Batches: The Ships, Drama, and D'awwwwsome has been doubled!

It was a smaller building with an olden, charming presence, rather welcoming with a cottage-like feel. One could tell it had been there for a longer time than most, but the place was well kept, and other than the occasional creative paint job, the display front seemed to be its only addition since the day it was bought. An elderly, pale lavender mare sat by the checkout desk as she attempted to tinker with a broken toy, adjusting her silver-rimmed glasses with magic as she did, but she hadn’t much success. As she tilted her head upward and put her gaze on what lied beyond store, she sighed wearily. “When the mountains blend with the sky, maybe then I’ll fade away...” She went back to work, unknowing that another had heard much more than she had wanted to convey. The dragon waited a few minutes, behind the door that lead to the home-oriented section of the cottage, before entering the shop’s base. The two exchanged a few nods and a smile, but Patches hid away his growing anxiety for the old mare - a sister, friend, somepony he'd known since the Unicorn was a foal! It wasn’t the first time he had noticed such musings, and nothing beyond that had seemingly happened, but he had his worries, and decided to stay in the storeroom just in case. He went over towards the display before quickly rearranging a kite hung up by the side, trying for now to put his focus on something other than what darker fears lingered in the back of his mind.

 

His cart creaked in protest as it was pulled down the road, the fresh coat of dirt and mud slathered on the sides and nearly covering the sign that read: "Orange Family Oranges". Bo soldiered on, still looking for the glass house he was supposed to find somewhere in between Fillydelphia and Ponyville, and after a while he started to worry if he had already passed it. Patches had been on his mind the last couple of days, and while the stallion wasn't normally one to grow attached to anything other than his oranges, Bo felt like he owed it to the dragon to visit him, after everything that had happened in the groves. Finally, a small cottage with an amazing glass display came into view on the left side of the road, and Bo could only assume it was where he was supposed to go. Sighing happily, the stallion pulled up in front of the structure and unhitched himself from the cart. "Sure is a nice place..." he muttered to himself as he approached the door."It's got a door and everything..." His praise of the cottage was only interrupted by a loud tap on the door. He stood there silently, awaiting a response.

 

As business was usually slow, Patches hadn’t expected anypony to come by that day. He continued focusing on arranging shelves while the mare stayed at her desk, but catching a glimpse of a less-than-clean Orange cart a distance away from the glass made the dragon practically light up! Sure, he’d given the vendor directions to the store, but the thought of his not showing up at all had started to dampen his hopes. It wasn’t that uncommon, meeting a stranger and potential friend that he’d never see again, so seeing him show up at all was enough to make him a little giddy, even if his mind still hadn’t abandoned his earlier thoughts. Hearing the knock on the door, the dragon grinned widely with anticipation as he neared the entrance, the elderly mare bearing a look of confusion before Patches mouthed to her ‘It’s a friend’.  She nodded before Patches opened the door, greeting Bo with a warm, literally toothy smile. “I-it’s been awhile...” He started bashfully as he lightly scratched the back of his head, though aware it had only been less than a week since their last encounter. “C-c-come right in! I-I’m glad to see you came over.” He stepped aside a bit to let him enter the store. It was just as nice as the outside, though the hoof and dragon-made toys and wares were in even better view within the shelves than on the display.

 

Bo smiled just as wide as the dragon did when the door opened. "Couldn't resist droppin' by t'see how mah friend is doin'. Shore is a nice place ya got here, ain't too shabby!" The stallion stepped inside and looked around. There were toys everywhere! Little trains, rocking dragons, a little old lady off in the corner...When Bo saw the tiny little mare he froze, rooted in his spot. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead and his mouth started to waver in fear. Bo quickly bowed his head and dropped his accent. He stared at the floor, eyes wide open, as he spoke. "Hello, Madame, it's quite the pleasure to be here. I'm just visiting my good friend Patches, and I must say that this establishment seems to be quite the place for fine craftsmareship!" Even though Bo was done speaking, his head was still low as his eyes focused on the floorboards. He needed to keep his cool, adults must be shown respect at all times. Even the smallest error could earn their eternal wrath, just like with /his/ parents. The last thing he needed was to be himself and ruin everything. A heavy breath filtered through his teeth as a small panic set in, quickly sent away by an even larger breath. He'd done this before, he just needed to try and stay calm, or at least appear to be so.

 

Patches chuckled happily as he first saw the colt casually comment about the store, happy that he seemed to like the place. “Th-thanks-!” He chimed before he noticed a sudden change in Bo; tense, formal, no accent...? He remembered him lacking one the first time they met, but that was because he was selling, trying to make a good impression on those like the dragon himself...but why was he doing so now? The older mare had gotten up from her seat before making her way steadily toward the two; a frail frame that matched her old age. Still, as she made her way, she hadn’t quite been facing her new acquaintance, but instead looked as though she were searching for him. “Why thank you Sir, but y’ needn’t use formalities here. I don’t bite...w-where are you, by the way? I can’t quite see you...”  The dragon quickly tapped the floor by a spot next to Bo before the mare finally faced him. “Oh! Sorry, these eyes aren’t as savvy as they used to. Thought you were Patches, but the red should’ve given you away, methinks. It’s a pleasure to meet ye.” The mare offered a hoof with a smile.

 

Bo lifted his head and saw her hoof hovering right in front of him. Normally it would be in a far more aggressive manner than this, and the lack of hitting or shouting surprised him. Seizing the opportunity, he ever so gently took her hoof in his and shook it up and down. "Pleasure to meet you as well..." He looked over at Patches, forcing a smile onto his face before looking back at the small mare. "My name is Bo...this is a very lovely shop you have here, I'll try not to take too much of your time..."

 

A small pit in the back of the dragon’s stomach had slowly started to form - there was something about the way he was acting that seemed familiar, and eerily so at that. Something he has seen a long time ago...no, something he himself would do, even if Patches didn’t have an impressionable accent, aside from stuttering and a heavily faded shell of what used to be a Canterlot dialect. He smiled back at Bo, but his was beginning to look just as nervous, but for a particularly different reason. The mare, who could barely even make out anything other than a red and orange blur, unintentionally peered her head towards the orange vendor’s face, bringing it back when she couldn’t see him any more clearly. “Why thankee kindly there, Bo...” She said with another smile before raising an eyebrow. “But really, the formalities aren’t necessary. These old ears work full well- keep the accent! It’s a charming one...Wish I kept the brunt of mine, but Canterlot can dullen just about anything...” She muttered to herself. Patches, hoping to himself that Bo would lighten up, decided to introduce The old unicorn. “B-Bo? Th-this is Joy Spinner. Or, well, you can call her Joy is you want, sh-she really doesn’t mind!” He smiled warmly as the mare nodded in genuine agreement.

 

Bo cleared his throat, completely confused by what was going on. Most older ponies would have started shouting at him by now, or at least, the ones in his family. Even his aunts and uncles (the two who were most successful) couldn't stand being around him for more than a few minutes before shouting him out of their house. Why was this mare so nice? He smiled weakly, convinced that it must be because she couldn't see clearly. If she had proper eyes, she'd see him for what he truly was and just kick him out. Part of him felt bad for lying to a pony like that, but the other part of him was just glad that he might be able to spend some time with Patches. "Well, it's a pleasure t'be here. If'n y'all want me to talk like this, then Ah guess ah ain't gotta choice in the matter. Shore don't wanna upset the lady o' the house, not when she's bein' ever so kahnd to me." he bowed his head again and then stood up straight, still scared out of his pelt. "Patches, ah shore would love t'have a looksee about the place..." He motioned with his head, making it quite clear that the last place he wanted to be was right there with the older pony.

 

The mare giggled subtly yet kind, trying to smile politely at Bo, though her wandering, faded pink eyes didn’t seem to know where his face was. “Ye’ve been quite the pleasure, Bo. A friend of Patches is always welcome here.” In the meantime, Patches had thought the orange stallion was getting used to her, but to his dismay, his demeanor proved otherwise. Noting Bo’s quick motioning, it was obvious that he felt more than uncomfortable around the mare, the reason for it yet to be mentioned. “Y-yeah, I think that’s a good idea.” He answered casually with a nod, at least before the mare spoke up again. “I was going to head towards the workshop myself, so I’ll let the two of you have your fun.” She chimed in politely before turning her head a few times. “Which is...?” “Ba-back, right hand corner, a-and I’ll deal with the toy on the desk!” Patches quickly answered. With  nod, Joy waved a hoof before heading towards a door different from the one Patches had entered through, levitating a few, say, sharp utensils from the counter unbeknownst to the dragon, before she left the room.

