"Pony. I see you!" (Patreon)

 A moaning wind caused a sheet of newspaper floated down a silent city street in Equestria dreamscape. The city was devoid of inhabitants except for one terrified colt who timidly walked down its streets. 

  
  Stone Mane was shivering as he walked and his shaking had nothing to do with the cold wind blowing. Like many who suffer reoccurring nightmares the colt did not consciously recognize he was dreaming but he instinctively knew that did not want to be here. He’d seen nopony and despite the terrible urge to call out for help there was an even greater dread that somepony, or something, else would hear his call. Something he desperately did not want to meet. 

  
  The little colt knew the street he was on; in fact he knew all the streets in sight. This was his neighborhood in Baltimare where he lived, where his neighbors, his friends, his…. His parent’s use to live, Stone Mane stopped and clenched his eyes closed as a wave grief washed over him. 

  
  “Mom. Dad. Why’d you leave me?” Said the little colt in soft whimper. 

  “PONY.” A voice like rumbling thunder echoed down the vacant city streets. Stone Mane froze in his tracks. It was a voice that no pony could make. 

  “PONY I KNOW YOU ARE HERE! DON’T TRY TO HIDE! I’LL FIND YOU ANYWHERE YOU GO! NO PONY CAN HIDE FROM ME! YOUR PARENTS LEARNED THAT ONE LITTLE PONY!” 

  Stone Mane heart was pounding in his chest; slowly he started to back up when a gigantic, stony grey head peered around the corner. Great forward curving tusks longer trolley cars projected from the corners of its mouth; they scrapped along the street dislodging cobblestones and toppling gas lamp poles. Two massive, twisted black backward facing horns taller than flag poles jutted from the sides of its head. Its eyes were the color of tarnished brass, cold, heartless full of only malice and sadistic glee. The dragon spied the colt and with a twisted smile it spoke.  

 
  “PONY, I SEE YOU!” 

  Stone Mane turned and in a blind panic began galloping down the street.  

 
  Applebloom came out of dense cloud bank and found she was flying over what she assumed must be Baltimare since she’d never visited before. The city spread out below her and her heart sank as realized that some how she had to locate one colt in this vast dreamscape.  

 
  “This will be like finding a needle inna haystack!” Moaned the little filly. Maybe she could find some other pony who could direct her to where Stone Mane lived. With that thought in mind she descended for the street below. 

  Applebloom’s hoofs touched down on the cobblestone street and suddenly thought dawned in her mind. This was some other pony’s dream fabric not the real world or even her dream fabric. This was a construct of Stone Mane’s own subconscious and upon closer examination several things immediately caught Applebloom’s attention. 

  One for such a vast city it was utterly devoid of the sounds of life. It was quiet to the point of being creepy. Not even pigeons flew overhead or rested on rooftops. The only movement was sheets of newspaper drifting down the street. One skidded to halt in front of the little filly. Curious she bent over and smoothed out with a front hoof.  

 
  First she noticed was that writing was for the most part gibberish, a jumbled collection of sentences and words. Second there was a large black and white photo square in the middle of it. It was of a stallion, a mare and young colt between them. They were facing toward the camera with great big smiles on their faces. Applebloom stared at the photo for several seconds before she realized this must be an image of Stone Mane and his parents. 

  
  Applebloom suddenly noticed that her own heart was pounding. The image of this young colt and his parents seemed to be stirring deep memories in her. Applebloom looked up from the paper and glanced around looking for any landmark that might guide her, when she looked back down again she realized that the photo and writing on the page had changed. The family photo had been replaced by an image of a brick two-story row house with white trimmed windows and planter boxes in the windows. At the bottom of the photo in tidy, small cursive writing was the words: 

  1705 Long Trot Lane. 

  Applebloom grinned, she was certain that this must be the address where Stone Mane lived. Now how close was she to 1705 Long Trot Lane? She looked up at the nearest street sign but none of them were Long Trot Lane. However when she looked down again the paper had changed again instead of a newspaper it had transformed into a rather crudely drawn map of Baltimare. Large parts of the city were just roughly blocked in but other areas were much more meticulously rendered. After a couple seconds it dawned to Applebloom that this map like everything else here was a creation of Stone Mane’s imagination, just like the CMC clubhouse in her own dream fabric. A quick examination of the map told he she was only a few blocks away from Long Trot Lane. The little filly folded up the piece of paper and tucked it under the padded arming garment she wore. This might be useful later.  

 
  With a destination in her mind Applebloom trotted off for Long Trot Lane, however she soon learned that locations were not as concrete as they were in the real world or even her own dream fabric. On several occasions streets names and even specific buildings changed and morphed before her eyes. In fact she ended up on Long Trot Lane by accident when the street she was on transformed into it. Quickly the little filly began searching street numbers before the scenery changed again. Finally she found the place. 1705 Long Trot Lane. 

  
  With no clear plan in her mind Applebloom decided to go and knock on the front door. She was just about to grab the knocker when the sound of screaming and galloping hoofs from down the street caught her attention. Emerging from what appeared to be a heat mirage Stone Mane came barreling down the street. Sheer terror filled the colt’s eyes as he barreled down the sidewalk. Applebloom stepped in front of the oncoming colt and introduced herself.  

  
  “Hi there! Would ya be Stone Mane? My name is Applebloom and I’m a here ta… OH CRAP!” 

   
  Bursting from the mirage-like effect was the largest creature Applebloom had ever seen. She’d seen a bison once that was nothing compared to the mountain of creature chasing Stone Mane. The ground shook and trembled under its titanic stride, its enormous claws and feet crushed the very cobblestones it ran on. Gigantic wings towered over the tallest building on the street, and its fang-lined maw was wider than both the barn doors at Sweet Apple Acres. The mountain of a nightmare tore past Applebloom apparently oblivious to her presence, all the while roaring at Stone Mane. 

  
  “HA HA! YES RUN PONY! RUN FOR YOUR PATHETIC LIFE! RUNNING WILL ONLY MAKE YOUR FLESH TASTE SWEETER WHEN I FINALLY EAT YOU! RUN! RUN LIKE YOUR PARENTS DID PONY!” 

  Collecting her wits Applebloom decided the first thing she’d have to do is try and get Stone Mane away from that dragon. The quickest way she could think of was by forcefully taking him to a different part of the city away from the galloping nightmare. Launching herself back into the air Applebloom flew off down the streets in pursuit of Stone Mane. Skimming just above the sidewalk she shot underneath the dragon and scooped the terrified colt up in her front hoofs. Then she rocketed off into the sky above Baltimare; glancing back Applebloom was surprised that the dragon had not taken off in pursuit? Maybe Stone Mane’s subconscious hadn’t considered that concept? Either way she was happy for it, now to find some place to hide up for awhile. 

 To be continued.