Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Marching Orders. Enjoy the 5300-word chapter. I do not own Patrol; Nick and a few others do.
Duke could not at all feel his head. The painkillers in his head before he looked downwards at the ground.
He had a concussion or at least still the part of it. His body was somewhat thrown off when it came to rest, soldiers of BOW WOW did not rest.
Granted? He had been too distracted as he paused to relax once more. He had been distracted for now.
The Great Dane pup made his way back to the main deck. The waves of water which slowly started to be pooling around the carrier did not make him feel better.
It brought up a horrid memory, one of him gasping for breath during training when he had leaped into the water.
Duke hummed and then cracked his fingers and then paused to climb the stairs and looked up at the moon once more as he hummed to think of it.
Something about it all had been too much for now and it was odd when it came down to it. He hummed before he noticed he was not alone.
"Back up?" Skye asked as Duke hummed.
"Uh… Yeah, couldn't sleep." Duke stated before he hummed and then relaxed. "You good? I know my military training can rub people the wrong way." Duke stated before he seemed to be dealt with for now.
Duke hummed and then thought of what was dealing with for now. Skye hummed and then relaxed for a few seconds and she paused as Duke climbed to the part of the flight deck.
"Ever fly a jet?" Skye asked as Duke hummed.
"No… That would be my friend Slipstream… B.O.W. W.O.W. did not exactly train the army soldiers to drive. People do not all expect dogs to drive." Duke stated before he sighed and then paused and relaxed.
"You miss BOW-WOW?" Duke heard as he sat next to Skye.
"Yeah, and n-no… The army gave me a home, and I was happy… But being happy and being a good soldier when it came down to it." Duke stated and then thought of what was going on before now.
She hummed and then thought of it all. She looked at her before she relaxed to pause and thought of it… Skye hummed and then thought of it all as the two dogs looked at each other.
Skye relaxed once more and then dealt with it for now she cracked her paws, smiled as she paused, and then looked to the sky.
"Are you ok?" Duke hummed and then looked to the side once more.
They were curious as to how this was to be done now and for a good reason… Anything they could have perpetuated for now.
Duke seemed to be dealing with it for now, something about it all had been too disturbed once more and they had been too disturbed.
She had been bored and it had been too disturbed at the end of the day. Skye seemed to be tired once more and then relaxed once more.
They had a lot of ideas when it came down to it… She and he had been too much for now… They had a lot more to deal with.
Skye seemed to be dealt with as she paused and then thought of what was going on.
Skye seemed to be tired as well and then thought of what was going to be done and dusted. She looked at Duke, pausing to think of what had occurred for now.
Something about it all had been odd now and for a good reason.
"Are you ok?" Skye stated before she looked upwards at the stars and then hummed.
"We have a lot more to deal with outside of Zero to be fair… I am not used to being part of a team." Duke stated before he looked to the side.
Something about it all had been too much. Skye looked at Duke before he cracked a smile and then looked upwards and into the sky.
"I have something else to think about… Like what I am going to do now." Duke said as he rubbed at his eyes and then thought of the future now.
She hummed and then thought of what was occurring now and for a good reason. She had been too distracted, an idea which had been thrown to the side.
She and Duke scratched at their necks, both dogs did not at all know what was going on.
Skye hummed and then rubbed at her neck, tired and then she relaxed once more and paused.
Something about it all had been too much to deal with it all now… She had been too distracted as she paused to think of it.
She hummed and then thought of what was going on before she relaxed.
She paused to think of what was occurring for now and for a good reason. She knew that Duke was scared, unsure of what was going on inside his mind… Something about this all had been too odd now.
Skye seemed paused to deal with the madness for now … Something about it all had been more and more amusing for now.
"Tired?" Duke heard as he shook his head.
"No, just a bit exhausted. No… I am not as tired as I thought I would be, Skye… Head still feels bad, something rung my bell bad." Duke stated before he sighed to himself. "Why? Are you tired? Been a long 2 days." Duke stated before he sighed.
"Nope," Skye said as Duke hummed and then rubbed at her eyes. "Nope, I can't say I am tired… Paw Patrol lets you do a lot of action." Skye stated before she hummed and then relaxed.
She knew what else was going on when it came down to it. Both were just existing now.
Skye rubbed at her head before she leaned backward. The flight deck was her new home, her jet was repaired and fixed up properly and it was ready to go now, and yet? She had not flown it for a while yet.
Skye relaxed for now, closing her eyes, and then paused. She had felt something odd as she thought of what the others were doing.
