Chapter 6: Mistletoe and Presents Part Four
"Okay, put that over there, and that there," Ryder said, pointing to different spots in the Lookout.
The Lookout was plastered in party streamers with Gabriel's name on a banner. "Got it, Ryder," said Farmer Yumi as she put a fruit basket on a table with other food like pizza, dog treats, and drinks.
"This has to be perfect," Ryder said with a smile.
"I'm here," Mr. Porter said with a dog-friendly cake in his hands.
"Ah, the cake, put that in the middle of the table," Ryder said, pointing to the food table—the pups were also running around putting things in place.
"Come on guys, we only have like 20 more minutes," Chase told the other pups while they ran around with gifts, streamers, plates, and anything else that they would need.
"Don't worry, Chase; we have plenty of time," Marcus reassured.
"Plus, I am sure Marshall and Rocky could hold him off a little longer if we need more time," Margareth said with a smile.
"I know it's just..." Chase tried to say, struggling to come up with words.
"We feel the same, dude; it needs to be the best it can be," Zuma tells Chase with a smile.
"Yeah, you're right; let's just hope Marshall and Rocky can hold him off long enough," Chase said with a sigh.
"I am going to get you, Marshall!" Gabriel yelled while running after him. They were at the playground, and they were playing tag.
Gabriel did it, and he was determined to catch Marshall as Rocky just watched from afar.
He did not have the same energy as those two. 'It is weird just how things change,' Rocky thought with a smile.
But something has been bothering the mixed breed. He has noticed that someone has been following them since they left the Lookout. Right now, the man in question was sitting on a tree, just watching their every move. Rocky knew the man knew he saw him, but that did not deter him from watching them.
'Who is he?' Rocky thought curious. Just then Marshall tripped on something as both Gabriel and him started rolling toward a tree—the same tree the man was on. "I'm okay!" Marshall yells, and they both can't help but giggle, but when he stops laughing, the man was gone; he just vanishes.
'What, why?' Rocky thought. "Speak for yourself; I am still dizzy," Gabriel said with a smile. Rocky forgot about what he was thinking about. "Are you two, okay? That was a pretty bad tumble." Rocky asks, worried.
"Well, I'm a bit dizzy but mostly fine," Gabriel answered. "I am starting to think Marshall is crashproof," Gabriel said with a laugh. They all laughed. "I know, right!" Rocky said it with a laugh. "And how is that a bad thing?" Marshall asked, joking.
"Because you don't feel the pain we do when you crash into us," Rocky said, laughing. They just stayed there for a little while, enjoying the good feelings. Marshall looks at the time. Marshall then looked over at Rocky, and he nodded.
"Hey Gabriel, let's go see if any of the other pups want to play," Marshall said with a smile. "Yeah, maybe they are done with their work," Rocky said, also with a smile. "Yeah, I hope they can spare some time," Gabriel said, hopeful, as they ran toward the Lookout.
Spyro was now sitting on a different tree as he watched them. "These pups sure are something else," Spyro said with a smile while holding up a compass. "I think I have the right to call him a cousin," Spyro said with a giggle.
"He really is something special, right?" Antonio said through the com. "Yeah, he is special alright, but remember, this one favor, don't get any ideas," Spyro warns him. "I know; I have learned I was wrong, but that doesn't change the fact that he is still related to me," Antonio said with a sigh.
"I am really grateful for you doing this for me," Antonio said with a genuine smile. "I know, but now I will not condone the way you did things. Everyone has a side to a story, and that does not make either of them wrong," Spyro tells him.
"Is this some sort of lesson, and here I thought I was your father?" Antonio said with a laugh. "And here I thought I was a thousand years older than you," Spyro said jokingly. "Okay, I get it; you are wiser," he said with a laugh.
"My point still stands; your story is your story, but there are more sides than just yours. Think about what Gabriel wants; if the prophecy is right, then he will rise, but you can't make him; take things one day at a time," Spyro says.
Antonio sighs. "As usual, you are right," Antonio says. Spyro smiles. "I should get going soon; I don't want to miss the party; Hunter would kill me," Spyro said much to Antonio's displeasure as he hung up.
