Not sure how I feel about this chapter... Currently in a love/hate relationship with it. Love it at the moment, will undoubtedly hate it once it's been posted. Anyway...
REVIEWS!
Combat Engineer: There's a part of me that worry's I add too many references... And the another part that hears this, looks at the story, and laughs... and laughs... and laughs...
Fox in the hen house: Well then, dear reader, you are obviously not a true ARTEEST! (One benefit of having two years of visual arts education: I got to see artists at their best and at their worst. Guess which ones I channeled for that chapter?) And me? A shipper? I am insulted, dear reader, INSULTED I SAY!
ON TO THE STORY!
"Should any here today have reason why these two should not be wed, speak now, or forever hold your peace."
"WAIT!"
Judy, her groom-to-be, and all of their guests gasped as the doors to the chapel were flung wide, booming as they rebounded against the stone walls. Turning to face the interloper, Judy's gaze settled on the form of a fox, illuminated from the light outside. From the way he was gasping, he must have run quite some distance.
Paws on his knees as he gulped in deep breathes of air, Gideon Grey shrunk in on himself upon seeing the combined gazes of several hundred rabbits and the entire ZPD Precinct One turned upon him. "Ah... There's, uh, been an accident on the highway. Cake won't make it to the reception for at least an hour."
Turning to her partner on the dais, Judy grinned at the emerald gaze which met her own. "What do you think, Mr. Wilde, should we wait for the cake?"
Grinning down at his bunny, Nick shook his head. "You're the only sweet thing I need in my life, Mrs. Wilde."
Judy bashfully dropped her gaze at the unexpected flattery, foot worrying at the carpet. A smirk grew on her lips, however, as she looked back up at the fox. "It's got blueberry icing, though."
Eyes growing wide at the realization, Nick turned to the chaplain. "STOP THE WEDDING!"
WRONG STORY! Seriously, I have no idea where these things keep coming from...
Over the course of the young doe's life, Judy had had many moments which she'd describe as 'awkward'. Choking on a piece of cake at her twelfth birthday party? Awkward. Messing up in a show in front of the entire school? Definitely awkward. That reoccurring dream where she was at the beach with all the coworkers she'd ever had, naked? Oh, so very awkward.
And yet, somehow, she was certain that the lunch with Bovine's crowd topped the list.
To start off with, her dress had been quite noticeably torn, bordering on destroyed. Next, Bovine was apparently very particular about seating arrangements, with seats and settings arrayed from smallest mammal to largest around the table. It was thanks to this fact that the doe found herself wedged between the companionable-if-reclusive Sonja and Colin, who throughout the meal had difficulty keeping his paws to himself, while only ever addressing her as 'his muse'. Directly across from her was, of course, Carley, who either dispassionately put down her fellow artists, glared at Judy, or leaned in as close to Nick as she could. Fortunately for the doe, Carley and Colin seemed to have an ongoing rivalry, leading the pair to focus a considerable portion of their attentions on one another and their verbal duels, which more often than not led to the pair of them sulking in bitter silence. In the company of his fellow artists, Robert at least made an effort to be sociable, but the only real saving grace for the meal that Judy could find was their host's recounting numerous tales of Nick's theatrical debuts, much to said fox's dismay.
Her relief at the meal's closure was short lived, unfortunately. The meal ran late, meaning that despite the rabbit's sprinting and record-breaking costume change, she was late for the band's dinner rehearsal. Normally, such an act would have been excusable, especially since Judy had never been late before, but apparently, Cam's anger issues had been flaring up again, leading to a great deal of stress amongst the other members of the band. Leo had snapped at Judy for her tardiness, and in turn Mac had snarled at Leo in Judy's defense. Cam had tried to storm out of the room, only to be turned on by Mac. It took the combined efforts of Leo and the normally apathetic Matt to separate the wolves, and by the time everyone had settled down enough to get in any practice, it was time for the band to appear on stage.