"You know… I do not care if Paw Patrol is not military… Just surprised they are so… Super." Duke said before he scratched the nape of his neck again. "But I am not used to being such a team player… I had teammates, not…" Duke said before the words slowly started to leave his throat.
"Family?" Skye asked as Duke hummed.
"Yeah… Family." Duke said as if the word itself was foreign to him.
He had been too distracted now, too far beyond the chaos now. He knew how he felt and he felt… Off. Part of him felt as if they had poured gasoline inside him and lit up a match.
Duke? Duke was curious as to what it would have been like if he had not fallen off the truck, how it would not have been that weird now.
Skye seemed to be dealt with as Duke hummed and then relaxed to deal with for now as she paused to try and think of what was going on before she relaxed to be over it.
Skye seemed to be dealt with for now, an idea which she had been too distracted at the time.
She looked over at Duke, Duke rubbed at his nose and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and then paused to think of it all for now, something else once more at the time.
It would be horrible to believe it but even worse to deny it… Now? There was something else to deal with now and a good reason to relax about it.
Duke hummed and then sighed once more, he was bored, tired… Exhausted. The Great Dane was all too interested in it all for now.
Skye seemed to be dealt with for now and for a good reason, something about it all had been disturbed back and forth… So much had been done now at the time being, an idea like this was more chaotic now, and such ideas had been done to deal with it for now.
She was bored and tired at the time as he relaxed… Something about it all had been too much to deal with as he paused to think it for now and for a good reason… Something else to suffer through now.
Duke was tired, too thrown off at the end of this second. His ideas were too much for now… It was odder.
'She is a very…. Interesting dog… She drives me up a wall and I do not know how to deal with it for now.' Duke stated mentally before now.
He had no idea what she and the others were once more… He could have understood it for now. Now it was all had come down…. Something about it all had been too much to deal with.
Something within it all had been too much for now… Duke rubbed at his eyes, tired.
He sat in silence, oddly at peace or at least attempting to be at peace. Duke was never used to thinking very much like a soldier now, not in this sort of way when it had been done now at the time being.
He was tired now.
"Uh… Can I ask a kind of weird question?" Duke questioned before he looked to the side.
"Uh… Yeah?" Skye asked as Duke hummed.
"How… Do you deal with making f…. Fri." Duke started to say, the word on the tip of the Great Dane's tongue.
"Friends?" Skye asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Yes. Like I said? I am not used to normal things; military training trained me for things like fighting and finding criminals." Duke said before he sighed to himself. "Not regular stuff like talking to people without freezing up or trying to make buddies with others," Duke stated before he sighed to himself.
He was silent, all too interested at the end of the day before he sighed to himself once more.
"Is that why you are shaking?" Skye asked, looking at the fidgeting Great Dane.
"MMM…" Duke said, slowly tilting his head back and forth. "Correct. You are probably my first friend outside of my classmates. Teammates." Duke said, rubbing at his head, awkwardly scratching at his neck.
"Then why are you trusting me?" Skye asked as Duke hummed.
"Because you are nice? I fell out of a cat carrier face-first into the ground and you did not tease me until my head exploded. You and Ryder have been trying to help me… I cannot pretend I am not even 1% grateful." Duke stated, looking at the water.
"That and I want to make new friends but I figured the nicest-looking pup might know more than the pup who ate military dog food for 6 years," Duke stated before awkwardly smirking.
"Well, making jokes like that helps." Duke heard as Skye hummed. "How about we go on a tour around the Patroller? Maybe that will clear up our heads?" Skye stated as Duke shrugged.
"Sure… I cannot sleep anyway; my head still hurts from falling on my face. That? And I have dust in my nose from holding up a pillar." Duke stated, slowly following the flying cockapoo.
Duke hummed to himself and then thought of what was growing on his mind before he looked to the side.
This was just weird. He had a lot more to deal with… Something about it all had been impressing him now at the end of it all.
He had a lot more to try and think of what was occurring. Now? Now as a soldier? He had sworn an oath to protect people… A very good oath when it was all over, he was a proud soldier at the time.
Something about it all had been too distracted for now… He was all too much on his mind.
Duke seemed to walk towards the inside before following Skye, he walked as fast as he could.
"So… You have a fancy jet that turns into a helicopter. I am going to guess you trained yourself to pilot it?" Duke asked, passing by the jet that sat hooked to the ceiling.
"Kinda, Ryder helped," Skyee explained, flying around the cargo bay.
