Chapter 9. Revelations and Responsibilities.
AN: Here's finally the continuation of the fanfic. What strikes me as most interesting in the show is how it addresses the existence of the ability to talk to animals, so this fanfiction is also based on possibilities of this unique ability as shown in the show.
By the time Blythe had put the last few designs to paper, and it was finally over for the workday at Littlest Pet Shop, all the pets had gone with their respective owners. Then, she went over to Mrs. Twombly. It is time, she thought, breathing deeply to calm the jitters within her. I'm going to tell her that I can talk to the pets.
Blythe handed over the new designs to Mrs. Twombly, who took them with a smile on her face.
Mrs. Twombly looked in adoration at the sketches. "Hello Blythe, these designs are fantastic! Thank you for your effort," she said.
"Thank you, Mrs. Twombly," Blythe replied. She could feel her chest beginning to tighten with the onset of escalating tension. "There's something more important I need to tell you."
Mrs. Twombly looked up at Blythe, noting the gravity in her voice.
"Of course, dear. What is it? I'm listening."
Blythe took another deep breath before continuing.
"Well, first of all, my dad and I went to the biotechnology research center in the industrial park."
Mrs. Twombly nodded, remembering the conversation they'd had before.
"Oh yes dear, I remember you mentioning something about that the other day."
"We found the facility closed, but we managed to pick up an ID from the workers we found before they changed their name. With the help of my friend Jasper, we accessed information from that organization. We discovered in a report that my mom voluntarily participated in a gene therapy experiment. In that experiment, she was granted a great ability."
Mrs. Twombly frowned, interested.
"A great ability, you say? And what sort of ability are we talking about, sweetie?"
"The ability to talk to animals," Blythe shared as she passed the files to Mrs. Twombly.
Mrs. Twombly read the papers in amazement, her eyes becoming bigger with every line that she read.
"Are you telling me your mother could talk to animals?" she asked at last.
"Yes," Blythe confirmed.
Mrs. Twombly nodded slowly, as if connecting pieces of an ancient puzzle.
"You know, it's been said that my great-great-grandmother Henrietta had a ability for talking with the animals too."
"That is right," Blythe continued. "Moreover, we have found a record wherein they took DNA samples from people who had much contact with animals. The samples were voluntarily given by the studied individuals, and if they died, then they were provided by their families."
Mrs. Twombly looked up, wonder showing.
"Oh! Did my great-great-grandmother Henrietta turn up in that report?"
"Yes, her family agreed to provide DNA samples to the organization." Blythe pointed out Henrietta's name in the report for Mrs. Twombly to see.
Mrs. Twombly gasped in amazement. "Oh, by a goldfish's scales! That's incredible! I wouldn't have expected that, but now that I think about it, it's good that those scientists study those samples. This way, they can investigate how rare this ability is and give science a good boost. With what you've told me, I'm convinced that this ability exists. If the therapy gave your mother that ability, then it makes perfect sense that my great-great-grandmother could also talk to the animals!"
"That's right, Mrs. Twombly," Blythe said.
After she had given her the information she had, Blythe took another deep breath. Well, she thought. It is time.
"Mrs. Twombly, I also have to tell you something very, very important that I think I should have told you earlier."
Mrs. Twombly stared at her with wondering eyes, looking both concerned and curious.
"Well, speak up, sugar. What's on your mind? You know you can tell me anything."
Blythe folded her hands together before she was able to find the courage to speak.
"I also talk to pets and animals. This ability, apparently, was inherited from my mother."
Mrs. Twombly's eyes opened wide in surprise, and she gasped, stepping back and placing a hand on her chest.
"What on earth? Are you serious, Blythe?"
"Yes," Blythe nodded. "I can understand every word they say."
Mrs. Twombly stared for a long moment, her eyes welling up with tears of disbelief and emotion.
"What do you mean? Are you telling me that you understand everything the pets we care for are trying to say here in the shop?"
"Yes," Blythe confirmed.
Mrs. Twombly sat down weakly, taking a chair close at hand, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to pull herself together. "Oh my stars... I'm... I'm just floored. It's truly amazing what you're telling me right now. Everything makes sense now—how you're so wonderful at taking care of them, and how they always seem to listen to you like you've got some magic touch."
"Yes," Blythe replied. "But I wasn't always that way, I mean I wasn't that way until after I hit my head in this building when we moved into town."
