Nick slowly opened his eyes and yawned.

Man that was a crazy dream.

Dream?!

NIck quickly sat up and looked around finding himself in his bed.

Just a dream.

Nick groaned and then gasped seeing a deck of cards on his nightstand, a note written on the top card. He scrambled to the cards and read it.

'Hey Nick Wilde. Congrats on becoming part of the card sharks. The spirits have taken a liking to you and sense great power and potential in you. Meet me at the place of the beginnings. Consider it your first test. Signed -T.F'

The fox couldn't believe it. It wasn't a dream!

Jumping out of bed with new found energy, he reached for the deck but gasped in surprise as the deck poofed from the nightstand into his paw with an audible "poof".

"W-whoa!"

"Nick? Is that you sweety?" a soft female voice sounded.

"M-mom!"

Nick, hiding the cards under the covers, ran out of his room to find his mom staring at him with a look of relief. Jumping into her arms, he started to tear up hugging her tightly as she hugged him back.

"I-I was s-so worried my little kit….You were gone the entire night and I tried to look for you" she stuttered out as a wave of guilt hit Nick hard.

"M-momma...I'm sorry….I-I was so upset...t-they o-other scouts...t-they…"

He started to cry again as the vixen growled knowing they rejected her son.

"There there...It's ok...Mammals just can't see that we're trying to fight in...Don't let that get to your head Nicky. There are good mammals and bad mammals. Don't let it taint your heart from what these kids did to you."

Nick nodded and smiled as the vixen wiped away his tears.

"Now...I don't approve that you snuck back into your room without telling me but...be sure to warn me ok? I'm here for you."

Nick hugged his mom once more before looking at his dirty uniform.

"Don't worry about it sweety. I'll make some adjustments to it so you can wear it regularly. Take it off and leave it on the couch."

The kit nodded as he went back to his room talking off the uniform. Reaching into a small drawer, Nick pulled out a green t-shirt that was much too big for him. Paired with it were baggy cargo shorts that had patches on it.

Walking out, he placed the uniform on the coach as his mother told him.

"I'm going out to the park mom! I wanna go exploring!"

"Alright Nick. I have to go to my job soon. The keys will be in the same spot when you want to come home. Food is on the table when you're hungry."

The small fox ran out the door and went down the steps leaving his apartment home behind.

Was he missing something?

Nick stared at his paw and then smiled thinking of the deck of cards.

Poof!

The deck of cards appeared in his paw as he giggled excited pocketing it.

"Where it all began?...Where is that." Nick through to himself, frowning as he tried to think.

Nick passed the busy mammals trying to get to work. Weaving through the legs of the taller adults, the fox finally crossed the street arriving at the park. Nobody was there and it was a place where Nick came to think. Kids don't come here until the afternoon so the fox always came here to be alone.

The fox kit sat on the swing set by himself as he swung forward and back.

"Began..?...Oh come on Nick think! I wanna pass this dumb test and learn more magic!"

Pumping his legs forward and back, he started to gain height as the wind rushed against his face.

NIck looked around and sighed trying to think of something. Anything.

"Darn it…"

He took the cards from his pocket and stared at it hoping it would give him an answer.

"Come on...Do something...Oops!"

As he swung back, a card flew off the top of the deck. From a breeze, the card started to fly away.

"Hey! Come back!" Nick yelled out, jumping off the swing and landing on his feet. The fox ran after the card keeping his head up, completely oblivious he was pushing the mammals in front of him away who would either yell at him or simply ignore him seeing it was a kit. Finally, Nick saw the card slowly start to float down onto the ground. Panting loudly from all the running, he picked it up and added it back to the deck.

"Finally….Whoa…"

Nick starred up in shock as he was now in a unfamiliar place. In Front of him was a tall pillar made of marble with a plaque attached to it.

"H-here is the marker of where the settlers set foot into claiming it for their own. The name of this place was called Zootropolis but was later changed to Zootopia as years passed." said the fox reading it off before smacking his head with his paw.

"Of course! The beginning! This is where Zootopia started."

….

"Now what?"

Nick was about to look around but he felt something grab his shoulder. Turning around, Nick smiled brightly.

"Mr. Fate!"

In Front of the fox was a familiar coyote who wore his fancy clothes and the iconic hat on his head.

"Congrats on passing the test Nick. I managed to return you home so I'm glad you're ok."

Nick nodded but then tilted his head in confusion.

"How did you know where I lived? ANd how did you get me back in my room without my mom knowing?

Tobias smirked and tipped up his hat showing of his eyes.

"Magic"

Nick rolled his eyes but then smiled in excitement.

"Oh oh! Mr. Fate look at this!"

Nick opened his paw and then closed his eyes.

The coyote let his jaw drop as the deck of green cards appeared in the fox's paw with an audible poof.

Now Tobias knew that was a very simple thing that all card sharks should be able to use but without practice and just getting the magic powers? That's nothing short of amazing.

"That's...That's amazing Nick! Being able to that without any training is great. I guess the spirits really did feel something great in you"

Nick blushed at the compliment as he rubbed the back of his head smiling.

"Thanks Mr. Fate! So what are we doing today?"

The coyote beckoned the fox to follow him as he walked towards the pillar. Nick watched as Tobias simpled phased through the pillar disappearing inside.

The fox walked toward the pillar and nervously pressed his paw against it. Feeling it was solid only made him more worried.

"J-just like the alley wall...Just gotta.."

Nick held his breath and walked forward toward the pillar. As he approached, he prepared to smack against the stone closing his eyes.

