Chapter 7: Breakfast (7:14 AM)

After the trio finished with their baths, they returned to the kitchen to help Mr. Jordan finish setting up breakfast. Once everything was sorted out, they decided to clean up in preparation for the next meal.

"Alright, I think that's enough for now." Mr. Jordan began. "You guys should probably eat your meals right now so you can help out with serving."

"Yes, sir! Come on, guys! Let's go!" Chase howled.

"Wow! To be honest, this turned out to be better than I thought!" Rocky admitted.

"Yeah! At first, I thought we were going to make something plain and simple, like cereal, but it's a good thing you have a collection of Tommy's toolkit with you, Rocky!" Skye said.

"Yeah! I never thought I'd ever use the third book! There are so many recipes I've been meaning to try. Maybe we can do this more often?" Rocky suggested.

"Well, I'll be more than happy to assist you guys if you need me." Mr. Jordan assured.

"We'd really appreciate your help, Mr. Jordan!" Chase smiled.

"Don't mention it! I'll go get the syrup bottles ready. Which would you guys prefer?"

"I'll think I'll go with light maple," Rocky said.

"Is there any strawberry flavored?" Skye asked.

"I'll stick to the regular," Chase answered.

"Alright, a regular, a strawberry, and a lite. Got it, I'll be back!" Mr. Jordan nodded before walking off.

"Have you guys ever tried using honey instead of syrup?" Skye wondered.

"No, why?"

"Just wondering. I remember back then when Deliliah would always talk about wanting to mix ginger with honey, so I figured why not try putting honey on syrup?"

"Ginger and honey? That sounds disgusting." Chase cringed.

"There's nothing wrong with a little honey. In fact, I think some recipes involve honey in here. Let me check!" Rocky concurred. "There's a few chicken recipes, but I don't think I'd feel comfortable eating that…"

"Yeah, me neither…" Chase shivered before looking at the book. "Hey, what are hash browns?"

"It's basically shredded potatoes deep-fried until they turn brown," Skye answered. "Probably best if we don't eat that. Ooh! Check if there are any desserts!"

"Sure!" Rocky nodded. "There's a few pastries listed on here! Maybe we can make those sometime?"

"We should really be focusing on what we're going to make for lunch." Chase insisted.

"Right! I almost forgot about that!" Rocky laughed as Mr. Jordan returned with their meals.

"Here's your meals, pups! Have you decided what we're going to make for lunch yet?"

"No, we were just getting to that," Skye said.

"Oh, okay! I'll leave that up to you guys. Just make sure you've made up your mind before we finish serving."

"Will do!" Rocky replied while staring at his food. "Well, the muffins look fine."

"Ehh, the waffles are looking a little hard…" Chase remarked before taking a bite. "But they taste amazing!"

"Really?" Skye peeped before trying hers. Within moments, her face lit up in awe.

"Whoa, Skye! You okay there?" Rocky asked.

"I-it's been so long since I've tasted something like this before! Chase is right, these are amazing!" She marveled.

"Oh, okay. I was just asking because you looked kind of shocked for a second!" Rocky chuckled.

"I did?"

"Y-yeah, I thought you bit your tongue or something!" Chase replied.

"N-No! I'm fine! It's just that-! The taste is so good, I can't even describe it! Uhh, here! How about we all cut these into pieces and share. That way, we can try all the different syrups!" Skye suggested.

"Okay!" Chase and Rocky agreed before splitting their waffles.

"Geez! The strawberry is way too sweet for me." Rocky gagged.

"I had a feeling you'd say that!" Chase tittered. "It seems unusual for a waffle, but at the same time, it's quite satisfying. As for the lite, it tastes kind of off... "

"It's like that for everyone, but you'll get used to it the more you try it!" Rocky assured.

"Well, I'm glad Chase somewhat agrees with me." Skye smiled. "The regular goes great with waffles, but Chase is right. The maple syrup is sweet, but it's missing some taste."