 

Bo's smile didn't waver as he watched the other mare leave the room, only when she was gone from sight did he allow himself to exhale. He doubled over, gasping for air before looking up to face Patches. "Geeze, y'all didn't tell me there'd be older ponies around!" He put a hoof into Patches' chest and frowned. "Ya should warn me about that sorta stuff!" He backed off and looked over towards the door where she had just left. "She seems right kind though, must not hit ya very much... Ain't a 'tough love', but who am Ah to judge?"

 

Patches was taken aback by the colt’s sudden exclamation, his eyes widening at the very mention of ‘hit’ and ‘tough love’ being said as though they were one in the same. “H-h /hit/? B-b-but th-that h-h-ha-hasn’t h-happen t-to me s-s-since-” The dragon stopped mid-sentence; Optillusion had other methods to keep him in line at the time, though he did recall incidents where she used animate objects against him with magic...nothing with her hooves, but still! Did he even have any idea of how /wrong/ that was? And what of the dragon’s own past - how could he even attempt to elaborate on it without Bo taking it as yet another form of ‘tough love’ as well? Bewildered, and resisting the urge to put himself in a pickle, Patches shook his head. “N-n-nevermind! I-I knew her as a foal, a-and sh-sh-she knew me as a baby, s-so she-she’s like a sister to me...s-same on her end, b-but she’s older than me - n-not in pony years, th-though...”

 

Bo chuckled a bit and patted Patches' shoulder softly. "Ah see, that makes sense. Time is all screwy for you dragons, eh?" He pulled his hoof back and thought for a moment, trying to change the subject. "How about ya show me some of yer products? Part of the reason Ah showed up was to buy somethin'!" The pony looked over to the side, wondering to himself how the heck a pony could be raised without a proper whuppin' every now and then, though he supposed that things must be a bit different with dragons. Bo turned back to face Patches and smiled wide, that was something personal, and now wasn't the time for such things. "Y'all may have a while, but Ah ain't got time t'waste!"

 

“Heh, y-ye-yeah...” Patches shrugged as he forced a grin and a small chuckle.  “A l-little t-too sc-screwed up...” he muttered quiet and more solemnly, more to himself than to anypony else.  He felt a weight of relief when the subject was dropped...well, sort of.  He smiled again, being meaningful this time, before speaking up again. “W-well, a-anything in mind? W-we’ve got some P-puzzle Cubes left f-from our run-in in Hoofington- o-oh! Th-there’s some brightly colored kite hung up near the display glass, a-and some figurines by the shelves near the check-out desk. I-I could go on, b-but is there anything /you/’d like to see?”

 

"Ah'd sure like to see them figurines. Ah always liked fine craftsmareship." Bo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Also...ya got any toys? Not like Ah'd play with 'em or anythin'... just like t'see what all the fuss is about..."

 

The dragon nodded as he led him towards the shelves. “Y-yeah, s-same here...a-a lot of the toys I bring back to the shop - th-they’re not all c-completely hoofcrafted, at least not like they used to. ‘T’s a shame, th-the toys made right in here still are, o-or dragon made, in some cases.” Patches shrugged before answering his question. “A-a few, y-yes. S-some of our past employees, th-they’ve made some pretty neat stuff, as gifts, from time to time.” He smiled again, before continuing on with a little more reluctance. “B-but...I-I try not t-to, w-well, accept them all as my own...h-hoarding instincts, I-I mean. I-It can be hard enough - controlling them, o-outside the shop…A-and living in one while young, well...” He stared sheepishly at the ground.

 

Bo felt a strong emotion overcome him, and he gently reached out and put a hoof on Patch's shoulder. "Ah'd say yer doin' a mighty fine job of it, Patches. Sometimes it's tough, controllin' yerself, but Ah trust ya more than anypony else." He gave him a firm pat and then backed up. "Got anythin' special in here? Ah'm lookin' to pick somethin' up, and Ah want the best!"

 

 Patches felt his cheeks flush, almost in spite of himself, at the colt words.  Bo appeared to put a lot of trust in the dragon for only having met  some while,  and it  felt reassuring, even if it further implicated that the Earth pony hadn’t anypony else to rely on. He felt bad for him, but he almost swore he felt something else...but what that was? He really couldn’t place it. Subtle yet strong. But lightly shaking off the feeling, he turned towards the shelf before picking out a few painted wooden sculptures from the highest one, placing them together by a lower shelf he stepped aside for Bo to see; an artistic interpretation of a certain princess of the night, etched within the darker side of a crescent moon. A hippogriff with the exotic plumage of a male peafowl, and a few ‘normal’ ponies as well, but sculpted and painted with the same attention to detail.

 

Bo smiled warmly as the dragon searched for some toys. He was glad to be here, with his friend, and while he really appreciated his kindness, it was almost like there was something deeper to his feelings. It wasn't some random feeling, he'd had it ever since their meeting at the groves, he just couldn't put a name to it. Bo was snapped out of his thoughts as the dragon stepped aside. "Oh...whoa..." Each of the pieces were beautiful in its own right, but one stuck out to him. It wasn't the hippogriff, or even Luna's doll, it was a tiny earth pony, with a blue pelt and lighter mane. "It's beautiful, Patches." He ever so gently grabbed it in a hoof before holding it out in front of him, examining it closely. "It...It looks just like 'er. Mom wasn't from the Orange family, that's from mah pa's side. But she's kin all the same, and Ah love her. Don't get to see 'er too much...maybe this could be a lil' reminder for me and my job..." Bo smiled and looked over at Patches. "Ah'll take it."

 

A kindly smile crept on the dragon’s face as Bo carefully picked out the tiny sculpture of his choice. He had the feeling the colt would pick one of the two Earth ponies, even while the first two would have appealed to the especially curious. That same pit he had in his stomach formed again, however, along with a wave of empathy, at the very mention of his family. Maybe his mom had been the kinder of the two, but it wasn’t his place to judge, unless he asked...no, it wasn’t the time and place. He grinned softly at Bo, that feeling creeping up again...he almost swore it wasn’t the first time, but when was it..? Still trying to push his thoughts aside, he quickly glanced at the set price - about 15 bits, it read. He put his gaze back on the colt with an assuring nod. “G-good choice, I-I believe...I...I’ll let you have it...for free.” Patches blinked lightly - almost as though he surprised himself. Letting Bo have one of his gems was one thing, but one of the toys at the shop?  He knew Joy could be reasonable enough, but still...it wouldn’t be a big deal - it was for a good friend of his, right?

 

Bo blinked a few times, nearly dropping the figurine in shock. "Ah...Ah can't possibly accept that. Yer too kind!" He stammered a bit, trying to rationalize how somepony would be that nice. "Ah'll pay the askin' price, and not a bit less. Ah can't cheat my best friend outta some bits!" He looked at Patches and smiled. "After what happened at the Groves, Ah owe ya. Jes’ lemme pay fer this, ok?" The nice offer formed a huge knot in Bo's gut, why would Patches be so nice to him? Sure, friends would do things for each other like that, but the way Patches had been acting lately, he couldn't help but think something was up. He still didn't know exactly how to describe his feelings, but he sure felt lucky to have a friend like Patches."Y'all don't have to be that nice on account of me..."

 

 His /best/ friend? Patches blinked at the phrase - it had been a long time since anypony had called him that, other than Joy, but the now older mare was more like family than anything. He doubted that the colt was exaggerating about everything he’d said, including anything that hinted at his /lack/ of stable friendships, but seeing it brought out in the open, well, it appeared that the dragon was his /only/ friend as well. He couldn’t help but feel empathetic for the colt. Sure, the whole incident by the Groves wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but it was obvious that Bo had gone through much more than he was willing to acknowledge, at least by the way he occasionally shrugged things off. Looking Bo right in the eye, Patches softly placed a paw on his shoulder. “Y-you deserve it more than you think, t-trust me on this, a-as a friend...”

