chapter 2: watermelons, hound dogs and an air pup suit
Chase, his costume already ready, looked around and saw nobody except his own reflection. He already told Ryder that he was going to do an open speech before his act backstage, and he walked to a microphone where nobody saw him. He did this to avoid initial embarrassment. He knew he was gonna get made fun of for weeks on end for this song he was gonna sing, but he didn't care. He took a deep breath as he saw Ryder walk onto the stage to introduce his act.
"For our second act of the night, Chase has a really big, surprising act for us. Even I have no idea what it is. So, Chase would like to take a brief moment to speak to us from behind the stage. Take it away, man."
"Uhhh, ok. This act is gonna be super embarrassing. It's gonna kill my reputation for being masculine and all. But, well, this act means nothing at the end of the day. I don't really care if I get last place. The only thing that matters is if a certain someone likes this act. Skye...this is for you." The german shepherd calmly spoke. He then walked silently onto the stage. The whole park and stage were dark, with the stage lights crew know when to shine the whole single spotlight onto him. The instrumental started, and with that, Chase stood on his hind legs, the spotlight still dark. Skye and all the rest of the pups gazed from the right of the stage, invisible to the audience, trying to figure what his costume would be. Then, the light turned on. The whole crowd and all the pups gasped in surprise and admiration. The shepherd was wearing nothing but a magenta long-sleeved collar shirt, surrounded by halves of watermelons around him. The male pups were all freaking out, laughing and snickering to themselves about their friend's look. Skye was especially shocked, since this was her favorite song. By her favorite singer. Both of her paws were covering her mouth in pure unexpected bliss, as the instrumental started.
Taste like strawberries
On a summer evenin'
And it sounds just like a song
Chase sang in a very deep bass tone, and the crowd showed their appreciation through raucous applause.
I want more berries
And that summer feelin
It's so wonderful and warm
The german shepherd got comfortable in his new role, and as the first verse came to an end, he turned his gaze to his beloved. He gave her a small smirk, and that was enough to make her insides melt.
Breathe me in, breathe me out
I don't know if I could ever go without
Chase began to walk to her direction on the right of the stage as he continued to sing. The male pups couldn't believe what they were seeing. The very definition of "masculine" was now singing a catchy song dedicated to his girlfriend. And they LOVED it. Skye felt as if she was in a dream, where everything can be possible. Her face blushed intensely as he swooned her with his words.
I'm just thinking out loud
I don't know if I could ever go without
Just a few feet away from his friends, the german shepherd began to sing the chorus, a stupid grin taking control of his face.
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
He ran to the runway that overlooked the crowd and encountered a lot of neighborhood children, who were just a few feet away themselves, cheering him on. He began to dance a little as well, showing off some moves and adding a little tail-spin for good measure as the song got more funky. The pups backstage vibed along to the song with joy.
Watermelon sugar high
Strawberries on a summer evenin'
Baby, you're the end of June
I want your belly
And that summer feelin'
Getting washed away in you
Feeling totally confident in himself now, he sat clapping his paws together as the song reached its extremely catchy chorus. Several children in the audience began to sing along with him, creating a concert-like atmosphere.
Breathe me in, breathe me out
I don't know if I could ever go without
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
I just wanna taste you, I just wanna taste you
Watermelon sugar high
Chase then stood up on all fours once again, closing his eyes as he let loose some quiet, deep vocals from within.
Taste like strawberries
On a summer evenin'
And it sounds just like a song.
The shepherd opened up his eyes and gazed in Skye's direction once again and smiled as he sang to her (which was a pretty rare occurrence at any given moment).
I want your belly
And that summer feelin'
And I don't know if I could ever go without
The german shepherd ran back inside his circle of half watermelons and began to dance and sing, with the chorus taking over his mind.
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar high
As the ending of the song neared its conclusion, he continued to sing as he handed over other watermelons he had left to the children in the front row.
I just wanna taste it, I just wanna taste it
Watermelon sugar high
He now sat on the large runway, holding a small piece of watermelon with his two front paws, swinging it side to side.
I just wanna taste it, I just wanna taste it
Watermelon sugar high
Watermelon sugar
After he sang the final line, Chase emphatically took a large bite out of the watermelon, causing the crowd to laugh and applaud his act. "It tasted pretty good...thank you!" He shouted after he swallowed. He walked coolly to the backstage, and was dapped up by his fellow male pups, while Rubble waited on the other side of the backstage for his act to start. Out of nowhere, Skye kissed her beloved's face multiple times as a sign of massive approval while the guys laughed.
"You really did that...for me?" The cockapoo asked, still flustered over his choice to go with the song.
"Absolutely...I could have done a cheesy country song, but none of them really fit the purpose of my act...and, well, you've sung it at least every day for the past month. It was easy to remember. And, well, I love you. That's why I did it." The police pup explained.
