Risible Rottweilers

At that moment, another sound was heard, and as if to add insult to injury, a secret door opened right behind them. Several Convention agents came out, clearly attracted by the screams and humming.

"Run!" Edwin shouted, pointing at the door.

They rushed to the old computer, and Delia, gritting her teeth, plugged in the kettle, which was still whistling melodically. She quickly thought of how she could use it to her advantage. At that moment, Richard, realizing that his panic could cost the team their lives, gathered his strength and shouted:

"I found a spare cable! Let's plug it in!"

He rushed to the computer, and the team, no longer thinking about their previous mistakes, rushed to his aid. Delia, trying her best, used her psi-kinetic abilities to focus on the electrical systems and return everything to its place.

"Turn it on! Turn it on!" Edwin shouted, and Richard, ahead of the others, had already inserted the wire into the socket.

At that moment, the lights in the lab came back on, but unfortunately, instead of restoring the systems, they activated an alarm. The lights came on again, and the speakers blared:

"Threat detected. Entrance to the building is closed. Await further instructions."

Delia bit her lip when she realized that they were running out of time.

"We have to run before we get caught!" she screamed, grabbing Richard's arm.

The team wasted no time in heading for the exit, but the lights above them were flickering, and the air was filled with the sounds of approaching footsteps.

"I knew that kettle would cause us trouble!" Delia said as they rushed towards the exit without looking back.

They suddenly noticed that the screens on the walls began to flash new, unexpected images "instead of warnings and safety charts, they were seeing images of delicious pies, emitting an amazing aroma, despite the fact that they were in an abandoned laboratory.

"What is this?" Delia said in confusion, pointing to the screen where a live broadcast was being broadcast: "The best pie recipes in the galaxy!"

Edwin, still in complete shock, tried to move his gaze from the screen to his team.

"Are you serious? We are in a critical situation, and here are... Pies?"

But the screens did not stop. Instead of displaying capture plans or threat messages, they began to show colorful pictures and step-by-step recipes:

"Spice Rowan Pie: Take 500 grams of fresh Rowanberries, 200 grams of sugar and a little cinnamon..."

"Space Blueberry Marshmallow Pie: Don't forget to add some stardust for flavor!"

Richard, who was still shaking with panic, couldn't help but say:

"What if this is a decoy to distract us? Makoto could do something like that!"

But at that moment, an image of a smiling chef appeared on the screen, winking cheerfully and inviting everyone to cook together. Delia couldn't help but smile.

"Well, if this is our last case, let's at least put on a cooking show!" she suggested with a sparkle in her eyes, pointing at the screen.

Edwin raised his eyebrows and Richard dropped his teacup laughing again, but Delia continued:

"Listen, if we can't take the base, maybe we can have some fun with pies?"

Suddenly, one of the screens, apparently malfunctioning, showed a recipe for their favorite cherry pie, which was famous on the Moon base. Delia remembered how she often made it with her mother as a child, and her heart filled with warmth.

"Maybe this is The Omen? Cherry pie, which we used to make!" she exclaimed, gathering the team around.

"This is crazy!" Edwin said, but his lips were already starting to tremble with a smile.

While they were discussing how to make the perfect pie, a list of ingredients suddenly appeared on the screen. Delia, looking at her companions, suggested:

"We can use this time to distract ourselves and come up with a plan! Let's split into teams. Who's going to cook, and who's going to develop a plan to take over!" Delia ordered, already feeling the team spirit returning to them.

Laughter and joy filled the atmosphere despite the impending danger, and each of them, as if they had become children again, began to gather ingredients, imagining how they would cook their perfect space pie in the midst of a battle with the Convention. When Delia's team, overcome with culinary enthusiasm, finally gathered and decided to move towards the exit, they did not expect what awaited them.

"So, are we on the right track?" Edwin asked, carefully looking at the map, which he was trying to decipher, when suddenly a strange noise was heard around the corner.