Feeling nothing, the fox opened his eyes and gasped at the sight in front of him.

The room had a poker table with chairs around it. Against the back of the room was a bar filled with drinks of all sorts, stools in front of the bar itself with pillow cushions. On the other side of the room was a range of some sort with dummies of different shapes and sizes pinned against the wall. There were also smaller targets like for darts. Finally to top it all off, there were two beanbag cushions.

"Welcome to the training ground. This is where I will teach you everything. This is the start of your journey of being a card shark."

Tobias raised his hands dramatically as cards flew around his head.

Nick raised one paw in question.

"Yes Nick?"

"What's a card shark?"

The coyote groaned and then slapped his forehead.

"I knew I was forgetting something. Card sharks are mammals that have been blessed by the spirits of Lady Luck. The spirits search your soul and heart to see if you are worth of its blessing. The magic we do? Cards."

Tobias stuck out his paw with his palm up and used his other paw to wave over it. A card appeared showing an ace of spades.

"Now you know that the cards are enchanted. But what do they do?"

The coyote flipped the card and let it dance through between his fingers before showing it back to the fox who wowed seeing that it was now three of clubs.

"You see they aren't just for show. They contain power."

The card started to glow as it changed color into a shiny gold, the design going from black into gold as well.

"There is a book that details what exactly you can do to the cards but not all ways have been discovered.

Tobias spun the card at its corner on the tip of his claw. It slowly began change color from a shiny gold to a blood red. Flicking it up, it spun in the air changing into blue before finally the coyote snatched it out of the air clapping it in both of his paws.

Opening his paws, NIck let out a gasp as the card was back to the original ace of spades.

"You see Nick. Pseudo magicians use illusions to give the feeling of magic.

Tobias snapped his fingers as a deck of cards appeared in his paw. He then fanned the cards as they all stuck out face down.

"Pick a card Nick."

The fox made a move to grab one but then grabbed another.

"Memorize it Nick."

The coyote shuffled the deck as Nick stared at his selected card.

King Of Hearts.

"Now when you're done, I want you to place it on top of the deck right here"

Tobias tapped the top of the deck as Nick carefully placed it on top.

"Perfect. Now I'm going to shuffle the cards."

Nick watched as Tobias began to shift the cards around humming a tune. At first it was simple overhand shuffle, him taking parts of the deck and moving them to the front. Then it transitioned to him holding a deck and 'shooting out' parts of it into his other paw. Finally, the coyote stopped and then smiled.

"So I have no idea where you card is, but I'm going to make it appear at the top."

Tobias blew at the top of the deck before snapping his paw.

"This your card Nick?"

The coyote confidently lifted the top card to reveal to the exited fox….

"It's gonna be the!...Queen Of Spades? That's not my card Mr. Fate I think you messed up."

The coyote looked at the card and then shook his head.

"What was your card?"

Nick giggled loudly "King Of Hearts!"

Tobias nodded closing his eyes deep in thought.

"Well that means you picked the wrong card."

The fox recoiled in shock.

"Eh?! You told me to pick a random one!"

The coyote shrugged.

"It's ok Nick. I'll just have to fix it…"

Tobias took the card into his palm and used his free finger to rub the card. Nick watched as Tobias rubbed it before showing it to Nick.

"W-what!"

There, in his palm was the King Of Hearts.

Nick took the card and stared at it in amazement.

"You see Nick. That's cheap tricks. I used illusion in order to fool you. I use that stuff to make money in bars. You wanna see real magic?"

Nick nodded excitedly, still confused about the trick.

"Great. You see magic isn't just party tricks and fun."

Tobias made a fist and then opened it, revealing a silver button.

"You see we strive to keep the magic safe and as well as protect its secrets. We also try to help those who cannot help themselves because it is our duty to help the lesser fortunate."

The button started to shake before it floated into the air. Nick watched as it spun around before it floated towards him.

"Nick. We are not the good mammals nor the evil ones. Magic is not some kind of fountain that you can take from, it's a wild flowing fire that courses through your veins. Althgouth...the spirits love mischief so if you ever want to cause some trouble. We don't play fair in games. We cheat in poker and all sorts of gambling because that's our own little card game. That's why I got in trouble since they think I'm cheating. Which I am, but they have no proof...I'm getting off topic. Nick. Do you promise to uphold the true ideals of a Card Shark. To never play a fair game of cards, to defend those who cannot defend themselves, and to always cause mischief. And most importantly, to protect the art of true magic against those who wish to harm it. "

Nick puffed his chest and said in a confidenty yet shaky voice.

"I-I do!"

Tobias smiled as the button then started to morph and glow. As it dissipated, the button was now a silver brooch that had a design of 4 playing cards, each being the 4 suits of aces.

"Where this. Until you are done training with me, you must wear that."

The kit excitedly took the brooch and pinned it against his shirt, his tail wagging in excitement.

"So are you gonna teach me actual magic!?"

Tobias smiled, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"By the time I'm done with you, you're going to regret asking"

Nick couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him as he started to sweat.

"Oh crud.."

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Hey! So of you guys really enjoy the idea of Nick being a gambit card master with magic so I'm going to continue to write out more chapters. The next chapter will be a small time skip so we can meet up with our grumpy fennec fox and how they meet. Essentially, becoming a Card Shark is not being a super hero or being a villian. It's more of a cause trouble, keep the magic safe from those who want to abuse it, and help those in need. Not it's not good good since Card Sharks love scamming, stealing, and gambling

Ah you'll see how it turns out. Enjoy this 2k word chapter.