Nick stared at the blank notebook page in front of him, deep in thought. He glanced over to the black felt pen placed just to the right of the notebook. He sighed solemnly. He glanced out the window of his bedroom at the city below. He and his parents had lived happily in this high-rise apartment for as long as he could remember. Nick watched as the miniscule mammals and vehicles navigated the grid-like streets and sidewalks of the Downtown Core, going about their business as they usually did. A few minutes passed before Nick returned to staring at the empty page placed in front of him.

He had already packed away all his video games, and his computer was sitting in a box just to his left, ready to be hauled away by the movers constantly entering and leaving the apartment. In time, once the boxes were gone, they would come for his chair, then his desk, and his bed. Nick picked up the pen and removed the cap. He was given the notebook as a weak attempt by his mother to keep him entertained while they loaded the trailer. He glanced back to the box containing his computer, smiling slightly. He pressed the pen against the paper and began writing absentmindedly.

My parents would always call me a 'battery child' because I was raised in the city.

Nick's ears peaked and he finished his sentence. He heard footsteps coming from down the hall. He turned toward his bedroom door as it opened. In walked Nick's father, David. Nick's ears returned to a neutral position and he calmed himself down. David glanced around the room, prompting Nick to take a look as well. The room was much emptier than it had been previously. The walls, once covered in promotional posters for various video games and bands, were now bare. The bed was fully disassembled, ready to be whisked away by the movers. The clothing that once filled the closet was now packed away in boxes, also ready to be taken away.

By this time, two movers had entered the room behind David, awaiting instruction. Nick watched as his father turned to face the movers. David pointed at the boxes holding the contents from his closet. The movers walked past David and picked up one box each before leaving the room. David placed his paws on his hips and shot a glance at the box containing Nick's computer. He looked toward his son.

"Your mother is packing away the dishes in the kitchen, and we just finished our room. You ready to do your room?" said David, crossing his arms. Nick took one last look around his bedroom before looking back toward his father.

"I guess so," Nick replied quietly. Nick stood up from his chair to join his father in the doorway. David had already scooped up the computer box, leaving Nick to take his office chair. David led Nick down the hallway past the kitchen, where his mother was still packing dishes, and into the entryway.

"A little help, Nick?" asked David, standing in front of the door. Taking the hint, Nick put his chair down and ran in front of his father. He opened the door for him and propped it open using a stray doorstop from the hallway. "Thanks. One of them must've accidentally kicked the doorstop out on their last trip."

The two left the apartment and walked down the hallway until they reached the elevators. The apartment was on the twenty-second floor of a high-rise apartment complex, so it was much easier to use the elevators over the stairs when carrying heavy objects. Nick and David entered the elevator, hitting the 'G' button as the doors closed. A few seconds later, and the two were on the ground floor. The doors opened to reveal a luxurious foyer, jam-packed with sofas and chairs, among other things. Nick and David passed the two movers as they exited the building.

The moving truck was on the smaller side, but they had already made a trip a day before, in which they had packed away the living room, dining room, and a lot of clutter from their storage closets. His parents offered him to tag along to see the new house, but Nick declined, as he wanted to say goodbye to all his friends in person. All that remained was the washroom, kitchen, his parents room, and finally, his room. With two out four completed, it wouldn't be long before they would be leaving the apartment for the last time.

It hurt Nick to think this. It was the only home he's ever known, and it would be difficult to integrate into a new school, what with him only having one year left before graduation. The move didn't come as a surprise, however. His parents would always tell stories of when they had just gotten married. How they used to own a grain farm out in the country, and how they sold the farm and moved to the city to have him, their only son. When Nick asked why they did it, they responded by telling him it would be better if he were raised in the city because of how everything was closer together, and it would be easier in general.

Nick and David made their way back up the elevator to their apartment. He watched as the movers carried bits and pieces of his bed out of his room and down the hall to be packed away with the rest of the furniture. His room felt even more empty now. Only his desk remained. The notebook from earlier remained just as he left it. Slowly, he walked toward the desk, still staring at the notebook. He picked up the book, along with the pen, and read the only sentence he had written over once more. Nick's father returned with the two movers to take away the desk.

The two movers walked around Nick and picked up the desk on either side. Nick stepped aside to allow the movers to leave with the desk. Now Nick and David were the only ones left in the room. David approached Nick, looking at the notebook in Nick's paw

"What do you have there, son?" asked David. Nick lifted the notebook and and held it so his father could see. David squinted as he read the writing on the page. David gave a lighthearted chuckle and placed a paw on Nick's shoulder. "Well it's true, but that's all gonna change real soon. Just wait til you see the property we got a hold of, Nicky. It's beautiful! You'll love it, trust me," he added. Nick smiled weakly.

"I'm sure I will, dad," Nick lied. His father left, leaving Nick alone in the room. He slowly spun around, taking in the now completely empty space. Nick sighed. He walked over to the window and took one last look at the city. The megalopolis stretched out as far as the eye could see, and on a clear day, you could make out the Climate Wall separating Savannah Central from Sahara Square. Nick left the window and stared at the floor as he pulled down the blind. The room fell into darkness as he walked toward the doorway. He held up the notebook against the wall and began writing once more.