Marshall, Rocky, and Gabriel walk into the Lookout to see darkness. "That's weird; the sun is shining; how is this possible?" Gabriel asked, oblivious. "I think I know how to fix that," Marshall said as he flipped a light switch. The light turned on as everyone jumped out of hiding. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GABRIEL!" They all yelled, much to Gabriel's surprise.
Ryder, Katie, Mr. Porter, Alex, Farmer Al and Yumi, Jake, Carlos, Cap'n Turbot, Francois, Mayor Goodway, Chase, Skye, Zuma, Rubble, Everest, Tracker, Margareth, Marcus, Sebastian, Liberty, Coral, Al, Rex, Wild Cat, and Sweetie were all there. "W-what? W-why, D-did you guys?" Gabriel tried to say something but just started crying.
"Are you surprised?" Ryder asked with a grin. Gabriel was in tears, but Marshall came up behind him and hugged him. "I am sorry about lying to you, but I had to," Marshall says as a tear falls down his cheek. "Wait, are you saying you guys have been avoiding me to set this up?" Gabriel asked.
"Yeah, we want it to be the best party you have ever had," Margareth tells him with a big smile. "But why!" Gabriel yelled in anger, much to her surprise. "Don't get me wrong; I appreciate the thought, but I have been thinking you guys have been wanting to get rid of me," Gabriel said, telling them everything on his mind.
"All I wanted was to spend time with you guys, but you avoided me; why couldn't you have just because of my birthday?" Gabriel said and broke down. Nobody really knew what to do. "I had no idea," Chase said with his ears down.
"I have asked you time and time again to just tell me why you guys have been avoiding me, but I got, I can't, I shouldn't, and I would have been happier if you just told me it was because of my birthday!" Gabriel yelled, but Marshall just hugged him harder.
"I know, I wish I could have just told you, but I couldn't," Marshall said with a few tears. "We just want you to have the best birthday we could give you; we know this might have been the first one that you felt wanted," Margareth said.
"I just thought if we surprised you, it would make up for the life you had before," Ryder sighed. "I can't fix that, I see, but you have friends—no, a family—that want to spend this day with you," Ryder tells him.
"How about we just enjoy today and forget about the past and focus on the present? Does that sound good, Gabriel?" Ryder asks him. Gabriel wipes his tears before speaking. "Yes, that sounds good; let's just forget about that for now," Gabriel tells him with a smile.
"Now who's ready to party?"
The pups played many games, like pup-pup-boogie, tag, and many other fun games. The pups were having a blast. All the pups were just outside with smiles on their faces. "So, what do we do next, Gabriel?" Margareth asked playfully.
"Yeah, what should we do?" Rubble asked as his stomach started to growl. All the pups laughed. "Something tells me you answered the question yourself," Skye said with a laugh. Gabriel smiled. "Yeah, let's go see if we can get some food."
They walked into the Lookout with smiles. "Hey Ryder, we are hungry; can we get food started?" Gabriel asks with a smile. Ryder smiled back. "The food is all out; just take what you guys want," Ryder tells us. "Okay," we all said.
They all got food and started eating with big smiles. "So, how is it so far?" Marshall asks Gabriel. "It is great! I have never had such a good time on my birthday," Gabriel said with a big smile. "That is great," Chase said with a big smile.
"Yeah, that is a relief to hear," Margareth said. "Don't worry, this is great," Gabriel says with a smile. Gabriel's birthday may have started sour but turned into the best ever for him, and it was only starting.
"Are you ready for cake, guys?" Ryder asked the pups with a big smile, which confused Gabriel. "I thought cake was bad for dogs," Gabriel said. "Yeah, most are, but that doesn't mean we can't come up with a dog-friendly one," Ryder says with a big smile as he starts to cut the cake.
He handed the first piece to Gabriel. "Dig in; I hope you like it; Mr. Porter made it," Ryder said, pointing at Mr. Porter. "It really was no problem; with all you guys do for us, I was happy to make it."
"Thanks; I am happy to have some," Gabriel said, and he started eating as Ryder passed out the rest. They all enjoyed the cake with smiles. "This really is great," Gabriel said with a smile. "I try my best," Mr. Porter said with a smile.
"Well, now that everyone has had their fill, how about we start with presents?" Ryder asked. "Yeah, that sounds fun," Gabriel said, full of joy. "Okay, let me get you one," Ryder said, and he grabbed them from the table.
