Despite his days almost always being dull episodes of self-loathing and shame, Rocky couldn't help but have a bounce in his step as he walked down the sidewalk. The slow drag of his usual gloom was barely felt as sunshine glowed in his body, printing a wide smile on his face as the color returned to the world around him. He pranced his way down the street, more than happy to escape the fortress that was The Lookout. On any other day he would've hated walking out into the light, but now something more important than his own mind was waiting for him.
Turning a corner into an alleyway, paying no mind to the fearful sights of clumped fur and overturned trash cans, Rocky honed on in his brother's smell.
"There you are!" The small mix jumped over a cardboard box into the dark clearing, approaching his family with a wagging tail. His new collar shone like a bright medallion, bringing new colorful life back into his fur.
The shadow of a larger dog stirred in the darkness, and a chuckling sound emitted from it as the animal stood up. "Welcome to my domain, Rocks." Dakota greeted him with a tilt of the head.
"Being surrounded by trash isn't much of a home," Rocky said, looking around as he took in the hot, putrid smells around him.
His brother gave a lighthearted shrug, "I guess some of us don't really have a lot. Hey, you hungry?"
The thought of food made Rocky buzz with excitement, "oh I'm starving! Something besides dry kibble, preferably."
"Other than kibble, eh?" Dakota grinned, walking out into the light. "I get all of my food from the local supermarket."
The thought of a dog shopping alongside people brought a twist of confusion to Rocky's face, and he tilted his head with a humored expression. "You buy stuff? With the humans?"
"Buy? Oh no no no." The larger dog waved off, "you just wait until no one's looking, then you take it." He nodded eagerly, also getting giddy from excitement. "And if you just eat it right then and there, no one will ever know you had it."
Rocky softly recoiled, staring with wide eyes, "but, isn't that stealing?"
"Honestly?" Dakota looked off for a moment, then turned back to his little brother with a wide smile. "Fuck 'em."
Trying to act surprised, Rocky glanced to the right for a moment, then held up his paw to say something when he was suddenly interrupted by a fit of laughter. Nearly suffocating himself with his own laughs, he rolled around in the dirt while his older brother spectated his giggle fit.
"Yeah, really." Dakota tried to say without laughing, his face brightly smiling. "Screw them to hell and back, if they don't care about us, then why should we them?" He hopped over to his brother and picked him up, scooping Rocky onto his back. "Come on, let's go have some fun."
And that was the story of how Rocky and Dakota found themselves walking through the Adventure Bay supermarket, stifling their laughter and trying to act natural. They could barely look at each other without nearly exploding into giggles, having to force their gazes away onto random objects to keep their composure. They lurked as a duo, keeping their snickering heads low as each passerby looked at them in confusion.
"Dude, dude," Dakota forced himself to look at a wall of notebooks, his face aching as it was nearly about to burst. Quivering with excitement, he frantically waved at his brother, "dude an employee is coming, act-" a snort escaped him, cutting off his sentence. "Just act natural."
Jumping into action so quickly his paws slipped on the floor, Rocky nearly lost himself in a laughing fit as he threw himself at the closest thing he could find: A wall of packaged cheeses. Snickering uncontrollably, he glued his gaze onto a box of mozzarella, pretending to be focused as an employee of the store rounded the corner. He walked between them, passing them by with a face of exhaustion before disappearing in another aisle.
"Where'd he go?" Rocky said quickly, tears streaming down his face from holding his giggles in.
Dakota snuck a look, "pasta aisle."
"Let's roll."
Abandoning their disguised positions, both dogs sped off further in the opposite direction. Passing by the aisles, they emerged in the meat department, a large open area where ham, chicken, turkey, beef, and other various meats were all up for display. Rocky flattened himself against the countertop that acted as the divider for the butchers area, using his small size as the advantage. Dakota didn't have such an ability, and instead pretended to aimlessly shop around, looking at a display case of school supplies yet still staying nearby.
A large wooden pallet was in the middle of the floor, holding a massive tower of small Tupperware containers. There must've been a hundred of them, all neatly stacked in a large structure so people could come along and pick one off to buy. For such an orderly display, Dakota noticed right away it was awfully flimsy.
As the puppy snuck along beneath the countertop, he found himself before a small display stand of chip bags. Rocky was never one to enjoy very many flavors of chips, and right away the wide selection of baked barbecue flavors didn't appeal to him. Before he could pass it up, he stopped in place, and a mischievous smirk spread across his face. "Hey, Dakota!" He silently called across the area, and his brother looked over at him. "Watch this," the puppy snickered, then gripped a bag in his paws, crushing the chips inside it into dust.
"Ugh," Dakota flattened his ears, genuinely taken aback by the audacity, "dude… why?"
"Because fuck 'em, that's why." Rocky grinned, taking the time to crush each and every bag, rendering the delicious chips inside them nothing but piles of crumbs. Placing the bags back into the display and giving them an affectionate pat, Rocky was overwhelmed with the orgasmic feeling of pettiness.
Soon they set their sights on their target, a man was standing a few feet away at a serving table, cutting a massive hand to make free samples for customers. He suspected nothing, humming as he peered through his glasses. He chopped a large knife into the bright pink, shining ham, carving out pieces. Neither Rocky nor Dakota had to make any kind of communication with one another to understand the target had now been acquired.
