A/N: Enter Jewel 2.0 or 0.5 depending on how well I did.
Chapter 4: Entrapment
Jewel was disappointed that her ploy had failed. She went out of her way to prepare a test just for Nick, but that stupid buck had the audacity to intervene!
"Can we do something about Marcus?" she called Janna.
"You know the answer, and you know what I will do."
Jewel shuddered at the implied threat. "But he ruined our plans!"
"We'll think of something else."
"I'm well within my rights."
"Come to the hotel, that buck is to remain unharmed."
She debated if she should reclaim her necklace from the buck. He couldn't do much with it as it was illegal to wear one unauthorized. Janna forbade her from acting against the buck that ruined their plans. Nick slipped away from her paws thanks to his interference.
The buck was already back in his room after she packed things. She decided not to disturb him. A part of her hoped that someone would enact her vengeance upon him as possession of the amulet itself was problematic.
It took a good hour of walking before she reached the hotel Janna picked. She was tired when she finally arrived at their room.
"Where's the necklace?" Janna asked.
"Marcus has it."
"Did he not willingly give it back to you?"
She wanted to lie to Janna, but she knew the consequences all too well. "I didn't ask."
"Go back and get it from him then, now." Janna slapped her left cheek with enough force to make her cry.
"But I just walked an hour to get here," she said while tears blurred her vision.
"I don't care, and don't you dare try to pull rank on me. Also, come right back here."
"It's already nine-thirty at night."
"Well, you better start walking then, but first let's recite the rules."
Jewel had three rules she had to follow. "One: Do not harm the innocent. Two: Torture only to save lives. Three: The dead do not matter."
"Good girl, now, start walking."
Reluctantly, she started her trek back to the house she just left. Her paws ached from the previous hour of travel. It was that stupid buck's fault for all of this. If he hadn't ruined her plans, she'd be enjoying the night instead of walking on the streets.
A part of her regretted not calling the ZPD then and there on Nick Wilde. It would've been interesting, but it would change the relationship between them and not in a way she wanted. She wanted to know his true nature.
Since Janna hadn't disapproved she took it as consent to proceed. It would be like one of those many nightly strolls back in Bunnyburrow where assailants were sure to take the bait. She put a shock collar on herself. Originally, her target was Nick, but thanks to that buck, she'd need another plan. He required more setup to potentially take the bait.
She walked for thirty minutes without anyone forcibly stopping her while to most it would be fortunate, but for her, it was lack of excitement. The first time she caught her own prey was liberating. Far better than using provided mammals for the same scenes. They screamed like the rest, but she told herself they deserved it.
The sound of paw steps behind her for the last couple of blocks made her excited. Someone was daring to follow her while trying to stay hidden. Her face twisted into a grin while trying to imagine the encounter.
It certainly was disappointing when she reached the house safe and sound. She barged into Marcus's room. "I've come for my amulet."
He turned the amulet over to her without any protest. She was even more disappointed that he was cooperative.
"Are you sure you don't want anything?" She blinked seductively.
"Yes," he replied without hesitation.
"You know, I really hate you."
"Why don't you just kill me?"
"The one rabbit I don't want to disobey allows you to live," she explained herself although it was really tempting to off the idiot. Thankfully, aside from scratching his head, he said no more.
Although, since she wasn't looking forward to walking back to the hotel, she called Janna, "I have the amulet again. Can I please sleep in the house?"
"Did he give you any trouble? Did anything happen to you on the way there?"
"No."
"Walk back here then."
"Someone was following me on the way back, but I never saw them."
"And if you did, it would be a blessing."
Jewel started her way back to the hotel with some encouragement from Janna. Of course, after a few blocks, she heard the all too familiar sounds of paw steps. The same one that was following her before. She contemplated if she should seek that mammal out instead of waiting for them to reveal themselves. It had been a couple days since she killed.
She stopped at a bench at a bus stop along the way. Her stalker drew close enough for her to smell that it was a wolf. Much to her disappointment, he sat next to her on the bench. "What brings you out here this fine night?"
"Walking back home after finishing errands."
"it can be dangerous out at night."
"I don't suppose you're the source of that danger?"
