Ryder yawned as he sat up from his bed.
He had always loved mornings in their small town. The Lookout was close enough to nature for him to hear the birds chirping, to hear the waves from the ocean crash against the land. He checked the time on his alarm clock. This was about the time he would hear Chase waking up his teammates for the day.
He wondered how he was doing, out there on that Mission PAW. Ryder sincerely hoped that he hadn't just sent his two first pups to their dooms out in Barkingburg. Giving it a moment of thought, Ryder quickly realized that there wasn't really much for them to be put in danger. The two were probably under the watchful eye of the Princess as they continued their investigation.
Meanwhile, back in Adventure Bay, the team was working through the absence of three of their own. Whenever they required one of Chase, Marshall's, or Skye's skills, they would often use whatever pup they didn't require for that mission to fill that spot.
It was sort of like the reverse of how the PAW Patrol started. Chase and Marshall started out by doing each and every job belonging to the PAW Patrol, with Chase handling policing, and eco duties. Marshall was in charge of firefighting and construction.
While there were only four jobs at the time, it sure wore them out.
The young genius stretched his arms. Maybe he should start getting around to waking the pups up—
"Rise and shine, pups!"
What...?
Two groans followed soon afterwards.
Was somebody else doing Chase's daily duty in his absence? But who? And why?
"If we get up quickly, we can catch a pre-breakfast breakfast!"
Rubble!?
The door to his room swung open, making Ryder jump a bit.
"Construction pup Rubble, reporting for duty Ryder!" Rubble saluted, "...Sir...?"
Ryder gave the Bulldog a heartfelt smile. He was able to tell that Rubble was trying his best to pick up the slack that had been left when Chase and Marshall left for Skye. Rubble was always the one turned to whenever he regarded inexperienced and naivety. He was well aware that the construction pup did his best each and every day to live up to the name of an official PAW Patrol pup.
Even though it had been years since Rubble initially joined, even Ryder himself couldn't help but to underestimate him from time to time.
Time really has flown from Rubble's first few days.
"Hmm..."
"Taking rubble is no trouble?"
"Nah..."
"Rubble is... ready for trouble?"
"Maybe not, I'll think about that one..."
"Bark and Bulldoze?"
"Decent... But it doesn't feel right..."
"Ugh..." Rubble let out a groan, putting his head down on his pillow, "They make it look so easy..."
It had been three days since Rubble was recruited to the PAW Patrol. He was still getting used to seeing the same people and pups every day, as back when he was a stray he was constantly on the move and seeing new faces each day. He had just gotten to learn everybody's names, memorizing them the best he could.
Ryder, Chase, Marshall, Skye, Zuma, and... Rocky, was it?
He hadn't really interacted with Rocky as much as the other pups yet. He learned the ropes of the daily PAW Patrol lifestyle from Chase and Marshall, had a bit of an older sister relationship with Skye, learned the best pup treat flavors from Zuma, but he never really talked with Rocky about anything. He seemed a lot more wrapped up in his inventions and improving them.
Rubble soon noticed that each of the members had their own memorable catch phrases, sometimes using them more than once on missions. He liked the ones that rhymed the most. 'Chase is on the case!' and 'Don't lose it, reuse it!' being two of his favorites.
All he had to do was find something that rhymed, had something to do with himself or his construction duty, and wasn't too long. It couldn't be that hard, could it?
Turns out, finding a signature catchphrase that would be used whenever he would be dispatched is way harder than it looks.
He needed some catchphrase advice.
Going to the second in command, Chase, he asked about a personal phrase for himself. The Shepherd proceeded to ramble off a speech about how it wasn't the phrase that was important, but the pup themselves. He explained that a phrase was never really needed, it was just something that happened with time.
This clearly wasn't the answer Rubble wanted.
Meanwhile, Marshall and Rocky were playing with a frisbee just outside of the lookout.
"Think you can catch this one?" The mixed breed asked, his voice muffled a bit since he was holding the frisbee in his mouth.
"I'm fired up!" Marshall barked cheerfully, "Go for it!"
Rocky threw the frisbee as Marshall chased after it. The Dally chased the frisbee into the Lookout through the sliding doors, as well as straight into the television room where they would usually watch Apollo.
This is exactly where Rubble and Chase had been talking for the past few minutes.
Marshall hadn't noticed that he was running right toward the two pups. Chase, being the oftentimes alert pup that he was, noticed a frisbee fly over their heads. Not a moment later, he heard a familiar voice.
"Look out!"
Chase and Rubble were sent flying into a wall by Marshall.
The Dally dizzily stood up, wobbling as he put a paw on his forehead, "Sorry Chase and Rubble...You okay?"
"We're fine, but are you okay?" Rubble looked a bit worried.
