Previously, on Pups and a Perilous Plot... (What is this, some kind of anime show?!)
HI! How's it going everyone? I'm doing good, in case you're wondering. Two days ago, things got shaken up a little, literally! A small four point something earthquake happened, startling me briefly. Those ones aren't bad, they could be fun or annoying depending upon my mood, yet the uptick of small earthquakes up here recently is the cause of thought. Just a week or more ago was a five point something or another.
Sorry this chapter took longer to release; I got a small writers block I had to batter and smash my way through, plus I have a ridiculous amount of schoolwork to do. Ugh! Crucial to the process of ideas was Foxfire69, so epic thanks to that dude!
Quick random fact: I started this off of a short comic strip I was drawing up during the summer. I started story boarding and then... BOOM! Awesomeness happened. I like to draw, and I just got a DeviantArt account to put my new digital artwork (I'm still figuring out the application I use, so I have a little beginner's sloppiness). If you're interested in seeing what I come up with, or the memes I find/make, my profile is TheW0lfMast3r.
The World Cup is underway! Already had some exciting matches, along with some slight disappointments. I was cheering happily when England beat Iran 6-2, impressed at KSA's 2 goals against Argentina (my Spanish teacher was probably not a happy woman that day!), and I got sad when Australia got beat by France. Just watched Germany vs. Japan yesterday at 4AM, and though I'm a huge fan of the Deutsch Fußballnationalmannschaft, Japan played epically to beat them, and it was a generally fun match.
I have lots of anticipation for USA vs. England tomorrow, a difficult match for me because I love the Three Lions, but I have high (sometimes unrealistically so) hopes for the USMNT this time around. Will a better US Side show up than the one that drew with the Welsh? Or are the likes of Kane, Maguire, Grealish, Rashford, and Pickford gonna be too much for the Stars and Stripes?
Primary Disclaimer: I don't own Paw Patrol. I pray I will someday, or at least be able to brag that I work on it.
Secondary Disclaimer: I don't own the character, Cinder. She is the sole property of Foxfire69, so thank him for this brilliant pup.
Tertiary Disclaimer: I don't own the Dark Orca, nor any of the associated persons and entities. Some people might be instantly aware what I'm talking about.
Happy Thanksgiving!
4:14 PM, Lake Gatun, Panama
"Look at that!" Marshall called excitedly, like a little kid on a field trip, leaning over the ship's railing and pointing at whatever caught his interest. Rocky could understand his enthusiasm, seeing as they were going through the famous Panama Canal. The pups and their pirate friends had arrived at the Central American country five hours ago, and as promised, they were crossing by midday. Rocky, though having travelled to Mexico and Panama to visit Carlos and Tracker in the past, was still entranced by the scenery and the canal. Especially the canal.
When they had first arrived, they had passed beneath the Bridge of the Americas, a massive, expansive steel length that spanned between both sides of the waterway like it was holding both Panama City and the Continent itself together. Impressive steel crosses in an arching fashion supported it. Past the bridge was the huge Balboa Port. Rocky and his friends had ogled the massive piers and cranes, watching large containers constantly being loaded on and off their respective freighters, which Rocky was particularly amazed at the sheer spatial magnitude of the behemoth ships. The city itself was awesome to behold, large buildings, highways, neighborhoods and everything else sprawled around, interspersed with large swaths of tropical trees. Then they reached the start of the canal.
Docking briefly, they were given a little trouble at first when officials had requested in lightly accented English for reservations, paperwork, and a toll, none of which Sid had or was willing to give. Chase was beginning to fret that they would be arrested or something when Sid had quietly walked inside the building with them for about ten minutes before returning with a satisfied smile. The Sleight of Hand was then allowed to begin the transit. When questioned as to what happened, Sid simply said, "The maties down here owe me a couple o' favors," before guiding the boat upriver. Rocky almost did a happy dance when they reached the first of the two sets of Miraflores Locks, watching the massive gates in action. It took a while for the Lock to fill with water, but the mongrel didn't mind. It gave him the chance of a lifetime to examine the workings of the canal. After the Miraflores were the Pedro Miguel Locks, all together taking a good while to make their way through. Now, they floated freely on Lake Gatun, most of the pups dashing from side to side, trying to take in everything and anything at once. They all were panting slightly in the heat as the sun beat down upon their fur coated backs, and the humidity was bothersome, but no one cared much.
"How awesome is this?!" Tanya asked elatedly, grinning at the large expanse of crystal blue water around them and the vibrant green palms which covered the hills and mountains that surrounded both sides of the lake. She propped herself up beside the Dalmatian on the Starboard railing. Rocky smiled at her enthusiasm. The Husky had never left North America before, making this a first for her.
"I know, right?" Marshall's tail was wagging enough to create a light breeze, for which Tomissen, sitting behind him and lapping up water from a bowl, looked grateful for. "The water gate things were pretty rad."
"It's amazing that the canal has been in operation since 1914," Rocky said with a grin, coming up on the opposite side of the Husky from Marshall. "Fifty miles of canal, built in ten years and for over three-hundred million dollars, plus an annual payment of two-hundred fifty thousand makes this one of the world's greatest engineering feats. Did you know the French started constructing it much before the United States but were defeated by everyone's greatest enemy?"
"Mayor Humdinger? Or Luke Stars?" Captain offered from across the deck. Rocky chuckled.
"Nope. Mosquitoes. They carried Yellow Fever, which killed many of their workers so eventually they gave up. US scientists figured out how to clear the buggers and we were able to commence construction after Panama won its independence from Colombia in 1903. That's when the US government instantly recognized them as a nation so they could make the canal treaty, which lasted until December 31, 1999, when our government relinquished control to the Panamanians."
