"Whatcha looking at, Carrots?" asked Nick in that casual, implicating tone of his, peeking over Judy's shoulder as she hurried to hide her phone from view.
"N-nothing!" she yelped, a blush radiated off her ears.
"I didn't know they made farm boy pin-ups," teased the fox, leaning on her cubicle wall near the opening.
She scowled at him, but relinquished with a defeated sigh, "He's not a 'pin-up', he's my boyfriend, and his name is 'Bo'," she admitted, and the bright red blush which filled her ears softened to a pinkish hue as she smiled dreamily, turning the phone face-up to gaze at his picture again.
Nick's ears and eyebrows perked at the mention of a "boyfriend", as he'd known Judy for a while now but neither heard nor inferred anything of the sort, Sly bunny... pondered the fox. He tilted his head to see what was, certainly, a very farm boy rabbit, packed with farm boy muscle and drenched in farm boy sweat, holding up an especially large carrot in a selfie-shot.
"He pull that out all by himself?" Nick asked with feigned interest, "But, while I do enjoy teasing you at every opportunity, that's not why I'm here. My community service for tax evasion - thank you for that, by the way - ends tomorrow and I'm free this Saturday, which is a first for me. Now that I have a stable job and can afford weekends, I figured I'd let loose and do something really off the wall. Care to join me?" he asked with a grin.
"Oh... I'm so sorry, Nick," she said, turning about in her chair, "I'm visiting my parents this weekend. I'd invite you to come with, but I can't imagine visiting a carrot farm would be very 'off the wall'."
"Au contraire, I can't think of anything more so," remarked the fox, "I've been in Zootopia all my life and could use a bit of clean, farm air; and, of course, fresh blueberries."
Judy's ears sprung with a cheery smile, "That's great!" and then calmed after an important realization, "Except, there's kind of a big thing in Bunnyburrow this weekend, so it'll be really crowded."
"Bunnyburrow, crowded?" said Nick with exaggerated shock, "Next you'll be telling me Tundratown is cold or the Rainforest District is wet."
"Har har, Slick," she said with a wry smirk, "If you can find a hotel room, you're welcome to come along. I'll let my parents know, so they can prepare the relatives for a... visitor."
"Why, are bunnies still wary of foxes, even after all this acceptance and unity in Zootopia?"
"Yeah..." she admitted, shrugging and rolling her eyes, "the news hasn't yet reached some rabbits that foxes are okay to befriend. I guess years of prejudice won't go away so quickly."
"Nothing I don't already deal with," he said, waving his paw absently with an endearing smile, "I still get sidelong glances when out during the day, after all; at least in Bunnyburrow those glances will be waist-height."
"Not all of them," said Judy with a curiously knowing smile.
"Of course," replied Nick, "there are sheep and horses and whatever manner of mammals too stifled in the big city, but again, nothing I can't handle."
"Whatever you say," said the rabbit, that smile remaining as she pivoted to her computer, before half-turning back to address Nick, "Oh! Before I forget, Chief Bogo needs the write-up about that Howler Den case on his desk yesterday, so if you want your free weekend I suggest you finish that."
"I'll get right on it, Officer Toot-toot," Nick said with a salute and a smirk, earning a dismissive air-shove from the rabbit. 'Howlers', thought Nick, walking down the cubicle-formed hallway to his own desk, Wolves still get miffed about that, but I don't blame 'em. Bellwether's drug-labs fled further into the underbelly of the city after they locked her up, and while there hasn't been a savage-attack since then, these new drug dens are popping up everywhere.
He swung his chair around and spun into it, scooting up to his computer to unlock it and pull up the aforementioned report. Lessee... he began, or rather continued, his write-up, "Casualties: None", "Injuries:"... Does a stubbed toe count? ... "Injuries: Negligible", "Arrests:"... This is where he got stuck last time, but he sighed and trudged through it. "Arrests: 6", one for peddling Nighthowler pollen at exorbitant prices, and five for selling their shirts to get the next high. He looked over the file of that night, flipping through some of the most pathetic looking mammals he'd ever seen in his life, and that was a high bar to reach. Who would've thought that Night Howler pollen, of all things, causes trippy hallucinations & catatonic states? Might explain the psychosis, though... thought Nick, printing his report to top off the file on his desk. With a stretch of his arms and legs he free-twirled in his chair, grunting at a job well done; eventually, his chair slowed to face away from his computer, and at Chief Bogo.
"Wilde!" barked the chief, straightening the fox in his seat by voice alone, "Frolic on your own time."
"Yes sir," stated the fox promptly, snapping to attention in his seat, "I'll be more careful and relax only behind your back, sir."
"Shut it!" he warned, leaning forward with a furrowed brow, but then relaxing in his stance with an elbow slung over the cubicle wall, "But that's not why I'm here. I came by to let you know that your last day of community service was nixed; for good behavior."
