What Remains of Marshall's Dignity

***Hey Marshall,***

***Sorry that I haven't been in contact with you for some time. Just. . . you know, busy as frickin' hell as we thought. Not to mention, the war is still not over and I hoped this would take little time for freedom. Welp, you know how my life goes, eh? It's pretty different from you, on a lighter note.***

***Speaking of freedom, you're fucking lucky, you know that? Haha, I'm not trying to be rude or jealous with ya but I really wish I would spend my time together just like when were little pups. Heh, "little pups". . . I couldn't resist snickering over that damn word! But hey, don't worry about your best friend, or rather - best-"dog"-friend, everything is kinda going a bit smooth as long as I'm trying to take control with my whole squad, and I'm not gonna FUCKING die to the scumbags' hands and I'll show them who's the real boss, that's for sure!***

***Be sure to write back! I'm starting to miss ya already! Send my greetings or whatever that means to Ryder! Be a good boy for us! See ya!***

***Chase.***

***P.S. Tease Zuma for me, 'cause I still remember him losing to me over a surfboarding match four months ago!***

Marshall sighed before placing the letter down, and he shook his head in amusement, quite beguiled in a particular way. The Dalmatian in his teenage years turned to his left to take a gander several pictures of his best friend before he was enlisted to the military.

Looking at it once more, he thought that over and over and over again, seeing him deployed would be the last thing he would know from him. His anxiety was simply yet **obviously**shown from whenever Chase was not around, and not seeing for a long time, it gave another a hint of nervousness.

As he grows older, he would've thought seeing him for the last time made him think that he had to be resilient, let alone him being all by himself would test him of, like Chase, how brave and courageous he is. After all, bravery and courage is Chase's dignity.

. . . But what about Marshall's? What about his own? One should simply follow the path of his own future was, one way or another, could surpass one's respect, and of all things he had been there, the thought of facing his tests alone firmly placed him into another set of proper dementia.

That's something Marshall could discover within his own time. It's gradually missing and needed to be found where and when at once.

"Oh, Chase. You still never change, do you. . .?" He said to himself and soon grabbed a piece of paper and pen. His optimistic thoughts began to ran wild as he wrote his reply. . .

***Chase,***

***I'm finally kind of happy to see you write to me again. And you know that, I do miss you too and you're still cussing even after your nineteenth birthday? Boy, Ryder is right - you literally are a handful, and even today!***

***Well, I know that I'm free to do anything, but without you. . . everything is well, so boring and you hardly even forget your own duty. Not that I care anyways but I hope you'll come back home soon. I miss you even more each and every day and that something you should know from me, and I know you would mock me for being a crybaby but I couldn't do anything without you. Just so you know, you can do this on your own right? You even told me that you're such an independent dog!***

***Moreover, when the war's over, tell me your stories when you get home. I bet there's a ton of adventures you would discuss with me, and I'm sure that I'm more than happy to listen, because you know, whatever you do something, it makes me wanna do everything even more.***

***Be careful out there, Chase. There's no way I'll lose my best friend and I hoped too that this will end sooner than I think.***

***Marshall.***

\*\*\*\*

Never thought that even in the million years, Marshall would even know that The Lookout would turn drastically from a tower into a multi-level building imaginable. As far as the architecture has been improved over the years, they were welcomed by advanced technology and the modern style of a millionaire home was easily recognizable.

. . .Not that Marshall wouldn't mind, but it seems whenever he had something in his mind, everything else seemed to be a "second thing" or whatnot. Fate knows she'd been playing Chess pieces on him every now and then.

"Hey, Marshall!" The shout immediately made the Dally's ears tensed up; that was when he was lost in his thoughts. For a surprised person, there's never been one other than him.

Turning to his right, before him was Ryder and Zuma, two of his closest friends - brothers even - as the thirty year old human waved at him as if he was inviting him - that which Marshall smiled and happily accepted the offer. Hands tucked in the pockets of his black jeans, he started. "Hey Ryder, Zuma."

"Dude, wherwe you been?" The Choco lab smirked, practically looking down on the firefighter, rather in a confident look. "Did you cwy again because of Chase?"

Marshall rolled his eyes while the Lab laughed maniacally. But it's true. There were times Marshall could be such an incorrigible fool, he ended up weeping, even today. "Shut up, you idiot. I received another message from him. He says he would mock you over some surfboarding match long months ago."

"To fucking hell with that!" Zuma growled and gave a gesture of annoyance. The Dalmatian couldn't help but laugh. Of course, he saw them doing a surfboard competition over and over again whenever the waves were too high or cool enough for them to bear. "Next time, when Chase comes back, I'll give him a beating back to the ocean!"

"Eh, good luck with that," The former shrugged and sat down beside Ryder himself. Since then that after that incident of being discovered they were born by which their parents were fully sacrificed giving birth of their child, the leader himself had been recollecting all of its data as well as the past of their own bloodline.

Not to mention, it has been for like more than twenty years that it was kept hidden in some secret laboratory where no one would find. Then again, it must had been fate, is it not?

"What's on your mind?" Ryder asked, hands hung up like a lantern holding on for dear life. When it comes to personal situations, Marshall would always asked the latter whenever he had problems of his own and there were times that took long days for them to be solved.

"Nothing. . . Just, well, I miss Chase. . ." He sighed, looking up to the bright blue sky as he scratched his own ear.

"I know. Chase being in the military kinda reminds of Ranger. . . somehow," the leader admitted, closing his eyes. Ever since Ranger's death, Ryder felt very, *very*sympathetic, and whenever he sleeps, the fresh face, attitude, and even his smile of his older twin brother continued to haunt him.

He accepted the fact that he still loved him, even then Ranger became so cruel and cold blooded, he would end up in a hospital for so long for reconciliation and ask for forgiveness if he would be still alive. Over the years with the death, he couldn't help but feel personally guilty.

"And here I thought Talon would be here. Seems he is still going to the war," Marshall bit his lip boringly.

Everyone else knew Talon for a very long time. He'd even help out Marshall when no one was there for him. Like Chase, Talon was such a strong, resilient dog that even the huge brains of any company could not surpass him. After all, his intelligence was well equipped like a full tool case and had been together with the group ever since.

"Nothing should give him or Chase wrong," Ryder crossed his arms. "I mean, they're both soldiers, right?"

"True," The Dalmatian nodded lightly. "Either way, I'll be waiting for him. . . Even that means waiting for his corpse to come home."

And with that, Marshall stood up before he walked away from him. Ryder himself gave him a small smile as he slowly walked through the door. "Bless that boy - There is definitely some way Chase will be back when this is over."

\*\*\*\*

Seven weeks later and Marshall finally received another message again, and apparently it's from Chase. He never thought he would send it this early but it gave him a huge relief whenever his hopes were either low or high. As he read the letter, he felt his heart buckled for dear life.

***Hey Marshall,***

***There's been a lot going on as you know, but you know, just remind yourself that time will tell I'll be coming home, but as long as I'm strong and brave as I'm thinking you will be, everything will be alright. I know this is far from over, but I'm close each and every day.***

***In the meantime, I hope everyone else is doing great. I know you guys will get bored eventually but when I come home, be sure to prepare a celebration for my homecoming. I can tell you all run to me, giving slaps, punches and kisses and other shit imaginable.***

***Be sure to live up for your own dignity, because what remains of yours is the true path of your own future.***

***Don't ever forget that.***

***Chase***