Rubix began to sniff the air for the first time, everything smelled so good. He hadn't yet opened his eyes but the warm sun beating down on him was a good indication that the outside wasn't so bad. Most of his day was booked solid with nursing and cuddling with an old towel that mom pulled out of the trash, it had so many smells, not all of them great but all of them new to Rubix.

The brisk spring air was nice but wind, man it had so many great smells but it was oh so cold compared to the warm sun rays that it pushed away. Rubix dug himself deeper into the towel by kicking off the solid curb in the gutter that he called home. He snuggled up and took his mid afternoon nap but when he awoke his mother was not there. No dinner, this was just not right. He lifted his nose high up into the air and began to sniff around for her scent. He could not find it. 

This was it, it was time to unlock his next sense. He budged his eyelids just a little and a full rush of blinding light entered his pupils all at once. Nope. He slammed his eyelids shut, big mistake. Mom just isn't around and thats that. He dug deeper into the towel to continue his nap assuming that he had woken up too early. 

A loud crashing sound came from the alley and scared Rubix into opening his eyes. This time the light was just as blinding but he was able to keep his eyes open. He saw a big metal cylinder in the alley that had fallen over, it rolled a few inches into the building and stopped. Nothing threatening him, he turned and began to look for his mom. He didn't know what she looked like but perhaps she would look something similar to how she smelled. 

After a few minutes of not seeing or smelling his mom, Rubix decided to attempt to stand up on the legs that he found beneath him. It was definitely not graceful, not whatsoever, but he did stand up. He touched his nose to the ground and began to step around to see how things differed in smell. A slight hissing sound emerged from the alley where the loud crash came from. In the shadows was a dark figure with green eyes staring at Rubix. He began to back away but tripped and fell up onto the curb. He stood up faster this time and continued to back away until he tripped again off the sidewalk and onto a patch of grass, He was startled and on his back, he heard the hiss again and out of instinct he kicked his legs in different directions hoping to get out of his turtle position. He flung himself over but wound up rolling down the hill. Over and over again Rubix tumbled down the hill until he finally came to a stop at the bottom. 

He was no longer in motion but his head continued to spin around in a daze. The earth seemed to move but the soft grass on his belly told him he was not moving. He placed his head on the ground and closed his eyes. When he opened them again the world had stopped spinning. He was no longer sure where he was but he knew his mom was not here either and neither was his towel. He looked up at the large hill that he had fallen down and knew he had to climb. 

Halfway up the hill Rubix laid down in the sun to take a nap. When he awoke he found himself again without his mother nor his towel. He had also slid part of the way down the hill again and was still faced with a large trek up the hill. He took a long stretch and stood up on his feet, it was by far the best stand he had done ever. He kept his head low and made his way up the hill to the top. Mom was not there but the thing in the alley was also gone so at least there was that. His towel remained, he closed his teeth on it hard and pulled at it from the high ground of the curb, its size and weight was almost too much for the puppy but eventually he got it up onto the sidewalk. Feeling accomplished he turned so as to not fall down the hill again but was uncertain of where to go next. 

A loud machine on 4 circles came down the road Rubix called home, it got louder as it came closer and zoomed past him before screeching to a stop. It must have seen him. He dropped the towel and backed down the hill and laid down hoping he was invisible to the big machine. It was then that Rubix saw his first human. It was so coordinated and tall. It approached Rubix, it seemed he was not invisible. Rubix took a step back and the human spoke in a funny language. He wore a white coat and was easy to see, much less threatening than the dark animal in the alley way with its hissing sound. 

The human bent down and offered out his hand. Rubix waited for him to move but he did not. He kept patting his chest and whistling. Rubix did not move. The human stood up and went back to his machine and returned with some sort of stick made out of bread. He ripped off a small piece and threw it in front of Rubix. Keeping enough distance, Rubix was able to go smell it for signs of danger. It did not smell dangerous. It smelled like food. He picked up the piece with his small teeth and gnawed on it a few times. It was great. This human was okay. The human offered more but made Rubix work for it, he put it in front of himself forcing Rubix to move all the way up to the loud machine. He did so reluctantly for the stick of bread. Upon reaching the mans feet he ate the bread with no issue. Almost immediately the human gave himself permission to pat Rubix on the head. It was a little difficult to eat while his head was bobbing up and down but he felt safe. 