"You're full of fun facts," Tanya said, eyes on a freighter that was passing rather close, flying the flag of South Korea. It was near enough for Rocky to make out three Asian men on the deck, one of which wore no shirt, as if to emphasize his huge muscles. The men were leaning on the guardrails talking back and forth when the Shirtless Wonder glanced down and exclaimed something in surprise. His comrades moved their gaze and seemed bewildered at the sight before them: a semi-old fashioned pirate ship with one young adult in a full buccaneer getup at the helm and seven dogs peering up at them excitedly.
"Annyeong-haseyo!" One of them called with a laugh. "Nice day to take your pets on cruise, yes?" This earned a chuckle from his friends.
"Gooday!" Captain hollered. "You're right, mate. It is a crackin' good day to be out on the Gatun!" The sailors' laughter abruptly stopped as they all stared down at them in shocked wonderment. They all began conversing in excited Korean, gesturing down at the pups. Shirtless dude waved over his shoulder, and soon ten more men, mostly Asians, crowded the rails.
"Hi!" Tanya waved, eliciting gasps and excited chatter. Two men pulled out cameras, and one his phone.
"Yeah, get my good side!" Marshall began posing, and soon most of the other pups followed suit, giggling as the humans clapped and shouted in pleasure at them. Chase, always the stick in the mud, silently remained sitting on deck, watching the display.
"Ta-da!" Rocky called, wobbling on his hind two legs as he stood upright. 'Zuma makes this look a lot easier than it really is,' the mixed breed thought, a pang of sadness at his best friend's capture striking him in the gut, as he stumbled a little, but ultimately found his balance. "Impressed?" He held out his arms in an accomplished pose.
The space between the boats widened as the ships sailed away from each other. The freighter let out a loud, blasting horn call in parting, making the pups tremble from the vibrations. Rocky nearly tumbled over but saved himself from going splat with his front paws.
"Bye!" Tomissen called from atop a barrel, waving his bicorne hat in the air before losing his footing. He fell to the deck with a single "Oof!" The pups began laughing until they heard a slightly higher pitch:
"Oof!"
To all of their surprise, they found a parrot perched on the rails, cocking its head and looking at them curiously. Its feathers were mostly green with some tufts of yellow on the top of its head. It was speckled with blue along both sides, and its tail feathers contained a single, long streak of blue. It shifted on its claws as it returned their curious stares.
"Oh. My. Dog!" Tanya squealed in girlish enthusiasm, rushing up to the bird. "She's so beautiful!"
"I'm so beautiful," the parrot parroted, making Tanya giggle.
"Oh, yes you are! I've never seen such a pretty bird before." She extended a paw, and, to her increasing delight, the parrot fluttered down and alighted on her arm. "You are just so adorable, I'm gonna name you Heidi!"
"Heidi?" Chase asked, coming closer to look at the parrot.
"Heidi!" it repeated, sounding somewhat pleased.
"She needs a last name," Tomissen mused, ambling over. "How about Heidi McKillerBeak?"
"Heidi McKillerBeak?"
"What is wrong with you?!" Tanya glared at the beagle before returning a soft gaze to her new pet. "No, no. Just Heidi. Say Heidi," she coaxed gently.
"Heidi McKillerBeak!"
Everyone laughed except for the Husky, who was furious with Tomissen. "I want you to stay away from my bird. Got it, Chump?" Tanya said with a jab to the beagle, both vocal and physical.
"Whatever," he swatted her paw away before moving off. Tanya sat down and began gently stroking the bird, much to its delight.
"How come you named her Heidi?" Marshall asked, sitting beside her and taking a turn petting the parrot.
She shrugged. "I dunno, I just like the name Heidi."
Chase smiled. "It's like Marshall naming a turtle Joey."
"He seemed like a Joey kind of turtle," Marshall defended with a laugh. "Yeah, I just like the name Joey."
"You think Everest likes that name?" Chase asked teasingly, voice implying a certain thing. Rocky sniggered as the Dalmatian smirked and waved him off.
"I wouldn't know. I haven't talked to her about it, much like you and a certain cockapoo I could name, though I'm sure you've thought about that subject and everything accompanying many, many times." Chase colored slightly, and Tanya whistled.
"For a firefighter, you know how to leave a burn," she said appraisingly, stroking the bird that now sat on the ground.
"¡Ooh! Él está enamorado de ella," Heidi commented, flapping her wings a little.
Tanya smiled and cooed down to the parrot. "Who's the good girl who knows Spanish? You are, yes you are."
Heidi then made a cute whining sound, almost like a baby: "Mamá." Tanya hugged the bird, giggling at its vocalizations. Then Rocky voiced a thought that struck him randomly.
"Isn't it kinda odd that a dog would have a pet? Traditionally speaking, of course."
The red Husky gave him a look. "Who cares about tradition? I love this little sweetie, so she's mine. If you've got a problem with that, you can join that beagle in the Not-Allowed-Near-My-Bird Club."
Rocky chuckled, raising his paws in surrender. "No problems, I'm not looking for trouble."
Arrby joined in the conversation for the first time. "Now you're a real Pirate-Husky, Miss Tanya Ma'am. You've got the parrot and everything!"
Said parrot regarded the Dachshund with a casual stare and calmly stated, "Heidi McKillerBeak." Tanya sighed and covered her face with a paw, while the others resumed sightseeing with more laughter.
