What have I done?

Zuma

I'm….I'm so sorry.

Chapter 6: A Thought for Zuma

Almost half a day has past since Zuma's death and all Rocky had been doing was sit alone at a table outside a tavern, drinking anything his lips touches. Well past drunk at this point, but his mind was swirling before he even took a sip. The sight of the truck exploding replayed in his mind over and over again, reminding him of the lab's untimely demise.

It was exactly what he feared would happen. He knew how treasure hunts like this turns out, especially when Mayor Humdinger and his sister is involved. How dangerous it's always been and how Zuma did not need to get involved. Granted, Rocky had no choice in the matter. He burnt down his surf shop in Malibu after all and he had nowhere else to go, so Rocky felt obligated to take him along, thus why he had no argument when Zuma demanded he come with.

The why it happened and the mere notion that Rocky himself was responsible and killed the love of his life due to a foolish mistake, hit him like a thousand hammers.

As he drinks another swig of whiskey, Rocky's mind goes way back to the first time he saw the lab. The abandoned puppy that was left on the lookout's doorstep with a note from his father. The immediate curiosity that surged his head wondering who it was.

He thought back to how he was able to mingle with the shy Labrador at the time. Finding out his love of surfing and him immediately going into his stash of junk to craft a serviceable surfboard out of some extra wood he'd gathered earlier and the smile on his face when Rocky gave it to him was heartening. That was how their deep friendship started growing into a loving relationship and it ended as spectacular as it began.

The argument that day was brutal for the both of them. After that fateful day when it sunk in that Zuma had left, he no longer had no one to talk to, no one to cry, no one to sleep with, and essentially, no one to love.

He remembered how it drove him absolutely insane wondering where Zuma was, if he was okay, and was even still alive. It eventually got to a point where he couldn't even think about it anymore and accept the fact that he may never see him again.

As fate would have it though, Rocky's quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant started out in Malibu, leading right to the lab who somehow got his paws on the headpiece to the Staff of RA. Being it the first time he would see the lab in years, he no doubt wanted to reconnect and at least rebuild their friendship, and for the most part, some progress was made. Zuma did resist at first, but after a while, he could tell that Zuma was at least beginning to try. Zuma was starting to open up to him and not scoff every time Rocky gave him a look.

Would it have worked? Rocky will never know now, thanks to Zuma perishing in the fire and like everything wrong that happens to him, it was all Rocky's fault.

Another swig of whiskey before the mixed breed notices that he was now flanked by two cats behind him. Rocky turns to one, detecting yet another attack but stops when he sees the cats pull up their paws in peace. Rocky eyes the other one who does the same, telling him that they weren't looking to fight.

"Someone wants to speak with you, dog." One cat moans before Rocky nods in understanding. He gets up with his head still on a swivel for any signs of hostility before picking up the bottle of whiskey and follows them inside the tavern.

When they get inside, the place is stuffed with dogs off to their own businesses, either conversing or playing knickknacks.

The cats lead him to the bar where a bulldog stares at him intensely

"You looking for me?" Rocky gruffs, not even bothering being nice, erupting laughter between the dog and two cats as they walk away.

Rocky stands confused until he gets a sick feeling in his stomach. He slowly turns around and sees the last thing he wanted to see right now. His sister Scarlet, sitting at a table in front of him with that smug trademark smile Rocky wanted to bite rip right off.

"Scarlet." He growls with hatred.

"Hi there Rocky." Scarlet sneers. "You're looking as raggedy as always."

Rocky narrows his eyes and lets his face fall to the bottom. "I outa kill you right now."

Scarlet slightly chuckles in response. "As entertaining that might be, I don't want to disturb anyone's good time here."

Rocky rounds to a chair beside her on the end. "I don't think they will care sis. I could nail you to that wall over there and everyone would just past by your hanging corpse without even flinching."

Scarlet's smug shrunk to a slight smirk. "It wasn't me who brought poor Zuma into this brother." She then pushes the chair out for him. "Now please sit down, before you fall down. I trust we can behave like good dogs?"

Rocky's dagger eyes never move from Scarlet's, as he sets his bottle down on the table and gets up on the chair, finally taking his eyes off her as he stares at the far wall in front of him.

Scarlet lights up a smoke and puffs before she speaks. "Why must we be at each other's throats yet again bro? It's stale at this point, and I'm quite frankly tired of it."

Rocky says nothing as he continues to stare at the wall.

"You know, I am sorry about Zuma." Scarlet states for the record. "He was a good dog, and good looking I must admit. He truly didn't deserve such a fiery fate."

"That's a first." Rocky grits.

Scarlet smirks again. "Believe it or not Rocky, my heart isn't as cold as you may think. I'll even go as far as to say that I've finally forgiven you for abandoning me to that worthless lowlife all those years ago."