"Ok. Way more questions than answers," Duke stated before he looked to the side. "You got a lot of experience doing this? This ship looks a lot nicer than your other base which makes me think that Paw Patrol must have been around for a bit." Duke stated, tapping on his head.
"2… 3 or more years," Skye added, landing on the raised platform.
"How are you still a puppy? That is a lot of time…" Duke added before he hummed.
"I'm 9," Skye stated before Duke hummed, tilting his head.
"And I am 10… If I did not say it before? I might have said I was 8 before, but my head hurt so bad I could not think clearly… It is getting a little better at this." Duke said before he hummed.
"Didn't you say you were in the military?" Skye asked to which Duke nodded.
"For years… Yes, I have been busy training or being trained… It comes with being a soldier, and a group of pups were being trained for years… When I got bigger? They were supposed to send me into the military when it came down to it. I do not think they know what to do now." Duke stated, sighing to himself.
He watched as Skye and then looked to the side… She had not yet seemed to relax; it was more for both. He knew that she was an odd soldier at the time being what was going at the time being.
He was all too thrown off now and disturbed at the time being for now… He had a lot more to deal with for now and this all was throwing him chaos for now… Something about it all had made him laugh as he paused to deal with it all for now and always, such a thing was more chaotic.
He hummed, tapping on his head before he looked to the side. It would not end easily… Not when he wished it to have been harder to deal with for now.
It was harder to deal with for now and it would not help much to deal with for now at the end of it all now… They had a lot more to deal with.
Duke hummed and then sighed to himself, rubbing at his temples.
"So… How many rescues have you done? If this is anything like army training? Air support is very important to work… That and I have seen you outfly a military jet able to go Mach 6." Duke stated.
"Lost count…." Duke heard as Skye hummed.
"I doubt that…. Well, I do not believe it to be quite honest." Duke stated before he sighed to himself as he paused.
Duke hummed and cracked his fingers as he paused to think of his next move.
"So… How does it feel to have superpowers?" Duke asked, tilting his head to the side as he paused to think of every single little thing he could and would have had to do now at the end of the day.
"Cool, what about you and your… Laser eyes?" Skye asked as Duke paused and tapped on his eyes.
"Ok, I'm really worried about blasting things since I don't know exactly how they work but I do know I feel pretty strong," Duke stated, frowning. "I am still sorry if… I sound rude or cold, I do not get to talk to people. I usually just fade into the background when I am off mission." Duke added, pausing to yawn.
"It's ok to be scared, Duke," Skye said, flying down and landing right in front of the Great Dane.
"I am not scared, I am uncomfortable around people, I was trained for combat, not small talk. Military life trains us for things like fighting and helping people, not really on helping ourselves." Duke said, frowning as he leaned against a crate only for it to break under his power.
"That and I look strong enough to throw a car into the sky. They do not train you to use superpowers in the military, Skye." Duke added, frowning at the idea of something like this.
"There is also the fact you are terrible at lying because your eye twitches and you keep stomping your paw," Skye stated, walking closer.
"You were scared, you were scared when we found you locked up, you were scared about Otis and making friends with us… And you feared Zero and me and the others getting hurt… We all get scared, not admitting that does not make you tough." Skye added as Duke went to respond then thought better of it.
He knew more and more that she was trying to help. She was trying to help him… Not helping was simply not something Skye seemed capable of. He would not admit that he was happy she was pressing him because he was scared.
"You remind me of Atlas… I miss that meathead, training, and all. Ok, yes, I am scared to a degree." Duke said, watching Skye raise an eyebrow upon 'degree.'
"Zero is uncompromising and ruthless. If he went after Vance? He is planning something big and considering he has plenty of manpower already? A criminal with superpowers is NOT going to end well. Have you ever fought someone willing to DESTROY a city and attack innocent people to win? Because he can and WILL." Duke stated before shaking his head.
"Is that why he had bombs on the roads?" Skye asked as Duke frowned.
"Those are land mines. They use those types of mines to destroy TANKS, you step on one? You are not walking away." Duke added to himself for a moment as he winched, remembering how deadly the weapon was.
Skye frowned but said nothing. She was aware Zero was nothing like it had been for now. He was not Humdinger; Humdinger would not have tried to blow up buildings just to win.
He would not have tried to kill her easily; it was not part of Humdinger being himself.
Granted? He had crossed that line sometime soon; it had been too much to deal with for now. She had a lot more to think of besides just the bad guys trying to win.