1:21 PM, Adventure Bay
Jacob Stevenson, frequently addressed as Jake, sat in a squat, plate in his left hand as he shovelled rice and lentils into his mouth. Nearby, four pups ate at varying paces from dog bowls. Luka the Labrador ate his at a moderate rate of bites per second (BPS). Meanwhile, Tundra the Husky attacked hers mercilessly, savaging the contents and reminding Jake much of Everest. Ella and Tuck, twin Golden Retrievers, were eating at a more measured speed, savoring every bite. The young adult and the pups were inside the living room of the Lookout. After an uneventful second morning of being in charge of the Auxiliary Paw Patrol squad, Jake decided to make one of his favorite meals for lunch, treating his friends to his quality good cooking.
Everyone ate in silence, all in anticipation of the arrival of Marshall's twin sister, Cinder. She would be there any minute, and for some reason there was a lot of excitement surrounding her coming. Jake had even made extra food in case she was hungry. When they heard the sound of a car pulling up outside and a door slam, the pups all quickly found their paws, leaving their food where it was. Jake set his plate and spoon on a table and got up. Moving together, they all walked to the door, Jake at the head of the group. When the door swished open, they heard a soft female voice say: "Thanks again, Dan!" A truck honked once and pulled out of the driveway, leaving a Dalmatian and her single red suitcase. She turned and faced Jake and his posse.
The man's eyes widened. Marshall wasn't kidding about how she looked like him. If he didn't know any better, he would think their firepup had come home early. She had a matching spot pattern and a similar physique, though being a girl, she was ever so slightly more curved. She also might've been a little shorter, but he'd need the two Dalmatians side by side to make that comparison. She had the same cheery, slightly goofy smile and those kind, gentle blue eyes.
"Hello everyone!" She greeted them softly, tail wagging excitedly. "I'm Cinder!"
"Hey Cinder! I'm Jake." He knelt and extended a hand, which she energetically shook with two paws. "Come on guys, introduce yourselves to the lovely lady."
"Hello!" The Golden Retrievers said in unison, springing forward. "We're Ella and Tuck! We're twins."
Cinder laughed softly. "Nice to meet a pair of fellow twins! I have questions for you two later."
"Yo, I'm Luka," The Lab stepped forward
"That's a cool name, for a cool dude it seems," she softly quipped with a wink. He colored slightly and continued grinning as Tundra shyly approached Marshall's doppelgänger.
"Hi Cinder, I'm Tundra."
"Hi Tundra! It's wonderful to meet you!" Cinder addressed them all. "It's wonderful to meet all of you."
Jake smiled and stood. "Well Cinder, you know why Marshall asked you to chill here for a while?"
She nodded. "Harold Humdinger captured some of our friends, so he and the others left to rescue them. In the meantime, we are holding down the fort?"
"Correct-a-mundo. We're the stand-in rescue team. Marshall told me that you're a firefighter."
"Yep," she affirmed softly. "I'm a fire captain for the Heartland Fire and Rescue."
"Heartland? That's a big place, dudette," Jake raised an eyebrow. "Busy much?"
"Very, but not so much that I can't help my dearest brother," she smiled. She sniffed the air. "What's that amazing smell?"
Luka licked his lips. "It's a little taste of heaven with a side of perfection." The other pups nodded in accord.
Jake grinned proudly. "Rice and lentils. You interested?"
Cinder chuckled softly. "I haven't eaten a proper lunch today. Plus, I'm pretty sure my tummy will mutiny if I don't feed it, so yes please!"
Everyone laughed. "Well, come on!" the mountaineer beckoned. "After we get you fed, Marshall said you could get set up in his pup house if you want."
"You say that like he had a choice," Cinder softly snickered. "Let's go; my stomach feels like it's trying to digest itself!"
1:13 AM, Atlantic Ocean
Bang!
Chase jerked awake, groggy but instantly on alert. Swinging slightly on his hammock, he examined the dark room, eyes unadjusted. What was that noise? It sounded like a heavy object being knocked over. Cocking his ears, the German Shepard detected no further sounds, aside from the creaking of the ship as it rocked on the water. The quiet stayed uninterrupted for long enough that Chase began to get an eerie feeling. In the nearly pitch-black cabin, the policepup felt like an assailant could make quick work of the sleeping pups and no one would know what hit them.
Imagine how he jumped in alarm when he noticed the shape poking down suddenly from the hammock above him.
"Rocky! You scared me half to death!" he hissed at the mixed breed, who swung down to the floor with surprising grace and stealth. Starting to see better, Chase noticed the smirk on his brother's face.
"Only half?" He chuckled softly. "Well, you may yet go the rest of the way. Did you hear that crash?"
"Yeah, any idea what it was?"
Rocky shook his head. "Nope, but like the foolish characters in any good horror movie, we're gonna go wandering through the dark until we find out, one way or another."
"Goodie," Chase whispered sarcastically, dismounting his hammock. He crossed the aisle to Tomissen and Tanya's bunk. Somehow, the beagle was still asleep, cradling his 'warhammer' like a doll, mumbling, whining, and occasionally licking the head. Tanya was quietly getting down, Heidi the parrot sitting on her head, looking around curiously.
"Psst! Sleepy head!" Tanya shook Tomissen, who slowly sat up and stared blankly at them, holding his hammer up in a lazy defensive position.
"Wha es appening?" he mumbled, stifling a yawn. "Do ya know wha time it es?"
"Get up," Chase ordered. "Something's wrong. We heard a loud noise, and-" He was interrupted by the sound of footfalls in the hallway. All of the dogs turned to see a shape pass by the open doorway and through the shadows, tall, featureless, and pale. It made a sighing sound as it glided by, like the final breath of someone passing away. It disappeared down the hall.
"Come on, after it!" Chase whispered as he dashed to the door, Rocky on his heels and the others reluctantly following. He peered outside, looking in the direction it went in time to see the mystery thing enter another room. "It went in there."