Rocky narrowed his eyes, determination pushing his step. He held out his paw and licked it, then ran it over his head to slick his fur back dramatically. "Show time," he grinned, starting to stalk his way over to the man like a shark. His older brother watched his every move from afar, grinning in anticipation and putting a paw over his mouth in disbelief. His heartbeat quickening every foot closer Rocky got to the man, and Dakota knew this was going to be insane.
The man was so focused on carving the ham that he didn't see the puppy creeping up to his display stand. "Um… excuse me," Rocky piped up, making himself look smaller.
Looking up in surprise, the old man glanced around in confusion, stopping mid-cut into the meat. Adjusting his glasses as he peered around, Rocky gave a small bark to get his attention again.
"Oh, hello," the man looked down, his face softening at the sight of the puppy. "Are you lost?"
Shuffling his paws, Rocky snuck a quick look off to his right where Dakota was sneaking his way around the man, moving behind him. "I think so?" He muttered, making his voice shake a little, "I don't really have anywhere to go." He whimpered, looking up with big eyes.
"Awe, I'm so sorry," the man stepped away from the sample counter, and Dakota quickly got a gleam in his eye. "But don't you have an owner?" He kneeled down to Rocky and looked at the dog's neck, "you're wearing a collar."
For a split-second Rocky jolted, remembering his new accessory that hung off his neck. A collar was the very symbol of having a home, it was no wonder Rocky went so long without one being in the Paw Patrol. Keeping his composure, he swapped his story on the dime. "Well yes, but my owner… walked out on me." He whimpered, turning away slightly. "I'm lost and I don't know what to do."
His face sympathetic, the old man stood up, and Dakota halted in his step and quickly backed up. "Well, I can't really do anything from here, little one." He said apologetically, "but let me talk to my manager, I'm sure there's somewhere warm we can keep you."
"You'd do that?" Rocky perked up, "thank you, that really means a lot."
"Of course, I'd never miss the chance to help a lost puppy."
"I'll just…" the small mix glanced around briefly, "I'll just stay right here."
The man nodded and began walking off, before looking over his shoulder, "alright, I'll be right back!"
Rocky's heart was pounding out of his chest as the man slowly made his way around the corner, a moment that felt like hours. The mix stared him down as he walked, making absolutely sure he was gone before making his next move. The employee finally disappeared through some swinging double doors, vanishing out of sight. His heartbeat nearly on the verge of exploding, Rocky locked eyes with Dakota, who was eagerly nodding at him.
"Run!" Dakota ordered, springing into action. In a single jump, he snatched the massive ham off the table in his teeth, the delectable chunk of meat now in their possession. But the jump was miscalculated, and the larger dog clipped the table as he grabbed the food.
Seeing the impending crash, Rocky jumped out of the way. "Wahh!" The serving table collapsed like a falling fortress, slamming into the ground and flinging chunks of ham and little paper cups in all directions. The sound of the impact was like a fired gun, booming in the air and making Rocky flinch as he instinctively dove away with his paws on his head.
Staring at the overturned mess, Dakota's eyes widened, "shit dude, run!"
Rocky's legs went on autopilot, scrambling like a frightened rat on the slippery floor. "Running!" He yelled, panic surging in his veins and supercharging his movements. When his paws finally caught traction, the puppy sped off like a race car, springing across the tile floor. "Dakota?!" He looked to the side, frantically looking for his brother without slowing down.
At that moment, Rocky crashed head-on into the massive display of Tupperware containers. Smashing into the side like a car hitting a tree, the impact caused an explosion of plastic boxes, sending them flying in anywhere one could look. The whole display came down, crumbling into a pile of plastic mess that some poor minimum wage employee would have to clean and fix up. Tupperware had scattered as far as an eye can see, tumbling under other displays and sliding under aisles for customers to trip on.
Dakota had already made it back to the entrance, only to turn and realize in horror that his little brother wasn't with him. He shouted from across the store, in his panic he forgot they were supposed to be quiet. "Rocks! Hold on!" He swung his head and chucked the ham through the windowed doors, smashing it through the glass and making little shards spray across the floor. Turning back to race into enemy lines, Dakota prayed the broken glass would slow everyone else down as he ran to rescue his sibling. Customers and employees were starting to look over at the commotion, coming over to respond to the mess, they had little time. Sprinting across the floor, Dakota darted around shopping carts and jumped over a display as adrenaline put his blood on overdrive.
Meanwhile, on the dirty, Tupperware-covered floor, Rocky was flailing like a fish out of water. His panic caused even more destruction, his legs and arms kicking the containers even farther than they had fallen the first time.
An aged employee rounded the corner, a young man with unyielding exhaustion darkening his face. He stopped in shock, gaping at the frantic puppy. "What the hell?!"
A large mixed breed suddenly shot out from under his legs, tripping the man and violently throwing him to the floor. "On your paws, Rocks!" Dakota barked, "we are getting the fuck out of here!" Racing over to where his brother had fallen, he dipped his head and grabbed Rocky in his teeth, holding him by his scruff.