Marshall turned to the construction pup, tilting his head in confusion as there seemed to be two Bulldogs standing there instead of the expected one, "Since when did your twin get here?"
"I don't have a twin..." The Bulldog was confused.
Chase sighed, "Okay, time to lie down." He grabbed his best friend's wrist, beginning to drag him back outside and to his pup house.
"Talk about double Rubbles..." Marshall spoke dizzily as he was taken out of the room.
"Double... Rubble?" The Bulldog began to think, "I'm double... Rubble is double?"
"No..."
"Rubble's on the double!"
The Bulldog was blown away. That sounded cool, almost as cool as Chase's! Why didn't he think of that before? It seemed so simple, so right. He finally found his catchphrase!
Marshall didn't know why he had a few extra pup treats later that day.
Rubble, as usual, mowed down his breakfast and asked for seconds. Just like any other day, he was refused for the reason of not getting cramps if there was a sudden mission right after breakfast. The Bulldog tried to whine and beg, but Ryder only put the dog food back away.
With a chuckle, Ryder walked back into his room to get ready for the day.
He changed into his usual outfit that somehow never got faded or shrunk no matter how many times he washed it after getting it dirty on missions. He walked over to his pup pad and picked it up, slipping it into his pocket.
His pad soon rang, making him sigh. Was there an emergency so early in the morning?
"Hello, Ryder here."
"Ryder!" He heard the familiar voice of Jake come through his pad.
Ryder had never questioned why Jake had a surfer-dude tone of speech. He had always assumed that Jake grew up in a completely different place and climate than where he was born.
"Hey Jake." The boy greeted, "What's up? Is there an emergency?"
"Nah, man, it's the opposite!" Jake replied, seemingly ecstatic, "Get the pups, Everest's awake!"
The boy grinned. He had never forgotten about the injured Husky despite having to make so many decisions ever since Chase and Marshall discovered Skye's pup tag. But he had no time to mull over that, he had a friend to visit!
"PAW Patrol, to the lookout!"
Everest lightly pawed at the bandaging around her head. She could hardly remember how she got such an injury. The last thing she remembered was falling into Marshall's arms, and everything going black afterwards.
She also remembered the last thing she had said. Something about Skye, she believed...
That's right! Skye was missing!
But how and why...?
She knew that Skye was missing. But she was a bit fuzzy on the finer details. Heck, she couldn't even remember how she got her head injury. It was a bit scary, she realized that she couldn't remember things that happened to her yesterday.
She DID get her injury yesterday, right...?
Before she could question herself further, the door to the cabin burst open.
"Evvvvveeeerrreeeesssstttt!"
Huh?
She turned around to see three fur covered missiles bounding straight at her. Rubble, Rocky, and Zuma. But where were Chase and Marshall?
She was tackled by the three pups into a tight hug, nuzzles and grateful giggles spreading around.
Ryder decided to go to another room with Jake to give the pups a moment.
Everest was caught off guard. She knew that she was a loved and respected member of the PAW Patrol, but she didn't know that they loved her enough to be this grateful. Sure it was irrational of her to think this, but all of the time spent at Jake's cabin made her feel more and more isolated from the pups.
She then felt something wet on her fur.
Her eyes drifted down to Zuma, whose face was stuffed in her fur. The Lab was shaking softly as he let a few hitched breaths become louder as time went on. Everest's heart instantly swelled for her friend. He was crying.
"Zuma..." The Husky patted his head, "I'm okay, everything's okay..."
"B-But they'we not!" Zuma snapped, ugly crying his heart out. He was in such an emotional state that his speech impediment was beginning to rear its head, "Skye is gone, Chase and Mawshall awe who knows whewe, I've been having nightmawes, and I don't know what to do anymowe!"
Rubble and Rocky were a bit surprised by this emotional outburst. Rubble, who was barely holding himself together through the notion of trying to fill the void Chase had left in the team when he and Marshall went out to find Skye, couldn't help himself as he began to choke up.
I-I'll be right back..." The Bulldog spoke with a noticeable shake in his voice before leaving the cabin.
Rubble ran back to his vehicle and jumped in, instantly screaming into the cushion of the driver's seat. Sure it reeked of dog butt, but he couldn't care less. Was this how it felt to be Chase? Having to put up a strong front for the rest of the team? How much was he really hurting inside?
The Bulldog sobbed into his seat, trying to remain as quiet as possible.
He missed Chase, he missed Marshall, he missed Skye. How would he keep going on if his big brothers and big sister were in danger far from Adventure Bay? Rubble kept crying as his seat began to be covered in tears and snot.
He wasn't ready. He wasn't ready to be without them. Especially not Chase. Even though he only began wanting to fill his spot that morning, he knew that he wasn't cut out to be a leader. Not yet at least. He still had a long way to go until he was like him.