The human stood and opened the rear door to his machine and motioned his arms like he wanted Rubix to get in. Rubix had yet to decide if he was keeping this human. Rubix looked back at his towel and his gutter with sadness. How would his mom ever find him? He walked over to his towel and sat down next to it then threw himself down on top of it in frustration. The human came over and began to give his belly a rub. This was by far the best thing ever. Rubix shot his paws up in the air and let the human give his belly a rub. Fine. Rubix was going to keep this human. He rolled over and nudged the towel. Mr Spaceman picked up the towel and put it in the backseat of his machine. Rubix followed him with curiosity. The man spoke once more in his funny made up language. Rubix turned his head to the side and looked up at his towel once more. Spaceman reached down and picked him up, he placed Rubix in the little nest made from his towel, it smelled like mom. The door closed and Rubix stood up on his hind legs, placing his front two paws on the window. He spied out at the alley way and saw the animal that hissed at him. He had won. He was safe inside the big machine thing. But where was his mom? He almost forgot about the question when the machine began moving again. He was unable to stand so he laid down on his towel. The hum of the machine put him at ease and he fell asleep. 

Spaceman pulled up to The Pharmacy entrance and switched off his headlights as he tossed the pair of keys to a bodyguard on standby and opened the backseat of the car, scooping up the spotted, weary-eyed puppy and headed to his private loft.  The alley Spaceman had found himself in was his go-to spot for dealing in narcotics, but had now unexpectedly yielded two dogs for Spaceman several days apart.  

Spaceman adjusted the young dog in his arms as he climbed into an elevator, inserted a key and pushed the button to the floor of his loft, holding him out as he took stock of the dog. A few spots of what appeared to be motor oil.  No visible fleas  A bath was in order - but not tonight. He took the dog back over his shoulder as the elevator chimed - briefly surprising the dog - before the door slid open to reveal a loft that was treated to a view of the Philadelphia skyline.  Spaceman removed the key from the elevator as he exited the elevator, carrying the dog to his kitchen before setting him down.  A meal was in order.

Spaceman opened a cabinet and pulled out a can of salmon, a bowl, and a can opener, looking at the dog.  While Spaceman had recently started buying dog food, the dog looked like he could use extra protein.

"We'll transition you to something more appropriate tomorrow.  For now.."

Spaceman set the bowl down on the floor before turning his attention back to the salmon, carefully aligning the blade with the side of the can.  As the opener pierced the steel, the smell of the fish wafted out of the can as the lid slowly opened.  The young pup's eyes widened as his nose wiggled - an interested party, to say the least.  Removing the lid off of the can, Spaceman held it above him.

"If you want a meal, you're going to have to dance for it."

The dog's eyes blinked as he eyed the can, and then Spaceman, who shook the can.  Licking his lips as his eyes grew wider, the dog lightly whimpered as he walked closer to Spaceman, before finally lifting off his hind legs and latching on to Spaceman with his front.

"Very nice."

Spaceman pet the dog and obliged him by lowering the can to the bowl, emptying it in as the dog made a beeline towards the salmon. The doctor watched as the dog scarfed the bowl down, wagging his tail throughout his meal. Finishing up, the dog then looked at Spaceman with a a face that could only be described as, “What now?”

“Maybe it’s time to introduce you to a new friend.”

Spaceman turned a door handle to the other half of the loft, revealing yet another dog - older and female - that eagerly approached the young pup, smelling intently.

“Huh.  You two look pretty alike.”

Licking the last of the food off of his jowls, Rubix watched as Spaceman opened the big wood divider into the other half of the inside. The smell in the air was immediately obvious, Mom was here! Rubix's tail whipped back and forth as he lowered his head and bounded towards the other side of the room. Turning the corner he saw her with his own eyes for the first time. She was laying down on a pillow but once she saw her puppy enter the room she slowly stood up. She held her paw up in the air and limped around Rubix, smelling every single inch of him. Rubix laid down to make it easier, she sat down next to him and began to groom him. 

When she was done, Rubix stood up and began to sniff mom. He couldn't stop from sniffing her hurt leg, it was bandaged up with some sort of cloth and leaking a red liquid, whatever happened it is obviously why she wasn't able to come back and protect Rubix from the monster in the alley. One thing was for certain though, it was this puppy's duty to protect mom now. Thinking about his duty made him realize that he needed to do his own doody. He found a nice spot on the wood floor and began to squat. He cleared his mind and prepared himself but the human began to shout and wave his arms, something was wrong. He came over and scooped up Rubix, holding him with outstretched arms he quickly brought him back to the outside and sat him in a patch of grass. He mumbled in his human language and waited for Rubix. Unsure of what to do, Rubix stared up at him, too startled now to be able to poop. 

Spaceman tapped his foot a few times and Rubix looked around to see if he could identify what it was he was waiting for. It was dark outside, Rubix looked up to the sky unable to find the bright ball in the sky. One day he would play with it but he'd have to find it first. Spaceman let out a sigh which got Rubix's attention once more, he began walking back to the loft building and Rubix followed him, trying to keep up as fast as his puppy legs would go. Life sure got more interesting since he got his new human.