Agent's Dog System

4.The Adoption Day

In a place far from the pond, still cloaked in the darkness of night, the moon shone in all its splendor, casting its silvery light over the landscape. It contrasted sharply with the dimmed streetlights, which seemed to surrender to the majesty of the starry sky. In this setting, an orphanage with a baroque structure could be seen, resembling ancient cathedrals or castles. It was the Orphanage of the Sisters of the Sun Order, nuns dedicated above all to sheltering orphans from across the country—both girls and boys alike—without distinction. For years, they had carried out this noble mission with devotion.

The orphanage survived thanks to donations, its own activities, and government subsidies. However, maintaining such an old and grandiose building was costly. At first glance, the place had five or six floors, with an imposing front door and a rear entrance that led to a spacious recreational area. There, the children played soccer, volleyball, and other sports, enjoying moments of freedom and laughter. The grounds featured a vast garden and a pool located in the center, surrounded by flowers and lush trees. Beyond the pool stood a church at the back of the complex, and next to it, a building nearly as large as the main one, where classes and workshops were held.

The main building was divided into several zones: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I. The last two, H and I, were closed off due to structural deterioration. In blocks A through C were the girls' dormitories, while blocks D through G housed the boys. The association cared for children from newborns to seventeen years old. They had to find their homes as quickly as possible, but if they reached that age without being adopted, they were taught basic skills to face adulthood in exchange for a bed and meals. Some chose to stay at the facility, working forever in the place that had been their home for so many years.

There were many large windows that let in natural light during the day. However, on the fifth floor, one room remained lit late into the night. Whispers could be heard inside: "What are you doing with the light on? The sisters might come, get angry, and punish us."

"Calm down, Billy," another voice whispered faintly. "I don’t think anything will happen, but if you make noise, obviously it will."

"Alright, Aiden," said Billy, resigned.

Billy was an eleven-year-old boy. He wore glasses that gave him an intelligent look, and indeed, he was quite smart for his age. He measured about one hundred twenty-nine centimeters, which was a bit short for his average height. His black, almost curly hair matched his dark brown eyes and tanned skin. It was rumored that he came from a Latin American country, though no one knew exactly which one. Billy had arrived at the orphanage at the age of five. Some said he had gotten lost, and his parents never returned to him, but these were just stories or unconfirmed rumors.

And me… Well, I’m Aiden. What can I say about myself? I’m one hundred forty centimeters tall, which I think is average for my age—though I’m not entirely sure. My hair has a silvery tone, which is a bit unusual; I don’t know why, but that’s how I was born. My eyes are green, like a cat’s—ha, ha—and my skin is fair. Some people think I need to spend more time in the sun to get a “normal” complexion. I don’t know where I come from; I only know that I was found at the orphanage door one cold morning. Billy and I share this uncertainty about our roots, though we never talk much about it.

"As you know, Billy, I haven’t had much luck with adopters," said Aiden as he finished tying the sheets together. "They always send me back when they get bored or lose patience with me. I guess I’m a bit of a dreamer and too mischievous." He smiled sadly before continuing: "That’s why I’ve decided to escape tonight. I’ve been collecting these sheets for days, so I can climb down from the window and see the world. I’m sure someone out there must be waiting for me."

"But, Aiden," interrupted Billy, worried, "tomorrow is adoption day. Remember, you could be adopted, just like me. You don’t have many chances, but this could be a good one."

"I can’t risk it again," Aiden replied with determination. "That’s why I’m leaving tonight. Are you coming with me?" he asked, looking at Billy, hopefully.

Billy lowered his gaze, unsure. "You know I’m too scared… I don’t think I can do it," he admitted finally.

"I understand," Aiden said with a sigh. "Then, can you turn off the light before the other kids wake up while I climb down? And once I’m on the ground, I want you to pull up the sheets and hide them so no one suspects anything."

Aiden secured the sheets to the headboard of his bed with a firm knot. He carefully looked out the window to make sure no one was outside. Then, he threw the sheets down, forming a kind of improvised rope. "See you, Billy," he said with a melancholic smile. "Of course, if we ever meet again."

He began to descend carefully, gripping the sheets tightly. Once he reached the ground, he gave two gentle tugs to let Billy know everything was fine. The boy inside the room quickly gathered the sheets and hid them under his bed, just in time before the first rays of sunlight began to filter through the windows.

Aiden ran off without raising any suspicion. As he crossed the main gate of the orphanage, he paused for a moment to think about his next destination. "Maybe I should go to the train station on Main Street," he muttered to himself as he slipped through the shadows of the night. "Fate will decide what comes next for me."

The next morning, at the pound, it was the day of the canine adoption event.

"Get up, get up, puppy!" exclaimed Reia enthusiastically. "There’s a message for you: it’s a quest. It says: you must get adopted and avoid the Canine Valhalla. Reward: two points and an instant level-up."

"That’s incredible, my friend," Reia continued, excitement in her voice. "This will lift your spirits and increase your chances of getting out of here."