"Wait, you want to follow the creepy thing, in the dark, to its lair?" Tanya asked, sounding like she was trying to keep her fear in check.
"If it tries anything, I'll paste it," Tomissen assured her, hefting his hammer awkwardly in his paw.
"Great, I feel so safe," she whispered sarcastically, parrot on her head shifting a little.
Chase moved out into the hall and along the near wall, going as quietly as he could. Rocky mimicked his movement on the far side, while the other two silently followed Chase. He came up to the door and peeked around the corner. Someone had left a lamp on, sitting atop a table and its light revealing the room to be filled with shelves and barrels. He entered cautiously, looking around for the mystery creature but seeing nothing. Rocky came up beside him.
"Okay," The mixed breed said. "I'll go around the right side with Tomissen, Tanya and Chase take the left."
"Splitting up? Really?" Tanya asked, examining the room. "That's the best you can come up with?"
He shrugged. "Hey, it's the thing to do in these situations. Anyway, don't hesitate to scream for help if something nabs you."
"Like that helps," she muttered before following Chase around the shelves. Silently, they both activated their pup tag lights, allowing them visibility directly in front. The German Shepard was stalking forward, nose on the ground as he sniffed around. If the mystery thing had come this way, he'd catch a whiff of it. 'What could it be?' Chase thought, keeping his eyes up as he moved. 'Could Sid have something else on board? We're sailing in boat mode, perhaps something came aboard without him noticing... or maybe he let it on.' He still hadn't gained full confidence in their hired pirate. Moving as silently as possible, Chase occasioned a glance back at Tanya, who stayed very close to him and kept her eyes roaming around on extreme alert mode, almost fear.
A sound to their right made them both freeze in place. Chase could see a shape coming towards them in the shadows and judging by the Husky's gasp, she could too. Making ready to pounce and fight, he cast his light upon the figure.
"Hey," Captain complained, shielding his eyes from the beam. "Shining that bloody beam in somepup's face ain't very polite." Chase smirked, pointing it away from the Border Collie.
"Captain!" Tanya hissed, looking and sounding simultaneously relieved and upset. "What the heck are you doing sneaking around in the dark?"
"In the dark," Heidi emphasized from atop the Husky's head.
"I'm hunting the creepy critter, just like you," he explained. "Anyways, nice of you to leave a squaddie behind without backup."
"Say's you? Where's Marshall, huh?"
Captain appeared confused. "He's not with you guys?"
Chase shook his head. "Nope, it's just Rocky, Tomissen, Tanya, and I."
"Heidi McKillerBeak," the parrot reminded him of her presence. Captain narrowed his eyes.
"When I got up after you, his hammock was unoccupied. I assumed he left with the rest of you."
"D-did the Thing get him?" Tanya gulped, eyes darting around the dark room. Chase opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by a crash-boom-bang from across the room.
"Tango located! Move in, move in!" Captain whispered hurriedly, dashing towards the source of the ruckus. Chase tailed the Collie, hearing Tanya right at his heels, going down an aisle and coming out into the cleared back of the room. All three pups came to an abrupt stop when their lights found the 'Thing.'
The ghostly pale, slightly glowing, featureless figure of a pup slowly traversed the floor, making a bone-chilling sighing sound. Chase spotted Tomissen and Rocky standing on the opposite side of the creature, the recycling pup's light trained on the being. The apparition was roughly the size of Chase, though it appeared just a bit lankier. White material dragged behind it on the ship's boards, and the policepup smirked. By the look of amusement on Rocky's and Captain's faces and the relief on Tanya's, he guessed they had reached the same conclusion as him.
"Guys, it's just-"
"Ghost!" Tomissen bellowed while charging forth, hammer held high. "Suck Sledgehammer Slimy Spectral Spook!" It took the split-second reactions of Chase, Rocky, and Captain to restrain the beagle and prevent him from smashing the 'Ghost.'
"Stop!" Captain huffed, gripping the hammer and restricting it from thwacking the head just inches away. Chase pulled with all his might against Tomissen's waist, while Rocky wrapped himself around his back legs.
"What are you doing?! I'm trying to take down... the... ghost?" He blushed as Tanya whipped the blanket away, revealing a certain firefighting Dalmatian. They all slowly let him go as he stopped struggling. "Marshall? What...?"
"He sleepwalks," Chase explained, grinning at his brother who kept trying to stumble forward, prevented by the Husky who held out a bracing paw. "He must've gotten tangled up in a blanket... again."
"But... what about the glow?" Tomissen asked, eyeing the bedsheet suspiciously.
"It was an illusion of the light on the white cloth," Rocky divulged, getting up from the ground. "You know, maybe giving you that hammer wasn't such a bright idea." All of the pups gave the beagle looks of annoyance to varying degrees and he shrunk back, chuckling and hiding the hammer behind his back.
"Hehe, um, I'll just be, uh, going back to bed now." He turned and fled the room, leaving the others chuckling.
"That's sounds like a wonderful idea," Tanya said, beginning to guide Marshall towards the door.
Chase laughed. "Yeah, I have some Z's I need, need, need to catch up on." Everyone chuckled once more tiredly before heading back to bed.
8:59 AM, Barkingburg
Harold Humdinger stood; arms held behind his back, he stared at the large cylindrical container, liquid contents casting a dramatic green hued glow on the boy. He didn't turn when one of his goons, a man in the uniform of the Royal Guard of Barkingburg, entered the room and stood at attention behind him.
"Yes?" Harold asked imperatively.
