Chapter forty-five: The Perfect Storm
Ryder had just finished some work under an elevated PAW Patroller when his pup pad rang.
Then seeing the name on the screen, as he brushed an arm across his brow, he finally touched the screen to answer it.
"Hey Snowflake, how's the bonding time going?" He asked brightly.
"Going good. We ran into a problem though; we were playing in the foam cube pit at the Fun Center and Chase.. sank like a rock into the cubes. Yeeeeaaaah. Chase is stuck and I can't pull him out. I'm fine though," Snowflake explained.
"Uh oh, is he ok?" Ryer asked.
"Yes, Chase is okay. He's just stuck. Can you please help us?" Snowflake replied.
"Ok, sit tight, I'll be right there." Ryder decided, then they both hung up together. Rolling out a little farther, he stood up and set his wrench aside. And as he tucked his pup-pad away in his pocket, he began making his way to his waiting ATV.
"Ryder? Where are you going?" Rocky's voice asked, making his stop and turn around, even as his hands remained poised on the seat of his vehicle. "Do you need something?"
"No, Chase got a little stuck and Snowflake called asking if I can come help him get unstuck." the boy responded.
"But,.. don't you need some backup for that?" Skye wondered, while others among her displayed various looks of confusion and potential concern.
"Nope, I got it. It should be pretty easy." Ryder replied. "But I'll call if I need some extra paws."
"Ok,.." Skye replied.
"Bye.." Rocky sighed, as the boy started up the engine and drove away, leaving them all to wonder on this further.
xxxx
"Okay, Ryder must be on his way. I'll just stay here so you don't get lost," Snowflake said as she ended the call, facing Chase.
"Ih,.. where could I possibly go?" Chase wondered, somewhat dryly. "Isn't that why we called for backup?"
"Yes! But if you sink into the sea of foam cubes, how will Ryder and I know where you are? I'm not going to let you get lost in the play area before our bonding day is over!" Snowflake retorted sympathetically.
"Ok,.. you can spot me,.." Chase sighed. "But I don't know how much good it'll do,.. since this pit isn't that big."
"Well you can't exactly escape either," Snowflake pointed out.
"Well, true.. but.." Chase trailed off, but realized he didn't have anything to counter her statement.
"Hmmmm. How about some music to pass the time?" the husky pup suggested.
Then, Snowflake began to sing..
"Two pups chatting in a foam pit.. One pup stuck up to his nose. Singing songs, just two friends.. will find it hard to get out! But when Ryder's on his way.. they'll soon be free to play. And my buddy Chase will smile, having the time of his life.." Snowflake sang in a loud but calm voice.
"Uugggh!" Chase groaned, seeing as how there was nothing else he could do.
Snowflake blinked in confusion.
"I'm not that bad a singer, am I?"
And all Chase could do was sigh.
xxxx
Ryder came up the stairs of the landing platform overlooking the trampoline field and searched around for a moment.
"Snowflake!" he called.
"Ryder? Ryder?" Snowflake called out.
Eventually she saw the boy coming over to them from the trampoline field. And watched him climb the three steps up to the second landing where they were and arrived by the pit.
"Ok, Snowflake, let's get Chase out of there." Ryder said, beginning to kneel beside the pit.
Peering down he couldn't quite see much of anything, other than the cubes, which were supposed to be there.
"Where did he fall at?" Ryder wondered softly. "Chase?"
xxxx
After the soft mumbling, sort of muffled by all the foam, the voice that called his name was immediately recognizable.
"Ryder?!" Chase gasped. And hearing him, Ryder shifted over to find him towards the right hand corner of the first pit.
"Don't worry, we'll get you out." The boy said.
"Um,.. I really am ok,.." Chase said. "You didn't have to come all this way for this,.. I thought maybe I'd just hang out down here. Maybe even get Snowflake to get the jump rope to pull me out."
"It's ok, Chase." Ryder smiled. "And anyway the jump rope probably wouldn't hold you." Laying face down on his chest so his body was just barely hanging off the edge of the pit, as he reached one hand down and held a grip on the edge with the opposite elbow.
"-ih, come on." Ryder beckoned. Then with a sigh, Chase reached up to get to Ryder's hand. And he didn't realize he'd reached with the wrong paw until it was too late.
Ryder took Chase's right paw with his left hand and pulled, making them both grunt and possibly groan. And once he was close enough, he shifted onto his knees and slightly groaned again.
"Ih,.. I'm gonna lose him, Snowflake can you reach him to lend me a paw?" Ryder asked.
"Sure Ryder. I got him under you. You lift and I push," Snowflake said before carefully crawling under Chase's back mid section so she would be between his chest and belly. "Okay, lift!"
And with her help, he was able to wrap his right arm around the pup's back and under his opposite shoulder. Chase felt the strain on him from this and instinctively did his best to help them lift him up and set him down again. Then shook himself loose once Ryder released him.