"Well, I guess we have our preferences," Rocky stated.

"Yeah, you're right, but let's get back to the matter at hand." Chase continued. "I was thinking that maybe we should make something fun and unusual. Any suggestions?"

"We can always try cooking bugs! That'll definitely surprise them! " Rocky joked.

"Eww... Hard pass!" Skye exclaimed.

"Heh heh! Okay, how about safe-to-eat pasta? There are different varieties for pets and humans listed on here."

"I have a feeling someone might have an allergic reaction to the ingredients." Chase thought out loud. "Try something else?"
"Well, how about pizza? I'm sure everyone loves pizza!"

"I don't know, I've never tried it," Skye said before Chase and Rocky looked at her.

"Wait, you've never tried pizza before? Like, ever!?" Chase gasped.

"I don't believe it…" Rocky doubted.

"It's true! Delilah wasn't really a fan of the cheese, so she never bought it."

"I-! We're making that pizza!" Chase decided.

"Y-yeah! You've been missing out, Skye!" Rocky mentioned as Skye simpered. "But the recipe suggests that we refrigerate the dough for at least 24 hours. Will that be okay?"

"We're not in a hurry, so it should be fine! I'll make sure to let Mr. Jordan know once we finish here." Chase said.

"Well, I'm glad we got that settled," Skye replied as Rocky gasped.

"Oh shoot, look at the time! We've got less than three minutes until the other pups arrive! We need to leave, right now!"

"Really!? Wow, we're terrible at keeping time!" Chase bleated.

"True, but at least we're getting better at it!" Skye giggled.

"Yeah! It's like you said, the beginning isn't always that easy." Rocky reassured.

"Right! Well, we should start heading back now. I'll meet you both over there, okay?" Chase remarked before standing up.

"I'm coming too!" Skye barked.

"Right behind you, Skye!" Rocky replied. "Oh and Chase? Make sure to wear a mask before you start serving. It would be very odd if you were to sneeze on someone else's food."

"Yeah… I'll ask Mr. Jordan about that too…" Chase spluttered before leaving the room.

(7:45 AM)

"Here is your meal!" Rocky said as he pushed a plate over to a different pup. "Go see Mr. Jordan if you'd like to add syrup."

"Thanks, Rocky!" The pup replied before walking off.

"This would be so much easier if we were human…" Rocky pondered as Skye walked by.

"What makes you say that?" She wondered.

"Think about it. You know how much easier serving could be if we had hands instead of paws?"

"I'll have to agree with you on that, but don't you think we're actually the ones who have it easy? I mean, technically, pups don't have to work as much as humans do." Skye mentioned.

"Yeah, I know, but I already told Chase that I feel extremely guilty whenever I'm idle while everyone else is helping out," Rocky responded.

"I know that feeling too well." Skye smiled while grabbing a few napkins. "I would always try to convince Delilah not to make hard decisions because of me, but that never stopped her from doing so."

"Delilah... Was she?"

"My owner? Yeah! She was."

"Wow, she sounds like a really nice person."

"She is! If it wasn't for her, I don't think Chase and I would be standing here, let alone would I have met Chase."

"Oh, how did you and Chase meet?" Rocky asked

"Well, he offered to help us get our monthly rations when his family's food bank ran out of supplies about… seven months ago."

"Seven months ago?"

"Yeah! But, it feels like I've known him longer.

"I guess that's just how life is. Always filled with twists, turns, and different surprises from every corner. I mean, we're all still getting to know each other, right?" Rocky chuckled.

"Yeah, speaking of which, you haven't told me about your past yet, Rocky!"

"Oh, right! I almost forgot! Umm, let's talk more while we're setting up the pizzas, okay?" He suggested as Leo, Colten, and Mira entered the room.

"Sure! I'll see you then!" Skye waved before leaving the kitchen.

"I'm surprised she's still sticking around..." Leo thought to himself before approaching Rocky.

