Logan brought all the pups into the base, and they were amazed by what they saw.

Meteor: Wow! This place is so big, sir!

Nia: I know, right? You must have 20 pups here, excluding us!

Logan: Well, actually I only have four. (to pups) Hey, Ines, Dash, Fennec, Seraphina, we have (counts) 10 new members of Pup Cadets!

The four original pups ran to the entrance, coming from the lift. Suddenly, Fennec stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide with shock and amazement.

Fennec (hesitantly): No, it can't be...yes, it's got to be... (joyfully) OPAQUE!

He jumped onto the little African Wild Dog and almost licked his whole face off.

Opaque (giggling): OK, OK, I think that's enough. I know, I missed you too buddy. How's the pneumonia?

Fennec: Gone. How about your nose?

Opaque: It's not as good as it used to be before the whole car thing, but it's fine now.

Seraphina (confused): Wait a minute, so do you guys know...

Opaque: Yeah.

Opaque and Fennec: From the vet.

Ines: And who are they?

Dash: I've never seen 2 Terriers at once before.

Paki and Tessa, who were next to each other, took a step apart.

Paki (frustrated): For the billionth time in my life, I'm not a Terrier, I'm a Labrador! (groans)

Puria: Maybe Opaque should tell them how we all met up.

Athena: And 'ow 'e became a stray at all!

Blaze: Same here.

Lantern: Go on, Opaque, tell them your story.

Opaque (hesitantly): Uh, I don't think this would be much of a good idea, and...

Meteor: It's just a story. You can tell them.

Fleming: And us. You didn't ever tell us.

Tessa: I have a tingle in my toes that...

New Pups (annoyed): That needs to be satisfied. We get it.

Logan (puzzled): In other words?

Meteor: She wants a piano. Back to the story subject.

Opaque (strongly): No, no, no, I am not telling them the...

Nia (pleading): Oh, please tell it, Opaque. For me.

Opaque looked in his girlfriend's eyes, and after a short pause, gave a big groan.

Opaque (reluctantly): Oh, all right. I'll tell you our story.

Pup Cadets and new pups: Woohoo!...Yay!...Now we get to know what happened! etc.

Opaque: OK, guys, before I start, you should probably get comfortable, because this story is quite long.

Everybody picked a spot to sit down or lie down, and everyone was finally ready.

Opaque: (clears his throat) The story started a long time ago, when I was but two months old...

(Flashback starts)

In the pound, two dogs were teaching their puppies to talk.

Young Silk: I...layk...h-himye.

Crystal (laughing): No, Silk, like this: I...like...honey. OK?

Young Opaque (barks): (Why are you so good at talking, Mummy and Daddy?)

Amp: That's because we've had more practice. Come on now, Silk. Try again

Silk: I...like...honney-y-a. Honneya. Honneya. (giggles)

Both parents laughed. Then, they heard footsteps coming near them.

Amp: Quick, it's Mr. Jones. No more talking.

Mr. Jones: Lovely afternoon, isn't it, animals? Well, now it's time for lunch. (turns to Opaque's family) Let's start with you lot today, shall we? Some boneless chicken breasts for the little ones, (hands over the chicken) and a nice fat juicy steak for you adults to share between yourselves. (gives them the steak)

Just then, the animal control came in with a horde of strays, but the catchers looked ashamed of themselves.

Steve: Sir, Jones, I have some rather disturbing news.

Mr. Jones: Go on then. Spit it out.

Steve (quickly): A little coyote escaped.

Mr. Jones (angrily): Coyote? COYOTE?! THEY'RE WILD, YOU IDIOT! (realizing what he was doing) Oh, here I go again, being nasty to people. I really ought to get out of the habit of it.

While all this was happening, Opaque and Silk were practicing words under their breath and eating at the same time. After everyone had gone, they showed their parents what they were really made of.

Silk: I wreally haf to...get out of fe...hapit.

Opaque: Hewe I go, being nathty to people again.

Crystal (amazed): Well done, my little ones!

Amp (surprised): Wow. Kids' minds are sharp.

Later at dinnertime, Mr. Jones was waiting for the last load of animals before he could shut up shop and go home for some dinner. In the meantime, he was humming his favourite tune.

Mr. Jones (quietly): Hmm, hmm, hmm, wake me up, before you go go...

Opaque and Silk (loudly): Mr. Jones, we're hungry!

Mr. Jones: Yes, darlings, I'm just...wait a minute, YOU CAN TALK?!

Amp: Uh, I guess so.

Mr. Jones (astounded): My! This is outrageous! This...this is revolutionary! You four are no longer for sale!