Rocky was so overwhelmed, the only thing that could leave his mouth was screaming."Aaaaahhhh!"
Whipping around, Dakota pushed into a final sprint, heading for the exit as he tried to not trip over a sea of plastic landmines that littered the floor. "Just hold on-" He tried to say, before stumbling over a Tupperware container and violently crashing into a display stand of bread and olive oil. "Hhmmph!" Dakota staggered in his step, trying not to drop his brother as bottles of priceless olive oil smashed to the floor. As green, shining puddles of goo spilled out and already began staining the floor, Dakota abandoned all direction as he flung himself to the doors.
He clipped countless display stands as he ran, chip bags tumbling to the floor, families of people getting knocked aside as he passed them, a cart of plastic bags crashed into and exploding them into the wind. They whipped by the cash registers, a uniformed man diving out of their way and crashing into a claw machine game. Rocky and Dakota flinched as they charged through the hole in the glass that the ham had made. Only he had once again poorly coordinated the jump, and slammed his body into the metal push-handle that made the middle of the door.
The collision was so intense the front doors were ripped from the hinges, flinging broken metal filling into the street. Glass shards sprayed in all directions, attacking the eyes of the customers and employees as they fled the area. The door, now a dislodged metal frame, depressingly collapsed into the street, crumbling into bent metal and broken dreams.
Skidding to a halt as they reached the sidewalk, Rocky was dropped from his brother's teeth, hitting the pavement as adrenaline rushed over him. "Aaahh!" He screamed, "where are we going?!"
"Just run! I'll get the ham!" Dakota said, darting his gaze all around as he searched for the food.
Running as far as his legs would take him, Rocky charged with a flattened body nearly all the way across Adventure Bay. He didn't stop moving even after he fully left the town, veering over the street and onto the grass. His lungs pounding as he ran, he didn't even glance behind him until he knew he was finally safe. Slowing down, he came to stop as his paws met sand, and the sounds of rushing water gently filled his ears.
His was overcome in a coughing fit, heaving air as his lungs struggled to adapt to the explosive movement he had gone through. Puffing his chest repeatedly as he struggled to slow down his breathing, Rocky put a paw over his heart as if the gesture itself would slow it.
"Huff… huff," he breathed roughly, his body finally calming down. "That… was intense." Taking a final deep breath, he lowered himself onto his stomach to rest, and glanced around his surroundings. Taking a look at the clean sand, rushing ocean water, an intriguing thought came to him: This was the beach he and Chase cleaned up together.
Slightly twisting his face, Rocky wanted to spit the name, but deep down his heart felt the pain of longing. Clenching his paws into the sand, he tried baring his teeth, manipulating his own mind to become angry. It was hopeless, and his forced rage quickly deflated as the shepherd's name danced in his head. "Chase."
"Who?" Dakota jogged up behind him, making Rocky jump in surprise. He carried the ham in his teeth, the prize had been successfully retrieved.
"Ah!" The smaller dog jumped, turning to face him, although relaxed at the familiar face. "It's… no one. No one at all," he said, looking away.
"Alright then, here's lunch." The ham was dropped at their paws, coming to a rest in the sand. Even after the supermarket heist, the meat still shined pink and juicy. There wasn't even a single shard of glass stuck in it, after it had been flung through the door.
The smaller dog looked up at this brother. "We really did all that for a single ham?"
"Why not?" Dakota said with a smile, "screw those people. You see, Rocks," he laid down on his stomach, "this is what it means to be a stray." Giving the ham a gentle push to his brother, Rocky's eyes widened at the food, his mouth already watering as the smell entered his nose.
"If you're bound to an owner, you're confined to a yard, or a house, or sometimes both." He spoke with an educative tone, seizing the moment to prove a point. "Sometimes they strap you a to a doghouse in the backyard and just… leave you there. That's not what strays do," Dakota grinned, looking into his brother's eyes, "strays go wherever they please, doing whatever they want. They aren't bound by rules and leashes, and you never have to take a bath."
That last part touched close to home for Rocky, his phobia for water always lurking within him. To be free of ever touching it again made him tilt his head in intrigue.
"And it's even more so given our breeds," Dakota pressed. "We're mixes, Rocks. Dogs like us are never adopted, never rescued, never even looked up when flashy, attractive purebreds steal our show."
A new wave of information washed into Rocky, and he felt his world turn upside down. "No one else in the Paw Patrol is a mix." He narrowed his eyes, although still glancing at the ham. "I'm the only one, and they all cast me away."
"Then let this be your freeing moment." Dakota said with an endearing voice. "Eat the ham, Rocks. Eat the ham that we stole, broke into the store for and left a mess for them to deal with. Because that is what they deserve," he tapped his claws in the sand, looking up at the sky as malice dripped from his face. "It's what they all deserve."
Not having to be told twice, Rocky jumped forward and mercilessly attacked the ham, enjoying the first generous meal he had in months. With each snarling bite, he felt freedom break his bonds, opening his eyes to a new world in front of him. As his stomach filled, he silently gave thanks for being reunited with his brother, the only dog in the world to truly carry him away from his darkness.