Chase's body was wracked with anticipation as he climbed to the top of the play gym to greet this mysterious pup. How would he react to being spoken to? Was he nice? Mean? Did he want to be spoken to? Did he want to be left alone? Regardless of the answers to these questions, Chase had to try. He was so busy pondering the answers to these questions that he nearly found himself walking off the edge of the play gym behind the dalmatian.

Chase stared at the white, speckled back of the pup for a while. He was completely unmoving, not even reacting to his presence. All kinds of things ran through Chase's head to try and start a conversation, but in the end, he decided to try and play it casually, walking up just behind the dalmatian.

"Hi, there!" Chase greeted cheerfully.

"GYAAAAAAAHHH!" The dalmatian screamed, jumping what had to be a foot in the air.

"BWAAAAAAAAGH! Chase leapt backwards with a scream of his own, startled by the pup's reaction to him, soon finding himself at the edge of the play gym while the pup landed teetering on the opposite edge.

"Whwhoawhoawhoooaaaaa- OOF!" The dalmatian wobbled and thrashed around for a short while in a bid to keep his balance, before failing and plummeting off the play gym and landing heavily on his back.

"Whwhwhoaaaa- UGH!" Chase didn't take long to follow suit, landing with a thud on the opposite side.

"I'm good!" the voice came from around the other side.

"Urgh… Ah! Oh, no! No, no, no, no!"

Chase slowly got to his feet, before remembering that he may have just hurt the pup and bolting upright, forgetting the pain of the impact and running for the other side of the play gym where the dalmatian lay, who looked surprisingly relaxed, all things considered.

"Hey! Are you OK? I'm really, really sorry!" Chase yelled as he ran up to the dalmatian, who was now paying full attention to him.

"Oh, I'm fine. I was only thinking. You just spooked me, is all." The dalmatian replied calmly, rolling to his feet.

"I'm really sorry I hurt you! I was just trying to say 'hi'!"

"Hurt me? Don't be silly, I crash into stuff all the time! I'm more worried about you."

"Me? Well, my back's a little sore, but I'll be OK."

"That's good." The dalmatian replied with a smile. "So. You wanted to say 'hi'? You new here? I don't remember seeing you around."

"You're right. I was trying to make some friends. Me and my owner just moved in."

"Aww, really? Well then..." The dalmatian extended his paw towards the shepherd for a high-five. "My name is Marshall. What's yours?"

Chase stared for a second, before beaming and returning the high-five. Something told him he'd just made a great find indeed. "I'm Chase! It's nice to meet you!" he replied cheerfully.

"Well then, Chase. You wanna play?"

"Do I?!"

"In that case..." as if like lightning, Marshall's paw lashed out and tapped Chase on the shoulder before he turned around and bolted off. "Tag! Catch me if you can!"

"Hey! No fair!" Chase yelled after the fleeing dalmatian before taking off in pursuit.

What followed was some of the most fun Chase had ever had in his short life. He pursued Marshall all around the park and competed with him to see who could go highest on the swing set. They even had the confidence to play rough with one another after a while. Even though Marshall seemed to fall over an awful lot, strangely, he never seemed hurt, and eventually, Chase learned to laugh with him whenever it happened. Soon, the two lay next to each other in the same spot atop the play gym, breathing heavily after all of the exercise they got.

"That… was… so much fun..." Chase panted.

"Yeah… I don't think I've… enjoyed playing with… another pup so much..." Marshall wheezed.

"You play with many others?"

"Not really. I used to play with the other fire dogs, but there weren't many my age."

"'Used to'? You don't now?"

"Not anymore. There aren't any fire dogs left but papa. Heck, there aren't any firefighters left. They all had to leave."

"Really? Wait, I noticed you aren't wearing a collar. Does that have something to do with it?"

"Yeah… sorry." Chase noticed Marshall looking away ashamedly.

"Huh? What are you apologising for?" Chase tilted his head curiously.

"I never said I was a stray… And usually people and pups try to avoid me when they know I'm a stray..."

Chase immediately laid a paw across Marshall's back as his face changed to one of mortal offense. "What?! What kinda way is that to treat a pup so nice?! If they did that to you, then they're not worth it to start with! You're probably the nicest pup here and they try to ignore you?! Ugh! So selfish!"

Marshall responded with a wide-eyed look of astonishment. It took him a few seconds to pluck up a response.

"Th-that… That's probably the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me..." Marshall stammered.

"Not many people talk to you, do they?" Chase asked with complete sincerity.

"Well, no, but… you just did... And… I'm… really happy I met you..."


"I still can't believe people would do that to a stray..." Chase spat.

"A stray's just a pup in need of help more than ever..." Marshall mused, recalling something Chase told him a while ago.

"Exactly! And people turn their noses up?! How could they?!"

"Even the strays who attack people need help, right?"

