"Hey! Get back here!" Gasket shrieks, bonking her head harshly on the brick building before her. She was trying to catch Zuma. It wasn't working.

She huffs in frustration. It's been a month and she still can't catch him.

Why do I even try?! He's not going to get help! He's not going to stay anywhere. What should I do? Call animal control? They'll hurt him worse!

...I know what they're capable of. Gasket shivers. Forget that! I just have to keep trying. Even Sweetie and Claw are trying to find him! Claw is a rare help; He never helps!

Gasket stamps her paw. "Fuck, Zuma. You can't just stay there forever." You're so skinny and you look weaker now. You could lose a fight with an alley cat at this rate.

Gasket sighs, turning tail and going back to the Ruff-Ruff Pack's hideout.

"Hey! Where'd you go?! I don't see any parts for your ride," Hubcap notices, teeth bared at her. "You're lying to me!"

Hubcap's voice got louder as he steps closer to Gasket, enraged. Gasket's lips quivered, her teeth beginning to bear as well as she snarled at her "boss."

"Come on, guys! Let's not fight! Please?" Dwayne begs the two.

"Stay out of it!" both Gasket and Hubcap exclaim, turning their heads in anger at Dwayne.

"Eep!" Dwayne covers his eyes with his paws.

Hubcap bristled. "So," he drawled, pulling his foot closer to himself. "Have you, perhaps, replaced us?"

"No!"

"Abandoned us?"

"No!"

"Tell me where you went!"

Hubcap got closer, sinking his lower tooth into his lips. A mumbling snarl exits his tongue.

Gasket refused to answer. As much as she wanted to help the PAW Patrol find their missing member, there's just something disrespectful about trying to force someone to go back.

I should at least show him why the PAW Patrol needs him.

Gasket purses her lips, too busy pondering to notice Hubcap pawing at her leg.

I've heard what's going on. You left the PAW Patrol, abandoning them. They don't know why you left; however it's quite easy to guess. Claw told me he hadn't seen you going on missions and Sweetie and the Princess confirmed this—they don't even know how long it's been since they've seen you.

"Gah!" Gasket screams, jumping up. Hubcap bit her. "What was that for?!"

"Where were you?! Have you forgotten you're a part of this pack? Do you not want to be..." Hubcap trails off; his eyes glaze over. "Do you not want to be a part of this pack anymore?" His bottom lip quivered.

Gasket didn't expect Hubcap to say that. Was he afraid of her leaving the pack?

I suppose I'll have to tell him sooner or later. I don't know why I want to keep Zuma a secret. Perhaps I just want to convince him to trust me; though I suppose I haven't warranted any reason to trust me.

Gasket shook her head. "I've been at that dumpster is all," she told him.

Hubcap growls. "But you didn't grab anything. No food, no parts, nothing! You're a useless pile of garbage! I thought you wanted to be a part of this team, but I suppose you're a useless girl!"

Gasket's eyes widened. Hubcap can be so foul sometimes. She felt her heart tear apart.

Then she wondered if Zuma felt this pain when he was not used. Useless. The word was just a jumble of letters, yet it had so much meaning.

Tears pricked her vision. "Shut up!" she cries, turning tail and immediately turning around. "You don't know how hard it is to be the only one in this group trying to help it survive! You're a terrible leader and I hate you!"

She dashes out of their hideout, seeing Dwayne's jaw drop with emotion while Hubcap remained silent.

She ran blindly, knowing she had nowhere to run and nowhere to go. Everyone in Adventure Bay despised her.

Everyone except...

Gasket took off in the direction of Adventure Bay, ignoring the heat scorching her paws and her friends calling for her to come back.

No. She wouldn't come back. Not yet. She needed time to calm down. The only place she knew she would get any sense of calm right now was with an unlikely source: Katie.

Gasket wasn't a huge fan of cats, however she was fond of the owner of a particular cat. She knew that if anyone would have the sensibility in Adventure Bay right now it would be Katie. The PAW Patrol was in shambles right now; Gasket knew not to bother them.

It was unwise to run on the hot sand, but Gasket didn't want to speak to anyone else. Mr. Porter was busy, Alex was an annoying little shit, Mayor Goodway was loud, and even the fair citizens of the Bay were in mourning over the loss of Zuma.

But Katie I know is a great light in the dark times. I have to find her.

Gasket presses on, only stopping to beg Mr. Porter for some food and water. She wouldn't stop even as he begged her to sleep; she refused.

