Chapter thirty-five: Double Trouble
"Anybody know what they're up to?" Chase wondered, turning to walk sideways toward the door of the Lookout. Watching them disappear down the hill, right as Ryder and the remaining pups came through them.
"Not a clue," Ned said deadpanned. Not even he knew of his sister's plans for the German Shepherd.
"Am I missing something, cause suddenly I feel like a lightning rod for that?" Chase wondered.
"Gee, sounds like you're not the only one, Chase." Marshall quipped sarcastically, sending him a distasteful look, which the German Shepherd returned with a dry one.
"Cool it, Marshmallow. There's no need to pour gas on the fire and burn what's around you," Ned said in a semi-serious tone.
"What?" the two pups wondered simultaneously, both looking at him at the same time.
"There's no need to argue. Besides, Chase just wanted to know what the others were up to. If we don't know, we can't tell him. Simple," Ned explained.
"Yes, we get it, Ned,.." Chase sighed. "We were talking about the first part."
"You mean you were." Marshall quipped again, earning him a frown from Chase, who walked away finally.
Ryder, having seen this, began an approach.
"Marshall, is everything ok?" he asked, kneeling behind the Dalmatian's left shoulder. "You seem like you wanna make Chase mad.."
"Not really but.. maybe. At least he'd blow off some of that steam he's been bottling up." The Dalmatian admitted sourly, sitting down now with his ears drooping. "We all know he's been trying so hard to do that lately."
"Well, don't worry." Ryder said, confidently standing once again and aided by a hand on his knee. "We'll get through to him somehow.. you'll see.."
"I sure hope so.." Marshall sighed, watching after their other friends, who were long gone by now.
xxxx
"Wooaah, dude! HaHAAA!" Zuma howled, as they sped down Main Street.
"This doesn't seem too bad!" Snowflake said as they sped up.
"Speak for yourself!" Chester cried, hanging on for dear life. "You sure you know how to drive this thing? Not that there really is a way!"
"Yes! We just turn when we need to! The rope is our handlebar and breaks!" Snowflake said, hoping the controls would work when needed.
People watched after them as soon as they zipped by them, some even smiling or watching in either awe or confusion.
"Yeah dude,.. See? We just pull this rope and.." But when Zuma put both paws up on the rope and pulled down, the cable jerked and the rope loosened out of the pup's grasp.
"Uh.. oh.." Zuma said.
"Uh oh?!" Chester breathed in looking up at him. "What's 'uh oh'?!"
"Um.." Zuma trailed.
"Nope, don't tell me.. don't even say it.." Chester cried, crouching down to squeeze his eyes shut.
"We got a problem.." Zuma finally said.. And that's when the cable completely snapped, sending the parachute right back at them.
"Oof! The cable broke." Zuma sighed, now wearing the parachute with his two friends.
"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL ME!" Chester exclaimed. But before he could say anything further the oversized skateboard beneath them began to weave back and forth.
"No no no no no! Help! What's going on?! I can't see! Why didn't it work?!" Snowflake cried out, panicking a bit as she tried getting out of the parachute.
The mega board's wheel hit a big bump and swerved around more.. Till finally it hit something that sent all three of them forward in a confusing crash and nearly made them forget which way was up. And as they struggled, Chester's head hit something hard with way more force then he would've liked and it almost made his head spin.
"Ow! Oof! Totally seeing stars on that one. -Ack!.."
"Hey! Which way is the sky?" Zuma asked, after bumping into Chester unknowingly. "Snowflake?"
"Zuma? Chester? Where are you? Get me out! I can't see anything! Help!" Snowflake said, as she fumbled and flailed about under the parachute.
The three pups looked like parachute ghosts, as Rocky drove up behind them and stopped. Hopping down, he hurried towards the capsized land raft and found the fluctuating waters of the parachute sea laying before him, and he stood there staring for a moment in confusion.
"Are you guys ok?" he asked, after finally shaking himself back into focus and hopping toward them.