"What is this? "Delia raised her eyebrows and, listening, noticed a light crackling and melodic singing coming from the corridor.

As they approached the corner, a completely unusual picture opened up to their eyes. The entire corridor was filled with rainbow Rottweilers! These cute dogs with long tails and big, shining eyes were jumping on the walls and ceiling, making strange but cute melodies:

"Woof-woof, let's play, friends! Prepare pies, fun is always!

"What madness is this?" Richard exclaimed, pointing to the magical spectacle.

The Rottweilers danced and rolled on each other, and looked so playful that the team, despite the seriousness of the situation, could not hold back their smiles.

"Looks like the Convention decided to play with us a little!" Delia noted, laughing.

However, the rainbow Rottweilers not only sang, but also threw small fluffy balls full of colorful glitter towards the team. Each time they hit the ball, it crashed into the walls, creating a little chaos.

"These Rottweilers look friendly, but we need to get through!" Delia decided and stepped forward.

But at that moment, one of the Rottweilers, as if understanding her intentions, suddenly screamed shrilly:

"Don't touch us, we're funny and fluffy, but we can't let you through!"

"How do we get through?" Edwin exclaimed, desperately trying to dodge another ball.

"Let's try to convince them!" Delia suggested, remembering her acting skills.

She stepped forward and said:

"Listen, Rottweilers, we came to have fun too! We're making a pie, and we just need to get through a little bit!"

The Rottweilers stopped and began to gather in a circle, swaying cheerfully. One of them, with a particularly bright coat, came closer.

"Pie? Woof-woof! We love pies! But how are you going to make them without carrots?"

Delia, not losing hope, answered:

"We have already prepared many other treats, but we can make something for you too!"

Suddenly, all the Rottweilers began to spin around, as if in a circle dance.

"If you amuse us, we will let you through!" they shouted in chorus.

The team looked at each other and, without thinking, got down to business. Delia remembered her acting skills and decided that they needed to arrange an impromptu dance. She began to move amusingly, imitating the Rottweilers, and soon even Richard, who was difficult to attract with anything, joined in. At this moment, one of the Rottweilers, who looked a little more serious than the others, approached them.

"Hey, not so fast!" he exclaimed, his bright eyes flashing. "We are here to guard important scientific documents!"

The team froze, unsure of how to react.

"Scientific documents?" Delia asked, trying to understand what was going on. "But we need to get through!"

"Oh no, no, no! Talk to us first!" the Rottweiler with a large bow on his neck insisted. "We are not just guards, we are protectors of knowledge!"

"How do you protect knowledge if you can't even get by without endless conversations?" Edwin chuckled, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

"Exactly!" the other Rottweiler continued, wagging his tail. "Talk to us about your favorite pies, and then maybe we'll let you through!"

Delia and her team exchanged glances.

"It seems we'll have to play by their rules, "Delia said, softening her voice. "Okay, what kind of pies do you like?

The Rottweilers, as if having come to life, began listing their preferences in one voice:

"We love tuna and carrot pie, fish and cinnamon pie, milk and sunbeam pie!" they jumped up and down, their eyes shining with delight.

"So what, do you think we can let you in if we just tell you our preferences?" Delia clarified just in case, realizing that Rottweilers may not be as simple as they seem.

"No, no! We don't just love pies!" answered the Rottweiler with a bow. "Everyone who wants to pass must tell their favorite pie story, and then we'll decide whether you should pass on!"

"Really? We have to tell stories about pies?" Richard was puzzled.

"Yes! Each story is a key to knowledge!" said another dog, who suddenly came closer.

"Well, since that's the case, I can begin," Delia decided. "My favorite pie is the berry pie that my mother always made when I was little. We would gather as a family and laugh while we waited for it to cool. And every time it was a special moment for me."

The Rottweilers listened attentively, blinking their big eyes. After her story, they began to whisper among themselves.

"Interesting! She has feelings!" one of them finally said. "But that's only one story. Next!"