"Good morning guys!" Rocky greeted as the trio kept silent. "Right…! I'll just go get your food…"

"Wow… this is so awkward, I don't even know what to say…" Mira whispered as Colten and Leo nodded their heads.

"Yeah, me neither! I mean, it's great that he's finally helping out for once... But, you know…!" Leo agreed.

"Let's just wait it out and see how it goes. And make sure you guys don't forget your manners…" Colten responded.

"Right!" They both replied as Leo looked towards the door.

"Hmm… that's odd! Usually, Skipper is by the door at this time. Where could he be?"

"Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him at all today! Maybe he's busy?" Mira added as Rocky gave them their meals.

"I'll go check and see if Mr. Jordan knows something about it." Colten peeped before turning to Rocky. "I… umm… thanks for the meal! Now if you'll excuse us…"

"H-hey! Wait up, dude!" Leo barked before pushing his bowl towards Colten's direction. "Umm…! Thanks by the way!

"Wait, are they talking to me!?" Rocky thought to himself as Mira turned to him.

"I still don't understand your current situation, but I'm glad you're finally out and about, Rocky! Thanks for the meal!"

"O-oh! D-don't mention it!" Rocky replied with a sheepish smile as Mira left. "Well, that came out of nowhere, but I guess I have to get used to this feeling if I'm going to try out new things for my new friends!" He thought to himself as his tail started to wag. "I think this really made my day!"

Later with Chase and Mr. Jordan

"How are you holding up, Chase?" Mr. Jordan questioned while pouring syrup for a different pup.

"I'm doing great, sir! I just wish I didn't have to wear the mask…

"I know it's irritating, but it's necessary if you're going to be serving."

"Yeah, I know…"

"Have you guys decided on what's for lunch?"

"Well, Skye hasn't tried pizza before, so Rocky and I were thinking of making that."

"Uhh, how long would it take for the dough to release?"

"About… 24 hours."

"Hmm… yeah I think that can work. You guys can get started on that while I prepare some goulash for today. Is that good?" Mr. Jordan asked as Colten, Leo, and Mira approached.

"Sounds like a plan! I'll let Rocky and Skye know after we finish here. This is going to be great!" Chase barked.

"Why are they talking about pizza…?" Leo thought to himself.

"Good morning Mr. Jordan!" Colten began. "And you must be one of the new pups! It's nice to meet you!"

"You too! My name is Chase."

"Colten! Uhh, you guys wouldn't happen to know where Skipper is, right?"

"Oh, Katie said he wasn't feeling okay, so he's taking a little break for the day. He should be back by tomorrow." Mr. Jordan explained.

"Oh, I hope he's okay…" Leo worried.

"I'm sure he'll be fine. So until then, I'll be watching over you guys."
"Well, I guess that's not so bad," Mira commented. "Did you have an activity planned out for today?"

"Not really, but... how does capture the flag sound?" Mr. Jordan asked.

"Yeah, that can work! I can set up for everyone if it's okay with you." Leo volunteered.

"Sure, that'll be great! Just be mindful of the equipment this time, alright?"

"Yeah yeah… I know. Don't touch anything that's near the radiator."

"You sure you can handle this on your own?" Mira asked.

"That incident happened a few months ago! I'm sure I'll be fine." Leo assured before turning to Chase. "How would you like to be on our team today? I promise it won't be too hectic!"

"Wait… are we even picking the teams this time?" Mira asked herself.

"Who… me? Umm… Thanks, but my friend and I already promised Rocky that we'd hang out with him during the activity." Chase replied.

"Rocky…?" Colten asked with a head tilt.

"Yeah! We're trying to create a few projects from his crafting book. You guys are more than welcome to join us after the activity if you'd like!"

"Nah, I think we'll pass…" Colten replied as Chase raised his eyebrow.

"Yeah, I don't want to feel dumber than I already do…" Leo mumbled.

