Nick & Judy
"Look there it is!" Judy exclaimed under exhaustion. "Hollow Ice hotel!"
"Where?" Nick told himself she was joking around. Until he saw it himself.
A big iced hotel, styled in abstract shapes ranging to multiples sizes.
Mouses and rodents could fit in perfectly like the giant necked giraffes.
"I love the glowing colors on it. Soooo sparkly and cute!" Judy hopped around Nick for a minute and noticed a huge crowd of people walking in and out the hotel entrance.
"See that Carrot? A way in that takes hours to get to." Nick smiled lazily at Judy's thinking face.
"Hmm. How about we be like everyone else and wait our way? My parents are inside. I'm sure of it."
"I don't think their inside Carrot."
Judy thought for a minute that Nick was getting hopeless. Until she saw her parents herself. Resting by two tall icy gates. Waiting to get in. Looking casual and fine, overly dressed in coats.
Judy rushed to them, Nick jogged behind her.
"Mom! Dad!" She exclaimed, seeing their ears elevate. "I'm right here!" No matter how loud she shouted, the crowd erased it. Foot steps from all sorts of sizes grew louder than her yelling.
Judy jumped energetically with no results. Big animals blocked her way, cloaking her presence, coating her small figure.
Their had to be an easier way to see past everyone.
Maybe climbing a pole?
That's a bad idea. Her hands will glue right to it. She'll make a fool out of herself.
No way to play cool from that scenario.
Sadly. Judy ran out of ideas to outmatch the sky scraping crowd.
That is until Nick picked her up. Swept her in his strong hold. "Stand on my shoulders!" He shouted over the crowd.
Judy nodded. Trying to not blush about his instant magical touch.
For a minute she thought Nick was going to kiss her. Make his bold move.
She can't say she didn't want it.
Every moment. Every second, every pause of times existence.
She wanted his lips to caress hers.
If she's able to have the super power to pause time. She will sure have kissed him plenty already.
"Right there! Oh! I see them!" Judy cried in happiness.
Nick smiled brightly. That he and her finally did something together as official partners. A case off the record.
"Mom dad over here!" Her chanting over them, became a reality. Her voice stepped up against the crowd of loudness and pierced to their bunny ears.
Judy knew they could hear her now.
How?
They watched her with a gentle smile.
"Nick go faster!"
Nick listened, ramming the crowd. Facing her parents for the first time.
They looked at him with.. Some disgust. Yet with respect. Except her mother, she seemed okay.
"Mom, dad! Ohh, I was so worried!" Judy gave them a loving hug. Her eyes closed like the world stopped.
"It's okay Judy the Dude heh." Her father said. "Sorry we couldn't take pictures on the cruise. But me and your mom took a selfie though. Look!" He gestured a smile, showing her.
"Aww how cute and it's fine. I heard what happened. I'm just glad y'all are okay! Why didn't you guys tell me about this trip?" Concerned she was. More worried than mad.
That's a good trait about her. She worries more than getting angry.
"We sent you a text didn't you get it sweet heart?" Her mother said, eyeing Nick with curiosity. Wondering if he's trustable.
Nick sat in the back. Whistling and looking around.
"No I didn't get anything! I tried calling both of you and y'all didn't pick up." She frowned.
"You sure Judy? I didn't get any missing calls from you. See?" Judy's father showed her.
He was right. For a dumb reason.
Judy smacked herself in the head. Hard enough for Nick to hear in the background.
"Dad it's on train mode! Meaning what ever you send will not reach to other people. That train icon disables wi-fi."
"I have that active to." Her mother replied. "Me and your father saw that cute train button and clicked it on. I thought it was a virtual badge."
"Ugh.. Mom it's not a badge. Please don't go on train mode again. Unless you're on a train."
Her mom nodded, so did her father.
For both of them felt stupid and dumb.
Judy got over it. "It's okay. You both are here safe. That's all that matters." She hugged them again and took a look at Nick.
His face fell in discomfort when Judy smiled to him.
An inviting smile, telling him to come over and join them.
Nick shook his head.
Judy nodded.
"That was a nice hug. So dad, mom I want you to meet Nick. He's my partner!"
"He's a fox.." Her father whispered.
"Don't be typical and hate on him for that. After all you know what good he did" Judy protested against her father's negative look.
Her mother didn't seem to take defense. "Oh hi Nick! I'm Judy's mom. Bonnie." She waved at him, in front of his face.
Her silly attributes have been passed down to Judy. She's like that all the time.