He handed Gabriel one that was from Chase. Gabriel carefully opened it to see a mechanic cap. "Oh cool, I need one of these," Gabriel said and put it on. "Thanks, Chase," Gabriel says to him. "It was no problem, really," Chase said shyly, showing his caring side.
"Okay, next is from Skye," Ryder said, handing him another one. He carefully opened it, just like the last one. Inside was a book on advanced Pup-fu. "Oh, thanks, Skye," Gabriel tells her. "You're welcome," Skye said with a smile.
"Okay, here," Ryder said, and he handed him another one, which was from Rocky. He opened it to find a book on inventions around the world. "Oh, sweet," Gabriel said, looking at it with a big smile. "I thought you might like that one," Rocky tells him with a smile.
"Okay, here is the next one." He handed him yet another one, which was from Rubble. It was very weirdly shaped. He opened it to find a wood staff. Gabriel recognizes it as a Bo staff. "Wow, this is cool. Thanks, Rubble; I have been wanting to get one of these," Gabriel tells him with a grin.
"I know, I thought it was amazing; I was hoping you'd like it," Rubbles says with a big smile. "Okay, here is one from Zuma," Ryder said, handing him a box. He opened it to find breakable boards. "Oh, I have seen these before; thanks, Zuma," Gabriel said to him.
"I know, they awe supew cool dude, wight?" Zuma asked with a smile. "Super cool," Gabriel answers. "Okay, next is from Everest," he says, and he hands him it. He opens it to find a snowboard. "Oh, cool, like really," Gabriel said, realizing the pun. "I know, right," Everest said with a giggle.
"Okay, here are Liberty and Corals." He hands Gabriel another present. He opens it to see a black box with see-through plastic. Inside the box were miniature figures of every PAW Patrol member, excluding Sebastian and Sweetie.
"Wow, I did know they made stuff like this," Gabriel said in awe. "I know, this was inside a comic store, full of different collectibles," Liberty said with a smile. "When we saw it, we knew we had to get it," Coral says with a smile.
"Okay, here is Al's." He handed him another one. He found a Newton's cradle inside. Gabriel pokes one of the five metal balls to find that once the ball hits the other metal balls, it transfers the energy to the other four balls.
"Wow, I have seen one of these before; it works with kinetic energy, right, Rocky?" Gabriel asked him. "Yup, science is pretty neat," Rocky said with a smile. "Thanks, Al," Gabriel says to him. "Any time," Al said with a smile.
"Okay, Rex's is next," he says, handing him another gift. He then finds a Tyrannosaurus rex scale. "What exactly is this?" Gabriel asked, confused. "This is a scale used for weighing dinosaurs; this is for the T-rex," Rex said with a puppy smile.
"Wow, that's cool, thanks," Gabriel tells him with a smile. "It was no problem, really," Rex said with a shy smile. "Okay, next is farmer Yumi," Ryder said, handing him a nearly wrapped gift. He carefully unwrapped it and found a green cloth belt.
"It is more of a milestone than a gift; it is a green belt for Pup-Fu. Congratulations," Yumi tells him with a smile. "Wow," the other pups say. "Thank you," Gabriel says with a big smile. "You have earned it," Yumi tells him.
"Okay, here is Sebstian's," Ryder tells me, and he hands him another gift. Inside the box were a few different parts, but Gabriel noticed something about them. "These aren't sold to civilians; how did you get these?" Gabriel asked.
"I have worked in a few different places; getting parts like these is easy if you know where to look; if you ever want more, just ask," Sebastian tells him. Gabriel looks at the parts with a smile. "I can't wait to see what I can make with you," Gabriel said, and he put the box down.
"Okay, this is Sweetie's." Ryder hands Gabriel another gift. Inside, there were a few different jewels. "Sorry, I didn't really know what to get you, but I still hope you like it," Sweetie said with a big look. "Oh, come on, I have never even seen anything like this before," Gabriel said, trying to cheer her up a little.
"Plus, it isn't every day I get a jewel as a gift; thanks, Sweetie," Gabriel tells her with a smile. Margareth turns a light shade of red, being a little jealous of her. 'It is not like I have all the money in the world," Margareth thought, sighing.
