Sorry for the delay, I just couldn't find a good way to wrap things up to get to the end, but I'd expect there is maybe one more chapter after this one, but who knows. Anyways, here is chapter 11!
I knew Rocky was strong, but not that strong. His powers did seem a bit more wild throughout the week. I could tell the days that Rocky took his suppression medication, since his powers were extremely weak and harmless and over time they became more powerful. It could be Rocky trying to hold back, but it didn't seem likely. On top of that, I noticed that Rocky had changed after the wolf fight. He seemed more outgoing, more bold. The fight had done something to him. I've noticed he started to skip taking his medication, and some days his powers go through the roof as we have little tussles in the arena. I needed to help him.
"Hey Rocky, how's your day been going?" I asked Rocky.
"It's been great! It feels great to be able to start honing my power!" Rocky yipped with glee. Honing? Is Rocky trying to control it?
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted help with honing your power, like you did for me" I kindly asked, hoping Rocky would say yes.
"It's nice of you to ask, but I don't need your help. I can do this myself. I can prove that I can tame this power myself, and no doctor can tell-" Rocky started before instantly shutting his maw in a hurry. He quickly scampered away towards his room as I trailed behind him. Yup, Rocky was changing. I need to know why. He never talks like that, ever. As Rocky entered his room, he left his door open just a crack, and I peeked in. I saw Rocky who was hovering over his desk, holding his little bottle of pills.
"Come on Rocky, you know that I need to take them. Fighting it won't help" Rocky cried to himself. It was as though something was preventing him from taking it. "But I want to master it, just one more day won't hurt."
Rocky set down the bottle and took a deep breath. It seemed as though Rocky was going crazy, as though… as though his power was starting to consume him. I barged right into the room, and Rocky jumped from my intrusion.
"Chase! Knock next time!" Rocky yelped, startled. "What do you want?"
"I want to help you. I know about your secret. You're acting just like me a few months ago." I replied. Rocky tilted his head.
"What do you mean?" Rocky asked.
"I mean that I had the same exact mindset as you did. I also wanted to master my power, but I couldn't by myself. That's why I needed you. I was hesitant at first too, but I eventually came to you, right? You can trust me Rocky." I begged, hoping Rocky would reconsider his previous answer. Rocky looked at me with wide eyes, and only stared. He proceeded to take a deep breath, and finally gave a response.
"I know you want to help, and I know I can't do this alone, but there is part of me that wants to prove to myself that I can do this myself. I can't explain it, I just desire it." Rocky replied. My spirits sank. I could see the determination in his eyes, ready to take the challenge, but I knew far too well what raw powers could do.
"Fine. I won't help, but promise me that you take those pills of yours. They'll help you stay sane, alright?" I sighed.
"If that's all it takes, then it's a deal!" Rocky yipped and took a small pill and swallowed it. He gave a disgusted face, and soon fell over, unconscious.
"Rocky? Rocky?" I cried as I shook him. He was out cold. I frantically ran around his room, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, I heard a moan coming from Rocky's direction.
"Rocky? Oh thank the heavens you're awake. I didn't expect you to faint like that." I barked happily.
"Yea, I didn't expect that either. Ow, my head hurts like crazy. I think I need some rest." Rocky groaned. I quickly ran over to help Rocky get onto his feet. He leaned all of his weight onto me, and I led him onto his bed. As soon as he fell into his bed, he went out like a light. I decided to use this time to start doing a bit of research on what Rocky's power, rather, the wolf's powers did. It seemed like Ryder knew a few things about Rocky, so I headed to Ryder's office first. After riding the elevator up, I knocked on Ryder's door.
"Come in!" I heard Ryder call out. "Oh, hey Chase! What do you need?"
"Um, I was wondering if you could answer some of my questions about Rocky" I asked quietly. The smile on Ryder's face soon fell, and got a bit closer.
"What specifically about Rocky?" He asked in a darker tone.
"About his… his powers Ryder, sir" I hesitated. Ryder leaned back, crossing his arms.
"I don't think I can answer that. It's classified information. Doctor's orders" Ryder apologized.
"I already know about the power suppressor medication he is on. I want to know why he's on it, and why he refuses to take it." I asked.
"Well, I don't know if Rocky would be okay with you knowing his past. It's very sensitive to him, and I told him that I would never tell anyone." Ryder answered with a small apologetic smile. Fair enough. I sighed, and asked one final question.
"Do you think Rocky would tell me if I asked?" I questioned. Ryder thought about it for a second, before shrugging.
"It's his decision to tell you, not mine. Sorry Chase." Ryder replied. "Why do you want to know all about Rocky, anyways?"