"Chase, you're approaching Marshall levels of simping right now. Just warning you. But we all still loved your act. It was so fuckin' hilarious." Zuma quipped.
"Well, if you did a little simping right and with the best timing you could manage, I think you could get yourself someone. Sometimes, you simp and you don't even know it." The shepherd replied. Just then, walking over to the pups, was Rubble, all decked out for his act. His costume heavily resembled an outfit he wore when he was younger- an Elvis impersonator. A simple, white jacket that showed off the chest, with a black, high standing wig to complete the look.
"Nice look, dude. Not gonna lie." Marshall smiled.
"I guarantee the old people are gonna love it." Rocky spoke as the pups all saw Ryder walk to the stage with a small standing, fake microphone and set it on the stage. All the pups that performed had headsets attached to them to allow for maximum freedom of expression and movement.
"Ladies and gentlemen, for our third act, Rubble will transport us back in time to the 1950s for an oldie but goodie!" Ryder announced, while the bulldog walked onto the stage with the crowd cheering for him. The elderly people way in the back really liked his choice of fashion. Rubble always had a great fashion sense, and was easily the best dresser of all the guys. His sense of clothing was so good that Cam Newton would blush.
"Mrs. Marjorie! Can you stand up for us?" The bulldog asked through the mic. From the back row, the old lady stood and raised her fist, with the audience clapping for her presence. "Every time I go to your place, I hear Elvis or some other oldie playing in the background. This is my favorite one. So, this one's for you, Ms. Marjorie." He concluded. The bulldog stood up on his hind legs and held the fake microphone. The instrumental started without further ado.
YOU AIN'T NOTHIN BUT A HOUND DOG
Cryin' all the time
You ain't nothin but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
The audience applauded for Rubble as he opened the song loudly and proudly. He held the long microphone stand in his right paw with precision, and moved his body like the old King of Rock and Roll.
Well, you ain't ever caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine
As the fast-paced drum beat came on, Rubble girated is hips and body with a striking resemblance to Presley, a move that caught EVERYONE off guard but succeeded, throwing in a wild round of cheers from his friends and the crowd.
When they said you was high classed
Well that was just a lie
When they said you was high classed
Well that was just a lie
Well, you ain't caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine
Another loud, fast paced drum set ripped through the speakers, and Rubble girated his his even harder. It was so good that he nearly lost his balance, but picked himself back up. His hind legs were shuffling to the rhythm quickly as he continued.
You ain't nothin but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
You ain't nothin but a hound dog
Cryin' all the time
Yeah, you ain't ever caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine.
Rubble's hips girated once again, as he shuffled on his hind legs away from the microphone and onto the runway. The crowd was having a ton of fun, and even though the poor bulldog's legs were starting to get tired, he promised himself to keep standing for the entire song. There was only one minute left, as it was a short, fast-paced tune. He clapped his front paws together, and everyone, including the pups, began to dance and clap in rhythm to the bopping, surging song of old.
When they said you was high classed
Well that was just a lie
When they said you was high classed
Well that was just a lie
Well you ain't caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine
The fast drums played once again. As the guitar played throughout the bridge, Rubble shimmied back to his stand up microphone.
"Where are the screaming girls at? I wanna hear you!" Rubble exclaimed, referring to Elvis and his ridiculous popularity with the female population way back in the day. The whole crowd cheered at a loud volume in response. "I like that!" Rubble replied happily as he took a deep breath, ready to finish the song on a high note, dancing with the standing microphone once again.
When they said you was high classed
Well that was just a lie
You know, they said that you was high classed
Well that was just a lie
Well, you ain't ever caught a rabbit
And you ain't no friend of mine
You ain't nothin but a hound dog
Cryin all the time
You ain't nothin but a hound dog
Cryin all the time
Well you ain't ever caught a rabbit
You ain't no friend of mine
As the song had one last drum solo and the guitar wrapped things up, Rubble hit a pose, holding the microphone stand with his right paw while extending his left paw backward. The crowd roared with delight.
"Thank you! Long live the king!" Rubble spoke into his mic as he ran off the stage. He was dapped up by all of his friends, when all of them realized something peculiar.
"Wait...where's Skye?" Everest wondered aloud.
"Oh yeah, she's going after me. I completely forgot." The bulldog answered. The pups all gazed at Ryder as he walked onto the stage to introduce her.
"Skye has a pretty cool and unorthodox act for us tonight. She loves to fly so much that she decided to sing us a song about it! Give her a hand, everyone!" Ryder spoke as Skye walked onto the stage from the left side. She simply had her pink Air Pup uniform on her. Nothing more, nothing less. All of the pups looked at her as the instrumental started. She sat in the middle of the stage, her eyes closed as she gracefully started to sing.