Back inside the cabin, things with Zuma weren't getting any better. Rocky and Everest, the remaining two pups who hadn't become a mess of tears yet, exchanged a worried look. Everest was more confused than ever, though.
"What's going on?" The Husky asked as she pet Zuma's head in an attempt to calm him down.
"I'll explain..." Rocky looked at her, "Skye was taken by Sweetie, as you know."
Everest interjected, "I don't remember much..."
Rocky paused for a moment, "Skye was taken by Sweetie, as you know now. While you were out, Chase and Marshall came back to the Lookout and we discovered what had happened. Ryder called us to the Air Patroller, and we went over what we knew. We were all about to go and find Skye, but an emergency nearby made us realize that we still had a town to look after, lost pup or not. That's why..."
"Why what?"
"That's why Chase was assigned the Mission PAW."
"By himself!?"
"Marshall volunteered to join him to help and make sure some pup had his back while out there."
"So Ryder just sent them out there!?" Everest asked loudly, "I'm worried for Skye too, but what if they get hurt! I couldn't bear to see that happen..."
Rocky sighed, "I'm sure Ryder knew there was no other choice. I sure did."
"We all could've went togethew!" Zuma cried, glaring at Rocky.
The eco pup knew good and well that the way this conversation was going was nowhere near desirable, but what else could Rocky do but to just tell him the facts?
"Had we waited, who knows what could've happened to Skye in that window..." Rocky looked back at him with a resolute expression, "For all we know, she could already be... Well..."
Zuma was shaken by his statement. There was no reason for Rocky to say something so careless in his eyes. He was already fearing her being injured, but her being not with them anymore was a thought he refused to bear. He let go of Everest, turned to Rocky, and...
Shoved him.
Fights in the PAW Patrol were rare. They all usually got along well, their conflict resolution skills more advanced than the average pup since they would constantly have problems they would need to solve. But Zuma, the second youngest pup on the team, was by no means a fighter. He had never been included in any of the fights that had happened, same for Rubble. But when it came to physical fights, there was only one occurrence of the sort.
But Zuma looked ready to become the catalyst of the second.
The Chocolate Lab could barely see through the rivers of tears he was crying, but he was easily able to see the shocked and betrayed expression of Rocky.
"Zuma!" Everest shouted at the Lab, "You didn't have to do—"
"No, I get it..." Rocky stood up, stumbling a bit in pain. He whimpered as he could feel a few bruises begin to take an effect on his body.
Rocky had always been the most logical of the pups, maybe even more so than Chase. But through all of that, he was still just a pup. He had his fears, weaknesses, and innocence about the world. And, being just a pup, his pain tolerance was very low.
Rocky landed on his side, tears falling from his eyes.
With that, Zuma instantly was hit with a sense of guilt. He had just shoved his best friend, over what? A statement that wasn't even charged with any negative emotion?
"I-I'm... I'm..."
"What are you pups doing!?"
The three turned their heads to see a very shocked Ryder, who had supposedly just walked onto the scene.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
Rocky and Zuma sat in a small room, their backs facing the other. After Ryder discovered what had happened from Everest, he forced the two pups into one of the rooms in Jake's cabin until they made up.
Zuma felt as though he couldn't talk to Rocky. For the first time ever, he had pushed someone with malice, and it just so happened to be his best friend taking it.
Rocky, on the other paw, wasn't about to apologize until Zuma did. He might have said something pretty bad while Zuma was in a vulnerable state, but he still had no reason to resort to violence.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
"...How's your shoulder?"
Rocky's ears perked. It had been Zuma to speak first.
"...Sore."
"I know..." The Chocolate Lab went silent.
"Why'd you have to shove me?" Rocky questioned, his eyes glued to the floor.
Zuma looked to the ceiling, "I-I don't know what came over me... You said that thing about Skye, and I missed her so much, dude, and..."
The aquatic rescue pup trailed off, ashamed of what he had done.
"Why didn't you ever tell me about your nightmare?"
"I was scared that you'd not help."
"Of course I'd help!" Rocky retorted, "You're my best friend, Zuma! At least... I thought you were..."
"You are my best friend!" Zuma turned to look at Rocky for the first time since they had been pushed into the room.
He could see that Rocky had shed a few tears since their conversation's beginning.
The Lab wasn't sure what to do. He's seen Rocky cry before, but had never been the cause of it himself. He looked around for a moment before suddenly wrapping his arms around the mixed breed.
"I'm sorry, Rocky!" He shouted, "I'm scared to lose all of the PAW Patrol, but I could never lose you! I don't know what I'd do without you! Please don't hate me! Please!"
Rocky was surprised by this before returning the hug with a greater force than Zuma had hugged him with.
"Zuma... We're gonna find them. We're going to go back to the way things were..."
"Pwomise, Wocky...?"
"I pup promise, Zuma."