"Nice to meet you m'am I'm Nick. Judy's partner. Whose a Fox. I know. A fox sounds like a big deal. The least expecting person you'll ever meet but. Yeah I'm that."
Nick ran out of words, his nerves are starting to kick in.
"As long as you want to change the world to a better place. And you're in a cop uniform! So you're more than welcome."
Right at that moment. He's been added to Bonnie's good list. She sees him as family.
"What made you join the police force?"
Nick smiled. "Your daughter inspired me. And tell you what— she's a walking gift. Sets the world in flames of justice. Especially mine."
"Awe how sweet. So tell me. Are you two together?" Bonnie kept her voice down. As Judy talked to her dad.
"What? Miss that's crazy talk. Judy and I are crime solvers. Partners that help each other. Look at me I'm a fox. She's a bunny. Don't you find that weird?"
Bonnie only gave Nick a mom smile. Smiles that moms always imply. "She's the first bunny cop. Isn't that weird? She's a bunny and she trusts you and you're a fox. We told her how bad foxes are. Yet here you are as her partner, isn't that weird? And your
a cop yourself. Isn't that weird?" Bonnie paused, eying Judy. "Between you and me Nick. Weird is what life is about. You two together is weird, but isn't that the point?"
Nick raised his thin ears. Soaking in that amazing quote of weird.
Bonnie does have a point. Weird is good.
Weird is different and full of crazy type of emotions.
Hmm.. Nick is weird huh?
So is Judy.
And them together?
That's crazy.
"Thanks Bonnie. But why accept me?" Nick pondered to her.
"Because my Judy trusts you."
"Thanks for that Bonnie. But to tell you the truth. I like her a lot. I adore her."
"Then tell her." Bonnie smiled, watching her husband finally make persons with Nick.
"Hey Nick I'm Judy's father, Stu." He avoided eye contact with him. For lots of reasons.
"Nice to meet you sir. I'm Nick the crime stopping fox." Nick introduced himself charmingly calm. "Who is here to save Zootopia against all smugglers, bad folks and robbers. I save people like you Stu. Because it's my job, my duty, my privilege, honor
and consent to do so." Nick smiled, watching Stu's eyes finally meet his, now feeling bad for his negative view.
"Aww shucks Nick. You must be a good guy."
"If I wasn't trustful nor honest, I wouldn't be your daughter's partner. I'd still be on the streets spending my life in.. Chronological hurry. Yes I'm a fox. It's.."
"Weird." Bonnie intruded.
"And crazy." Said Nick with a bright smile.
Stu didn't flinch or get angry. He's not the angry type of bunny anyways. He's the sluggish laid back bunny. "You're okay Nick. Nick the slick." He posed himself and snapped his finger, trying to look cool.
Nick chuckled. "You're weird."
Judy couldn't hold her smile anymore. Her cheeks hurt. And that's a good thing.
"We're all weird." Judy chanted.
"And crazy." Said everyone else.
Wire
The spider of confidence. Who says like so much. Traveled up to Sahara and felt the sweet hot sand soak him in. "Ahh this sand never gets old!" He cheered. Sitting himself for a break.
"So windy out here and calm and nice and cool and like.. Awesome."
Picture perfect sand hills glided in his view, curving like a sine wave, shining like a passing star.
The flecks of white sparks in the sand seemed to shine as the far away galaxies. Each grain. Had different characteristics. Different hues of color and different saturation of beauty.
Wire awed at the scenario. Witnessing true beauty.
This time nothing ruined it or took it away with a revolting scream.
"Why do I do this for?" Wire said aloud. "Talk to myself aloud? It's like I can't ever hide anything in my head. But why? What is it about talking out loud? Does that give me some physical and mental reassurance that I'm still breathing? I'm able to feel
myself alive or what?" Wire sighed. Resting for a few hours, sitting and contemplating. Then moved on.
He had to be careful over some animals on Zootopia. They eat insects. Well the predators do. So he needs to watch himself before he gets himself killed.
But he's going out, sacrificing his life to help poor Judy.
Poor Wire doesn't know she found them.
That she's okay and dandy.
If only he knew she found her parents.
"Confidence Wire. Remember it's all about that confidence." This time he didn't say that aloud. Kept it safe and secure in his reverberating mind.
Hours eventually passed and Wire took another break. Sat still on a calm serene desert rock. Crafted from nature and beaten and molded by weather.
The cracks in the rock matched the up coming sunset.
