paw patrol: all grown up #12: fire and ice
written April 8th to April 24th, 2021
It had been two weeks since Chase and Skye had started dating, and needless to say, they were very into each other. Ever since the german shepherd confessed his love and their first kiss, the couple have hung out around each other constantly. Romantic walks on the beach, sunset dinners and enjoying each other's company. They let them all know about their love by not just the talk, but the motions. Chase and Skye were all about it, kissing and cuddling with each other every night. All of the male pups felt happy for the couple, but felt perplexed as to why Chase never hung out with them anymore. Ryder sat them all down and explained that it was a common phase: they couldn't keep away from each other for a long time. The whole relationship was very bittersweet for one certain pup to witness: Marshall. On one paw, Marshall was very happy for the new couple. He was the very first soul that Chase ever told that he had a crush on the pilot: when he was only 10 dog years old. He was happy that the two found love and wished nothing but the best for the both of them. It also was harsh for him: the dalmatian was Chase's best friend, and even he was almost completely shut out by the german shepherd. They've been friends since they were just 4 dog years old respectively, and this was a little hard for him to swallow. Add the fact that they all saw each other every day, and there was a little envy inside the fire pup. But, he kept it to himself. He studied every move that Chase made with her, every word he said that made the pilot swoon and even spied a little on them on occasion (thankfully, he was never caught, thanks to his Pup-Fu skills). Over these two weeks, the quiet jealousy built inside of him. One night, it all came to a head, when Marshall came with the couple to dinner at Mr. Porter's. The food was good, but one thing stuck out in his mind. Chase and Skye were too busy to even pay attention to Marshall most of the time. It felt like he wasn't even there. He still kept his chin up to save face, but the emotion inside him was real: he wanted that kind of love. He wanted to be loved by a girl like no other. He wanted someone to be with. After about a half hour, Marshall just got up and left with no explanation. His heart was weighing on him, and it showed. He made it all the way back home on foot, trudging with every step. After a few hours of sitting alone in his pup house, he walked out of it. All was quiet, as the rest of the pups were fast asleep. The moon was only half full, and the dally couldn't relate more. He sat at the edge of a cliff overlooking the bay, gazed at the moon and cried to himself, letting out all the angst that built up inside him. The dally always had the other male pups as friends, but they wouldn't truly understand his pain. Marshall really liked another girl, but he didn't know if she liked him back. He never felt so lonely in his entire life. Little did he know that a husky living in the mountains was going through the same pain.
Everest always struggled with loneliness. Even before she met Jake, she fought alone to survive in the unforgiving Antarctic conditions that she was raised in. Jake eventually saw her, and the PAW Patrol eventually made her their mountain rescue pup. Her dreams of any sort of companionship finally came true. Jake was the unofficial father figure she loved, and she viewed her comrades like a family. Over time, she got to know the pups more as she got older. Unfortunately, due to her commitment to working with Jake at his ski resort, she couldn't see her friends on a daily basis. She would come and visit the pups at the lookout every other week, and the pups in return visited her cabin whenever they could. But that was rare. Only three pups visited her specifically. Rubble, being the snowboard enthusiast that he was, loved shredding the slopes. Skye was her best friend since the day they met, and the husky saw her more often than anyone. The last one perplexed Everest a bit: Marshall. The dally always came with Skye when he came over to visit, and the three dogs always had a great time together. He never visited her alone at all, which had her suspicious. She always really liked his goofy smile, fun demeanor, kindness and loyalty to his job. Which brings us to the present. When Skye and Chase started dating, Skye only spoke once to her: it was about how the date went. She took in every word that the cockapoo said to her, hearing all the details. How Skye described how it felt to be with him, kissing him, loving him and being held tenderly in his paws. Two weeks later, and she still received no contact at ALL from her. One night, after Jake had gone to bed, the husky slipped from the cabin. She ran to a cliff on the mountains that was very far away and drowned out her loneliness by howling for almost an entire hour. Nobody heard her cries of sadness but a few forest animals. They had no idea what she was going through, yet they still felt sorry for the poor dog. On some days, forest animals were the only companions she would see. After a while, the forest animals left her, and the husky went back up to the mountains, alone and dejected. She didn't know it, but she wanted love.
The very next evening, Marshall was sitting alone, isolated in the lookout's basement. He was busy forming a list. A long list that he studied over and over, trying to find a solution to his "dilemma": asking Everest out on a date.
"Make a cheesy sign, asking her on a date? No. Send her an anonymous letter? Not a chance. Ask her out after landing an epic snowboard trick? No…" He observed with a little frustration. He then crumpled one of his papers up and threw it into a bin, missing it entirely. He cursed himself and laid his head on the floor, at a complete loss of what to do. Just then, the basement door opened and the dally caught the scent of 5 pups descending down the stairs. In panic, he tried desperately to hide the evidence of his "list" but it completely failed.
"Uhhhhhh, this is not what it looks like." Marshall stuttered.
"What are you even doing? You've been down here for a whole hour, dude." Zuma inquired. A bulldog quickly caught sight of one of his papers and walked over to it.
"What's this?" Rubble asked, grabbing the paper with his mouth.
"Dude, PLEASE DON'T READ IT, IT'S PRIVATE!" Marshall cried desperately. His plea went unheeded as his ears drooped in defeat. All of the pups gathered around to see what was in it. Their eyes widened.
"Ask Everest Out Plans." Rocky observed. The paper had badly-drawn red hearts next to the title. Underneath lied a behemoth of possible plans of action for the dally to take.