Crystal (puzzled): Why?

Mr. Jones: You're all coming home with me!

The family was so worked up with excitement that they just had to shout with joy and howl the building down. After the final delivery, Mr. Jones unlocked the African Wild Dogs and set off for home with them.

Scene Change: Opaque's badge

They kept on walking, until eventually they had to cross a road. Everyone did, except for Opaque, who was too scared to even put one paw on the road. His family and Mr. Jones called out from the other side.

Silk: Come on Opaque, bro! You can do it!

Amp (gently): Be a man, son. Face your fears.

Crystal: Just look for cars on both sides of the road, then cross carefully and quickly.

Opaque checked for cars, then stepped out on the road. He started walking, but a speeding driver came in too fast, hit Opaque and ran him half-over.

Crystal (crying): Opaque! NOOO!

Everyone ran over to where Opaque was. He couldn't move, and his nose was bleeding like crazy.

Opaque (weakly): Mum? Dad? Jones? (starts fading out) Silk... (passes out)

Instant blackout when Opaque's head hit the ground. A few seconds later, from Opaque's point of view, he opened his eyes slowly and found himself at the vet's, with a huge bandage on his nose. Miss Philips was checking his X-ray, then she turned to him.

Philips: You had a close call with that driver, Opaque. I've done the best I can, but that nose of yours will never match the average dog smelling standard again.

Opaque: What does that mean?

Philips: You'll never be able to smell things as you used to be able to ever again.

Opaque: Oh. Hey, where are the...(sneezes in his bandage)...where are the others?

Philips: They left you with me for the night. They'll pick you up tomorrow morning.

Opaque: Oh goody.

Philips: In the meantime, you can talk to my other pup patient. Just keep at least 5 pup-feet away from him, because he has pneumonia.

Opaque (unsure): OK.

Philips: I'll call him now. (calls) Fennec? Fennec, where are you? (Young Fennec walks up) Oh, there you are. I have someone else that you can hang out with this evening. His name is Opaque. Just stay at least 5 pup-feet away from him, otherwise he might catch pneumonia too.

Fennec: Hi, I'm Fennec. Pleased to meet you.

Opaque (slightly scared): Nice to meet you too.

(Flashback interrupted)

Ines: Oh, so that's how you two got to know each other.

Opaque: Excuse me, I'm trying to finish this story quickly, so you guys won't be pestering so much.

Ines: Ah, yes. Sorry, Opaque.

Opaque: Now, during the course of the evening, I warmed to him, and we became great friends, but the next morning, when Mr. Jones and my family were meant to pick me up...

(Flashback continues)

Miss Philips walks up to Opaque and Fennec, holding a newspaper and looking very dismayed.

Philips: Opaque, I have some very disturbing news for you.

Fennec (hopefully): Did you find my brother, Scruff?

Philips: No. Something much worse. The main headline says:

"FAMILY OF DOGS AND RECEPTIONIST OF POUND KILLED"

"Mr Jones, receptionist of the local London pound as well as 2 adult dogs were shot yesterday after trying to stop a criminal from robbing a bank of £2 million. The police arrested the criminal, and the small organisation Pup Cadets intervened, finding the bodies at the bottom of the river Thames and discovering the criminal's identity. This act of murder was performed by a certain Sprint Addington, age 27."

Opaque's tail and ears drooped. He looked at the pictures of his mum, dad and ex-owner, missing them already. But the bad news wasn't over yet.

Philips: Opaque, I hate to say this, but you have to leave. Now.

Opaque (stammering): B-b-but why?

Philips: I just don't have enough time to look after you. Just Fennec is bad enough.

Opaque (worried): But won't I get caught?

Philips: That's the thing. You won't.

Opaque and Fennec (shocked): But how?

Philips (does the actions as she says them): I just get a ribbon, thread a thick circle of aluminium foil on, tie it to Opaque's neck, and now you have a homemade tag.

Opaque (amazed): Wow, cool! (turns to Fennec) Bye, Fennec. I hope we see each other again.

Fennec (sniffling): Bye Opaque, buddy.

Opaque: Bye Fennec. Bye, Miss Philips.

Philips: Good luck!

Opaque stepped outside of the vet's and shut the door. He now had the whole world around him, the big, scary, wonderful world. And he was to face it alone. For a bit, he felt nervous. Then he took a deep breath, exhaled and murmured to himself.

Opaque (to himself): OK, come on, Opaque. You can do this.

Opaque started strutting through the street, ready to take on what the world had in store for him next. Dim out seeing the pup walking into the distance.