"We're fine, but our parachute raft didn't work! And now we're stuck! Help!" Snowflake howled, desperately trying to escape the rainbow parachute. Suddenly, in an unexpected move, she found Rocky, pet his head, then pulled him into the parachute!
"Four words.." Chester spoke flatly, as they all sat still for a second to let the parachute fall silent over them.
"I TOLD YOU SO!" he cried jumping up out of the folds of the parachute into open air. And he would soon be followed by the rest of his friends as he sat there with a peeved frown.
"It's not like we didn't take precautions! Something just went wrong!" Snowflake remarked, as she fought to get out of the parachute.
"Sorry guys,.. I guess my design wasn't as perfect as I thought." Rocky shrugged.
"No worries, dude." Zuma shrugged easily. "It was kinda fun while it lasted,.. other than the epic wipeout part."
"Yes. Any ideas for how it can work, and not fail?" Snowflake asked as she kept struggling under the parachute. Soon, she emerged.
"None that we could have for doing it with Chase just yet." Rocky sighed. "Seems like we're gonna have to have a lot more trial and error, before this idea works safely.. Till then,.. You may have to find something else to do with him.."
"Uuggghhhhh! Dang it! I really wanted it to work!" Snowflake moaned until she took a deep breath. Taking a moment to think, she wondered if there were other activities she and Chase could do.
"You guys work on the parasailing board. I'll go set up my other plans. Chester, can you ask the school about Chase and I hanging out there?" Snowflake responded.
"Sure thing,.. and lucky for me.." he looked up with a smile. "We're right here." which brought attention to the school building nearby, mere yards from their crash site. "Ok, I'll be right back."
"Thanks," Snowflake said, as she watched Rocky and Zuma work on the parasailing board.
"Well? I guess I'll be stashing this in my truck till I can get it back to the Lookout to re-evaluate my design." Rocky sighed.
"Heh heh, sounds like you've got your work cut out for you, dude." Zuma joked, chuckling.
"Zuma, how about you and I watch the parachute, while Rocky works on the... metal parts. If that's okay?" Snowflake suggested, not knowing how to word Rocky's job for the failed parasailing board.
xxxx
Chester managed to push the heavy school door open and strolled in. Approaching the front desk, all he had to do was hop up to ring the small bell, and a teacher poked her head out of a nearby office.
"Well, if it isn't the infamous Chester." She said, "So what can I do for you today, sunshine?"
"Miss Honey.. I got a question that maybe you can help me with." Chester said, coming toward her a couple paces.
"Well then fire away, kiddo." Miss Honey shrugged sweetly. "How can I help?"
"Ok, first is the recess period for every class? And if not,.. is it possible to have two classes take a recess together?"
"No for the first one,.. not all at the same time." Miss Honey replied. "But the second one? I absolutely can try! Which classes were you thinking?"
"The 2nd and 4th ones,.. just need the ones that encompass most of the kids we know."
"Alright, anything else? Or can I ask what this is about?" Miss Honey wondered, when she finished writing a note on her little pad of sticky notes.
"My little brother was injured recently.." Chester began.
"Oh goodness, I'm so sorry." Miss Honey sighed.
"Thanks.. anyway, he's been kinda down lately and we've been trying everything we can think of to cheer him up. But Snowflake says she may have a way.."
"And part of that is coming here." Miss Honey finished for him. "Clever,.. I'll be sure to make that happen for you, sweetheart.. Hopefully I can also be there to see how much it helps. Give Chase my best either way!"
"Of course, thanks Miss Honey!" Chester nodded.
"Anytime, Chess." Miss Honey smiled.
"Do be careful now.." she added, as the pup headed back for the door. "'Weather may be brewing something up around here in the next few weeks, winter's acoming you know!"
"I will, thanks!" Chester called back. "Stay warm!"