"Dude, you like Everest?" Rubble asked with a small hint of surprise. The other pups besides Marshall rolled their eyes. With the fire pup blushing like mad, he couldn't hide anymore. He was cornered.
"Ok...I do like her...a lot." admitted Marshall quietly.
"How many plans do you have for asking her out?" Skye requested.
"About 362 to be exact." Marshall muttered. This sent the pups into laughter, as the fire pup covered his face in embarrassment.
"Bro, you're making this WAY TOO HARD on yourself. I mean, you're just asking her out. I've been there and done it. It's not that difficult." Chase said, putting a paw on his shoulder.
"Dude...Everest wouldn't like me...nobody will. I'm a nerd, a klutz and a weirdo to match. She's too amazing for me. She's out of my league." Marshall whimpered. The other pups' smiles disappeared as they saw one of their own show his vulnerability.
"Marshall, you are literally the best guy out of the rest of us here." Chase stated, trying to encourage him.
"You're such a great guy. You're just as funny as anyone! Any girl would love a sense of humor." Rubble spoke.
"You're such a fun-loving dude. You both would go really well together. Even better than Chase and Skye. You and Everest would go together like P, B and J." Zuma smiled.
"You're such a nice pup, Marshall. It's such a rare thing for guys nowadays. Girls would be flocking to you just for that." Skye said, nodding her head in agreement.
"You just need some confidence, Marshall. I've seen you and her together, and it just feels like you both have something going on." Rocky emphasized.
"Marshall, I have a plan to help you out. Call her on your pup tag and ask her if you wanna have a playdate all day tomorrow at her place. It'll be fun!" Skye suggested.
"Can you do it for me? Uhhh...I'm a little nervous." The dally spoke to the cockapoo, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"This is your business, Marshall. I'm not getting myself involved." Skye answered. The fire pup took a deep breath and signaled for Everest on his pup tag, clearing his throat.
"Hey, who is this?" The husky asked on the other line.
"Uhh...it's M-Marshall." He spoke timidly.
"Hey Marshall, what's up?"
"I was just wondering if...uhh...you had anything going on tomorrow…" The dally gulped.
"Well, tomorrow I don't have anything. Jake said I could take the whole day off from helping him with his work. So, you wanna hang out with Skye and me again? Sure, that'd be awesome!"
"No, it's a little different. Uhhh...I-I-I was wondering if we can hang out...alone...if it's ok with you." Marshall trailed off anxiously. A few seconds of silence.
"Ohhh….so you just wanna hang out alone? Just us? Sure, that sounds cool! See you tomorrow, Marshall!" Everest replied happily as she hung up. Once that happened, the dally collapsed to the floor in relief.
"Oh, THANK GOD. I thought my heart was gonna stop." He sighed.
"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?" The cockapoo playfully teased the dalmatian.
"So...why do you like her so much?" Chase asked, knowing exactly what the fire pup was gonna say. The german shepherd knew about his liking for Everest for a while (for at least a month). Marshall sat up again, and he began to blush. His facial expression went to a dreamy state and his tail began to wag faster and faster as he thought about the husky.
"She's just...gorgeous in every way. Her blue eyes are amazing. Her fur is so beautiful and soft, I could sleep in it for hours. She's incredibly fun to be around, super playful and really brave. Every time I see her, my body becomes a puddle. From the inside. I love that feeling...a lot. And I hope she feels the same way for me." The dally spoke.
"Well, that's cool. I hope everything works out for you guys." Rocky said. At the same time, Ryder was wondering where the pups were and decided to check the basement. He found all his pups gathered around on the floor, talking to themselves.
"Hey, pups! What'cha you guys up to?" The boy asked.
"Marshall's gonna ask Everest out on a date tomorrow. If you're wondering, I happened to know this for quite some time. Skye might have known too, because she can be a little too into gossip." The german shepherd explained, giving a little nudge to his girlfriend.
"Hey...not cool." Skye responded, giving a little push as the boys laughed.
"Yeah, it's true." Marshall added. The boy smiled. He knew his pups were growing up fast, and there was no turning back.
"Listen, Marshall. I'm super happy for you. I promise, if you two end up getting together, I will work with Jake to make sure that you and Everest get to hang out as much as you can." Ryder stated, kneeling next to his fire pup and gently petting him. Marshall then licked his owner affectionately and embraced him.
"Thanks, Ryder. I really appreciate it." He whispered. The boy got up and walked back up the stairs.
"So, you guys hungry? I got pizza for dinner." Ryder spoke from the top of the stairs. The pups all cheered and ran up the stairs like a bunch of elephants to enjoy some fine dinner. As Marshall eventually went to sleep in his pup house that night, he smiled deeply. He knew that tomorrow was gonna be fun. He just didn't know how much.
8:45 AM
Marshall had never had more nervous energy in his life. He was set to hang out all day with his crush, alone no less, and he was going to ask her out on a date. He was getting his truck warmed up, revving it to life when he saw his friends running out to greet him. The dally jumped off the vehicle in response.
"So…good luck, dude!" Chase smiled as he bro-hugged his best friend.
"Well, if this Everest thing doesn't work, you can always be a part of our single boys club. You'd be our top member." Rubble laughed. The bulldog, Rocky and Zuma always had their own exclusive group, simply because they had no significant other.
"Dude, I'm gonna form my own club if that happens. The Lonely Hearts Club! And I'll be president!" Marshall jokingly replied. Everyone chuckled at this remark.
"Seriously, if you choke and don't ask her out, I won't let you forget it." The german shepherd said to the dalmatian.
"Sheesh, calm down, Chase. I'm gonna do it. Relax." Marshall said, brushing off the small threat.
