Chapter 23: Skate
It was a rainy summer day outside, but, willing to have a day outside home, the Heeler family decided to go to the mall. Bluey and Bingo walked beside their brother as they walked through the mall, as they had left their parents to have some time for themselves. "I'm bored," Bluey puffed out as she walked. "You won't be bored when we get there," Thomas said with a smile, having had the best idea to pass that rainy day and, at the same time, teach something new to his little sisters. "Why's that?" Bingo asked while holding her brother's hand. "You'll see," Thomas said while walking.
"Is that the reason why you brought your bag?" Bingo asked, noticing her brother's bag. "Maybe…" Thomas replied, mysteriously. "I just hope we get there soon…" Bluey said, while dragging herself behind just a little. They advanced through the mall, going to a special part of it that proved to be their destination… "An ice rink!" Bingo said looking at all the other dogs skating on the ice. "Isn't this neat?" Thomas asked. "I heard the mall was having an ice rink for a few days, so I decided it could be a great place to pass the time", Thomas replied. "Does this means… we's going to skate?" Bluey asked a little concerned. "Yes we are! I'm going to teach you," Thomas said. "Hooray!" Bingo cheered. "Not hooray," Bluey said in a low tone.
"It sure is nice of our son to take the girls while we shop," Chilli said as she and Bandit walked through the mall. "I sure hope Thomas knows what he's doing," Bandit said while looking in a store. "Bandit!" Chilli said, astonished. "I think the girls are a little too young to learn how to skate on ice." Bandit said. "Wasn't Thomas around Bingo's age when he started?" Chilli asked looking at some mugs. "Well.. yeah… but… I don't know," Bandit said worried that his daughters were going up to fast for him. "They'll be fine Bandit, we can check on them later," Chilli said kissing her husband on his muzzle. Bandit blushed a bit and knew his wife was right about his kids.
At the ice rink, Thomas had just rented two pairs of skates, two helmets and two walkers. "Why do we have to ice skate, there's still other things to do at the mall," Bluey complained, while Thomas was putting the helmet to Bingo. "I thought you had said you were bored," Thomas replied, while making sure Bingo's helmet was well secured. "Well… yeah, but…" Bluey said, trying to find a way to justify her unwilling to skate. "Come on, Bluey, it will be fun, I know you guys never had fun with ice sports, like I did, so I thought it would be fun for you to give it a go," Thomas told, while helping Bingo putting her skates. "But… the ices looks… too slippery… and I don't feel comfortable using skates, what if I fall?" Bluey asked, crossing her arms, sad.
Thomas finished putting Bingo's skates and then turned to Bluey. "I know learning to skate can be… a little difficult and scary and I'm not going to lie to you, probably you'll fall a lot, but I'm going to be with you," Thomas said. "You promise?" Bluey asked. "I do, and, as long you practice and don't give up, I bet you and Bingo are going to be skating around the rink like pros in no time," Thomas said. But he could see Bluey was still uncertain. "Come on, Bluey, do this for your big bro," Thomas pleaded. It was then that Bluey made a slight smile. "Okay…" she replied. Thomas returned the smile to her. "Thank you, Bluey, you won't regret it," he replied, proceeding then to put the skates on Bluey, while she put her helmet. After getting his sisters ready, Thomas when to put his own skates, the ones he had received from his parents, with them having been turned into ice skates before they came.
When they were all ready, Thomas and his sisters went to the entrance of the rink. "Thomas, how are we're going to get in the rink without falling?" Bluey asked. "Yeah, I also want to know that," Bingo said. "Well, you could hold yourselves by the wall, but I have a better idea," he replied, showing them the walkers. "What are those for?" Bluey asked, with both her and Bingo confused. "These walkers will allow you to skate without falling, much like training wheels," Thomas replied, while giving his sisters a walker, each. "So, are you ready to skate?" Thomas asked. "Yeah!" Bingo exclaimed. "I guess…" Bluey said. Thomas then entered in the rink and his sisters got amazed how he slid through the ice without even falling once. "Come on, don't be afraid," Thomas motivated. Bingo then took the chance and got in, using the walker. "Look, Bluey, I'm skating!" she said. Seeing how her sister was having fun, Bluey decided to risk and, using her walker, she also got in. She couldn't believe she was actually doing it, skating through the ice while holding the walker.
"Hey this is fun!" Bluey said, while skating with her walker. Bluey then caught up to her sister and brother. "When do we get to the part where we don't need walkers?" Bluey asked as Thomas skated around his sisters. "I think it's a little too early for that, it took me some years of practice, maybe after a few more times we can start without the walker" Thomas standing next to Bluey. "But I want to do it now," Bluey said feeling discouraged. "You'll get it eventually, you just need to be patient" Thomas said skating fast between Bluey and Bingo. "I want to try it now," Bluey said pushing the walker away. "Bluey wait!" Thomas said as Bluey pushed the walker away and tried to skate on her own. Bluey held her balance for a few seconds but then fell. "Yikes," Thomas said as he skates over to her.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked getting down to Bluey's level. Bluey saw some other kids were laughing and even Bingo had a chuckle at her older sister. "No! I want to go home!" Bluey said crossing her arms. "Bluey I told you that you wouldn't get it right away, that's why I wanted you to wait just a little longer," Thomas said handing out his hand to help his little sister up. "No I want Dad," Bluey said pushing her brother's hand away. "Fine, you want to go to dad, then get up and go," Thomas said taking his hand back. "What? You won't help me get out of here?" Bluey asked confused. "You want dad so much, then you can get back on your walker and go get him," Thomas said circling his sister. "But I can't get up," Bluey said with her ears down. "How do you know if you don't try?" Thomas said crossing his arms. "But… I…" Bluey tried to place the words.
