Chapter twenty-five: Crazy Antics!

Taking the moment of distraction, Ned hugged Chase before pulling him forward, covering himself and Chase completely under the big rainbow parachute. Ned rolled around as he hugged Chase, tangling them under the colorful fabric.

"Noooooo!" Chase cried. "I knew this had a catch!"

He struggled for a second before finding a way to squeeze backwards out the bottom and shudder.

"Seriously, why is that fun to you?" He asked wearily.

"What? Being a ghost under the parachute is fun! The way the parachute feels, the colors, the size of the parachute!" Ned responded as he walked towards Chase, still under the parachute.

Suddenly, Melody grabbed the edge of the parachute and covered Chase! Once covered, she hugged the ghostly pup, preventing Chase from escaping.

"Not to me, it's not!" Chase exclaimed. "Let me out!"

"You guys.." Marshall mentioned arriving next to the huskies not covered in material. "This isn't helping.."

"Why? We want to keep him busy right?" Melody replied as she kept hugging the parachute-covered Chase. Ned crawled out before twisting the parachute around Chase to trap him under it more.

"We got a plan. This is only one part of it.."

"Yes, but he doesn't like it.." the Dalmatian reasoned. "It's gotta be positive fun for him to talk to us.. Positive fun.." the second part he lowered his voice for, so not to let Chase in on this as best he could.

"Exactly.." Rayla agreed, "He doesn't sound too happy right now. We're trying to make it easier for him to talk to us, not harder."

"Right," Melody replied as her ears and Ned's went down. They unraveled Chase from the parachute, and Ned gave him Officer Bear.

"We're sorry, Chase." The two huskies apologized.

Brian went over to Ryder and whispered. "Got a bone and a dog brush?"

Chase came out and shook his fur out in disgust, thankful to be free again. His brief glance at Marshall recognized his unspoken thanks, and the Dalmatian nodded.

"Besides.. I got a better plan,.." Skyler smiled. "Here, Chase, cool off!"

"Ah! No! That's cold!" Chase cried, instantly jumping away from the snow Skyler had smashed into his back. And even though he was appalled by the chilly ambush he couldn't help but begin to giggle a little afterwards.

"Come on, what's the difference when you were willing to soak in a freezing cold lake?!" The border collie shouted after him diving back outside then running over to shake the snow at him.

"No! I was already cold at the time! Stop it!" Chase protested, trying to hold back his laughter as he shielded himself from the spray.

"Then.. it'll refresh you.. Like an ice bath. Athletes do them all the time to work on their muscles.. Some even do it so they can improve their circulation." Skyler informed him.

"I'll get in on that action.." Chester smirked, bounding outside. But coming back in, he noticed that even just the softest shake of even just a foreleg displaced the snow from his coat. "Except I think there's a small flaw in this plan.. Snow doesn't stick quite as well to me as it does you, Sky."

"That's ok,.." Rubble called, racing out near the German Shepherd. "Woof!.. That's why we have a little help." Barking his shovel to scoop, he then commanded it to fling snow in through the door and managed to hit Chase dead-on in the face. And when it slid off him moments later, he chuckled once again.

"Hey, not you too?!" He laughed, running further from the door toward the elevator. "Are you all gonna gang up on me, just 'cause I'm weak and slow?"

"Go ahead, paint yourself as a victim,.." Chester teased. "We all know you're blowing smoke."
"I thought that was Marshall's job?!" Skyler gasped.

"Nope, but I can put one out.." Marshall smiled. "Load me up, Rocky!"

The mixed breed tossed a snowball onto his homemade peanut launcher and Marshall flung the snowball at Chase, who dodged it behind the elevator.

"Guys, come on! We're inside!" Chase cried, appearing on the other side at them.

"You wanna take this outside? We certainly could.." Chester offered. "Maybe it'd even up the odds a little bit."

"Of you burying me? Yeah, great odds, Chess." Chase taunted sarcastically.

"Would you rather be a ghost instead?" Melody asked playfully as she and Ned started to run after Chase carrying the parachute with them.

"Put that thing away, guys." Chester called, dashing at Skyler to cover her so she could go after Chase again. "It's not helpful!"

"Snow or ghost! Chase's decision!" Melody replied to Chester with a wink.

"I think we both know which one he's not gonna pick.." Chester deadpanned dryly. "And besides.. who says there only has to be two options?"

Brian smiled then ran outside. After a minute, he returned as a dog snow pup.

"Snow time!" Brian exclaimed as he ran after Chase, shaking the snow off himself as he ran.

"Ahh!" Chase ducked behind a pillow and peered up once the spray ended. "Is there no one on my side?!"

"There will always be one.." Ryder said, scooping the pup up from behind. But taking him just outside the door he tossed the German Shepherd into the nearest snowbank which he knew was soft. And Chase was understandably stunned by this, staring at him in surprise. Ryder just smiled and placed his hands on his hips proudly.