"ESPECIALLY them!"

"Heh. Some things about you haven't changed. Still so easily fired up..." Marshall gave a fond grin to his friend.

"Just like you." Chase returned Marshall's grin. "And heck, some things about you haven't changed from all those years ago."


"So, Marshall. What do you say?" Chase extended his other paw towards Marshall. "Friends?"

Marshall immediately reached out and joined paws with Chase. "Friends!" Marshall happily replied in a near-shout.

Chase smiled widely and nuzzled his newfound friend, who eagerly returned the favor. Luck really was in the cards for him today. He'd come to the pup park in hopes of making a new friend. But something that day told him that he'd found something more. He couldn't wait to introduce him to Ryder. And considering the loud growl that just came from Chase's stomach, this would probably be happening sooner rather than later.

"You sound kinda hungry..." Marshall observed.

"We played a lot today, huh?" Chase replied. "Wanna come back with me for some food?"

Marshall blinked. "Are you sure? You've already been so nice to me today..."

"So what's a little more, huh? Besides, my owner's super-cool. He won't mind at all."

Marshall paused. "...that… would be great. Thank you, Chase."

"Yes!" Chase pumped one of his paws. "I don't live far away! C'mon!"

Marshall was about to get up and follow Chase, until a low howl come from the bushes behind them. While Chase froze up, afraid that something might attack them, Marshall instead got a look of sadness.

"Awww… That's my papa… He wants me to come back with him." Marshall moaned.

"Your dad's here?" Chase asked.

"Yep. I think I was supposed to be back ten minutes ago, actually… He's probably gonna be upset..."

"It's OK, I'll explain everything..." Chase reassured, sad that he'd have to bid Marshall goodbye. Until an idea formed in his head. "Hey… Why don't you have your dad come with us?"

"Huh? Chase, that really is too much…"

"You kidding?! My owner loves dogs! He's not gonna mind!"

Marshall blinked. He wasn't really aware that it was possible for a pup to have as big a heart as Chase. And his owner sounded amazing! Now he was hoping that his father would say yes to dinner with him. The urgency to speak with him grew, however, when another howl came from the bushes.

"I hope he says yes..." Marshall said.

"So do I..." Chase added, as he followed Marshall to the bushes.

The distance between the play gym and the bushes wasn't anything too vast, so the two pups were able to reach the bushes in a short time. Stepping through the leafy growths, they came to a clearing where a large, slender adult dalmatian was waiting for the pair of them. With blue eyes and lacking a collar, albeit with a slightly different spot pattern, the dog looked like a bigger version of Marshall. Upon laying eyes on Marshall, the worried expression on the dog's face changed to one of relief.

"Ah, there you are, Marshall! Where have you been?" The larger dalmatian's low, slightly-raspy voice carried an air of disapproving fatherly worry, but was somehow still very gentle and pleasing to listen to. "You know I expect you back at the firehouse by six!"

"Sorry, papa!" Marshall sheepishly apologised. "I didn't know it was so late! But I met someone new in town!"

"Did you?" The larger dalmatian cast his eyes towards the unfamiliar german shepherd. "Ah. My, my, so you did..." The dog smiled broadly. "Hello, pup. I haven't seen you around here, before. What's your name?"

"My name is Chase, sir. Good to meet you." Chase replied formally.

"'Sir'?!" The dalmatian abruptly burst out laughing. "Good grief, boy! How old do you think I am?!"

"Oh… I'm… sorry..." Chase stuttered guiltily.

"I'm only teasing you!" The dalmatian laughed heartily before turning to his offspring. "Honestly, Marshall, where did you find this one?!"

"Well, he found me, actually." Marshall replied.

"Har har har! Well, you can tell me about it later." The larger dog turned back to Chase. "But where are my manners? My name is Ash. And as you just heard, I'm Marshall's dad. The pleasure is all mine, young pup."

Chase somehow felt more at ease after Ash introduced himself. After the sad story that Marshall had told him, he was afraid that perhaps his father would be a horrible dog somehow. But seeing that he was a boisterous joker relaxed him considerably. Maybe Marshall had someone who loved him, at least.

"A little quiet, hm?" Ash gently inquired.

"Well, 'a lot' quiet..." Marshall interjected. "He spooked me when he came and talked to me!"


"Wonder if that's why Ryder chose you as the super spy pup?" Marshall half-jokingly inquired.

"Hey, you're better at scaring people than I am!" Chase retorted.

"What's THAT supposed to mean?!" Marshall huffed.

"Dunno." Chase shrugged off Marshall's question with a glib smirk. "ANYWAY..."


Marshall and Chase went on to explain to the older dalmatian about their meeting that day and about how Chase had just moved in. Ash listened in eagerly, amazed that such an upstanding pup could just move in and befriend his introverted son so easily, while at the same time, trying to avoid thinking about the news that he had to deliver to his son. Initially, Ash was excited to tell Marshall. But now, he wasn't so sure.