"B-bye!" Miss Honey returned, as he finally pushed the door open again and slipped out before it could close on him.
xxxx
Rocky tossed the last few pieces into his truck and hopped down.
"Ok, I've taken apart the parasail and loaded the mega board onto my wagon.." the mixed breed announced. "Now we can get it back to the Lookout without causing trouble or damaging it more."
"I wish there was still a way to parasail! I really wanted to do that with Chase!" Snowflake whined.
"Ok, the plans are set.." Chester informed them.. Then turning front, he found them all staring at him and he stopped short in surprise. "Umm, hi? Did I walk in on a serious conversation or something?"
"No,.." Rocky shook his head. "Why?"
"Because you guys are staring at me like a bunch of weirdos." Chester replied.. and as a result the other pups diverted their gaze so not to raise any more unnecessary suspicion.
"Rocky was just fixing the parasailing board and equipment," Snowflake said, trying to break the awkward silence.
"And Snowflake was just saying she wished she could still do that parasailing idea with Chase." Zuma added.
"No way!" Chester emphasized. "There's no way you're putting my little brother through another epic wipeout like that."
"Well what's she gonna do?" Rocky wondered. "It's not like she's gonna strap him in a harness suspended in the air in a parachute connected to a fast vehicle."
But right after Rocky said this,.. a mischievous grin formed across Chester's face, and his gaze cocked over to Snowflake.
"What?" Snowflake said nervously, afraid Rocky just gave Chester an idea.
xxxx
"This is NOT what I had in miiiiiind!" Snowflake exclaimed as she was soaring in the air by the rainbow parachute. Luckily she was in a harness that with rope, was attached to Rocky's truck.
"You mentioned you still wanted to parasail!" Chester called back. "Besides, isn't it even a little fun? Chase would probably think so.. And it's safer than what you wanted to do.."
"True, but I DON'T LIKE HEIGHTS!" Snowflake screamed in agreement.
"Well why didn't you say that?!" Chester wondered. "We would've strapped Zuma in then,.."
"We can always switch places, dude!" Zuma offered. "I'm down for that."
"Yes. If that is okay? Sorry I didn't say something earlier!" Snowflake said as she embraced the parasailing with fright.
"Alright,.. Rocky, pull over," Chester sighed lightly. "Let's get Zuma all hooked up here." As soon as Snowflake landed she was able to remove the harness with ease and hand it over to Zuma, who strapped into it.
"Ready when you are dudes!" the Chocolate Lab called. And as Rocky stared forward slowly Zuma ran for a few strides till the parachute started to catch the air, and lift-off occurred as Rocky added speed.
Snowflake watched as Zuma rose up into the air, glad to not be up so high
xxxx
Back at The Lookout, Ned saw Ryder with Marshall and waited. And when Ryder strode away, it was his cue to approach.
Ned looked around before spotting the blue sheet he had used on Chase before. He grabbed it and walked up behind Marshall before throwing it on top of him.
"Oof! Ned? What're you doing?" the Dalmatian wondered dryly. "You know this isn't really relaxing right?"
"How? At least you aren't pinned down," Ned commented, slightly confused.
"Yeah, but I'm usually more likely to be relaxed with a blanket wrapped around me,.. not on me." Marshall specified.
"And the sheet being on you is bad because...?" Ned responded curiously.
"Well, its not bad it's.. just not relaxing.." Marshall replied lightly. "For most of us, I guess."
"But you look like a blue ghost. Ooooooooooo!.. though seriously, why did you get upset with Chase?!" Ned retorted.
Marshall sighed as he pulled the sheet off him and set it aside sadly.
"Getting upset would've been much worse if that's possible." He said,.. the depression in his voice becoming vastly contagious by this point.
"Marshall, I just don't understand. Why did you get mad at Chase? You know Snowflake is trying to plan a way for him to get better, why get him angry? Even if he lets out some emotion.. it's only made him want to avoid us more," Ned reasoned.