"Oh… okay! Well...what kind of syrup would you guys like?"

"Uhh, we'll all take the regular," Leo answered.

"Coming right up!" Mr. Jordan smiled as he grabbed the syrup bottle.
"Umm, I actually wanted the blueberry…" Mira mentioned before Leo gasped.

"Oh! Umm…"

"It's fine! He's already gone."

"S-sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it!" She smiled as Mr. Jordan returned.

"Okay guys, enjoy your meals!"

"Thanks! And if you ever change your mind Chase, we'll be waiting." Colten assured before walking off.

"Uhh… okay." Chase hesitated.

"See? Wearing a mask wasn't so bad, right Chase?"
"I mean… I guess..." Chase replied with an uncertain look on his face.

"Is something on your mind?"

"No, it's nothing." He sighed. "I highly doubt those are the pups that Rocky mentioned earlier, but what did that guy mean when he said he felt dumber than usual? Did Rocky do something wrong…?"

Later….

"Well… That was unexpected…!" Colten thought out loud before he sat down.

"Yeah, I really hope they don't turn out to be like him. I don't know if I can handle that…" Leo sighed.

"Huh? How come?" Mira asked as Colten's face shot up.

"D-don't worry about it! He'll be fine!" He interrupted before gently tapping Leo. " May I remind you…?"

"Oh…! Umm, scratch that! I think I'll be fine with it!" Leo spluttered as Mira raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure? That didn't really sound reassuring."

"Trust me, I'm fine! Changing the subject from me now…! Well, what do you guys think…? Should we…? Should I… I… I've got nothing…" Leo sighed.

"It's obvious they're hiding something from me, but maybe I shouldn't ask about it…" Mira thought to herself. "Umm, did they mention something about making a pizza?"

"Yeah, I heard about that too! I wonder how that's going to work. I mean, don't you need arms to toss the dough and stuff…?" Colten wondered.

"Maybe Mr. Jordan is going to help them along the way? Either way, it sounds kind of interesting. I think we should tag along!" Mira suggested before Colton and Leo's eyes widened.

"Huh!?"

"I mean, yeah! It's going to be a little awkward, but maybe we can learn a thing or two or something…?"

"I-I'm not sure I want to work with… him…" Colten muttered as Leo nodded his head.

"Yeah… me neither. Plus, I already know a thing or two about baking. Probably not as much as they do, but still..."

"Really? You know how to bake?" Mira marveled as Leo's tail started wagging.

"Yeah! I picked up on a few things before I met Katie and the others! I can show you later on after we're finished here if you don't mind.

"As much as I hate to break it to you, you still have a game to set up, remember?" Colten chuckled.

"Oh right! Almost forgot about that…" He nervously smiled before looking back at his food. "You know what…? I think I'm just going to eat my muffin…"

"Don't worry, dude. You'll get her next time." Colten thought to himself as Leo took a bite out of his muffin.

"Wow! This tastes really good! You guys should try it!"

"Oh, you're right! I guess they do taste better homemade than store-bought!" Mira noted before turning to Colten. "What do you think?"

"I hate to say this, but I think Mira is onto something!"

"I am…?"

"Yeah! Maybe we should tag along! I'm still not a fan of the whole… working with Rocky idea, but the more I think about it, the more curious I get. How long do you think it's going to take to set up capture the flag, Leo?"

"Umm, it shouldn't take me longer than ten minutes if I start after breakfast. I guess I'll meet up with you guys afterward!"

"Great! Now that that's all settled, I'll go ask them after we're done here. Hopefully, they'll agree." Colten smiled.

"Wow… We're really going to do this?" Mira confirmed.

"Seems like it, but I'm sure we'll be okay. Besides, maybe if we stick together, he'll have a less likely chance to talk to us, right?" Leo queried.
"Yeah… I guess you're right! Okay then, let's do it!"

"Do you guys think we should get the other pups involved too? This can be a great learning experience for them!" Colten asked.