"That's a pretty necklace. I can guarantee you safe passage home if you give it to me."
She licked her lips. "As tempting as it may be, I got in trouble for trying to throw it away. I'd rather not go through that again."
The wolf subtly picked her purse thinking it would escape her notice. It contained the remote to her collar, specifically designed for her prey. "I think you should obey me." He waved the remote in front of her face.
"So, it took a remote to give you courage. You're not very good at this, are you? We're near each other, what happens if I simply try to take it back?"
As predicted, the wolf pushed a button sending waves of pleasure through her being.
"You shouldn't use devices that you don't know. Give it back and all is forgiven." She sensed his resolve wavering between to proceed or not to. His hesitation indicated that she was her first target. "Fine, just so you know, one of the buttons will kill you. I'll be leaving now."
He didn't stop her from leaving, but as she walked a few steps, she heard a pained yelp. This made her turn back around to the bench. She pried the remote from the unconscious wolf's grasp. It dawned on her that if this was back in Bunnyburrow, she would've considered letting this wolf go, but within Zoootopia, a slow and agonizing death awaited him.
She continued her way back to the hotel. It was midnight by the time she arrived. Her sister was busy watching clips on the television. "Did you have any fun?"
"Nope." Jewel knew her prey was going to die, but that encounter didn't bring her satisfaction. "I was his first target when he finally had the nerve to approach even then indecision plagued his mind. He made the fatal choice but there was no thrill or sense of danger."
"Are you feeling remorse? We can save him if you want."
"Oh? What about your obsession with the fox? He's the reason you even made the cure in the first place. Since when do we care about the damned?"
"Let's get ready for bed. It's been a long day."
Jewel observed that her sister dodged the question.
They entered the shower together where Janna took proper care of Jewel's fur.
"My fur's fine," Jewel grumbled.
"Relax, enjoy it."
It wasn't that she disliked her sister's touch, but she didn't want it right now. After an eternity, Janna finally allowed her to leave the shower. Now, she sat in a chair while her sister used a fur dryer making her black fur shine.
"There silky and smooth." Janna sniffed her fur multiple times.
"Can we go to sleep now?" Jewel resisted the urge to push her sister's nose away. "It's nearly one in the morning."
"Why don't you tell me to stop?" Her sister moved on to licking her fur now.
Jewel sighed. "I'm still being punished, aren't I? Isn't retrieving the necklace enough?"
"But I didn't say that."
Too tired for mental games, she closed her eyes trying to sleep while sitting in a chair as her sister groomed her naked body.
It was morning the next time Jewel opened her eyes. She didn't know when Janna moved them to the bed, but she hugged her body like a pillow. It was her turn for predatory grooming since Janna must be tired after trying to prevent her from sleeping properly. However, her efforts were in vain as her sister appeared to be enjoying the treatment.
Annoyed, she closed her eyes once more to sleep. After a few hours passed with Janna still keeping her trapped in bed, she said, "I want to get out of bed."
"Why didn't you say so?" Janna replied.
She glared at her sibling but remained silent. With her newfound freedom, she put on clothes since Janna didn't. "What's the plan today?"
"Well, I was thinking that we should rent a house right next to Nick Wilde. Dial the ZPD for help once we've everything set up. He should take the bait if we do it right after he arrives home."
"I'll go back to Bunnyburrow while you make the arrangements." Jewel was bored as she expected something exciting today.
"No, you won't. You've already fulfilled your quota for the month. Right now, you're on vacation unless if I need to take the option away from you."
"Why did I ever agree to this? There's no fox to torment or to cuddle."
"The more you complain, the more you risk losing your freedom."
Janna informed Jewel of her plan. She was to meet their hosts in the flesh after they picked a place to stay.
"And why can't you do it?" Jewel asked.
"I'll be the one needing help after we set the scene. Besides, you've already met the fox."
"That's supposed to be my role."
"Our sister might have connected the dots depending on how much he revealed."
Jewel reluctantly agreed with her reasonable arguments. "Fine," she grumbled.
"Can I trust you not to kill anyone while the plot is underway?"