And so it was that Judy found herself once again under the spotlights on stage, singing her heart out with a smile plastered on her face, hoping she didn't look nearly as frazzled as she felt. Supressing a sigh as the song ended, Judy briefly stepped out from under the spotlight, ducking into the wings to take a quick sip of water. Out of the blinding glare of the lights, she cast her gaze over the mingling crowd; with only a few seconds between songs, she couldn't make out too much, but most of their suspects were once again there. Nick, Neyla, and Connor were sharing a table, while Carmelita looked a bit forlorn with the absence of the raccoon Judy was certain was Sly. The elderly schnauzer was also missing, his usual spots at Carmelita's table and the bar conspicuously empty, leaving the turtle tending bar appearing rather distracted. She could see neither Preysing, Concol, nor Neer, but didn't have time to actively seek them out; her short break concluded, she forced her mouth into a smile, once more squinting as the glaring lights from above concealed the audience.
The band had made it halfway through their next song before Judy's ears twitched. Singing on stage with a live band playing behind her and the dinnertime chatter of the evening crowd before her, one could excuse the petite rabbit for not hearing the disturbance, but with her lifelong determination to protect and serve the mammal populous around her, Judy had long ago learned to notice what others might miss. Squinting through the lights, at first, she couldn't see anything out of place. As her ears centered on what had first caught her attention, though, she saw something off. Everywhere throughout the room mammals conversed, dined, drank, and had a good time… except for the bar. Everyone there had gone oddly still and quiet, creating the bubble of silence that Judy had noticed. Most were standing still, looking towards the door leading back into the kitchen, some were backing away, except for the bartender, who was wheeling his chair closer.
And then the door exploded.
A several ton hippo barreled through the thin wooden partition, rendering the once sturdy material little more than kindling. Patrons and staff alike cried out in surprise and pain as they were pelted with the splintery shrapnel. From her position on stage, Judy couldn't hear what the bartender said as he tried to talk the hippo down, but she could easily hear the hippo's response of 'No! I've had enough!' as he backhanded the turtle from his chair. Turning his gaze over the startled masses before him, the tubby pink hippo's glare intensified as it focussed on the shocked vixen just getting up from her seat. "You!" He bellowed, smashing his foot against the floor.
Cries of shock rang out from across the ballroom as most of the patrons found themselves thrown up in the air, flailing as they remained suspended mid-air amidst the similarly affected furniture. The hippo ignored them as he charged the stunned Inspector, his path now considerably cleared. The fox in question had managed to shake off her confusion, narrowly leaping out of the way of the rampaging hippo.
For all of his bulk, the server had surprisingly quick reflexes, managing to curtail his charge before he hit the opposite wall. Quicker than anyone would have suspected, he turned around to once more face off against the vixen. Pawing at the ground, he was about to attack again when his attention was sidetracked by a whip cracking across the side of his face. Switching his fierce gaze to the weapon-wielding constable, the hippo snorted before charging.
"Oh, bollocks," Neyla uttered as the pink freight-train of a hippo bore down on her. While nowhere near as agile as the Inspector, Neyla's reflexes were still quick, a trait passed down to her by her feline heritage, allowing her to mostly avoid the enraged staff's swinging fist. Mostly being the optimal word, as the hippo's fist managed to clip the constables shoulder, sending the feline yowling across the ballroom.
The server roared as a ball of flame washed over him, turning his fury on the ocelot with the fire-shrouded fist. "That's no way to treat a lady," Connor chided as his hand flared, the noble balancing on the balls of his feet as he prepared to toss another fiery blast at his opponent. His smirk grew as the enraged hippo roared, approaching. With an uncanny grace, the feline weaved about the hippo's swinging fists, occasionally leaping back to throw another ball of flame at him. "Come on, old sport, is that the best you've got?"
Apparently not, as the hulking pink combatant stomped the ground again. Unlike his first undoubtedly plasmid charged stomp, this one showcased the hippo's sheer strength, knocking the startled noble into the air as well as sending out shockwaves through the floor, rattling cutlery and glasses off of nearby tables and even rippling far enough to set the piano keys jangling. With his opponent caught unprepared for such an assault, the hippo had no difficulty snagging him out of the air and hurling the ocelot at Neyla, the constable herself barely recovered from her initial assault.
