A/N: Ok...so I was watching my nephew play his paw patrol video game and got dragged into a conversation about the different fears that the various members of the Paw Patrol have. Upon realizing that we don't know what Zumi's fear is... I looked it up. Only to discover that he hasn't revealed it yet. And then I began to read fun facts about the characters. Which lead me to have this. I mean...there has to be a reason why Ryder is by himself despite being a minor...and why Chase is closer to him than the others. Hope you all Enjoy this little idea!

Ella

P.S. I know this is a Kids show...but this is how my mind imagined it happened. And it does explain soo much about Ryder's relationships with the puppies.

Once Upon a Time...

~Dingy Apartment In the Midst of a Large City (Imagine New York), Midnight~

The door with the peeling yellow paint creaked open slowly as a tiny figure slipped out from behind it. His brown hair was a disaster, clearly hadn't been washed in the last couple of weeks. His brown eyes were darting everywhere nervously, even as his stomach growled loudly in protest. The child was all skin and bones, with several bruises littering his skin that could be seen through his baggy loose fitting clothing that he wore.

Tiptoeing into the small apartment's kitchen, he carefully wiggled the padlock that kept the fridge tight shut. Come on...just a little bit of food...Uncle doesn't need to know... please, I'm starvin' here!

~Police Academy, Early Morning~

"Alright! Listen up punks...you think you can be a police officer...well I'm here to show you that ain't gonna happen to no softie. Your mommas can't help ya now." A large, fully grown, German shepherd growled out as he prowled in front of other full grown dogs of various breeds that stood at attention in front of him. A tall human male was doing the same thing with men and women that were standing at attention next to the dogs.

Ever since the Great Incident of 2020, dogs were no longer were considered animals and treated as such, they were as intelligent as humans and worked right alongside them even more so than they did in the past. The German Shepherd paused suddenly, a low groan escaping him. "Son...what are you doing here?"

A small German shepherd puppy scrambled forward, his eyes sparkling. "I want to be a police officer too Daddy!" His tail wagged excitedly as he bounced on his toes.

A sigh escaped the weary officer as he looked down at his child. "Chase... how many times do I have to tell you? When you are older, you may join."

"But Daddy! You say that every year!" Chase whined as he lowered himself to the ground, placing his chin on his front paws.

"You are just barely turned four. Give it another... twenty years." He paused, bracing himself for the complaint he was coming.

Chase widened his eyes as he tilted his head up to look at him. "But that's too long for me to wait!"

"Deputy Mākaʻi? Is something over there?" The police chief turned suddenly to look over at his best friend.

"Nothing is wrong Chief Michael. Just Chase wanting to follow in my footsteps...again." Mākaʻi flattened his young charge with a stern glare.

Michael walked over, a frown on his face. "Maybe you should look into a daycare for him." Mākaʻi flinched at that, a whimper escaping him. "Come on...its been three years since the fire. Annabella would want you to move on...which means trusting your son to the care of others."

"I know...I know. How's the missing boy case coming along? Any new leads?" He quickly switched the topic, referencing a very important missing person file that he knew his friend was working on.

"None. I don't get it. You would think that with all our technology at our disposal we would have found him clear back in 2032. All of our leads have gone cold." Michael closed his eyes, frustration flaring across his features.

"Daddy? If I find the missing human can I join the police force?" Chase timidly spoke up.

"Yeah..." Chase ran off, taking that as permission to do so. "You would think so, wouldn't you?" Mākaʻi shook his head as he turned to look for his son...only to realize that he was gone. "Where did Chase go?"

"No idea sir!" The dogs awaiting training barked out in unison.

Mākaʻi frowned, before shaking his head. "He can't go too far. Kid's never been off of the base before, not since the fire."

~Back at the Dingy Apartment, Morning~

The boy pulled his knees up to his chest, a new bruise growing on his face. Tears streamed down his face, even as he looked at a beat up picture of a man with his brown hair, but green eyes, and a woman with brilliant red hair and his brown eyes. Smiles glowed from their frozen in time faces, arms wrapped around each other as they posed for the picture. The man was wearing a tuxedo, while the woman was wearing a beautiful wedding gown, a bouquet of pink roses in her dainty hands. Send me help...please Momma, Daddy...

With that, the small boy fell asleep...

~Downtown New York (Basically),Late Morning...~

Chase ran along the streets, pausing frequently to sniff at the different trashcans and such. Nothing smelled out of the ordinary, though he hasn't been outside of the police academy since his mother and siblings died in a fire when he was very little. HE wasn't sure what anything was supposed to smell like. Tail wagging in excitement, he started down the street, looking everywhere for signs of the missing child.

"Look at me! I'm gonna be a police officer! Just like Daddy!" Chase puffed up his chest as he picked up speed, aiming for a fun looking park. If he was missing, he would want to go somewhere fun to wait for rescue.

Chase paused, as he looked over the crowded park. There was a great deal of puppies, and children in there, making it hard for him to see if anyone looked like the missing child. Lifting his chin up, he reminded himself why he was doing this. To become a police officer just like his daddy!