"...so sir- er, Mr. Ash…" Chase went on.

"Ah, ah, ahh!" Ash playfully scolded. "Almost caught you using 'sir' again..."

"Sorry..."

"Har har! Just a little joke, pup. Go on?"

"Well, I was hoping that Marshall could come back with me to get some food from my owner, but… We were wondering if… maybe you wanted to come with?"

Ash's face went completely blank with wide eyes. He and his son had been largely ignored ever since his home and family fell apart around him, and now a random pup was offering him AND his son food and company? The shock was almost too much for Ash's brain to take.

"Oh, no…" Ash found himself replying automatically. "I… I couldn't..."

"Please, papa? Pretty please?" Marshall tugged at his father's leg with a pleading look.

"Oh, Marshall, by all means, you can go with him, but…" Ash turned back to Chase. "...I couldn't possibly take advantage of you both like that."

"You won't be, Mr. Ash!" Chase insisted. "My owner really loves dogs! He'd love to meet you! Please?"

"Well, I..." Ash stammered, before he noticed Chase giving him a sad, dewy-eyed look. "Oh, no. Don't you dare. That's cheating." He looked over to Marshall to see him giving him the same look. "Oh for goodness' sake, no! Don't you start as well, Marshall!"

No matter where Ash looked, the deep, misty eyes of a pair of young pups burned into his soul. He struggled whenever Marshall started to beg, but seeing an extra pup doing so was destroying his resistance in a hurry.

"Please, let me think-! There's no… need… don't… oh, what's the point?!" Ash finally conceded. "Alright, alright, I'll go with you two! Just please stop giving me those eyes!"


"Eugh, glad I'm out of THAT phase..." Chase shuddered.

"I actually forgot how to do that, since I don't have to do it anymore to get food. Kinda glad I did…" Marshall sadly added.

Chase rubbed his friend's back. "Hey. Don't worry about it. It's all in the past now. You won't have to do it again."

Marshall smiled fondly in response. "I know."


The pups cheered. "You won't regret this Mr. Ash!" Chase cheered.

"I hope not! You put enough effort into convincing me!" Ash retorted with a grin.

"So, Chase." Marshall interjected. "Where do you live?"

"A big tower on an island not far from here. I'll show you!"

"Wait, what?!" Marshall shouted in surprise.

"Now just a second, here!" Ash added. "THAT'S what that tower is all about? That's your home?"

"Yeah, it's a little hard to believe for us, too." Chase replied. "But I'm not lying!"

"I mean, I saw that tower under construction, but I never figured out what it was about. Not many newspapers in Adventure Bay, after all. It's got to have more of a function than just your house, though?"

"Yeah. My owner will explain everything. C'mon!" Chase turned away and started to head towards the bushes.

"Well, my boy." Ash whispered in Marshall's ear. "I don't think we can afford to miss this, do you?"

"Heck no!" Marshall replied. "Coming, Chase!" the smaller dalmatian swiftly charged after Chase.

"Where does he get all that energy?" Ash mused to himself. "Oh yeah, of course." He picked up speed to follow after his son. "Wait up, boys!"

But almost as soon as he'd gotten up to speed, Ash attempted to leap over some branches and completely failed, ensnaring his back paws in them and trapping himself. With a grumble of frustration, Ash strained as he attempted to pull himself free, but applied too much force and yanked himself free of the branches hard enough to send him rolling forward.

"Whoaaaaaaaaaaa- ohhhhhh boy! OOF!"

Ash came to a stop with an almighty crash into an lemon tree, leaving him lying belly-up with the tree's produce scattered all over the top of him.

"I'm good!" Ash declared.


"So THAT'S where you get it!" Chase exclaimed. "I always had a feeling your clumsiness ran in the family!"

"Not just that." Marshall replied. "Apparently I've got mom's jokes. Dad told me so."

"Wow. Didn't realise you took after your folks that much."

"Yeah… They were the best..." Marshall replied wistfully.

Chase rubbed Marshall's back again. "We'll find your dad some day, Marshall. I know it."

"Just like we'll find your breeder, I hope."

Chase was momentarily taken aback, not expecting Marshall to bring that up again. "Maybe… Maybe..."


And now for the part I'm most nervous about. The introduction of an OC. Yet another thing I swore up and down that I wouldn't do, and yet, here we are. To be brutally honest, I'm squeamish about OCs in general, not just in this particular fandom. Mostly because, done wrong, they just end up taking away focus from the canon characters and in general be not very fun to read about. And they are very, VERY easy to do wrong. Usually, when I see an OC, my interest in a story drops very quickly (I said 'usually', not 'always'). My only hope is that I've made an OC that's at the very least acceptable (and don't worry, I have zero intention of using OC's again...).