"Definitely not! Who knows how chaotic that will turn out!" Leo shivered as they laughed.

"Maybe another time. For now, let's just keep this between us, okay? I have a great feeling about this!" Mira finished.

"I hope you're right, Mira. Anyways, I should probably be going now if I want to finish setting up on time. I'll catch you guys later, okay?"

"Bye Leo!" Colten and Mira replied as he walked away.

"Well, shall we get going as well?" Mira asked.

"Yeah, just let me finish up over here, then we'll start cleaning up, alright?"

"Sounds great!"

After breakfast (9:00 AM)

As the rest of the pups finished their meals, the group decided to meet up in the back with Mr. Jordan and discuss their next plan.

"Alright guys, we did an amazing job preparing and serving breakfast, so let's keep this up. I'll get started on making the goulash, while you guys take your time, though I doubt you'll have any issues. One mistake might ruin the entire dish." Mr. Jordan advised.

"Don't worry Mr. J, we've got this. We just need to prepare 14 separate doughs for everyone including ourselves, then whatever is left can go to Katie and Skipper!" Rocky explained.

"Okay then, I'll leave that up to you guys. As for me, I'm going to make a quick stop at Mr. Porter's. I should be back in about an hour. If there are any issues, please let me know!"

"Will do, sir!" Chase replied.

"Yeah! You can count on us!" Skye reassured.

"That's great to hear. You guys stay safe!"

"You too!" The pups replied as he left the room.

"Okay, so in between our syrup pouring duty, Mr. Jordan and I chose to set up the ingredients ahead of time so we wouldn't have to dig around the kitchen." Chase smiled.

"Way to think ahead of the game, Chase!" Rocky acknowledged. "I wonder how long this would take with only the three of us."

"I'm sure we can manage before Mr. Jordan comes back!" Skye stated. "Then afterward, we can get started on rebuilding that hourglass!"

"Actually, I've been thinking about what Chase said earlier, and as long as you guys are around, I'm willing to give today's activity a shot!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! I'm feeling pretty confident! After all, it's not like there's going to be water involved. Right?" Rocky chuckled as Colten and Mira entered.

"Nope! Mr. Jordan mentioned that he's planning on setting up capture the flag for today. I think that could be a great start for you, Rocky!"
"How do you play capture the flag?" Skye asked.

"So basically, two teams are playing in a huge rectangular field. The right side of each team is the flag bases, while the left side is known as the jail." Chase begins. "The main objective is to bring the enemy team's flag over to your team's base without being tagged by an enemy."

"Yeah! You can only get tagged by an enemy if you're in their base, or if you have their flag. If you're caught, then you'll have to stay in the opposite team's jail until your team's angel comes to rescue you." Rocky added.

"Our team's angel?"

"Yeah! Each team has to pick one member to become the angel at the beginning of each round. Their main goal is to rescue as many people as they can before the flag gets captured. They're not allowed to go after flags, but they also can't be placed in jail, therefore if they get tagged, they'll have to run back to the end of their side before they can start rescuing again."

"Can't someone just tag a person while the angle is rescuing them?"

"Nah, that'll be ridiculous. If an angel takes someone out of the jail, then that player can't be tagged until they cross over the line again."

"Hmm… Sounds fun, but what happens if only the angel remains?"

"Heh heh, good luck." Chase snickered.

"Yeah, that would be a hassle, but the flags still need to be captured no matter what. I believe the teams are usually 12 vs 12, but we'll see."

"You forgot to mention what happens when you step out of the field." Colten interrupted as Mira followed behind him. "I take it that you guys have changed your mind?"

"Well, yeah but, I think we're going to manage with our own team." Chase clarified. "I hope that's okay with you guys."
"Sounds interesting! Well, I wish you guys the best of luck, and may the best team win!" Colten smiled."

"Hey, thanks! So, what brings you guys here?"

