Ch 3: Deep Breaths
Whatever they were chasing, it was huge. Zuma sped along the water next to Ryder, their crafts jumped the waves that rolled along the surface. They were just on top of the faint object, both Radars beeped in loud as they got closer and closer. It wasn't long till they were right on top of it. Ryder stopped his ATV and Zuma followed suite. Both vehicles laid motionless as they scanned the sea, trying to catch a glimpse of anything that might seem unusual.
``I don't see anything'' Chase said.
``Then it's time to look under then, Zuma you know what to do!''
``Let's dive in!'' Zuma beamed excitedly ``Ruff Ruff! Sub mode!''
The water pups craft turned into its submarine mode, Zuma manned the controls and was quick to submerge under the water.
Deep under the ocean waves, nothing ideally stood out. Some coral, several schools of fish, large and rough looking rock formations.
``Nothing out of the owrdinary here''
He maneuvered the craft further towards the ocean floor. The sand below his crafted swayed slow and drifted along the undertow. Zuma turned on the flood lights on his sub, he scanned the larger rock formations, slowly circling each structure. One rock looked like a large t bone stake, another looked kind of like a block of cheese, another like a huge shimmering watermelon...
``Maybe I'm just hungrwy...Wait, Shimmerwing?''
Zuma pressed forward and let his sub approach the odd-looking structure. The rock was oval, but it seemed a little to perfectly formed. No cracks or divots, not even any other stone or coral protruding off it. His lights beamed along its surface. Between the sets of random barnacle patches along it, there did appear to be a subtle simmer coming off of it.
``Come in Wyder. I think I found something.''
``BRRRRR!!!''
A loud echoing noise boomed from the weird looking object, it vibrated through the sea floor, schools of fish swam as fast as they could it from it. The ear-piercing noise echoed through Zuma's sub, The pup wined and covered his ears in response. Temporarily losing control of his sub as it drifted back from its position. The structure started to move, sand and rocks tumbled away from it as it lifted off the bottom of the ocean floor. Obscuring Zuma's field of vision and darkening his lights. He looked as close of he could from the shield of his sub, He could barely make out what looked like a metallic purple paneling on the outside and a large propellor on the back. The sand and dirt soon settled back to the ocean floor, Zuma looked up and moved his sub around to try and locate the mysterious object. His pup tag flashed.
``Zuma! Zuma! Come in! What was that noise?!''
``Wyder dude! There's something down here! I don't know where it went but...''
Zuma cut himself off, as he looked above him. Sunlight broke from beneath the water, he could make out the unknown object right above his sub. Whatever this thing was, it was making a rapid accent towards the surface. Ryder and Chase were right on top of it.
``Dude! It's coming up fast! Chase! Wyder! Can you heawr me?! It's coming youwr way!"
``Almost there'' Rocky thought"
He pulled a lever up on his controls, the hook mechanism on his tugboat lifted another sea-soaked box from the ocean, Rocky had stumbled on them while making his way towards Zuma and the rest. He couldn't just leave them behind. As he placed it into his boat, his curiosity got the best of him, and he took a peeked inside. Most of the boxes he already picked up were filled with random junk. Clothes, more tin cans, and some mechanical parts. Lots he could reuse for other things later but what really struck his fancy was what he saw inside this one. A bundle of cables and metal wiring. Rocky beamed with excitement; his tail wagged happily.
``Yes! I can totally restring my guitar with one of these wires!''
This was a great find, maybe he would have his opportunity! He quickly pushed the box towards the back of his boat before making his way to front.
``Time to try and catch up with the team.''
Looking at his radar, he figured he wasn't too far away from them now. He could just barely make out a small vehicle in the distance, possibly Ryders ATV. He turned his steering wheel south and pressed his throttle forward.
``What was that Zuma?!''
``It's...BRRR..comin..BRRR.. It's wright below you!''
Ryder could barely make out what Zuma was saying from his speaker. That loud sound messed with the frequency from Zuma's sub below the waves.
``Uhhh...Ryder''
The Shepherd pointed down at just below the surface, a dark shaped mass started to appear, the shadow soon engulfed the blue floor below and darkness surrounded the ATV as it bobbed on the waves.