"You're only gonna miss 100 percent of the shots you don't take. Just ask her, come on! You're only gonna hurt yourself if you don't do it." Skye spoke up, trying to encourage him.
"Alright, let's get it!" Marshall whispered loudly to himself as he jumped into his truck. He turned on the gas, the radio and headed off on his journey to Jake and Everest's cabin, much to the delight of his pals.
It took roughly 15 minutes to make it up the mountain, being that it was steep terrain to climb up. The fire pup still felt anxious about it all, but eventually made it to her cabin. Just the sight of it made his heart jump. He leapt out of his truck and proceeded to knock on the door. Expecting to be greeted by her owner, the door was opened revealing his crush. All by herself.
"Hey, Marshall!" She exclaimed happily.
"Yo, how's it going, Everest?" Marshall spoke candidly as the two bumped paws.
"Life's pretty good. Jake isn't here right now, so it's just you and I. The whole day. Isn't that weird?" The husky asked.
"Yeah...kind of strange…" The dally replied, trying to keep his cool.
"So, what do you wanna do?" Everest inquired with a funny little tilt of her head.
"Uhhh...It might sound a bit early, being that it's 9 in the morning but uhh...you wanna go snowboarding?" Marshall asked nervously.
"Are you kidding?! Of course I wanna go!" Everest replied excitedly, wagging her tail like a fan. She quickly ran back to her room, got her gear, and off they went up to the top of the mountain to shred some white slopes.
The play-date couldn't have gone better for the two friends. They had more fun on the slopes than they had in a long time. One time, Marshall, unsurprisingly, had a giant wipeout and crashed into a large tree. Everest ran to see if he was alright. As he stared right above him into her eyes, his heart was going faster than ever. He said he was fine, but he was more than fine. His heart was on fire, and he wanted to share it. But he saved that energy for when the time was right. After some more slope-shredding, they watched a movie, played some surprisingly competitive Pup Pup Boogie matches, stole some of Jake's lunch together and talked for hours, enjoying each other's company. Before both of them knew it, the time was now 4 PM. Time for the dally to head home.
"Well...it's uh...it's 4. I gotta head home." Marshall spoke sadly.
"Aww man...well, it was a really fun day, Marshall. We gotta hang out more." Everest replied. She was incredibly bummed that he had to leave, but little did she know that the fun wasn't over just yet.
"Hey...Everest...I wanted to ask you something before I go." The dally clarified, clearing his throat.
"Yeah? What is it?" She asked. The confidence of asking her out completely disappeared in Marshall's mind. His heart started beating fast. His paws and legs were starting to shake a little. He was sweating like he just ran a marathon. He wanted to run. But he had no choice. He had to confront his demons of anxiety. "You ok, Marshall? You don't look so hot." She noted in concern. This only amplified his sense of worry. She noticed him. But he had to remain strong. He took a deep breath as he continued to look into her eyes deeply.
"Hey...I was wondering if...uh...you wanna...go on a...date?" Marshall stuttered. He felt as if he was gonna explode from internal pressure from the insides of his body. The husky gazed at him with initial shock, but it gave way to happiness. Her eyes lit up and her tail started waving back and forth.
"Yeah! That would be amazing! How about Mr. Porter's at 7?" She replied excitedly.
"Oh my god, yes! That would be lit!" Marshall answered, his tail wagging really fast as well.
"I just have to say one more thing." She smiled. The husky then leaned into his ear. "I think you're cute." She whispered. His face lit up in shock and pure joy. She waved goodbye playfully and shut the door. The dally was smiling widely as he got into his truck and sped down the mountain. As he got to an isolated spot on the mountain, he jumped out.
"SHE THINKS I'M CUTE! SHE THINKS I'M CUTE! YES! I'M GOING ON A DATE! WOO HOO!" He cried in ecstasy. He ran around his truck, screaming and jumping around happily without a care. After a minute or two, he got back inside his truck, turned on the gas, and headed down to Mr. Porter's restaurant.
Within 15 minutes, the dally made it to his destination. He got off his truck and ran in, only to see the old restaurant owner cleaning tables. There were few customers outside, and they paid no mind to the canine.
"Mr Porter! Mr. Porter! Mr. Porter!" Marshall shouted urgently, running to the owner and getting his attention.
"Oh, hey Marshall. You startled me a bit. What do you need." The old man inquired.
"When are you closing tonight?" The dally asked.
"Six in the evening as usual." Mr. Porter replied, cleaning several other tables in his vicinity.
"Oh...uhhh...can you do me a teensy, little favor?" Marshall asked in a slightly higher tone of voice.
"What is it?"
"Can you close the restaurant for everyone else, but keep it open at seven? Just for me?" The fire pup requested, giving him the old puppy dog eyes.
"Why's that?"
"I'm going on a date tonight. Me and my date decided to go here." Marshall said.
"Oh, you're going on a date? That's awesome! Who's the lucky lady?" Mr. Porter asked, happy for his canine friend.
"It's Everest. I just asked her, like, 20 minutes ago." Marshall replied with a blush and a smile.
"Well, that's great! And as a thank you to what you two do for all of Adventure Bay, your date tonight will be on the house." The old man announced.
"Really?! Oh, thank you, Mr. Porter!" Marshall cried, giving the old man's face a few licks before running off back to his truck and driving away.
Everest couldn't believe it. Her best male friend asked her out. At that moment in time, Jake finally arrived back at his cabin after a long day at the office. Everest, being full of joy, wasted no time and jumped on her owner as soon as he walked in the door.
"Wow...you're super happy...how was your day with Marshall and everything?" The mountaineer asked, flustered.
