Guide Dogs

by Yosh-E-O

Chapter 8 - Isabelle Brings out The Feels

“…So no diapers?” inquired Isabelle while going over the list she and Yosh had developed over the course of the morning.

The duck-dragon blushed deeply as he fidgeted his fingers.
“No, Isabelle,” he said very bashfully. “Actually, I haven’t had to worry about having an accident all day.”

“Are you referring to how I noticed your little dance, Mr. Mayor?” she beamed.

The duck-dragon felt his feathery-white cheeks burn red.
“Yeah,” he gulped.

“Are you embarrassed about me helping you, Mr. Mayor?” she asked while taking a seat. “I’m only doing my job as your assistant. I can stop helping you if you want me to.”

The ever-saddening tone of the Shih Tzu brought Yosh out of his bashfulness.
“No, no, Isabelle,” he babbled. “I like your help. I appreciate your help. I… I…”

The duck-dragon broke into tears.

“What’s wrong, Mr. Mayor?” she asked with panic while getting a tissue. “Did I hurt your feelings?”

“No,” sobbed Yosh while accepting the tissue. “You have been great.”

“Then why so sad, Mr. Mayor?” she wondered while rubbing at his back.

“Because…,” he trailed. “I haven’t felt this good since before I went totally blind!”

“If I may, Mr. Mayor,” stated Isabelle. “Were you not always blind?”

“No,” he sniffled. “I’ve only been totally blind for about a year now. I used to see. I used to be important.”

“Oh, Mr. Mayor,” assured the caring Shih tzu. “Why would you ever feel that you were not important? You’ve already done so much for our town and its economy.”

Yosh dabbed at his frosted, tear-filled eyes.
“That’s what she says,” he spoke softly.

“Who?” wondered Isabelle as she gently cuddled Yosh.

“Snowdrop,” he moped.

“Snowdrop?” she asked while retaining her hold on Yosh. “Should I ask her to come to Canine Crossroads?”

“You can’t,” he pouted while dabbing around his eyes again. “She’s been gone for over 1,000 years.”

Isabelle was puzzled.
“Care if I research this ‘snowdrop’ for you, Mr. Mayor?” she asked genuinely while getting back up and jotting some notes on her clipboard.

“Sure,” he replied while he felt his tears lessen. Perhaps Isabelle’s genuine interest had made him feel better. She had not once judged him. She was always looking out for him. She never seemed anything short of happy to be there for him and believed in him to be the town’s mayor. Why she felt this way was not certain to Yosh but something in him started to remember what Snowdrop had been telling him over-and-over in his dreams.

“You won’t need your eyes to find your place in the world.”

Then he recalled how the therapist, Doodle Noodle had spoke to him during their sessions.

“You’re still the same lovable dragon-duck. You may not be able to see but you still perceive the world. You have found ways to interact with it. You just need to believe what you are doing is as important even though you may now do things differently from other ponies.”

Then there was Princess Luna.
“You still see. You see in your mind and you see in your dreams. Your blindness goes as far as your eyes. The night is dark but it is not to be feared. You need only not see it as frightening to find the same joy in night as Snowdrop did those many years ago.”

“Mr. Mayor?” asked Isabelle upon noticing how Yosh had zoned out. “Are you okay, Mr. Mayor?”

Yosh smiled wide across his beak and looked towards where he heard the Shih tzu assistant speaking from.
“I’m fine, Isabelle,” he stated proudly. “How’s about we go meet twilight and Spike at the coffee shop?”

“Oh!” she gasped. “It is that time!”

“Okay!” cheered Yosh with a bit of a wobble. “Let’s go!”

Yosh started walking but felt he was heading in a direction that wasn’t quite towards the front door.
“Something feels off,” he said.

“Oh!” blushed Isabelle. “You were doing those things that say you need the potty so I am helping you get there so you don’t have an accident.”

Yosh blushed as he found himself lead towards the restroom.
“Thanks, Isabelle,” he replied bashfully.

“I’ll wait for you here, Mr. Mayor,” she said. “Don’t forget to wash your hands.”