Edwin, not wanting to be left out, stood up and said:

"Okay, I'll tell you my story. I like chocolate pie because when I was a child, my grandmother always made it for birthdays. Every time I tried it, I felt like the happiest person in the world!"

The Rottweilers began to discuss it again, and one of them, this time with blue ears, shouted:

"Chocolate! That's important! Next!"

Richard, seeing how the conversation was heating up, decided to join in:

"I want to tell you too! My favorite pie is pumpkin pie! It has to do with autumn and the pumpkin festival that we held on the Moon Base. It was magical!"

The Rottweilers continued to wag their tails, and when it was Anne's turn, the last member of the team, she was clearly scared, but decided not to miss the chance:

"My favorite pie is blueberry pie! We made it with friends during school holidays, and it was always damn delicious!"

"It was wonderful!" exclaimed one of the Rottweilers. "But... We have a question! If your pies are so great, why didn't you bring them with you?"

Delia, having collected her thoughts, quickly answered:

"We didn't bring any pies with us because we have a mission. We are going to save Lisbon!"

The Rottweilers froze, staring at her. Finally, the one with the bow and the surprisingly serious face jumped up to them and asked a question that made everyone freeze.

"You want to save the world? Why don't you talk to us about the meaning of life?" he asked curiously, emphasizing the word "meaning", as if it were not just an ordinary word, but the key to uncovering some important secret.

"We... We are really under pressure!" Delia muttered, not knowing how to react. "We don't have time to philosophize here, we have a mission!"

The Rottweiler, with a wide smile and bright eyes, continued to jump around her, as if he was full of energy.

"But it's precisely at times like these, when the pressure is on, that you should think about the meaning! If you're saving the world, you need to know why you're doing it!"

"Yes, but how can that help us right now?" Edwin asked, puzzled, trying to grasp the essence of the question.

The Rottweiler stopped, looking at them seriously.

"To understand why it's worth fighting, you need to know what you're fighting for. For example, what does "life" mean to you? Why do you want to save it?"

"Uh..." Delia thought, remembering her motives. "I'm fighting for freedom, for the future, for the people I care about!"

The Rottweiler nodded and asked:

"And what does freedom mean to you?"

Delia felt her heart beat faster.

"Freedom is the ability to choose, to do what you like, to be yourself. That's what they're trying to take away from us!"

"Oh, that's interesting!" the Rottweiler exclaimed, winking at her. "And yet, do you have your own mission? What would you be doing if it weren't for this fight?"

The team exchanged glances, and at that moment the guitarist caterpillar, who crawled into their circle, joined the conversation.

"This is amazing! We've often thought about performing on stage, telling about the joy of life!"

Everyone laughed together, and one of the Rottweilers with a bow added:

"So we should collect all these dreams into one bright performance!"

"Performance?" Delia asked, staring at the Rottweilers in bewilderment.

"Yes, performance! We could make a show where everyone talks about their dreams and why they are important!" another Rottweiler picked up. "And maybe it will inspire you to take further steps!"

The Rottweilers began jumping and dancing, making happy sounds, and Delia and her team felt the tension ease a little.

"That sounds crazy!" Delia exclaimed, laughing. "But at the same time... It could work! Our team is really close-knit, and we could use this approach to bring everyone together!"

The Rottweilers hummed with joy, and one of them, the one with the yellow ears, shouted:

"Then let's do it! Join us in dancing and thinking about the meaning of life! It might give you the strength to take the next step!"

Delia and her team sat down on the floor, surrounded by the furry philosophers who were arranged around them, as if they were members of some kind and cheerful club.

"So, let's continue!" the Rottweiler with purple ears and glasses began. "Today we're discussing what makes you feel strong. How do you cope with difficulties?"

Delia hesitated for a moment, but then, remembering her own worries, she began to speak.

"I often feel pressured. Sometimes it feels like too much depends on me, and that's scary. I worry about my friends and how this will affect them."