"I don't know,.." The fire pup sighed again.. "I guess I just wish maybe we could set him off.. Maybe,.. it would wear him down to the point where he decides not to fight anymore."
"Wouldn't he be exhausted though? And even more in a bad mood?" Ned pointed out.
"Not if we get him to vent off all his problems without him realizing it.." the Dalmatian returned. "Cause if you get it just right, you can make him do that.. We'd just gotta know precisely where to strike."
"Right. Well it is an option if Snowflake can't get him to open up. But, we need to be careful," Ned said.
"Ok.. We'll give it a try.. for now.." Marshall agreed reluctantly. "But I'm not exactly sure why we gotta be careful at this point.. I'm thinking the best way to deal with this is to take the bull by the horns,.. kinda literally.."
"Okay. Thank you. In the meantime.." Ned said before giving Marshall a hug.
"Thanks.." Marshall said, patting the pup's shoulder to return the embrace before it ended. "So what do we wanna do while the other pups are busy?"
"I'm glad you asked!" Ned said before quickly grabbing the blue sheet and throwing it over them. The sheet settled so the two pups were trapped under it.
"We can be blue ghosts! Boooooooo! OOOOOOoooooo! Isn't this fun?" Ned said enthusiastically.
"I don't know if I'd go that far." Marshall shrugged.
"We are lost in the sheeeeet," Ned suddenly sang, happily.
"Ok, ok, you can go ahead and do that.." Marshall replied humorously, backing out from under it. "I'll keep watch for things you might trip on or run into."
"Oh no, buddy!" Ned said before hugging Marshall, and draping the sheet over him. "We're ghost buddies for life!"
"Yeah,.. or not." Marshall smiled, nudging him away. Slipping out again, he shook himself off to smooth the ruffle of his fur from being under the sheet and looked to his right, where Chase restlessly shifted from his stomach to his side(facing away from him).
"Hmmmm," Ned thought. Lifting the blue sheet, he saw Marshall looking at Chase. Taking the opportunity, he used his head to push Marshall towards Chase. Once the Dally was inches from him, Ned threw the blue sheet over both of the pups. He then took the corners, pulled the sheet so it went under the pups' bodies, and tied the corners together to form a bag made out of the blue sheet. The two buddies were trapped under the big, blue sheet.
"There, now you can be a ghost buddy, AND help Chase! It's a win-win!" Ned explained.
"Ummm, I don't get it.. what's this now?" Marshall asked, and unbeknownst to him, Chase peeked one eye open dryly, before closing it again in order to maintain the illusion he'd set for himself.
"You and Chase are trapped under the sheet. So the only way to get out is to work together! Remember, the way you treat each other will determine if you get out or not. That way you and Chase can bond and talk while trying to get out of the big blue sheet, and from the outside, you both look like blue sheet ghosts. That way, I win, and so do you!" Ned explained.
"Yeah except,.. we can't breathe so well under here.." Marshall wavered. "And.. forcing us to work together like this isn't probably gonna help.. I could probably think of better ways to do that than this.. plus he's not even awake! And I am NOT waking him if that's what you want."
Ned smiled. Finding the German Shepard's outline under the sheet, he gently booped his nose. He did this a few more times before pressing his pup tag.
"Chase? Chase? How are you feeling?" Ryder's voice said through the pup tag.
Chase yawned and rolled over.
When will they give up?! He internally groaned. Gotta keep it up though.. who knows what ridiculous plans they may come up with next!
"I wouldn't do that if I were you.." Marshall advised, only slightly nervous for the moment.
"I'm just making sure he's okay Marshall," came Ryder's voice again. Ned pressed his pup tag, then walked away.
Hey guys, sorry for the long wait, but we're back! Some health issues got in the way of posting, among other things, but here is our next entry in this series. One which I'm sure you've been curious about since the last one was released.
And again, this one was particularly enjoyable to write. Hope you like it and we look forward to hearing your thoughts as always. Enjoy! And we'll see you in the next one! Thx!