"Yes," she replied easily but she took it as a warning that she had to be hyperaware of her own actions. A single misused word would rob her the right of killing anyone for an indeterminate amount of time. Even though she outranked her sibling, she didn't want to defy her wishes.
They found a house for rent right next to where Nick lived. "This is perfect," Janna said. "We can book it for five nights."
"A few hours before they reply at least."
It took every ounce of self-control not to lash out at her sister for forcing her to suffer through so much boredom. They wasted two hours watching some movie that preached how friendship solved everything. Her sister was perceptive enough to note that she hated every moment despite grinning and bearing it.
"So, you hated that, what do you want to do?"
Despite the benign question, a sinister motive lurked behind it. What her sister really asked was "What do you want to do that I would approve?"
It was the least painful thing she could think of, considering how much Judy preached about the singer it couldn't be that horrible. "Why don't we attend Gazelle's concert?"
Another two hours went, but it wasn't that bad. Anyone could relate to the song – Try Everything. It certainly helped that she had an okay voice. Granted, she smiled while thinking of ways to have fun when they returned to Bunnyburrow.
The response she waited for came when they were eating at a nearby restaurant. She agreed to meet the owners within an hour. With her stomach sated, she drove to meet their hosts.
The leopard family waited by the driveway as she approached. "Hi." She waved.
"So, this will be the key to the house. Enjoy your stay for five days."
"Not a problem." She watched the leopards take off to wherever.
She explored the newly rented house thinking of the best ways to construct a scene. Her goals were to see if Nick would take advantage of her sister when she's in a vulnerable state. Their first attempt failed, and this would be their second.
The house had no special features much to her disappointment, no secret rooms or disturbing appliances. It contrasted sharply with homes in Bunnyburrow which often held at least one disturbing secret or open secret. With her exploration finished she slept on the bed waiting for tomorrow.
Morning came after a peaceful night's rest. She picked up her sister before even taking a bite of breakfast. "The house has nothing secretive," she said.
"So, have you decided on what you want to do?"
"Yes." She didn't reveal her plans for fear of disapproval. "Let's buy everything we need."
Shopping took up most of the day which helped stave off her boredom. She had a vast assortment of items in mind which they needed to buy. They bought food, music equipment as well as restraining gear. It certainly wasn't cheap, but the result would be worth it.
Her sibling's incessant reminders dampened her mood when they arrived at the house.
"You realize that's the fifth time you reminded me today. I'm not going to kill anyone."
"I'm just worried, that's all."
"It pains me that I'm not the one in the spotlight, but it's for the best since he already suspects something and that's assuming our sister didn't connect the dots."
"You're jealous."
"Very much so."
"Do you want to take my place?" Janna's concern this time made her rage.
"It's fine."
By the end of the night, it was clear that Janna didn't trust her on her own, but enough for their plans tomorrow. She certainly hoped it was a subconscious effort rather than a conscious one where Janna repeatedly reminded her that no one was to die during their plan. Despite her annoyance with her sister, she hadn't once disobeyed her wishes which made this day more frustrating.
She found comfort within the warmth of her fur when it was time to sleep.
The grand day arrived at last. Jewel wanted to see how Nick would react to this new scene. There was a final element she debated if she should include for the day's events.
"Do you think he will need the cure?" Jewel asked.
"No," Janna replied.
This mirrored her own judgment. Sure, if she asked her sibling for approval, she'd vehemently object to her plans for good reason too. She had a beyond reckless plan just to make herself feel special. It was selfish but also something she desperately wanted.
Her sibling interrupted her thoughts. "When are you going to start?"
"Let's put up the surveillance cameras."
They rigged the entire house as a formality even though she had her mind on two rooms at most. It certainly didn't suit her well that her sibling again reminded her not to kill anyone while this plan of theirs was underway. She decided to reassure her sister once again while not letting her see her failing mood.
After lunch, she started taking photos of her sister and her in a multitude of locations around the house.
"You're apprehensive about this too," Janna said.
Jewel smiled as Janna completely misread her motivations. She took a few pictures of her sister completely naked as it would take her a couple weeks before her coat grew back.
"Five hours left, and you haven't really started," Janna reminded her.