``Chase! Hold on!'' Ryder floored the gas and his ATV lurched forwarded, getting clear of what was quickly approaching them from below. The object finally breached the surface, it sent a several massive waves toward Ryder and Chase, both held on as tight as they could, being bobbed back and forth from the waves it created. Once the water settled, Chase and Ryder observed what was in front of them. It shimmered brightly in the late afternoon sun, it looked to be made from metal, colored in a dark hue of purple. A large propellor stuck out from the back of it. A massive periscope was perched at the very top the watermelon shaped machine. It was a purple sub, a very large one too.
Zuma's sub soon breached the surface next to Ryder and Chase
``Whoa! You dudes, okay?''
``We're good Zuma!'' Chase called out.
``I've never seen a sub like that befowre!''
As if the purple sub could hear them, the large periscope turned towards the three, motioning forward and leaning down at the team. A massive eye stared at Ryder and pups, it blinked a few times at them. Zuma felt a little tense with the sub looking at them, worried it might make that horrible noise again. Ryder motioned to Chase.
``Chase, see if you can try and communicate with it.''
``Ruff! Megaphone!''
Chase barked, his megaphone popped out from his pack, and he pointed it towards the unknown sub.
``Attention! This is the Paw Patrol! Please step out of the sub, we would like to have a word with you!''
The massive eye stared blankly at them, blinking a few more times in response.
``Uhhh do you think he hearwd you dude?''
Chase shrugged his shoulders.
``Maybe?''
``BRRRRRR!!!''
There it was again, the noise in question was a loud airhorn, it echoed off the surface of the ocean and bounced off both vehicles. Zuma and Chase Yelped in response while Ryder covered his own ears. With that, the periscope turned away and the large propellor on the back of the sub started to spin rapidly. just like that, The sub began to speed forward, speeding past the Pups and their leader and out towards the ocean.
``Hey! He's getting away!''
``Not if we can help it! Come on pups!''
Ryder throttled his ATV and Zuma did the same, Taking off after the purple sub. They followed close behind it, the sub making massive waves as it veered in one direction. Zuma noticed that the periscope had turned to face them before retracting slightly. The sub started to pull under the surface. Massive waves of water covered the front of it, making it look like a breaching whale. Zuma figured this could only mean one thing.
``Wyder! He's going to dive under soon!''
``Zuma, I'll need you to track him the minute he goes below the surface.''
``You got it dude!
The pup was going to bark to get back in sub mode before something caught his attention.
Wait! what's that?''
``Ruff! Ryder! Dead ahead!''
Ryder leaned to one side of his ATV, ahead of the Sub, he could just make out a small green vessel making its way towards them. The pup' collars beeped.
``Guys, It's Rocky! You all still need a helping Paw?''
Zuma responded back fast.
``Wocky dude! There's a sub heading youwr way! I don't think it can see you!''
``Rocky! Evasive action! You got to steer clear from it!'' Ryder called out.
The Recycle pup heeded his friends' words, looking out on the ocean, He could see a large dark mass surround by a large wave of water ahead of him. It created several smaller waves which rocketed towards the pup's tugboat. His vessel swayed and bobbed roughly. Rocky began to feel very nervous, he turned his steering wheel hard, left than right, trying to control the rocking as best he could. The sub had slipped further and further under the water, soon it was gone. It dipped under the massive wave it created and sunk itself below the surface, but the wave had not dissipated. It was still ongoing and headed directly towards Rocky's Tugboat.
Rocky's eyes widen. The pup yelped.
``Claw arms!''
Both arms popped out his pack and with all his might, he turned his wheel hard to one side. The tugboat turned to the left, He had to avoid it, he needed to avoid it, but this was a miscalculation. The wave approached the boat, his vessel started to tilt, Water flooded the upper deck and splashed against the pup; The boxes he brought on board had been washed back out to the sea. Rocky was soaked, he sputtered and coughed loudly. Before he knew it, the entire tugboat had swung almost completely over to one side, Tipping over. Rocky hung on to the steering wheel with his four paws, his claw arms gripped down as well. The top portion of the tugboat thrashed into the water, Rockys paws slipped off the wheel turned once more. His claws arms barely holding his weight. Rocky could see the wave flood his boat and closed his eyes before the impact. The ocean engulfed him, his claw arms gave out and he toppled into the sea below.
The boys watched in horror as Rocky's Tugboat capsized. Mountains of trash and debris toppled out and Rocky disappeared below the surface. Zuma let out a half bark half scream at the sight.