"Oh my god, it was amazing. The best part is? It's not even over yet!" The husky responded excitedly.
"What do you mean?"
"Marshall asked me out on a date! Tonight! And I said yes!" Everest rejoiced. Jake was stunned at first, but it gave way to pride and happiness.
"Wow...that's amazing! Where are you guys going?"
"We're going to Mr. Porter's." The husky replied.
"Oh...that's a weird place for a first date, but I'm sure it'll be fine." Jake commented. Just then, the mountain rescue pup remembered something important.
"Oh my gosh! I gotta tell Skye about it!" She noted to herself before dashing to her room. At that moment in time, Skye was all by herself, looking at flowers in the sunflower field when her best friend called her through her pup tag.
"Hey, who is this?" The cockapoo asked.
"Skye! Oh my god, it happened! Marshy asked me on a date and I said yes! I can't even focus right now!" Everest said, feeling all the happiness in the world.
"I'll be right over. Don't you worry." Skye answered. She hung up, turned on her wings (she had her uni with her just in case) and flew up to Jake's Mountain.
After a few more tedious minutes of driving, the dalmatian finally made it to the back of the lookout. Marshall ran into the lookout tower without question, only to see his other male pup friends watching TV.
"Yo, guys! Guess what?" The dally smirked.
"What?" All the male pups asked, turning to face him. The look on the dally's face said it all.
"I'm going on a date tonight!" Marshall shouted with glee. All the male pups shouted in celebration as they ran to him and jumped onto the fire pup with joy. The dally couldn't have been happier in that moment, sharing a beautiful moment with his pals.
"Well, our single club is down to three. And that's a good thing, believe me." Rocky said.
"Dude, I knew you could do it!" Chase cried as he hugged his 'brother'.
"Where the heck are you guys going to?" Rubble asked the fire pup.
"We're going to Mr. Porter's at 7. It was her idea." Marshall replied. All of the male pups gave him confused looks.
"That's a weird place for a first date, if you ask me." Zuma stated. Just then, the dally remembered something.
"Oh, shoot! I gotta get groomed! Be back in 30 minutes! Tell Ryder that I'm going on a DATE!" Marshall cheered as he ran out the door. He quickly got into his truck and sped off to Katie's Pet Parlor across the street. Within 2 minutes, he was already there. There was nobody there, except the blonde groomer herself.
"Hey, Marshall, how's it going?" She inquired as she finished stocking shelves.
"Good. Uhh, just need a little rinse. Nothing over the top." Marshall replied as he got into the small bathtub.
"Sure thing. So, what's going on with you?" Katie asked as she turned on the water.
"Ok. I'm super nervous, but I'm super excited at the same time. I don't know how else to describe it." Marshall answered with a small smile painted on his face.
"Let me guess...you're going on a date with Everest tonight." Katie said. The dally's eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know?!" He asked in shock.
"Just the way you have been talking about your mood. I can just tell. Where are you guys going out to?" The blonde groomer asked as she started using shampoo on the canine.
"We're going to Mr. Porter's. It was her idea, don't look at me." The fire pup said.
"I would not blame her at all. I mean, she only goes here twice a month." Katie spoke as she started to rinse him off.
"Yeah, I can understand that. And, well, I've heard rumors that they have good liver-flavored burgers. Don't get me started on liver, though. It tastes terrible." The dally gagged.
"So, how did you ask her out?"
"Well, it's really complicated. Last night, I was working on a 'Ask Everest Out Plans' list, and the others caught me." Marshall spoke quietly, still embarrassed about the whole ordeal he put himself through.
"You were working on a list for how to ask her out?! Come on, Marshall." Katie giggled.
"Anyway, I told everyone about my crush on her. Skye told me to call Everest on my pup tag and ask her to hang out today. She said yes, I went up the mountain and spent the entire day with her. By myself. It was a fun day, let me tell you. Around 20 minutes ago, before I left, I popped the question. I thought I was gonna die of anxiety. But she looked at me and was like, 'Yeah, that would be amazing.' And she said I was cute! It's super cool. Best compliment ever, if you ask me." Marshall spoke as he blushed heavily, thinking about his new date.
"Honestly, I'm not surprised that you asked her out. You two are literally the same personality. Two wild, crazy, young and energetic dogs filled with life and excitement. You two would be great together." Katie said as she air-dried him off.
"Thanks. I hope everything goes well tonight."
"Well, there you go! You're all set! You gonna wear something fancy or what?" Katie asked as the dally started to walk out the door.
"Nah. I have a red bowtie somewhere in my pup-house. That should do." The dally responded as he got into his truck.
"Well, good luck on your date!" Katie shouted to him as he drove off.
At the same time that her date was getting groomed, Everest was waiting patiently for Skye. Within minutes, she arrived at the cabin, and promptly knocked on the door.
"I got it!" Everest said to her owner as she rushed to the door. She opened it, and it revealed her cockapoo best friend. Both of them squealed in happiness as they hugged each other tightly.
"Oh my god, I'm so happy for you, girl!"
"I can't believe this is actually happening! This is the best day ever!" The husky cheered.
"We gotta get you ready. I mean, it is your first date, after all." Skye spoke candidly as they both walked to the mountain rescue pup's room.
"Skye, I have to be honest with you. I don't want makeup or anything. I'm not gonna go crazy like you."
"Well, you still need to do something with your look. For starters, your coat is a little off. I mean, it's a bit unkempt. What did you guys even do today?" Skye spoke as she observed her best friend's fur. She ran to get a brush and got to work on her.
