight tells her, “Fluttershy, you’ve been with us through battles with lava monsters."
And monstrous plants.
>“And killer flying whales,” adds Pinkie.
>Spike tells her, “Besides, I’m a dragon, and you’re not afraid of me.”
>“But…you’re just a /baby/ dragon. That’s…that’s…”
>The tavern owner begins to look worried, slowly losing confidence in these so called heroes. Red quickly picks up on that however.
Look, you’ve got more than enough experience under your belt to handle this with us. It’ll be a straight forward mission, just like the others…okay?
>She pauses for a very long time, and takes a deep breath before telling him, “Okay.”
Fantastic. Nother’ round!

~~Nightfall~~

>From the setting of the sun to the darkening embrace of the night, Anon and his party got appropriately plastered at the Sweetseed tavern, with the acceptation of Spike and Fluttershy who was, “Just a little tipsy” at most. Too busy enjoying themselves, they had completely forgotten about finding a place to spend the night. Lucky for them however, Bitterseed allowed them to stay with him and his daughter for the night, on the second floor of his building.
>Fluttershy, Twilight and Rarity, took an available guest room, Applejack and Pinkie stayed with Umami, and lastly, Anon, Rainbow, and Spike stayed with Bitterseed in his room.
“Thank you again for your aid Bitterseed,” says Anon as he removes his plated mail, “Are you sure you want me sleeping with you though?”
>“Why of course. I shouldn’t be letting an open spot go to waste, and I doubt the late misses would want another mare or some pet taking her former place.”
>Spike gives an offended, “Hey” at the statement, as he curls onto a few shredded newspapers on the floor.
Well, okay then.
>After removing his leg gauntlets and boots, Red Anon slowly crawls into the bed as the other two sleeps on the ground in blankets.
Hope you guys don’t mind.
>Dash tells him, “It’s totally cool. You’re the boss, you deserve the bed.”
Okay then. Well, goodnight everypony.
>Anon soon drifts into slumber.

>In a matter of hours, Anon finds himself within another dream.
>He’s walking through a forest, taking witness of a pink bard mare who’s right hind hoof is firmly set on the back of a green earth colt tamer that had released a now unconscious nine foot tall liger upon their wagon.
>His dream then cuts to the site of him slowly approaching a dark cave, only to return to the prior scene of the bard.
>As the tamer grovels in the dirt, the bard plays what she tells the colt is, “The Song of your Failure” with her balalaika.
>It’s literally just Smoke on the Water with more twang and strumming.
“Excellent work,” says Anon, playing the role of the man in his dream.
>A lavender pegasus huntress with a rainbow tail in a green tunic flies into his view towards the liger, and announces, “We should skin this thing and sell the fur for some extra cash.”
>An angel then slowly descends from the sky, telling the huntress, “You shall not harm that innocent creature…if that’s okay. It is but a victim of its master.”
>The dreams cuts back to the cave.
>Anon is now traveling inside, with his path only barely being visible by the unnaturally strong light of a green flamed lantern that a small beast is carrying.
“Stay alert, everypony,” he says to a group behind him that Anon can’t see, but somehow knows is the group that fought the tamer.
>Returning to the scene of the angel, the tamer, and the liger, a disembodied voice echoes from nowhere, telling the dream Anon, “It’s idiotic to allow something so dangerous to live. Tell your practioner that it must be killed.”
>The Anon in the scene doesn’t acknowledge the voice, but reflects its judgment as if it were his own will.
It’s not like we can let him keep that thing though. And we can’t set it in the wild. I’m sorry, but we’ll have to kill it just like the other monsters we battle.
>The angel lowers her head sadly and reluctantly agrees.
>“If it must be, at least make its death quick and painless.”
>Its skull is crushed ungracefully by a hammer kicked from the huntress.
Good job.
>“I’m still not use to when we have to do this,” the angel tells him.
I know, but you need to learn to have the stomach for this. Whatever this Gastra creature is, I doubt we’re going to give it any leeway.
>Finally, the scene returns to the cave.
>Anon is paused dead in his tracks, as a pair of yellow eyes shimmer in the darkness, staring daggers at him. The man is paused dead in his tracks, and even the real Anon begins to feel a horrible numbness, as if his entire body has been paralyzed.

>As the first hour of morning reaches, Anon begins spasming violently in Bitterseed’s bed.
>His body twists and convulses, causing Bitterseed who he’s now awoken, to begin shaking him.
>“Anon? Anon, are you okay?” he quietly asks.
>Anon’s eyes burst open, as he’s put into the familiar state of shock he’s been experiencing the past few days.
>Though asks a question, Anon fails to respond, as if he hadn’t even noticed.
>He observes the room for several seconds.
>Rainbow is snoring peacefully, and Spike has his ear plugs in trying to ignore it. Things seem okay. After receiving a fourth nudge from Bitterseed, he only responds with,
I had a bad dream. It’s not an issue. Please return to sleep.
>Anon slowly returns his face into the pillow, intentionally facing away from Bitterseed as he tries to force himself back to sleep.
>Bitterseed eventually dismissed Anon’s episode as “just a bad dream,” like he said, and he eventually begins to sleep assuredly.

~~~SUNRISE~~~

>Aside from Anon, the others in his party seem very well rested, and ready to take on the rest of the day.
>With no more than an apple each to prevent fatigue, the party meets with the Seeds at the bottom floor, to give their parting words.
Thank you very much for your hospitality Mr. Bitterseed.
>“Any time. Please be careful though. We’ve had many villagers fall to this dragon.”
No worries. We’ve yet to meet a threat too great for us. Right girls?
>His party excitedly yell, “RIGHT!” except for Fluttershy who gives a hesitant whisper of, “R-right?”
>Before they can leave, Umami pokes at Anon’s armor clad leg to get his attention.
>He looks down to notice small pink macramé pony doll hanging by a hoof in her mouth.
>Unable to properly speak, she shakes it a little, prompting him to remove it from her teeth.
Uh…thanks?
>“It’s a decoy. I made it last night with some help from Pinkie Pie. If you use it, you should be able to avoid getting hurt.”
It’s just a doll.
>Twilight shoves Anon’s thigh, as she magically takes the decoy and gives it to Spike for item storage.
>“This is very thoughtful of you Umami,” she says sincerely.
>Unami gives a great big smile, revealing a small gap between her teeth.
Okay guys, the sun has risen, and Hollow Mountain’s going to be a long walk. Let’s get going.
>Umami wishes them, “Good luck!” and Bitterseed tells them to, “Make that son of a gun wish it had never found Hollow Shades.”
>With that, the party gives their goodbyes, Spike opens the door for them, and they slowly exit for the wagon.
>Ironic; having control over every word that comes from the NPC’s, you’ve basically wished them luck in beating your boss. It’s fine though. It’s not like you mind seeing your friends win or anything, but considering your little brother accompanies them, you’re not going to go easy on them either.
>Who knows, maybe one day, you’ll even begin adding morals, or multi-quest, but for now, the answer is no.