Anon Quest: 2.3 Dystopia

Mission #2.3 - Dystopia

>After a weary hour and a half of travel, the deep blue of the sky begins to darken to a near black, and Red Anon and his band of misfit women (plus Spike and Junebug) finally make their way to the small western town of Appleloosa. The town is almost fairly silent, as everyone readies themselves for a night of rest.
>Now, a reasonable person would take his party to a medical facility of some sort, but lucky for them, factors like "medicine," or "doc...tooors (?)" doesn't really matter, they just need a place to sleep, and Anon knows exactly the place where he and his party can stay.
>Anon leads his party through town, until they arrive at a green home that lies near Appleloosa's north/east border, next to Heart Apple Hills.
>With most citizens already asleep, it's no surprise that the house's lanterns are out, but Anon comes to the door, and knocks anyways.
>After a short wait, the party hears the sound of hoofsteps slowly coming to the door, until it is eventually opened by Applejack's cousin, and uncomfortably close friend of Anon, Braeburn.
>From the other side of the door, Braeburn was ready to tell off the schmuck that would come to his home at 10 o'clock, but once he sees Anon and his friends, cold and wrapped in blankets on the other side, his expression shifts instantly.
>"Anon? Anon! I haven't seen you since you since you took out those salt theives! Welcome back to AAAAAA-"
"Braeburn," says Anon not in the mood to hear Braeburn's yelling, "do you mind if we stay here for the night? My friends are kind of...dying."
>"Should I get a doctor?" he asks.
Nah, we just need some sleep.
>"Well, if you say so."
>Braeburn gives a motion with his hoof and tells the others, "Come on in."
>The party enters his dim living room, complete with a shaggy green rug, red couch, rocking chair, coat rack, and a table with a firefly lantern. Braeburn trots over to the chair and plants himself, as Junebug and Dash slowly help Fluttershy onto the couch, wrapping her all snug-like in her blanket. Everyone else rest on the floor, and begin to set aside their weapons and protective items.
>As Rarity magically strips her, dirty, tattered, and singed black dress, she tells the party, "Thank Celestia we're done walking. I don't think my poor hooves could've taken much more punishment."
>Pinkie tells her, "Don't be such a negative Nancy," as she tosses her hat to the coat rack by Twilight's robe. "A little cardio's good for you. Last thing ya want is pudge when the sandworms attack," she jokingly says.
>"What do you mean 'sandworms'?" says Rarity.
>"Remember? Anon said we might go to a desert next time when you were complaining about the rain. Granny Pie told me that sandworms are super duper fast, so a little exercise might me a good idea."
That was just a joke. Jeez. You really need to stop taking what I say so literally.
>That actually doesn't sound half bad.
>If you weren't such a massive coitophobe for the ladies in Ponyville, you'd give Pinkie a big kiss on the nose for the inspiration.
>As Anon removes his armor, he says to Braeburn,
So Braeburn, I assume you already know about AJ.
>In a saddened tone, he tells Anon, "Yeah. I saw her taken off when Arcadia passed through town. I tried asking what was going on, but then he took out a blade, and pointed it in my direction. I didn't know what to do, so I just let em' keep walking. I'm just a weak ol' farmin' pony after all."
>Dash mumbles, "More like a coward," before Anon shushes her.
Where did he go?
>"He hangs around with the Buffalo in a camp site at the borders of Heart Apple Hills. I've never gotten too close to em' though. That guy gives me the spooks."
Well then, I guess we'll know where to go tomorrow. Let's get some sleep everypony, we're going to need it.
>Anon lies his head to the floor, and closes his eyes.

~~On The Morrow.~~
>As the sun rises, Red Anon and his party leave the home of Braeburn at 6:00 on the nose.
>A night of sleep was exactly what the party needed, as they're greatly healed with a 60 HP, and 50 MP boost to each member.
>Expecting the worst, the party leave Junebug behind (she drops to her knees in gratitude), and head to 'Mr. Copperhead's local armory' (a gruff brown stallion) to buy some new gear.
>With what money they have left, Anon buys a new greatsword boosting his attack from +10 to +15. Rarity also received a chained whip giving her a +10 advantage.
>She really should've invested in a new dress, to boost her defense but to quote Rarity at the table, "I wear what I make. No exceptions, not even for my own character, even though it is filthy."
>With everything planned out of the way. The party begins their death march through the town streets and into Heart Apple Hills.
