UPDATE TIME! No, I'm kidding. LOL. No more of that I promise. :)
Seriously though, before anything else, I want to apologize to you guys for that whole confusion I might have caused you all with the convoluted updates. It wasn't my intention. I just wanted to let you guys know that I haven't abandoned the story, that I haven't gotten sick again, and that I was working on the chapters. Unfortunately in my attempt to not leave you guys wondering, I ended up giving you guys false hope with dates I couldn't meet due to personal reasons. So for that, I sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart. Believe me, I enjoy writing these chapters and I enjoy them even more knowing you guys look forward to reading them. You guys are what makes posting these chapters fun, so for your sake I won't post updates anymore because I know they can get confusing and mislead you guys into thinking that I've actually updated a chapter.
IF, I ever post update chapters in the future, I'll now only use them to inform you guys of important things, like if (God forbid) I ever have to abandon a story, if I have to go on hiatus for a while, etc. You know, things of that nature.
So, I once again apologize and thank you guys for sticking by me. To Draco Tyrannus, Guest, Blue Tagg, Papercut, and Birks, I want to thank you guys for the kind words and advice. You're the best! :D
Anyway, I'm sure I've kept you guys enough from the chapter, so how about we get to what you've all been waiting for? I wrote this in-between chapter, because many of you were wondering what was going on with the Hopps family since Chapter 5…...and let me tell you it's not pretty. The events of this chapter take place between the same days that Nick and Judy have been getting to know each other in Chapter 6.
**WARNING: Though this fic is rated K+, this Chapter borderlines a T rating for detailed descriptions of torture. Reader discretion is advised.
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Chapter 6.5: Torture
The harsh winter winds pierce through the dreary woods, sending a vicious flurry of snow in Stu's direction, blinding his way and covering every follicle of fur on his face with frost. Despite the day's sun, he holds a lit lantern ahead of him to light his path through the heavy current of white flakes. In his other paw, he carries a map of the woods as he continues to tread through the knee high snow.
Stu attempts to lift the map up to his face to make sure he's going in the right direction, but can't seem to view it without it constantly striking him against the face due to the blowing wind. "Darn it!" he grunts in annoyance. Stu lifts the lantern higher, squinting his eyes and looking ahead until he spots a nearby tree in his line of sight. He heads to it.
Once reaching it, he rests his back against it, using it as a shield against the wind so he can view the map in peace. "O-Okay, s-so I'm here. N-No, wait…" he trembles slightly due to the cold. Stu lifts the map closer to the light, attempting to re-route himself.
Just then - just as he's trying to re-locate himself, a harsh wind blows strongly past the tree, ripping the map from his grip. "No! No-No-No-No!" Stu jumps up, struggling to grab the map, but it's too late. The map ventures off with the heavy wind.
Another heavy blow of the winds causes Stu to take cover with his free arm as he shivers from the freezing current. "Cuh! Cuh! Cuh! Cuh-uh! Agh-hu!" The bitter cold, forces Stu to cough uncontrollably with a heavy wheeze. It takes him about a minute to seize his cough attack.
He hates to admit it, but deep down he knows he can't continue on like this. The winds are getting harsher and his cough is growing worse. If he truly wishes to continue on his long arduous journey, then he must at least seek shelter for the remainder of the storm.
Stu looks to his right and spots what appears to be the entrance of a small cave. It's almost completely buried in the snow, but it's better than nothing, Stu supposes. He trods his nearly frozen feet through the snow, making his way to the cave.
Letting out a few more coughs, Stu sits in the cave setting the lantern down before him, using the warmth emanating from the small fire to keep himself warm. He rubs his paws together, then brings them to his face to blow his breath on them. Stu removes his musket and bag from his back and shoulder to pull out a blanket from the bag. He covers himself, digging back into his bag for something to eat. "Great," he mutters disappointed, realizing that he's already eaten all his food.
He sits in silence for a moment, focusing only on the low crackling of the small flame before him.
Staring at the flame, he can't help but remember about the event that started all this - the reason why his daughter now rots in a dark freezing cell - if he hadn't ever set foot in that cursed castle and sat in that chair to be discovered by that monstrous savage fox…...then maybe his little girl would still be at home. Safe and sound, possibly entertaining her younger siblings by reading them a good book.
Stu pulls out a rather large pocket watch from inside his coat. Inside it, he carries a small portrait of his family. He stares at the picture of his beloved family with tender eyes. His gaze then shifts to focus entirely on Judith - her bright purple eyes and her cheery smile practically popping out of the painting. How she managed to stay smiling for that long while the painter painted them, he'll never know! But, that's Judith for ya! She somehow always manages to make the best out of a bad situation. Stu manages to release a light, happy little chuckle.