"Ugh! I accept my fate! Preserve me!" Chase gave in dramatically, raising both paws to the air before plopping back with them laid out on both sides. But when the pups approached, about to bury him he perked back up quickly.

"Nononononono, not literally," he quickly spoke up, putting all four paws up to stop them.

"Snowballs or bury?" Melody asked Chester.

Surprisingly, only Melody, Ned and Brian were the only huskies with the PUP Pals.

"Hey there's four of you, right?" Skyler mentioned. "Where's number four?"

"I'm in the kitchen area!" Snowflake answered from the counter.

The group peered back into the Lookout.

"Why? The rest of us are all out here?" Chester wondered bluntly.

"Of course!.." Rubble implied racing back in to hop up next to her.

"She wants to get a load of all the goodies up here." He finished gleefully, gazing over the freshly baked cookies as Ryder went back to laying them out on the parchment sheets to cool. Chase thrust himself forward back onto his paws and shook the snow from his coat as some of the other pups wandered back toward their friends. Then turning his head to look over his shoulder, a gentle breeze blew in his direction. And as it worked its way up his back, he suddenly felt an unusual chill run up and down his spine. He turned around to take a look but saw nothing to make him feel this way, but the sinking feeling wouldn't let go and he began to feel on edge.

The sky was clear, the air was crisp.. No evidence of weather to be concerned about. He headed further across the snow just enough so he could peer down into town, however all appeared to be well.. Traffic was moving, people were safely crossing streets and sidewalks. And even Capt'n Turbot appeared to be sailing responsibly at this moment. Chase just sighed and hoped turning away would leave those anxieties behind.

However he was frustrated to discover that an invisible mist or a cloud trailed along beyond him only catching up to him as he came back through the door. He shook a leg off as if he'd gotten something on it but it didn't seem to make him feel any better until he nearly hit a big fuzzy wall. The grayish multicolored fur tickled his nose and he sneezed once rubbing his nose to remove the remaining sensation.

"Sorry Boomer,.." He snuffled, coming up around the old dog. "Cut it a little close there.."

"No worries, young one," the Aussie replied, turning to him slowly.

"Come in from the cold guys! Looks like it might snow some more!" Snowflake commented before pointing towards the windows.

"What are you talking about?" Chase wondered. "There's not a cloud in the sky?.. For once."

"Oh, sorry. I thought there was," Snowflake replied sheepishly.

"Nope,.. Just a clear sunsetting sky." Chase reported, standing at the window to stare out of it,.. a quizzical look falling across his face once again.

"Okay. When can we try the cookies, Ryder?" Snowflake asked the boy.

"Right after we decorate them.." Ryder replied, laying out a long strip of parchment on the floor and beginning to set bowls of frosting and some cooled cookies down for them.

"Sweet! Awesome idea, Ryder dude!" Zuma gushed.

"Oh but.. This is your project.." Kylie deflected quickly, meeting glances with Snowflake, Rocky and Rubble. "We wouldn't wanna impose on what you were already doing."
"True. How about the rest of you hang out while I decorate cookies with Rubble and Rocky?" Snowflake suggested.

"Ok,.. if you wanna handle this by yourselves, we get it." Zuma shrugged, strolling away.

"I'm sorry Zuma," Snowflake apologized, before going up to him, and giving him a hug.

"Aw, all good, dude." The chocolate lab replied in his usual laid back manner. "Another time, we were talking about making more, closer to Christmas, right? We'll get in on the action then.. No hard feelings."

"Thank you," Snowflake said in appreciation, as she separated from the hug. She then walked back over to the cookies.

"Come on, pups, let's go play Pup Pup Boogie." Zuma decided. "Who's up for a little dance off!?"

"Sure!" Brian agreed calmly.

"We can wait our turn," Melody said.

"Chase, you coming?" Chester called, noticing his brother still standing at the window. The younger German Shepherd broke his stare to turn his way.

"Uhh,.. nah I'm good. I'm-.. I'm just gonna walk the perimeter before it gets too dark out.." he decided, almost tripping on his own paws as he slipped out the door.

"Uhh, did he seem a bit.. on edge to anyone else?" Chester wondered, glancing among the group.

"Yes.. Why?" Melody asked, her eyebrow raising suspiciously.

"Not really.." CiCi mentioned, coming up next to Chester. "Then again I wasn't really watching him too closely.

"You know, Chase.." Marshall supposed. "A pup of routine."

"Yes,.. but usually it's because there's a reason." Rayla mentioned.

"Think something's up?" Tiny supposed, reading her thoughtful gaze after the departed German Shepherd. "And is it even a good idea to let him be out there all by himself?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye out for him." Skyler decided.. "Until it's my turn to boogie that is.. Or unless he comes in before someone has to relieve me."

All four huskies gave confused looks at the word 'relieve me'.

"Excuse me?!" Melody said in an almost disgusted voice.