"Well, I'm worried for him. I know he has two powers, his electric coming from birth and his water element coming from his brother, but he seems as though-" I started before getting cut off.
"He told you what? What else did he tell you about?" Ryder asked solemnly.
"That was it, he told me he and his brother were in a blood pact or something and he killed his brother." I answered suspiciously.
"Ok. He didn't tell you about the di-, I mean the incident." Ryder commented, catching himself on something. I became very suspicious.
"What incident?" I asked.
"Oh, the one that you already know about, him and his dual powers" Ryder lied.
"Ryder, I can tell you're lying, what is it about Rocky that he did?" I pushed, hoping for Ryder to tell me. Ryder sighed, put his head on his forehead, and shook his head.
"Like I said before, it's classified information. Even though I slipped with my words, I still can't tell you what it is. Now please leave. I don't want to discuss this any further." Ryder calmly asked.
"Ryder, what is this incident" I demanded, getting up from my position. Ryder rose with me, slamming his hands on his desk.
"Chase, that is private information for Rocky and Rocky only to tell you. Now leave, I'm tired of you trying to get into other people's business!" Ryder hollered, and pointed at the door. I stood there, shocked. Ryder had never been so angry. I quickly left with my tail between my legs. I didn't realize how scary Ryder was. However, I had a lead. Rocky was in some kind of incident, something so big that even Ryder can't say. Maybe Rocky would tell me. I went directly back to Rocky's room where I found Rocky laying in bed with a book in his paws once more.
"Oh, hey Chase!" Rocky yipped.
"Hey Rocky. How are you feeling?" I asked.
"I'm feeling better. Look, I'm sorry I acted up earlier. I don't know why I did. It didn't seem like the thing I would do." Rocky apologized. Rocky did seem like he was back to his usual self. Was it the pill that brought the old Rocky back? "Anyways, I'll take you up on that offer to help. I really need it, especially if those mood swings come back. I need you to keep me on a schedule to take these. I know after the week I'll try to resist. I don't understand why it's happening now, but I just need you to help me take them."
"Okay Rocky. Oh, I just spoke to Ryder about something, and I was curious about an incident that happened in your life?" I asked. Rocky's face went from fully lit up to completely dark.
"I don't want to talk about it. It's not something I'm very proud of." Rocky whispered.
"Rocky, you and I are more alike than you think. I've done some things I'm not quite happy about either, but I still opened up to you. Please, if I want to help you, I need to know what you are capable of" I persuaded. Rocky huffed, and looked me dead in the eyes.
"I'll tell you, only if you swear you can keep it a secret." Rocky threatened. I nodded furiously. "After the day I left my home town, I couldn't control my brother's and my powers at once. I often had power spells where I would just erupt with wind howling around me and massive storms gathering, decimating the land I walked on. As soon as I arrived at Adventure Bay, I was extremely tired and worn out. My powers were starting to take over, and I could feel it. I needed someone to help me, but no one would even come close to me. That was when I met Ryder. At first he thought I was a regular stray, but after noticing the static generated from my fur as he tried to pick me up, he knew there was something wrong."
"He asked me to get up and walk with him, and brought me to a clinic. This was the first time in ages since I communicated with anyone, and I was elated that Ryder had stopped what he was doing to help me. After the doctor put on some anti-static gloves, he was able to diagnose me with a power overdrive, and gave me medication to treat my immense power. This inhibited my powers enough so that I wouldn't be tuckered out while still being able to use my own inherited power. He also made me join a power training course. Ryder used to teach one, did you know Chase? Anyways, I was happy at first because I would finally be able to master my abilities, and I agreed. However, when I arrived the first day, the medication I took suppressed my powers below what the other pups powers were. Day after day, I was teased and bullied because I was the weakest among them, and I hated it. As days went by, pups began to graduate and leave, while I still stayed, mostly because I wasn't improving or had anywhere to go anyways."
"Finally, one day I snapped. I decided to stop taking my pills. I was tired of the others teasing me about my weak power to show them my true self. That was the day where the incident happened. I had overrun the entire place with magic, the wind and storms howling around me. I couldn't control it, my powers went beyond my bounds, destroying everything around me. I didn't know how to stop, until a group of wolves came into the disaster to cull my storm. They broke me out of my rage, and made sure I was sane and alive. I was unconscious for most of it, but when I woke up, the wolves had left, and I was laying in a hospital bed with everyone from the course around me, worried. At first I thought that they cared, but then I realized they were mainly terrified of what I could do. I had injured almost all of the other pups, and I think I may have killed some, but I wasn't told any details on it. I was only told to rest up and take my medication on schedule. From then, I was scared of myself, and I guess from that incident, students and pups stopped coming to the course. No one wanted to be with a wild pup, so they all left, with an occasional pup wandering in and enrolling because they were oblivious of my potential. That's when you pups joined and created the PAW Patrol. I was happy that I was able to start over with a new group of pups, but I guess after all this time, I still wanted more than what I showed."