"Well, we did some snowboarding on the mountains. It was a LOT of fun, believe me. We watched a movie, played some Pup-Pup Boogie and just talked. It was just a great day. It really was."
"Oh my gosh, your fur is so thick and long. You gotta remember to get it trimmed." The cockapoo stated. Brushing her fur was a little difficult, and after a bit, Skye began to look for some fragrance. "Where do you keep your perfume again?"
"In the closet." Everest replied. With no effort at all, she found the perfume.
"Entrancement: Arctic Scent." The cockapoo read. "Have you ever used this?"
"I've used it once, just to try it out. It works very well. It's gonna make Marshall lose his mind." Everest said with a smile. The pilot gave the husky three squirts of the perfume and everything was set.
"Wow, girl, you're looking good. So, was Marshall nervous when he asked you out?"
"Dear god, I thought he was gonna have a panic attack or something. He was sweating a lot. His legs and paws were shaking like crazy. He was extremely nervous, but he got it out anyway. And I'm so happy he did." Everest replied.
"You might be exaggerating on the panic-attack thing. He doesn't have those kinds of things, but he has a bit of anxiety occasionally." Skye remarked.
"So, I have a few questions for you, if you don't mind." The mountain rescue pup mentioned.
"Ask away, best friend." The pilot responded.
As Marshall drove home, he remembered to pick a red rose from Mayor Goodway's garden outside the city hall. Of course, he had to be really sneaky about it, as the mayor really disliked having her flowers stolen and ruined. Just ask her about her pink tulips. The dally made it back home with an hour to spare before his date. He quickly parked his truck, got into his pup house, sprayed some cologne and put on a small little red bowtie he saved for a special occasion like tonight. He then walked into the lookout, feeling more confident than ever. The dalmatian's new look stunned his comrades and his owner.
"Wow, dude, you're looking TIGHT." Zuma said in shock and admiration.
"Very simple approach. And I like it." Chase commented as he fist-bumped the fire-pup.
"That's a nice bowtie you got there, buddy." Rocky added.
"I like that new look, dude. It fits you pretty well." Rubble spoke. Just then, Ryder came down the elevator and gazed at his fire pup with glee.
"Well, well, well, it seems like I gotta deal with two couples now." The boy joked.
"So, what do you think of my fit, Ryder? Too simplistic? Too informal?" Marshall asked him.
"I think you look just fine. I think Everest would love your new style." Ryder answered.
"Thanks, dude." Marshall replied, with a few affectionate licks to his owner's face. After about 30 or so minutes, it was time for the dalmatian to go on an adventure. "Well dudes, I gotta head out." the fire pup announced.
"Have fun out there, Marshall. Just be yourself, that's all my advice." Chase said as he embraced his best friend.
"Oh, and my date is gonna be free. Mr. Porter said it was on the house." Marshall replied with a cocky expression. The other male pups gasped in surprise.
"What?! You serious?! You're so lucky, bro!" Rubble exclaimed.
"I should have gone there for my first date. Then again, well, the fancy restaurant did have the killer spaghetti." Chase thought aloud as he fondly remembered his first 'accidental' kiss with Skye.
"You go out there and show Everest who you're made of!" Zuma shouted to his friend as he ran to his truck.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow morning if everything goes right!" Marshall shouted as he got into his vehicle.
The other male pups walked outside the lookout to see the dally turn on the gas, blast the music on his truck and book it for the restaurant, and they howled in support of their fire pup friend. Ryder was watching the whole scene from above. Oh boy...if everything goes right, I'm gonna have to start dealing with two couples instead of one. I just hope there's no drama or anything. He thought to himself. The sun was setting rapidly, showcasing a more pink skyline than normal. The moon was very faint, with its white hue shining. Within 5 minutes, Marshall had arrived at Mr. Porter's. Nobody was in the building but the old man himself, pouring himself some coffee after a hard day's work. There was only a single table in the interior of the building, and it was set in the middle of the room. It was very old-fashioned, with a box as the table covered in a classic picnic cloth over it.
"Good evening, Marshall. You like the set-up?" The owner asked.
"It's perfect. You literally outdid yourself." The dally said with admiration.
"Thank you. Oh, and nice bowtie, my friend."
"Thanks, Mr. Porter."
"So, you came here by yourself?" The old man asked.
"Yeah, she's gonna be here in a couple minutes or so." Marshall answered with a red tint on his face.
"Ok. I'll go fetch some water for you two." Mr. Porter said as he went back into the kitchen. Dude...I can't believe I made it this far. This is gonna be a fun night. I wonder who's taking her over here. Jake is a good guess. I don't care though, as long as she gets here. The dally sighed as he thought about her.
"You ready, Everest?" Jake called from across the hall.
"You know it!" The husky replied. She then walked out the door to reveal her new look. It was very subtle, with her long and thick fur brushed like a professional groomer, but the new scent of hers sealed the deal.
"Wow, Skye. You did a pretty good job on her." The mountaineer smiled as he observed his mountain rescue pup.
"Thanks...it was no biggie. So, you want me to take her over?" The pilot asked.
"No, I got it. Thanks for asking." Jake answered as he flipped the keys out and started his car. Skye took this as her chance to say goodbye and embraced her best friend one last time.
"You're gonna have so much fun, I just know it!" The cockapoo smiled.
"I know right? I'll see you on the flip side, girlfriend!" Everest replied. With that, Jake and the mountain rescue pup hopped into his care and the pilot started flying home. On the drive down, Everest thought a little more about the questions she had asked her best friend. She felt like she needed a second opinion.
"Hey...uhh...I have a few questions, if you don't mind." Everest mumbled.