A savage snarl from behind snapped Judy out of the trance she'd found herself in, watching the fight before her. A projectile of grey fur flew past her, the vested wolf latching onto the back of the hippo.
"Damn it, Cam!" With a frustrated growl, Leo leapt off the stage, closely followed by Mac as they went to their bandmate's aid. Cam, for his part, remained latched on to the back of the hippo's neck as the larger mammal roared in pain and anger, straining but unable to reach the canine on his back.
Where's security? Squinting against the lights, Judy could barely make out the forms at the far side of the room, but from what she could see, Nick, Carmelita, and 'Barrelsmith', who'd arrived from who-knows-where, were doing their best to evacuate the dining room, the males ushering the droves of panicked mammals from the room while the Inspector attempted to pull those affected by the hippo's stomp from the air. Judging by the mass of mammal flesh at the doors, Judy doubted that Carmelita's security forces would be coming through there any time soon, and the smoke billowing from the kitchen likewise ruled out that route.
With a startled 'Eep!' Judy ducked, narrowly avoiding the impromptu black-furred projectile which was the band's percussionist. The wolf rolled to a stop in a crumpled heap, groaning as he struggled to get to his feet. In an instant, Judy was by his side, the wolf resting an uncomfortable amount of weight on her shoulder. "What can I do to help?"
"I don't think you can."
Judy glared at the wolf as he staggered forward. "I'm not just some dumb bunny, Mac; I can handle myself."
The dark wolf shook his head, briefly grimacing at the action as he held a paw to his temple. "I know that; I remember the fight with Alex. But this," his paw swept over the foray, "Isn't the same. Matt! Drop the bass already and help!"
Looking back to the room, Judy couldn't help but see the reasoning behind the wolf's words. It didn't mean she liked it, but it was there; the hippo was still facing off against Leo and Cam, as well as Connor and Neyla now that the pair had disentangled themselves. Despite the sheer numbers against him, though, the hippo wasn't only holding his own, but seemed to be gaining the upper hand as he finally managed to grab hold of the other wolf, tossing him away with contemptuous ease.
Turning back to Mac, Judy hissed, shielding her eyes at finding not the wolf but instead the blinding light of the spotlights once more. I can barely see a thing with these things!
Judy blinked.
She looked up.
She looked in front of her.
She looked to both sides, and not finding what she was looking for, frowned, and then looked slightly further back. What she found was…
Stupid. The bunny chided herself as she bounded off the stage.
This is so stupid, she thought as she darted to one of the now vacant tables, swiping up a knife as she passed by.
This is never going to work, she was certain that her plan would end in failure as she clambered back on stage, dashing into the wings.
This isn't some story, Judy, this will probably end with either your death or humiliation, she pondered as she sawed at a rope. However, she ignored the nagging doubts of her mind as the fibres of the rope gave way beneath the serrated blade, the doe hanging on above the cut as the rope unravelled. With a loud snap, the rest of the rope gave way, separating from the cleat in the wall.
With startling speed, the curtain fell, blocking the stage from view for the rest of the room. With an equal speed, the rope snapped up towards the ceiling, the miniscule weight of a bunny doing nothing to halt its progress. Judy's arm felt like it was going to be torn from its socket, but the doe held on tight, eyes watering as she swung her weight.
Three… two… one…The doe released the rope moments before it tore through the pulley at its peak. A sensation similar to that she'd had on the Jackalope came over her – she felt weightless, the world slowing down around her as she floated through the air.
And then she slammed into the gantry.
As the air was knocked out of her, Judy scrambled with her paws to take purchase as she felt herself begin to slide down. The knife she hadn't realized was still clasped in her paw hooked through the metal slats, giving the doe the hold she needed to pull herself up fully. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Judy edged along the beam, careful not to look down. Inch by inch she crept her way along, taking deliberate care with each step she placed. After what felt like hours, but was surely only seconds, she reached her target. Drawing a gasping breath as she leaned against the spotlight, Judy finally allowed herself to look down.