She had a lot more left to deal with and it was clear Duke knew more than she did.
"What would Zero want with Vance, Duke?" Skye questioned to which Duke hummed.
"Power… Vance brought all these meteors, right? The crystal ones like where I got my laser eyes?" Duke asked before he turned. "You guys have superpowers. Zero believes if he takes care of you and Paw Patrol? The entire planet will take him seriously." Duke stated before he sighed to himself.
He knew the truth. He was all too focused on stopping Zero but he was not stupid. Zero would go after the meteors and the more he got? The more dangerous he would become.
"How are YOU holding up? He went after you and he knows you can fly now; he knows that you are dangerous and we must be dealt with to deal with getting more power." Duke stated, frowning to himself.
He was not eager to back down but he would also not admit something about it as he cracked his fingers.
He was a lot more to try and deal with it all as she paused to think of it all now.
Duke frowned to let Skye control the talk about it all coming… And go.
Now, he had plenty to deal with for now as he cracked his fingers and then sighed to himself and cracked.
He was silent and too distracted for now at the time as he sighed to think of it all now and then relaxed.
He was silent before he relaxed to himself as he sighed to himself. This back and forth was tiring to himself and he wanted to think.
This was a lot more to try to deal with for now… Something about it all had been a lot more to deal with for now.
He had a lot more to understand it for now… He had a lot more to deal with for now at the time as he hummed.
All of this was bothersome, all of it hurt and they had nothing short of a miracle left to deal with and something else resembling chaos for now.
It was not yet something he wished to deal with… Not yet and not before it all went to chaos now and until the end of every little thing when all of it was decided now. Had to end sometime and sometime soon when it came down to it.
Duke was silent for now at the end of the day for a few moments, tapping his paws on the ground before he cracked a small smile.
"On with the tour?" Duke asked before he hummed to himself. "I feel like kicking myself for all the times I keep repeating myself again and again," Duke added, walking around.
The two dogs slowly walked the length of the hanger. Duke knew more and more that he had better things to occupy his mind than simply Zero. Now? Now the young pup felt more and more interested in trying to make friends and put his mind at ease.
And he was tired of dealing with doubt for one day. He was all too much now at the end of the day. Something about it all was bothering him now and always.
Duke cleared his throat, followed Skye, and tried his best not to clam up. He knew he was shy and almost eager to burst into flames if he had been embarrassed now.
"So… You can fly AND can lift cars as well, were the powers randomized, or were they based on something like that?" Duke asked, tapping on his eyes. "I do not know why I got laser eyes and super strength… Not that I am complaining, these powers are cool and useful." Duke stated before Skye hummed.
"Chase and Rocky think they're based on our personalities," Skye stated as Duke hummed.
"So, you are really energetic and emotionally strong?" Duke asked, watching as Skye shyly looked to the ground.
"I guess," Skye stated to which she paused. "You seem pretty strong when it came to helping," Skye stated as the Great Dane shrugged.
Duke hummed, smiling at the compliment and he knew that he had been trying his best. Sure, he knew he was not the best-skilled warrior when it came to teamwork yet.
Something about it all made him eager to prove that theory right.
"Like I said? I do want to pitch in… If I am going to be a teammate. I am going to try." Duke said before he blinked. "Skye? Why is there a hole in the wall?" Duke asked to which Skye sheepishly grinned.
'I forgot we haven't gotten the Patroller fixed up since we have been too busy fixing up the city.' Skye thought as she turned and then thought of the fact that Ryder had a lot more work to deal with.
She was curious, unsure of what was going on. She knew with Vance returning? They were going to be busy more often and it was too much to hope this could be wrapped up anytime soon.
Skye questioned so much that she almost slammed into the wall only for Duke to push her away before she slammed face-first into a crate.
"Are you ok?" Skye seemed to hear as she paused physically. "Skye?" Duke questioned before she paused mentally.
Skye was silent as she thought for a moment, silent as she pondered it now and always would.
She had a lot more to question, and both did for the end of it all. They both eagerly thought of it and would continue to think of it all now… With everything yet to come. Now and always? He had been too distracted.
Skye was silent and she paused to try and think of what was growing through her next mission at the end of it.
She had a lot more ready to end it.
(Miles away)
"You told me you could get more crystals." Zero hissed from his command chair.
"And you promised me something like a crystal… You snagged half from one of the meteors and you think you are a big dog?" Vance snarked.
Zero growled but the dog said nothing, he was silent. He knew that if he played nice? He could get what he wanted, something that he was willing to do.