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry but... part of me just can't believe it. Then again..." Mrs. Twombly shook her head. Then, her eyes sparkled with a mixture of amazement and understanding. "Can you imagine all the wonderful things you could do with that ability? The possibilities are endless!"
"Yes, Youngmee and Jasper gave me ideas about that," Blythe managed to reply, feeling relieved slightly for having shared her secret.
Mrs. Twombly slowly stood up, her eyes still wet, yet with a look combining pride and wonder. "Blythe, that's just... well, it's more than I can put into words. It's a lot to take in, but I'm here for you, sweetie. Thank you for trusting me with something so important. Knowing you have this gift... it's simply extraordinary."
"Thank you for listening, Mrs. Twombly. That means a lot to me."
Mrs. Twombly collected herself for a moment, then smiled.
"I have so many questions I'd like to ask you, dear, but I suppose it's best if I wait since you said you're busy with the investigations about that organization."
Blythe nodded. "That's right, I am."
Mrs. Twombly leaned forward, curious. "But, if you don't mind, can I ask you just one question?"
"Of course," Blythe said.
"I've always wondered what the pets think of me," Mrs. Twombly asked shyly. "Especially after that time when Finola came to the shop pretending to be a pet psychic and turned out to be a fraud. I've always wanted to know what they really think of me."
Blythe smiled at the memory of talking to the pets.
"Oh, Mrs. Twombly, the pets love you. They're always talking about how much they enjoy your company and how well you take care of them. They even cheer for you and remember how much you love them. Of course, they do joke about you sometimes, but they still love you very much."
Mrs. Twombly glowed and had watery eyes. "Oh, my little sweeties. I always try to make this a cozy and fun place, a real home for them. It's so nice to know they appreciate it."
"Yes, they do, Mrs. Twombly. They always speak of you with love and appreciation. You're a really big part of their lives!" replied Blythe.
"Thank you, Blythe. That's so comforting to know. It feels good to understand that all my love and hard work are appreciated by my little friends," said Mrs. Twombly, "from this day on, Blythe, this will be our special day. I'm so touched and thankful that you shared this with me."
"I couldn't keep this secret any longer, Mrs. Twombly. You and the Littlest Pet Shop mean so much to me, and I want you to know everything I've discovered," Blythe confessed.
"Blythe, I always knew there was something special about you. Now I understand why the pets are always so happy around you," Mrs. Twombly said, giving her a tight hug.
"Thanks, Mrs. Twombly." Blythe took a few steps back. "I didn't tell you earlier that I have this ability because, for one, I felt a bit insecure moving to a new city. Then, when I gained the ability to talk to animals out of nowhere, I was scared that people would think I was weird. I wanted to assess the implications before others found out, and I also wanted to have a normal life for as long as possible. If everyone knows that I am talking to animals, I fear they will watch me in a different and weird way."
Mrs. Twombly nodded understandingly. "I understand, dear. It's a heavy burden to carry alone. Who else have you told about your ability?"
"Just my dad and my friends Youngmee, Sue, and Jasper," Blythe confessed.
After a while, Mrs. Twombly frowned in thought.
"That's all great Blythe, you can decide if you want people to know about it or not."
Blythe nodded. "That's right Mrs. Twombly. Thank you for the advice."
Then Mrs. Twombly said, "You know, Blythe, there's something strange about all this. If this ability is really inherited, and my great-great-grandmother Henrietta had it, wouldn't some of her descendants have it too? Why don't I?"
Blythe shrugged thoughtfully, a little curious. "I don't know, Mrs. Twombly. It would be interesting to find out."
Mrs. Twombly smiled, relaxing a bit. "Maybe one day we'll figure it out. Thank you for sharing this with me, Blythe. It really means a lot to me. Now, go get some rest, because you've got school tomorrow."
"Yes," Blythe breathed gratefully. "Thank you so much."
They each said their goodnights, and Blythe headed up to her apartment to sleep, feeling much better now that she had shared her secret.
Blythe entered her apartment to find her dad in the living room, reading a book. She went up to him and sat down beside him.
"Dad, when are we going to go to the organization?" asked Blythe.
Roger looked up from his book and smiled down at his daughter.
"I'll message them to ask when they receive visitors," he said. "And on the day they confirm the visit, we'll go."
"Mmm-hmm," Blythe said, nodding and smiling. She hesitated for a beat before she went on. "Dad, today I told Mrs. Twombly that I can talk to the pets."