After staring at the picture for a little longer, Stu glances back out at the snowstorm brewing outside. It's getting worse. He looks back at Judith in the picture. His brow furrows with a determined look in his eye, "Don't you worry sweetheart. You just have to hang tight for a little longer. Before you know it, I'll be there to save you from that monstrous fox and I'll get you back home to your mother and siblings. Even if I have to die tryin'." A shuddering breeze manages to blow into the cave, causing Stu to shiver and cough a little. He looks back out at the furious storm outside that's keeping him from rescuing his daughter. Stu sighs helplessly, "I just hope your mother and the kids are holdin' up better than we are."
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Pierre stares up at the navy blue surface above him. All around his body he feels a numbing, burning sensation. A feeling as if he's just been stabbed a thousand times over - It's suffocating! - It's all literally suffocating him. The only thing that makes this feeling worse is the familiar, blue eyed menace watching him from above. That terrifying, heartless smirk coming in through waves.
Jack Savage speaks to someone Pierre can't see from his current position. The hare's voice enters through the waves, but comes in more as a mumbled echo to the submerged young rabbit. The one thing that he does manage to understand from the demonic blue eyed hare's mumbled exchange with the unseen mammal is a paw signaling up.
Just as he sees that, Pierre is risen up. A flurry of bubbles emanates from his mouth, blinding his vision as he gasps desperately for air - his lungs aching with every straggled breath he takes. The young rabbit coughs mercilessly while his small body trembles wildly after being risen from the deadly ice bath he was just in. Pierre wishes to be able to beat his chest so he may seize his coughing, but if dipping him into an ice bath wasn't enough for the heartless hare, he's also made sure the young rabbit be restrained in a straight jacket and strapped onto the dipping chair.
"So, are you ready to talk now?" Jack casually asks the near frozen young rabbit.
The trembling boy slowly moves his head to face the hare, bits of ice drip down from his fur. He says nothing.
"Well?"
Pierre tremors some more before he finally responds with a rasp, "...I-I...h-h-have...n-noth-nothing to-to...say to you…" He continues huffing weak breaths between chattering teeth.
"Oh you don't? That's too bad. I had hoped this last dip would've been the one to finally break you." Jack sighs, disappointingly, "It pains me to keep doing this to you. It truly does." Pierre glares at him, seeing through the hare's lie. "But it's the only way to save your sanity. You wouldn't want the entire town to think my brother-in-law is insane, would you?"
"Shut up!" Pierre's voice pitches high with a croak, "I-I'm...n-n-not…y-your-"
"Enough! You're beginning to sound like a stuttering sloth with all those incessant pauses." Jack walks over to the unseen mammal, who turns out to be Bellwether. "How many more dips do you think he can handle before he succumbs to hypothermia?"
"Given that he can still respond to your questions, I'd say he can handle a few more," Bellwether smirks wickedly.
Jack returns the smirk, "Dip him again."
Bellwether obeys and pulls down the lever, lowering Pierre back down to the icy water.
"Wai-! N-no! No-!" the boy attempts to scream, but his voice fades into a gurgle as he's dipped in yet again. He remains down there for a good thirty seconds until he's risen back up. Jack stands before the coughing and trembling kit once more.
"There now, will you be a good boy this time and answer me properly?" Pierre raises his head to meet Jack face to face, his head trembling up and down from the cold. Though not an actual or intentional 'yes', it's good enough for Jack. "Good. So, are you now ready to tell me the real truth regarding your father and sister's whereabouts?"
Pierre says nothing, he simply continues to glower at the hare.
The impatient Jack slaps Pierre hard across the face, causing the little rabbit to release a weak yelp in pain, "ANSWER ME!"
"I-I-I already...t-t-told y-you...wh-where t-they...are!" Pierre stutters back, his fighting spirit chipped a bit by the strike.
