Chapter 10. Following the Trail.
AN: I want to remind you that the role of the LPS location in the ability to talk to animals will be still relevant for the characters.
Once Blythe and her father returned to the pet shop, Blythe turned towards her dad.
"I'm going to talk to Mrs. Twombly and then spend some time with the pets," said Blythe.
Roger agreed. "Okay, Blythie."
Blythe went to the reception area where Mrs. Twombly was organizing some things.
"Mrs. Twombly, I have to tell you about my day," Blythe said.
Mrs. Twombly looked up and smiled, "Of course, dear. What happened?"
Blythe began to recount from the beginning of their arrival at the Biotechnology Center to the revelations about her being able to talk to animals and what future research held for them.
Mrs. Twombly listened carefully, and every now and then acknowledged her head. "Oh my! Blythe, that's quite something. It sounds like you're on the right road to learn a lot."
"It was pretty intense, but I feel so much better to actually get some information," Blythe answered.
"I'm very proud of you. And your mom would be too," Mrs. Twombly said with a warm smile.
"Thank you, Mrs. Twombly. That means a lot to me," Blythe said with a smile.
After some time of conversation, Blythe said goodbye. "Well, I'm going to see the pets now."
"Okay, Blythe," Mrs. Twombly replied.
Blythe walked into the Day Camp where the pets were awaiting her curiously.
"Hello pets! I want to tell you what they told me at the Biotechnology Center," Blythe said, squatting on the floor to be at their level.
Zoe, as usual, spoke first with great enthusiasm. "Tell us, darling! We are very anxious!"
Blythe shared everything she had learned about the genetic research and how her mom had taken part in it. The pets listened carefully.
"Wow! It's amazing what this organization is doing and knows!" Minka exclaimed, jumping up in excitement.
"Yes, but it's also a bit sad to think that this ability is so rare," Penny Ling added softly.
"Well, Blythe, and what will they do afterwards?" asked Russell.
"Oh, they will continue researching to better understand this ability," Blythe replied. "By the way, I'll be working on some new designs now."
"Good luck, Blythe!" Minka cheered.
"We're here if you need anything," Russell nodded.
Blythe smiled and left the Day Camp.
When Monday came around, during lunch at school, Blythe met up with her friends Youngmee, Sue, and Jasper in the cafeteria.
"Guys, I've got a lot to tell you about what happened at the Biotechnology Center," Blythe said as they sat at their usual table.
"Tell us everything!" Youngmee exclaimed, eager to hear.
"Yes, we're really curious," Sue added, leaning in.
"Well," Blythe began, "the scientists confirmed that my mom did participate in a gene therapy experiment that gave her the ability to talk to animals. I showed them that I also have this ability, and we believe I inherited it from her."
"And what did they say?" Jasper asked, clearly impressed.
"They told us they are very interested in researching a person with this ability in a hereditary way, and they've been researching this ability for many years and that there are other people who have this ability, though it's extremely rare," Blythe continued.
"And how are they going to make this information public?" Sue asked.
"They said they will once they have all the regulatory frameworks and safety protocols in place," Blythe replied. "They want to make sure it doesn't get misused."
"See? I told you," Youngmee said. "And what about the others with the same ability? Could you talk to them?"
"Yes, they offered to arrange meetings with those people so we could share experiences, and I could learn more about what I can do," Blythe explained.
"That sounds great, Blythe," Jasper said. "You could learn a lot from them."
"And did they mention any health risks?" Sue asked, concerned.
"They said there are no immediate risks as far as they know, but since it's a unique ability, they need to keep researching to be sure," Blythe responded.
Youngmee nodded. "It's good to know they're taking precautions."
"Yes," Blythe said, with a sigh. "I want to make sure I use this ability responsibly, just like my mom."
"And you will, Blythe. We're here to support you with whatever you need," Sue said, smiling.
"Thanks, guys. It really means a lot to have you all by my side," Blythe said, feeling comforted.
"And what happens now?" Jasper asked. "What's the next step?"
"I'm going to keep working with the scientists to better understand this ability and see how I can use it to help others," Blythe replied.
"You'll keep us informed, right?" Youngmee asked.
"Of course," Blythe said. "Always."
The Biskit twins, on the other hand, sat at their usual table, pretending to be bored while discreetly watching their surroundings. This wasn't the first time they had kept an eye on Blythe, and although they hadn't uncovered anything juicy so far, they weren't ready to give up. Brittany was scrolling through her phone when she saw Blythe not far away, chatting animatedly with her friends.
Brittany nudged her sister. "Hey, Whittany, have you noticed how Blythe always seems to be involved in everything interesting around here?"
Whittany gave Blythe a curious look before turning to her sister. "Yeah, she always seems to be up to something. And we never know what it is."
