They Grow Up Too Fast (Paw Patrol)

Pimp My Ride

Rocky lay in his bed, engrossed in a motorcycle game on his pup phone, when his phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was Gasket.

Rocky: "Hey, Gasket, what's up?"

Gasket: "Hey, Rocko! Hehe, I'm gonna call you that now. But anyway, I was wondering if I could come by and help start on Chase's car? I've got some free time for once—which, as you know, is rare for a mechanic. I figured I'd spend it with you... if that's okay, of course."

Rocky smiled, thinking it over before replying.

Rocky: "Sure, why not? Sounds fun."

Gasket: "Yes! That just makes my tires spin! I'll head over now."

Rocky: "I'll see you then."

Gasket: "You know it."

As the call ended, Rocky found himself smiling. There was something about Gasket that made him feel genuinely happy. The idea of spending time with her filled him with anticipation.

*****

A few minutes later, Gasket arrived at the lookout.

Gasket: "Ready for some fun modifying, Rocko? Hehe."

Rocky chuckled at the nickname.

Rocky: "Rocko? Really? Well, I guess it works. Let's get started on the car."

The two headed into the garage, where Chase's supercar was parked beneath a tarp.

Gasket: "A tarp? Wow, this must be serious business."

Rocky: "It is. This is kind of personal. I'm working on it as a retirement gift for Chase."

Gasket: "Aw, that's sweet. You must really care about him."

Rocky: "Absolutely. Chase has been a huge part of my life as a Paw Patrol member. There were so many days I felt like I didn't belong, like I wasn't good enough for the team. He always had a way of lifting me up. Back when I first joined, I was a mess—always doubting myself, always feeling like I didn't deserve to be here. Probably something from my past, but... anyway, enough of that. Let's get to work."

Gasket smiled. She could relate. She, too, had struggled with feelings of worthlessness in the past.

Gasket: "Right. So, what's the plan today?"

Rocky: "I'm thinking we'll upgrade the flywheel and maybe replace the exhaust. After that, I'm not sure yet."

Gasket: "Good start. A better flywheel will help balance the power going to the wheels and prevent oversteer or understeer."

Rocky stared at her in admiration.

Rocky: "Wow. Exactly. You're good at this."

Gasket blushed slightly.

Gasket: "Hehe, it's nothing—just experience."

Rocky: "Well, let's get started. I've got the flywheel in storage. Be right back."

Rocky fetched the flywheel and brought it over, setting it down carefully.

Gasket: "Ooh, Damascus steel. Fancy! That's a solid choice."

Rocky grinned.

Rocky: "That's why I picked it. Let's check it out."

Gasket inspected the car and frowned.

Gasket: "Hmm. We've got a roadblock. This car's flywheel is fully attached to the transmission. We'll need to remove it to replace the flywheel."

Rocky sighed, inspecting the setup himself.

Rocky: "Darn. You're right. Guess we've got some work to do."

The pair got to work, carefully removing the transmission, replacing the flywheel, and reinstalling everything.

Gasket: "Nice job! Now, let's test it out."

Rocky: "You want to handle the test?"

Gasket: "Of course! Don't worry, Rocko—I've got this."

Rocky: "I just don't want you to get hurt, you know."

Rocky froze. Did he really just say that? Gasket blushed but quickly shook it off.

Gasket: "I'll be fine. Let's get this rolling."

Gasket took the keys, drove the car onto the dyno, and tested it. The car roared to life, its engine purring perfectly through every gear. After reviewing the results, Rocky nodded in satisfaction.

Rocky: "Perfect. Now for the easy part: the exhaust. There's a new one in the storage room—can you grab it?"

Gasket: "On it!"

She returned moments later, her face lighting up with excitement.

Gasket: "No way! You're putting on a Bosozoku exhaust? I love these!"

Rocky was stunned.

Rocky: "You know about Bosozoku exhausts?"

Gasket: "Of course! They're so cool. I've always been a fan."

Rocky: "Me too. Since Chase's car sits so low, it'll be perfect."

Together, they installed the new exhaust and tested it. The car looked—and sounded—amazing. Exhausted but proud of their work, the two sat down for a break.

Rocky: "I'm beat. Want to sit for a bit?"

Gasket: "Definitely. Four hours straight will do that to you."

They sat side by side, the garage now filled with a comfortable silence.

Gasket: "You know, I've been meaning to tell you something... personal."

Rocky felt a flutter of excitement. He couldn't wait to hear what Gasket had to say...