"Wild Cat is next," he said. "Wait, you are holding nothing?" Gabriel asked, confused. "That is because it can't fit in a box, nor could Ryder lift it," Wild Cat tells him. He held up a weird car key-looking remote. He pressed a button, and then they heard a loud bike horn.
Gabriel walks outside to see a purple motorcycle in the driveway. "WOW," Gabriel said, impressed. "It took me and Rocky all night to figure out how to fix it; I hope you like it," Wild Cat tells him with a grin.
"Yeah, more like I stay up all night and you watch," Rocky playfully jabbed. "Yeah, there is a reason I am a stunt devil and not a mechanic," Wild Cat replied with a laugh. "I don't care how you made it; it is still amazing," Gabriel tells them. They walk back inside.
"Okay, the next one is from me and a special trainer you used to know," Spyro tells him and hands him a box. Gabriel opened it to find a purple Pup-fu uniform. "Wait, is this from Burst?" Gabriel asked.
"Yup, he helped me find you this; he thought this might be your color," Ryder tells him. "Yeah, I should stop by and say hi to him some time; it has been a while," Gabriel said with a smile.
"Here are Trackers," Ryder says, and he hands him a small box. Once he opened it, he found a purple handmade scarf and a framed photo of the entire PAW Patrol. "Wow, this is so amazing," Gabriel said, putting the scarf on. "I thought you might like those," Tracker tells him with a smile.
"Okay, Margareth is next." He hands him a small black box. He opened it to find a bracelet; it was red and purple in color. "Wow, this is so nice," Gabriel says with a small blush. "Yeah, I thought you might like it," Margareth said with a bigger smile and a small blush.
"Marcus's," he says, handing him a box. Inside was a locket and a piece of paper. The paper was neatly wrapped and said, "Poems for our son." Inside the locket. "W-where did you get this?" Gabriel asked with a tear rolling down his eyes.
"I found this in your old home; I didn't think it would be so close, though. I thought you might like what I found," Marcus tells him with a smile. "I didn't even know these existed," Gabriel said with tears. "They did care about it; why would they write these if they didn't?" Marcus said to him with a reassuring smile.
"I didn't know they cared about me," Gabriel said with a small smile. "I may not know what happened, but whatever happened, it must haunt them; you are still their child," Marcus tells him. "But they left me for dead; why would they do that?" He asked in tears.
"I don't have the answers you want; only your parents do," Marcus tells him with a sigh. Gabriel sighs too. "Yeah, you're right; maybe they will find me one day and tell me," Gabriel said, wiping away his tears. "Okay, let's continue," he said wideterminedly"Okay, here is Marshall's," he says, handing me a box. He opens it to find two things: a Nintendo Switch Lite and a game. "Marshall, I don't know what to say. How could you afford something like this?" Gabriel said it with a big smile.
"It was a lot, but I think it was worth it," Marshall tells him with a smile. "Yeah, I love it," Gabriel says with a big smile. "I am glad," Marshall tells him. "Okay, and last, you have my gifts," Ryder tells him and hands him the last box. It was pretty big.
Gabriel opens it to find three big books inside. He looked at the titles of the books to find it was "World Best Inventions," Volumes 1 through 3. Gabriel was once again in tears. "You got all of them," Gabriel said with tears.
"Of course I did, but these books weren't easy to find. I hope you love them," Ryder tells him with a big smile. "I will; I can't wait to see what these books hold," Gabriel said, looking at the books with curiosity.
"Okay, that is it, Gabriel. Now go and have fun, pups," Rydr told them as the pups ran outside. The adults watched them with smiles. But then Ryder's phone rang. He looks at it, only to say, "Meet me at the top." Ryder only sighed.
He went up the elevator to see a cloaked figure. "What are you doing here, Spyro? Do you know what day it is?" Ryder asked, and Spyro only smiled. "Of course, I know what day it is; it is Gabriel's birthday," Spyro tells him with a childlike smile.
"Then what are you doing here?" Ryder asked, getting to the point. "What? Can't I come and visit my cousin?" Spyro said it jokingly. Ryder was well aware of Spyro and Gabriel's family connection.