I can't say much about it, because what they say is true. My dad said that it would change soon, but I doubt I'll change at all.

Nick closed the notebook and put the pen in his pocket. He left the room, turning to peer into it for the last time. He reached into the room and grabbed the doorknob. Nick pulled the door shut and leaned on it. At that moment, David was walking down the hallway. David stopped in front of Nick.

"Your mother just finished packing up the last box. The movers already know where to go, so we're free to leave. The landlord just arrived to collect the key, and also to say goodbye. He's down in the foyer now. If you wanna take a minute to have one last look, that's fine," said David. Nick nodded as his father turned to walk away. He stopped at the end of the hallway and turned back to face Nick. "Remember to lock the door when you leave, alright?" he called. Nick nodded again.

Nick slowly trudged down the hallway, glancing back and forth at the walls that once contained family photos. He passed the kitchen and made his way into the living room, where he found his mother, Janice, staring out the windows. One thing Nick had always liked about their apartment were the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room. He slowly approached his mother and stopped next to her. The two looked at each other as they turned to walk to the exit.

"Ready to go?" asked Janice.

"Ready as I can be," Nick replied. The two foxes made their way to the exit. Nick ushered his mother out into the hallway as Nick locked the door. The two peered into the apartment as Nick closed the door, not looking away until the door was completely closed. They then walked down the hallway to the elevators. Nick pressed the button to call one. He looked at his mother, who offered a cheery smile in return. The elevator arrived and they stepped inside. Nick pressed the 'G' button, and the elevator began to descend.

Nick counted down the numbers as they descended. He counted down from twenty-two all the way down to one as they reached the ground floor. The doors opened to reveal David standing in front of the doors, presumably waiting for them.

"I gave the key back to the landlord, and I also pulled the car out front," he said. David, along with Janice and Nick, all walked out of the building together. The car was right where David had said it would be, and they all walked toward it. David got in the driver's seat, while Janice got into the passenger seat, leaving Nick to sit alone in the back. Once inside, The back filled with stray objects that didn't make it into a box. Nick placed the notebook on top of the pile and fastened his seat belt.

"Did you write anything in the notebook?" Janice asked. Nick opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by his father,

"Yup, he wrote that we called him a 'battery child.' We don't mean any harm by it, it's just fact," David responded. Nick turned his attention from his father to his mother.

"That's right. It's just a nickname," Janice added. Nick rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I know, I know," Nick answered. The vehicle lurched forward as Nick's father put it in gear. As they left the lot, Nick turned around in his seat to look at the building he once called home. His father turned onto the street and began driving toward their destination. Nick continued to stare at the building until it hurt his neck. Nick began to appreciate the city now that he was leaving it. He began to think about what he would miss most about living in Zootopia. Would it be his friends, the accessibility of everything, or would it be something else entirely?

To those questions, Nick did not have the answers to. He continued to stare out the window of the car until the buildings began to disappear. Nick held his gaze just long enough to catch the sign stating that they were leaving city limits. At that point, Nick turned his gaze to the floor of the vehicle.

They had been driving for just over two hours now, and the city had long given way to open fields and small patches of trees here and there. The landscape was largely uninteresting, but since there was nothing else to do, Nick continued looking out the window. Nick was half asleep when he noticed that the car was beginning to slow down. Nick shook his head lightly and glanced out the window. They had just taken an exit ramp, but to where, Nick did not know.

The small road they had taken was lined with acres and acres of farmland. They continued down the road for another ten minutes. Nick continued to stare out the window until they passed a sign stating that they were entering a town called 'Bunnyburrow.' Nick had heard this name somewhere before, along with the tidbit that it was the 'bunny capital of Animalia.' Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, dad?" Nick began. David looked at Nick through the rear-view mirror.

"What's up?" David asked.

"Why are we moving to Bunnyburrow?"

"Well, there were a lot of farms up for sale around here, especially grain farms. Since there's a shortage of grain farmers, and we have experience with it, it would benefit the community if we took up farming again here,"

"You are aware that this place's population is like, ninety-five percent bunny, right?" Nick shouted.

"Yes, and?" added Janice.

"Bunnies hate foxes. It's always been that way." David scoffed.

"Come on, Nick. No bunny thinks that way anymore." What David said may have been true for most, but Nick's experiences stated otherwise.

Nick rarely encountered bunnies back in the city, but the few he did encounter usually stared at him with contempt, and some even attempted to engage a fight when Nick told them to buzz off. With such a high concentration of bunnies in Bunnyburrow, he was certain that he would face prejudice against him, but to what ends?

Nick sighed as David pulled the vehicle into the driveway of a particularly plain-looking farmhouse. If Nick's mood wasn't ruined by the location, it was definitely ruined by the house.


I was burnt out from writing for my other story so I wrote something else. Do with it what you will. -Prince.