A/N: This is my first Zootopia story. I just recently found it and can probably now recite it word for word I've watched it that much over the last few weeks. Needless to say, I'm addicted to the movie. This story has been brewing over the last little while since I first started watching the movie, and I hope you will enjoy it. Reviews and constructive criticism are appreciated, but no flames, please.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Zootopia belongs to the creative minds at Disney.
Violet eyes wandered around the small restaurant. Being the only prey in the establishment was a bit nerve wracking. These were some of the most feared predators in all of Zootopia; big names in the criminal underworld. And although she was in high standing with a crime boss and had a predator for a partner, Judy still felt like easy prey. Her attention was brought to the fox sitting across from her. Nick slurped his soup loudly, as if on purpose. Judy knew that if Nick Wilde felt any bit intimidated by the bigger predators he would never show it. It was one of the first lessons he taught her when they first met.
"Don't ever let them see that they got to you."
His words echoed through her mind. Judy looked down at her own soup bowl. She scooped some up and brought the spoon to her mouth. She drank the steaming broth more delicately than her partner. Judy caught something out of the corner of her eye. She moved her eyes without moving her head. A tall, muscular bull strolled into the restaurant. Judy glanced back at Nick to see his ears and nose twitch. The fox's snout wrinkled with a low growl and Judy knew that their target had just walked in.
Before they left the precinct on this mission, Bogo had practically shoved a piece of clothing in Nick's face. By the look on his face after instinctively inhaling, Judy knew that the scent was far less than pleasant. Nick's sense of smell was a lot sharper than hers, so Bogo took pleasure in killing two birds with one stone: Cause the mischievous fox mild displeasure, and giving one of the two undercover cops the scent of the target.
Nick looked up and caught Judy's gaze. His green eyes silently told her to sit still and not move. Judy lowered her gaze as the bull walked by their table. Her nose began to twitch in fear when the bull paused behind Nick and looked down at them. Nick's breath began to hitch and a sneeze escaped him. He sniffed and rubbed his snout. However, he sneezed again.
"Strange," he said. "That only happens with Ode to Bull."
Judy's eyes widened when the bull behind Nick snarled. The fox turned around, his ears drooping upon seeing the crime boss.
"Oh, my apologizes, sir. I wasn't referring to you, personally. I was talking about the cologne. Very sensitive to it," Nick explained.
"And, who, might I ask, are you two?" the bull asked, his voice deep and rough.
Judy then noticed the jewel embedded in the bull's necktie. That was their target. Since the attacks that had plagued Zootopia a year ago, unconfirmed reports had drifted in through the grapevine that there were still some Night Howler pellets floating around on the black market. Nick and Judy had been undercover for the last several months tracking down the pellets and acquiring them for the ZPD. Judy suspected Bellwether had the pellets made and distributed throughout the city where they couldn't be touched as a back up in case her plan backfired. However, she probably never thought she would be outsmarted by the fox and rabbit duo.
"We are just two crazy lovers enjoying this wonderful city of ours," Nick replied with a smile.
The bull gave him a questioning look. "Lovers?" he echoed.
"That's right, sir," Nick answered, getting up and kneeling down next to Judy. "A lot of mammals don't understand, but our love is a special one. Right, honey?"
"Oh, yes. It's special, all right," Judy agreed.
Nick pulled her close and planted a kiss on her cheek before nuzzling his nose into her neck. She giggled and swatted him away.
"A fox and a rabbit? Now, I've seen everything," the bull stated.
"As I've said, a lot of mammals don't understand," Nick said. "We have yet to make it public, and not just any stone will do."
Judy's ears perked up when Nick said stone. That hadn't been part of their cover story before. Where was he going with this?
"And speaking of stones: That's a very handsome sapphire in your necktie, sir," Nick said, pointing to the pellet. "Might I ask where you acquired it? I would like one...for my girl, of course."
"It's a family heirloom," the bull replied gruffly.
Judy looked around to see the other predators were beginning to move from their tables. They clearly didn't like Nick's questioning.
"I see," Nick said. "But, surely, it came from somewhere."
"Hey, fox. He said it was an heirloom. Shove off," a jaguar snarled.
Nick raised his paws. "My apologizes. I wasn't looking to cause trouble," he replied.
Someone bumped him from behind. Nick looked up to see a large brown bear looming over him. Judy slipped off her seat and pressed herself up against Nick's side.
"You have a lot of questions for someone looking for a stone for his girl," the bull said, stepping forward. "What were you doing in here, again?"
Nick and Judy looked at each other. The bear grabbed them by the scruff of their shirts and lifted them up off the ground. The bull walked over and glared at Judy; his face inches from hers. His ears fell and he snorted in anger.
