Chapter 30: For the Greater Good
Shadex jabs Natalie, stopping her. "Cut it out! I can't see!" HE said, blinded by the magnitude of positive power overwhelming the negative power in the area.
Natalie takes a step back, "Shadex I must do this, they cannot remember us, it in-dangers them all."
"Danger Smanger, If I can't see you might as all consider yourselves slaves to the FBI," Shadex said. "And don't you sass me woman, I am not in the mood for anyone's shit today."
Ryder took a step in front of Natalie pushing her backwards. "Can't you make us just forget about your power? Instead of Natalie making us forget about her?" He asks Shadex, as Natalie frowns. "We've come to like Natalie, just like Silvex and yourself, don't let her make us forget."
Shadex pushed Ryder back. "Watch it! I still can't see," Shadex grumbled rubbing his eyes
Zuma coughed but snickered sitting beside an unconscious Rocky, "Wyder, Wocky needs help,"
"I know pup, but at the moment we can't go anywhere be-"
"That's right, none of you will be going anywhere anytime soon," Fatty smirked and grabbed hold of Silvera's hair pulling her to him, he pressed his gun against her temple, "This freak show has gone on long enough, make one move and I'll blow her brains out, then the Park won't have a lead Ranger."
Natalie spins around, her hands glowing white but Fatty removed the safety off his gun causing Natalie to stop glowing.
"That's right, now we're going to be taking Rocky over there-"
Chase suddenly collided with Fatty causing him to drop the gun, but he managed to remain standing. "Stupid mutt!" Fatty kicked Chase in his stomach sending him flying into a tree. "Now you're making me mad!"
Shadex grabbed Fatty and Roared into his face, loudly, then dropped him. "That, was the bad guy, right?"
Natalie nodded, "Do know what I feel like doing? getting a pin and popping him,"
Fatty blinked at Natalie's statement.
Shadex blinked. "Okay, I can sort've see now."
"Sorry about that," Natalie rubbed the back of her neck, "Got carried away."
"Natalie you can't make us forget-"
"Oh for crying out loud! SHUT UP!" Fatty got to his feet.
"God, you're giving me a headache," Shadex said, picking up Fatty. "Go take a hike," He said, throwing Fatty somewhere far off
Natalie chuckles, but Rocky's coughing made her turn around. "Shadex we need to get them back to Ranger HQ, and fast, Rocky will not last much longer."
"Mortals, and their fragile bodies," Shadex grumbled. "We'll then what's the holdup with the mass teleport?"
"It will make them forget us Shadex, they will not remember anything about us," Natalie looks down at her hands, "But it is for the best, this World was never suppose to know about us,"
"Okay, let's see if I can still do this... Mass teleportation... Slight dose of amnesia..."
"No! Don't make us forget her please!" Marshall frowns as Ryder picks him up.
Natalie turns and looks at the group, "It is for the best,"
The area darkened. "Annnnnnnnnnd..." Shadex said, his hands glowing purple.
In a blinding flash of purple, Everyone, minus Natalie and Shadex were teleported to Rangers HQ, forgetting everything about Silvex, Shadex, and Natalie. However... Chase didn't forget one thing...
Natalie looks at Shadex, "Thank you, my time here is done, I will miss them." She began to fade.
"Alrighty then, Now then I gotta get back to Silvex..." Shadex said, sinking into the darkness of a nearby shadow
Back at Ranger HQ
Anna was surprised when a blinding light came from inside her infirmary, she ran through the doors not watching where she was going and tripped over Pedz landing on Ryder.
"What in the world!?" Anna's eyes widened, staring down at Ryder. "Where did all of you come from?"
Ryder rubs his forehead, "Huh? What happened?" He looks at Anna who blushes, "Why are you on top of me? And how did we-wait-what?"
Anna quickly gets off him and stands up, as each one of the pups begin to wake up. "Can someone explain what happened?"
"We don't know mate," Silvera says rubbing her temples, "All I know is, I have a killer migraine," She groans standing up.
Rocky lets out a harsh cough, causing Anna to quickly kneel down. "He has a bad cold, I'll put him on-" She turns and looks at Marshall, his paw is badly bleeding and he's unconscious. "What happened out there?"
"As Silvera said, we don't know." Pedz replies holding her stomach, "What ever we did, is making me-Oh god..." She covers her mouth and runs to the restroom.
"Mark help me get Rocky and Marshall inside the Surgery room so I can get a better look at them," Anna carefully picks Rocky up and carries him inside.
Mark nods walking over to Marshall, "They'll be alright, but I think you all need to rest." He tells Ryder who nods and watching him take Marshall away.
Everest sits up, rubbing her eyes. "Where's Natalie?"