The situation below had not improved. While Matt and Leo had the size and bulk to equal that of the enraged staff member's, they obviously lacked the endurance and plasmids that the hippo possessed. Judy winced as Leo took a powerful punch to the gut, the feline folding like a house of cards. Matt roared in defiance, but even the bear's mass did little more than act as a temporary distraction to the hippo. The ungulate continuously refocussed his ire on the Inspector, who had since joined the fight. Nick, Mac, Cam, and 'Barrelsmith' were all out of the bunny's view for the moment, but when a familiar raccoon came bursting from the kitchen, dragging a semi-conscious elk chef with him, she had a good idea where the others had disappeared off to.
"Hey, Tubby!" Her first attempt of a shout had come out a wheezing rasp courtesy of the bar that had slammed into her abdomen, but her second came out clearer. Even with her singer's lungs, Judy wasn't sure if the hippo would hear her, but fortunately it seemed as though his weight was a touchy subject as the hippo roared his objection.
"I'm not fat, I'm big boned!" The enraged waiter turned his head left and right, ignoring the snarling bear he held in a head lock as he peered around the room, trying to find his taunter.
"Have you ever seen a fat skeleton?" Judy countered, glad for all her time spent with Nick and his quick, cynical wit. "Up here!"
The hippo peered up into the darkened rafters as Judy swung the stage light down on him. Bellowing his disapproval, the hippo staggered back, trying to get out from under the glare of the light, but Judy kept the bright light trained on him.
"Get him!" Judy roared down to her compatriots, "While he's distracted!"
Indeed, for the first time since the brawl began, the hippo was off his stride. With only himself and everything in a three-foot radius around him brightly illuminated, the enraged combatant was effectively blind to everything and everyone else in the room. Carmelita, Neyla, and Connor barraged the beast with their attacks from range, keeping him disoriented, with Matt occasionally stepping in to deliver a powerful blow of his own. Under any other circumstances, Judy would have felt some pity for the pink mammal, but as it was she was wanting to get the fight over and done with, with as few injuries to her friends as possible.
A pain-filled yip drew Judy's attention from the fight directly beneath her. Out from behind the bar, blocked from her view before, rolled two mammals. At first, Judy couldn't make out anything of the growling ball of fur as the pair rolled across the floor, but as one managed to disentangle themselves, the doe frowned. "Nick? Cam?"
The fox in question was backing away from the wolf, paws raised and saying… Something, Judy couldn't make it out over the din of the other fight going on below. The pianist seemed disinterested in whatever her fellow detective was saying as he stalked forward on all fours, teeth bared and dripping blood and spittle. With a quickness Judy hadn't thought he had, the wolf sprung forward, teeth snapping at the air where just moments before the fox's neck had been.
Judy hesitated. She hated herself for it, but she did. Her conscience was pulling her in two places at once; one part of her told her that she needed to stay exactly where she was, that without the blinding effects of the stage-light, the hippo below would continue his rampage, with nary a care for anyone or anything between him and his target. The second part of her screamed at her to get down to the ground and help Nick in any way that she could. Cameron was her friend, yes, but whatever… that was down there wasn't Cam, and it was about to kill Nick if it could.
And so, while her mind hesitated, frozen as her ancestor's 'fight or flight' instincts overwhelmed her, Judy's body acted of its own accord. One moment, the doe was safe from any of the fighting, perched precariously high above the floor, and the next Holy shitake mushrooms the ground's getting awfully close!
Fortunately for Judy, she had something soft to cushion her fall.
Unfortunately for Cam, said cushioning device turned out to be him. With a whine, the feral pianist crumpled under the doe's momentary weight, the bunny using her momentary crash-pad as a spring-board, rolling off the rest of her fall's momentum. A snarl escaped him as the wolf staggered back to his feet, turning to face his new opponent.