"Sir," the man started in a deep, British voice. "There was an incident with the prisoners. When my men went to retrieve the next canine, they fought back. Taken by surprise, my men were overpowered. They tried to free the human captives, but Gordon nabbed the Terrier and made a life threat, ready to break her neck. The others surrendered and were re-detained in separate accommodations. All is under control once more."
"No casualties among our men?"
"No sir," the man reported.
"Excellent. Commander, take them all and put them in testing chambers; I feel the need to accelerate my plans."
"Yes sir." He turned to leave, but Harold cleared his throat to indicate that he wasn't done giving orders.
"Commander, prepare the device to be moved. When I'm done with those miserable mutts, I wish to be able to immediately execute the next phase. And have the men make ready for departure."
"Sir, yes sir."
"You are dismissed," Harold said with a wave, and the man marched out. After a moment, an evil grin spread across the boy's face. He reached out and touched the glass of the pod. "Soon enough," he whispered. "I will do it, soon enough." His malicious grin widened when the thing suspended inside twitched.
5:24 AM, Atlantic Ocean
Bang!
Rocky groaned and rubbed his eyes with a paw. 'What's happening this time? If it's Marshall again, I might let Tomissen give him a tiny little knock upside the head,' he thought, disgruntle, before being rocked about on his hammock by a great, thunderous, BOOM! Dust rained from the ceiling onto his face as he sat up in alarm, holding onto the edges of his bedding in a desperate attempt not to go tumbling downwards. The lights were on, and Rocky could see Chase and Captain already on the floor. Tanya was trying to get down without stepping on the beagle which lay sprawled on the deck, and her parrot was flapping about giving occasional squawks. Marshall leapt from his hammock to the ground, taking a tumble when another jolting blast sounded, shaking everything. Sid's voice came over the intercoms:
"All paws on deck! This is no drill; we be under attack! Arrby, assemble the seadogs on deck an' put together fireteams!"
"Aye-aye, Cap'n Boss Mr. Sid, Sir!" the Dachshund responded over the system. "You heard the captain; on deck all of you, please and thank you kindly!" Rocky hastily got to the floor and followed the others into the halls. As they ran, Rocky noticed Chase had his pup pack and vest on along with Marshall and Captain. Doubling back, he reentered the cabin and dashed for his green pack, atop his wooden chest where he stored his personal affects. Grabbing but not bothering to don it, he ran as quickly as he could and came above deck just a few paces behind the others.
The morning sunlight was dampened by the overcast skies, and a chilly breeze swept across the deck, making Rocky shiver slightly. The sound of the bow wave sloshing on the hull was very audible as the Sleight of Hand sliced through the water at a higher speed than the mongrel had yet seen, sending an occasional spray over the railings. The scent of salt water stung Rocky's nose, but through it he perceived something else. A faint, yet sharp smell that, being part of a rescue team, he unfortunately smelled a lot. He quickly found the source of the smoke at the top of the foremast, a few smoldering flames on the edge of the sail.
"Paw Patrol, ready for action!" Chase proclaimed boldly to Sid, who stood at the helm.
"Ahoy, me hearties!" He flashed them a dashing grin. "We've been singled out as prey by another pirate gang." Heads swivelled about to try and locate said pirate gang, but the sea around them was empty. Sid, noticing their confusion, continued. "It be a submarine. It surfaced yonder over the portside and fired some potshots at the mast afore returning to the depths. I didn't get a good looksie at their colors, but they aren't done with us 'til they get some booty, or we show 'em to Davy Jones' place." Most of the pups shifted uncomfortably at the thought. Sid began hitting buttons on his controls, and Rocky's attention was drawn to large, matching hatches that opened up on the deck on either side of the ship. Large metal bulks ascended from below, clicking into place on deck and unfolding. A third one arose from a hatch on the raised foredeck, and the mixed breed caught his breath.
"Dude!" He rushed over to one of the newly revealed gun placements. They each had two barrels and a thick metal shield in the front. "Are these a High-Angle, QF 45-caliber Mk IX's? They look modified."
"Aye," Sid boasted. "I got 'em last trip to England. I saw 'em an' just need, need, needed to have 'em."
Rocky chuckled. "You don't say? I see you don't have the original shielding, but this is pretty sturdy nonetheless." He knocked on the plates, making a metallic ding. "You have Mk IIA semi-armor piercing rounds, heavier than their US and German counterparts from the time and very effective. I think with how you retrofitted Frankenstein here; it'd blast its way through some good and thick enemy armor."
"Let us hope so, for it shall be put to the test soon enough." Sid looked at his instruments. "Arrby, get 'em to their places!"
"Aye-aye," the Dachshund turned to them. "Alright, who here is comfortable firing off the guns?" Several paws went up, both of Rocky's front ones among them. He was eager for the chance to use that mechanical marvel, even if it was in combat. "Okay, how many of you have used one of these before, or something similar?" All paws went down, except for a certain Collie's. Arrby scratched his chin. "Right... Captain, you get the fore-cannon. Chase, you be on the Portside, and Tomissen on the Starboard. I'll make sure you know how to reload and shoot; it really is simple.
"Wait, what about me?" Rocky asked, disappointed he had not been chosen to man- or pup -a battery.
"For now, you're back-up and a lookout. Tanya and Marshall too." Busby squeaked, having been following the firepup. "Oh, and you Mr. Squeaky-Frog Guy can help Marshall." Arrby scurried of with Chase to show him how to operate the gun, while the other two cannoneers went to their places. Rocky ambled to the Portside rails with Marshall, Tanya and Busby. He grinned, looking at the little frog-doll. The green guy wouldn't leave Marshall's side, always nearby the Dalmation who Rocky assumed Sweetie had assigned as temporary Royal Frog-Goon Handler. He was kinda surprised that she would trust them with her beloved... pet? Sidekick? Partner in crime? Then again, the royal pup seemed to have taken a 'liking' to Marshall, which Rocky knew he'd be bugging him about 'til the end of time.
