The next day as the funeral procession moved through the town the citizens of Adventure Bay lined the streets. The Paw Patrol moved along, Ryder in the lead pulling the trailer with Rocky's casket sitting on top. The rest of the Paw Patrol vehicles draped in the black cloth covering the Paw Patrol Logos followed two in each row. First was Chase and Marshal in their vehicles light flashing, next was Zuma and Rubble and then Jake and Everest rode in her vehicle. Of course Skye was flying above the group stopping and hovering as the procession stopped at various points along the route. The group moved past Katie's shop, then past City Hall where they stopped long enough for Mayor Goodway to announce the proclamation naming the day Rocky Appreciation Day. The group then rode past the park where the pups loved to play together, then on to the Lookout. The people of Adventure Bay all gathered at the base of the Lookout to watch as the casket was carried into the main room where the service would be held.
The service was beautiful. The casket was sitting up front with Ryder and the pups sitting behind on a slightly raised stage with the podium overlooking the casket and all the flowers sent by everyone. The Mayor spoke about all that Rocky did for the citizens of Adventure Bay. Then Ryder and a few of the pups rose and walked to the podium.
"I close my eyes and can still see Rocky the day I found him and brought him home to join Paw Patrol" said Ryder. "He was by far the most resourceful pup I ever met; Rocky could invent the greatest things with just stuff he found lying around." Ryder would go on to describe Rocky first mission and then with tears in his eyes, Ryder described Rocky's last mission.
As Ryder turned Marshal stepped forward nuzzling Ryder before stepping up to the podium. "I loved Rocky more than just a teammate, he was a great friend and a family member to us all" said Marshal, turning to clear his broken voice. "I'll miss the funny side of Rocky, that laugh would warm you heart." Marshal being Marshal went on to describe several funny stories trying his best to lighten the mood.
Zuma was the final pup to step to the podium. Zuma looked down at his written speech that he hoped would help him. As Zuma started to speak he stopped and broke down, Marshal quickly moved to his side and held him telling him they would do this together.
Zuma wadded up his speech and threw it to the side. "Wocky was my big brother, I wuved him more than anyone in my life. I know he's up there in puppy heaven watching over us all and I want all of you to know, he cared more for the people he served than he did for himself." Zuma took a deep breath and continued; "Wocky had such a huge heart and would do anything for anyone" Zuma stopped and smiled at the young female Dalmatian Rocky had saved that costed him his life who was sitting on the front row. "Wocky would want more than anything for us to keep up the fight and protect everyone we can, pup and person, We will stand as a team, as a family, as brothers and sisters, together to the end…"
As if on cue all the pups stood up from their seats and made their way to Zuma's side they stood tall holding on to each other then they stopped and saluted the Casket as one. Slowly the lid of the casket was lowered and the flag was draped over the top. In the distance TAPS began to play.
Ryder and the Pups walked out following as the casket was moved to the graveyard where Rocky would be buried. As the casket was lowered the pups could do nothing but hold their heads back and Howl, howl for their fallen brother, howl from the deepest bottom of their hearts; there was not a dry eye in all of Adventure Bay.
And so the story ends… or does it?
A tombstone sits atop a freshly dug grave, it reads.
Here Lies Rocky
Paw Patrol Team Member
A Teammate, A Friend, A Brother To The End
"Don't Lose It, Reuse It"
You will forever be in our hearts
Rocky lies in eternal slumber… or so it seemed. Opening his eyes, Rocky gasped for breath, "What the heck! Where am I? Is this heaven? It's so dark." Rocky realizes he's in a box, he can barely move. Rocky pushes with all his strength but nothing moves. "What do I do? What do I do?" says a now panicking Rocky. Above him he hears something, a scratching noise. "Help! Someone help me!" barks Rocky. The sound seems to be getting closer, it stops. The lid slowly opens, light hits Rocky's face blinding him instantly. "Are you angels?" whimpers Rocky. "No, but we're here to take you to safe place" says a strange voice. Rocky thinks 'I recognize that face, he was one of the guards at the execution.' A now exhausted, confused Rocky faints. Human hands lift him out of the casket as orders are given by that same strange voice, "Place that fake body in there, Seal it up and cover it up, make it look just like the pictures we took before digging him up. Nobody can know we were here."
Rocky slowly opens his eyes to see he is lying on a table in a well lit room. "Oh no!, it was a dream! I really have to go through that again?" Someone walks up to the table and looks down at him; it is one of the guards he saw in the dream of his execution.
"Are you here to execute me…" whimpered Rocky visible shaking.
"No, you already did that. We rescued you" says that same strange voice he heard before passing out.
"Let me introduce myself, I'm Lyons. These are my friends Daniel and Nero. I knew you didn't deserve that trumped up mess they called a trail. So I switched the drugs out from one that would kill you, to one that put you into a catatonic sleep for a few days until everything quieted down" explained Lyons. "We hoped you would be a great ally to our cause."
"What do you mean?" asked Rocky, slowly raising himself up.
"The Humdinger Family has ruled Foggy Bottom for over 200 years with corruption, intimidation, and darker acts if it suited them" said Lyons. "Humdinger Sr. may not be mayor anymore but his family's money still has power and control over those in power. He won't stop until he commands everything." Lyons gave what he said a moment to sink in then continued, "Each of us has lost somebody because of Humdinger and his family, we have been trying for years to bring down the Humdinger Empire, We really hoped that you would help us, you know what they are capable of…"
Rocky stared at Lyon's and his associates for what seemed like hours, even though it was only minutes, thinking.
'I could do this, I could end Humdinger's reign of terror and bring peace to not only Adventure Bay but Foggy Bottom as well. I will do whatever it takes to get back to my family. Heh! Family." In the past he had always thought of Ryder and the pups as best friends and teammates, but his thoughts were right, they were his family. He would do anything to protect them and see them again, even if it was from a distance, for now…
"Alright I'll help you" said Rocky "but I'll need to put some things together in order to do this right.
"Alright!" said Lyons. "I have been a Class A scrounge for years, I can come up with any equipment you need."
"I served as a protective detail driver for executives until I got bored with it and moved here taking a job as a guard. I can drive anything and fly anything" said Daniel.
"And I was a computer nerd before the Dot Com industry collapsed. I have access to computers and information from the streets" added Nero "I'll get you whatever intel you need."
"All we need now is someone to put it all together and bring Humdinger down" said Lyons "A-and you're perfect, you don't exist, you are a ghost to this world"
Rocky thought about all of this for a second and announced "I am dead to everyone, I am a ghost like you said Lyons, I will assume the identity of "Ghost Wolf" I will enter the shadows of the night and put an end to Humdinger and his family." Rocky ended with, "The Night Is Always Watching"
"Eewwwh! I have chills" said Lyons "This could work, we WILL make this happen. What do you need Ghost?"