"Listen, I know you have more to say; just get on with it," Ryder tells him seriously. Spyro drops his smile for a more serious look. "Walton Stanford, the leader of the Crimson Star, the ones that attacked Gabriel," Spyro said and sighed.
"What? You said you didn't have a way to find anything? Ryder said he was confused. "That is because they are hard to track, but I am not the only one tracking them down; apparently, I am not the only one in the family with secrets," Spyro said.
A few days ago
Spyro was walking the halls of the Canine Global Security Watch Force when he stopped at Antonio's office, which was his for the time being, and the lights were off. "I heard you have a bit of an interest in our brothers," Spyro hears from inside the office.
Spyro smiles, recognizing the voice. "Did a little pegasus tell you that?" Spyro asked, joking
Maybe, I bet you would like to know," another voice answered. Spyro then turned on the lights. Inside the room were two dogs, but they were not old. One was a Chow Chow and a Werepup, more obvious than Gabriel; the other was a Dalmatian; both were female.
"Natassha and Miriam, it's been a while," Spyro said with a smile. "Yeah, it has been a while; I don't come as much as we would like to," Natassha said, which was the Chow Chow.
"Yeah, this place is nice; I wish Antonio would give us assignments closer to home," Miriam said with a sigh, which was the Dalmatian. Spyro smiled at the two. "So, what do I owe the pleasure of having you two here?" Spyro said, joking.
"I thought I told you, Gabriel, and Marshall," Natasha said with a grin. "These pups get into more trouble than you two do," Spyro said with a laugh that the other two shared. "Yeah, those two have always found a way into trouble," Miriam said with a smile.
"But we might have a few answers for you," Natassha said, handing Spyro a folder labeled "Crimson Star." Spyro looks through it with a big smile. "Being on the team when Cookie died gave me a few options for how I wanted to do things; this is what I found," Miriam said with a grin.
"And to think we only have this much after three years of looking," Natassha said with a sigh. Spyro looked through it to find a few names and pictures, but no game-breaking details. "You're right, they are very hard to find," Spyro said while scratching his chin.
"It is very frustrating! I can't find anything," Miriam said with a pout. "Thank you guys, but I can tell you are looking for something," Spyro tells him with a smile. "You caught me; I know you know how to meet Gabriel, so I was hoping you could give him this," Natassha said, handing him a small box.
"Well, I don't know if I can get this to him, but I will try my best; I did need to stop by Adventure Bay," Spyro tells her and takes the box. "Do you need anything?" Spyro asked Miriam. "Nobody but my mom and dad know I am alive, so I can't exactly go up to Marshall right now," Miriam said with a sigh.
"Being dead sucks, but tell Hunter I wish him well; he has been through hell," she tells him with remorse. "Okay, I can definitely do that, so what now?" Spyro asked the two. "Well, we are back to taking on cases; anything we can find, if you need anything, you know where to find us," Natassha said as they left.
Spyro watched as they left; he stared at the folder with a smile. "I will find you yet," Spyro said with a determined look.
The Present
"So, that's what happened, and now you want to see Gabriel?" Ryder asked. "Yeah, but I have another favor to ask," Spyro tells him as he grabs a box. "I want you to give this to Marcus, Marshall, and Margareth on Christmas," Spyro tells him.
"Wait, why would you give anything to them?" Ryder asked, confused. "It is not from me; it is from Hunter. I think you met him on Marshall's first day at the Lookout," Spyro tells him. Ryder thinks back to Marshall's first day. "Yellow hair?" Ryder asked.
"Yeah, that's him; hard to miss," Spyro said with a laugh. "But Hunter wants to give them a gift for the three years he has been away," Spyro tells him. "So, what's in it?" Ryder asked. "I can't tell you that; it wouldn't be a surprise if I told you," Spyro says with a laugh.
Ryder thought about it for a minute. "Do you trust him?" Ryder asked Spyro. "I wouldn't be doing him this favor if I didn't; he loves the Blaze family, so he wants to give them something for the love they have shown him over the years," Spyro tells him.
"I see. Well, if you think he means well, then I guess I can give it to him," Ryder says with a shrug. "One more thing: don't tell him who it is from," Spyro tells him. "Yeah, I can do that, but about Gabriel, I don't know if I can do that; he doesn't even know you," Ryder tells him.