The Rottweiler winked at her.

"That sounds familiar! What would you say to your inner critic?"

"I'd tell it to shut up and just do what it has to do!" Delia replied with a smile, feeling the tension gradually fading.

The Rottweiler nodded and added:

"And that's an important step. Letting go of your fears is like throwing off extra weight!"

The other team members began to share their worries. Edwin shared his fears of flying and how he was learning to cope with them.

"I always thought that danger was something to be fought, but now I understand that you need to learn to trust yourself and your team."

"Trust is power!" said the Rottweiler with the bright blue tail, who noticed Edwin's face light up when he spoke of trust. "What about joy?" he asked. "What brings you joy? Maybe there is something you have forgotten in your life?"

"Joy..." Delia thought. "I love to sing and dance, but I have always been busy with things and have never found time for it."

The Rottweiler with the green ears reached out to her, as if offering a hug.

"Then let's do it right now! Song! Dance! Joy!"

The team looked at each other, and then, giving in to the joy, they began to raise their hands and spin around, awkwardly at first, but soon they were all involved in the general dance, laughing and rejoicing.

"This is it, unity!" shouted one of the Rottweilers, flying into the air with enthusiasm. "Together we are stronger!"

Finally, Delia's team decided to leave the arcade, filled with rainbow rottweilers and therapy sessions. However, as they opened the door to the hallway, they had a strange premonition. Edwin stopped and said,

"Wait, guys, where's Mark?"

Everyone started looking around, and to their horror, Mark was nowhere to be found. He had clearly disappeared. But before anyone could approach the door that led to the main exit, they heard a sound around the corner "muffled footsteps and low voices. Delia and her team looked at each other, and, remaining on guard, they crept to the corner. There they saw Mark, who seemed to be talking with several people in Convention uniform. They were talking about how to deal with potential traitors.

"Are you sure they won't suspect anything?" Mark said with a sardonic expression. "I'll set everything up so no one can get away. The soup tonight is going to be very special!"

The team was shocked. 

"He was among us all this time?" Delia whispered.

"How could he deceive us for so long?" Edwin clenched his fists.

At this point, without waiting for them to discuss the plan, Delia decided to act. She whispered to the team:

"We need to do something fast before he gives us away!"

They quickly returned to the lab, trying not to attract attention to themselves, and gathering her strength, Delia concentrated and created an energy pulse that turned off the lights in the corridor, causing a little chaos among the guards. At this time, the team rushed to the exit, but Delia felt that there was one more thing that needed to be done.

"I can't just leave this like this!" she said and, leaving the others behind, returned to Mark.

As she approached, she activated her ability, creating the illusion that she was one of the guards.

"What's going on, Mark? We need to speed up!"

Mark, not expecting her to appear, turned around and froze.

"Delia? What are you doing here?" he asked, his face changing for a moment, and she saw the fear in his eyes.

"I came to make sure you were doing your part of the plan, as always," Delia replied, pretending not to know anything.

Mark sighed, realizing that his deception could be exposed.

"Don't you realize you're being watched? You shouldn't come back here!"

"You're right," Delia smiled, "but I decided that you shouldn't stay here either."

At that moment, she activated her ability, creating illusions that surrounded her and Mark, creating smoke and blur around them. This confused him and gave Delia the opportunity to come closer.

"Why did you work for them, Mark? We were a team!" she said, looking into his eyes.

"It's not that simple, Delia. I was forced to make a choice," he admitted. "They threatened me and my dad!"

This statement made Delia stop. She understood that everyone can be under pressure, and that even betrayal can have its reasons. But staying on the side of the Convention was unacceptable.

"Choice is always a risk. I know that you are not like that, Mark. I know that you can make the right choice," she said, trying to reach his consciousness.

At that moment, her team came up from behind, and they surrounded Mark.

"We can help you if you side with us, " Edwin said, looking at him hopefully.