Roger eyed her in astonishment and closed his book. "Whoa! you did? And how did she take it?"
Blythe smiled, recalling what Mrs. Twombly said in response. "She was very surprised at first, but then she took to it and was very supportive of me. I explained everything about the research and how I came to find out that Mom had the same ability."
Roger nodded gratefully. "I'm glad you told her. I knew Mrs. Twombly would understand. Do you feel better now that you've told her?"
"Oh, yes, much better," Blythe confessed. "I was so relieved."
Roger smiled and said, "That's really great. I'm proud you've done that. Now go have some sleep because you've got school tomorrow."
Blythe said, "Yeah, Dad, thanks, and goodnight."
The next day during lunch, Blythe was in the school cafeteria with her friends Youngmee, Sue, and Jasper. They were sitting at their usual table together.
"Guys, I revealed my ability to my boss, Mrs. Twombly," Blythe said, feeling nervous but relieved.
Youngmee looked at her, eyes almost popping out. "Really?! How did she react?"
"Do tell us!" said Sue eagerly, leaning forward.
"Oh, well at first she was very shocked," Blythe began. "But then she realized how supportive she needed to be. I explained everything concerning the research that we did and how I found out that my mom had the same ability."
"Really?" said Jasper, quite impressed. "That's brilliant! And what did she say?"
Blythe grinned. "Mrs. Twombly was touched and grateful that I told her. She had a lot of questions, but she made me promise that I wouldn't answer them then, because she knew I was really busy with the investigation."
"Wow!" Youngmee exclaimed. "I'm glad she was so understanding."
"Yes," replied Blythe, gratefully. "It was a big step for me, I'm really glad I did it."
Then the bell rang for everyone to go to class.
Meanwhile, the pets were off on their mission. Dressed like little detectives—with hats and magnifying glasses—they moved from place to place around the Littlest Pet Shop day camp, looking for clues about what might have caused Blythe to start talking to animals in that very place.
"Okay, darlings. Time to find those clues!" Zoe said, adjusting her hat.
"Remember, we must be meticulous and not miss any detail," Russell told them.
"Oh, so thrilling! WE ARE REAL DETECTIVES!" Minka shouted, bouncing up and down with excitement.
"Minka, chill out. We're just trying to figure out if there's anything strange here," said Russell.
"Ugh, MR. ORDERLY taking the fun out of the moment," Pepper remarked.
"Where do we start?" asked Vinnie as he looked around.
"Let's check out the store's shelving areas where sell the things, we might find something unique," Sunil nervously but strongly declared.
"Cool idea, Sunster. We can start under the old shelves," agreed Vinnie, holding a magnifying glass with a detective-like air.
Both headed to the shelves and began their searches in different parts, taking care not to mess up everything.
Vinnie, with his small body, went under the shelving, pawing at the merchandise.
"There's nothing unusual here," Vinnie pointed out as he crawled from side to side.
Suddenly, Vinnie's interest rose, and he moved down to investigate a drawer beneath a shelf.
"I'm going into the drawer," Vinnie announced and carefully opened it.
In the meantime, Sunil was below, examining the floor for clues when Vinnie lost his footing, slipped, and fell from the drawer, tumbling over right into Sunil, crashing his face directly into Sunil's.
"Get off me, Vinnie!" cried Sunil, placing a hand to his face in shock as Vinnie's lips brushed his cheek. "Oh gosh! DID YOU JUST KISS ME?" he said, shocked.
"SORRY! IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Vinnie shouted as he arose quickly with a face of apology.
"Okay! I forgive you because you are my best friend," Sunil said, trying to hold back laughter.
"Sorry, think of it as a friendly kiss," Vinnie mumbled with a wry smile.
Sunil let out a deep sigh and found himself chuckling at the absurdity of it all, which made Vinnie laugh all the harder.
Meanwhile, the other pets continued to search the Day Camp.
"Noted. How about we check the tunnels and furniture?" said Russell, pointing out his observations.
"Yes, maybe there is something in these places that can lead us to something," said Penny Ling, surveying the scene.
Minka scattered through the tunnels with the help of Russell and Penny Ling.
"Not a thing here!" Minka yelled.
"I don't see anything peculiar here, either," said Penny Ling.
Suddenly, Pepper discovered something.
"Hey, guys! Look at this," Pepper shouted.
Everyone gathered around Pepper.
"It's a piece of metal, could it be part of something bigger?" mused Russell, examining the object.