"That is not true anymore; we met earlier today when he ran away," Spyro tells him. "WAIT! He ran away!" Ryder yelled. "That's what building trauma will do; that outburst was not out of nowhere; he thought you guys hated him; surprise birthdays always go south until the birthday party," Spyro tells him with a sigh.
"Wait, why didn't Marshall and Rocky know about it? They were supposed to be watching him," Ryder said. "They did know; they chose not to tell you; don't take it personally; those three have quite the past," Spyro tells him.
"I don't get it; why would Marshall and Rocky not tell me this?" Ryder questions. "There is a lot Marshall does not tell; from the little I have spent here, he has a tendency to find peace in the woods; it is very calming for him," Spyro tells him.
"How do you know that?" Ryder asked. "Oh, Ryder, I keep an eye on both Marshall and Gabriel when I am here; I have to make sure they are safe after what happened," Spyro tells him. "But let's get back on track. I have a few things I want to give Gabriel. I won't do anything with your permission, but I would very much like to give him these gifts," Spyro says with a smile.
"Okay, let me go see what I can do," Ryder said, and he went into the elevator, leaving Spyro at the top. Ryder walks outside to see all the pups playing in the yard. You could hear the laughter and joy from these pups.
"Hey Gabriel, could I talk to you for a sec?" Ryder asked him. Gabriel looked confused but nodded and went inside. "What did you need, Ryder?" Gabriel asks with a smile. "Well, I was wondering if you met a weird man today," Ryder asked.
Gabriel's exclamation was shocking. "How did you know that?" Gabriel asked, confused. "That is hard to answer; just go to the top; he wants to talk to you," Ryder said and sighed. Gabriel shrugs and goes to the top.
At the top, Spyro was waiting for Gabriel with a smile. "I told you they didn't forget," Spyro tells him with a smile. Gabriel wore a small smile, not really knowing what to feel. "Yeah, I guess you were right, but what are you doing here?" Gabriel asked.
"Catch," Spyro said as he threw a silver with gold inlaid pendant. Gabriel looked at it with confusion. "What is this?" He asked. "Look inside; that should answer your question," Spyro tells him with a warm smile.
He opens it to see a picture of himself as a little pup being held by an older female Chow Chow; she was licking the top of his head. Gabriel was shocked to find this. "W-where d-did y-you get this?" Gabriel said it with tears.
Spyro smiles at it. "Natassha asked me to give you it since she couldn't be here herself, but she told me to wish you a happy birthday," Spyro tells him. Gabriel's tears just kept flowing. "H-how do you know her?" Gabriel said it through tears.
"She is somewhat a college student of mine; we have worked together a few times," Spyro shrugs. "Where can I find her?" Gabriel asked quickly, wanting to see his sister again. Spyro giggled a bit.
"Finding her is easier said than done; I don't even have a clue where she is; she will find you when you both are ready," Spyro tells him with a smile. "She has a lot of work; it is not your fault or hers; she just has a lot to do before she can relax and come and see you," Spyro says with a sigh.
"Okay," Gabriel said a little down. "Don't worry, she will come and see you, but I have a few more things for you," Spyro said, handing him three warped gifts. "These are from me, Rodrigo, your cousin, and Antonio, your uncle," Spyro says with a smile.
He opens the one with Spyro's name on it first to find a folder and a small booklet labeled "Advanced Techniques of the Counter of the Swan Pup-u Style." Gabriel then opened the folder to find a bunch of different schematics for machines and other things. Gabriel could see a trademark on it, though: "Foxy LLC."
"What is all this?" Gabriel asked, confused. "Spyro smiled. "The booklet contains any and all information on Counter of the Swan Style, and the folder is a bit of a personal gift. I thought with all this Fritz made, I could give you a few schematics of his," Spyro said with a smile.
"I am sure you will like them. I hear you are a great mechanic, so I just thought it fit too well. Do whatever you want with them; just don't sell them; Fritz would be pissed," Spyro said with a laugh.
Gabriel grabs one with Antonio on top. Inside was a journal-like book called James Locksmith: Super Pup Aliases. "Who is this?" Gabriel asked.
"I am not much into the family drama, but I think he is one of your ancestors. I honestly don't know; I guess you will just have to read it," Spyro answered with a shrug.