Of all the pups, the only ones not to volunteer for positions on the guns were the two medics. Rocky guessed it had to do with their EMT oaths and stuff like that, and probably their feelings too. Rocky had seen how upset Marshall was after knocking Tundra out and when Captain blew the Sea Patroller up. Heck, that pup couldn't squash a bug if his life depended on it. Now shooting a QF at pirates? Not a chance. Rocky could understand the feelings, but if it came down to him and his friends or a bunch of pillagers, he'd man any and every gun available. Anyway, how could he resist using those bad boys? They were even foldable!
The mongrel's thoughts were interrupted when a flurry of green, blue, and red alighted on Tanya's head, making the Husky giggle. "Hey Heidi, come to join the party?" she asked, stroking the bird once.
"It's not a party without dancing," she responded.
Rocky laughed. "Can't argue there." He sobered up a little, focussing on the gently rolling sea. "I guess we watch out for anything that looks like a sub, huh?"
"How do we see something that's underwater until it gets too close?" Marshall asked, peering at the surface of the ocean.
"That's what a sonar is for." Rocky explained, gesturing towards the helm. "If it has one, the Sleight of Hand sends out sound waves through the water that will travel until they hit something, which will send them back to the ship. Either the ship, if it's high tech enough, or Sid takes how long the sound took to return and calculates how far the object is. It can also pick up propeller movements, allowing us to see where the enemy is."
The Dalmatian winced at the word 'enemy.' "Yeah, well I hope we outrun them or something."
"Maybe we can, maybe we can't," Tanya said, scanning the horizon. "We keep watch anyway and hope Sid's wrong, and that we don't have to trade shots."
As if on cue, a loud rush of water was heard off of Starboard, and Tomissen shouted: "Thar she blows!" Rocky turned to spot seawater pouring off the sides of a huge whale-shaped vessel. It was black in color, with a white jolly roger painted in the front. Five large guns bristled from various positions on the hull, all trained on the Sleight of Hand.
"That ain't no whale!" Captain yelled, gun mount rotating as the enemy cannons fired off with a simultaneous, loud BANG! Rocky flinched as the rounds sailed just overhead, flying off in the other direction.
"It's the Dark Orca! Give 'em a salvo!" Sid called from the helm, whipping his sword out and pointing it at the attacking craft. Captain and Tomissen responded by firing of their guns, sending puffs of smoke rolling out of the barrels and the accompanying phosphorous smell. The beagle's shots landed in the water adjacent to the sub, while the Border Collie's flew true, finding their mark on the enemy's hull, yet only doing superficial damage. "Arrby! Raise the deck shields!"
"Aye-aye!" Arrby called as he made a quick, low scurry for a control panel by the below deck stairs. He hit a button and multiple eight-foot-long, six-foot-high metal barriers came up in matching spots, providing the deck with some protection yet leaving enough space in the gaps for the gunners to view and aim at the hostile sub. Tanya and Marshall were quick to move into cover, while Rocky followed suit when more shots began to be traded, filling the air with the explosive sounds of combat. Rocky felt the ship shudder and heard the sound of metal shredding. The mongrel watched as a shell impacted the aft deck near Sid, sending up a cloud of grey smoke billowing around him. The buccaneer didn't flinch, grimacing as he spun the wheel a little.
"Give those squibs a taste of our guns!" the pirate called.
"Pump 'em full of lead!" Heidi shouted, flapping to the deck and seeming untroubled by the battle. Tanya stared at the parrot furiously, looking shocked at the outburst.
"Heidi McKillerBeak. We do NOT use such language!" she scolded.
"HA!" Tomissen shouted, firing another shot. "You do like the name!"
"Shut it, beagle!"
"Not-Allowed-Near-My-Bird Club!" Heidi yelled at Tomissen, who grumbled something unintelligible.
Tanya patted her pet and cooed, "Good girl."
"They're diving!" Captain reported, panning his cannon left and right as the ship disappeared beneath the waves. "Maybe we should too? I mean, there's no reason to stay up here and get murdered."
"Except for dramatic effect. Anyway, I would agree, but one of them shots damaged the system," Sid called, fussing over a smoking panel. "We be stuck above water."
"I can see what I can do," Rocky offered, making a dash up the stairs to the pirate, pup pack in tow. When he got to the helm, Sid gestured to the slightly crispy, wrecked unit to his right.
"Try yer paw, Rollicking Rocky. All I need is the controls to the transformation. Once we're below, I'll be able to lose those half-pints of rum."
He shook his head, marvelling at the damage. "That might be all you'll get, or less." He removed a loose sheet of metal and coughed at the puff of smoke that evacuated the inside of the unit. "Don't lose it, reuse it!" He had his pack extend a pair of wire cutters. As he began working, the beeping tone of the comms sounded. A gruff, loud voice came out; stereotypical pirate accent and everything:
"Ahoy there, Sid Swashbuckle!"
"Captain Hammerhead," Sid spat. "What do ye want, ye bilge-rat?"
"Bilge-rat? Is that so, ye galley-slave? What I want is a simple matter; hand over yer ship, yer goods, and yer crew, and we may let some of ye walk on the nearest shore without wooden limbs!"
Sid snorted derisively. "What kind of jabberwocky is that? Yer gonna let us pass or we'll send ye dancing with Jack Ketch, ye lily-livered old salt!"
"Suit yerselves, scumbag. We be helping ye move to a new home today; one in the briny deep! A nice neighborhood of smiling sharks!"