I sat with disbelief. That's what had happened? I remember first joining Ryder's course, mostly because I had nowhere to go myself and needed guidance like Rocky did. When I first met Rocky, I was told he was a first year student too, along with Marshall and Skye. As no more students came in, Ryder decided to shut down the courses and start the PAW Patrol, and we picked up Zuma and Rubble after the PAW Patrol was created, but I never thought that Rocky was a student for multiple sessions.
"Anyways, it's getting late. I think you should get to your room soon. You can start helping me tomorrow." Rocky suggested. I nodded and headed off. After getting to my room, I took a quick shower and dried my fur, making it poof out. I quickly hobbled to my bed and hopped on, setting my head on my fluffy forearms, yet I couldn't fall asleep. Rocky's story kept coming back up. He mentioned something about the wolves and how they helped him calm down. They must know something, right? I may want to pay them a visit sometime soon and ask. What Rocky described was definitely the Disaster they mentioned to me. My eyes soon started to feel heavy as I drifted off into sleep.
I woke up, startled as I found Zuma shaking my shoulder.
"Chase! Rocky's gone! We need to go find him!" Zuma shouted in my ear. I jolted awake as I quickly rushed towards Rocky's room, and indeed he was gone. Where did he go? I gave the whole lookout a quick run around before deducing that Rocky wasn't here. I ran up to Ryder's room and knocked furiously to find a tired Ryder answering his door.
"Good morning Chase, what's up?" Ryder yawned.
"Uh, have you been sleeping well?" I asked, getting side tracked.
"Me? Oh, yeah, I just stayed up too late yesterday, that's all." Ryder waved. "You needed me for something?"
"Oh, right! Rocky's missing!" I frantically hollered.
"Rocky? I sent him to the doctor's last night. He said he wasn't feeling good so I let him. He might be staying there for the night" Ryder yawned again. At the doctor's? Why would he be there? I thanked Ryder and quickly rushed over to the clinic in Adventure Bay right next to Katie's parlor, ignoring my breakfast sitting out already. Like Ryder had told me, I found a sleeping Rocky inside sleeping on a few chairs. I gave a sigh of relief and walked in. I attempted to gently shake him awake, but his static on his fur was strong for some reason and it shocked me.
"Ow!" I yelped as I jumped back. Rocky must have heard me because I saw him starting to stir. He yawned, and looked right at me with a surprised expression.
"Chase? What are you doing here?" Rocky asked nervously.
"I'm here to find you! Why are you here?" I replied back.
"I didn't feel so good after we talked so I came here to see if anything was wrong with me" Rocky replied sheepishly.
"Well?" I pushed, hoping he would tell me more.
"I don't know Chase. I've noticed that my weekly medication isn't doing much for me now. I see myself going wild way too often just days before I take my pill, and I start to worry that I might go crazy. I came to ask if I could do something about it. Maybe like increase the frequency I should take the medication, but the doctor told me it would be dangerous to take that many doses in a week. He told me to wait here to see if he can do anything about it, but I guess I fell asleep here. Sorry Chase if I worried you." Rocky apologized.
"Don't worry about it, I'm just as concerned as you are." I replied back, and Rocky smiled. At this time, the doctor called Rocky in after seeing him awake, and Rocky quickly rushed into the office. I watched as Rocky walk into the office area, his static charged fur jutting out everywhere, and I sometimes even see electricity pulsing around his fur. I hope that Rocky's okay. I sat outside, waiting for Rocky to come back so we could run back to the lookout. After about an hour of Rocky not coming out, I started to worry. What was happening in there that was taking so long? I walked up to the office window where the receptionist was and asked whether Rocky was coming out any time soon. She told me that it was going to be a while, and that I should go back to the lookout and wait. I thought Rocky was only getting more medication, not some full blown examination or something. I really needed to find out what was going on. I asked the receptionist if I could come in and see Rocky, and the receptionist smiled, and picked up the phone. After a while, she told me I was allowed to visit. Elated, I rushed through the door and she told me where to go to find Rocky. He was down the hall to the left at one of the bigger examination rooms. I walked down the hallway to exactly where she told me to go, and thankfully I found Rocky with the doctor. Rocky, however, was loosely strapped to a bench, and the doctor was wearing some kind of large rubber gloves.