"Who?" Zuma questions jumping up on her bed, "Naw youw puppies are so adowable Evewest!"
"I know but where is Natalie?" Everest asks again looking at around.
Ryder walks over to her, "Everest? We never met anyone with that name."
"We did! How can you all forget her!?" Everest groans frustrated, but a voice echo's in her mind. 'It was for the greater good Everest, now go to sleep, when you awaken all memory of me will be gone.' Everest's eyes felt heavy, she laid down and drifted off.
A few hours past and Anna returned with Marshall.
"How is he?" Ryder asks walking over as Anna placed Marshall on the bed, he looked down at a blue cast on his paw. "Is it broken?"
Anna nods, "I'm afraid so Ryder, but he'll be fine. Give it a month or two and he'll be walking again," She looks up at Ryder, "What do you remember?"
"Pieces, I remember we nearly crashed the Air-Patroller, then we found Marshall, Zuma, Rocky, Chase, my sister and John in a cave, but I feel like something's missing," Ryder frowns sitting down next to Marshall's bed, he brushes a hand through his hair. "Who would make us forget?"
"I don't know Ryder, maybe the FBI had something to do with it?" Anna shrugs handing him a glass of water.
Ryder took the glass of water, he brought it to his lips but stopped when Marshall began mumbling something.
"Why Natalie, why did you do it?" Marshall said in a near whisper, "We loved you."
Anna placed her hand on Marshall's head, "It's alright Ryder, he's dreaming that's all."
Ryder scratched his chin, "Why does that name sound so familiar."
Marshall opens his eyes to see an outline of a Poodle looking through the Infirmary window, the sun was rising high into the sky. "Good bye Natalie," Marshall smiles, as the Poodle vanished into thin air, closing his eyes he fell unconscious again.
Ryder looked to see the sunlight beaming through the window, "At least everyone is safe," he says looking at his team, most of them were asleep, all apart from Chase. "You ok pup?" He asks motioning the Shepherd to come to him.
Chase sighs and walks over to Ryder then jumps on his lap, "Ryder sir, why does my heart hurt?" He places a paw over his heart, "It feels like emptiness, something's missing, and I have these feelings I don't understand."
"I know how you feel," Ryder kisses Chase's forehead, "We'll work it out pup, we always do."
Chase rests his head on Ryder's chest, "Something happened out there Ryder, I remember talking to someone about Marshall and Rocky, but I don't remember who it was, I-I-just feel I should try to talk to Rocky, I don't know why,"
"Then try," Ryder places two fingers under Chase's chin, and lifts his head up. "Try to talk to Rocky, it might even help you two forgive each other."
"But two forgive him, I have to forgive myself," Chase looks his owner in his eyes. "I don't know how to do that Ryder sir,"
Ryder smiles placing a kiss on the top of Chase's head, "It's alright Chase, we can help you."
Marshall in the meantime was dreaming.
In his dream he was standing on a cliff overlooking the Bay, waves crashed on the rocks below him.
"You know, I always felt this place was so very peaceful," A voice says behind him.
Marshall turns his head to find Natalie in her Poodle form standing there, "You made us forget, why?"
"As I have told you, Marshall in this world there is no Power, no Magic, and that is how it should always be," She walks over and sits beside him, "This PAW Patrol world is so very special,"
"Why is it special Natalie?"
"It is because, no matter the circumstances, no matter how difficult a situation might be, you do not give up. And you still succeed, you and the entire Adventure Bay, do all of this without power nor magic, it is the strength in each one of your hearts that bind you together, it is your love for each other that keeps you going even in the darkest hour, the hope when all things seem in-vain, this world is a world I will always cherish, you are the PAW Patrol, you are one world among others, yet this world will always, always win no matter how hard it is, always remember Marshall never give up."
"But you've done so much for us Natalie, you can't just make us forget," Marshall suddenly hugs her, "We'll remember you eventually you know,"
She chuckles but hugs him back. "I am a Time Traveler Marshall, I see the future and the past, so i do know the road ahead, but do not fear," She separates from him, looking him in the eyes, "We will meet again one day, oh brave Marshall, until that day." Natalie puts her paws on Marshall's shoulders, pushes him gently towards the edge of the cliff. "Until that day, I bid you fair-well." And with that she pushes Marshall off.
He closes his eyes watching her become smaller and smaller as he falls down towards the water below.
Suddenly Marshall's eyes shoot open to see a concerned Chase looking down at him, "C-Chase?"
"Buddy! you're finally awake!" Chase instantly hugs him.
"How long have I been asleep?" Marshall questions hugging back.
Chase let go of him, "2 days."
To be continued...