Goldie made her way to the starting line. She pushed up her sleeves and tightened her shoelaces. “Ready.”
“I can’t even…” Val seemed about to faint.
Li looked at his watch. “On your mark, get set, go!”
Goldie dashed across plastic lily pads and over a moat. No problem. Then she scaled a giant wall that was slick with cooking oil. It took a few tries.
“You’re doing it!” Li yelled.
Next, she climbed a rope wall and walked across a twisting log that was ten feet off the ground. She stumbled, and Val screamed. But Goldie regained her balance and jumped onto the next platform.
“I wanted to add a river of fire to this part, but my grandfather said no,” Li told them.
Goldie swung across the swaying rings.
“Only a bit harder than the ones on the playground,” she yelled. The final obstacle was a trampoline. Goldie bounced and flew up to the second story, grabbing the crooked ladder and climbing to victory.
“I did it!” She took hold of the finisher’s flag and waved it above her head.
Li whistled.
“Wahoo!” Ruby cheered.
“I’m so glad you’re alive!” Val yelled.
Goldie rode the slide down to her friends and pushed her sweaty hair off her forehead.
“Li, that was awesome. How’d I do?” she asked, glancing at his watch.
Li smiled. “You beat my time. Okay, Nacho, it’s your turn,” he said, but Nacho was gone. “Where is he?”
“Do you really expect a basset hound to be able to do this obstacle course?” Val asked.
“If he can do this obstacle course, he can do any obstacle course,” Li said.
“True,” Goldie agreed. “But maybe something smaller and less scary would work.”
“He just needs to win,” Li said.
“He will,” Ruby said, stepping forward. “Wait until you see my creation.” They followed her back inside the BloxShop. She found Nacho and told her friends that she needed just a second to get him dressed.
Goldie, Val, and Li sat on the couch.
“I hope she’s come up with something amazing,” Val said. “Because, um, the bath didn’t go too well. I couldn’t even get one paw in the tub.”
“Almost ready.” Ruby turned off the lights and used a flashlight. “Ladies and gentleman, Gearheads, I give you…the dapper Nacho.”
Ruby paused. The three friends clapped. Nacho stepped into the spotlight.
“Snazzy!” Goldie said. The black tuxedo fit him perfectly.
“Nacho is wearing a Ruby Rails red carpet original design,” Ruby explained. “Not only is this silk tux gorgeous, with gold buttons and a red bow tie, but it is also programmed to play music and stop shedding.” Ruby tapped on her minicomputer and jazz music played from a speaker hidden in the collar of the tux. Nacho swung his head left and right, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. When he realized it was emanating from somewhere near his neck, he began to scratch.
“What exactly is his talent?” Val asked. “Modeling, maybe?”
“No,” Ruby said. She fiddled with her minicomputer and the music changed to country. “He’s supposed to dance. There’s even a subwoofer in the pants.”
“A sub-what?” Val asked.
“A subwoofer. It vibrates with the bass,” Ruby explained.
They watched the pants bounce with the low sounds in the music. But the subwoofer didn’t make Nacho dance. Instead, he began chewing on his butt.
“No!” Ruby shouted.
Li turned on the lights, and Ruby and Goldie got the costume off the dog.
“Sorry, Ruby. I don’t think he likes it much,” Goldie said.
“The dog has no taste.” Ruby looked angry until Nacho gave her a slobbery kiss. Then she laughed.
“This is not going well,” Li said. “And we only have four more days.” He pulled his hat down to cover his face.
“Wait until you see what I’ve come up with!” Goldie darted across the BloxShop. An old blanket covered her invention, which was taller than her. She lifted the corner and yanked back the blanket. “Ta-da!”
“What is it?” Val asked. “A toaster robot?”
“How can a toaster help?” Li asked.
“I call it the Commander,” said Goldie, using her deepest voice. “It can give a hundred commands a minute. So while we’re at school or sleeping, Nacho can continue to practice for the pageant.” Goldie flicked an ON button.
Two glowing eyes lit up on the toaster face. The toaster moved forward toward the dog. Nacho whimpered and hid behind Val.