"Hey, you can ask me anything. I've been in a few relationships before, so I know a couple of things." Jake replied.
"Ok. What if Marshall says he loves me? What if he makes the first move and kisses me? I just don't know what to do." The husky told him quietly. It took him a while to think before he came up with an answer. As they drove into Adventure Bay, he finally came up with something.
"Everest, just remember this. If he does those things, listen to your heart. Your heart is more important than the brain sometimes. The heart wants what it wants. Just follow your heart, and you'll find a way." Jake responded.
"Thanks. I really needed that." The husky said with a smile.
"No problem." The mountaineer replied. After a few more minutes, the two finally arrived at Mr. Porter's. The sun was already down, with the skyline mixing between a pink and a blue look. "Well, go and have fun on your date. Just remember, be yourself." Jake spoke as he embraced his dog.
"I know. I think Marshall's gonna take me home, seeing that his truck is already here." The husky observed.
"I'll see ya tomorrow morning, bright and early for another day of work." Jake said as his husky jumped out of the car and walked into the restaurant with a composed strut. In a few seconds, the mountaineer threw the reverse and drove back up the mountain.
The dally heard the door open and his eyes flew wide open. Marshall was speechless as his date walked up to his "table" and sat across from him.
"Hey, Marshall! Nice setup you got here! Did you do this just for me?" She asked. The fire pup still couldn't grasp words with how gorgeous she looked. "Uhh...earth to Marshall. Earth to Marshall. Can you see me?" She inquired as she waved one of her paws in front of his face. The dalmatian finally snapped out of it, and his face turned red in embarrassment.
"Sorry...I couldn't get over you...You look so pretty."
"Aww...thanks." Everest smiled.
"No, seriously. Your coat looks amazing. And where did you get that perfume? It's SO GOOD." Marshall continued.
"Oh, stop it. I didn't really do much to get ready for this date. The perfume? It's called Entrancement: Arctic Scent. It works very well, seeing from your cute face and all." Everest replied, blushing as well.
"Well, I think your natural scent is great, too. Which reminds me. I got this for you." The fire pup spoke as he pulled a single red rose from his side. The bottom of the flower was still covered in a little dirt, but she didn't mind at all.
"Wow...a rose...for me? Thanks, Marshall." She cooed gently as she set the plant off to the side.
"Hey, Everest...I gotta ask you something that's been on my mind for a long time." Marshall stated.
"What's up?"
"Why do you like liver so much? I mean, I hate it. It tastes awful. There must be a reason for it?" The dally remarked.
"That's a very good question. When I was alone in the South Pole, I had to survive off of animal carcasses." The husky answered blatantly.
"Ok, ok, ok. You can stop. I don't wanna lose my appetite." Marshall cringed with a small laugh.
"The liver was always the most enjoyable part to me. I couldn't live without it. And when I saw a dead animal, other beings got to it, leaving the liver by itself. And I would eat it." Everest explained.
"Everest, come on! I told you to stop. We're eating dinner. I haven't eaten since lunch." Marshall gagged with wide eyes.
"Ok, fine. I'll stop." The mountain rescue pup giggled. At that moment, Mr. Porter walked over to them.
"Well, congratulations on your first date, you two." The old man smiled.
"Hi, Mr. Porter!" Both of the pups replied happily in unison.
"Here's the menu tonight. It's on the house. Just call me over with what you want when you're ready." Mr. Porter said as he laid out a separate menu for each of them and walked away.
"It's on the house?! We're gonna be feasting like kings and queens tonight!" Everest rejoiced with excitement.
"I know, right?" Marshall laughed, showing off that same goofy smile that she secretly loved. The two started looking over their options and came down to one simple option. "I'm going with the Porter Burger. They have liver flavored ones, too." Marshall grinned with a wink.
"They have liver flavored burgers? Ohmygodohmygod I want one!" The husky marveled, never even guessing that there would have been such a thing.
"I know you would." The dally smiled.
"I can't believe that I forgot to say, but that's such a cute bowtie, Marshall. It's so you. And the cologne is a nice touch." Everest observed. The bowtie was rather small, feeling a little tight around his neck. But it didn't matter to him.
"Hey...it's the only thing I could really go for. And I wanted to go simple. I didn't wanna go full James Bond mode for a date like Chase did." The dally joked with a small but obvious blush on his face.
"Marshall, I just wanna ask you this, because I keep forgetting. What's the eating record for Porter Burgers in one sitting among you guys?" Everest asked in curiosity.
"Rubble owns it. He ate four about 3 weeks ago." Marshall replied. An idea popped up in the husky's head and she couldn't pass it up.
"You wanna try and break it with me?" Everest begged, her tail wagging in the process.
"Oh god...Last time I only could go to two...I'll try, though." Marshall nervously answered, knowing his stomach could only handle so much intake.
"Hey, Mr. Porter! We'll have 2 Porter Burgers each! Make sure mine's liver flavored!" The husky shouted to the old man from the dining room.
"You got it!" Mr. Porter replied. Within a minute, the first burgers were already laid out for them, served nice, hot and juicy right out of the microwave. "Alright pups, dig in." He said as he served them and walked off. The canines' mouths salivated heavily at the sight and the smell of their free dinner.
"This looks so good...oh my god." Marshall sighed with glee.
"Let's do this!" Everest said with determination. They both began to chow down, enjoying every bite. In two minutes, both easily destroyed two burgers.
"Hey, Everest. I think I can go for two more." The dally spoke.
"Me too, Marshall. I can go for six if I wanted. I'm not even close to full yet." The husky bragged, feeling more confident in her appetite every second.
"Oh, Mr. Porter! We want two more each, please! You know the drill!" Marshall shouted to the old man.