 

Bo flinched at the contact, quickly pushing the dragon's paw away. For a moment a look of sorrow could be seen clearly on his face before it vanished, washed over by a well rehearsed nonchalance. "Ah ain't done nuthin' to deserve it, Ah ain't done nuthin' for ya! If anyone deserves somethin' for free, it's you!" He slowly quieted down and held back a loud sigh. "Ah can't refuse yer offer, Patches. It'll go right next to that gem ya gave me a while back, as one of mah most prized possessions." Bo closed his eyes tight and batted at his own muzzle with a hoof. "Ah feel like Ah should be doin' somethin' t'earn it, It don't sit right, gettin' things fer free. Pa always said that free stuff don't build character... so why do Ah feel like this? Ah just feel real happy that yer so nice t'me, Patches...Ah'm lucky t'be yer friend." As he finished talking his words trailed off, all of his feelings coming together in his gut and freezing up his mouth. Bo looked at Patches, right in the eyes, his gaze softer than it had probably ever been. The dragon was so nice, and a lot braver than he gave himself credit for. Maybe he was inspired by him? Maybe, but that didn't explain ALL of these strange feelings...He idly shuffled a hoof on the floor as he looked at Patches, unsure of what to say and even more mystified by his own feelings.

 

As soon as Bo began resisting his paw, Patches almost immediately pulled it back. From the brief sorrowful look that the colt quickly flashed, the dragon would have flooded him with a thousand apologies if he hadn’t spoken up before him. The earth pony denied that he deserved anything at all, only to add that the only two things he’d gave to him amounted as some of the few prized possessions he likely even had? It was hard for Patches to understand, how Bo was so grateful for what he had done, but how could he /not/ do anything? He wouldn’t have forgiven himself if let him wander about with no place to stay, or if he watched him helplessly take down that tree at the possible expense of his own life...especially when being there in the first place could make that much of a difference in somepony’s life. Bo hadn’t anypony in his own to look out for him, and it wasn’t as though the dragon himself always had either. Patches found himself looking at Bo as well, the softness in his eyes, it reminded him of how happy the colt felt at the Groves, but there was something deeper to it...and in truth, he couldn’t help but start to think he felt the same way, whatever the feeling was. Attempting to break the momentary, almost awkward silence, he finally spoke up again. “G-gifts...th-they needn’t s-supposed to be earned. ‘T’s n-not a bad th-thing, th-they don’t n-need to be deserved...” He tapped his front claws lightly on the floor. “I-it makes me happy, n-knowing they make others smile. I-it’s a better feeling th-than not sharing, e-even it there’s no logical reason to in the first place.” Patches smiled, bashfully trying to ignore the fact that his face was starting to flush again.

 

Bo noticed the reddish hue that had surfaced on the Dragon's scales, and he too ducked his face away, worried that he was doing the same. His normally bright orange pelt had darkened on his face, now a deep orange that teetered on red. "Ah...Ah guess yer right. Ya sure are good at bein' illogical, Patches. Ah wish Ah understood ya..." He rubbed the back of his neck with a hoof and looked up, smiling wide. "Ah'll figure out a way to repay ya, just ya wait!" Bo reached out with his hoof and gently placed it on Patch's shoulder, all of those feelings surfacing again, but now he didn't mind.

 

Patches chuckled lightly as he scratched the side of one of his ears, not trying particularly hard to hide his reddening face.  While the colt didn’t understand his actions, he was at least appreciative all the same. Still, he blinked few times in surprise at the sudden offer. “Y-you sure? B-because you really needn’t to...j-just having a friend over, i-it’s enough for me...”  He glanced quickly over at the checkout desk before putting his gaze on Bo again - maybe he could help around the shop a bit...but still, it would be rude to ask a friend in need help clean up somepony’s house, store or not.

 

Bo continued to smile and removed his hoof from his friend's shoulder. "Well, Ah owe ya one. Call it in whenever ya want, and Ah'll be there. No matter what. Ah promise!" His stomach did a double flip for some inexplicable reason, and his cheeks reddened even more. He'd never had friends before, maybe this was what friendship felt like?

 

“W-well...” Patches hesitated, the blush on the colt’s cheeks causing him to do the same again. “I-I believe Joy wa-was fixing up a model train, b-by the checkout desk. N-not sure if you no-know how to use a sc-screwdriver, th-though, n-no offense...b-but I’m surprised how the lot non-u-Unicorn ponies can manipulate s-some t-tools, when they look more a-apt to either them, o-or creatures l-like me, d-dexterity-wise.”

 

Bo snorted loudly. "Ah know how to use a screwdriver! Ah can fix up some lil' ol train, no problem!" The blush momentarily disappeared from his cheeks as he stepped around Patches. "Ah'll show ya! Let's go!"

 

The dragon grinned, a little embarrassed for making the assumption, but shrugged it off as he lead Bo to the checkout desk. “W-well, be my guest!” He looked down at the train’s components: The ‘engine’, conductor’s seat, storage carts, the wheels, which needed to be screwed on...but no screwdriver. The creature’s pupils shrunk as he stood frozen in panic. Patches had sworn she was using it, or was at least attempting to, before she left the room, but where was it now? There was always the likely chance that she’d lost it, but didn’t she also pass by the desk as she left the room? Could she have...? He quickly shook his head - the latter couldn’t have happened! She wouldn’t go that far, right? “Sh-sh-she must’ve m-mi-m-misplaced it! N-no-nothing bad! H-happed! I-I...” He stammered as much as he shook in place, looking at Bo. “L-le-l-let’slookforittogether! I-i-it h-ha- /has/ t-to-to be somewhere! Sh-she di-didn’t t-t-ta-take it!” He suddenly peered under the desk before poking his head back up, having not spotted anything. “N-no-not there! ‘T’s S-so-somewhere else! SweetCelestiatellmeshedidn’takeit!” Patches whimpered in distraught, his eyes scanning the area as he stood still, but it wasn’t in sight.

 

Bo just stood there, his excitement quickly fading as perplexion took its place. "Patches? What's going on?" He stepped closer to the dragon as he frantically searched for the screwdriver. "It's just a screwdriver, buddy, don't need t'worry 'bout it too much." Despite his words, Bo could tell that there was something serious behind the dragon's panic. All he could think to do was wrap a foreleg around the dragon's neck and get close. "We'll look for it together, ok? Just take a few deep breaths... we'll find it." Bo looked Patches in the eyes and smiled. "Don't worry!"

 

Patches flinched as soon contact was made, but he stayed in place. He didn’t want to slice his hoof up with his back scales, after all. He looked into Bo’s eyes, still growing ridden with anxiety, but at least he felt some reassurance. “I-I-I h-ho-” A high-pitched scream interrupted his nervous mumbling before he sharply pulled back away from the colt. His legs back down as his head quickly turned towards the door Joy had exited, his eyes widening in terror and his eyes began slowly began to water. “N-n-no, p-p-p-l-please no...!” he rambled incoherently. He was right. Or was he right? The screaming, what happened...?

 

Bo heard the scream and it made him almost jump in fright, instinctively he held Patches tighter than before. The stallion took a deep breath, unsure of what to expect, and then gave Patches a reassuring nuzzle under his chin. "Sh...Patches...Stay here...Ah'll go check on it, probably just nothin’, ok?" Slowly he broke contact from the dragon and gave one last look over his shoulder before approaching the door in question, slowly opening it with no idea what lay on the other side.

 

Patches nodded frantically as he bit the edge of his lip, blinking a few times at the brief though comforting nuzzle as a single tear trickled from his eye. While he trusted Bo as the colt began to slowly slip through the door, the dragon crept slowly and silently towards it as well, just in case something happened. What lied beyond the door was a hallway with a wooden floor, bearing a few doors scattered down the hall on different sides. Not one, but /two/ voices could be audible from the second door to the right. One sounded similar in spite of its pained moans, but the other came from a much younger mare, one whose voice was flooded with panicking reassurances as the two stumbled out of the room they came from. A foreleg of Joy Spinner’s was wrapped around the neck of a taller Pegasus that was a little older than Bo, looking as though having recently graduated. A cloth covered one of the older mare’s eyes, a glint of blood stained on it, while her glasses were tucked behind her ears, the lens of her covered eye bearing a crack. The other eye wasn’t damaged, but a bruise could be seen on her forehead above it. “C-C’mon, we gotta reach the sink-” The younger mare spoke before spotting the orange colt, freezing in place from not expecting anypony else’s presence. “Hello?” She shakily queried, trying to support Joy as the older mare’s smaller frame. “I-I’m sorry sir, but this isn’t a good time - but you think you could get a wet cloth by the nearest door, ‘cuz I’d /really/ appreciate it!” She smiled almost hopefully in spite of the circumstances.