She wanted to be as far away from Hubcap as possible, while also considering her options were lowered.

Gasket knocked on the glass door, careful in her pursuit of a place to stay. The door opens and Katie gasps, shocked. "Gasket?" the blonde headed girl inquires. "What a pleasant surprise! I, uh, wasn't expecting to see a member of the Ruff-Ruff Pack here alone to be honed with you."

Katie looked taken aback. There was something on her mind more than just the sudden appearance of Gasket in her shop. Something was wrong with Ryder and the PAW Patrol, and Katie was deeply affected by it; Gasket knew this.

"Oh, uh, well...things happened. Hubcap insulted me. Here I am," Gasket vaguely informs.

Katie bends down to Gasket's level, putting her hands on her knees. "Oh. Well you can stay here if you want. I can't guarantee Adventure Bay is going to as much of a friendly place as it's been since Zuma..." Katie trails off, looking conflicted in a direction before awkwardly putting her hand out.

"Can I pet you?"

Gasket shrugs. "I'm not used to human affection, but if you need the assurance I'll be at least begrudgingly allow you."

Katie reaches her hand toward Gasket, petting her. It was an unfamiliar feeling. Gasket was never a human kind of dog. She didn't like how loud and obnoxious they were. It was bitter irony she had a loud and obnoxious French bulldog as a leader of her pack.

My pack...she thought, allowing the thought to dissipate. She wouldn't stay away for long. She just needed a break from Hubcap's obnoxious insults.

Gasket loved the little guy like a brother, but she wouldn't allow him to disrespect her in such a manner. She'll go back once he's learned his lesson...If he's learned his lesson.

Katie's hand retracts. She stands, curling her hands a bit. Gasket can smell her awkwardness.

Gasket takes a breath. "I know it's weird. There's tension everywhere. Not just in Adventure Bay."

Gasket pauses.

"I know it's sad that Zuma ran away."

Should she tell her? She might tell Ryder. But this was killing Gasket. Zuma was starving, alone in the wild. No. Out of any human here, Katie is the most respectful. I've seen her a few times. She's always respected the pack's space.

Gasket took a deep breath. She trusts Katie more than Mayor Goodway. She's always been kind in passing.

I'll tell her.

"I know where Zuma is!" she exclaims, eyes wide with sudden fear. Was this a good idea?!

Katie's eyes widened and her eyes sparkled. "Really? You do?!"

Gasket sighs. "Yeah, I do."

"Where is he?" Katie's hands clapped together as she leaned closer to the husky.

Gasket looks away. "You won't tell Ryder will you?" she inquires.

Katie's face furrows with confusion. "Of course, I'm going to tell Ryder. Why wouldn't I? This is good news, Gasket. We all thought perhaps he's dead."

Gasket's chest curled. She felt sick.

"But that's the thing. Zyma ran away to get away from you. He won't even talk to me when I try catching him." Katie gasps. You're overreacting to the wrong thing! "He is very skinny now, Katie. I don't think he's cut out for the streets of Adventure Bay. I've been trying to talk to him, but he won't even stop for a simple chat anymore."

Gasket kicks at the ground. She understood, though. She was a bad dog. No one wants to listen to her because she knocks things over and uses her intelligence for not-so-intelligent acts.

But Gasket wanted so badly to convince Zuma. He wasn't her favorite pup, but seeing someone so misunderstood and underthought of like herself made her determined to help him.

What steeled her resolve even further was how he never seemed mad about rescuing or helping her, unlike other rescue pups like Chase and Tracker. She got lost once and Tracker gets annoyed at her for calling for help with a "voice so loud it made" him "think" she was a "vaca," or cow.

Yeah, Gasket hates Tracker now. He was ruder to her than Hubcap was the one time she corrected his sentence when they were in Adventure City to cause trouble there. She wouldn't mention Liberty. She was actually nice about the trouble then.

"You think he wants to be left alone?" Katie inquires. Does everyone need a brain check around here?

Gasket sighs, "Yeah. He needs to be convinced he's needed, but he isn't being shown he's needed. Especially not if he's hiding." Gasket's eyes wandered, wondering how she could convince the shorter dog to come back.

"Why are you so bothered by his escape? This isn't exactly a problem for a...pup of your status. Why go through so much to help someone who isn't exactly rooting for you?" Katie asks suddenly, carefully enunciating her words.

Gasket sighs. Do these hippies need everything spelled out for them?

