"Mommy! Mommy!" I yell, running down the stairs as fast as my feet can carry me.

"Sweetheart!" She exclaims, opening her arms wide. I crash into them, holding her tight.

"I missed you so much!" I said

"I missed you too, darling. How was your time with your father?" She asks as we pull apart.

"It was amazing! He taught me so much about the animals languages. I'm getting pretty good at it, you know. Oh- oh! And I helped a duckling a few days ago! All by myself. Dad was so proud" I said

She smiles, brushing a strand of hair from my face.
"I'm so proud of you, my love. That's incredible. And guess what- I have a surprise for you" she said

My eyes light up.
"What is it?" I ask

"You're coming on our next trip" she said

"Really? With you and father?" I ask

She nods.
"Yes" she said

"Yay!" I shout, spinning before bolting toward the study.
"Daddy! Daddy! Did you hear that? I'm coming with you!" I yell

Well now, I should probably start from the beginning.
The story of how all of this truly began.

My father- Dr. John Dolittle.
And my mother- Lily Dolittle.

"There once was a peculiar doctor. Known for his extraordinary ability. He could talk to animals. Dr. Dolittles reputation spread far and wide, even the Queen of England called on him. So grateful for his help, she gifted him a wonderful sanctuary whose doors were open to all creatures. His days belonged to the animals, but his heart belonged to one woman.

Lily. The fearless explorer. They traveled the globe, going on great adventures. Defending creatures who could not defend themselves. They made an extraordinary team.

Soon, that team became a family. With Lily by his side, Dolittle never felt more alive- And even more so when they had their first child: a beautiful little girl named, Nova Dolittle.

The world was a beautiful place for many years as their daughter grew. Until one day, Lily left on an adventure. Lily died at sea. Heart broken, he locked the gates of the mana and completely retreated from the world.

Without realizing, he retreated from Nova. She was thirteenth at the time. As for me, and the animals whose lives he saved, we were left to wonder.

Could anyone save his?
And could anyone save hers?"

"Now, you've probably heard this story before. But this time, you'll hear it from me- Nova Dolittle.

I learned to speak to animals just like my father, and quickly too. It became second nature. I cared for them, went on adventures with my parents, and dreamed of being an explorer like my mother.

When she told me I couldn't come on her next adventure- that it was too dangerous- I begged. But she refused. That was the last time I ever saw her. I was thirteen.

After she died, father...changed. Poly tells me he didn't mean to shut me out- that his heart was just too broken. I tried to believe her, but as the months passed and he didn't even glance my way, I realized it wasn't an accident.

So I left.

I packed my things one night while everyone slept, told poly where I'd go so she could visit, and slipped out quietly. I didn't leave town- I knew father wouldn't come looking anyway.

I found a tiny one-room house and paid for it with the money I'd been saving for years. That little place became my home.

Now i visit father three times a week to check on him and the animals. He never sees me. I don't think he even knows I left.

Heartbroken doesn't even begin to describe it. At fourteen years old, I was on my own- loving off what I could earn, what I could save, and what I could fix. But I made it work.

Six years passed. Things for easier.
I learned how to survive.
And now, at twenty, this is where my story truly begins."