Wire waited for this moment, to watch the sunset. That magical alpenglow, but a desert one. Consisting canyon hills, Sandy summits, dark brown caves and whispering sand. Speeding across the desert floors.
Wire got caught in the beautiful moment.
Until his Judy picture flew out his unbuckled satchel. "No!" He exclaimed running after it.
He ran through rocky floors, across an entire canyon and finally caught it.
Sure enough, he stood at the edge of a mile drop. Holding Judy's photo with sentimental value.
"I'm so glad I didn't loose this.. My only evidence so far." Exhausted and relieved. Wire sat still, far from the crisp cliff edge and turned the small photo around.
"Huh?" Behind the photo. Imprinted a number. A phone number in pen.
Wire had no idea what the number meant. He had no idea it was a phone number. He doesn't even know what a phone is.
"Another mystery!" He shouted happily. "Ha! I have no idea what this means but I will like, figure it out!"
Wire ran off, full of energy. He placed Judy's photo in his leaf crafted satchel and this time. He buckled it up.
Going through trouble like that again will waste precious time for him.
Certainly he can't allow that to happen.
"Confidence!" He yelled. For the fun of it.
He even said it in his mind.
Which surprised him.
Necklace
"It's getting dark. Hurry up and gather those leaves and carrots before the spiders come by." Necklace addressed her people. All of them listened and took what they could and went home.
"Follow me everyone."
Everyone obeyed her command. Running though the carrot field. Sprinting out of Zootopia and running home.
Out of Zootopia.. Way far.
Night came by when Necklace made it. She double checked to make sure no one was missing. Sure enough no one was. She did a good job.
Like always.
Thanks to Wire and his buddy Pillar. She didn't loose anyone.
Such a blessing to have weird spiders.
Who are also crazy.
"You made it back!" Said Necklace's friend. Whose a green mantis. "I'm glad you're okay princess."
"I'm fine Bun. So is everyone else."
Bun the mantis smiled.
She and Necklace are the best of best.
No one knows Necklace like Bun. And vice versa.
Since child hood they became friends.
And they still are friends.
Even though they are dear friends. They both have their differences.
For instance. Bun is in falling for a mantis.
Necklace is falling for a spider.
Bun hates spiders.
Necklace loves spiders.
Despite the defect they have.
They are friends.
Bun doesn't know though.
That Necklace is falling for a spider and that she loves spiders.
"I have something to share with you Necklace."
"On?"
"Our ancient history. It's crazy! Like a bad crazy."
"I'm listening."
Bun smiled and gestured her to follow her inside her leaf house. Professionally made by her and her family. Bun and her family are craftsmen. Carpenters of leaves that build houses for others.
Bun built Necklace's house.
Best house she ever spent her time on. That's what she says to herself.
"So along time ago. Back when the animals of Zootopia were savages and not civilized. Our species lived in trees and didn't build huts. We shared trees and marked our territories on what ever we need."
Necklace loves Bun's stories. Stories about herself, child hood memories and rants about what ever mess they decide to talk about.
"How do we know if a mantis marked a territory?"
Bun thought about it and elaborated. "When they cause something big enough for the animals to see. That's how. Well we as the mantis species. We didn't come up with that idea of marking territories. We took it from something else. I don't know what. Windlor
doesn't talk about it. That's because he doesn't know either. But Necklace. He's sooo desperate to know. If someone or something could tell him. He'd grant them full access to what ever they want."
Necklace tuned herself in. "I can see why. Usually we find our own ways of living. Being influenced is one way we don't live."
Bun nodded. "Yeah and oh! What I wanted to share with you. That I find really disturbing is that when a guy and girl mantis get married and stuff. Umm.."
Bun leaned into Necklace's narrow antennas.
"The female chops his head off."
"What?!" Necklace yelled, disturbed. "Are you serious?!"
"Shhh! Quiet. And yes I'm being serious. Some mantis generations ago stopped it though. So thank goodness. I just wanted to share that with you. That's it."
Necklace shook her head with a neat expression. "You're weird Bun."
"And you're crazy Necklace."
"How so?"
"For being yourself. You're true you like no one else."
Necklace beamed a smile and said her good bye and made ways to her home. Alone in a house she doesn't call home.
Necklace believes that the word home is different from house.
Because a house is a place where you live.
A home is where you belong.
Necklace has a house in Whisper Willows. Where all the mantis species live. And she has a home.
Which is Wire. Where she belongs too.
In his hold and in his care.
He's full of confidence. And that's enough to say he is home.
