Nick Borrows the Car
Volpe Automotive, Sahara Square. About 2 months after "Ray's Story"
Inside Volpe Automotive, a highly modified compact car sits up on a lift. Underneath, a very annoyed looking white and black colored fox hangs from the end of a long, metal pipe. The pipe, not the source of the fox's annoyance, is slipped over a long handled 'breaker bar' ratchet. This ratchet is also not the item that is causing the fox to mutter obscenities under his breath. Nor is the socket that the ratchet is currently attached to. No, the arch enemy, at least at this moment, of the fox, is the nut that the socket is cupped over. A grade 8, 3/4 inch, course thread, and very stuck, nut.
Ray, this would be the fox, starts to yank on the pipe that he is currently holding onto, causing him to bounce up and down, every bounce brings more hateful language thrown at the stubborn piece of hardware.
"Come on, stupid, mother.., no good, piece of…, why, won't, you, come, loose!"
With that Ray pulls with all of his might on the bottom of a particularly violent bounce and the nut breaks free with a loud crack. The socket now rotates, causing the ratchet to angle down, letting the pipe fall, with the fox at the end of it. Ray hits the ground tail end first as the pipe and ratchet fall away and bounce off the ground with a clang. Ray, rather then looking angry because of his now sore behind, is instead celebrating like he won a prizefight.
"Yeah!, take that!" as he points and gestures to the now loosened fastener. He rolls over and stands up, obviously favoring one leg, and dusts his navy blue pants and shirt off. He then limps over to the front of the car and starts to spin the nut off the shock mount it was holding in place.
"Ray!" a shout comes from a doorway at the other end of the shop, the source is Toast, a weasel dressed in a grey hoodie and black jeans.
"What's up?"
"Cops are here."
"What? I didn't do it!"
"Sure you did." chimes in another voice.
This new voice sounds very familiar to Ray and he immediately starts heading to the front entrance and counter area of the shop, stopping on the way to grab a blue cane that was leaning up against a red toolbox. As the fox walks through the door of the front counter area he is greated by the sight of two officers dressed in the standard ZPD uniform. But instead of two large mammals, that the majority of the force is made up of, stands a smirking red fox and a rather anxious looking rabbit.
"So it is true." Ray remarks to the pair "Cousin Nicholas Wilde, gone legit after all."
"I have always been legit, cuz." remarks the red fox.
Ray then turns his attention to the rabbit
"And this lovely lady must be the famous Officer Judy Hopps."
Judy smiles back a bit nervously, self conscious of being called lovely and famous. but extends her paw for a handshake "Hi, nice to meet you Ray."
Ray notices that Nick had a slight reaction to that, and decides to test his theory. Instead of returning Judy' handshake he instead takes her paw, bend over and kisses the back of it.
"I must say you are even more beautiful in person then you look on TV."
Judy reacts by turning her head with a shy smile, but Ray is more interested in Nick's reaction. Just behind Nicks trademark smirk, a flash of jealousy.
'Really, Nick? A bunny? Thats interesting' Ray thinks to himself.
"It's good to see you Nick." Ray says out loud "It's been what? 4 years? How are things going, your mom doing good? So what do you want?" Ray's voice turning serious at the last question.
"Oh come on pal, can't one fox come visit his cousin without it having to be about wanting something?" Nick says, familiar smile firmly in place.
"Since when have you ever dropped in, unannounced, without needing something from me, come on out with it." Ray responds chidingly.
Nick drops his head a bit and says.
"We need a car."
"Oh! Thats all? You can borrow the four by four. I'll get the keys."
"No Ray, a CAR." Nick says.
At this Ray starts to get nervous.
"The Rat rod?" Ray asks with a slightly shaky voice as he motions to the parking spot outside the shop.
In the spot sits a supped up very early model car, covered in rust except for the pristine and highly polished oversized engine hanging out of the front. The car's suspension has been modified so the frame almost touches the ground and large polished exhaust pipes come out from just in front of the doors and are angled up. On the door, a symbol has been painted. Three black circles, one large on the bottom and two smaller ones on top that sort of resemble ears.
Nick looks at Ray and shakes his head.
"I know you have something hidden away, you always have something fast, we need that. We are in a hurry."
"We have to get to BunnyBurrow as fast as we can, it's official police business" Judy chimes in.
"I don't know." Ray says reaching behind his head with one paw and scratching an itch. "After what happened last time you took one of my cars."
"What happened last time?" Judy asks
"Nothing, nothing important" Nick retorts nervously. "That's a story for another day."
"Yeah, A story that includes the words 'end over end tumble' and 'fireball'" counters Ray.
Judy looks at Nick like a parent finding their child with their paw in the cookie jar then turns back to Ray.
"We really need to get there as fast as possible and we don't have a cruiser right now and…"
"And who's fault is that?" Nick cuts in.
It's Judy's turn to look like a scolded child.
"Look Ray, I promise you, nothing will happen to it, you have my word."
Ray sighs, head down.
"OK, Fine. there is a car in the other bay, the keys are in it." He looks up right at Nick. "But if you so much as put one dent in it I will have your hide."
With that Nick turns around and starts to walk into the shop. He turns his head and says over his shoulder.
"Don't worry, I will treat it like my own. Come on Carrots, I told you he would help us."
"I swear, one scratch and you will pay. I am going to go over it with a magnifying glass. You take care of her." Ray yells out to Nick, who has already made it to the door to the adjacent garage.
Judy starts to follow but is stopped by Ray's hand on her shoulder.
"Miss Hopps?" Ray says softly. "Take care of him, will you?"
Judy answers with a nod and skips off after Nick.
Toast, who had been watching this whole exchange with amusement from behind the small counter steps forward as the sound of a powerful engine comes to life from outside, followed by the sound of screeching tires.
"I'm never gonna see that car again, will I?" Ray asks with a sigh, staring out the window as a green car barrels out of the driveway and heads down the street.
"Nope." answers the weasel.
"Damn, I was gonna take it out tonight."
"There's no races tonight. You got a private match lined up?"
"Nope, a hot date."
"Who's the lucky vixen?"
"Not a vixen, a coyote."
"That nurse?"
"Doctor, thank you very much. Doctor Sharon Wiley."
"Thought she said she would never date a patient?"
"Not a patient anymore. Last appointment was a week ago. Although I might need a checkup later tonight." Ray comments with a smirk not unlike Nick's.
With that Ray heads back into the shop and Toast goes back to the paperwork piled on the counter.
Ok, I admit this whole scene came about just to cram in the "rat rod" pun. If you are unfamiliar with what a rat rod is, just do a google image search.
