The Two Of Us (will be continued)

Chapter 7: All Around

It was 1:39 A.M. and Ryder couldn't sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, wishing for sleep to devour him once he closed his eyes. But no matter how much he tried, he just couldn't get to sleep.
He thought maybe it was the issue with that play that was bothering him and keeping him awake. The fact that the one who was gonna get to spend the most time with Marshall on set was Skye. Not him.

Not fair.

"Grand Old Duke of York!" He thought. "What a joke! This has gotta be the biggest scam in theater history! Now Skye is gonna get to be with Marshall all because they got the leads and I had to get the Grand Old Duke of York! I'll bet the Grand Old Duke of York isn't even grand! All he does is march soldiers up and down a hill all day and it's all for what?! He's anything BUT grand! There's nothing notorious about him! This is ridiculous!"
"Why are you so frustrated, child? It's just a silly little show."
"Oh, be quiet. Leave me alone to think."
"Think about what? Him?"
"The Grand Old Duke of York, you mean?"
"No, stupid. Marshall."
"Yes."
"Do you realize I can read your every thoughts AND his? I can see you think about him excessively."
"And why not?! He's my pup after all! Now why don't you just go away?!"
"It's not like you to act this harshly, child."
"Yeah, and it's also not like me to hear mysterious voices in my head. Now go. Get out. Get out of my head. I'm already sick and tired of hearing you."
"You know very well that I'm more than just a voice. I do not just dwell in your head. I could be everywhere if I wanted to be. Perhaps I AM everywhere. That's the reality of it."
"No, it's not."
"You dare think I'm mistaken?"
"Well if you just come along and dare to mess with my pup then yeah, I dare think you're mistaken. You, Somnambulism, may be 'everywhere' but so is the Paw Patrol. We're...(whispers) all around."
Ryder closed his eyes and continued. "Land."
(Rubble, Chase and Rocky are saving a train from a rockslide)
"Sea."
(Zuma is gliding across the ocean in his hovercraft)
"Up in the clouds."
(Skye is flying her helicopter above Adventure Bay)
"Snow."
(Everest is helping Jake through a harsh blizzard)
"The jungle."
(Tracker is moving through the treetops with his cables)
"Fire."
(Marshall is darting through a big fire to save someone)
"So, you see, Somnambulism, you might think that we've met our match but really it's the other way around. YOU'VE met YOURS."
"If it makes you feel better to believe that, kid."
Ryder smiled. "Oh, it does. Because it's the truth."
Ryder could only hear faint whispers out of an angry and bewildered Somnambulism before it completely faded away and he was left to sit there for a moment and contemplate on everything that was said. Though in some way he could feel it still trying to control a conversation so Ryder did his best to shut it down. He finally decided to just get out of his room for a minute and get a drink of water from the kitchen.
He shuffled out of his covers and saw that he still had his day clothes on, realizing he had never bothered to change into his pajamas.
"Whatever." He mumbled before stepping out of his bedroom.
The walk to the kitchen wasn't far at all. He grabbed a cup from one of the cupboards and then he grabbed the pitcher on the counter, pouring himself some water.
And then, with his drink in hand, he did something he always did when he found himself up at night, unable to sleep. And that was wandering around the Lookout, as if expecting to find something. He started with the room he was currently in: the kitchen. His eyes were on the pictures on the refrigerator. There was one when the pups were very, very young. And another of when Rubble was still new to the family. Another was of when Everest came along. And another of when Tracker came. Where on earth did the time go?
Ryder still wondered as he walked out and into the big observatory. He walked up to the control panel and fingered all of the buttons and switches, while being careful not to actually press any. It amazed him to think he created a lot of what he saw in this place. But he was not just proud of himself. His pups were his pride.
He could hear rain outside and glanced at the outside where the balcony was. But something else caught his eye, and he started to think it was that thing that he always felt he was looking for when he wandered around here.