"Oh, Hello Chase, how may I help you?" the doctor asked.
"I came to check out what was happening, it's been over an hour since Rocky came in" I politely responded.
"Oh, my apologies Chase. I didn't realize that you were still waiting for him." the doctor apologized.
"Um, what's going on with Rocky?" I asked, noticing that he was extremely tired, almost on the verge of passing out.
"Rocky here is having an overcharge. His power levels are going through the roof right now. You probably noticed that his fur was statically charged when you were here. He simply isn't able to contain the power inside him right now. I'm helping him try to drain his energy, but nothing works, the medication I prescribed him, filling batteries and power supplies, his energy is just overflowing!" the doctor explained. I looked over at Rocky in horror.
"Rocky isn't going to die, is he?" I nervously asked the doctor.
"No, this kind of overflow can't lead to death, so don't worry there. I'm just trying to lessen the pain for Rocky. He's trying his best to keep calm, and I commend him for that. Now please, if you want to watch, you can sit in a chair by the wall while I try to help." the doctor suggested, and went back to work. I silently agreed, and sat as I watched the doctor attach electrical wiring onto Rocky, draining his electric powers into multiple power supplies the doctor had around him. What I noticed was that the power supplies instantly jumped from no energy to full in a matter of seconds. I saw nurses and assistants rush boxes of empty power banks, but Rocky looked no better after each recharge. Some amount of time later, my pup tag started to ring, and I excused myself to answer it.
"Chase? Where are you? It's almost dinner time! Is Rocky there with you too?" Ryder asked over the call. Really? It was that late already?
"I'm at the clinic with Rocky. It's going to be a while before we can come back, Rocky's having some power issues, that's all." I replied in a stern manner.
"Does Rocky need anything then? The pups and I can bring over some supplies if he needs" Ryder offered.
"Um, Rocky's currently not in a state where he can answer Ryder, sir. The doctor and I are looking after him, so I think we should be fine. I'll make sure that Rocky gets home safely Ryder, sir" I confidently answered.
"Okay, Chase. I trust you, but make sure to update me on what happens if anything happens at all." Ryder stated.
"No problem, Ryder sir" I replied, and hung up. I reentered the examination room where I found Rocky breathing heavily, boxes upon boxes of filled batteries and power supplies, and the doctor sitting on a chair, relieved.
"Oh, welcome back Chase. Rocky's energy levels are finally normal again. He should be able to return back and rest, but I worry that Rocky's energy may start spiking soon. I don't know what to do if it starts happening as a regular occurrence, but let's hope that the medication helps. Chase, can you make sure Rocky stays on his medication on a strict schedule? Make sure he takes two pills every week. He just took two today, so make sure he takes them next week at this time." the doctor assigned. I nodded and pawed up to Rocky, who was released from the straps and laying on the table with his eyes half closed, panting hard.
"Come on Rocky, let's head home. I'll make sure that you will be okay" I soothed Rocky. Rocky smiled. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Must be too tired to speak right now. The doctor picked up Rocky from the table and onto my back, and asked if I needed some help. I shook my head. Even though Rocky was heavy, I knew I could carry him back by myself, after all, I promised that I would take care of him. As I left the doors of the clinic, Rocky had fallen asleep, and I made sure that I didn't rush back with my speed. Instead, I took my time walking back to the lookout, making sure that I didn't wake him up. The sun was setting, and Neither I nor Rocky had anything to eat during the entire day, but it didn't matter to me. Rocky was finally fine, and that's all that mattered to me. It took me a good amount of time to walk back to the lookout, and the sun had already set by the time I arrived. I found the pups in the recreational room watching some TV, and I smiled. They were all oblivious of what happened, probably because Ryder had told them that Rocky and I were fine, and I was completely fine with that. They didn't need to burden themselves with Rocky's overwhelming power, nor with mine.
I quietly walked past the other pups, making sure they didn't notice me or the unconscious Rocky on my back and I entered Rocky's sleeping chamber. I set him gingerly onto his bed, and wished him good night. Afterwards, I joined the pups after a long day in the recreational room where Apollo had just started to broadcast.
"Oh, hey Chase, where were you all day?" Skye asked me in a peppy attitude.
"Oh, nothing much, just took a stroll around town." I lied.
And that's the end of Chapter 11! I hope you enjoyed, and there will most likely be one last chapter in this story! In advanced, I hope you enjoyed this series, and look out for a new story coming in the future, and like always, Review, Grammar, Thanks for Reading!