"Yes sir! The customer is always right!" The old man answered from the kitchen as he threw some freshly-made burgers he made earlier that day into the microwave. They must be having an eating competition over there. Better not make a big mess. I just had a deep clean through the whole restaurant before I opened today. He thought. The burgers were heated up and served to the pups, as they chowed down again. Marshall, being a skinny pup for his breed, couldn't go past the third Porter Burger.
"I think I'm full, dude. I can't have another bite. You win." Marshall groaned in defeat and exhaustion, as he felt his stomach.
"I just tied the record! I'm not gonna go for six burgers! I wanna go for seven!" Everest avowed in determination, smacking one of her front paws on the table.
"That's just incredible...Everest, you are amazing." Marshall gasped in awe. The dalmatian knew that Rubble was gonna flip out once he heard about his famous record being broken, and he would never see this again in his lifetime.
"Mr. Porter! I want three more burgers, please! Pronto!" The husky decreed. The burgers were heated up and brought to her, and she destroyed each and every one. The dally in front of her couldn't believe it. He was witnessing history in front of his very eyes as his world turned completely upside down.
"Alright, I'm done. I don't wanna eat too much on my first date." Everest boasted with a laugh.
"Oh my god...seven Porter Burgers in one sitting...are you some kind of wolf or something?" The fire pup asked, dumbfounded at what he just saw.
"Actually, I am." Everest replied with a laugh. Marshall giggled in response, only to have his date look at him with a serious expression. "Marshall, I am completely serious. I am a half wolf." This surprised the dalmatian very much, to say the least.
"How is that possible? You grew up in the South Pole, right? I thought that huskies were the only creatures with four legs down there that could survive."
"Well, my mom was a husky, who exactly looked like me. She had the same fur, everything. And my dad...was a wolf. They both started talking, fell in love and had me. And well, I was the only one around. I look more like my mother, but I act more like my father." The husky explained, a little bit of sadness in her tone, but nothing that could be detected by his date, who had incredible emotional intelligence for his age.
"Yeah...it makes sense. The way you ate the burgers, the way your howls sound, your looks...I'm surprised I haven't noticed earlier." Marshall noted. The two began talking more and more, about how complicated their jobs tended to get, how Jake was like her unofficial father figure, among others. 20 minutes passed, and they both felt like they could go for more.
"I think I want some dessert." Everest smiled.
"How about some ice cream?" Marshall suggested.
"What's your favorite flavor?" The husky asked with curiosity.
"Strawberry." The dally relied with a large grin on his face.
"Oh my god, me too!" Everest replied in excitement. The two then asked for Mr. Porter to make the frozen custard for them, and it was promptly served to them in less than three minutes. They both stared at their ice cream with a sense of joy.
"I heard that in Texas, people call ice cream frozen cow juice." The fire pup joked. The husky laughed in response.
"Oh my god, Marshall, why are you so funny?" Everest giggled.
"I don't even know. I wanna get to this frozen custard before it melts." The dally spoke as he began to lick at the ice cream he had. They both started licking at their own frozen desserts, enjoying every lick. After a while, Everest completely stopped. She had an evil grin on her face, as Marshall gazed at her in surprise. "Uhh, what's up with that weird look on your face?"
"Hey...I see Chase in the parking lot." The husky spoke, pointing to the parking lot.
"Wait, where?" The dally asked. This was her chance. While Marshall was turned around, she grabbed her bowl of ice cream and dumped all the remaining contents of it on his head. The dally's eyes widened in shock as he felt it coming down his face and fur. "WHOA...what the hell?" The dally shivered, feeling the strawberry all over him. Everest couldn't help but laugh maniacally as her epic 'prank' succeeded. She was laughing so hard that Marshall playfully fought back, smothering her face with the ice cream he had left.
"You can't do that to me! I'm a girl!" The husky chuckled.
"Hey, you did it first." Marshall retorted. With that, the battle for ice-cream supremacy began. The husky tackled him, and they both rolled all over the floor, throwing frozen custard at each other. They were laughing and playing all the while, and after a few minutes, they ran out of energy. They looked at the mess in front of them with a new sense of urgency. Strawberry ice cream was all over the floor. They heard footsteps above them. It was Mr. Porter, coming downstairs. The restaurant was recently turned into a small home as well, with the owner and his grandson residing a floor above them.
"We'd better get outta here!" Everest exclaimed as the two canines booked it for the exit. They got into Marshall's truck and in no time, they were very far away from the restaurant. Both started cackling about the whole thing as they started driving back up the mountain.
"Dude, Mr. Porter's gonna ban us for a whole month!" Marshall laughed.
"I know, right? It was SO worth it!" Everest giggled. Had Marshall not been driving right now, the husky would have kissed him in pure happiness. But that had to wait.
Marshall decided to take a small shortcut to a wide-open plain in the mountains that he knew well. It was a flat piece of land, snow covering the vast area and evergreen trees far away from them. When the truck stopped, the two took this chance to lick the remaining ice cream from their coats. They jumped out onto the snow below, where they both lied on their backs and gazed upward to the sky. It was completely dark outside, and the moon was fully lit. Stars decorated the stratosphere, and both couldn't help but admire the scenery above them.
"Have you ever been out here at night?" The fire pup whispered.
"Nope." The mountain rescue pup answered quietly.