"Why, Chief, that's awfully generous of you," remarked Nick, genuinely surprised by the stroke of luck, "Another day of selflessness and the fox community would've banished me."
"I know a decent cop when I see one," said Chief Bogo, and then noticing the report on the fox's desk with an expectant arch of his eyebrows. Following the police chief's gaze, Nick picked up the folder and leaned in with an extended arm, the Cape buffalo lazily watching him before accepting it. Wordlessly, Bogo stood back and skimmed - unbothered to even put on his reading glasses - closed the folder, and then walked off without sparing another minute of attention for Officer Wilde.
Freed from scrutiny, Nick returned to his computer screen to look busy, unsure what to do with all of his newfound free time. Maybe I'll sleep in for the first time in years, he considered, Or clean my disaster area of an apartment. Now that I'm an upstanding citizen, I should start acting like one. It took all his self-control not to burst into laughter at that gem of an idea. Maybe I'll check in on Finnick, see what he's up to... Despite his outward coolness, a sigh huffed out his nostrils, knowing exactly who he needed to visit...
Later that day, out on the streets and in his plain clothes (today's ensemble a bright orange tropical shirt with a black tie and faded blue jeans) Nick met with Judy, she in an navy blue tank top and white capris. "Carrots, I was wondering when you'd show up," he said, "I thought rabbits were supposed to be fast?"
"Nick Nick Nick," she sighed, "this is Zootopia, where 'anyone can be anything'; if I want to take my merry time leaving the precinct, then I have the right - no, the duty - to do so."
"And here I thought you got lost, or stepped on. I was worried."
"Aww, I didn't know you cared, Slick," she pined dramatically.
"Oh, of course; I care about no rabbit more than you," he said, pinching his index and thumb together, "It's only by about that much, which may not seem a lot but it is, for a fox."
"So, I heard you got tomorrow off!" she said, a slight bounce in her step as their customary banter finished.
"I think the whole precinct heard I got tomorrow off; his voice carries remarkably," Nick said, recalling Chief Bogo's message from earlier.
"That and I can hear nearly everything that happens in the precinct."
"Like... up on the roof?" he asked cautiously, but coolly.
"Not that far, and out on the street is an incoherent mess, but I can catch conversations from nearly any room in the building, depending on where I stand in the lobby."
"So, the male locker room is..."
"I stay out of earshot, if I can help it," she said with shiver, "I swear, no matter the species, you males are disgusting when you think no one's paying attention."
"Fart jokes?" smirked the fox, inwardly sighing with relief.
"Everything jokes; it's like the y-chromosome can't develop past puberty."
"Tangible bodily expulsions are how we males communicate. Why, I've carried on quite the conversation using only belches and snorts."
"Sounds utterly delightful," chided Judy, rolling her eyes and desperate to change the topic of conversation, she pulled something from her duffel bag. "By-the-way, I got this coupon for half-off a junior scoop at Jumbeaux's. Wanna split it?"
"Do I want to gorge myself on ice cream until it's spewing from my ears, and still have enough left over to fill my freezer for the next week? Yes, 100%," he said with that patronizing grin.
Nick's Jumbo-pop stunt convinced the ice-cream parlor elephant that he and Judy were a con-artist team; one tries to buy while the other comes in with a fake badge, citing some obscure violation. During the pred-scare under Ex-mayor Bellwether, Judy made amends with Jumbeaux by convincing a health inspector that the place was up to code; it was the one time she was glad for her temporary clout, especially since she was likely the cause of that spontaneous inspection. So, she gets coupons every now-&-then for discount junior scoops (it's the thought that counts).
As it turned out, Nick got an elephantine sample spoon (and slipped a few singles into the tip jar) while Judy noticed the "Pawpsicles", a product which - understandably - caught her off guard. They sat in the cooled display case above the Jumbo-pops, with a child's scrawl of their 4 dollar charge and a picture of a smiling, saluting fennec fox in an old, hand-me-down Junior Ranger Scouts uniform. "It's a new Zootopia," explained Jumbeaux, "I donate materials to a local Junior Ranger Scouts group and they make 'em into these 'Pawpsicles'. Aren't they adorable?" he said with a wink.
"Now where did he get that idea, I wonder..." Judy said, purchasing a blue Pawpsicle while glancing sidelong at Nick, who smiled innocently and turned towards the door, licking his sample spoon scoop.
"See you tomorrow, Nick," said Judy when they arrived at the street that split their paths, "Or do you need more time to ease yourself into the concept of a 'day-off'?"
"No rest for the wicked, I'm afraid," lamented the grinning fox, "but I'll meet you for the evening train to Bunnyburrow."
"Yes!" gleed the rabbit, practically vaulting over him, "My parents wanted to see you again ever since the concert. Oh, this is gonna be great!" and then she hopped off, waving enthusiastically before dashing to the Grand Pangolin Arms. Nick shook his head amusedly, paws in his pockets.
