Paw patrol one-shots

The Lieutenant's Favorite

Ship: not focused on one ship (Ahri x Rocky, Skase)

Rating: ❤️

Au: Canon, with Ahri and my own OCs. I got permission from Calyp50 to use Ahri for this one-shot

It was a sunny day like many others before, yet the air crackled with tension. Something was amiss and the puppies knew. At least... Skye did. When Chase woke her up this morning to get breakfast, it was as if the atmospheric pressure had shifted.

„Does anyone else feel kinda... off?" she carefully asked. „What do you mean Skye?" Ahri asked, tilting her head. „I dunno. Something feels off..." „Maybe you just ate a little much yesterday" Rubble suggested, his mind already contemplating what lunch would look like.

Skye shook her head and tried to enjoy breakfast. „I don't think that's it, Rubble" Zuma said, earning a nod from Ahri. „He's right, you know: simply overeating doesn't show itself like this." But Rubble didn't hear her, as he dug into his breakfast. Chase just sighed, turning to Skye. "It's okay to feel down, Skye" he reassured her, his brown eyes filled with warmth. Just before Skye could say something, a cry echoed through the lookout. "Ryder" chase said, abandoning his breakfast to run to him.

Ryder was one the phone, his entire body shaking as his hand covered his mouth. Tears ran down his face as Ryder barely managed to form any words. "yeah... I-I understand... I'll... I'll come and get her..." Ryder managed to say, and as soon as the call ended, Ryder threw his phone, screaming something before breaking down entirely. "R-Ryder sir?" Chase asked, carefully approaching Ryder, who was sobbing on the floor, face buried in his hands. "D-Dead..." Ryder whispered, his voice barely understandable. Ahri carefully pulled Chase away. "Don't, this is a heavy reaction to trauma" she softly said. "Trauma?" "And grief" she added, while Rocky grumbled something like "the poor phone, this is such a waste".

It took a while, but Ryder managed to pull himself together. enough to tell his puppies what was going on. "Sorry about earlier... it's just...I had an older friend, Terrance, and he went to the military." Skye pressed herself a little closer against Chase, as if afraid that something might happen. Chase seemed a little uneasy as well, from the corner of his eye he saw Zuma and Rubble huddling together, while Rocky was seeking comfort with Ahri. "The call today.." Ryder continued, swallowing thickly as he tried to suppress his tears "was from the General. Terrence... he... he was killed during a mission. A clean shot to the eye..." Ahri's ears perked up. "The bullet has easy access from the eye to the brain...." she muttered, her medical knowledge running wild as she recalled the structure of eye and the brain "there are no bones in the way, which means that it must have been a painless death.."

Ryder continued, still trying to shake off his tears. "He had a military dog... She's just a puppy but she as his favorite. I am supposed to take her in..." "But why? aren't there people for that?" Zuma asked, his olive green eyes focusing on Ryder. "Not in this case, Zuma. Terrence's family doesn't want her and between all the soldiers, Terrence was the only one who could lead her with no bite or scratch marks." "So why you? Why you of all people?" Rubble tilted his head, wondering who this mysterious pup was. "Well... I was there to help Terrence. I watched her train with Terrence and she seemed to like us... like a lot" Ryder explained, a faint but bitter-sweet smile on his lips. "I trust you can handle any emergencies while I am gone?" "Yes, Ryder sir!" was the answer of seven puppies, eager to help people in need.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ryder pulled into the driveway of the base. The soldier at the gate checked his ID and then let him drive through. And as soon as Ryder stepped out of the car, he was greeted by a tall man. "You're Ryder, I assume?" "Yes, that's me" "Nice to meet you. My name is Loui Parker. Though.. Lieutenant Brown usually calls me "Private Joker"..." Loui's eyes clouded with nostalgia for a moment, but then he smiled. "So you're Private Joker?" "Yes" "Yeah... that sounds a lot like Terrence to give people names like that...". After exchanging pleasantries and a small laugh, Loui, or rather Private Joker, led Ryder to the cages with the dogs. "She is a good girl, really.... but after Terrence passing... we barely managed to get her away from the funeral" Loui explained, using a key card to open a special door. Behind it was a separate cage. "There she is." Loui said, giving Ryder a leash "Make sure she doesn't bite you." "Don't worry, Private Joker, I am sure Mara remembers me."

The Doberman pup was curled up in the middle of the cage, barely looking up at Ryder. "Hey, princess, it's me" Ryder murmured as he approached her. For a second, her ear twitched but that was it. "Don't make this tougher than it already is for us. We both lost him, y'know?" Kneeling down beside her, he gently scratched her ears. "You will never have to go back to the front, I promise. But for that you need to pull yourself together." Silence answered him, so with a sigh, Ryder gave Loui a sign and he retreated, leaving Ryder alone with Mara. "Listen, I know it's hard, but you cannot keep laying here like that. Terrence wouldn't want this." "It's not that" Mara whispered, and internally, Ryder cheered: at least she was talking now.

"Then what is it?" Mara looked up at Ryder, her dark eyes widened. "I... I really love serving the military... but... I don't think I can stay... well... here" she admitted, expressing her disdain for this cage clearly. "Don't worry, princess. I'm here to get you out of here. Plus, I'll make sure you keep your status as fully trained military dog." "You would?!" "I will" Ryder said, smiling gently as he saw how her tail wagged. „Let's go home, okay? There are lots of friends I want to introduce you to."

Loui's jaw nearly hit the floor as he watched Ryder carry Mara to the car. The Dobermann seemed relaxed in Ryders arms. „Listen man, I dunno how you do it, but I gotta ask... why is she so calm?" „Simple: Mars has always been a little princess. Ladies and fashion, y'know?" Ryder grinned, gesturing towards the military vest Mara wore. Every possible metal a military dog could have was clipped onto it. Private Joker just stood there, watching in fascination how Ryder let Mara sit on the passenger seat, sat down on the drivers side and revved up the engine. But not before he let Mara have the second pair of sunglasses, which she eagerly put on. „Pretty as always" Ryder chuckled as he watched Mara relax. „Of course, I am always pretty" she answered, with a lot of confidence for being such a little pup.

"Ryder is back!" Chase yelled, completely ignoring the fact that the puppies had planned on playing hide and seek. Ahri, who had been the seeker, tried to tell Chase to come back, but seeing the car, she told the others to come out. Which they did. Rocky and Chase raced to Ryders car, Ahri, Skye and Zuma followed closely, only Zuma complained that they'd wait for him... and poor Rubble who was snoozing in the corner. Ryder barely stepped out of the car and closed the door, when Chased jumped at him, wanting affection. "Whoa, clam down there," Ryder tried to say, but Chase was sort of relentless.. and then Rocky joined, followed by Ahri, Skye and Zuma. And eventually Rubble, who had managed to pick himself up.

"Alright, now that all of you calmed down" Ryder said, taking a goo look at the puppies who sat down straight in a line "let me introduce you to who I was supposed to pick up." With that, Ryder put his hand on the car door handle. "She might be a bit shy or sassy, but I promise, she's actually a ray of sunshine" he said as he opened the door. And there sat Mara. She jumped out and immediately circled Ryder, her gaze never leaving the other puppies. She then sat down to Ryders right side, sitting tall and proud. "This is Mara" Ryder knelt down to pet her head, yet she still didn't move. "Please apologize if she's talking harshly, she's been raised into the military."

A/n: imma call it a day here. there will be a part too, but... holy hell, it takes long to write...