>During their walk, Rainbow floats herself next to Anon and asks him, "Do you think we're going to face any crazy monsters?"
I doubt this 'Arcadia' guy's got more than just buffalo.
>A small grin comes to Anon's face as he asks her,
Why? Ya scaaared?
>"Heck no! I just want something tough to stick my hooves in," Dash says pounding her hind hooves together.
>Fluttershy adds, "I hope I don't have to hurt any poor creature being forced to fight against its will, but if I do, I want it's soul. I bet it'd probably be really strong, and have lots of courage...you know...if Mr. Arcadia actually has something."
>Anon's concern returns as he looks at Fluttershy's sheepish grin, and the way her eyes look to the sky as if daydreaming. Even now, as they near the end of their quest, Anon thinks to himself that having Fluttershy join the party as an active member might have been a bad idea.
Fluttershy, I think we might need to have a talk about the whole 'soul' thing.
>"Is there something wrong?"
Yes. I'm starting to...I...
>Before Anon can form another sentence, he notices something in the background near Fluttershy's head.
>Obscured by the trees, Anon for a brief moment sees the silouette of a figure that is stalking them. Once it notices however, it sprints away, disappearing from his sight.
>Pinkie asks, "What are you looking at?"
I think we might have company. Let's keep casual though, if there was going to be an ambush, it would've happened by now.
>The party continues walking, in an unsettled silence, as they begin noticing other figures moving across the background, hidden by the trees. After a few minutes however, they finally reach their destination, as they see a circle of around a dozen native tents and a few civilian buffalo in the center of their path.
Stay cool guys.
>Anon and his party enter the small site, and the roaming buffalo stop their work and play, and begin staring at them.
>Dash whispers to Anon, "I don't like where this is going."
Stay cool. There are children here, let's not start anything if we don't have to. Pinkie, play that one song that helps boost defense.
>""Hope of the Commoner." Gotcha"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBSH75dHhsU&feature=youtu.be&t=42s
>Pinkie begins playing her song boosting their defense by +10 for the next two phases because they know something's about to happen.
>As her tune continues,  Anon looks to a young buffalo with a bug net in his mouth, and asks him,
Excuse me, but by any chance, do you know of a man named "Arcadia?"
>The boy nods, with the net still in him mouth, and gallops over to a tent a few meters away. The party cautiously follows behind, and once the boy enters the tent, they wait outside.
>He's not going to be coming out any time soon though.
>Out of nowhere, a faint whoosh is heard along with the smacking sound of a fired bow. Anon darts his head to his left, evading the arrow, and he turns to see a...hmm...how can you make a buffalo also work as an archer?...
>He turns to see a female satyr approaching. (Yeah, that works.)
>By the archers side, a man in a blue robe approaches with no weapons.
>In a deep yet enthusiastic tone, he tells Anon, "You've got SOME reflexes to dodge Little Strongheart's arrow like that."
I knew she was following us, I anticipated an arrow long before we even got here.
>Pinkie begins marching forward, and screams to Arcadia, "Where's Applejack?!"
>Suddenly, a pair of orange hooves appear, and drive themselves into Pinkie's side. For a brief instant, she sees the unmistakable backside of Applejack, before flying through the air, and crashing into the dirt.
>The others are shocked, and fail to respond, but Dash charges into Applejack and pins her in almost an instant, knowing something's wrong.
>"Applejack?! How could you do that to Pinkie! Are you out of your mind?!"
>Before she can beat some sense into AJ, a giant male buffalo with a headdress runs in, and rams her into the dirt.
>"Great job Chief," says Arcadia as he comes in a few feet from the party with Strongheart. "You ponies shouldn't have come here."
>Arcadia begins an obligatory bad guy monologue, as more and more buffalo both normal, and satyr, begin to slowly come into view, surrounding the party.
>"You're outnumbered Anon. You've only seven, and I doubt your dragon even counts."
>"Hey, I can fight!" yells Spike.
>He shuts up immediately, as the party find themselves surrounded by a pair of satyr archers, three normal buffalo, three giant buffalo, the Chief, Strongheart, Arcadia, and Applejack.
>Arcadia tells them, "I don't want to kill you six. I know of the many exploits of you and your party, and that's why I had to take Applejack. You followed me here like a rat to cheese, and if you simply give in, we can become a unit, and give ALL of Appleloosa back to the glorious buffalo race that it rightfully belongs to. As a fellow human, I consider you my brother, and I shall accept your ponies in our noble cause. What do you say?"
