The Stellar Odyssey - A PAW Patrol Fanfic

🪐 4 - The Final Dawn 🪐

Ryder leans against the wall outside the Lookout, clutching his phone tightly, his voice lowered but tense as he speaks. "Look, these are my pups. My team," he insists, his words measured but tinged with frustration. "They're... they're not just assets. You can't just decide to send them into space without any say from me. There has to be another way."

On the other end of the line, an administrative voice cuts through, cool and firm. "Ryder, the decision was made at the highest levels. With Mayor Goodway's support and quick approval, we've allocated Chase, Everest, and Rocky for this mission. Humanity needs them. This isn't just Adventure Bay, this is the whole world on the line. You came up with the PAW Patrol, to SAVE people, rescue them. This is all you've ever wanted. The international calls have been made, everything has been approved and there is no reconsideration now. Your pups are heroes of the day, imagine them being heroes of humanity."

Ryder's jaw clenches, his fingers white around the phone. "I understand the stakes," he says quietly, fighting to keep his voice steady. "But this team... these pups are family. There's no mission in the universe that changes that." He pauses, as if hoping for any sign of reconsideration. But when the silence stretches, he knows it's over.

"Thank you for your service, Ryder," the voice adds, almost perfunctory. "We'll see you at the launch site tomorrow."

Ryder pulls the phone from his ear and stares at it blankly for a moment before tucking it away, his shoulders slumping slightly. It's rare for him to feel anything less than trust in Mayor Goodway, but her decision feels like a quiet betrayal, like she's ripped something from his grasp without fully understanding what she's taking. With a heavy sigh, he heads back inside. "If it was for that, we wouldn't even save your sleeping chicken every time" he randomly thinks, a bit of sadness and furiosity in his head.

The morning is a somber affair, and it's clear the pups feel the weight of the impending mission. Gathered around the Lookout's dining table for breakfast, their usual chatter and laughter are replaced by an unsettling silence. Plates are filled, food barely touched as they sit together, each lost in their own thoughts.

Marshall sits to the side, his head down, a small tear rolling down his cheek every so often as he glances at his barely touched plate. He wipes his face with a paw, trying to be discreet, but the sadness in his eyes is unmistakable. Everest, sitting across from him, looks on with a mixture of understanding and sorrow, reaching out briefly to squeeze his paw in silent comfort.

In an attempt to break the tension, Zuma raises his head and looks around with a half-smile. "Hey... you know, I think we need to discuss why some of us are just a little bit bettew than others," he says, his tone playful but edged with a hint of wistfulness. The others glance up, a few smiles tugging at their lips despite the mood.

Ryder looks up, giving Zuma a slight smile of appreciation. "Every one of you is unique in your own way," he says, his voice steady but thick with emotion. "This... this decision, it's out of our control now. Mayor Goodway has spoken for us. All we can do is trust the choices that were made and be there for each other."

Rubble, sitting beside Rocky, stares at his plate before finally breaking the silence again. "It's just... weird, you know?" he mutters, his voice quiet. "Knowing that the world... well, they're saying it might only have fifty years left. Fifty years before it's... gone." He swallows hard, the weight of the words sinking into the air around them.

Rocky, ever the practical optimist, lifts his head, his eyes bright with excitement despite everything. "That's why we're going, though!" he says, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "Think about it, Rubble. We get to be the ones who make sure Earth has a future. We're gonna see the stars up close, find new planets... how cool is that? This is our chance to make a difference!"