"I'm sorry, Cam," Judy muttered under her breath, pulling herself to her feet. A sharp, jolting pain had her latch onto a nearby chair, the doe momentarily distracted from the wolf before her. On top of everything else that had already happened to her today, it would appear as though she'd done… something to her ankle because of the fall. Looking back up, she hobbled back a step; the wolf had recovered, and was stalking ever closer to his wounded prey. "Cam!" Judy cried out, "This isn't you! You're better than this, stronger than this!" The doe grabbed onto the edge of a table as she desperately hopped back another step, her words apparently no fazing the focussed predator. "Cam, don't do this! Fight it!"
The feral pianist was prepared to lunge forward at his prey, her scent of fear sharp in the air to his evolved sense of smell, when a sharp whistle nearby drew his attention. Turning his attention to the new threat behind him, the wolf hunkered down, snarling as his cold blue gaze caught sight of the smaller canine from earlier.
"Down, boy."
Judy winced at the sound of her former friend's whining cry, the wolf desperately shaking his head as the fur across his face burned under the fox's assault. One, two, three, balls of flame hurtled through the air between the two, only coming to a halt when the wolf fell to the ground, pawing desperately at his muzzle, singed fur and clothes smoldering across his body.
"Stay," Nick snarled as the chair in his paws smashed against the back of the wolf's skull, knocking the larger predator into the realm of unconsciousness. The fire both in the fox's emerald eyes and across the pianists' head faded, the vulpine turning to the downed lapin, his expression instantaneously shifting from a terrifyingly enraged countenance to one of utmost concern. "Did he hurt you?"
Judy shook her head, unable to tear her gaze from the mammal who, not even minutes before, she had considered one of her closest friend's in Zootopia. "That… Tha…" She held a paw to her mouth, desperately attempting to hold back her body's attempt to cleanse her stomach. Just then had her mind caught up to what her body had been doing; so many death defying feats in so short a time… She felt her world begin to collapse in on itself, only to be held together by a pair of russet-furred arms as the surrounded her.
"Shhh…" Her fox comforted her, his embrace drawing her closer to his warm core, bundling up the shaking doe and carrying her behind the bar, out of the way of the fight and away from the sight of the wolf's body. It was what Judy needed above all else at the moment; while others may seek solitude, or the comfort brought about by the numbing effects of drink, Judy was a bunny, and instinctively sought out physical comfort from those she cared for, and who cared for her. She had no clue as to how much time passed before she reclaimed her senses, but she knew that Nick was there the entire time for just her.
Looking out from behind their shelter, a small part of Judy's mind figured that she'd been lost to the physical world for less than a minute; the fight between the band, the constables, the nobles, and the hippo still raged on, but between the overwhelming numbers and how off-foot her stunt with the stage-lights had put him, the hippo was suffering. True, he was still putting up a considerable fight, but the sheer amount of time and effort which he had been putting into the fight was beginning to show. His punches were slower, he'd taken to not using his plasmid-enhanced abilities, and the ungulate's perceptive abilities were faltering, as he failed to notice the large shadow falling over him.
Mac, the only wolf still standing, had reappeared at some point during the fight, and was visibly straining. Paws poised above his head, the percussionist slowly moved his grasp forward, eyes dilated and tongue lolling out of his mouth as he panted from the effort he was putting into his contribution to the fight. Not bothering with any flashy moves or witty one liners, the black-furred canid simply released his hold, shoulders slumping and tension draining from his body as the telekinetically-held piano dropped on top of the waiter, pinning the hippo beneath its considerable weight.
Slumping against the edge of the stage, Mac slowly slid into a crumpled heap, not taking his gaze off the pinned and surprisingly only unconscious hippo before him. "Imma… Imma just sit here for now." Slumping over to his side, the wolf panted, tongue lolling out as he gulped in as much air as his lungs could grasp. "If someone could fetch a hospital, that'd be grand."
Zootopia was a large city; travel time from one district to another varied, depending on means of transport, from hours by foot, to half an hour by transit, or mere minutes by bathysphere, back when they were an available choice.