"Maybe it's a clue. We should keep it," Penny Ling suggested.
"That's a good idea, darling. Let's keep looking," Zoe encouraged.
The pets continued with their search, checking every inch of the Day Camp.
Penny Ling and Minka went up the dumbwaiter to Blythe's room and carefully examined her bed and closet. Minka peeked under the bed while Penny Ling checked inside her closet.
"No strangeness here either," Minka reported, crawling out from under the bed.
"Let's keep looking, we can't let Blythe down," commented Penny Ling.
Next, in the Day Camp room, Zoe and Pepper turned their attention to the play tubes above. Zoe and Pepper climbed and inspected the tubes running along the ceiling, walking over them instead of inside them to check for anything unusual.
Suddenly, Pepper reached a small vent, and Zoe watched from a short distance away.
"Find anything, darling?" Zoe asked.
"No, just dust and cobwebs," Pepper sneezed.
Then Zoe joined Pepper walking on the tube, and suddenly Zoe took Pepper's paw as they walked.
"Zoe, why are you holding my paw?" Pepper asked, feeling a little weird.
"Oh, sorry," Zoe pulled her paw away from Pepper's. "I just thought we'd be more careful and together in this," Zoe finished, feeling a bit nervous.
"Oh, don't worry, it's fine because we're best friends," Pepper said, laughing, and Zoe joined in.
Then Minka and Penny Ling came down and scurried to the fire hydrant, which often served as a refuge area. Minka went inside, using her flashlight to see better.
"Nothing yet," said Minka, her voice echoing slightly.
"Don't forget to check the food bowls and feeding areas," Russell reminded them.
They checked the feeding areas and food bowls meticulously, but everything was clear.
Then Russell, Pepper, and Zoe left the Day Camp and scoped out the edges of the store walls where Sunil and Vinnie were also, including the shelves and the reception area where Mrs. Twombly served customers. Mrs. Twombly was occupied and didn't notice the pets' discreet investigation.
"Check this out, there's a gap behind this shelf," Sunil and Vinnie whispered as the others arrived, peering at the narrow gap behind one of the shelves.
"Is there something there?" Zoe asked hopefully.
"Just some old papers," Vinnie responded, pulling out a dusty piece of paper. Their final stop was the reception area. Vinnie crept under the desk while Mrs. Twombly was talking to a customer. "All that's here is some pens and paper clips," Vinnie reported.
Despite their thorough search, the pets hadn't found any definitive clues. They gathered again in the Day Camp, feeling a bit discouraged.
"We're not finding anything concrete," said Minka, feeling downhearted.
"Don't worry, Minka. We just have to keep looking. I'm sure we'll find something," Penny Ling reassured her.
"Right. We can't throw in the towel. Blythe is counting on us," Russell said determinedly.
With that, the determined pets continued their search.
Upon returning from school, Blythe entered the Littlest Pet Shop and made her way back to the Day Camp, where all of the pets eagerly awaited her.
"Hi, pets!" Blythe said, beaming. "I have something important to tell you."
The pets, already inside the Day Camp, approached her curiously. Zoe, always elegant and poised, was the first to speak. "Well, don't keep us in suspense, darling! Spill the tea!"
Blythe took a deep breath. "I've decided to confess to Mrs. Twombly that I can talk to you."
"That's so awesome, Blythe!" Minka squealed, bouncing up and down with excitement. "How did she take it? Did she totally freak out?"
"Yeah, what was her reaction?" asked Penny Ling, her voice soft and gentle as she leaned in closer.
"She was really shocked at first, but then she accepted it really well," Blythe explained with a smile.
"Really? That's just... wonderful!" Vinnie exclaimed, attempting to do a celebratory dance but promptly tripping over his own paws. "Oop—almost nailed it!"
"Oh, do be careful, Vinnie dear! You mustn't hurt those adorable paws," said Zoe.
"So, what exactly did she say?" asked Russell.
"She said she was proud of me and that she always felt there was something special about my relationship with all of you," Blythe replied.
"Aw, that's so sweet!" Pepper chimed in with a wide grin. "And then what happened? Did she throw a confetti parade?"
Blythe laughed. "No Pepper. But now that she knows, I can be more open about my ability to her here in the shop."
"Great! MORE FUN AND ADVENTURE!" chirped Minka, spinning around.
"Well, it's about time!" said Zoe with declared a dramatic flair. "Now we can all be our fabulous selves without any secrets."
