AN: I said I would be back and here I am. Way behind on Paw Patrol episodes. I haven't seen the Rex episode yet so its on my list. I am really tired of the lockdowns and stuff. Open the country back up before we all have a second great depression already!

Sorry just needed to rant a bit. Also, to the person updating the Zuma's Fear/Courage TV Tropes page, thank you very much!

Disclaimer: I do not own Paw Patrol


Chase groaned as he felt his entire body suddenly get sore like he had been hit with a truck and then hammered in the head with a steel chair. Blinking his eyes open, he saw that he was in a hospital room while laying on a white sheeted bed. Memories of the fight quickly flashed in Chase's head as he reminded himself to chew on Ryder's slippers for suggesting this again. Thankfully, he wasn't alone as Skye was there by his side with a water bottle in her mouth.

Without a word, he took it into his mouth and began to drink it dry. Once finished, he sighed and rested on his pillow while closing his eyes. "Well, I think I can officially say I now know what it's like to get my butt kicked."

"If it helps," Skye said, with a smirk. "You did get a few good blows on Blue."

"...How is he?" Chase asked.

"He's fine. Not as bad as he needs the hospital, but he's a bit of a limp," Skye answered. "He did come to see you though."

"Really?" Chased asked, opening his eyes with a surprise look on his face. "What did he say?"

"All he asked was what your condition was like and just stared at you for a few minutes before leaving," Skye answered, shrugging. "Kind of weird, but I think he was kinda regretful when he looked at you."

"Hmm," Chase said, taking note of what Skye was saying and reminding himself to check on it later. "What about the others?"

"Right now they're checking leads for Damian Stone," Skye said, sitting down. "Although, Ryder has Marshall and Rocky looking for Zuma while he and Rubble focus on Stone."

"I should get out there, gah!" He cried out when he tried to move, only to clutch his cheek when he tried.

"Oh no, you don't!" Skye said, gently pushing him down. "The Doctor says you gotta wait at least another day before you can get out of here. So if I have to glue your butt to that bed I'll do it with super hot glue so you get my point."

"Okay! Okay!" Chase said, rolling his eyes. "I just...I just wish I was out there..."

"Finding Zuma or Stone?"

"Zuma," Chase sighed, shaking his head. "I'm the oldest of the group. I'm the leader. Zuma..he's like a little brother you know? How can I protect him from Stone if I'm not there for him."

"...Chase, if Zuma really is acting like a vigilante against Stone and is doing all these killings," Skye said, looking down. "I think the one who we need to protect Zuma from is himself."


It actually felt good to talk normally for a chance. Heck, Zuma couldn't remember the last time he actually smiled, but talking about his time back in Adventure Bay with Frisk did sort of cheer him up. He told him all sorts of stories like the time they helped the alien, finding lost treasure, and all the people they rescued. Frisk didn't believe in half of them, but he was entertained nonetheless. When asked about his friends...his family...Zuma spent hours talking about them.

"...and Rocky was always inventing something. I swear he could invent things in his sleep and come up with them the next day after waking up," Zuma said, chuckling. He missed him so much. His gentle fur and piercing eyes. His soothing voice as he comforted Zuma. "I hope he's...okay."

"You know you could go to them?" Frisk said, looking at Zuma with a raised eyebrow. "I'm sure they'll be happy to see you. Especially since it's been months."

For one split second. Zuma wanted nothing more than to rush over and find the others. To hug Ryder and wear his old collar again while putting on his pup pack and working together to save the day. But then he thought about all they had suffered because of him. How Stone manipulated them, used them, and hurt them in ways that scarred them for life. He thought about Chase's broken heart, Skye's tears, Ryder's guilt, Rubble's shame, Marshall's suffering, and Rocky's fear.

"I can't..." Zuma whispered, shaking his head as he did his best to hide his tears. "I can't risk it. Stone wants me dead...no he wants me to suffer and then dead. He'll just hurt the others and I'll never forgive myself if I lose them like I lost my family."

"Kid, they're already involved," Frisk pointed out, rolling his eyes. "Look, I get you feel guilty for what happened, but they're going to fight Stone with or without you. Wouldn't it be better to fight together?"

"...How can they accept me after all I've done?" Zuma muttered, closing his eyes. Once there was a time he feared blood. Now his paws were covered in them. "I acted outside the law. I'm a criminal. I have no future if I survive this." Shaking his head, Zuma looked at Frisk with cold and yet sorrowful eyes. "I'm going to finish this or it's going to finish me. Either way, it will all come to an end."

Frisk just stared at Zuma for a long time before sighing. "Alright, kid. It's your life. Mind if you excuse me? I need to relieve myself."

Zuma nodded before Frisk walked out of his shed and out into the fresh air. He didn't need to really go, it wast just an excuse to think clearly. The kid expects he's going to die...no, I don't think he cares anymore.

It was clear something was broken in Zuma. He didn't care about his life and it seemed, in some ways, he wasn't afraid of losing it. That's not normal. Not normal at all. Gheez, Frisk what have you gotten yourself into?