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away with me
All the pups and the audience watched in awe as she sang in a high pitched, soprano-like tone. Chase in particular was transfixed by her grace and beauty. Her words shot through his heart like an arrow from Cupid. His heart was soaring as she opened her eyes and they turned to his direction. She smiled as she did it, only causing his face to turn a slight bit reddish.
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away with me
She started to back up to the very end of the stage, and not knowing what she would do, all the pups watched in deep curiosity and anticipation.
Don't you be afraid
Everything will change
You and I
Jumping off the edge
They say dreamers never die
So, come and fly
Come and fly
Come and fly away with me
After that verse, she began to run. She dashed onto the runway, her wings extended and she soared into the air as the beat dropped. The crowd cheered in surprise and the pups' jaws dropped as her high voice reached falsetto territory.
We're rising, we're falling
We'll make it through
We're climbing, we're soaring
A thousand views
As a repeat of the chorus played with the instrumental, she did a few tricks in the air, making figure eights and dashed lines. As the repeat chorus ended, she returned and landed back onto the stage with grace. A Japanese-like part of the instrumental played, and she turned to her beloved. With a loving smile, she beckoned the german shepherd to come closer. The other pups tried to push him to her, and it succeeded. The singular spotlight was on them both as Skye looked up to Chase with pink, twinkling eyes. He blushed as she stared directly at him, singing softly as she did so.
Somewhere by the emerald sea
Where the moon and water meet
Somewhere close to harmony
When the world's fast asleep
Something's gonna bring a change
Journeys we are meant to take
Something at the edge of space
Calling us to fly away
She beckoned Chase to stand in the middle of the stage as she began to back up while singing the pre-chorus once again.
Don't you be afraid
Everything will change
You and I jumping off the edge
They say dreamers never die
So, come and fly
Come and fly
Come and fly away with me.
She began to run straight forward again, this time doing a front flip over Chase, another flip, and one last flip while her wings extended, blasting off into the skies above. The crowd roared approvingly and Chase jumped up and down in the air in disbelief and amazement as she flew in the air, rising higher and higher as she sang the chorus. The pups were freaking out, buzzing over what they were witnessing.
We're rising, we're falling
We'll make it through
We're climbing, we're soaring
A thousand views
As a repeat of the chorus played, Skye used her wings to fly and make a heart, with 'C+S' written inside it with clouds. Chase barked with approval, as his love was dashing at high speeds through the air as she began to finish the song, much to his endless amazement.
Come and fly away
Come, come and fly away
Come and fly away with me
Come and fly away
Come, come and fly away
Come and fly away with me
As a gong from the insrtumental went off, she landed back onto the stage in front of her boyfriend, but she decided to take things to another level. She wrapped her paws around his shoulders and began to sing softly to him, almost in a breathy pitch.
Something's gonna bring a change
Journeys we are meant to take
Something at the edge of space
Calling us to fly away
As the song ended, Skye landed her lips onto his, and he kissed her back. The crowd exploded with fervor as the act ended, and the pups were cheering back-stage for them. The two broke up the kiss and hustled back there.
"Was that a cool act or what?" Zuma asked his friends.
"That C+S thing was so dope. I wish I had the chance to do that...for someone else, though." Marshall softly spoke as Everest ran off to get her costume ready. After a few seconds, Chase pulled Skye off to the side for a little privacy.
"Did you plan to have me out there? Or was it spontaneous? Either way, it was so cool. Like, I loved your act. It's so cool that you did all that." Chase whispered.
Songs used this chapter:
Chase: Watermelon Sugar by Harry Styles (This is definitely a great summer song. I intended for Chase to use this as a loving joke for Skye, as she loves Harry Styles in my imagination. This part was also inspired by my sister. She loves Harry lol. If Chase had a music taste, it would maybe be country. Not crazy, all the way yee-haw stuff. Plus, any combo with hip hop and country, like Kane Brown, is a great example.)
Rubble: Hound Dog by Elvis Presley (This is just a CATCHY song. It's super hard to get out of your head. I thought Rubble would like Elvis a lot, because I'm sure that he wore a Elvis-lookalike costume once. I may be wrong. Anyway, if he had a music taste, it would be oldies like Elvis and a bit of hip-hop and electronica, since he's a DJ.)
Skye: Fly Away by TheFatRat ft. Anjulie (This song just defines Skye's personality. Plain and simple. I saw a YouTube video of kreazea using Skye with the tiltular song. It just made sense to me and the song is actually pretty nice. If Skye had a music taste it would be a blend of pop, alternative and a bit of rap, although not much)
For the record, I don't own these songs. I just own the use of them in my imagination XD -mitch :)