Sid laughed. "The only thing that be happening is us ripping and burning yer jolly roger, and this time there be no interloping Nektons to save yer sorry hide!"
"WHAT?!" The other voice exploded, making Rocky flinch as he brought out his welding tool. "Ye be talking bold, Christiansen, for a sorry son of a biscuit-eater who's only crew be a slobbering mutt!"
Rocky looked at Sid long enough to see him turn lividly red. "Ye will pay for that, Dobson! Ye and yer incompetent, pathetic excuse for a crew!"
"Ye hear that, Danny Boy? Finn? Yer all on!" The channel died, and silence reigned.
"Well... that just happened," Marshall said from the main deck, breaking the quiet.
"Pirates and their insults," Tanya muttered, sounding somewhat amused.
Sid pounded his chest with a fist. "It's the air we breathe, lass."
Rocky grinned at that, touching some wires together and causing a sparking reaction. Using some electric tape, he bound them together. Sure, not very safe, but they weren't in a safe situation. Pushing them aside, he pulled out his ratchet driver and unscrewed a few toasted components, tossing them aside.
"How's it going, matey?" Sid asked him, his tall human shadow looming over.
"This thing is really fried, and it'll take a good two hours to fix it all," he responded.
"We don't have two minutes," the pirate stressed.
"That's why I'm splicing it over to a different controller instead of using this bit, that way you'll be able to dive, and we won't die." He paused briefly, still working hard. "You're in my light, captain." Sid chuckled and backed off, going back to his position.
"Hey," he sounded wary. "The thingamabob says... they be right under us! Brace yerselves!" At that moment, there were several splashes and the sound of objects landing on deck with a collective PLUNK! "Grappling-hooks! Cut 'em afore we're dragged to the briny deep!" As if in response, the ship groaned and Rocky found it slightly tilting towards the bow. The mix popped out of his repair job to see six large iron grappling-hooks had indeed landed onboard, mostly towards the front of the ship. The lines they were attached to were pulled taut, indicating something was putting them under stress, pulling the Sleight of Hand downward.
"Arf!" Arrby barked. "Sabre!" His treasure-chest pup-pack opened up and produced a silver hilt. A length extended from the handle, creating a four-foot-long blade. The pirate pup charged the nearest one on the Starboard railing, severing it in a swift motion. Tomissen had dismounted his turreted gun, trying hard to lift the hook that landed adjacent to him up and overboard. Tanya and Marshall were rushing to help him out.
"Rollicking Rocky, take the helm," Sid ordered, dashing off to the edge of the above deck. Rocky hurriedly gripped onto the helm and looked in time to see Sid grab a stray rope and leap off, sword in his free hand. He swung forward like a professional pirate, body slightly curved, staying just within reach of the deck. As he passed above the Portside grappling-hooks, he slashed the ropes just below where they connected to the irons. He lost momentum as he sailed past the bowsprit and swung 'round astarboard, returning on the opposite side he started from and finishing off the forward hook, passing over the three-pup team, who with a heave tossed the final hook overboard and cheered. Sid landed with a roll and hopped to his feet right by Rocky, stealing the helm away.
"Whoa! You make Jack Sparrow look like a chump!" The recycling pup praised. The human just shook his head.
"He be one of me heroes. Now, on with the repairs."
"Aye-aye!" Rocky giggled before returning to his project. He had barely settled back into his work when the Dark Orca resurfaced off of Port.
"Looks like you get something to do after all, Chase!" Captain called, firing off a round.
"And here I was enjoying my luxury cruise!" He threw back as he shot at the rival vessel. The Orca returned a salvo, landing all direct hits on the ship. Rocky heard wood splintering and metal screeching. Something went crash.
"Me mizzenmast!" Sid cried and cursed, shaking a fist at the hostile craft. "I just had that polished, ye slimy sea slugs!"
"Deck fire!" Marshall cried at the same time. "Ruff!" Rocky heard the firepup's pack engage, spraying water. There was the sound of metal tearing.
"We've got mild damage Captain-Boss-Mr. Sid, sir!" Arrby shouted out, traces of fear evident in his voice.
"Blow me down!" The pirate bellowed. "Keep at it, me hearties! We not be going down without a fight!" More guns boomed, and the wicked sound of metal shredding assaulted Rocky's ears.
Captain screamed a curse. Rocky peeked long enough to see the Collie tumble off his gun, clutching his right front leg. Tanya rushed towards him, ducking beneath an enemy shot and dodging the flames that Marshall barely was holding at bay, spreading along the fallen mizzenmast. Arrby hopped on the gun to take over for Captain, who the Husky was trying to drag away. "I'm fine, just a little toasty," he claimed, trying to push her off, but failing. A thin line of blood trailed under him on the deck boards as she pulled him behind a shield. Tomissen had retrieved a bucket full of water and doused flames alongside the Dalmatian in red. A shell exploded in the air above the helm, raining sparks upon Rocky who ducked back down under the unit, desperation fueling his repair efforts.
'Almost. Almost!' He rushed, paws flying through the damaged components, connecting bits and pieces, tying stuff together. The boat shook beneath him as he put the last part in place. "Done! It's ready!" Rocky yelled, hopping up and closing the panel.
"Good," Sid grinned, visibly relieved. "Now-"
"Torp spray! Off the Portside!" Arrby shouted. Rocky rushed to the railing at spotted five long shapes speeding on a course to intercept them, slightly distorted by the water they sped through.
"Hard to Starboard!" Tomissen yelled, and Sid went the opposite way. "Um, not to tell you how to do your job, but WRONG WAY!"