“Nacho, sit,” the Commander ordered.
Nacho was already sitting.
“He did it!” Goldie exclaimed.
“Good dog,” said the Commander. A waffle flew out of the toaster’s mouth.
Nacho caught the waffle in the air and swallowed it in two bites.
“Nacho, lie down,” said the Commander.
Nacho didn’t move. The Commander inched closer.
“Nacho, roll over.”
Nacho still didn’t move.
“Nacho, fetch.”
“Nacho, heel.”
“Nacho, speak.”
Nacho did none of those things.
“Nacho, sit,” said the Commander. And since Nacho was still sitting, the Commander said “good dog” and gave him another waffle.
“Um, Goldie,” Val said after ten minutes. “I don’t think this is working.”
“We just started,” Goldie said. “And Nacho already knows sit. Imagine how many commands he’ll learn by the time we get home from school tomorrow.”
Li shook his head. “I hope you’re right, G. But maybe—”
“Don’t worry. It’ll be okay.” She patted Li on the back, but Goldie was worried.
Goldie joined the Gearheads at their usual lunch table in HiBo Prep’s cafeteria. She looked at her tray of spaghetti, salad, and a roll and wished she had some bacon bits to pour on top.
Li had a slice of pizza on his plate. But he wasn’t eating.
“You okay?” Goldie asked him.
“The pet pageant is in three days,” he mumbled. “I don’t think Nacho will be ready.”
“Don’t give up, Li. I bet Nacho already knows most of his commands.” Goldie turned to Ruby. “Rubes, let’s check in on our champion.”
“Sure thing.” Ruby tapped on her mini-computer. Her eyebrows scrunched together.
“What is it?” Goldie asked.
Ruby turned the minicomputer to show the Gearheads. “I don’t think Nacho is listening to the Commander.”
On-screen was a live video from the BloxShop. The Commander was yelling out commands. Nacho ignored the robot. He was too busy chasing his tail.
“I assume catch your tail is not one of the commands Nacho needs to learn,” Val said.
“Nope.” Goldie smiled and leaned closer to the screen. “But look on the bright side. When he wants something, he tries really hard and doesn’t give up. He’s been chasing his tail for years and never, ever catches it.”
“Ugghh.” Li laid his head on the lunch table.
Goldie twirled spaghetti around her fork. She was a lot like Nacho. Never willing to give up, and also willing to work for waffles. But even Goldie worried sometimes.
Val offered to share her potato chips with Li. But he said he wasn’t hungry. Ruby, Val, and Goldie ate in silence.
“Hey, losers,” Zeek said as he walked by. His Butler Phone hovered behind him.
“Go away, Zeek,” Ruby said.
“Wait,” Goldie called out. “Zeek, how’s the pageant prep going?”
“Amazing. I’m going to win.” He looked at the ceiling as he talked, and Goldie thought he might not be telling the truth.
“Do you even have a pet yet?” Val asked.
“Yeah,” Zeek answered.
“What kind?” Goldie asked.
“I don’t remember.” He shrugged.
Li raised
his head. “You don’t remember?”
“Yeah, I don’t remember. Okay? Something furry or with feathers. Whatever it is, we’re going to beat you and your dog.” Zeek started to walk away, but Butler Phone began speaking.
“I remember, Master Zeek. We ordered a border collie, which is the smartest dog breed. But it ran away.”
“Stop,” Zeek said.
But Butler Phone didn’t hear or wasn’t listening. “Next, we ordered a crow—a very smart bird. But it flew away. We considered a dolphin, an incredibly smart mammal, but Master Zeek finally decided on—”
“Butler Phone, quiet!” Zeek stomped his feet and turned red. “Don’t tell them our winning strategy!”
“You can tell us, Butler Phone,” Ruby said in her sweetest voice. “We’re all friends.”
“Not a word,” Zeek warned. “Or I’ll trade you in for a newer model.”
“I’ll say nothing more, Master Zeek.” Butler Phone’s glowing screen dimmed.
Zeek turned to Goldie. “I’ll tell you this much. After I win, I’m going to name the animal shelter Flea Bag Hotel for Ugly Dogs, or maybe I’ll just call it Closed.”