He still planned on helping Zuma. Lord knows he would never be able to sleep at night if he didn't. But this is going to need a different kind of help. What the heck should I do? Tell his friends where he is? No, I can't betray his trust like that. Gah, I don't know what to do!

After thinking a bit more on it, Frisk decided to just let it be for now, but he was going to have to cross this road at some point. Re-entering his hut he saw Zuma reading one of the washed up comic books before clearing his throat. "So, Zuma. Why don't you tell me about that time your friend Marshall was sleep walking..."


Ryder was glad he was a person who always prepared for anything. Taking various language lessons in case they had to help people who weren't from the US was one of those that was starting to pay off. Foreigners were always more comfortable talking in their native tongue than in English so he learned Spanish, French, Japanese, Arabic, Chinese, and others as best as he could with Russian being one of them. It was times like these that Ryder was glad he was a high IQ genius with a knack for being obsessed with preparation.

"Самый большой клуб-это клуб "ледяной топор"? Как вы туда добираетесь?" Ryder asked, as Rubble stood beside him with a confused look on his face.

"Да, это всего в трех кварталах отсюда. Не знаю, зачем тебе это знать, малыш. Ты еще не настолько взрослая, чтобы водить машину," The middle-aged man in a trench coat said, pointing down the road.

"Спасибо. Хорошего дня," Ryder said, nodding to the stranger before they walked away.

"Um, so what did he say, Comrade Ryder?" Rubble joked with a small giggle.

"He said Club Frostaxe was just a few blocks away. I doubt we'll be able to get in, but we can at least check the place out at least," Ryder said as he and Rubble continued to walk down the streets of downtown's russian area. In order to not stand out, Ryder decided to have him and his pups travel with public transportation and not wear their uniforms or pup packs to avoid attention. They had Damian Stone's eyes on them now after the destruction of his warehouse and a normal boy and his dog would look more in place then a suited up boy and his dog with a bright yellow armored dog.

"How do you think Marshall and Rocky are doing?" Rubble asked, looking up at his owner.

"I doubt they'll find anything, but it never hurts to try," Ryder said, sighing. "If Zuma is in the area, he'll be scoping out the location of the Nikolai brothers as well. According to Shaw, they're one of the biggest players in Downtown's crime underworld and have worked with Stone before in the past. So it makes sense that he'll try to hit them next."

"I wish he could just come back to us," Rubble whimpered, doing his best not to cry. Ryder stopped to kneel down and rub the bulldog's head a bit before giving him a sad smile. "Ryder, why did this happen?"

"What do you mean?" Ryder asked.

"We were all happy before Stone broke out and started ruining our lives," Rubble whispered as he looked down at the ground. "Why did this have to happen to us? We're good pups. We've saved people and always did the right thing. Why us? What did we do to deserve this?!"

Ryder was quiet for a few minutes before closing his eyes. "You know, Rubble? I asked the same thing when my parents died. I didn't know why they were taken from me when they did nothing but love me and do the right thing. I thought long and hard and I realized that I'll never know." He looked up at the sky and felt a tear threatening to break as he thought about that day he lost everything. "I like to think that there was a reason. Something that caused it to happen. Maybe it's what inspired me to focus on reducing others and adopting all of you. Maybe it was needed so that we could save others who weren't going to be saved. Maybe I'm just guessing. It sucks knowing that there are good people that die unjustly or suddenly while some evil people keep living instead. Life's not fair. It's just the way it is. Some say that's proof that God doesn't exist or care for us, but I don't see it that way. I think there is a plan. One that we cannot see or understand. Just because you can't see the plan doesn't mean that one doesn't exist in some way. And even if there isn't a plan, you can still find something in that tragedy you suffer to turn it into a drive to do better."

He picked Rubble up and hugged the saddened pup who buried his head in his owner's shoulder. "I have faith that we'll find a way to come out of this alive together. We're a team, even if Zuma isn't with us. We'll either come out together or go down together and I'll fight every step of the way to make sure we're going home as one family again."

Arfing, Rubble hugged Ryder and smiled with tears in his eyes. "I'll fight too, Ryder."

Placing Rubble down, the two continued on their way with both of them driven to see this mission come to an end. And reunite them all once again as a family.


"I've spotted two of the targets," he spoke on his microphone to his contact, Damian Stone. Quickly adjusting the lens of his sight, he raised his sniper rifle a bit higher to see the two clearer. "Do you want me to take the shot?"

"...Not yet," Damian Stone answered on the other end. "What are they doing?"

"Heading to some club. Club Frostaxe."

"Hmm, I think we can use this to our advantage..." Damian Stone answered with a chuckle. "Don't kill them yet and don't worry I'll tell Keres to not kill them yet either, but she may have an easier time killing them then you will."

"Are the targets the only kills allowed?" The sniper asked from his hidden window in the building.

"No, I don't care if you kill others along the way to do so."

"Then I'm not worried about Keres."