Chapter One

Posted: 17 Dec 2015

"That was some day, eh, Blythe?"

Blythe closed the register. "Can't argue with you there, Mrs. Twombly."

That day had been quite hectic. The new kibble that they had just started offering proved to be unexpectedly popular. Sometimes Largest Ever Pet Shop was onto something. Who knew? But Blythe supposed that should have been expected. With that many bolts fired a few of them are bound to hit something.

Now that they day was over Blythe could see that new movie with her friends at the Metroplex. It was supposed to be very funny, even though she never quite remember its title. Despite the gang talking about the day before.

Heh. Must not have been very memorable then.

Mrs. Twombly was sweeping the floor as Blythe was leaving the store. "Have fun at Catch that Monkey, sweetie."

Blythe paused at the door and looked back. "That can't be right."

"It's that all right. I heard you and your friends talking earlier, and that isn't a name you can easily forget." She laughed to herself.

"Apparently I can." Blythe paused before heading out. "Oh right, I forgot to tell you, Mrs. T, but someone was digging around in the trash earlier."

"Oh?"

"Yeah she looked like she was a big fan of trash."

"That's... odd."

"Yes it was. But you don't have to worry, Mrs. T. She didn't take anything."

"Oh I wasn't worried about that. I don't put anything dangerous into the trash. I shred that stuff and then burn it."

"Good to know, Mrs. Twombly."

"Well have fun with your friends."

"Thank you, Mrs. T," Blythe laughed. "See you tomorrow then."

"Bye."

Blythe's friends were waiting outside of Littlest Pet Shop. "About this movie..."

"Yes, Blythe," Jasper asked, trying to be helpful. "What about it?"

"In the excitement about the movie I never found what it was actually about."

"Oh, well. Let me tell you about it then."

He did.

Mainly what Blythe got from that discussion was that Catch that Monkey captured the essential essence of the American experience, whatever that meant. Didn't every movie made in America do that? And that monkey were a very popular subject for animal comedies. The shenanigans of the monkey in the movie were apparently a metaphor for what was going on in America.

And that Jasper was apparently a huge fan of the director.

"Isn't this supposed to be a comedy?" Blythe quietly asked Youngmee.

"Yes. But comedies are movies too. And you know what a movie nut Jasper is."

"Right."

"Did the pets pick up on any juicy gossip?" Youngmee was the only other person who knew that Blythe could talk to animals.

"Now that you mention it..."

-OOO-

Anna Twombly finished cleaning up the shop soon after Blythe left with her friends. "Oh my. We really did have a busy day, didn't we?"

Zoe, whose owners were late in picking her up that day and was waiting on the front counter, barked her agreement. Or at least that was Anna liked to think that was Zoe doing. Who knew what the pets were really thinking?

She heard the bell of the front door ring.

"Oh, hi there, Blythe. Did you forget something?"

"There is something that I need to get."

"Oh?"

"Yes. Come with me into your office and I'll show you."

"Oh-kay."

"Just give me a second."

"Can I ask you why?"

"I suppose. Nevertheless Blythe gave no answer. Instead she started for Anna's office.

Anna went into the office to check on Blythe. "Blythe, I'm he- Good heavens! What are you doing?" Blythe was at that very moment disrobing, something that Anna had never thought she ever see, let alone in her pet shop, and caught Anna quite by surprise. Blythe sure was working fast at it. She was already working on removing her bra.

"I'm getting ready."

"Getting ready for what, dear?" Anna stepped back. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she was sure that she didn't like one bit.

She stepped out of her panties and toward Anna. "For this of course." Blythe put her hands on Anna's face and...

...something happened.

She felt no pain, but she screamed from the... wrongness of it. There was no other word to describe the sensations that she was having.

The next thing she knew was covered by some kind cloth. "What in the Sam Hill?" Her voice sounded strange, but she couldn't quite place how.

Before she could, however, she felt herself being picked up and the strange cloth falling away. And found...

...herself standing in front just as naked as Blythe had been. "What the huh?"

The other her was picking her up.

Anna's thought at that moment was Why do I bother shaving between my legs? It's not like that'll do me any good. Blythe clearly didn't.

She then realized that she hadn't known that Blythe could change shape or turn people into animals either. But the girl in front of her could change shape...

"I know what you're thinking." She does? "You're wondering what will happen to you, aren't you?" Actually that was a pretty good question. Anna leaned forward to listen. "We can't have you wander around Downtown City on your own. So I guess I'll have to keep you as my pet."

What.

The fake Anna placed the real Anna on the desk and began putting on Anna's clothes. Starting with her panties. "There's another pair I'm never wearing again," Anna heard herself saying.

The impostor paid her no mind. Instead she finished getting dressed before picking Anna back up. "I thought you would think it would be a good idea."

"It's a terrible idea." Anna found herself talking again. Can cats even talk? But if they could, why haven't she heard more cats talk?

Anna's musings were interrupted by the imposter's words. "Now let's wait for Zoe's owners to arrive to pick her up shall we? Then I take you home with me."

Whose home did she mean? Anna's?

Or that imposter's?