"Oh, ho, ho, right!" Jack chuckles, "They're at the savage fox's castle. Yes, of course! And I'm the tooth fairy," his sarcasm fades. Jack harshly grasps the boy's chin, forcing the young rabbit to grunt in pain and look at him square in the eyes, "YOU LISTEN TO ME YOU LYING LITTLE IGNORANT HICK! I've had just about ENOUGH of that ridiculous savage fox nonsense! There is no such thing! And the more you continue to go on about with that stupid bumpkin folktale, then the more you and your family will SUFFER!" Jack roughly releases the boy's face. The hare brushes a paw at his ruffled fur, composing himself from his outburst, "After all, I wouldn't consider seeking the rational truth as asking for much. You're the one who's making this difficult on himself. You have a strong will and I respect that. It's quite the admirable quality. A quality you share with my beloved Judith. Strong, yet so stupidly stubborn. Must be a trait inherited by your mother." Jack smirks wickedly, "Speaking of which, you can't imagine how much trouble I had getting her to talk."
Pierre's eyes widen while his heart sinks, "M-My mother?"
"Oh? Did I forget to tell you?" Jack chuckles with a sinister smirk, "How careless of me. Yes. I had your mother in here yesterday. She's quite the strong rabbit. Much like you she wouldn't submit to a few painful dips in ice water. But she did at last give in when I brought up her precious children." Jack mockingly pinches a stunned Pierre's cheek.
Pierre says nothing. This dark revelation keeps his brain dulled and numb. The image of his beloved mother in his same position, helpless to fight back. Him helpless to help her, having failed to keep his word to his father and protect her and his younger siblings. It's enough to draw a couple of tears from his eyes.
"Mothers are a curious thing aren't they? They can be the strongest creatures on the face of the Earth, yet the moment you threaten their children…" he laughs, "You can get them to do anything. Say anything. So long as you don't hurt her precious babies. Which is why I wonder if your mother was truly telling me the truth when she spoke about your father and sister's whereabouts. Let's ask her shall we?" Jack snaps his fingers, gaining the attention of one of the ram guards by the door to the adjacent room, "Oh Wooly? Would you please escort Madame Hopps in here?" The ram nods and complies.
Wooly enters the other room and brings out a shackled Bonnie, practically dragging her into the room. Bonnie's ears immediately drop in dread once she spots her bound son, "Pierre?"
"Mama?" Pierre utters, a mixed reaction between relief to see her alive and feeling like a small meek child, begging to be held and comforted by his mother.
"Pierre!" Bonnie attempts to run toward her son, but is kept at bay by Wooly. "What have you done to my son?! You said you wouldn't hurt my children if I told you where Stu and Judith have gone!"
"Did I?" Jack turns to her, "Silly me. I must've forgotten." Bonnie stares daggers at the lying hare, "In any case, did you really think I could trust you without first interrogating your children? I'm no fool Madame Hopps. Unlike you and your husband, I've actually had a proper education. Not only that, but given the savvy business mammal that I am…" Jack looms over Bonnie, engulfing her in his shadow, "...I know when I'm being cheated." Bonnie's nose twitches, fearful of the striped hare's soul picking glare. Has she been found out? A sudden, eerily calm smile creeps up at the corner of Jack's mouth. "But! Since you are my future mother-in-law, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I will give you the opportunity to prove your honesty, provided your son admits that your husband's insanity caused him to fabricate that preposterous story about the savage fox and that he admits that your story is the one and true absolute truth. So... Madame Hopps, if you would. Tell your son what you told me yesterday. Remind him where his father and sister really are."
Bonnie can't believe how much the hare is asking of them. Fearful for her child's well being, she feels she's left with no other recourse, but to do as Jack asks of her. She turns to Pierre with distraught eyes. "Pierre...sweetheart…" Bonnie's voice trembles, feeling each new word eating away at her soul, "Your father...never actually saw a savage fox. He was on his way to the fair….remember? He took a regular sized carrot, and...lost the competition." Pierre raises a confused eyebrow at his mother's words. His father didn't take a small carrot. Nor did he ever lose the competition. Heck, he didn't even make it to the fair! Is this really the cover story she was forced to create to preserve their safety? Bonnie continues, "Philippe came back and told us that your father became so distraught…" Bonnie swallows a lump in her throat, "...Losing the competition took a serious toll on him...a-and he began…" a heart wrenching tear runs down her cheek, "...going mad..." Bonnie hiccups a sob. She clears her throat, struggling to remain strong for her child, "He began talking about giant carrots and giant foxes. And then Philippe said your father ran away aimlessly into the woods. When Philippe came home and realized your father never made it home, he and Judith went out looking for him and...and…" Bonnie's voice chokes again, "...your father did come back…" more tears runs down her cheeks, "...but he came back raving...raving about a savage fox." Bonnie's eyes fill to the brim with tears. She wipes them away. "After that he ran back into the woods...remember? But your sister and Philippe should bring him back home soon." The mother rabbit sniffles, fighting the urge to break down from the painful series of lies she has just been forced to tell her son.
