Quick Author's Note: I'm Trying to Redo some of the earlier chapters, since my writing style has vastly changed; I believe for the better. No details or story elements have been changed in this chapter, the wording has just been polished up a bit.
For New Readers: Welcome! Please enjoy.
~Remy
"It's called a hustle sweetheart. Boom."
Flashing red and blue light filled the immense lobby of the Zootopia Museum of Natural History, the constant wail of sirens a testament to the numerous ZPD cruisers parked just outside the building. Inside, a menagerie of mammals gathered, all adorned in the deep blue uniform of the Zootopia Police Department. An almost overwhelming atmosphere of hostility filled the room, focused solely upon two sheep. The larger ovine, a ram, had already surrendered and was currently being hoof-cuffed by a large, and clearly pissed rhinoceros. However, it was the smaller of the two sheep, a small and dowdy appearing ewe, on whom every outraged and malignant pair of eyes fixated.
Without sparing a further glance towards either sheep, the hulking figure of a very unamused, irate cape buffalo bull stomped past the other officers, bellowing, "HOPPS!"
"Over here sir! We're trapped in this hole!", came a tiny voice beneath the large mammal's hooves.
Following the sound, the bull found himself at the edge of a sizeable exhibit lowered beneath the main floor. Glancing down, he saw a small gray bunny leaning heavily on a rather smug looking red fox.
"Hopps, am I correct in assuming that you have NOT in fact been mauled by that fox? A fox who I might add, does not appear to be savage.", the bull questioned.
"Well I don't know about 'savage', but I have been told I can be quite 'Wilde' at times", the male fox quipped with a smarmy grin. Meanwhile, the female bunny looked positively horrified, using her spare paw to cover her eyes before dragging it down her muzzle.
Paws clutching the male a little tighter, the bunny's ears plummeted behind her back as she prepared for what was coming. With an outwardly friendly smile, one that was tainted by the heavy feeling of danger that suddenly filled the air, the buffalo turned his attention to the fox.
"My most sincere apologies fox. What a terrible mistake on my part. I didn't realize that you were also named 'Hopps'. That is your name, isn't it?", the large male queried, menace dripping from his tone.
"Well, we haven't quite decided yet if it's going to be Hopps or Hopps-Wilde. Personally, I wish she'd just pick something so we can send out the invitations already.", the fox smirked, literally causing the bunny's jaw to drop. A few snickers could be heard behind the buffalo, who quickly shot a withering glare towards those responsible, before returning his attention to the infuriating canid.
"Nick! Shut up, right now!", the small female hissed, fixing her companion with a glare of her own.
"SHUT YOUR TINY MOUTHS RIGHT NOW! AND SO HELP ME FOX, ONE MORE WORD OUT OF LINE, AND I WILL MUZZLE YOU!", the bull bellowed, raising the neck hair of every mammal present.
Her ears unable to lower any further, the bunny cast a worried glance towards her companion. Externally the fox maintained his smug grin and confident demeanor, but concerned amethysts saw the cracks in his façade. Russet ears fell, pinned to his scalp, his tail curling tightly around his feet, wrapping around the bunny's ankles in the process. His paw, previously holding her waist very gently, tightened; long ears detected the increase in his heart rate, now a rapid staccato, while her proximity allowed her to feel every shuddering breath.
"Nick. Nick, it's going to be okay. He wouldn't actually… And I'd never let him do that. I promise.", she whispered soothingly.
Almost imperceptibly, the fox swallowed his nervousness. The mammals above would never see how the buffalo's words got to him, only the bunny beside him.
"Yeah. I'm fine, perfectly fine, Carrots. Just a-a little winded from all the 'running for our lives' we've been doing lately.", the fox yawned theatrically. "I think I'll just leave the talking to you for a bit, before Ol' Buffalo Butt blows a gasket.", he winked.
Easily seeing through the lie, Judy decided not to say anything, 'At least for now.', she thought. Nick was liable to be embarrassed and she didn't want to push him further away, she'd just gotten him back.
Oblivious to the drama taking place below him, the buffalo lowered his voice, ensuring that only the fox and rabbit would hear his next words, "Now then Hopps, if you would kindly explain exactly what is going on. Why did dispatch receive a call from Mayor Bellwether claiming that you were being attacked by a savage fox, when that is clearly not the case? And what is the meaning of the text message Clawhauser received approximately twenty minutes ago?" Upon these words, the massive bull appeared concerned. "Hopps, do you have proof of this conspiracy? Much as I would love an explanation for recent events, I can't very well arrest the sitting mayor of Zootopia without any evidence."
A wide grin split the bunny's face, her eyes lighting up and ears springing upright again.
"Sir, we absolutely have evidence."
.
Click…
"So that's it? Prey fears predators and you stay in power?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"It won't work!"
"Fearalwaysworks! And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way."
…Click… "And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way."
…Click... "Bye bye, bunny."
.
Steely brown eyes widened in surprise, "A-hem, well then. Good work you two."
After casting a careful glance behind him, the buffalo spoke again, "Now, this goes without saying, but Hopps, hold onto that tape VERY carefully until it can be collected as evidence."
Nodding briskly in acknowledgement, the rabbit discreetly tucked the carrot pen away, careful to ensure that it would not be lost accidently.