"Me neither. I saw this spot once, and I always wanted to go over here." Marshall spoke. After 10 minutes of silence, the dally began to feel a burning sensation in his brain. Ok, it's all quiet now. Maybe I should say I love her. But do I know for sure? He thought. As if right on cue, her left front paw began holding his front right paw. The husky sighed as she did so. The dalmatian was blushing like a tomato at this point and his heart began to speed up. OH MAN...she likes you more than you thought! Quick! Think think think! Ok...I think I know what to say. Just gotta get it right. He thought.
"Hey Everest...can I tell you something?" Marshall asked nervously.
"Sure, Marshall. Anything." Everest replied. The dally took a deep breath and stood on all fours. She stood up as well out of instinct, as he began to hold both of her front paws. Both of their hearts were pounding as they stared deeply into each other's crystal blue eyes. The moonlight was super bright. The dally cleared his throat and began to confess.
"Everest...You're the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen. Your eyes are like a pool of ice, and I can't stop myself from staring. You're such a different dog from the others I know...you're a helluva snowboarder, you laugh at my terrible jokes more than anyone, and you aren't afraid to be yourself. Which is something I really admire about you. Your coat is beautiful in every way...it's so soft just by looking at it. My heart goes absolutely crazy every time I see you. You work super hard at your job, and, it's so cool that you get to do something you love every single day. I've felt this...void for a few weeks. Like, something was missing in my life. And I've realized that over this whole day...that you would fill that void for anyone. That void...is only filled by someone I care a lot about. No, I don't just care deeply about you. Everest...I...I...I've loved you ever since I first saw you." Marshall spoke. Everest had no idea what to say or do at all. She stood still, looking on with a face combined with surprise and happiness. The thoughts in the fire pup's head screamed at him to make the move, and he did, closing his eyes and pecking his lips with hers. The husky's eyes went wide in shock and she blushed like mad. The kiss lasted for three seconds, but felt like a whole minute. As he separated, Everest gazed at him with an incredibly warm smile which made the dally's heart melt.
"I love you too, Marshall. You're such a fun guy to be around. You're so funny, cute, kind, talented and super passionate about helping everyone else. You're super brave, being a firefighter and all. I mean, you sometimes run into burning buildings, for God's sake. You might not think so, but you're very handsome and attractive, and I just can't deny it. Your clumsiness is actually kind of adorable to me...your personality is so similar to mine that we just...understand each other. We just...go so well together. When I'm around you, I just feel so warm inside. I feel happy when I'm with you every single day you see me. You're the best boy I've ever met." Everest spoke. With that, she threw her paws around his shoulders and landed her lips with his. Marshall returned the kiss, and both fell to the snow side by side as passion overtook them quickly. The dalmatian wrapped his paws around her hips as their tongues entered each other's mouths at the same time and battled for control. They moaned to their hearts' content, their sighs flooding the night, their long tails holding each others' tightly. Their hearts burned like a raging inferno as they pressed onward, feeling their newfound love for one another. After nearly two long minutes, logic finally taking over, their oxygen intake decreasing rapidly. They both finally broke up the kiss and shivered as they gazed at the moonlight's reflection off each other's fur.
"Wow, Everest...you're such a good kisser…" Marshall whispered gently.
"I know. I practice on my pup bed every night." Everest replied.
"I want more...I want you." The dally moaned, still gasping for breath. The husky silently nodded and they started an incredible night together as another round of smooching began
A few hours had ticked on by, and they had never felt better. After some more heavy make-out, Everest revealed to him that she called her "Marsh" or "Marshy" when he wasn't around. These names, especially the latter, made him blush, so he returned the favor by calling her "Eve" from this night forward. Their tongues were completely exhausted from their love for one another, and they were just starting to get tired. The dalmatian got up off the snow and jumped in his truck to check his clock.
"Oh man...Midnight…" Marshall yawned, rubbing his eyes to keep them awake.
"Aww shoot. I gotta wake up at 7 tomorrow for work tomorrow. I wish we could stay out here longer...but I just rather go home." Everest spoke slowly as she trudged over to his truck. Marshall helped her in and the two set off for the husky's home. They made it back in five minutes, and as she was just a few feet away from her door, the mountain rescue pup turned to her new boyfriend
"Marsh...thank you...for everything. It was such an awesome day hanging out with you."
"You too, Eve...maybe tomorrow when you finish work, you mind coming over to the lookout?"
"Not a problem...I love you, Marshy." She whispered lovingly in his ears.
"Love you too, Eve." Marshall whispered back. The two kissed for a few seconds, and Everest walked back into the cabin without making a sound. The dalmatian rubbed some snow into his eyes to stay awake for the drive home, and it worked the whole way. The entire town was cold and empty, nobody to judge him for driving his truck so late at night. This is so cool...I gotta show Eve this scenery sometime...I think she'll like it a lot. He thought as he pulled onto the bridge. He finally parked his truck in his designated spot and it turned into his old familiar pup house. Marshall walked into it, stepped around his bed twice before curling up and falling asleep with a huge grin on his face.
As 7:30 AM came around the next morning, Marshall heard a knock on his pup house door. He drowsily got up and answered it, and his eyes flew wide open in surprise. He rubbed his eyes a few times just to make sure he was seeing the right canine in front of him.
"Everest? I thought you were gonna be working all morning." Marshall said with surprise.
"I told Jake everything...he told me that I could go and hang out with you all day."
"That's great...you still tired?" Marshall asked, yawning all the while.
"Yeah...a little."
"You mind sleeping with me in my pup house?"
"I'd love to." The husky replied, blushing a little. As she stepped into his pup house for the very first time, she felt very mushy inside. Her heart softened as she got used to the scent of his home. I can get used to this. She thought as she snuggled next to him. They held each other lovingly as they fell back asleep, not caring that the other pups would wake up without them as their love had just begun.