"Oh, don't worry, I'll have enough time. Why don't we begin now?"
The first thing she did was gag her sister making her unable to do anything but whimper.
"If you try to remove your gag I will cuff your paws," Jewel said as a formality.
She recorded Janna's whimpers from several distances testing which one sounded best. It had to be clear enough for the police to send a team to investigate. After making a mental note of that, she moved on.
"I've been contemplating, should I shave off all your fur?" Jewel asked.
Janna started shaking her head.
"Fine, you get one chance. Explain yourself." She removed her gag allowing her to speak.
"Nick wouldn't like a furless rabbit."
With her opinion given, Jewel put the gag back on.
Her next move was to shave all her sister's fur leaving her furless. "Now you can use his fur for warmth once he arrives. It gives you the perfect excuse."
The next thing she wanted was Janna to be crying genuine tears by the time Nick arrived. She struck Janna's body several times with a whip careful not to inflict any permanent damage to the point where Janna thought it would be a good idea to remove her gag herself which forced her to bind her paws together, for the moment.
Janna was whimpering consistently by the time she decided it was enough. Not even trying to crawl away made her stop. Her facial appearance was satisfactory.
She led Janna to the table near the entrance. Her next command was for Janna to jump on top which given her current predicament she lacked the strength to so she helped her instead. The restraints came next leaving Janna barely able to move her paws.
The lighting was the next element she played with. How should it look when Nick first enters the room? They bought several multi-colored spotlights for her to play with seeing as she was undecided at the time. She moved on to remove the lights the house already had while regretting not thinking of this sooner and having Janna help with the task.
Multiple different colored lights shone directly on Janna's exposed body. She tested this viewpoint by entering and leaving the house several times until she deemed it satisfactory. It had to look surreal like as if it was a dream come true.
She decided to go along with her reckless selfish plan as the payoff would be worth way more than the consequences. The remote to her shock collar contained a fatal toxin strong enough to kill anyone that pressed it on top of delivering a nasty shock. It didn't matter that it was reckless, she pressed the button herself. When the time was right, she'd reveal it to Janna.
It took her fifteen minutes to recover as predicted. This gave her three days before the toxin's effects would be irreversible. Her sister would vehemently object due to the risks it posed. They made a cure for one at her sister's insistence initially. Their target shouldn't need it, thus she wanted something more dramatic.
Her sister glanced at her as if wanting to ask what she was doing since she left her alone for twenty minutes without the finishing touches. She decorated her sister with food as if her sister was a lavish meal. She placed blueberries near her sister's most intimate places as they were Nick's favorite, with whipped cream, fruit, insect chips covering the rest of her body.
With a glance at the time, she was twenty minutes ahead of schedule as Nick hadn't returned from his shift yet. She wasn't certain if Janna would approve this element, but her sister was certainly in no position to protest. For music, she made the computer play a romantic song sung by Judy loud enough for someone just walking in to hear, on repeat.
The lack of active whimpering from Janna was a concern, but first, she waited for Nick to return which she could see from the window. It was just as they predicted, Nick returned on time, alone from work. She placed several packs of ice touching Janna's body enough to make her cry once more.
It was simply beautiful. A helpless bunny clearly in pain waiting to be rescued. She saved the shock collar and the remote for last as they were her prized possessions. With the collar in place, and the remote several feet in front of her sister the setup was nearly complete. If Nick pressed the remote, he would die without a cure.
"The cure will be on the bed in the bedroom. Clench your paws if you understand."
A devious idea flashed into her mind, one that crossed several lines. She undid a few restraints on her sister's legs causing her confusion. With some effort, she broke her legs before putting the restraints back in place. Her sister would be unable to chase after her, herself.
She took a few photos of her work before allowing the show to begin. One call to the ZPD while placing the phone in her sister's paws. All her sister could do was cry and whimper into the phone. Now, all Nick had to do was take the bait while she slipped out the back eager for the results. It was still her duty to keep watch on the off chance something went wrong.
If everything went according to plan, no one would die. This was exciting.
A/N: Feedback very much appreciated regarding characterization. Total discarded words: 334