"Because!" Gasket exclaims. Silence dominates the conversation for a few seconds. Gasket lowers her voice. "Because as little as I care about the environment around me, I can't help but care when the literal underdog doesn't get what they deserve."

Katie puts a hand on her mouth. "Oh." Her voice turns softer. "Gasket..."

Gasket sighs, closing her eyes. She was greatly bothered at being considered less of a pack member than Hubcap. He wasn't this mean with Dwayne. So why bully her and her only?

Her skills were far greater than his own. He's nothing but a lowlife anyway. I shouldn't get too upset at this. I doubt Hubcap even feels bad.

Gasket put her thoughts away, looking at Katie with an unmoving annoyance. "Forget it. I'm here, and I'm here to stay and help. Just take my assistance and let's get this over with," she sassed, shoving Cali to the side as she moved away from the parlor doors.

Katie sighed, knowing she wouldn't win with such a sassy dog in her presence.

After a few moments of awkward silence, "Thanks."

Gasket lifts her head from the pillow she found. "For what?" She scoffs, finding Katie's niceness almost as annoying as Hubcap's bitterness.

"For caring."

"We all have to care at some point. Or at least most of us," Gasket remarks, thinking of Sweetie and Claw.

"Well, I'm glad for it. We can get all the help we can." Katie looks away. "Ryder...the leader of the PAW Patrol hasn't found a suitable replacement yet. No one can do Zuma's job in the way that Zuma can." Gasket notices Katie attempting to hide as she wipes away tears.

"Anyway, my parlor is your parlor. Just...don't trash it." A few awkward moments pass. "Sorry," Katur apologizes. "I don't really know what to think of your sudden appearance. I'm trying to be nice, but..." Katie trails off.

Gasket sighs. She lifts a paw. She supposes she could show she's trustworthy. "Its alright. I promise not to trash your parlor. In fact, I can help if you need me to. I don't have anything else to do now that I've left the Ruff-Ruff Pack."

Katie frowns. "But you will go back, will you?"

Gasket smiles, thinking of Dwayne. "I might." Her smile turns upside down. "But I want things to cool down, you know? Hubcap can get very aggressive and rude if he thinks I'm disloyal."

Like he's thinking right now.

Gasket hoists herself into a tub. "Now it's been a while since I had a proper bath. Sorry if I'm ordering you around, but I would like to be cleaned if possible."

Katie smiles. "Really? You want me to give you a bath?"

Gasket nods. "Hubcap refuses to let us stay in Adventure Bay for long. It's been so long since I've had a bath."

Katie's smile grows even wider. "I'd be delighted to!" Gasket returns the smile.

Perhaps staying here with Katie won't be too bad. I have food, shelter, water, a cat to keep me company as well as someone who at least knows my secrets. The only question: will she tell?

Gasket's frown returned. "What's wrong, Gasket?"

Gasket sighs. "I know it's weird to ask you to keep Zuma's hiding place a secret, but I really want to help him without getting the pups involved. I think he needs someone outside of the PAW Patrol to show him how truly bad it is without him there."

Katie nods as she hums. "I suppose it wouldn't be wise to have his friends chase after him, though I don't get why he wouldn't want to see it from the pups himself."

Gasket sighs as she continues her explanation. "Perhaps it's just me wanting to help without getting those pesky pups—er I mean the PAW Patrol involved, but I think Zuma seeing how much Adventure Bay struggles without him is much more important than hearing it from someone from the Patrol."

Gasket pauses to collect her thoughts.

"Essentially, I think keeping Zuma away from the PAW Patrol will help in his decision of whether to come back."

Katie nods, still with confusion. "I think I can get it. Do you think he would take home here if we can catch him?" Katie asked.

Gasket shrugs. "I mean, it's better than what I was thinking." Trying to convince Hubcap to let in a member of the PAW Patrol is a waste of time.

Gasket felt bad for running out on her friends. They didn't need to be involved in helping the PAW Patrol. They—meaning Hubcap—hate the PAW Patrol's guts. Who knows how they—still meaning Hubcap— would respond to the idea of letting in one of those said members into their home until they decided to go home.

It was a ridiculous idea!

"So, what's the plan?" Katie inquires as she takes a knee next to Gasket.

Gasket rolls her eyes. Maybe homing with Katie wasn't a good idea. Gasket plasters on a smile. Yet, the fact that she's listening to my ideas is still better than that mangy Hubcap stealing my ideas.

I hope he comes to his senses soon enough. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to last in this emotional rollercoaster of a bay.