 

 Bo quickly nodded, not quite sure of what was going on, but certainly not afraid to help. "O' course!" The stallion nodded quickly doing as he was told, in a matter of moments he had a nice, wet cloth ready for the mare. "Need anythin' else?" Bo couldn't help but wonder what Patches was freaking out about. Was he scared that the old lady had hurt herself? If so, why didn't he go help her immediately? Maybe he expected her to do it intentionally? But that just seemed so unlikely from the little old lady, so he quickly dismissed that. Content with merely helping out, he went back towards Patches. He gave the dragon a quick nuzzle and then pulled back, patting him on the shoulder. "She's ok...must've tripped or somethin’." With that, he turned and led Patches towards the two mares.

 

The younger mare’s eyes lit up as Bo hooved over the cloth, gently helping Joy replace the soiled one from over her eye. From the brief moment the eye could be seen, it was swollen shut and blue, the sides featuring almost drill-like cuts and markings. “Thanks so much! We just need to get her to her room, now, I’ll deal with watchin’ over her in the meantime.” All the while, Patches lightly flushed at yet another nuzzle, feeling a little odd about receiving the gesture, but maybe it was just that - nothing more to fret about, really. With one small glimpse of Joy’s bad eye, he felt his scales grow cold under his skin. “A-are y-you sh-sh-sure...?”

 

Once again Bo patted his friend on the shoulder. "Hey, buddy, she'll be fine!" He sensed the worry in his eyes and sighed, just what was going on? "How about we let her take care of Joy, and we can go back to what we were doin'?" The stallion nudged Patches and leaned in, whisperin’, "Ah think we should go somewhere private, Ah think there's somethin' you ain't tellin' me."

 

Patches flinched slightly before shakily turning his head towards Bo. He meekly nodded at both suggestions, though the latter whisper made him nervous: He didn’t want to lie to Bo, but how could he drag him into the dilemma at hoof? And after all of this, the dragon pretty much ruined what could have been time spent with a good - no, /best/ friend, all because he overlooked the possibility of the mare taking the screwdriver with her. Or maybe he was just paranoid, and the screwdriver was someplace more obvious than he assumed, and those markings around her eye were from something else...but what?

 

Before the younger of the mares left to bring Joy to her bedside, she glanced at Joy before hoofing over the very item that he hoped the elderly mare hadn’t taken. “She had this with her,” She started, her voice lowered as so only Patches and Bo could catch wind of what she was saying. “Said she tripped and fell, holding it with her magic. Guess it cut up ‘round her eye some in the by accident. I’ll keep watch of her for now, ‘kay?” Her voice sounded worried though optimistic as she flashed a smile, but it appeared unsure, as though she knew only just as much information as Bo did. The dragon nodded again as the two went on her way, then glanced down at the screwdriver with a heavy, squeamish pit yet again forming in his stomach. He then looked at Bo. “A-al-alright, le-let’s g-guh-go...” His voice stammered more than usual, and faintly too. He lead Bo back to the store-bound area, still shaking from what had happened, before quickly placing the screwdriver inside a hidden drawer within the checkout desk. He inserted part of one of his claws into what looked like a lock hanging from the outside, before loudly slamming the door and lock shut. He then put his gaze on Bo, trying to say something, but nothing came out as more water started to foam around his reddening eyes.

 

Bo tried not to eavesdrop, hoping that the news Patches' received was good in nature. Instead, the dragon seemed more likely than ever to just burst into tears, and Bo quietly stood by his side as he hid the screwdriver away. He silently followed Patches' to the door, and watched quietly as he locked the drawer. The stallion put a hoof on his shoulder, but when he saw the moisture in his eyes and the wavering frown on his face he felt like that would never be enough. Slowly, Bo leaned forward and took the larger creature into an embrace, gently nuzzling him under his chin. Nothing needed to be said, the pony just wanted to be there for his best friend. "Ya need to talk about it, Patches...Ah'll be there for ya, Ah just gotta know what's goin' on..." He pulled back and looked the dragon in the eyes, trying his best to smile.

 

The timid dragon stood still at the unexpected embrace, but returned it as his arms wrapped around Bo. He clenched his eyes shut as more tears began to fall, his sobs stifled and muted. He almost didn’t want to let go as the colt pulled back, but did the same with a tinge of reluctance. Returning the gaze, Patches knew he had to say it. Even if it turned out that he was blowing things out of proportion to the situation’s reality, telling him was at least better than holding everything until it may potentially be too late.  “I-I, I-I...” He could barely even start before he choked on another sob, but he took a shaky though deep breath, still looking at Bo. “I-I...I huh-heard her talk...I, I-I d-do-don’t want her to die Bo, I-I d-don’t w-wa-wan’t ‘er t-tuh-to die!” He closed his eyes as he wept, his voice cracking with each stutter.

 

Bo wasn't exactly sure what was going on, or how to handle it, so he just held the dragon tight and rubbed his shoulder, trying to comfort him. He looked around, hoping to find someplace to take this conversation. He noticed a room off to the side, with nopony in it, so he slowly led to dragon towards it. "Take a seat, Patches... It'll help ya." Bo nudged the dragon towards the large bed  as he stood beside it, still listening. "She's old, Patches... Ah know it's scary, but ya hafta understand that it's a part of life." He bit his lip, unsure of whether or not he was helping. Shaking his head, he slowly took a place beside Patches and once again took him into an embrace. "Ah'm here, Patches. Ah ain't goin nowhere any time soon. Ya gotta just let it all out, Ah'm right here for ya." He gently nuzzled into the dragon again and continued to speak in hushed tones. "Death is a scary thing, Ah ain't gunna lie, and ya got err'y right t'be 'fraid. Just let it all out, Patches."

 

Patches exchanged another hug before he followed Bo’s lead, bringing the two of them into the guestroom of the cottage-like store and home. With a weak nod, the dragon sat on the bed as told. He whimpered softly as his head lowered; it was something he’d heard before, from yet another young pony who would die eventually while he himself would barely age a bit. He silently returned another embrace before he let the orange Earth pony speak again, more reassurances coming the dragon’s way. With a heavy sigh, Patches finally opened his muzzle again. “I...I-I know...” He trembled, the creature looking into Bo’s eyes. “I-It’s even s-sc-scarier, wh-when yuh-you know...th-that e-everyp-pony around, th-they h-have, and th-they wi-will,  p-pass on b-before d-de-death even b-becomes ah-a possibility...”

 

"Patches..." Bo sighed. "It's not easy for us either...Mah best friend is gunna live way longer than Ah am, ah'm gunna die KNOWIN' that yer goin' on, with yer whole life ahead of ya. The thing is, Ah ain't afraid of death, Ah've met her before and it ain't nothin' bad. Ah'm afraid of bein' forgotten. You got a thousand years to make yer mark on the world, to see anythin' ya want. Ah know it's scary, knowin' that everypony is gunna fade away in the blink of an eye. But ya gotta cherish the time you got with 'em. To you, it's a few minutes, but to us, it's our entire lives. To Joy, you were her best friend for her entire life! Ah know it's sad to see her go, but ya gotta realize that you've always been there for her, to the very end. She can't say the same for herself, it probably hurts her just as much as it hurts you...We can't grow old with ya, Patches. We only get t'know ya fer a few years, then we're gone. Ah'm not askin' ya not to care, that's impossible, ya just gotta think of it diff'rently."