So, I get to see the folks... thought the fox, turning down an alleyway towards his apartment. He knew he wouldn't be their first positive fox experience, Judy practically bragged about Gideon Grey and his bakery, but to see them face-to-face, the rabbits who raised the phenomenon that is Judy Hopps, he wondered, What would I say to them?
Savannah Central Station, the main hub for high speed rails to all of Zootopia and its outlying areas, like Bunnyburrow. 7:35pm, 3 minutes until the next train, and Nick was sauntering back from the ticket booth to an expectant Judy, "Are all foxes procrastinators, or is it only you?"
"I got my ticket didn't I?" said Nick in good humor, waving it in the air.
"There won't be any hotel rooms left, Sly," answered Judy, hoisting her suitcase as they boarded the train.
"Sure there will, Bunnyburrow is designed for a high capacity population. Look, all I need to do is open a hotel app I got last night aaaand..." he said, flopping down on a train bench and flicking his thumb across the screen, humming as he browsed, "Okay, that one's full, but we'll check the next hotel," the confident grin fading to impatient annoyance, "Nope, also full... full... full... Hmm..."
"Dumb fox," jabbed Judy.
"Luckily, being a fox, I have a certain knack for improvisation," he said, and opened up another app, "Hare B&B, for the traveler without a hotel reservation. Like I said, Bunnyburrow is designed for high capacity, there will be a spare room or closet for me, I'm sure. Lessee... full... full... no foxes, hmm... full... full... fu- Okay!" he barked, and stashed his phone.
Judy's eyes scanned him, but out of curiosity, "Don't you need a credit card for that app?"
"Yes?" Nick replied casually.
"Since when did you leave a paper trail?" she asked, scooting in closer on the bench.
"Since today," he explained, turning to face her with an elbow on the seatback, "I was not some laze about on my day off."
"Well, look at you, Slick," the rabbit admitted, mildly impressed, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were on your way to being a contributing member to society."
"It's a good thing you do know better, Fluff. Only the bare minimum societal contributions for me, I have an image to uphold after all."
"An image you'll gladly flaunt for all the bunnies of the world, hmm?"
"Not all, only the ones in Zootopia & Bunnyburrow," he insisted.
"That might as well be all, especially this weekend," Judy corrected, "It is the TBR, you know."
"Come again?"
"The Tri-Burrow Reunion. It happens once in a generation when all the bunnies in the Tri-Burrows area meet up in Bunnyburrow to get back to our roots. It's said to be the very first Burrow established by rabbits, back in-"
"Carrots," interrupted Nick, fingers at his temples, "When you said 'crowded' yesterday, you didn't say 'every rabbit ever'."
"Uh," Judy began awkwardly, "I thought you knew about the TBR, you seem to know, well, everything, so I naturally assumed you also knew about... uh..."
"Am I going to be the only non-rabbit there?" he asked their reflections on the dark window opposite of them.
"Well, no, of course not! Yes, most of other Burrow denizens go on vacation during the TBR, which is about 2 weeks at its height, but not everyone goes away. Oh!" she said, clapping her paws, "Gideon! Gideon probably won't go anywhere, you could stay with him!" She whipped out her phone and pulled up his contact info, dialing him up and crossing her fingers, "Please be there, c'mon..." Judy said, ignoring Nick's exaggerated sigh, "Gideon, hi!" she practically jumped in her seat, "Listen, I need a really big favor, and I'm sorry it's so last minute... No no no, I'm okay, no one's hurt, listen, you know it's the TBR this weekend, right? ... Are you staying in the Burrow for it?" she put her paw on the phone's mike and whispered at Nick, "So far, so good.
"Uh huh... " she continued, speaking into the phone once more, "Oh, I'd love to come visit, and speaking of visiting, you'll never guess who I'm bringing. Nick Wilde! ... Yeah, I know, right?" she seemed eager to get the conversation moving along, trying to find a good spot to ask, "Okay, so about that favor, Nick couldn't get a hotel room, and needs a place to stay... You will? Great! Oh, thank you, Gideon, I owe you big time... Yeah, we're arriving on the evening train ... Yeah, 10 o'clock ... Okay, see you then, buh-bye!" she said, and turned off the phone with a relieved sigh, "There, crisis averted."
"Something about frying pans & fires, I'm sure," huffed Nick.
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't say anything about the Reunion, but I'm sure you'll get along fine with Gideon," she reasoned, "He's a bachelor, you're a bachelor."
"He's a fox, I'm a fox," added Nick blandly.
"You both know me, and I have excellent taste in friends."
"Sly bunny," relented Nick, to which she smugly grunted and smiled.
"So, aside from building credit, what else did you do on your day off? I noticed your new shirt; you actually look halfway decent in purple."
"Oh... met with some old friends," he said, looking out the window with an expression Judy couldn't quite pin down, except that it was a positive feeling.
Though burning with curiosity, she did not inquire further, "That sounds like a nice story, one I'd like to hear someday."
Nick smugly grunted and smiled, "Soon enough, Carrots."