"Five more minutes, Mommy," the dog mumbled in his sleep.

"Get up, lazybones!" Reia replied, sending him a couple of gentle electric shocks. "Come on, let’s test that strength boost you got."

Before he could protest, the dog noticed that all the animals were being groomed and photographed. Each photo would be placed next to a brief description, so visitors could become interested and adopt them. The dog also had his picture taken. His bright blue eyes sparkled with curiosity as he tried to stay still in front of the camera.

Later, all the animals were taken to a long courtyard where several tables had been set up. There, the veterinarian and two young women handed out forms to those who wished to adopt the dogs. The potential owners filled out the necessary information and received guidance on how to properly care for their new companions.

As the author, I pause to share this advice: Adoption is a wonderful thing. I myself have three dogs that I adopted seven years ago, and we’re now approaching eight years together. By adopting, you give homeless animals a new life, and they will always thank you by staying by your side through good times and bad. Always treat your pets with love and respect, and remember that responsible adoption is the most important thing.

Many people passed by, some accompanied by their children, who quickly grew fond of the animals. In addition to dogs, there were also cats, though they were in a separate section. When some children approached our friend, they tugged at him as if he were a stuffed toy, which frightened him so much that he ended up hiding among the toys and blankets placed in his pen.

Time passed slowly, and still no one seemed interested in adopting him. By now, only five or six dogs remained waiting in the courtyard. Our friend, worried, said to Reia: "This is my chance to escape. I don’t want to go to the Canine Valhalla; I’m too young." At that moment, he saw someone open the main gate and took the opportunity to slip out of the leash that bound him. No one noticed—everyone was busy with the paperwork—as he ran off once again.

Without a second thought, the little dog sprinted with all his might. This time, he took a different route, heading toward the other side of the city. It was about five in the afternoon, and the sky was beginning to glow with the warm colors of sunset. The puppy arrived at the train station, where only cargo trains passed. There, right in front of him, he saw something strange on the ground: a sneaker. He looked up and realized it belonged to a boy. It was Aiden.

"Whoa!" Aiden lowered his gaze and saw something small moving at his feet. "What are you doing here?" he asked, intrigued. He began to examine the dog closely and exclaimed, "You’re a pretty strange dog. One ear is standing up, and the other is drooping. I love it—you’re different from the others, just like me, ha-ha." Then, with curiosity, he added, "You’re also running away from something or someone, right?" Of course, the dog could only respond with barks, but in his mind, he was saying to Aiden: Of course! That’s why I’m so exhausted from all the running.

The two stared at each other intently, as if they had instantly formed a connection. Aiden smiled and said, "Do you want to come with me?" He knew the dog probably wouldn’t understand, but he hoped for a response anyway. "One bark for yes, two barks for no," he muttered, half-jokingly. At that moment, the puppy barked once.

"Perfect! Then you need a name," said Aiden thoughtfully. "I can’t keep calling you 'puppy' or 'dog.' Let’s see… Since you’re male, how about Jon?" The puppy responded with two barks.

"Ah! I guess you didn’t like that one," said Aiden, laughing. "Let me think of something better." After several failed attempts, during which the dog always responded with two barks, Aiden finally exclaimed, "I’ve got it! It’s a unique and original name. I’ll call you Podbe!"

"Podbe?" Reia and the dog both thought, surprised.

"Yes, it’s spelled P-O-D-B-E, Podbe," Aiden explained enthusiastically. "It might sound weird, but I really like it. What do you think?"

"From now on, that’s my name," the dog thought to himself, happily accepting the name.

At that moment, the system displayed a message: You have been successfully adopted and have escaped the Canine Valhalla. Quest completed. You have leveled up to level two and earned two points. The dog, now named Podbe, barked once, happy that he liked the name.

"All right, Podbe, you’ll be my new adventure partner," Aiden said with a smile, as if the dog could fully understand him.

Suddenly, another message appeared: Would you like to establish a link? What is that? Reia asked, confused.

"I don’t know," Podbe replied sarcastically. "Let’s just hit it. Wait… The link has been established!"

In another location, where the remains of the spacecraft had crashed into the ground, the alien who had attacked Agent B-Doce could be seen. He was severely injured, both from the fall and the explosions that had shaken the area. With great difficulty, he pressed some buttons on his right hand, and a bright light enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished, reappearing in a hidden cave beneath the surface.

The cave was illuminated by a faint bluish glow and contained a cylindrical tube at its center. The alien forced himself into the tube with great effort, barely fitting inside. Slowly, the tube began to fill with a viscous greenish liquid as he sank deeper. With his left hand, he fired three small seeds into the ground and commanded them: "Grow quickly, my children, and find my orb. Bring it to me immediately."

Before losing consciousness, he closed his eyes, entering a deep regenerative sleep.

From beneath the ground, unusual noises could be heard—sharp squeals and frantic movements. The earth trembled slightly as large amounts of soil shifted, as if something was emerging from the depths.