Turning his back to the exhibit and the mammals within, the impressed look melted away, leaving behind a furious chief of police. Marching away from the exhibit, nostrils flaring and malice in his eyes, Bogo approached the little ewe. Pulling out an appropriately sized set of paw-cuffs, he roughly yanked the ewe's arms behind her back.
"Just what do you think you are doing!", the ewe cried indignantly, "In case you've forgotten, I'm the mayor of Zootopia! You can't do this to me!"
"Dawn Bellwether, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you…"
A malicious fire lit the grey-green eyes of the ewe, "I'll have your job for this Bogo. If you think that recording means anything, you're dead wrong! I'm the mayor of Zootopia, and this city is 90% prey; do you honestly believe that I'll be convicted? For what? Making Zootopia safer? Good luck with that; I'll be out and running this city in less than an hour! And you? You'll be lucky to get a job collecting trash!"
Continuing as though the crazed sheep had not interrupted, Bogo finished reading her Lemuranda rights,
"Do you understand the rights I have just read to you? With these rights in mind, do you wish to speak to me? After all, you continuing to incriminate yourself just makes it easier for me to take out the trash."
"Fuck off.", she sneered.
"Well then, in that case. DELGATO! GRIZZOLI!", the bull bellowed.
A large male lion and an even larger male polar bear approached.
"Officers, kindly escort our soon to be ex-mayor to a cruiser. And do make sure she's put in one of our 'comfiest' cells.", the bull ordered. "DISMISSED!"
Grinning wickedly down at the little ewe, the lion roughly shoved the small female forward, his claws biting ever so slightly through her wool. And suddenly, it occurred to Bellwether that they knew, these predators KNEW that she had tried to destroy them, turn the whole city against them. They were glaring down at her, teeth bared, quietly snarling, the sound reverberating through her bones and electrifying every instinct she had as a prey mammal. Her eyes widened as she began to scream in pure terror.
"YOU'D TRUST MY SAFETY TO THESE, THESE SAVAGES! THEY'LL KILL ME!"
Her momentum temporarily stopped, a large tawny paw moved to shove her forward again. However, the sight of the razor-sharp claws, each capable of rending delicate flesh, heading straight towards her vulnerable neck caused the small female to emit a terrified shriek, eyes rolling back into her head. Dawn Bellwether had fainted.
Rolling amber eyes, the brawny male lion hoisted the little ewe over his shoulder, continuing towards the ZPD cruisers parked outside.
…..
"Hello up there!"
"You know, as novel as it is to see a room full of stink-eyes that AREN'T focused on me; there's kinda-sorta a bleeding bunny down here, you know. So, if it's not a big deal, think one of you highly trained and highly intelligent mammals could maybe grab a ladder and get us out of this death-trap already?"
Every gaze was drawn suddenly into the depths of the underground exhibit, and to the two small mammals within. Still looking smug, the male fox was tenderly supporting the small female bunny, who was clinging tightly to his side, trying poorly to stifle a laugh.
Turning to the bunny, the fox quipped, "Honestly Carrots, I'd have thought for sure that after a couple millennia, you rabbits would have learned to AVOID landing in pitfall traps."
"Har har. Says the great and mighty predator… who's ALSO in the pitfall.", laughed the little bunny.
The imposing figure of Chief Bogo once again approached the edge of the exhibit. Looking down upon the small duo, just a hint of concern colored his voice, "Hopps, I thought you hadn't been attacked? How badly are you injured?"
The rabbit's ears quivered, slightly drooping behind her back.
"I wasn't attacked sir. Well, not by Nick anyway. But Bellwether's goons were chasing us, and… well… I tripped over a museum prop, a tusk. I gouged my leg, but it's not so bad. Nick wrapped it up, and the bleeding has already stopped. I'm fine… But I would like to get out of here as soon as possible."
"She's lying. The wound is deep and she needs medical attention, probably stitches.", the fox deadpanned, quickly dodging the flailing bunny paws that attempted to grab his muzzle.
Unamused, Bogo turned towards the gathered officers, "WILL SOMEBODY GET A LADDER ALREADY!"
Returning his gaze to the two trapped mammals, Bogo focused on the infuriating fox.
"So fox, I take it you are Nick?", he asked, snorting heavily.
"Indeed I am, buffalo.", the fox replied, that damned smirk still etched firmly upon his muzzle.
The buffalo snorted once more, "Well Nick, thank you. Thank you for taking care of my officer, and for helping her; once again so it would seem."
Startled, Nick's emerald eyes widened slightly due to the sincerity of the buffalo's words.
"Umm. You're welcome sir. Couldn't let anything bad happen to my partner after all."
This time, it was Bogo's turn to look surprised; this was the first time the fox had spoken without sarcasm.
"Holy crap! Twice in one night! And here I was thinking your face was permanently paralyzed to look so pissed off. Like maybe you'd gotten some bad Botox or something. Hey Carrots, I think we've broken him! Now he can be a real mammal with more than two emotions!"
… And there was that damned muzzle going off again.
"SO HELP ME FOX, WHEN I GET YOU OUT OF THAT HOLE…."
The rest of the buffalo's tirade was lost as sparkling emeralds met worried amethyst eyes.
"You know Nick, maybe you shouldn't try to irritate the chief so much… Since you're going to be applying to join the ZPD and all.", the little doe whispered.
All humor gone, Nick's eyes widened in horror,
"Oh crap. Hehe, yeah, maybe I should tone it down a bit… at least until I get accepted into the academy, huh?"