"Do I even want to know what you meant by relieve me?.." Ned said, as if stating a question to himself.

"Uuuummm.. To play the game?" Skyler specified. "What did you think I meant? Go to the bathroom? That's inappropriate!"

"Yes! We thought.. Oh thank goodness!" Ned retorted before all four huskies breathed a sigh of relief.

"Anyways, who will watch Chase if you need to dance against a pup?" Snowflake asked. "It's not like you can be inside and outside at the same time!"

"Oh I'm just gonna watch him from here till I can't, then I'll find another window." Skyler corrected her. "But I don't know.. Whoever gets knocked out of the game next."

"Well I'm starting first!" Chester decided. "Who's got the guts to take me on!"

"You know I'm always up for the challenge, dude." Zuma replied, hopping onto the dance mat next to him.

"Good, then whoever loses gets to take my place.." Skyler nodded in her satisfaction. "Unless Chase makes it back before they're done."

"Okay. What frosting you want on the cookies, Rubber?- Sorry, I meant Rubble!" Snowflake asked, catching herself in a tongue tie.

"Rubber?" The bulldog queried. "Um.. I don't know, I think it's all the same, isn't it?" Then he looked around at all the different colors of frosting around him. "Oh, uh.. Any color's fine with me.. We have all six of our PAW Patrol colors.

"Hmmm. Blue? Green? Yellow?" Snowflake questioned.

"Green means go!- I mean go for green!" Rocky quirked. "It's my favorite!"

Snowflake smirked.

"Well of course; it's your color. You're lucky there's only so much frosting. Otherwise I'd be tempted for a paint war part two. However, green is a Christmas color, so yes." Snowflake commented, before picking up the green brush that was in the frosting.

"Ih- Who says we still couldn't?" Chester mentioned, still trying to focus on their game.

"True but would we really wanna clean up after that kind of fun again?" Marshall mentioned. "The paint was everywhere!"

"Do I want to know?" Rayla wondered.

"Probably not!"

"Absolutely not!" Chester and Zuma blurted out in unison, both cocking their glance at one another as they tried not to stutter in their steps.

"I don't know.." Rubble mused, "It'd be a pretty yummy clean up.. Just think how sweet of a deal it would be.."

"For a little while anyway.." Tiny supposed.

"Until you get a stomach ache from all the sweetness," CiCi put in.

"Exactly," Tiny agreed, pointing a paw at the wolfie.

"Well there's no reason to splash frosting on each other. So let's just get to decorating!" Snowflake responded happily.

"Ha. A frosting war sounds like something Ned would do!" Brian commented.

"Yeah, but we can always have a meal later!" Ned insisted as he looked at one of the bowls of frosting.

"Ewww! Gross! Way too much sweet! We're not gonna eat just the frosting.. Ick!" CiCi cried, appalled at the mere thought!

"-Yeah! And we probably wouldn't sleep for weeks if we did that!" Chester agreed.

Ned rolled his eyes.

"I meant, eat something besides frosted cookies! Then again, dessert is a good group.." Ned responded seriously. He then looked around for anything to eat.

"Oh,.. ok, that's a much wiser decision.." CiCi decided softly, taking a breath.

"Yes, unless we want the bowls after the cookies are done being decorated?" Ned thought out loud to the group.

"If you mean to lick the remnants from the bowls, then yes that would be ok.. As long as they're not super coated.. I'm getting sugar shakes just thinking about it.." the wolfie shuddered.

"For the last time,.. there's no such thing as sugar shakes!" Tiny shrugged dryly.

"Says you, but speak for yourself. It's totally a real thing.." CiCi snapped indignantly.

"Oh yeah! We've gotten sugar shakes before!" Brian added with a nod.

"I got to run around for half the night! It was fun!" Ned exclaimed loudly.

"Excuse me, but we all had to get our hearts checked at the vet!" Melody snapped.

"See? I rest my- wait.. What?!" CiCi's double take would have been comedic for the few listening, but the cause for this unintended humor had their attention more focused.

"Vet visit for sugar shakes? Did I hear that right?" Tiny asked, tapping an ear with his paw.

"No. To the vet for our hearts beating so fast. We discovered what we thought was bubbling water. It wasn't," Snowflake corrected.

"Then I found some golden liquid and knocked it onto the floor. It was anything but golden!" Ned added.

"Turns out it was a light brown soda mixed with a ginger liquid. After a few minutes, we all realized our mistake," Brian explained.
"Dude! You guys can't handle soda? That's sad!" Skyler whined, laser focusing back on the window once again.

"Well, it was our first time trying it, and we drank a lot. We can have it, but we know better now not to have lots of it! Like almost half a liter," Melody stated matter-of-factly.

"Yeesh!" Several pups shuddered while others just shivered at the thought of it.

Hey guys! Well here we go again, things are ramping up again. We'll just have to see where it goes this time. Until next time friends! Thx!