"There,.. back in action.." Ryder smiled, nodding his satisfaction; even though his hand held his chest briefly.
"Thank you. I tried to pull him out, but he wouldn't budge. Now we can continue our bonding time," Snowflake said happily.
"Me?! I was stuck!" Chase returned, oddly defensive,.. but not as strongly as you would think.
"I know, Chase! I meant I tried to get you unstuck, but couldn't!" Snowflake retorted.
"Well,.. at least now you can continue with whatever you were doing before,.." Ryder said, placing his free hand on his hip as he stood up again.
"Actually,.." Chase broke in, turning to Snowflake. "Isn't there somewhere else we wanted to be?"
Snowflake looked surprised by Chase's response.
"Yes. We were going to go hang out with Jake and Everest. I was.. just about to suggest that," Snowflake said, still confused.
Can he read my mind? the husky thought to herself.
"Ok." Ryder shrugged. "Have fun."
"Bye Ryder.." Chase said, softly as he watched him leave.
Man, could that have been any more EMBARRASSING! He groaned internally.
"Come on, Chase! Let's go see Jake and Everest!" Snowflake said before running towards the gym doors.
"Um,.. ok?" Chase responded, but hesitated a moment before following her.
Is Chase okay? Snowflake wondered, before heading towards the left side of the gym where they'd entered before.
"Um, where are you going?" Chase wondered,.. "We gotta head back towards the trampolines to get out of here?" and he nodded his head back over his left shoulder as he said this.
"I thought we came in through the open square? Didn't Ryder come up a ladder?" Snowflake questioned.
"Um.. no.. he came up the normal way.." Chase guessed in confusion. "There are no ladders to get places in here.."
"What's so bad about walking through the square?" Snowflake asked.
"Well.. nothing, just that.. the doors we're looking for are this way." Chase replied, nodding his head again in the same way and even stepping a paw in that direction.
"How on earth did you and Chess not get lost in the rooms? This place is a maze of fun with little direction," Snowflake said, still confused by the room's design.
"Well,.. there are plenty of sight lines with the open floor plan.." Chase reasoned.. "Especially from up here.. and from the cargo net on the wall next to the foam cube pits.."
"Right," Snowflake said, as she looked around.
"So, Jake and Everest now?"
Chase however seemed lost in a daze. Though very subtle, he still seemed otherwise engaged and quite devoid of what she'd just said.
"Chaaaaaasssse? Hello?" Snowflake said before going back over to the German Shepherd.
"Knock knock! Anybody home?" Snowflake asked, gently knocking Chase's head with her right front paw.
"Oof.. what?" Chase protested, easing away from her touch while placing a paw up onto his head as a result of the knocking..
"We're going to Jake and Everest's place. Right?" Snowflake reminded him.
"Yes,.. right.." Chase replied.. letting his gaze drop with the focused shake of his head. "Let's go,.." he said, leading the way out of the building.
xxxx
Soon, the two pups were heading towards the cabin where Jake and Everest lived. Upon reaching their destination, Snowflake stopped, parked, then jumped out of her vehicle.
"Jake? Everest? Chase and I are here!" Snowflake called out.
"Where are they?" Chase wondered out loud. Then glancing at the cabin, he looked back at the husky.
"Looks like as good a place as any to start looking." He said, shrugging.
"Sure," Snowflake said, before she started looking.
"I don't know why they didn't answer when I called out. Hello?" Snowflake commented, as they walked to the cabin. Upon reaching the door, she knocked.
No answer.
Then the two pups took a glance at one another.
Pushing the door open, the two pups entered, the German Shepherd after the Husky, and peered around the dark room till they suddenly flicked on and two figures popped up shouting..
"Surprise!"
"Ahh!" The two pups gasped, as Snowflake jumped right back into Chase; bumping him on the right shoulder.. right where it hurt!
"Anh!" He groaned softly, restraining himself, though having seen this coming and backed off a little made it easier and less painful.
"Jake? Everest? What are you doing? This wasn't part of the plan," Snowflake said, now confused as to what on earth was going on.
"Oh well we thought since this whole plan off yours was a big, fun surprise, we thought we'd put a little surprise in it for you." Jake explained, exchanging glances with his husky buddy while in mid-sentence.
"Well it worked," Chase breathed, sighing this as a result of the relief. "You about gave us half a heart attack."
"Yes! Not that we don't appreciate the surprise, but we're supposed to relax and have fun; not be scared out of our fur!" Snowflake agreed.
"Ope.. sorry.. guess we went a little far with this." Jake apologized, as he and Everest came out from behind the couch, and shooting a glance at the mountain pup once again.
"Yeah.. I think we could have done something different that would have been a bit better." Everest agreed.
"So, what's the surprise about?" Snowflake said, still confused.
"Well,.. this right here.." Jake replied, shrugging to their two guests. "You guys, coming to hang out with us."