>Red Anon draws his sword, and looks Arcadia straight in his obscured and dead eyes.
You're a delusional cultist, and I'm not letting you do to us what you did to Applejack.
>"Is that so?"
>A Cheshire like smile comes to Arcadia's face, and he tells his followers, "Take care of them."
>From the background a female archer fires an arrow at Anon that he deflects with his gauntlets. A second male archer fires an arrow to Rarity grazing her cheek.
>Rarity gives a confident smile and tells him, "You're going to regret that, Darling."
>From her hairpin, she summons her Diamond minion (40 health, 70 attack, and 30 defense) and it charges into the background and pounces the archer.
>Meanwhile, a normal buffalo rams Twilights skull, and a giant buffalo body slams her, crushing her body beneath his immense weight. He remains on her until Dash flies in and barely knocks him off freeing Twilight who's eyes are closed in a fetal position.
>"You alright Twilight?" asks Dash.
>Twiilight's horn glows a brown aura, and suddenly the ground begins to rumble slightly.
> Twilight unleashes her spell "Titan's Wrath," and suddenly, a massive shockwave rends the ground below attacking everyone in a 60 point attack.
>Everyone but Arcadia are damaged in a force of earth and dirt. Unfortunately, the others are capped at a 50 defense, so there's no way they could avoid this.
>From the blinding dust, another large buffalo runs through and once again rams Twilight.
>A second buffalo then shoots into the air to hammer kicks Rarity's skull before bucking her away with his forehooves.
>As the dust begins to fade, Anon spots the blue of Arcadia, and runs through everyone to try and strike him with his blade.
>From his left sleeve, a small blade comes from Arcadia's robe, and he swings it at Anon, only for him to dodge. Anon tries to counter, but Arcadia's blade stops his greatsword mid-swing.
>As the dust clears, the two swordsmen stare each other down, pushing blades in the kind of blade lock you'd find in a B rated samurai film.
You're going to pay for what happened to Applejack.
>"You are a fool, my brother. I will destroy your party, and rebuild them into a glorious troop. "
>Mid blade lock, Anon can hear the sound of Fluttershy giving a pained groan, as she's rammed by a giant. His eyes then burst open, as Anon realizes the severity of what's going to happen soon.
You need to get those buffalo out of the tents.
>"Don't try and persuade us to leave, Anon."
>Fluttershy gives a crackled yell as a her side is licked in by a strong buck.
You don't understand, something really bad is about to happen.
>"I'm not intimidated by your-"
Listen to me!
>Anon's ears suddenly fill with the screaching noise of Fluttershy, who's been pounced and is getting choked by a normal buffalo.
Oh no.
>Anon pushes Arcadia back, turns, and begins running to Fluttershy who's eyes are glowing a familiar white.
Fluttershy, you have to calm down!
>A powerful force sends everyone back, especially the buffalo chocking her, and she slowly begins to raise to the air as civilians hiding in tents begin to peek their heads out to see what's happening.
>Anon's head turns to and fro seeing the many civilians, and he desperately screams to them,
GET OUT OF HERE OR YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!
>With a flash of light, Fluttershy's body turns red, and spontaneously bursts into flames.
>The ground soon fills with buffalo screaming and scrambling desperately from their homes to get as far from the camp site as possible.
>Fluttershy's wings appear to double in size through the form of fire, and as she reaches fifty feet in the air, everyone looks up, and sees what appears to be red stars in the morning sky. They quickly grow in size though, until the buffalo realize what Anon knew was going to happen.
>In a matter of seconds, the entire camp site is engulfed in a 'rain of inferno' just like the plains that were scored by the pyrolisks from yesterday. fireballs the size of bowling balls begin to rain down, and it simply won't let up.
>With everything happening just a game to the others at the table, this isn't a big deal. There's no build up, or sense of damage actually occurring. Sadly, this isn't from THEIR perspective, this is from your perception upon the characters, and what you see is a blistering inferno, along with the sounds of the blood curdling screams of buffalo as their flesh begins to sear and their fur burns away.
>The screaming and agony is almost too much for the party.
>Rarity, and even Rainbow Dash actually turn away not wanting to see what's happening. Anon's eyes see it all though. The burning civilians, their destroyed camp site, and the raging fire that somehow doesn't harm him and his party. It's a lot to take in. Eventually the buffalo at least stop burning, but their darkened fur and blistered red and black skin are clear to everyone. A normal buffalo, and a giant have also burned to death.