"But we still need to be careful," added Russell, looking at the other pets. "We don't want just anyone to find out about Blythe's ability yet like customers."
"Exactly," Blythe nodded. "We have to make sure this doesn't go public until we're ready."
Trying to sound serious, Vinnie said, "By the way, Blythe, we've been looking all over this place, and we didn't find any mysterious object that could explain why you started talking to us here yet."
Blythe looked at them, surprised. "Why did you do that?"
A nervous Sunil piped up, "Because since you got the ability right here, just like Henrietta Twombly, we think there might be something special about this place."
"Exactly!" said Zoe graciously. "There has to be some mystery around here."
Blythe smiled. "Yes, that's right. You were definitely helping me investigate."
Pepper observed with typical humor, "At least we didn't find any monsters in the dark places."
Everyone laughed at Pepper's comment. After some more chatting, Blythe stood up.
"Oh, Blythe, all the adventures we had during the search," remarked Penny Ling.
"You didn't cause any disasters, right? You left everything in order?" asked Blythe.
"Yes, I ensured everything was the same," said Russell.
"Don't worry, Blythe, you know MR. ORDERLY will make sure to fix everything," said Pepper.
"Very well. Thanks, Russell," said Blythe.
"You're welcome, Blythe," replied.
"LITTLEST PET SHOP DETECTIVES, IN ACTIOOOONNNNN!" Vinnie yelled, posed in some comically dramatic detective pose.
"I want to thank all of you for your support," Blythe said with a warm smile, "it really does mean a lot to me having you all."
"Oh, we'll always be here for you, Blythe!" yelled Minka as she jumped once.
"Yes, all the time," other pets chimed in with the same answer in unison.
It was Wednesday afternoon when Roger called Blythe.
"Blythie, I have some news," Roger said, looking up from his computer.
"What is it, Dad?" Blythe asked, approaching him.
Roger smiled. "We've been authorized to visit the organization this Saturday at noon."
Blythe's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really? That's great!"
Roger nodded. "Yes, they confirmed it today. We'll be able to go and learn more about your ability and your mom's research."
"And how did they accept us so quickly?" Blythe asked, curious.
"I sent our IDs so they could verify that we are direct relatives of Lauren Smith," Roger explained. "Once they confirmed the information, they gave us the green light."
Blythe nodded, understanding. "I'm ready. Thanks, Dad."
Soon after, they both went to bed.
On Saturday, Blythe and her dad, Roger, approached the entrance of the Advanced Center for Biotechnology and Conservation. The building was something else, it looked really modern with glass and steel cladding. On reaching the reception desk, an attendant greeted them.
"Welcome to the Advanced Center for Biotechnology and Conservation. How may I help you?" said the attendant with a smile.
"We have an appointment today at twelve o'clock," responded Roger. "The code for the meeting is Lauren Smith."
He checked his list and nodded. "Please wait a moment while I verify your information. Could you show me your credentials?"
Roger and Blythe submitted their IDs to the attendant, who received them cautiously before turning towards his computer in search of the corresponding document.
"Everything is in order," said the attendant after a few moments. "You can go ahead. I will walk you to a meeting room."
Following the steward down a well-lit corridor, they entered into a small meeting room. The attendant ushered them to seats. "Yes, Lauren Smith worked with us on a gene therapy experiment that was supposed to increase empathy with other individuals back when we were known as GERI," the attendant said. "But possibly it just came to having the ability to speak to animals, or at least an abnormally good mutual understanding."
Blythe and Roger exchanged glances, digesting what was being passed to them. They knew that they were just about to alight on something very profound regarding the legacy of Lauren and Blythe's ability.
The attendant took his seat opposite Blythe and Roger, prepared to answer whatever questions they had.
Roger inquired, "How long has my wife been a volunteer for you?"
"Two years of working together with Lauren," the attendant said.
Roger nodded, digesting the information. "Could you just enlighten us on what exactly was done to my wife?"
"You got it," the attendant responded before disclosing the report that Blythe, Jasper, Youngmee, and Sue had found in their database.
Roger asked the attendant, "Are the results of the experiment already known to the public?"
The attendant replied, "We've told the public about most of the experiment, but we've kept the part about talking to animals confidential. That important detail has only been shared with people like legislators, regulatory bodies, health experts, and government officials so they can establish the regulations and ensure it's safe before we publish the complete details of this method and confirm the achievement of gaining the ability to talk to animals. Since this is such a big discovery, we're being really careful to make sure everything is done right. We're almost finished and should be able to tell everyone in a few months once we've checked everything."