"So...what you're saying Madame Hopps, is that your husband made up the whole savage fox story?"
Bonnie looks at Jack, then to her bound son, "...Y-Yes," Bonnie replies hesitantly with a churn in her stomach.
"Mom!" Pierre croaks. Unable to believe that his mother actually just called his father insane.
Jack returns his attention back to the boy, "Oh? I take it you don't agree with your mother, then?"
"Pierre please!" Bonnie begs desperately of her son.
"Now, now Madame Hopps. You've had your turn. Let's hear what young Pierre has to say." Jack once more stands face to face with the young rabbit, "Tell me boy, is all your mother just said true? Or do you still firmly believe that Judith was kidnapped by a giant fox-beast and your father has wandered off into the woods in a pathetic attempt to rescue her?"
Pierre doesn't know what to say. He turns to look at his mother and her broken hearted expression. Her tear stained face is enough to make Pierre's blood boil as he feels pure, unadulterated hatred for the hare responsible for making his mother cry. For her sake, he feels that it might be best to go with his mother's lie and save himself from another dip in the icy water. But on the other paw, he just can't give Jack what he wants and call his father insane! Not after all he's done to his family!
"Have you nothing to say, boy?" Jack questions him again.
It's a difficult choice, but Pierre hardens his heart, ready to bring the worst upon himself. He locks eyes with Jack, fully decided on his stance, "No! My m-mother can b-believe that story if she wants, but I won't! M-My father is not insane! There is a savage fox and P-Papa's gonna save Judith from it and b-bring back it's pelt as proof, s-so even you can see that he's not lying!" Jack scowls at the kit.
"Pierre no!" Bonnie yells desperately, fearing for her son, "Monsieur Savage, please don't listen to him! Everything I told you was the truth. Pierre doesn't know what he's saying! He just wants to defend his father that's all!
"Is that so?" Jack asks, never removing his hate filled gaze from Pierre. "I wish to believe you Madame Hopps. Your story does sound more sane than what your loony husband and son believe-"
"My father is not insane!" Pierre retorts back.
"SILENCE!" Jack growls with a back-paw slap at Pierre's face, busting the kit's lip.
"No! Pierre please stop going against him! Just say that what I said is true!" Bonnie begs of her son.
"I won't!" Pierre yells back, standing by his beliefs, "After all he's d-done to you! After all he's d-done to us! I'm n-not giving him what he wants! I don't c-care what he does to me! He c-can beat me! He can g-go ahead and f-freeze me! But I won't ever call Papa a liar! Not w-when a real liar is s-standing right in front of me!"
"Why you little…" Jack grumbles beneath his breath, clenching his fists and teeth in anger. His nostrils flare, "Fine! If that's what you want, then I'll give you what you want." He turns to the sheep at the lever, "Bellwether! Lower him! Until there's not a breath left in him."
"NO!" Bonnie cries, while Bellwether gladly complies.
Pierre goes back down into the water, taking in as many deep breaths as he can before he's submerged.
"PIERRE!" Bonnie attempts to run toward her son, but is held back by Wooly, "No! NO! Monsieur Savage please! Don't do this! He's just a boy!"
"I'm sorry Madame Hopps, but he's made his choice. Now he must live with it...or not" Jack chuckles, finding his own joke amusing.
Bonnie desperately looks toward the pool, where her son is submerged. Drowning. Freezing. Her heart aches as overflowing tears blur her vision. "Please I'm telling you the truth about my husband and daughter! They'll be back in a few days! I swear! Just please spare my son! I'M BEGGING YOU!"
"Hmm..." Jack ponders, wondering if he should listen to her. "No. I rather much enjoy seeing your brat squirm."
Bonnie realizes that he's not kidding, even she now can see and hear very subtle, but desperate movements in the water. Clearly, her son is drowning.
"My baby…!" she utters helplessly beneath her breath as she witnesses her child dying in front of her. The mother rabbit can't take it anymore, she falls to her knees, dropping her shackled paws to the ground in defeat, "Monsieur Savage please! I'LL DO ANYTHING YOU WANT! I'll call my husband insane if you want! I'll convince all my children that there was never a savage fox! JUST PLEASE! PLEASE! LET HIM GO! I'LL DO ANYTHING!" Her voice weakens and breaks entirely. Repeating the last phrase over and over again. Her breath hitches, "I'll do anything!...I'll do anything!"
The offer entices Jack, "Anything?"