Gabriel took the one labeled Rodrigo; the name sounded familiar to him, but he shrugged it off as he opened it. Inside was a blueberry pie. "Wow, how do you guys know this was my favorite?" Gabriel said it with drool dripping from his tongue. Spyro laughed when he saw that.
"I know your sister; remember, she loves you, you know," Spyro tells him with a small smile. "We all do; you might not know who we are, but we care about you a lot; you have never been alone," Spyro tells him with a small smile.
Gabriel thought about it. "So what now?" Gabriel asked. Spyro smiled. "Now you show your family who you really are; no more hiding behind the Chow Chow; show them what you really are," Spyro said, trying to encourage him.
"Are you sure I can? They might hate me," Gabriel says with a sigh. "Family accepts family; if they don't, they aren't your real family. Either way, it is out for the world to see, for better or worse," Spyro said with a smile.
"But I just can't!" Gabriel says. "I am a dragon; it is way hard for me, but you are a werepup; what do you have to lose anymore?" Spyro asks him with a smile. Gabriel thought about it for a minute.
"Just do it, kid. Look at all they have done for you; they love you. The least you can do is show them just who you are," he tells him. "Okay, I will try," Gabriel says nervously as he walks into the elevator. Spyro walked over to the balcony so he could see everything.
Gabriel walks outside with a nervous smile. "Hey guys, can I tell you something?" Gabriel said it with a stutter. "You can tell us anything, Gabriel; you know that," Chase says with a smile.
All eyes were now on him; can he stand the pressure? "I just wanted to say that, that I," Gabriel said, stuttering. Gabriel remembers the words Spyro told him. 'Family, accept family," Gabriel thought to himself.
"I am a W-Werepup," Gabriel said, closing his eyes. The people that were watching had more of a confused look. "What is a werepup? Is it like a werewolf?" Skye asked, confused. Gabriel opened his eyes to find confusion.
"It is some type of wolf, I think. Werepups are stronger, faster, and more durable than most pups; they can lift a lot; let me show you," Gabriel said, and he grabbed Ryder with one of his paws and lifted him up.
"Gabriel, what are you doing?" Ryder said as Gabriel lifted him up with a single paw with little effort, much to Ryder's surprise. "Wow," a lot of the people and pups said. "This is cool and all, but can you put me down?" Ryder asked, slightly annoyed.
"Oh, sorry, Ryder, I can lift up a pup house too," Gabriel said, running over to his pup house to show them. Marshall smiled, already knowing, but he could feel he was being watched. He looked at the balcony of the lookout to see Spyro watching them.
He did not have his hood on, so Marshall could see his dragon appearance. Spyro looked right at him, smiled at him, and then dropped a paper-like object. It slowly fell to the ground as Marshall waited for it.
He caught and read what was on it; there were only three words: "I am sorry." It was on a yellow piece of paper. When Marshall looked back at the balcony, he saw no one. "Who was that?" Marshall asked himself.
"You saw him too," Marshall heard from behind him. He turns around to see Rocky. "Yeah, what was he? He looked like a lizard or even a dragon," Marshall said, wondering. "He has been following us since we left the lookout, but now he just leaves and leaves you a note," Rocky said, grabbing the yellow paper.
"What does this even mean?" Rocky said he was confused. "I don't know, but I don't think he was after us; he could have attacked us at any time, but he didn't. What does he want?" Marshall said.
"No use now; he is gone. Let's leave this for another day. Let's go make sure Gabriel has the best birthday," Rocky said, and they both walked back to the crowd. Little did they know two dogs were watching from the shadows, both wearing cloaks. "Not yet; he needs more time," one of them said as they left.
Mayor Goodway watched Gabriel but soon walked away, pulled out her phone, and called someone. "Hello, are you there?" She asked. "Yes, it is me; this is going too fast; we need to slow it down; he is not ready yet," she tells the person on the other side.
"I am sure you can send one of your best agents to delay it; he is too young, and we need more time. He has a sister, so send her out. I am sure she can figure things out," she says. She then sighed. "I know how you feel, but we need to worry about the pups too; they are too young. Please, we just need more time," she tells the person on the other side.
"Okay, thank you," she said and hung up. "I hope this is all worth it," she said as she walked back to the party.