“But no one will ever go there,” Val said.
“Exactly.” He snapped his fingers and pointed. “Pets are disgusting. They go to the bathroom on the lawn and use their mouths to eat and clean. I think Bloxtown would be better off if it were animal free.”
“What about companionship? And friendship?” Ruby asked.
“Get a Butler Phone. They’re neat and clean. They listen. And if you get sick of them, just take out the battery.”
“Sir?” Butler Phone gasped. “You’d never.”
Li stood up quickly, knocking over his chair. “I can’t take this anymore.” He walked out of the cafeteria.
“What’s his problem?” Zeek asked. “He should be used to losing.”
“You’re trying to destroy something he cares about,” Goldie said. “His mom was a vet, and the shelter should be named after her. She helped all kinds of animals.”
Zeek rolled his eyes. “What a waste.” He still didn’t seem to care.
Now it was Goldie who turned red. “I’m not going to let you win! This is too important.”
“You’re not going to let me?” Zeek laughed. “You can’t stop me.”
Goldie balled her hands into fists. “I guess we’ll find out this weekend.”
“Whatever. Come on, Butler Phone. We’ve wasted enough time.” Zeek walked away, but Butler Phone didn’t follow immediately.
“I’m sorry, Miss Goldie,” Butler Phone whispered. “I wish you the best of luck.”
After school, Goldie decided it was time to have a serious talk with Nacho. She sat him down on a stool in the BloxShop.
“Nacho, you’re a good dog. The best dog! I wouldn’t trade you for any other pet in the galaxy.”
Nacho wagged his tail and Val asked, “Do you really think he understands you?”
“Mostly…I think.” Goldie focused again on her dog. “Now I need you to prove to all of Bloxtown that you are the best pet. And it’s not that hard. Watch.”
Goldie stepped back and nodded at Val. They had a plan. They would teach Nacho by example. Doggie see, doggie do.
“Let’s start, Val.”
Val sighed. “Goldie, sit.”
Immediately, Goldie sat on the ground.
“Good, Goldie.” Val offered her a maple-flavored doggie treat.
Goldie pinched her nose. “I’d rather have those.” She pointed to an open bag of gummy worms on her workbench. Val gave her a green one.
“Next command, please,” Goldie said.
“Goldie, lie down.”
Goldie lay down.
“See, Nacho? This is easy,” Val said as she gave Goldie another gummy worm. “And it’s yummy.”
The girls practiced all the commands. Nacho watched them. They didn’t stop until Goldie had a stomach full of gummy worms.
“I feel sick,” she mumbled.
“Well,” Val said. “I guess it’s Nacho’s turn.”
“We’ll do it together,” Goldie suggested. She helped Nacho off the stool. They stood next to each other and stared at Val, waiting for a command.
“Sit,” Val said.
Goldie sat. Nacho sat.
“Good dog.” Goldie gave Nacho a hug, and Val gave him a doggie treat.
“Keep going,” Goldie said.
“Roll over.”
Goldie rolled over. Nacho yawned.
Val repeated the command. Goldie rolled over, but not Nacho. They tried again and again.
“I’m getting dizzy,” Goldie said after the eighth time.
“Too bad you can’t enter the contest,” Val said. “You’d make a good pet.”
“Let’s give the obedience training a rest. We’ll work on the obstacle course.” Goldie opened the overstuffed cabinet in the corner of the BloxShop.
“How are you going to get a dog that doesn’t know forward from backward to race through an obstacle course?” Val asked as she rubbed Nacho’s head.
“I can engineer that!” Goldie exclaimed. She pulled out a helmet, a fishing vest, a remote control, and a broken toy helicopter. “This will just take a minute.”
Val and Nacho barely had time to curl up on the beanbag and open a book before Goldie announced that she was done.
“Done with what?” Val asked.
“My latest invention.” She held up a bulky vest and a helmet. “It’s the Obstacle Aid. And I checked. It’s not technically against the rules.”
Goldie helped Nacho slip into the Obstacle Aid. She zipped up the vest and tightened the strap on the helmet.