 

Coping with loss had never been easy for him, but he couldn’t deny that Bo was right - even more than right, by most means. He had enough time in Equestria and beyond to live his life, and it was certainly too precious to waste, either on himself or with others...and even still, it was something he wished he could have realized when he was younger, at a time when the years seemed slower for him and everypony else. Part of him wanted to counter the argument, but there was no real point to make...except, of course, his initial worry. Knowing that Joy wouldn’t have much time was enough to scare the scales off of him, but the very idea of what time she has left being taken away by her own intentional actions, well, it broke his heart more than anything. Looking into his eyes once more, Patches smiled weakly, as though taking in fully what common sense the colt had offered. He wasn’t at the end of his wits, at least at this point, and knew that there was no sense in not telling him about the ordeal. “Bo...I-I have to t-tell you something...b-back there, th-this wasn’t th-the only reason I was p-panicking..."

 

Bo listened intently, fully committed to being there for his friend. The dragon seemed to be having a tough time with everything that is going on. "Ah'm right here, Patches." Needing to show his honesty, Bo tightly wrapped his hooves around Patches' midsection, failing to completely take him in his grip. "Ah'm right here."

 

Patches blinked, unsure what to think about the orange colt’s action, but he slowly placed a paw on one of Bo’s forehooves without fighting for him to let go, feeling his face grow a little warm. With a small sigh, he continued. “Wh-what happened, I...I-I don’t thi-think i-it was an accident - n-no! I-it wasn’t. I-I mean, sh-she hasn’t done anything like this, n-not until now, but...” The dragon paused, trying to calm himself down, but even that couldn’t prevent himself as he started to choke on his words. “Th-there’s been times, wh-whe-where I-I’ve he-heard, o-or’d see Joy, wh-when she thinks I o-or nuh-nopony else is around, a-and...” He closed his eyes briefly as more water began to form around them. “A-and...shi-she’s been thinking about it, g-guh-going about that...” He shook in the colt’s secure hooves as he placed another paw on another hoof. He could only manage to mouth ‘suicide’ before Patches broke down once more.

 

Bo froze. Suicide? That was something he'd only contemplated in secret, he'd never suspect the old mare of it! "Patches..." The dragon burst into tears and Bo took his claws in his hooves and held them tight. "Shh...Shh...Patches...it's all right." He nuzzled the dragon again and continued hushing him. "Don't cry Patches... Ah can't stand it!" He squeezed the dragon tightly, wrapping his body around the other as best he could. "She can't stand to see the world around her fading, and she doesn't know what to do about it! Ah don't think she understands how ya feel 'bout all this, but ya gotta know it's painful for everypony! Ya gotta know that some ponies can't handle the curtain call, ya can't hold it against her!" He was speaking quickly, the words pouring out as quickly as possible as Bo felt close to tears himself. "She might wanna quit the world, Patches, but Ah'll never quit ya. Ah need ya...Ya need to let it out, ah'm right here."

 

The dragon continued to shed tears, not once resisting the colt as he himself felt himself wrap his paws around Bo’s back. His sobs only grew louder with his friend’s desperate attempts to sooth him from his tears. Still, what was said last had stuck onto the dragon’s mind; he /needs/ him? But how would...? Patches knew without him saying that the colt saw him as one of few in his life to genuinely cared, at least outside of what was potentially an abusive family, but he hadn’t expected Bo to admit it right then. The dragon lowered his head as it softly nuzzled his face, the tears still forming, but he opened his muzzle once more. “I...I’d n-never hold, a-ah-anything against Joy...” He choked with a whisper. “N-not like this, n-not when  sheh-she’s done m-more for m-me th-than I-I’ve ever d-done for h-her in my entire life...I-I n-never d-did anything t-to provoke it…th-they t-took me in...” The dragon sniffled silently as he held onto Bo.

 

Bo patted his back. "She took ya in and loved ya, Patches. And now she sees that you're gunna lose her...and she can't handle it. Ya gotta talk with her, let her know that this is somethin' ya gotta face together!" He squeezed the dragon tightly. "Ah don't wanna see ya suffer, Patches. Ah can't handle it. Ya both love eachother, and ya gotta be there for her. It's scary, yeah, but don't do nuthin' and then regret it." He returned the nuzzle to Patches' face and kept it there, breathing onto his cheek. "Ah'll be right by ya through it all."

 

He kept his hold as did Bo, closing his eyes as his mouth formed a weak, solemn attempt of a smile. He stayed silent for a moment, processing what had been said, before Patches’ own embrace became a little tighter. A few more droplets dripped down his muzzle, but the dragon mumbled a gentle “Thanks” between dying sniffles.

 

"Ah'd do anythin', Patches...you know that..." Bo held the dragon as tight as he could. "You were there for me, Ah gotta be there for you."

 

 Patches nodded softly, his face flushing once more as his cheek still remained against the colt’s. He slowly slid his muzzle away from Bo’s, fur and scales brushing by their sides before the two finally met eye-to-eye. That feeling, it was there again, but he wasn’t sure where or how it could be placed. It had arisen stronger than before, since their casual exchanges back near the store’s shelves, but it only seemed to muddle with every other emotion in an upward stance, rather than peeking within the back of his mind where he could then set it aside. He tilted his head closer towards the colt’s, their muzzles mere inches apart, as his paws shook nervously. He couldn’t tell if it was some sort of overwhelming instinct, but for a moment his worries slipped aside, his eyes softening as he gently licked the very front of Bo’s muzzle with a thin, almost lizard-like tongue. He held his gaze for a few moments in silence, but it was only when he blinked that he let go of his grasp on the Colt, pulling his face way from his. “I, I...I’m sorry!” The dragon squeaked, looking down at himself as his face turned red. “I-I di-didn’t n-know wh-what came over me...” His mind raced as he tried to sort out his confused feelings, afraid of rejection, that the colt would somehow become mad at him over a single action of his.

 

Bo felt disappointment well up in him as the dragon first pulled away, feeling as if he had somehow failed. Patches gave him a calm look, settling Bo just in time for the small lick to his muzzle. Bo froze in place, completely overwhelmed by what had just happened. All of his feelings for the dragon welled up at once, and for a moment he simply lay there, astounded. His stomach did a few flips as he felt the long, rough tongue gently drag up his muzzle, but as soon as it was there, it was gone, pulled back by the now embarrassed dragon. The stallion didn't allow Patches to pull back too far, moving his face foreword to keep up with the dragon's. "No! Patches…Ah..." He sighed and gently put a hoof under Patches' chin, slowly lifting his head to look at him. "Please... don't apologize fer that. If it makes ya feel any better, Ah think Ah've been feeling the same way." The same red flush took over his cheeks, and he quickly returned the earlier action with his own tongue. Blushing the whole time.

 

His tail twitched as he blinked, heart racing, and yet the dragon almost felt a wave of relief when Bo refused to let go. As a hoof rose his chin and his gaze went back on the Earth pony, Patches’ eyes flickered in surprise. He was still aware about how Bo saw him, but he had only been starting to wonder if he’d felt the same. With an exchanged lick from a soft tongue onto his own muzzle, his ears drooped as his flush grew darker. Almost dumbfounded, he stammered more than usual. R-reh-really...?”

 

"Yep..." Bo blushed, and now he was the one looking away. "Ah can't explain it, but Ah feel like... ah don't know. Yer mah best friend, but what comes after that? When ah'm around ya, ah get a knot in mah stomach. Even thought Ah've never had a friend before, ah get this strange feelin' that this is somethin' more, call me crazy." He sighed and rested his muzzle next to the dragon's. Slowly he pulled back and stayed there, his mouth closed but muzzle to muzzle as he looked Patches' in the eyes. "Am Ah crazy?"

 

 “I-If you’re c-crazy, the-then you’re n-not the only one...” His voice softly quivered, his paws slowly beginning to take their place again, wrapped around the colt’s back. “I...I always t-try t-to maintain wh-what friends I have, b-but most of the time, th-they just so-sorta come ‘n go a-after a while...b-but y-you’re different s-somehow, y-you actually c-came back..."

 

Bo smiled warmly. "Of course Ah came back. You were so nice t'me...Ah couldn't stay away. It's funny, ah never thought Ah'd be friends with a dragon, much less...like this...but Ah don't mind one bit." That knot returned in his gut, and the stallion found himself stumbling over his words. "Ah mean...yer the first person to give me somethin', you ain't never hit me...Ah..." He started to sense that he was losing traction, so Bo slowly moved foreword, pressing his muzzle to Patches' and opening it slightly as he closed his eyes.