"Turnin' that a'way will give us a full broad side," Sid said through clenched teeth, turning helm. "We 'ave to go into the spray if we want any hope of survival; we have enough speed to make it." Rocky gripped the railing as the Sleight of Hand listed dangerously to Port, torpedoes almost upon them. The ship curved around them at speed, passing each one by one. He bit his lip. The fifth one was too far forward to dodge; they would be hit. Sid suddenly threw back on the speed, and the Sleight of Hand practically rotated in place. The projectile struck the hull at an angle, and with an audible clang, deflected off into the open sea. Sid added power again, and the ship sped up. The Dark Orca was circling around behind them, giving a brief respite from the combat. Marshall had finally put out the blaze. "Rollicking Rocky, it be time to prove yer work. Transform me ship to submersible mode!"
Rocky braced himself onto the panel and hit a few reassigned buttons. The clatter of machinery filled the air, and the remaining masts retracted. Pups hopped off their gun mounts as they began the process of folding up. Metal panels began sliding into place and the large window panels were put into place, completing the change.
"We be divin'!" Sid called, submerging the craft beneath the waves. Everyone cheered loudly. "I be able to lose those unbearable urchins now. Ye make a fine crew, me savvy seadogs."
"Do you have medical supplies?" Tanya asked, helping Captain towards the stairs. His fur around his right shoulder was a bit more than singed and blood trickled from an open wound. "He took a bit of shrapnel when his gun mount was struck."
"I'm fine," he grumbled, wincing a little when he put weight on that leg.
"Arrby! Please show our friends where the patch kits be," Sid beckoned, and the Dachshund hurried to help Tanya escort the Collie below deck.
Rocky walked over to Marshall, Tomissen and Chase. The Dalmatian was collapsed on the deck, eyes closed and body smelling of smoke. Chase sat nearby, the long scar on his right cheek freshly opened perfectly along the line, red and slightly moist. That thing was never gonna heal, not if the universe had any say in it. Tomissen was sadly cradling his bicorne hat, staring remorsefully at the marble-sized, ragged, smoldering hole it had gotten from bits of flying debris.
"You never feel more alive than when you're almost dead," Rocky quipped as he sat by them.
"I think I never wanna go out to sea again," Marshall said quietly, cracking one blue eye slightly open. "This was madness."
"I'll say!" Tomissen blurted out. "My poor hat has a stupid hole in it!"
"Hey man, at least it wasn't you head," Rocky said with a smirk. "We cut that way to close."
"But we made it through," Chase said proudly. "All of us, as a team. As the Paw Patrol. Marshall, good job keeping the fires back. Without you, we'd be a bunch of hotdogs on the grill."
"It's my job, dude," he responded, semi-pleased.
"You fought well," Chase praised Tomissen, patting his shoulder. Rocky was surprised by the gesture of friendship. It was no secret that Chase was irked by the beagle, usually quite terse and sarcastic when addressing him, but his voice held the utmost sincerity. "Nice work, brother."
Tomissen's face lit up at the sincere compliment. "I aim to please, copper."
"And Rocky," Chase gripped his forepaw. "You really saved the day back there. If not for you and your skills, we probably wouldn't have made it. Thank you."
Rocky colored at the praise. "One player doesn't carry the team. Don't forget Sid's sailing expertise, nor his awesome swashbuckling moves. Arrby's and Tanya's quick reactions were crucial, and then you were ferocious on those QF's. You and Captain."
"Speaking of the wounded veteran, I better go see if I can help out with his treatment." Marshall stood as he spoke, stretching. "You guys all good, nothing hurts?"
Chase chuckled. "I should probably get this cleaned out," he gestured to his scar.
"I am going to my hammock!" Tomissen proclaimed. "Wake me if we are attacked by more psycho pirates." The beagle placed his hat on his brown head and sauntered off towards the stairway. Marshall followed him below, leaving Rocky with the policepup.
"So... what are you gonna do?" Chase questioned casually.
"This." The mixed breed stretched out on the deck boards and closed his eyes. Within the space of three seconds, he began snoring softly.
"Great idea, bro. Sweet dreams," Chase chuckled before walking away to get his scar cleaned up.
6:13 PM, Foggybottom
Inside a cave full of high-tech gear, a man dressed in a purple suit and top hat hunched over a table, fiddling with something. Six cats in uniforms of various colors played on the floor with a ball of yarn, slept, or performed other activities typical of kittens. The man, Mayor Humdinger of Foggybottom, hummed to himself in malicious contentment as he put the final touches on his secret weapon, part of his latest scheme. One of his pets, dressed like a familiar and famous pink aviator, pawed his leg. "Mew?"
"Not now kitty, I need to finish preparing. And once it's finished, I'll finally have my hands on that meteor once and for all!" He cackled, twirling his blonde moustache. He adjusted the final delicate component in the large, tubular article. Making sure it was completely and securely loaded with every piece of ammunition, he hefted it in his hands. It was a little unwieldly, but the bigger it was, the better for the desired effect. Adjusting his grip, he held his key to success in his right hand and scooped up a small object from the table in his left. The recent news that had been circulating claimed the Paw Patrol had been out of touch with the town for the past few days. Even though their boat exploded, Humdinger didn't believe they were dead; those pups and that boy were indestructible. If he hadn't known better, he would've assumed they were immortals. But something definitely was going on, making it the perfect opportunity to strike. Before sending his Kitty Catastrophe crew in to steal the meteor from the Lookout, he needed to both cause a diversion and neutralize the only other entity to stand in the way of his ambitions: Mayor Goodway. That was what his greatest creation yet was for.
"Alright kitties, go get in the carrier. We're heading to Adventure Bay. Tomorrow, we're going to go find Mayor Goodway." He cackled evilly once more, brandishing the small box and bouquet of flowers.