>Ten remain.
>Desperate to stop her, Strongheart shoots an arrow that drives itself deep into Fluttershy's side. She gives an almost bird like shrieks in pain, before pulling it out with no hesitation.
>Fire gathers into her mouth, and immediately after Fluttershy locks eyes on Strongheart, a lightning fast bullet of red fires from her mouth.
>Upon connecting to Strongheart's forehead, it explodes into a swirling and consuming explosion of fire.
FLUTTERSHY, PLEASE!
>Distracted, the now angered Arcadia swings his blade into Anon's armor, cutting clean into the back, and slicing across his midsection.
>Anon gives a ghastly wail, as the blade knocks him to the ground.
>Arcadia then lungs through the air to try and stab through Anon's skull, but in the blink of an eye, a figure leaps out of the smoke of the circling fire, and Arcadia feels the hard swing of a balalaika to his cheek.
> He's  knocked through the dirt by a dynamically entered Pinkie Pie.
>"Not so nice having somepony surprise you, HUH?!" she says
>Pinkie then extends her hindhoof, in an offer to help Anon up.
>"You okay, buddy?"
>He grabs her hoof, and she pulls him up.
It's not me we should be worrying about.
>Another shriek is heard, and the two of them look up to see an arrow fired straight into Fluttershy's chest from the female acher.
>Dash spots the male archer, ready to fire next, and tackles into him. He fires before the collision however, and the arrow drives clean through the humerus bone of her left wing.
>With another horrid shriek, her flight is disabled, and she begins a freefall from fifty feet, desperately trying to slow her decent with her right wing.
>Dash screams out Fluttershy's name, and tries to fly to her aid, but Apple jack body slams her, stopping her completely.
>She can only look as Fluttershy hits the ground, hard.
>Fluttershy's a persistent devil though. Far to ignorant to die, she only burns out into a near unconscious state.
>Rarity tries to run to her aid, only to get rammed and pinned by the Chief.
>"Get off of me you hairy beast!" she screams in protest.
>Rarity's diamond minion intervenes bucking the Chief off, and Rarity leaps up to strike his face with her metallic whip.
>A normal buffalo tries to pounce her, but he's immediately blasted by Twilight and collapses.
>Nine remain.
>Fed up with Applejack, Rainbow breaks free of her hold, and sends her hind legs straight into her chin. Applejack flies back to the ground, but a second buffalo leaps into her place, and crosses Rainbow flat on her flank.
>Anon tries to run towards Dash to help her out, but a giant rushes through, intercepts and crashes into Anon. Anon however pushes back with his shoulder, desperately trying not to get knocked back.
>The buffalo tells him as he pushes Anon farther and farther, "Give up while you can. You're only making this harder on yourself."
Don't even think about underestimating us.
>Desperate, Anon uses the only item he and his party have left; a death lily.
>A death lily can target up to four enemies, and delivers an 80 point attack to each. Due to its power, it's only to be used in extreme emergencies, but with this being the final boss, now seems like as good of a time as any.
>Anon drops his blade, and while still pushing back, pulls the flower out of his belt bag. It begins to glow a ghastly black in his palm, before he throws it into the air, and it's four petals disperse into what are practically small black arrows.
>They  dart through the air, eventually striking the two archers that aren't Little Strongheart, and the two titans, including the one that Anon is in a struggle with.
>The petals explode into small orbs of dark magic, and without warning they each fall to the ground, and die.
>All that remain is a normal buffalo, Little Strongheart, the Chief, Arcadia, and Applejack.
>With a new phase beginning, Anon drives his blade through the normal buffalo's chest and leaves him to bleed out. He then turns to Arcadia, who is up and by the side of his remaining party.
Give up. All of your loyalist have either fled, or have died. You cannot win.
>Arcadia gives a devious grin, and begins to slowly laugh.
>"You really think I'm going to give up my cause so easily? I'd rather die!"
>He then begins to charge at Anon, with his sword ready to drive itself as deep as he can.
Very well. Let's do this!
>As Arcadia's blade comes down, he fades away, vanishing only a couple of feet from Anon.
What the?
>Pinkie says to herself, "He just vanished."
>Suddenly, the sound of Dash screaming turns everyone in the party around to her direction, to see her body, pierced by Arcadia's blade. He stabbed her clean through the spine, and she falls to the ground, dead as a doornail.
