"Alright Pups, let's go inside!" Ryder remarked as Everest and the rest of the pups exclaimed in excitement. Everest couldn't wait to beat the boys in Bowling. She was very good, and so was her best friend Skye. They had split up into teams of two, with one team made of three. Skye and Everest were on one team, Chase and Marshall in another, and Rocky, Zuma, and Rubble on the final team. Jake and Ryder would have their own friendly game of bowling later. They rented two of the Adventure Bay bowling lanes today.
"Yay!" cheered all the pups as they raced inside. Everest giggled as she and her friends raced towards the friendly staff. Everest and the other pups skidded to a halt. This wasn't the normal African American female who greeted them with a kind, warm smile. It was Humdinger! And he looked awfully grumpy.
"Mayor Humdinger?" Ryder asked, trying to contain his laughter.
"Oh great!" The male grumbled. "It's the Paw Patrol. I didn't ask to work here. I just accidentally caused some worker to break her leg and then I was tricked into doing this job. Anyways, how may I help you?" The mustached mayor asked them, still sounding upset at someone he knew seeing him work at such a place.
"Oh, well, good luck with that Humdinger. We're just here to get our shoes and bowl. Today is a special day, you know?" Ryder remarks. Mayor Humdinger rolled his eyes. "I'm sure it is for you. Anyways what are your sizes?" The male responds.
After getting their bowling shoes, bowling balls, and going to their respective lanes, Everest and the paw patrol began their bowling experience.
For the most part Everest and Skye sat together, but when it was Skye's turn Rocky got up out of his seat to sit next to Everest. Everest smiled slightly, but felt her stomach turn. Why was he sitting next to her when Rubble and Zuma were his partners.
"Hi!" Rocky chirped at her as Skye focused on rolling the ball, sticking her tongue out cutely. Everest ignored her partner Rolling her bowling ball and turned to meet Rocky's orange-brown eyes. "Hi!" She greeted back with friendliness in her gaze.
She was still pretty confused Rocky decided to leave his seat, but she liked him. He was a really smart fellow.
"What's up?" Rocky conversed. "Oh you know, Skye." Everest answered as she looked back at her best friend with fondness. She turned her head once more to see Rocky nodding. "Ah I see. I wonder who will win. I'm really hoping it's my team, but you girls are really skilled also!" Rocky complimented with a grin.
Everest smiled. She knew Rocky wasn't the most competitive pup, and she wasn't either. If anything, it was a wonder why Skye and Everest were best friends since they were complete opposites, but Skye was nice and so they instantly connected.
"Hey, look! Skye got a strike! Go Skye! Go!" Rubble howled and Everest smiled. Skye was so good at this game. She was proud to be her best friend. But she didn't deserve her.
"Good job, Skye! Rocky, it's your turn, bud. Go up!" Chase exclaimed with a smirk. "But don't think for a second Marshall and I's tag team won't give up just because you get a strike!"
Everest could see Rocky roll his eyes. "I won't!" Rocky snorted as his teammates cheered him on as well as Marshall. "You got this, Rocky!" Rubble screamed. "Get a strike, dude! You can do it!" "Good luck, Rocky!"
Everest smiled and cheered on him as well. It didn't matter if they were on separate teams. Everest wanted him to do the best he could. Even if he didn't get a strike, Everest would continue to cheer him on. He deserved it.
Skye sat back down next to her as Rocky walked up.
Rocky focused hard on striking the pins down with his ball. He stuck his tongue out sillily, and let it roll. He also got a strike. He lifted his head in pride and walked back to his seat next to Rubble.
Then it was Marshall's turn. He gulped as he cowardly stood up, approaching his ball. "Go Marshall! You can do it!" All the pups cheered. He gained enough of a confident stride to take the ball and clumsily let it roll.
The ball rolled towards the gutter and disappeared. Marshall began to whimper. "I didn't hit anything." He disappointedly remarked. He sounded so sad.
"It's okay, Marshall! Try it again!" Chase—his best friend—cheered him onward.
Marshall smiled nervously, though Everest could tell he didn't have as much faith in himself as his friends did. Marshall waited until the ball came back and grabbed it. He then flung it towards the pins. He got a spare.
He sadly walked back towards his seat where Chase greeted him with a small gentle smile. He pat him on his spotted back. "You did great," Chase whispered. Marshall only looked down.