"I thought you looked familiar, rabbit," he sneered. "You and your pet fox. You two are the ones who put the mayor behind bars."
Nick pouted. "Ah! You figured it out. No fair."
"Nick," Judy whispered in warning.
"Well, there's no use in hiding. Officer Carrots, shall we?" Nick asked.
Judy nodded and kicked the bull in the nose. He stumbled back as Nick found the pressure point in the bear's wrist and pressed it as hard as he could. The bear roared, releasing the fox and rabbit. Judy dropped to the floor, but Nick held on to the bear's sleeve. He scampered up the bear's arm and on to his back. The other predators charged. Nick's ears dropped when Judy disappeared in the stampede.
"Carrots!" he cried.
He grunted when something slammed into his back. Nick toppled to the floor in an ungraceful heap. He regained his senses and darted into the mass of stomping paws and hooves.
"Carrots!" Nick called. "Judy!"
He yelped when someone grabbed his tail. Nick cried out as whatever animal had his tail lifted him up off the floor. He hung upside down, staring into the cold blue eyes of a polar bear.
"Didn't anyone tell you...never pull on another animal's tail," Nick snarled as he swiped at the polar bear's face.
The white bear yelled out as Nick's claws caught him across the nose. The fox grunted as he once again dropped to the floor. Before anyone else could grab him, Nick hurried off to find his partner.
"Carrots," he called out.
He darted back when a cheetah dropped down in front of him, unconscious. Nick looked around, finally catching sight of his little bunny friend. She was taking out criminals with deadly force. Nick began making his way over to her.
"Nick, watch out!" Judy suddenly called out.
Nick turned just in time to see the bull come charging at him. Before he could move, Nick was slammed in the chest with the force of a freight train. He was sent flying into the wall.
"Nick!" Judy cried as Nick collapsed to the floor.
Someone grabbed her and held her in a death grip so she couldn't escape. The brawl immediately ceased as the bull stomped over to the fallen fox. He picked Nick up by the throat and slammed him down on to the hard tiled floor. A pitiful cry escaped the red fox, although he didn't fight back. Nick fought to catch his breath, but the bull's grip around his throat grew tighter the more he struggled.
"Before I end you and your bunny friend, I'll grant your request," the bull said. "The little sheep mayor gave it to me. As were the others. I gave the pellets to my men for safe keeping."
A weak, sly smile began to creep across Nick's face. The bull frowned in confusion.
"What's so funny?" he demanded.
Nick lifted up a shaky hand, pointing out through the glass doors. The bull turned around to see half a dozen squad cars pull up in front of the restaurant. He turned back to see Nick lift up his shirt, revealing a wire.
"Jack Bullton, you're under arrest," Judy declared.
Before the bull or any of the others could do anything, the ZPD stormed the restaurant. Nick gasped for air as Bullton was pulled away from him. Judy hurried over to her partner and dropped to her knees.
"You'll pay for this, Fox!" Bullton yelled. "You and your pet rabbit!"
Bogo walked up to Nick and Judy and knelt down. "Good work, you two," he said.
"Thanks, Chief," Nick whispered hoarsely.
An ambulance pulled up and two antelope paramedics got out and hurried inside with a stretcher. Bogo patted Nick gently on the shoulder.
"Take some time for yourself, Wilde. You too, Hopps. You both deserve it after all this. I'll file the paperwork."
"Thank you, sir," Judy said as Bogo walked away.
The paramedics gingerly lifted Nick up off the floor and placed him on the stretcher, bringing him out to the waiting ambulance. Judy followed behind them and climbed up front as the stretcher was pushed into the back and the doors were closed. Judy kept glancing through the back window at her partner as they rode to the hospital. Nick had fallen unconscious. It unnerved Judy to see her partner in such a vulnerable state.
At least now they were out of harm's way. Their mission was complete. They could now rest and relax; have some time to themselves. Judy propped her elbow on the door and rested her chin in her palm as she watched the buildings pass by. Her ears perked up when she saw an ad for a news magazine. The front cover story featured herself and Nick, the ZPD's star team and Zootopia's favorite couple.
Never before had there ever been a predator and prey couple. Everyone wanted to know about the first rabbit and fox officers. Judy smiled as she remembered Clawhauser comment that they were almost as famous as Gazelle. He had said it while having his face hidden behind a magazine featuring Hopps and Wilde on the cover.
Nick had been apprehensive about people knowing his personal life. He had no doubt made some enemies during his time as a con-fox, and having his deepest darkest secrets exposed for all the world to see caused too many problems.
Judy sighed and glanced into the back again. Nick was still out cold. Judy settled into the seat, her feet barely touching the edge.
Please be okay, Nick, she silently prayed.
Reviews are welcome, flames are not