 

He wasn’t quite sure where Bo was going by what he was saying, and while his particular statement on dragons might have been a little off-putting, it wasn’t like Patches could deny it, in a way. He never really imagined himself liking anyone or pony like this, or at the most, such feelings would be one-sided on his part. But here they both were, is was happening right now, something he’d thought would have been nearly impossible for his at this point in time. He almost cringed at the mention of being hit again before the Earth pony leaned in, eyes widening as their muzzles touched. He freezed for a bit, a sense of nervousness beginning to overwhelm him, but it just as quickly went away as he mimicked the colt, his lids slowly fluttering shut while he formed a small ‘o’ shape with his muzzle.

 

Bo wasn't quite sure where to go from there, so he simply mimicked the action from before. His tongue slowly snaked out from his mouth and gently brushed Patches' mouth as his hooves moved up from his back and to the back of the dragon's head.

 

The dragon’s voice trembled slightly while his tongue made contact, a paw gently stroking the colt’s back as he did. Patches, being unsure himself, slithered his own out from his own muzzle, and his elongated tongue caressed that of Bo’s before briefly touching his mouth.

 

Bo pulled himself closer to the dragon, their mouths totally connected with no gap between them. His broad tongue seized the initiative and pushed Patches' back into his own mouth.

 

Patches temporarily tensed from closeness, wondering if he was supposed push it back into the colt’s own, or to give in, if there was even a word for it in the dragon’s mind. Trying to relax himself, he pulled in as well before as his tongue made a few playful jabs near the opening of his mouth, then it slid alongside Bo’s tongue.

 

Bo didn't play around, once again forcefully shoving Patches' tongue back where it came, struggling for dominance. He wasn't sure why, but he felt like /he/ should be in control. The stallion positioned himself on top of the dragon, kissing down onto him as he brushed over his scales with his hooves.

 

His breath staggered at another forceful push, but he didn’t attempt to seize his tongue and muzzle once more. The dragon quivered slightly as he oh so slowly began to lean back, his grasp weakening as his claw-like fingers lightly dragged over his fur.

 

Bo only wanted to press further, but during his excitement he forgot one crucial thing, breathing. Suddenly, the stallion pulled away and rolled off of the bed, gasping for air on the ground as he stomped a hoof on the floor.

 

Patches blinked as the colt let go, his eyes filled with surprise and worry as Bo fell onto the floor with exhaustion. He hadn’t realized that he himself, however, had been losing air, and clumsily collapsed onto the floor alongside him. Shakily trying to pull himself up, the dragon gasped for air before accidentally exhaling a small set of deep blue and orange flames, but he just as quickly covered his muzzle with a paw, the blaze faltering to last. Fanning out the accidental flames for the sake of fresh air, he turned over at Bo in fear. “S-suh-sorry!” He whispered a panicked apology. “M-maybe we sh-should go guh-get some fresh air...”

 

Bo was almost back to normal, but the flash of fire that singed his coat quickly made his breath catch in his throat. After another coughing fit, the colt worked his way to his hooves and shakily chuckled. "Yeah...yeah, that might be a good idea."

 

The dragon nodded and smiled weakly before brushing away the lingering smoke that was leaking through his nostrils. As his mind started to sort what had just happened, He lead him through the door before making their way back into the store, the two of them being the only occupiers within it.

 

Bo cleared his throat and shuffled his hoof awkwardly, hoping to not be the first to speak. After a few moments, he realized that there was no way in heck that Patches would speak up first, so he simply took a deep breath and opened his mouth. "Where are we now? In our friendship, ah mean..."

 

 “I...” He tried to start, but he was at a loss of what to say next. He wasn’t sure what Bo was thinking about all of this, and if what happened really /was/ a sign to act upon deeper feelings, he knew he had to be honest. “I-I d-don’t know...I mean, I-I th-think it’s m-more than that...b-but I d-don’t wanna j-jump too f-far too fast...”

 

"Me neither…but ah can't deny that there's somethin' there. This ain't no mere friendship anymore, is it?" Bo shuffled his hooves. "Ah don't know what it is, but ah don't plan to go nowhere anytime soon."

 

Patches timidly shook his head in agreement. “Y-you’re right, i-it isn’t...” His wings ruffled lightly as his claws softly tapped the wooden floor. “E-even if I tried, I-I wouldn’t either.” The dragon smiled warmly at the colt before turning his gaze awkwardly at the floor. “H-have you...y-you know...f-felt l-like this, f-for anypony, o-or one else? A-and was it ever returned? I-It’s n-never h-happened to me...until now...b-but has it for you?” He looked back at Bo again nervously.

 

 

 Bo quickly answered. "Ah ain't never felt nothin' for nopony that weren't kin. But this is somethin' else...Pa said that when ya love somepony, ya gotta be tough about it...but ah don't ever feel like hittin' ya...so it can't be love. All ah know is, Ah get a knot in my gut when yer around, Patches. This is mah first time havin' a friend like this, so it's all new to meh."

 

He fidgeted uneasily as his tail swished behind him. Whether is was  love or them going through a stage of superficial wave of desire was something he was still unsure of, if it really /did/ turn out to be the former, then the very idea of the colt actually hitting him certainly wasn’t the most settling thought. The subject had been gnawing at his brain since Bo hinted this happened to him, but Patches knew that it had to be addressed, no matter how the colt viewed it. “Y-yeah,” he started, before easing himself into asking. “B-but...h-how would hitting sh-show that y-you l-love someone?” He paused momentarily to let it sink in, then quickly added on. “D-d-don’t get me wrong! I-I see what you mean, b-but...” He placed a claw up to his chin in a thinking stance before he continued. “Y-you said once, th-that you’d hit someponies, o-or someponies wh-who’d pick on you...b-but you don’t /love/ them, r-right? Y-you’d feel the opposite, s-so...I-if you’d hurt the ones you hate, th-then wh-why would you h-h-hurt the ones you love? U-unless it’s both, b-but...”

 

Bo put a hoof to his chin, trying to think of a satisfactory answer. "Pa jes' said that he hit me because he loved me, and same for Ma." He shrugged. "Ah hit the ponies ah don't love so that ah can hit 'em. When ya love somepony, ya jes'...ya jes’ hit 'em. Ya don't try to break nuthin'. Ya hit 'em so that they learn. Pa said he was beatin' the bad outa me. Ah'd only hit somepony Ah loved if ah thought it would make 'em better, like Ma and Pa did." Bo shuffled his hooves and looked at Patches. "Pa really loves me, but ah guess ah don't love ya that much because Ah just wanna do what we were doin' earlier, not hit ya. Ah'm sorry."

 

“I...I understand...” He assured him hesitantly, not due to understanding Bo’s perception of ‘love’, but out of uncertainty. “I-I mean, I-I’d be t-too early t-to tell, m-methinks.” The dragon stiffly shrugged, unsure of dropping the subject, but while debating against it was a sensitive pursuit, it was something that had been ingrained in Bo, and unhealthily so at that. “Y-...you d-don’t seem to be bad...n-no, y-you’re not bad at all! E-everypony, or one, th-they have their flaws, b-but if you d-don’t know wh-what you did wrong, th-then how c-can you learn? H-how does h-hitting anyone t-teach anything, wh-when the problem c-can’t be seen in the f-first place?”

 

 "What're ya tryin' t'say? My pa knows best, and Ah shudder t'think what kinda pony Ah'd be if he hadn't a beat some sense inta me! Ah don't understand it, but that's not his fault...Sometimes ah think that maybe it ain't right, but Ma and Pa know best! It's because they LOVE me!"

 

Patches backed away a step, sensing that he wasn’t exactly taking well to what he had said. He knew full well what abuse was since his time spent after abandonment, but after all he’d been through, did Bo? The dragon tried to think for a bit: The Earth pony’s entire life likely only counted as a fraction of the dragon’s childhood. He had enough time throughout the rest of it to realize that what he went through was not only wrong, but that he was better off with somepony else than with the filly and soon-to-be-mare that half-heartedly tried to raise him . But Bo, his /entire/ foalhood had like this. And by this point, it would be hard to convince him otherwise. It had been hard for Patches, yes, but it would likely be even harder to undo half of everything he had learned, not that the dragon himself didn’t still suffer from scars from his own. With a deep sigh, he opened up his muzzle. “I...I u-used to think t-the same thing...b-before...” His mind raced, wondering if he was ready to let open something that had haunted him for years. He bit his lip in hesitation, then spoke up quietly. “Buh-before...I-I...I was abandoned...”