Brittany frowned, thinking. "That's what bothers me. She acts like she's better than us, but what does she actually do? She's always surrounded by those animals at the pet shop. At least, that's what people say about her."
Whittany nodded, equally irritated. "Yeah, and it's so annoying. Maybe we should keep a closer eye on her. She might be doing something veeeryyy interesting."
Brittany smiled, already beginning to scheme. "Exactly. We should follow her, not in an obvious way, but... just stay close and see what she's really up to."
Whittany liked the idea and smiled. "Yeah, we might find something we can use to our advantage. Maybe there's something in that shop that we can use to outshine her."
Brittany nodded. "We could follow her around school, watch her when she heads to work at the Littlest Pet Shop... see what happens." She looked at her sister expectantly. "Maybe we'll discover something that could be very beneficial for us."
Whittany chuckled softly. "Yeah, who knows? Maybe we'll find out something even she doesn't know."
The two smiled conspiratorially, already imagining the possibilities. From that moment on, they decided they would keep a close watch on Blythe. After all, the best way to pass the time was uncovering the secrets of their apparent rival.
The pets continued searching in the Littlest Pet Shop, determined to find a clue about how Blythe obtained her special ability.
There was an air of thrill and excitement as they moved through every nook and cranny of the store. Vinnie found himself in a corner of the shop where the shelves were packed with small toys and pet accessories.
Vinnie stretched up to reach a toy that was perched high on a shelf. As he extended too far, he began to wobble and lost his balance.
"CAREFUL, VINNIE!" Sunil shouted, rushing over just in time to grab Vinnie's hand and steady him with a gentle tug.
The two of them froze for a moment, still holding hands, their faces unexpectedly close.
"Thanks, Sunil... you're always there to catch me," Vinnie said with a shy smile, gently squeezing Sunil's hand.
"Well... I just don't want you to get hurt, Vinnie. You mean too much to me for that."
"And I... I care a lot about you too, Sunil."
Sunil, with his hand still intertwined with Vinnie's, smiled back reassuringly.
"Then... we'll always look out for each other, right?"
"Always," Vinnie replied.
Meanwhile, Zoe and Pepper were browsing a section of the store filled with stylish leashes and collars. Zoe, with her keen sense of fashion, couldn't resist trying on some of the shiny collars and twirling in front of a nearby mirror.
"What do you think of this one, Pepper? Too flashy or just right?" Zoe asked, spinning playfully with a bright smile.
"I'd say it's just right... but on you, Zoe, anything looks amazing."
Zoe beamed. "Oh, Pepper, you always know how to flatter a lady."
Pepper scratched the back of her head. "Well, I can't help it when you're around."
Zoe chuckled softly, appreciating the moment. "You're a charmer, Pepper."
Meanwhile, Russell, always the most meticulous and organized, decided it was time to investigate the large climbing tree that stood in the center of the Day Camp.
"This climbing tree has been here forever, but maybe there's something hidden in its bark," Russell said as he approached the climbing tree.
Penny Ling followed eagerly, always ready to help. "Oh, maybe we'll find a secret message carved into it or something!"
They both examined the bark of the climbing tree, checking every little nook and cranny. Penny Ling used her flashlight to illuminate the darker spots.
"There's nothing here but some old scratch marks!" Russell reported, jotting down notes in his little notebook.
Minka, watching from below, suddenly had an idea. "Hey! Maybe there's something interesting at the top of the climbing tree. Let me check it out!"
Russell and Penny Ling exchanged a nod. "Good idea, Minka. We'll help you up," Russell said.
With Russell pushing from below and Penny Ling helping to keep her balanced, Minka managed to climb to the very top of the climbing tree.
"Wohoo! I'M AT THE TOP!" Minka shouted excitedly, waving her arms.
From her elevated position, Minka examined the top of the climbing tree, but all she found was an old branch that had fallen off. "Nothing up here either, guys!"
As she carefully climbed down with help from Russell and Penny Ling, Minka sighed. "Well, at least we can say we've checked everything."
Russell smiled. "It's important to be thorough in our search."
"Exactly!" Penny Ling replied with a smile.
All the pets gathered again in Day Camp room.
"We haven't found anything yet," Russell said. "But we can't give up."
"That's right," added Penny Ling with a sweet smile. "And besides, it's fun working together."
"Yes, especially when you're working with someone special," Zoe said, casting a glance at Pepper, who returned the look.
"Let's keep going!" Minka exclaimed, full of energy as she bounced around. "We can't stop now!"
With renewed determination, the pets continued their search.
AN: Blythe and her dad will return to the organization later to get more clarifications on why they consider the ability to talk to animals sensitive.
Also as you can see, I include scenes with the pets to make sure they don't lose their spotlight, hehehe.