"Yes! Just PLEASE let him out of there!"
Jack smiles a victorious smile as he waves a paw upward, signaling to Bellwether to lift Pierre. Bellwether pulls the lever up, rising the young rabbit from the water.
Pierre spits out a mouth full of water and takes various HUGE and DESPERATE GASPS of air. He coughs mercilessly as he trembles worse than an earthquake. "Consider yourself lucky boy. Your mother just saved your life." Jack mockingly taps the boy's face before heading over to the mother rabbit. "Now Madame Hopps, regarding your offer, you said you're willing to name your husband insane and convince your entire family that there never was a savage fox, correct?"
"Yes, just please...don't hurt my children anymore," Bonnie continues to cry as she remains on the ground, bargaining with the hare.
"Very well then, on your behalf I will stop torturing your children, provided that you keep to everything you just said and...that you take back your former rejection of my proposal and give me your blessing to wed Judith."
"What? Monsieur Savage please, I can't-"
"You said you'd do anything, didn't you?" interrupts the confident hare.
Bonnie's lip quivers, uncertain of what to say. This hare just won't let up! Regardless of her answer, she'll be sacrificing at least one of her children - one to death, and the other...bounding her for the rest of her life to a psychotic hare!
"Well? What say you Madame Hopps? Can I count on my future mother-in-law's blessing? Or will you stand your ground…" Jack gestures a paw toward Pierre, "...and let your son die? All to preserve your stupid pride."
"Mama…" Pierre croaks near inaudibly with a heavy rasp. Bonnie sees that the cold is finally getting to him. It appears the near death experience has almost entirely faded whatever foolish bravery the boy just had. Fear riddled in his eyes. Seeing her normally brave son in such a pathetic state…...it's enough to increase the flow of tears emanating from her eyes.
"I'm waiting for your answer Madame Hopps…" Jack taps his foot impatiently.
Bonnie looks to Pierre one more time. She sees that, despite his greatly weakened state, a twinge of bravery manages to return to his eyes as he very slowly shakes his head and inaudibly says, 'no'. Telling his mother in that one gesture to not give in. Bonnie gasps quietly, amazed by her son's strength. He'd really rather die than to have his sister married to Jack.
Jack breaks Bonnie from her thoughts when he speaks once again, "If you insist on leaving me without an answer, then I suppose I should take matters into my own paws. Lower hi-"
"WAIT!" Bonnie cries out, the chains at her wrists rattling as she extends a desperate paw forward, "Please don't kill my son!" she hunches back down, speaking with a low, defeated tone, "I…. I give you my blessing," she sniffles, "I give you my blessing to wed Judith. Just please leave my children alone."
"Mom…" Pierre utters weakly in disbelief.
Jack on the other paw, smiles victoriously, "Wonderful! I promise you Madame Hopps, you won't be disappointed. You've just made the best deal of your life, delivering Judith to me. The richest, most handsome mammal she could have ever asked for, for a husband. I'm certain she'll be quite grateful to you."
Bonnie brings her paws to her wet eyes, feeling completely ashamed of herself for what she's just done. She submits to her crying, no longer restraining herself from her emotions.
An elated Jack makes his way back to Pierre. He again, grabs the boy's chin in a tight grip, "Isn't it grand Pierre? We're going to be brothers you and I." Pierre scowls at the hare as best as he can. "Oh? You don't like that?" Pierre huffs angrily between his tightened cheeks. Wanting to snap at Jack and tell him exactly how much he loathes him and the idea of his poor sister having to marry him, but his aching vocal chords prevent him from doing so. "That's a shame. I was hoping on having all of my future family's blessings before I marry Judith. Including yours. But don't you worry, you may not like me now, but you'll warm up to me sooner or later. Perhaps another dip in the pool may change your mind?" Bonnie seizes her crying to look up. "No. That's too simple. You won't give me your blessing like that, will you? No, I imagine you must be like your mother and break only when someone you love is in danger. Should I dip her in this pool until you break like she did?" Pierre's eyes widen in fear. Jack chuckles at the boy's frightened expression. The wicked hare playfully shoves the boy's face away. "No. I don't think I'll do that either. You need greater incentive if I'm ever going to get your blessing to wed your sister." Jack turns to Bellwether. "Oh Bellwether! What's the name of the youngest Hopps child?"
Pierre releases a raspy gasp.
"The youngest Hopps child?" Bellwether picks up a nearby book containing the names of all the mentally ill in her asylum. She licks a finger and casually flips through the pages, "Hmm, let's see. Hopps, Hopps…"
"Jack! We made a deal! You said you wouldn't hurt my kids if I let you marry Judith!"