 

 "Abandoned?" Bo froze up...his muzzle wavering a bit as the thought struck him. Patches was so nice...who would wanna ditch him? The thought made his blood boil and he saw red for a moment, before quickly focusing on the dragon. "What do ya mean?"

 

His muzzle quivered as he tried to find his words...maybe it would’ve been best if nothing was said, but it was too late to disregard what had already been pointed out. “I-it was a long t-time ago, I-I was s-st-still a baby at the t-time, b-but I can s-still remember it.” Patches shifted his weight uncomfortably before he spoke again. “A-actually, I-I remember a-a lot of th-things, f-from before then, tuh-too many...” He blinked before shaking his head, then looked at Bo. “B-but that’s beside th-the point...i-it was when J-Joy took me in, o-or her Papa did, a-at the time...I-I was raised at a t-toyshop in Canterlot for some time, b-but before then, th-there was s-somepony else- a-a student, a-at a magic school...I-I was t-told I h-had the mark of Tartarus, th-that all dragons d-did, a-and I th-thought that h-how I was treated, it was deserved, but...” He sighed once more, trying to keep his composure. “B-but the point is, I-I thought it was l-love, th-that she w-was h-helping me g-go on the right path, b-but it wasn’t! Sh-she just wanted me gone, a-and throwing me out, i-it would’ve l-looked bad for the school, th-then she actually did.” His head lowered, his gaze lowering to the ground as he finished.

 

Bo slammed a hoof on the ground. "That's absurd! She just said that because she didn't wanna take care of ya! Yer just an innocent dragon who was taken advantage of! That ain't love!" He snarled and looked at Patches. "You never deserved any of that treatment! None of that treatment did anything for ya, it just served t'hurt ya!" The stallion whipped his head to the side and growled low. "Tryin' t'save face by bein' terrible to an innocent dragon, that's the lowest of the low." He looked back at Patches. "Ah promise, Ah ain't never gunna treat ya like that! Ah deserved what Ah got, but yer a nice guy, you didn't have to be treated like that!"

 

Patches jumped at the sound of his hoof hitting the floor, crouching his legs as Bo voiced his outrage over the treatment the dragon received. Still, the orange colt seemed to view the abuse in a different light than that of his own. Speaking up, he lifted his head up as he peered at Bo. "B-but the thing is, h-who does?” His shrinking voice seeped in contrast of Bo’s. “Y-you were a foal y-yourself, w-why would anyone d-deserve that?”

 

Bo bristled up, instinctively reaching out with a hoof before stopping himself. "Ah deserved it because Ah was a bad foal. My parents did their best to make me right, but Ah don't know how much more they coulda done, considerin' what Ah am!" He scratched at the floor. "Ah was just some scum colt, and my Pa tried to beat some sense into me. Ah deserved it. Y'all didn't."

 

 “And I...I was a monster.” The words slipped from his mouth, the dragon blinking in surprise as they did. He knew better than to believe it himself, though he was aware that he could be, if he let his instincts take hold. It wasn’t as though /she/ had never said it either...then an idea formed. He wasn’t sure if it would convince him otherwise, but at least it was something. “I-I B-burnt comforters, f-furniture, a-ate almost a-anything no matter h-how much value th-there was, a-and I d-didn’t even care!” He admitted, all of which was true, though the former would happen on accident. “A-and don’t g-get me started on h-hoarding, I-I hadn’t a-any control! O-out of everything I-I did, I-I d-deserved it more than you...”

 

"You think Ah'm some kinda saint?" Bo shouted. "That's stuff ya couldn't control, and ya did yer best! If anythin', ya deserve some praise fer bein'such a nice guy!" The stallion barred his teeth and got in Patches' face. "Y'all don't know nuthin' 'bout me. Not if ya think Ah don't deserve what happened. Ya think yer a monster? How many legs you broke? How many horns have ya smashed against the ground? Ever broken somepony's wing?" He spoke ominously and with a dark tone in his voice. His accent faded as he momentarily lapsed into his old habit. "I don't think you quite understand what you're talking about. I've done terrible things, Patches, things I don't regret one bit. So you have to ask yourself...who's the REAL monster here?"

 

Okay, so maybe an attempt at reverse psychology wasn’t the best way to make a statement. In fact, what Bo suddenly snapped was enough to show just how spectacularly it backfired. Patches craned his neck back as he shakily though slowly stepped away, trying to make space between their muzzles as he spoke. He was aware of that Bo could be...a little easy to upset...but just /how/ much was another thing entirely. The dragon whimpered silently as his voice transformed into a darker variation of his speech, from when they first met in Hoofington. He still associated it with his anger, and part of himself wanted to get away...but how could he? Bo had still been hurt, and two wrongs don’t make a right...right? Not on either end. Even after what he’d done, how could anything that his parents had done correct anything? “N-nuh-n-no o-one.” Patches stammered simply, trying to look him in the eye. “Yuh-you’re n-uh-not a s-saint...b-but w-we all huh-have our demons. Buh-but th-there are di-different ways, o-of setting ‘em r-right. Suh-sometimes one c-can only duh-do it th-themselves, n-not b-by a-another’s mi-misdeeds.” He stopped in his place, still holding his gaze. He was frightened stiff, but he felt himself grip the floor with his claws, not willing to leave.

 

"What, you think you know how to raise a kid? I bet if you saw me as the little fucker I was, you'd beat my face into the wall too!" He shouted again, pressing his hoof into Patches' chest. "Some can set themselves right, that's true. But Ah ain't one of 'em! Ah thank Celestia everyday that my parents did what they did!" His accent faded in and out as he spoke. "I deserved every punch, every smack, every single blow was setting me straight!" His hoof pushed harder into the dragon's chest. "I'm no saint, Patches, I'm the worst of the worst. There's a trail of blood behind me a mile long, and nothing is going to save me from that. My parents did their best, though. Everypony deserves something, Patches, and I don't deserve anything but a cold hoof. You're a nice dragon, but don't you EVER act like you KNOW A GODDAMN THING ABOUT THIS!" He suddenly exploded, practically punching the dragon in his chest.

 

Patches tried to stay still in silence, but sudden contact and the start of yet another bitter spiel made him shakily cower, though he still managed keep his gaze on Bo. “N-nuh-no, I-I wuh-wouldn’t I-!” He cut himself off before he continued, another dark slip from his familiar accent, one that didn’t foreshadow any sinister actions on his behalf. “N-nuh no! Yuh-you never d-deser-!” The pressure on his chest grew before the colt continued on, the dragon clenching his eyes before quickly turning his head: He saw the store’s entrance that lead from the outside, and slowly began to back away, trying to reduce the pressure while attempting to lead the both of them away from the store. If anything, Patches would rather Bo beat the pulp out of him than the store itself, let alone the others inside. He put his gaze back on Bo, but before he knew it, the Earth pony socked him a good one in the chest, causing the dragon to wince a loud, unpony-like shriek. He suddenly sputtered a small flame as his tail swung rapidly, as though the wind had be partway knocked out of himself, but he covered his muzzle with a paw as a way to cease them, the dragon coughing hectically as he did. The dragon’s long tail, barbed with purple back scales and an arrow-like tip, had grazed the floor from the side before making its way at what hooves Bo still stood on. The dragon crouched down even lower than usual as his wings spread out to cover his sides, his head turning away as his paw tried to subdue the coughs and the pain in his chest.