"Have you done this same experiment on other people?" Roger asked.
"Eight people, but it has only worked on two of them. It's something we are still investigating. These people do not want to show who are them until they choose to do so, to protect their safety," the attendant explained.
Blythe thought, Oh, I wish I could know who they are, but I understand they want their privacy. Wait a minute, I can query the organization what else they know about the nature of the ability like what can activate it like the head injury I had or what can suppress it like the herbal cold medicine I took.
Roger turned to the attendant and said, "Oh, by the way, there's something very important we want to tell you."
"What is it?" inquired the attendant with interest.
"This is my daughter Blythe, who has inherited her late mother's ability," Roger informed him.
The attendant was stunned. He immediately took out his phone and called in his boss and his boss's boss to quickly come to the small meeting room. About two minutes later, the superiors arrived with a rabbit.
The attendant turned to his bosses. "Gentlemen, meet Blythe, the daughter of Lauren. She can talk to animals, and it seems she inherited that gift from her mother."
One of the scientists, Dr. Jenkins, said with excitement, "This is amazing. We are eager to learn more about the specifics of how someone might inherit this trait, but we won't force you to participate in the research. You will only do this if you are willing and choose to volunteer."
"Okay," Blythe agreed.
Dr. Jenkins then added, "Would you like to demonstrate that you can communicate with animals through this rabbit?"
Blythe nodded and accepted the challenge. She gently held the rabbit in her lap.
Dr. Jenkins produced a notebook and pen, ready to take notes. "We're going to ask it some questions, and when it answers, we'd like for you to translate what it's saying for us, Blythe."
"I'm all set," Blythe replied.
The first question was from Dr. Jenkins: "Rabbit, what is your favorite food?" The bunny began to wiggle a little, moving its nose quickly and making a soft murmur as if whispering.
Blythe listened closely to what the rabbit was saying. "He says his favorite food is fresh lettuce because it's soft and easier to chew."
To check, Dr. Jenkins placed a fresh carrot, a piece of lettuce, an apple slice, and a radish in front of the rabbit. The rabbit immediately started eating the lettuce, beginning with the softest, thinnest part, without touching the other items—confirming Blythe's translation.
The scientists nodded, impressed. Dr. Jenkins continued, turning to the rabbit, "Do you like being in this meeting room?"
The rabbit made a small noise, and its ears moved back and forth.
Blythe interpreted, "He says he feels a bit nervous here because it's not his usual environment, but he's okay because I'm with him."
The rabbit huddled closer to Blythe, which the scientists took as a sign that the rabbit felt more comfortable around her. The scientists exchanged impressed looks.
Dr. Jenkins commented, "Wow, this is amazing. These responses are so accurate and detailed. This shows true, actual comprehension of animal communication."
"Thank you," Blythe said, feeling a greater sense of responsibility for having this ability.
Dr. Jenkins nodded and continued, "We are very thankful, Blythe. This brings new hope to our studies and understanding of how this ability is passed on."
Dr. Jenkins asked, curiously and thoughtfully looking from Roger to Blythe, "What happened to Blythe's mother? Why didn't she come here with you?"
Roger looked down for a moment before he replied, "She died of a heart attack."
The scientists looked shocked and sad. "We are so sorry to hear this. She was a great woman, always ready to help. We regret very much that she is no longer alive."
"Yes," Roger continued in a nostalgic tone, "Lauren was just someone with the biggest heart and lived her life trying to do good. This thing that she was given was such a burden but also a blessing and although she's not with us, we still see her legacy in Blythe."
Dr. Jenkins nodded sympathetically. "We really do understand and share in your pain, in your loss. Lauren was very special, and just through her involvement, we've been able to take our research far beyond our expectations. We do everything we can to help Blythe cope with this ability."
Roger continued asking his questions. "Was there any follow-up or monitoring of the long-term effects on Lauren after the experiment ended? Were you able to identify any specific genetic changes that might have been passed on to Blythe? Also, we'd like to know if my wife was informed that her ability was due to this gene therapy."