"Indeed we did Madame Hopps, but if you recall I said I wouldn't torture them on your behalf. I never promised I wouldn't torture them on Pierre's behalf, nor on your other children's for that matter."
Bonnie's at a loss for words, "H-How could you be so cruel? How can ever expect Judith to ever love you when you're torturing her family like this?! Now I know why she always seemed so disgusted by you, you heartless, irrational-!"
"Enough! Do you want me to take back my word and drown your son here before you?!"
Bonnie quiets down, but her hatred stays the same.
"Oh! Here it is!" Bellwether speaks up. "Julie Hopps. Second born in a litter of two. Age three."
"Three? That's awfully young. Do you think a child of that age can resist the pool? Or do you think death would be instantaneous for her?"
Bonnie shakes her head, "No. No, no, no! You leave my daugh-mmf!" Wooly covers her mouth.
Bellwether takes a moment to think, "I don't know. I've never tried it on a child that young. Let alone on a mammal that small. Maybe we can find out through her."
"No-O!" Pierre's voice strains.
"Oh, look! You can still speak." Jack mocks, "That's good. I still need to hear your consent, after all."
"D-Don't...h-hurt...J-Julie...…...I…I-" Pierre attempts to speak but Jack cuts him off, covering the boy's mouth to ensure his silence,
"Ah, ah, ah, ah! I don't want to hear your answer yet. Not after all the trouble you've given me today. No. The way you are boy, I don't doubt you'll consent at the moment but come tomorrow, what's to stop you from changing your mind when your sister is all safe and sound? There's no guarantee in that. So, you want to know what I'm going to do? I'm going to have you sit here every day, not in the pool, but right here!" Jack points down at the floor where he's standing, "Right in front of it. And every day, I'm going to have one or two of your siblings sit where you are now...and you're going to have to watch each and every one of them suffer! The way your mother had to watch you suffer. And any time you make an attempt to give me a false blessing, your mouth will be bound so you can't utter a sound." Pierre muffles what Jack can only deduce is an angry, yet helpless 'no' as a tear runs down his cheek. Jack chuckles at the boy's broken state, "Oh, yes. And know that it won't stop, until the idea of my marrying Judith is ingrained positively in your head! Which given your mother's story…" Jack looks toward Bonnie, who also appears to be crying as helplessly as Pierre. "...should give us plenty of days to play until my beloved returns with your lunatic father." Jack releases Pierre's mouth, "Now if you'll excuse me, I must head home to see if Duke has returned with any news. If he hasn't, then I'm sure we both know what awaits you tomorrow." Jack makes his way toward the room's exit, setting a paw on the knob. He takes one step out, but then glances back at the crying yet glowering bunny. "Bellwether?"
"Yes, Monsieur Savage?" responds the sheep.
"Be a dear and dip him in once more or until he loses consciousness for me will you? I don't like that nasty look he's giving me."
"As you command, Monsieur."
"Mmn-No!" Bonnie shouts, breaking her mouth free from Wooly's hoof, "Leave him alone! Haven't you done enough to my son?! Won't you already do enough damage to my children?! And I'm still here! You'll be breaking your promise to me again by dipping him in another time!"
"You're right Madame Hopps, do forgive me. Wooly, will you please return my mother-in-law to her cell so Bellwether can dip the boy?"
Wooly nods and begins pulling Bonnie away from the area. "Wha-? No! NO! This isn't what I meant! Monsieur Savage please stop this!" Bellwether pulls the lever down, lowering Pierre back into the pool as Bonnie continues to struggle and scream, "Pierre!"
"Mama!" Pierre calls back hoarsely.
"Pierre!"
"Ma-!" Pierre gargles going back down into the deathly cold water.
"NO!" Bonnie grips the doorframe, refusing to be taken away, "Monsieur Savage! PLEASE! You'll kill him!"
"No need to fear Madame Hopps! Bellwether knows what she's doing!" Jack winks at Bellwether, causing the sheep to blush and wave a shy hoof. With one last proud smirk, Jack exits the room, "Good day, Madame Hopps!"
Wooly removes Bonnie's paws from the doorway dragging her away. "No! NO! Pierre!"
Despite him having stepped out, Jack can still hear Bonnie's desperate cries echoing down the asylum's halls. Her screams blending in beautifully with the frightening wails of the mentally ill.
"Pierre! Pierre!"
It's music to his ears.
"PIERRE!"