>Rarity then drops her whip, pounces him, and begins beating his face in with her own hooves.
>"YOU HORRIBLE, DISPICABLE, WORTHLESS, LOUSY WASTE OF FLESH! HOW DARE YOU!"
>He only laughs as the hits keep coming. Little Strongheart then draws an arrow in the background.
>Pinkie yells to Rarity, "Watch out!" and tries to push her out of the way, but it only ends with her getting an arrow into the chest.
>She falls, gripping her chest, and struggling to breath she says,  "You son of a...butterscotch...mother hubbard."
>She begins to slowly and painfully pull the arrow out of her body, and Arcadia vanishes from underneath Rarity.
>Suddenly from the ground, Fluttershy's body begins to glow slightly as her body just barely begins producing fire.
>Still not moving however, Applejack runs to her to try and crush her skull under her hoof, but Anon, being the noble soldier he is, uses his react based ability "heroic cover".
>As the name suggest, he takes the place of Fluttershy, intercepting, and taking a pair of armor shattering hooves to the chest. It hurts, but Anon has more health than her to lose.
>He coughs up a bit of blood, and with a grin tells her,
You were always the strongest one in the group.
>You can see a hint of consciousness return in AJ, and she slowly begins to back away from Anon. He then falls to his knees, clutching at his stomach.
>With Applejack struggling against possession, Twilight takes her chance, and with no hesitation electrocutes Applejack with a blast of 'Sterope’s Kiss.'
>She collapses, foaming at the mouth.
>Three remain.
>As Fluttershy's flames grow brighter, her eyes slowly open to see the chief charging at her, but Pinkie leaps in the way and drives the arrow she pulled out into his side.
>Theif chief veers to the side crashing into one of the burning tents, and horribly burns to death.
>With Fluttershy's turn up, Little Strongheart anticipates the worse and begins to back away. She can't escape though; fire is everywhere behind her.
>Fluttershy suddenly bursts into an even brighter fire than when she began, and flames begins to gather in her mouth. Her head focuses to Strongheart, and with a disturbing smile, she blows bullet like blast of fire at her.
>Strongheart crouches down and screams as it comes, but at the very last moment before it can connect, Arcadia appears in front of her, and takes the blast head on.
>He falls to his knees, his body and robe both burning, and with Strongheart watching only a few feet behind him.
>As the new phase begins and Anon's party gets the attacking role, Fluttershy begins to force herself up, her body growing more and more dangerous and hot, and the flames in her mouth once again gathers.
>Strongheart pulls her bow back to fire, but Arcadia sticks his hand out to stop her.
>He turns back and tells her, "Strongheart. You were always my most loyal follower, but you're too young to die."
>Fluttershy releases her flames, and Arcadia opens his arms out, taking the explosion full force.
>He burns with no protest, collapses, and dies with a silent dignity.

>With that, you begin packing the dice, cards, and board.
>Confused at what's happening, Fluttershy asks, "Why are you packing things up?'
We're done here. You guys have won again. Conglaturations.
>Rarity asks, "But what about the archer?"
She surrendered. There was no hope of her winning, and everything that she once loved was burned away thanks to the fire. Good job, Fluttershy.
>Fluttershy backs away from the table ashamedly as her face hides behind her mane.
>For Flutter's sake, Anon requests, "H-how about that post-quest epilogue, big brother?"
>You give a callus sigh and take a sip of your Coke.
Sure. Why not? With Arcadia's dead, and his entire camp destroyed, Applejack was able to gain a grip on reality as she eventually regained consciousness. The smell of burning flesh was the first thing she registered, making her both disgusted, and oddly hungry. With Dash "knocked out" she couldn't take out the flames, and Twilight didn't have enough mana to create rain, so you guys just sort of left the place to burn. As stated, Strongheart surrendered, and was taken to town to be arrested, though Anon had to struggle to keep Fluttershy from killing her. Fluttershy really, REALLY wanted to set her on fire, and though she was no longer on fire, she didn't turn back to normal until an hour later. Speaking of killing, Dash recovers from her "condition" after a night of rest at Braeburn's and eventually , the whole party's back together, good as new. Fluttershy however, is forced to give up her addiction to souls, after a heated dispute at the Salt Block ended with her absorbing town addict Salt Lick. She later pursues an alternative class career as a 'practitioner' but secretly, she still takes the souls of her favorite animals after they die. Happy ending. Let's play uno.