"And? You act like I cannot get more… You asked me to distract Paw Patrol, I did so. Including that mutt… Duke. You promised more power." Zero added, sighing.
"I also promised that I would be able to get more if you got me another magnet… Which you did not get." Vance snarked again, turning around.
Something about this plan made her realize Zero was crazy… But then again? So was she in a way, she supposed.
It was clear to every single lesson now… Now? They had plenty left to uncover.
"I told you to take care of that fuzzball that can fly… She is more trouble than she is worth." Vance said as Zero frowned.
"Paw Patrol does not even know where I am… You should know that we have a lot more left to do and they? They do not even know where to start." Zero stated, crossing his arms.
"Yeah, kid. You know more than I do when it comes to them…" Vance stated as Zero growled.
"You focus on dealing with the crystals, I will focus on conquest, Professor…" Zero stated before he frowned.
There was so much left to deal with for now. He knew blasted well he could not gain more power without Vance so for now? He would tolerate it all for now.
It was a lot more to try and think of now… This was more to deal with than before.
Something within them both would not resist revenge. Zero decided he would focus on seeing what Paw Patrol did, then he would strike.
He had to strike pain into them, an idea that bothered him. This was almost the end of such a thing.
He had a lot left to do now and he would not be stopped for now at the time being.
All of it was going to crash and burn, he had a lot more to deal with as she paused to think of it all and she had a lot more to try and think of it all.
She had a lot more left to offer them all when it came down to it all now and always.
Vance still pulsed with anger all the well, she knew there was work to do.
But she would make certain Skye PAID for what had occurred to her, she would be owed something for now at the time being as she relaxed for now.
They had a lot more to understand but revenge had to be secured for now at the time being, she had been too thrown off when it came down to it.
She was curious as to how Skye would fight, there were a lot of problems in getting revenge but she? She would not allow such chaos to stop her.
(With Duke and Skye)
Duke followed as best he could. There was beginning to feel like a time he would trip over his own two pawls now, he was tired and thrown off, too bored and divided by something like this.
Still? He followed, it felt more like a soldier than anything else. They had been through the chaos.
She had no idea as to thinking for now. They had a lot more to discuss now at the time.
"So… I got picked off the truck, how did you join Paw Patrol?" Duke questioned before he sighed to himself.
The idea of it was something that he could not have dealt with easily. He was curious and it drove him further than he wished to be dealing with.
"Long story, the others know. I do not want to talk about it right now." Skye said as Duke frowned.
"Ok…" Duke said, frowning as he wished to know more to better befriend her, it was clear that the desire to befriend had bothered him.
Skye sighed as she realized Duke had no idea how much her past bothered her, she could not remember how it felt to share in the idea that the past was bad. It hurt a LOT More than it had any real right to.
Duke said nothing, unsure of what to say to the silent cockapoo as all he could do was awkwardly accept… She had no desire to open yet. it was something that he could not understand.
It was all too odd for now, something that would have been done now.
All of it was curious and they wanted to think of it all insanely for now. The idea of a weird bond between them was all that seemed to drive him onwards and onwards when it came down to it.
The idea of it was so much it would go onwards and onwards. They were both trying to help people but it was not something that could help.
Something about that all was too chaotic, he wanted to befriend her and he would have if he had any way to do so at the time being.
They had a lot more chaos left to understand. He was bored, exhausted now, and unwilling to submit the way he had to know.
Something would have had to deal with it all for now. They were to be distracted for now and then really thought of it all.
He was thrown off but he would not admit that… He was too much for now. Duke was in an odd place for now and he wished to be out of it now when it was all said and done.
That was something else to deal with for now as he cracked to try and think of what was going on.
Duke hummed to himself as he paused to try and relax for now. This was something else to distract for now and it had all too much to smirk at.
Skye smiled at Duke as he sighed to himself. He was all too thrown off at the time being, they had a lot more of it.
She was all too much to deal with. She looked to the side, Skye relaxed for a moment, taking a deep breath.
"You have already seen the bridge. This place is where we hang out outside missions and Ryder makes stuff for us… It is a big place but we have a little room to move around." Skye stated, settling atop her jet before she paused to herself.
She was silent, too thrown off at the end of it as she relaxed for now, it was not yet easily done for now.
Skye hummed and then relaxed to the side. Duke hummed and then sighed.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed, will be 900-6500 words, and show more of Skye and Duke bonding along with more of Zero's plot. Until then? Lighting Wolf out!