I am no longer afraid of you (Patreon)

 Applebloom had finally convinced Stone Mane to confront his nightmare in my Equestria dreamscape. The little filly had created the instrument by which he could eliminate once for all the monstrous dragon who tormented his dreams. Now Applebloom just had to get the dragon in the young colt's sights so he could blast it! 

  Stone Mane also seemed to be grappling with problem. “Um. Okay we've got a cannon, but it is inside this warehouse. How do we get it in position so we can shoot the dragon? And then how do we get it aimed in time to hit him?” 

  Once again Applebloom was wracking her brain for answers. Suddenly I thought popped up in her head. “Hey Stone Mane has that dragon ever used fire to get ya? Has it ever flown to get ya?” 

  “No it's never done those things. It just chases me down. Why do you ask?” 

  “Cuz if that's the case then I betcha the biggest milkshake in all Equestria that it will come through those sliding doors over there! And our cannon is already pointed that way! The easiest way for it to get in here is to bust them doors down, and when it does. BOOM! We have it!” 

  Applebloom was explaining this not just to make her case but to plant the idea in Stone Mane's own mind. She'd convinced him of the warehouse and the cannon. Now she wanted him to believe in this idea because if did then the chances of that happening were...” 

  Outside in the distance Applebloom heard the muffled roar of the dragon. The little buttercream yellow filly looked over at the colt. 

  
  “Stone Mane! Yer the pony who knows the most about cannons! Yer in charge of it and I'm yer crew! What do ya need me to do ta help ya fire this thing?” 

  The colt paused and worried his tongue around in one corner of his mouth for a couple of seconds. “Okay Applebloom I want you manage the elevation and traverse controls over here!” The colt pointed at a couple control wheels. “I'll need to make slight adjustments to the cannon's aim!” 

  “On it!” Said the little filly. Outside the sound of the dragon approaching could be heard. Stone Mane scrambled up onto the firing platform at the back of the cannon. He then looked back down one side of the barrel. 

  “Applebloom! Elevate the barrel until I say stop!” It took the little filly a couple attempts to get it right but finally Stone Mane was happy. 

  
  “Now traverse it to the left a little. A little more, Just a bit more. There stop! Now come back here where I am!”   

        Applebloom climbed up on the platform and passed her one end of the firing lanyard. He looked at her and grinned. “We do this together!” Applebloom grabbed the rope with her teeth and nodded her head. 

  
  Outside the dragon bore down on the warehouse. It's stride made the ground tremble. Like a great freight train it approached them.  

 
  “Pony I know you're around here! You're hiding somewhere and that never works pony!” 

  Stone Mane started trembling again, then looked over Applebloom and he closed his eyes. “You are right. I'm the only one who can make this end, and it ends here right now!” 

  The little colt reared up on his hind legs and yelled with all his might! “I'm in here dragon! Come and get me if you have the courage!” 

  “Oh the pony has gotten cocky!” Applebloom could see the behemoth's silhouette through the frosted glass windows in the warehouse's clearstory. Slowly it approached the sliding doors. 

  “Good.” She thought. Then it stopped and nothing happened. As the second passed with anguishing slowness Applebloom started worrying that Stone Mane's resolve would waver. With the lanyard still between her teeth she spoke. 

  “Stune Mane! Taut'n it! We nud it tu come thru thuz doors!”  

 
  The nutmeg brown colt bellowed again at the dragon. “What's the matter dragon? Are too scared or too stupid to open a door? Or just to weak to break them down. I'm not afraid of you anymore! I will not be tormented in my sleep by you anymore!” As he said this a yellow aura began to grow around him. “Come and get me you stupid, worthless lizard! Come in here and get me!” 

  Suddenly the wooden doors burst inward as the dragon entered the warehouse. It bulk filled the entire end of the building. In foaming rage it roared. 

  
  “Pony I will make you beg for the pain to stop! I will torment you to last day of pathetic existence! I will be your terror!” 

  
  Stone Mane's aura erupted like a bonfire around him. “YOU WILL TORMENT ME NO MORE!” Screamed colt. "I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF YOU!”

 
  The dragon came storming across warehouse floor toward them. Stone Mane grabbed the lanyard with his teeth and looked at Applebloom and nodded his head. Then the two of them yanked the firing lanyard. 

  
  The world vanished in a gigantic flash. 

  
 To be continued.