Rocky wasn't buying that, at least at face value. He knew better. "What made you change your mind?"

Scarlet's smile grew a little. "Simple. Family."

Rocky lets out a sharp single snicker despite keeping his face as stoned as the wall in front of him, wondering what devious scheme his sister was trying to sucker him into now.

"Trust me Rocky. I used to go to sleep every night dreaming that I would twist your head and yank it off your neck." Scarlet swore. "But now not as much. Because I've accepted the fact, whether I like it or not, you are the only family I have. Without you, I have nothing but myself."

"You can try looking in the sewer." Rocky comments in complete monotone.

Scarlet's grin grew a little more. "You know, you can sit there and pretend that your ethics are far from mine, but the cold truth is that besides blood, you and I are very much alike. We both desire treasure beyond our wildest dreams. For one reason or another, we both will do whatever's necessary to get what we set out for.

Scarlet puffs on her cigarette as Rocky stays silent and still.

"We are siblings after all Rock, so it's not a far reach to say how close you are to my level. All you need is a little push out of the light, then you will be just as ruthless as me."

"Practiced that in the mirror?" Rocky jeers.

Scarlet just shakes her head. "You truly astonish me brother. You still deny the obvious no matter how much it glares at you." She then gets out a nice-looking silver necklace. "Look at this. Worthless. Ten dollars from a vendor on the street. But I take it, I bury it in the sand for a thousand years and it becomes priceless."

Scarlet puts the necklace away and puffs some more on her cigarette. Still smiling at Rocky but her eyes showed a bit of glee. "However, the ark is different. It's stood the entirety of history, being a mystery to itself as well as to us. Because of that alone, many will kill for it. Many like you and me."

Rocky showed no reaction to his sister, which subtly made Scarlet lose her smugness a little. "Oh come on Rocky, don't try to hide it. You know exactly what the Ark is, and what it means if either of us finds it. It is a direct link to God himself Rocky. That is nothing you can pass by, regardless of what spectrum you're on."

Rocky barley moves but even in his stoned demeaner, he couldn't help but fantasize him finding such a lost relic. However, his drive and motivation has been sapped away, feeling like he could fend off Scarlet's words.

"You don't have to remind me sis. I know what the Ark is." Rocky finally speaks. "But even I know when to step off the throttle."

Scarlet lets out a small sigh and shakes her head again at her stubborn brother. "You still deny it do you? Your aspirations for the Ark are about as blatant as mine."

"Really?" Rocky replies in monotone. "I thought this was Humdinger's hunt."

Scarlet nods to Rocky. "Not to worry dear brother. Humdinger will get his prize. When I'm finished with it that is." Scarlet suddenly leans into Rocky. Her eyes showed excitement, though upon closer inspection, she also had fire in them. "There is no way I'm going to let this brush my nose. It may be the only chance we have to communicate with God himself."

At this point, Rocky had enough of Scarlet. Every fiber of his being has been keeping him form pouncing on Scarlet and rip her cold heart out, but now, even his sanity could not hold him back after all Scarlet has done to him and his friends.

Rocky slowly turns to his sister with deep hatred in his eyes. "You wanna talk to God?" For the first time in the conversation, an evil smile grows on his face. Much bigger than the smile on Scarlet's. "Let's go see him together. I have nothing better to do."

Rocky jumps up on the table with a growl, ready to lunge at his own sister with bared teeth, prompting the two cats and the dogs around them reach for their arms and aim at the crazed mixed breed.

"Uncle Rocky!" Uncle Rocky!" A precious voice fills the air, as Rubble's pup Skylar runs into the tavern and up to Rocky. "There you are! Daddy and I've been looking all, everywhere for you!"

Scarlet groans in annoyance as she gives the signal to lay down their arms. Even she wasn't that cold.

"Skylar! This is no place for a pup right now. Run! Get out of here!" Rocky gasps. Showing immense concern for the little pup suddenly in this critical situation.

The pup shakes her head. "Nah uh. Daddy said that I had to have you with me! Come on! He's waiting outside!"

Rocky takes one last look at Scarlet before he gives in and walks out of the tavern with the little pup, hearing Scarlet say one last remark as he exits through the door.

"You better be careful next time Rocky. It'll take more than a mere pup to save you!"

Skylar leads Rocky out of the tavern, and as she said, Rubble was waiting out next to a truck. His face bright as the sun at Rocky, but his tail nub completely still.

"Thank the lord we found you, Rock." Rubble basks. "When I heard what happened I knew I had to come find you."

After helping Skylar into the truck, Rocky turns to Rubble. "Zuma's dead."

"Ye-Yeah…I…..I heard." Rubble inches out with a whine. "But…..We don't have time to grieve right now. We're going to drop Skylar off at the yard, and then go see the old man that will help us."

Rocky slowly looks to him and shakes his head. "Forget it pal. I'm calling the thing off."