"Well, we overheard you guys mention something about making pizza earlier and we were wondering if maybe we and the others could tag along! Is that okay?"

"Wait… really!?" Rocky gasped before Mira and Colten stared at him. "They want to do something with me!? There's got to be some catch…!"

"Y-yeah! Something like that…!" Mira mumbled. "Must he always have to make it seem like we're going to be dead weight?"

"Ummm…! I'm not sure that's a great idea…!"

"...What? Are you saying that we're incapable of baking?" Colten huffed as Rocky took a step back.

"N-no! It's not like that at all! It's just…! Ummm…!" Rocky stammered before looking at Chase and Skye. "C-can you guys please give us a minute…?"

"Sure, take your time!" Mira replied as Rocky pulled Chase and Skye aside.

"Great! This won't take long, I promise!"

"Wait, what's this-!" Skye tried to speak.

"J-Just come with me, please!" He replied before distancing themselves.

"Geez…! The nerve of this guy…!" Colten growled as he turned back to Mira. "Sorry, you had to see me react like that."

"It's cool, dude. I probably would have done the same thing. " Mira agreed with a smile. "To think he wouldn't trust us that much…"
"I know, right? What do you think they're talking about back there?"

"He's probably giving them a list of reasons why we shouldn't work together. Who knows? I mean, you did mention it was only us three, right?"

"Sure did!"

"Maybe it was because this was too, all of the sudden… you know what I mean?" Mira thought. "Then again… he is pretty arrogant…"

"Exactly! I mean, how hard is it to bake a pizza anyways?"

"Well first off, you have to prepare the dough ahead of time, so I'm guessing this might take about a day minimum if there are no problems," Mira explained a golden retriever walked in.

"Hey, has anyone seen Skipper around?" He asks as Mira and Colten froze.

"Umm…!" Colten hesitated while coming up with a lie. "H-he's busy helping out Mr. Jordan in the back! Do you need him for anything?"

"Kind of…! The pups are having a huge argument, and it's probably going to escalate if nobody stops it…!"

"That's not good! Can you show me where they are?"

"Yeah! They're near the kennel! Follow me!"

"That was close…! Who knows how they would have reacted if they realized he's not here! Way to go, Colt!" Mira thought to herself while smiling in their direction.

Earlier with the trio…

"Okay… so I know that this is going to sound weird and all, but I think they're up to something…" Rocky began.

"What makes you say that?" Skye asked.

"Think about it. I've been waiting for something like this to happen for years, and don't get me wrong! I'm glad it's finally happening, but the timing just seems kind of odd, you know what I mean?

"I think I get it. Based on what you told me a few hours ago, it wouldn't make sense as to why they want to hang out with you now…" Chase mentioned.
"Maybe they're just doing it for the pizza?" Skye contributed before Rocky shook his head.
"I was thinking the same thing, but out of everything they could have picked, why this? I want to believe they're just being generous, but my mind is telling me otherwise." Rocky sighed.

"That reminds me, you mentioned something about suspicion earlier. Do they have something to do about it?" Chase asked.

"Well, not them specifically, I was actually thinking that it was their friend, Leo who started it all, but I'm not sure. I mean, he was the first one who called me Mr. Lamebrain, but I already told you that I don't like jumping to conclusions, so can we please keep that a secret for now?"

"Uhh…. that might be a problem because I'm not really good at keeping secrets…" Skye admitted.

"Oh, really?"

"Yeah, it feels like a lot of pressure sometimes, and things just end up slipping, you know? I remember there's this one time when I accidentally told Delilah about Chase's-"

"S-Skye!" He shouted in embarrassment as Rocky chuckled.

"Oh my gosh…! I almost did it again! I'm so sorry!"

"Heh heh, well, in that case, don't stress yourself out about it, okay? I just don't want them to get angry over a suspicion, and Leo kind of scares me whenever he's angry..."

"Don't worry, I'll do my best!" Skye assured.