Dr. Jenkins answered, "To the first two questions, yes, although we had very limited follow-up, and Lauren dropped out before we had completed all of the long-term analyses. We were able to make a preliminary determination of several specific genetic markers that we feel are implicated in this ability from DNA samples we were able to collect from her up to 18 months post-experiment. To your third question, Lauren chose to discontinue working with us of her own accord to focus on other things and didn't want to hear from us anymore and never knew that her ability was the result of therapy, believing that it was natural. We weren't sure at the time because it was new and speculative, and we wanted it confirmed with the next two volunteers."
Roger asked with visibly concerned eyes, "Any kind of risk factor with this? Will this be affecting Blythe's health in any way? I am pretty scared now, maybe my wife's death could be because of some adverse effect of this therapy."
Dr. Jenkins breathed a long, heavy sigh. "As is obvious with the other two volunteers, there's no risk per se right now. However, bearing in mind that this ability is exclusive in nature and hasn't been well-researched, we cannot negate the possible effects in the long run. It is very important that we continue to research and monitor the onset of any changes or symptoms."
At the answer, Roger simply nodded in acceptance. "Well, thank you for all the information and your willingness to help us, we just want to make sure that Blythe is safe and that she fully understands her capability. Can we count on your support for future analyses and consultations?"
"Of course," Dr. Jenkins responded. "We will stand by you and do everything within our means to help you. Then, we will develop an aftercare plan and proceed with research on this very special ability."
As she listened, Blythe thought of the report that the organization had on people with high animal empathy. Not able to get away from her thoughts, she asked curiously:
"Aside from the two therapy volunteers, are there other people who can talk to animals?"
"Yes," Dr. Jenkins replied. "We have a report on people whom we believe have that ability naturally, due to a genetic variation that we are still studying. However, for privacy reasons, we didn't collect further information like addresses or contacts. Only a few provided their phone numbers."
"So. is it very rare that people are able to talk to the animals as well?" Blythe asked, interested.
"It's very rare," Dr. Jenkins explained. "From a report involving 47,651 people, a little more than 90% have already passed away because the DNA collection started a long time ago, even investigating people from the 19th century. We estimate that around 3,000 or 4,000 people suspected of being able to talk to animals are alive today."
With a mixture of sadness and resolve in her voice, Blythe asked, "Is there any way I can learn more about this ability? Are there other studies or people I can talk to, in order to understand better what I can do?"
"Of course, we can permit you to our files and previous studies on the subject," Dr. Jenkins replied. "We could also arrange meetings with those who have the same ability. That way, you could share experiences and learn from them."
"All we ask is to be assured Blythe is in safe hands and she is capacitated enough to exercise her power properly and reasonably. Can you provide resources or contacts to us, that we might be able to look into this further?" Roger said.
"Certainly," confirmed Dr. Jenkins. "Of course, we will share with you all the information that we have, including contacts with experts in the field of genetics and animal behavior and any other resources that could be helpful. Also, we would like to continue monitoring Blythe to make sure everything is okay."
Blythe, in turn, was appreciative and said, "Thank you for all your support. I am willing to do whatever it takes to work on this and better understand this ability of mine and how I could possibly help others the way my mom did. I would also like to know what can activate or deactivate this ability, as I gained it after a head injury and lost it temporarily after taking cold medicine."
"We are here to assist you every step of the way, Blythe," Dr. Jenkins said when he was finished. "We will coordinate follow-up plans and provide you with resources you need to safely explore and develop this ability. Lauren would be very proud of you."
Roger turned towards the scientists and questioned, "Thanks. A last question: How are you going to publicly reveal the method of the experiment and its results?"
"We will do so once the regulatory frameworks have been assessed together with a safety protocol developed with the scientific community," Dr. Jenkins said. "However, to uphold a policy of transparency, we have shared publicly that research into the therapy took place, although at this stage we have not indicated the sensitive outcome that was generated."
"I understand why you're keeping the result of the method to talk to animals confidential," Roger commented, "but I wonder if it's ethical to have kept it this way for 25 years."
"In our next visit, which we can schedule for next Saturday, we'll provide the reasons for this decision," Dr. Jenkins said.
"Alright," Roger said with. "We'll see you next Saturday. Thank you for your time," Dr. Jenkins added after a moment of silence.
"Thanks," Roger replied.
"Thank you," smiled Blythe.
Everyone said their goodbyes, and Blythe and her dad headed for the door, feeling closer to understanding Lauren's legacy and Blythe's ability.
AN: Blythe and her dad verify the facts Jasper had leaked to the organization. Now Blythe will want to meet someone else who has the same ability.
I have not forgotten the Biskit twins, they will also have their moments soon.