"Everest, you're up!" Skye informed her. Everest took a glance at her best friend and nodded before going up. She would get the biggest strike for her best friend ever! Plus she wanted to impress Rocky while she was at it. She saw how impressed he was with Skye's strike, and she wanted to prove she was just as good.
She excitedly bounded over to the ball return, and grabbed her ball. She glanced back towards her friends. Skye and Marshall waved—with a still sad face—while Rocky gave her a thumbs up. Chase nodded as Rubble glanced off in the direction of a nearby vendor who was selling snacks with a longing look in his eyes. Zuma just stared at her unchanged, only giving her his stone cold yellow gaze.
Everest nodded at her friends, feeling the fur on her back standing up. Her stomach fell. Something wasn't right. It wasn't the heavy light purple ball in her paws that unsettled her. She didn't know what was up until after she had rolled a Strike as well.
She turned around, feeling quite pleased. Yet, she was very distracted. She peered past her friends and saw a face she never thought she saw again. It was him. And he was looking around the place until his eyes settled on hers.
Everest shivered, ignoring him. She didn't want to cause a stir. Perhaps he was here to bowl as well?
She quickly sat back down, praying he didn't come over. Thankfully he didn't. Her panic—however—wasn't ignored. Rocky gave her a concerned and questioning stare as did Chase and Skye. Everest shook her head, praying they would understand now is not the time to ask questions. Thankfully they seemed to understand pretty well and they continued to bowl their whole day away while Humdinger groaned at how long they were staying there.
They were one of the only people there. The only one who was there besides them was Everest's past owner and Humdinger. Everest was grateful humdinger was there for once.
She was still jittery as they left, however. "Oh, man! I can't believe we lost!" Chase whined. "I'm sorry, Chase. I guess I lost my mojo." Marshall apologized. "Woo! I can't believe we won!" Zuma exclaimed. "Yeah! With Rubble on our team it was way easier!" Rocky added with a friendly punch to the bulldog's shoulder.
Heh. Everest thought. Her old owner being there made her way more nervous and more prone to mistakes, so it wasn't a wonder why Rubble, Zuma, and Rocky won that.
Everest decided to stay silent. "Hey, are you okay?" Rocky asked as he caught up to her. She and Skye were walking way ahead of the others. Skye was fuming over the loss greatly unlike Chase. She didn't seem mad at her, but Everest was worried about her.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Everest lied breathlessly. Seeing her old master had awoken pure fear from her heart and soul. She just didn't know why he didn't attack then. Was Humdinger's presence there what made him not attack her or was it because of the Paw Patrol?
Either way, Everest wasn't sure if she was safe alone with Jake. My old master threatened me. Who's to say he won't threaten Jake or the Paw Patrol? At least with the Paw Patrol we can always reignite the Mighty Meteor and fight him, but I don't know how anyone could face up to such a foe as colorful as him.
Rocky's eyes became half lidded. "I don't believe you." The mutt remarked, but didn't question Everest any further. "Just know that the rest of the pups and I care about you. If you want to talk about it, we're here."
Everest looked at the ground as she got in her snowcat. Jake gave her a few concern glances before Everest formally started her vehicle. Her paws gripped the steering wheel with fear.
The fear she had prodded a question. "Hey, Jake?" She began in a question. Her master turned to her. "Yes, Everest, Dude? What's up? You seem upset. Is something the matter?" The yellow-eyed human male asked her as his gaze bore into her fur.
Everest took a shaky breath.
"Is there any way I can stay at Ryder's Lookout for a while?" She asked him, forcing an innocent look on her face. Her blue eyes shining to seal the deal. She wasn't sure if she could handle being with just Jake. No offense to Jake, but he couldn't protect himself or Everest as well as Ryder and the other pups together could.
Of course Everest could protect herself excellently as well, however she's seen what her old owner is capable of.
"Yes, but why do you need to stay there, Everest, Dude?" Jake wonders. Everest sighs. The young husky didn't know how she could lie to her owner. Well, she knew how she could lie, but was it really worth the risk? She trusted Jake, so shouldn't she trust him with this secret?
Everest smiled. If she trusts Jake and likes him this much—giving humanity one last chance, then shouldn't she trust him with this? After all, she doesn't need to tell anyone else about this right?
And so, she told Jake everything. She left her master with a jaw agape. He was definitely as shocked as she had been when she realized there were good humans out there.