"Thank you…"

"So, what do you think they're planning on doing?" Chase asked.

"I'm not sure, but that's not why I called you guys back here. I wanted to ask if we should do it or not."

"Well, the other pups were pretty hyper when we first met them, so maybe we shouldn't…?" Skye suggested.

"What if they already know in advance?" Chase asked Rocky.

"They'll definitely find a way to retaliate. And since nobody is watching over us, let alone, no lock on the door, nothing is stopping them from breaking in and trashing the place."

"Well, that's just great…! So either way, the kitchen is doomed?" Skye worried before Chase shook his head.

"Not necessarily! We just need to make sure nothing bad happens, right, Rocky?"

"That might be easier said than done considering what we're dealing with, but it's worth a shot!"

"Yeah, I guess we don't have much of a choice." Skye agreed. "So, what's the plan?"

"This may take a while, so let's ask them to wait about an hour minimum so we can set everything up."
"But, wouldn't Mr. Jordan be back by then?"

"I wouldn't bet food on that. I mean, the shop owner usually takes his time when he's preparing ingredients, so it wouldn't surprise me if he comes back a little late. But, I'm sure he'll be okay with it if we explain what's going on. He's a pretty reasonable guy after all!"

"That's fine! If we want this to work out, then we need to split the pups into thirteen groups of three. I'll start splitting up the ingredients while Rocky, you find any non-breakable bowls." Chase directed.

"You got it, Chase!" He replied.

"Umm, I'll start working on a backup plan just in case things don't go our way. But before I get to that, we need to make sure we know what we're doing first before we start teaching anything. So, maybe we should pull up a tutorial?" Skye suggested.

"I think the shop owner has a few videos online. I'll go take a look at that as well." Rocky said.

"Okay then, I guess we're going all-in on this! Umm…! Should we ask the other guys if they would like to help set up as well? I mean, this as their idea after all."

"I'll ask. Hopefully, they don't plan on continuing the name-calling…"

"Don't worry! I'm sure they've had a change of heart by now! And even if they haven't then I promise that Chase and I will always be by your side!" Skye assured.

"She's right, Rocky! We've got your back!"

"Wow… Thanks, guys! I don't know what to say…!" Rocky smiled as tears formed in his eyes.

"No problem! Now, let's get to work! We'll meet up over here in about thirty minutes, so try to get as much done as possible! And don't hesitate to ask for help, okay?" Chase said as he walked away. "I'll be working on dividing the ingredients if you need me!"

"Are you sure you can handle talking to them by yourself, Rocky?" Skye wondered as Rocky smiled.

"You guys have been giving me a lot of confidence lately, so I need to step up my game! Plus, as long as you guys have my back, what do I have to lose?"

"Heh heh, I guess I'll leave that up to you! See if you can get them to help out with the bowls and stuff, alright? I'll get started on the backup ingredients since we're already waiting for the tutorial."

"Okay! Good luck out there, Skye!"

"You too! See you around!" Skye waved before heading in Chase's direction.

"This is going to be great!" Rocky thought to himself while silently skipping towards Mira. "Hey, where did Colten go?"

"Uhhh, he went to go help the others with something else. Why? Do you need him?"

"Oh! Well, you guys are more than welcome to help out if you'd like!"

"R-really!?"

"Yeah! We just need a little help getting everything set up."

"Sure! I'll let him know as soon as possible!" Mira while walking off. "Although, I doubt there'd be that much to do..."

"Trust me! There's a lot of stuff to consider when you're working in this kind of scenario! Things like, safety precautions for the other pups, measuring the right amount of ingredients, sanitation, speaking of which do you think that maybe we should-! Hey, where did she…?" Rocky chattered before turning around. "Aaaaand… she left! Well, that was rude, but I guess it's okay. We've only got less than an hour left to finish everything, so I should probably get started on preparing the bowls right now. I've got a great feeling about this!"