 

Bo saw red, and he raised his hoof, ready to bring it down on the cowering dragon's head. He couldn't explain why he was so angry, just a part of him felt like lashing out at the inquisitive dragon. Right before he struck the blow, he took a better look at Patches and a strange feeling washed over him. "What am I doin-" He was about to apologize profusely, but just then his hooves were violently swept out from under him by Patches' tail. With a thud, Bo fell face first and slammed his muzzle into the floor. Shock overtook him for a moment before he scrambled back to his hooves, blood seeping from his mouth and dribbling down his chin. Bo put a hoof to his mouth, feeling the sticky, wet blood there. When he pulled it back and saw just what it was, his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates while his pupils became mere pin points. "AAH!" His hooves thrashed about on the floor as he attempted to scamper around the dragon, managing only to fall on his face again. Bo tried one last time to get up, but his hooves slipped and the colt face planted for a third time. What was left was only a sniveling, ashamed, embarrassed, enraged stallion thrashing about on the floor. Out of all the things that scared Bo, it was his own blood that really freaked him out the most. He didn't mind the blood of others, not at all, but seeing his own flowing freely made him curl up into a ball on the floor. "Don't hate me Don't hate me Don't hate me Don't hate me Don't hate me!"

 

An ear perked at the sound of a shifting, apologetic voice, but a loud thud made him hunch over in a ball as his tail finished wrapping around himself. He stayed there for a moment, afraid that Bo had changed his mind about giving him the benefit of the doubt. It only took the colt’s scream of terror for Patches to pull poke out his head, his slit-like pupils shrinking in horror. The dragon was about to lash his tail, from the scream rather than the sight, before he quickly grabbed it from the end. Deep crimson was speckled about the purple barbs, and he almost swore he saw a flake of flesh hanging from the tail’s end. Lifting a paw as he let his tail slither slowly behind him, his blood ran cold as he examined the smears of blood that stained his paw. Looking back up as what he had done sunk in, he briefly witnessed the colt curl amongst the floor, bleeding. Blood was everywhere. And it was all Patches’ fault. He attempted to reach over to Bo with a paw, but his sudden panicked mantra caused him to pull back. He crawled away slowly once more, glancing over at the door to the hallway, then back at the Earth pony. “I...I...” His voice stammered faintly as his muzzle quivered. “I...I’m sorry-” The dragon bolted towards the hall door, slamming it open with full force, though it surprisingly remained intact. He rushed into the first room down it - the bathroom - and yanked a bundle of washcloths and a towel before rummaging the restroom shelves for bandages. "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!" Patches repeated at a near incomprehensible pace as he plopped everything he'd gathered by the side of the two. "I-I, I didn't mean it! A-a-accident! I-Idon'thateyouIdon't! I-I'm sorry!" Shaky sobs began to escape, his eyes beginning to moisten in panic and guilt.

 

Bo cried out in pain, not just from the stinging in his jaw but the burning in his legs, also bleeding from the wounds they received from Patches' tail. He cursed loudly, still curled up in a ball, as he waited for the shouting and screaming to begin. The stallion heard a few light taps as a hoard of makeshift supplies landed next to him. "Don't TOUCH ME!" He quickly scampered away, slamming into the nearest wall before picking himself up and cowering against it. Bo shielded his eyes with a hoof, still dripping with blood. "Don't come any closer!" When he did finally pull his hoof away, it was to reveal a set of wide eyes and teeth fearfully barred. His rear hooves dug in as best they could, but eventually the fearful look gave way to a pained one, and Bo crumbled to the ground. The orange colt looked up at the dragon, finally staying still but his eyes fluttering and moist. "Don't look'it me..."

 

Patches jolted in place, his bellow making him duck in a cold sweat. He poked his head nervously back up to see Bo jammed against the wall. Yet another bellow was made, and the dragon lowered his wings and ears as he crouched down, peering at eye-level with the cowering colt. How scared he looked - it triggered memories he had at the shop, when he had accidentally scared the wits out of foals and parents alike, all because he hadn’t any grasp of his own physical strengths. But there was another one as well, not of accidental injuries caused by his own immature behalf, but that of himself, as a younger dragon, when he had first entered the shop in Canterlot that Joy’s papa had owned. As Bo’s frame slumped onto the floor, Patches grabbed a wet washcloth and a roll of gauze, and inched towards him only slightly. “Cuh-come on now, d-don’t say that...” He cooed in a low, but gentle voice. He looked over at his pile of supplies before taking what looked like a bottle of ointment, wrapping a portion of the gauze around it before lightly pushing it towards the colt. “Th-the bottle’s the-there for a-applic-cation, y-you w-wouldn’t want me t-to tend to ‘em, n-not after w-what I did...” He bit his lip as he choked on his words, the tears beginning to well from his eyes. “Yuh-you were hurt, i-it wuh-wasn’t your fault. I-it wasn’t anypony’s, I-I’m sorry Bo, I-I was scared, b-but I di-didn’t i-intend on h-hurting you.”

 

Bo smacked the ointment away. "Ah don't need it! It'll heal up fine if ah just let it sit fer a while..." He bit his lip, immediately regretting his outburst. "After all that, Patches, can ya see what ah mean? Ah'm a monster!" He wiped at his eyes to clear the tears but only ended up replacing it with blood. "Ah was 'bout to hit mah best friend...Ah would say ah didn't wanna scare ya, but that ain't true..." Sighing heavily, the orange stallion slumped up against the wall, sitting on his rump. "Ah don't like talking about when Ah was jes' a colt, okay? And ah know ya didn't mean to cut me with yer tail, but damnit, Patches, none o' this woulda happened if ya...if ya' jes didn't try t'bring dat up." He looked at the dragon, fear far from his face, instead a stoic, pleading expression in its place. "Jes’ don't make me relive it, please."

 

The dragon cringed at the sound of ointment being slammed away, but didn’t bother to go grab it. Instead, he allowed the colt the time to talk, and stayed where he had crouched down, reluctant to go any more near him as a means not to upset Bo. Patches had a pained look in his eyes, regret of his own still welling about in his mind. He thought they agreed earlier not to dwell on each others' pasts, but the dragon hadn’t, and it landed them in the situation they were in now. With a heavy sigh of his own, Patches tried this time to chose his words carefully. “Y-you didn’t though, y-you s-still have suh-self control...as long as it’s still there, y-you’re anything but that.” He looked over at his supplies again, then back at Bo. “A-and you’re right...” The dragon glanced down at the we washcloth near his side. “I-I guess, w-with th-the hitting, i-it hit a nerve i-in my own past...” He then took the cloth in his paw before looking at the colt once more. “B-but that d-doesn’t excuse me f-for perseverating on yours.”

 

 Bo watched the dragon closely, watching his pained expression. "It ain't yer fault. We come from two diff'rint backgrounds. Y'all were treated horribly, ya see what happened t'me and ya can't understand it. Ah'm thankful fer a friend who's concerned about me, but don't be. Ah got what Ah deserved. What ah can't stand is seein' ya get all worked up over it. Ah don't wanna cause ya any pain on mah account, Patches. As yer friend, Ah'm askin' ya t'drop it, please." Bo looked at Patches, a small smile on his face as he tried to convince the dragon of his sincerity. "Ah ain't worth it."

 

Patches bit his lip, not entirely convinced of what he had to say. The fact that Bo was being considerate of him, it was touching, but even then, the idea that the colt deserved any of his treatment was the last thing he believed. “B-but knowing of anyone’s p-pain, i-it’s not worth ignoring.” He hesitated. “I-I won’t believe it f-for a second, th-that you deserved it, th-that a-anyone does, b-but we don’t ha-have to butt heads.” He smiled warmly, though still expressing concern. “Besides, y-you’re my b-best friend...y-you're more than worthwhile, e-even if y-you think you aren’t.”

 

Bo was a bit taken aback, not expecting that sort of response. His eyes moistened again, and he quickly wiped the tears away with a hoof. "Yer too good fer me, Patches." The stallion took a deep breath and quietly added, "How 'bout that washcloth? Ah can't hug ya when Ah'm all bloody..."

 

With a soft chuckle, Patches handed over the washcloth towards Bo, then reached for a few others with another paw. “H-here, I-I have some m-more if you need them.” He took one for himself to use, as a means of cleaning what drying blood remained on his scales. “I-I’ll clean up the rest...and the...b-bathroom...” commented sheepishly.

 

He gently grabbed the washcloth from the dragon and started to try and clean himself off, he didn't get much done before the rag was stained red. A lot of blood was still on his hooves, but his muzzle was now clean. "Well, thanks, but Ah think ah'm gunna need a hundred more wash cloths... or a shower might do the trick..."