"You can either take my help so you can learn to skate properly or you can just get up on your own to go to dad, it's your choice," Thomas said looking down at his sister. "Dad wouldn't…" Bluey spoke up but then was cut off by her brother. "Dad's not always gonna be here to help you, but you do have me," Thomas explained as he handed out his hand again to his sister. Bluey nodded as she took her brothers hand and got up, Bluey was shaky while getting up with her brother. Thomas then grabbed her walker and let her grab it. "Now, do you want to give up on it or do you want to have some fun for a little bit more?" Thomas asked. "I want… to have fun," Bluey told. "Good… so, let's do that then," Thomas said, while playfully gave a little push to both his sisters, causing them to move around faster, while having their brother beside them. Both girls started to laugh out of joy, as they skated with their brother.
Meanwhile, Bandit and Chilli were walking around the mall while holding some bags. "Now, this was a good day of shopping, don't you think, honey?" Chilli asked her husband. "Yeah, sure… can you hurry the pace, I want to get to the ice rink," Bandit told, still worried about the kids. "Come on, Bandit, I bet everything is okay," Chilli said. "I know, but… I'll feel much better once we get there," he replied, as Chilli rolled her eyes with a smile. Getting to the ice rink, Bandit started looking around. "Okay, where are they?" he asked. "Bandit, they're there," Chilli replied, pointing out. Bandit looked there and saw, to his surprise, his three kids skating around, all seeming to be enjoying the moment very much. "Uh, I guess… I was worried for nothing," he said. "See, I told you Thomas would have this under control," Chilli said. Bandit chuckled. "Yeah, you're right… like always," he said.
The three siblings skated around for some time before Bluey turned to her brother. "Thomas, could you please teach us how to stand and walk a little bit?" she asked. "Yeah, Thomas, please," Bingo seconded. He thought for a moment. "I guess… I could teach you that… okay," Thomas replied. "Hurray!" the two girls exclaimed, as their brother stopped them. "Okay, girls, let's give it a go, to stand, you just need to keep your back straight and use your arms and tail to keep balance, you must always keep in mind balance is the key for skating," Thomas said. "Okay, we're ready," Bluey told him. "Okay… drop it," Thomas said. As soon he said that, both Bluey and Bingo released themselves from the walkers and did what their brother told them to do, managing to stand where they were. "Bingo, we're doing it!" Bluey exclaimed. "Yeah, we're standing!" Bingo said.
"Bandit, look, they're standing, how I'm so proud!" Chilli exclaimed. "Yeah, me too…" Bandit said, who, despite also feeling proud, couldn't stop worrying. "Now, to walk, you just need to do one thing, think penguin," Thomas said, while moving the walkers a little from his sisters. "Think penguin?" the two girls asked at the same time. "Yeah, move like penguins, keep your skates apart and pointing forward and, slowly and steady, put your weight on one step at the time," Thomas told. Taking their brother's advice to the heart, Bluey and Bingo started doing it and they seemed to be doing, much to their happiness… that is until both started losing balance until they eventually fell down. "Oh no, they fell, that's it, I'm going to call them out," Bandit said. "Bandit, wait, look," Chilli said. Bandit did so and saw that his daughters were both laughing.
"We fell!" Bingo exclaimed. "I know, and it was not that bad," Bluey replied. "Well, the first fall is always the hardest one, especially when you try to skate when you're not ready," Thomas said. "Hey, what if now I taught you how to get up? Then you can try again," Thomas suggested. "Okay!" his sisters replied. Sitting down on the ice, Thomas proceeded to show Bluey and Bingo how to get up. "Okay, first, you get on your knees, then you lift one foot, push up and bring up the other foot, easy-peasy," Thomas explained, while getting up. "Remember to use your arms and tails for balance," he remembered.
The girls did that and were able to get up. "We did it!" they exclaimed together, happily. "Okay, now go to your walkers," Thomas said. "Remember, think penguin," he added. The two girls advanced and, slow and steady, were able to get to their walkers. "Good job, girls!" Thomas exclaimed, going for a hug to his sisters. "See, Bandit, there was nothing to worry about, the girls are fine," Chilli told Bandit. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he admitted, making a smile and putting an arm around his wife's shoulders.
Now heading back to the car. Bingo and Bluey both were telling their parents about the ice skating rink. "It was so much fun!" Bluey expressed while skipping around her parents. "Good job son, taking care of your sisters" Bandit said putting his arms around his son's shoulders. "You welcome dad," Thomas said as they got to the car. Once they got home Bluey and Bingo went to the backyard to play while Thomas was in the front room. Thomas then heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it!" Thomas said as he went to the door. Thomas opened the door and to his surprise was Prince.
"Uncle Prince?" Thomas
Kodiwolf321 A/N: hey guys! Well here we are with Prince we finally get to meet him! Hope you hate him because next chapter might tear you apart! See you next chapter!