"How are we the surprise? I don't remember this part of the plan," Snowflake said, still confused.
"Well,.. more like you are the reason for the surprise." Jake rephrased himself. "Either way,.. it's good to see you guys.." Then he turned to the German Shepherd among them..
"Chase, you look like you're getting back together just great!" he commented grandly.
"Umm,.. thanks?" Chase replied, a little unsure of what he meant.
"Thanks. So what do you guys want to do?" Snowflake asked now that the group had calmed down.
"Um,.. sooo.. what're we actually here for?" Chase wondered, turning to Snowflake.
"To hang out and relax. Then we will go on a walk later," Snowflake explained before petting Chase on the head, and walking over to Everest.
"A walk?" Chase echoed. "Couldn't we have done that like.. anywhere in Adventure Bay? Like even in town? Or better yet Big View Trail.."
Snowflake blinked in shock and jumped back a little.
"How did you know we were going on Big View Trail?!" Snowflake exclaimed, nervous that Chase was aware of her plan.
"Uh,.. I didn't.." Chase replied, staring at her a little weird. "Why? Was I not suppose to guess?"
"I just didn't think you'd guess where we would go. It's like you read my mind or something!" Snowflake replied casually, though her face bore a look of nervousness.
Oh no! No! No! No! Oh my gosh! Does Chase know the rest of my plan?! Did someone spill the beans?! Oooooh this isn't good! the husky screamed in her head.
"Uh, not really, you're just sticking to some really simple guns with this whole thing here,.." Chase replied simply, maintaining an odd look of confusion. "I still don't quite get why we're coming all the way up here for that?"
Why is she making a big deal outta this?! He internally thought.
"Guns?! What simple guns?! I never said that!" Snowflake retorted quickly. "And I just thought it would be nice to relax with friends."
"Woah, woah, ok easy.. Sheesh.. You sound like a crazy pup!.. Calm down!" Chase coaxed. But inside he was thinking..
WHAT IS HER PROBLEM!?
"Uhh,.. do we wanna get to some 'relaxing' now?" Jake suggested. "Doesn't sound like Chase is the only one who needs it.."
Snowflake's ears folded back and her eyes quickly got watery. This was NOT what she had in mind, and now Chase may have just ruined everything.
"BECAUSE I HAVE A PLAN FOR US TO BOND! AND PART OF THAT PLAN WAS TO RELAX. TAKE A BREATHER FROM ALL THE ACTIVITIES WE'VE DONE! BUT IF YOU'VE ALREADY FIGURED IT OUT, THEN IT'S NOT SPECIAL ANYMORE! IF THAT'S THE CASE, THEN WE MIGHT AS WELL JUST GO HOME!" Snowflake exclaimed, practically shouting and crying at the same time as tears started to roll down her face. Snowflake turned away from Chase and whined.. hard.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!" Chase cried, not sure what he did at all.
"Woah, woah, woah, easy you two.. relax.." Jake soothed, starting with a loud voice and gradually lowering it as he went. "Let's all roast some marshmallows by the fire outside and drink some warm milk.."
There was a moment of silence before Snowflake sighed.
"Okay. That sounds good.." she said, trying to calm down. Though in her head she was scared, upset, and confused.
xxxx
Opening a cabinet on his own level, it only took a second of looking to find what he was searching for.
"I found the marshmallows." Chase announced to Jake, who stood at the stove warming the milk and hot chocolates.
"So what was that all about?" The young man asked curiously, as the German Shepherd dragged the bag out. And setting it up next to him, he instantly got it to lean against himself as he sat there.
"I don't know." The pup shrugged finally. "Your guess is as good as mine.. She totally freaked out. And for no reason I might add."
"Sure sounded like there was a reason for her.." Jake reasoned.
"Yeah, but what?" Chase wondered, moving something to find the extra bowls in another low cabinet. "What did I do? I mean I don't want her to think I don't wanna be here.. cause.. I do.. it's just.."
"Do you really wanna be here?" Jake lightly quizzed.
"I do.." the German Shepherd emphasized looking up at him.. "It's just that.. I don't know, she's been acting a little weird lately.. in fact.. the whole TEAM has been.."
"I think it sounds like you were acting weird first." Jake commented, making Chase snap back up to him again.
"Me?!" He said, beginning to wonder again.
How does HE know?! His thoughts gasped.
"Well.. that's why you're here, right?" Jake replied easily in his normal laid back tone. "To relax and get to know some of your pals a little better?"
"That must be they're idea for us being here.." Chase sighed.
"Then maybe, if you really wanna be here, you should stop worrying about whatever it is you're worried about, and show them.." Jake suggested.. beginning to make the pup think again..
Hey you guys! Got another chapter for ya! Some fun and interesting events we got here.. And quite the adventure to continue! Can't wait to hear your thoughts! And we'll see you next time! Thx!