“Let’s try it out!” She ran to the backyard with Nacho by her side. Val came, too, but she wasn’t as excited. They walked to the starting platform of Li’s epic obstacle course.
“You’re really going to let Nacho try this?” Val asked, wrapping Nacho in a protective hug.
“Yep,” said Goldie, pulling a remote control out of her hair.
“You are a brave dog, Nacho,” Val said.
Goldie counted down the start. “Three, two, one. Go, boy, go!”
Nacho took a tiny step onto a floating lily pad. His paws shook, and his tail trembled.
“Good job, Nacho.” Goldie flipped a switch on the remote control, and suddenly she was driving Nacho through the course. The vest had springs that helped him jump from lily pad to lily pad. Ropes shot from the pockets and helped him cross the log. Hooks flew from the vest, and he swung easily across the ropes.
“Wow,” Val said. “He’s doing great. Are you sure this is allowed?”
“There’s absolutely nothing in the rules against using an Obstacle Aid.” Goldie fiddled with her remote some more. “And you haven’t even seen the best part.”
Suddenly, helicopter blades opened out of the top of the helmet. Nacho was flying! At first, his feet kicked, and he howled. Then he relaxed. He seemed to like it.
Goldie continued to control the vest—and Nacho. She was determined to finish the obstacle course. But it seemed Nacho had other ideas. He chewed a few wires loose and clawed off the antenna.
“What’s he doing?” Val asked.
“I don’t know.” Goldie banged the remote against her palm. It wasn’t working.
Both girls stared straight up as Nacho flew over their heads. A tiny bit of drool dropped onto Goldie’s forehead.
“Nacho, come down this instant.” Goldie snapped her fingers.
“If you recall,” Val said, “he isn’t very good with commands.”
The dog sailed across the backyard and through an open window of Goldie’s house. His tail was wagging the whole time.
“Come on. I know where he’s heading.” Goldie chased after him.
They found Nacho in the kitchen, raiding the highest cabinet. The helicopter blades whirled as he helped himself to cookies, cereal, and maple syrup.
“Nacho,” Goldie said. “You’ll get sick.”
Nacho turned and gave her sad, puppy-dog eyes. Then he flew down with a bag of oatmeal cookies in his mouth and dropped them in her hands.
“Aw, looks like he wants to share,” Val said. “Such a sweet dog.”
“Yes,” Goldie said. “He is a sweet dog.” But he’s not getting any closer to learning his commands or running the obstacle course, she thought. “You’re the best dog, Nacho. I just wish we knew what Zeek had planned.”
“Well,” said a voice from the open window. It was Li. “If you’d spent the afternoon spying on him like I did, you would know.”
“And?”
“There’s something you should see.”
Goldie had never said no to a spying mission. She put on her dark overalls, a black shirt, and a hat. Then she loaded a backpack with binoculars, rope, and snacks.
“I have to get home for dinner,” Val said.
“Please come with us,” Goldie begged.
“I’m still shaking from the last time,” Val said, putting on her coat. “Let me know how it goes.” She headed out the door.
“I guess it’s just the three of us.” Goldie nodded to Li and Nacho.
Outside, Li hopped on his hoverboard and Goldie rode her skateboard. Nacho, who was still wearing his vest and helmet, flew behind them. They raced through Bloxtown all the way to the Zander mansion.
A ten-foot-high wall surrounded the place. Cameras were posted on all the corners. A metal gate blocked the driveway. Goldie didn’t see an easy way in.
“What are we looking for?” she asked Li as she jumped off her skateboard.
“I’m not sure, but a giant wooden crate was delivered to Zeek an hour ago. It said Property of the Army on the side.” Li took a deep breath. “That can’t be good.”
Goldie looked up at Nacho, who flew nearby. “You can get over this wall the easiest. See what you can find out.”
Nacho zoomed over the wall.
“How exactly is he going to tell us what he finds out, G?” Li asked.
“There’s a video camera on the helmet,” replied Goldie. “It’s recording everything.”
Goldie Blox and the Best! Pet! Ever! (GoldieBlox) Page 2