``Wocky!!!''
``Wet...Wet.... Wet?!!...TOOO WET!''
The pup opened his eyes and held his breath. He had capsized, he knew that much but he couldn't make out where he was. His whole body spun around in the waves, disorientating him. He opened his mouth slightly. Bubbles floated from his maw and upwards.
``The surface!''
He swam up as fast as he could, he soon breached the surface. Coughing and sputtering water as he looked around, he could make out his tugboat floating on one side, trash had accumulated on in the water, most of it drifted out further into the sea, but he couldn't see Ryder or the other pups anywhere. He tried his pup tag, only to realize he wasn't wearing it. It must have been knocked off when the wave hit. He desperately looked around for his friends, Doggy paddling his way back and forth among the waves before a larger one swept over him, sending him spinning underneath the surf. He breached the surface once more.
``Ryder! Chase!''
He barked loudly.
``Zuma!''
Another wave crashed against him; His head went under. He surfaced once more, he was paddling his legs faster now, his breath was heavy, he was panicking.
``ZUMA!!!''
He pleaded, a third wave came at him and pulled him under. He felt himself spin again; he couldn't orient himself anymore. The salty water of the ocean pooled into his mouth.
Just then he felt something else, something wrapped around his belly and under his forelegs, it pulled him upwards. He felt his head breach the surface again and a light voice next to him.
``Wocky! Wocky! I got you! I got you!''
Zuma had wasted no time, the minute he could not see Rocky he sped past Ryder and Chase, getting close to the overturned tugboat, Zuma lunched his roped buoy from his sub and dove out into the sea. Beneath the waves, He quickly located the pup and pulled him up towards the surface, one paw wrapped around Rocky and the other on the buoy. Ryder had pulled his ATV close towards Zuma's sub, allowing Chase to leap into it and bark, commanding the rope to retract, Pulling both boys in. Zuma used his water jet turbines to quickly propel them back towards the sub. Chase leaned over to help Zuma pull Rocky onto his vessel. The Recycle pup swayed and coughed loudly, His Pup gear and Hat were gone, his breathing was rapid. He shaked the excess water off his fur, and suddenly felt sick. He hacked up a few times and felt water pool up his throat and out his mouth. Spewing onto the floor of the craft. His nose stung with saltiness. Zuma grabbed onto him, trying to keep him steady.
``Wocky! Wocky! Are you ok?''
Rocky stared at the pup. Still breathing heavily ``Zuma... I...'' he collapsed on the floor.
``Wocky!''
``Whoa! Easy!'' Chase called out, kneeling against his friend.
The lab sat down next to Rocky, Pressing his head against his. Letting his paw run along his back and stroking it lightly. Trying to slow his breathing down.
``Deep Bweaths Wocky, Deep Bweaths''
Rocky wined and nuzzled hard into Zuma's neck. Taking his instruction, he took long and shallow breaths, he coughed every so often, but he maintained his breathing.
``Thank you...Zuma...Chase.''
``No problem, dude...''
``We're just glad you're safe!''
With not a lot of room on the hovercraft, Ryder could only get his ATV close enough to check on the pups, he leaned in and gently stroked Rocky's head.
``It's ok Rocky...Are you alright?''
Rocky's breathing soon returned to normal, the adrenaline died down, and the realization of what just happened set in. His eyes started to swell.
``No...I'm not...I'm not.''
The Recycle pup let out a loud wine and howled into the air. He put his head down and leaned it against Zuma's. Zuma sniffled and tried to hold back his own tears. He wined along aside him and nuzzled his snout into Rocky's wet fur. Biting his lower lip, he did his best to comfort his friend. Chase wined as well, and joined in to cuddle close to the boys, Ryder leaned further in and pressed his forehead against Rocky's.
``Rocky...it's ok...you're ok'' Ryder said, His own voice trying to keep composure.
That situation was terrifying. In one fell swoop, Rocky had lost his boat, his stuff, his gear and almost possibly...something more. Zuma did not want to think about that, especially not that last part. However, there was something else lost too, Something Zuma always loved about Rocky. Something he could no longer smell on the pups' damp fur. His scent, the scent that all the pups recognized, the scent that signaled where he was, the scent Zuma grew to love. It was gone. Washed away with the sea like the rest of the recycle pups' things.
``Deep Bweaths Wocky...Deep Breaths''