"What? Y-You can't!" Rubble replies, shocked.

"I am Rubble. I can't go after the ark. Not after this."

Rubble's eyes suddenly grew in horror. "Rocky, you can't be serious about this. What about Humdinger?! You don't want the ark to fall into his hands do you?" Rubble points out.

"He isn't going to find anything pal. Not without the headpiece that we have." Rocky points out. "I can just go home, give it to Ryder, and he'll lock it up so no one can get to it."

As soon as he says that, Rocky sees a rather deterred look on Rubble's face. "What?"

"They-they can find it actually. They were in the map room this morning and they got coordinates and started digging." Rubble informs.

A shock flows through Rocky. "What?! How?!"

"The-They have a headpiece and used it this morning in the map room."

"But…..But that's impossible." Rocky says astoundingly. "There's no way they cou…you didn't give it to them, did you?"

"Are you kidding? No. I wouldn't ever do something like that."

"Then how did they get the location?!" Rocky holler.

"I don't know! I wasn't there!" Rubble retorts. "I got this from Wheeler, and he said that they had their own staff and headpiece! They went in, got the coordinates, and were digging by no time!"

Rocky plops on his rump and slams the back of his head on the truck. "God DAMN IT!"

He couldn't just ignore it now, with them apparently getting the coordinates it, was only a matter of time at this point.

"Sooo. Are you still going after it? Because I sure am." Rubble states. "I'm not going to let a guy like Humdinger get his power-hungry hands on the Ark of the Covenant. We not only have to get it but get it before anyone can do any harm with it. If you just wanna go home, than that's fine, but whether you do or not I'm going to get it myself."

Rocky looks at Rubble who has a chip on his shoulder. The very same that drove them to be rescue pups those many years ago. He then thinks about Scarlet's smug manner and how satisfying it would be to see it drop like a stone.

Rocky gives a sigh. "No Rubble. I might as well help you. Don't have much of a choice now do I?"

Rubble nods with a smile. "Thank you Rocky. Let's drop Skylar off, and then I'll take you to the old man."

Rocky nods back as he gets into the passenger seat while Rubble gets in the drivers. Rubble starts it up and eventually drives off towards the yard.

Not knowing however that the grayscale cat, Tabby was sitting off to the side, mock reading a newspaper as he smiles at the truck.

Over close to the center of Cario in the early evening, both Rocky and Rubble were in a small house where Rubble's friend who agreed to translate the scripture orbiting around the headpiece.

While the man was deciphering the text, Rocky was pacing around, trying to figure out the mystery that was plaguing his mind.

"I just can't figure it out." Rocky groans. "Where did Scarlet get a copy of the headpiece? They are no pictures. No duplicates of it anywhere."

Rubble shrugged. "I have no idea buddy; I'm just telling you what Wheeler said. Aside from the rougher edges, it was the real deal. Even had markings on one side like the one we have."

Rocky continues to pace, shoving away the mystery for now, and assessing the situation. "They made their calculations in the map room?"

"Yes. This morning. Scarlet and Harold made the calculations and had a spot to dig within about thirty minutes." Rubble informed. "Well away from the map room itself."

Rocky shakes his head in disgust. Realizing the dire situation they were in. "We've got to find some way to get the ark before they do."

"How?" Rubble asks.

"I have no idea."

"Come! Come! Come!" The old man pipes off. Motioning the two dogs to come into the living room, holding the headpiece out for them to see while also pointing at the scripture. "This is a warning not to disturb the Ark of the Covenant."

"Well what about the height of the staff?" Rocky asks. "Did Scarlet get it off from here?"

The man nods. "Yes. It is the old way. This says that the height should not be more than six kadam high."

"That should be about 28 inches." Rubble points out. "Off the top of my head.

"Wait" The man snaps before suddenly turning over the medallion, pointing to the scripture on the other side that was vastly different from the other side. "And take back one kadam to honor the god whose are this is."

Rocky and Rubble slowly raise their heads and lock eyes with agape jaws.

"Rubble. You said that their headpiece only has markings on one side, are you absolutely sure?"

Rubble nods sincerely. "That's what Wheeler said."

A wide grin forms on Rocky. "Scarlet's staff is too long."

"Yeah, which can only mean that…."

Rubble adds in as Rocky says the exact thing the bulldog said in sync.

"They're digging in the wrong place!"

What a thrilling breakthrough! With this recent development they are sure to get a massive 1up on Scarlet! However, they will have to somehow get into the map room and get the real location of the Well of the Souls without being noticed!

Will they be successful, or will Scarlet catch em in the act?

Come back next week to find out!

Please review let me know what your favorite parts are and if you have any questions about the story or anything else, leave a comment or message me and I'll get back with you as soon as I can.

This is Sean Thames of DragonsFire Entertainment signing off