Needless to say, going from one district to another could take a while, and 'a while' was not always an option when citizens needed urgent medical attention.
Foreseeing such needs, 'Apollo's Care Medical Corporation' was founded. From personal first aid kits to nurses' stations to full blown hospitals, Apollo's Care provided for most of Zootopia's medical needs, with a bare minimum of one center per district. While the heads of the Apollo Corporation may have stated that their facilities provided the best available care for their patients for the right price, no matter their social standing, without a doubt the hospital in Hermes' Heights was their largest, with the best doctors, nurses, and equipment that money could by.
And so, when a large contingent of wounded mammals arrived from the Morpheus with injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to concussions and broken limbs, the staff at the Apollo's Care building were capable of taking in the influx of patients. They were not expecting it by any means, nor were they used to it, but they were prepared for them, even if two of them were under security supervision the entire time.
Fortunately for Judy, the doe's injuries consisted of some bruising around the abdomen and a sprained ankle; bed rest was advised, but after Judy's staunch refusal, walking with either a crutch or a cane for at least a week was advised.
Nick, on the other hand…
"The museum called. Apparently, their mummy exhibit's gone missing."
"Har, har, Fluff, you're a real comedian." The fox tried for what Judy thought was supposed to be a dignified pose, but the number of bandages and wincing it entailed made it look anything but. After several seconds of struggle, Nick gave up with a huff. "Besides, you're one to talk; you sure you're fit to walk with that? It's not too late to ask for a wheelchair."
"I'm fine, Nick."
"Or maybe a stretcher? We might need to carry you back to your room."
"Nick…"
"Heck, we shouldn't take any chances, quick! Maybe they have a free room for you!"
"Nicky."
"High profile event like this, savior of the day, might even swing an entire wing! Dedicated staff! Around the clock on call room service!"
"Little Dicky!" That finally got the fox to shut his trap, but the toothy grin remained. Shaking her head at her friend's antics, Judy cast an eye over the fox as the pair made their way through the hospital's halls. All things considered, they had come out from the ballroom brawl fairly well. Not as well as some of the combatants, to be sure, but they could have fared a lot worse; of the lot, only the Inspector, 'Sylvester' and Lord Arnway had come out better than they had – the vixen had been untouched, while the raccoon had only suffered from some slight smoke inhalation. Mac had suffered a concussion as well as a dislocated shoulder, while Matt would have to wear a neck brace for at least two months, on top of his other injuries. Leo had suffered from several fractured ribs from the hippo's assault and would be out of commission for several weeks, as opposed to Neyla, who was to remain at the hospital for at least a month. Of Cam and the hippo, Judy had received no word. On the other paw, Connor seemed in good spirits, if the way the ocelot was chatting with the nurse wheeling his chair down the hall ahead of the detectives was anything to go by.
"All I'm asking is that you think on it," the noble craned his neck back to look at the young deer, whose smile was a touch exasperated.
"If it'll make you happy, sir, fine, I'll think about it, but I make no promises."
"I can take over from here, if you'd like." The deer's smile turned to one of genuine gratitude as Nick took over her position behind the chair. "This old lump hasn't been giving you any trouble now, has he?"
"Why do you always assume I'm up to no good, Wilde? I was merely asking this fine young nurse if she'd consider working for one of the free health clinics I intend to set up."
The look the nurse gave the detectives would have rendered her own words unnecessary. "It's all he's been able to talk about for the last ten minutes."
Nick laughed, nodding as he wheeled the ocelot along, the nurse gratefully departing. "You never did learn to take 'no' for an answer, did you, Arny?"
"I prefer to think myself as being 'persistently persuasive.' Over here, over here," the noble absently waved the fox off as the trio entered the hospital lobby, standing from the chair and grimacing as he stretched his back. "If nothing else, driving her off let me out of that dreadful contraption. Honestly, why would I even need to be in it in the first place?"
"Because they know if they don't keep an eye on you at all times, half of the equipment will go missing?"
Connor shook his head, giving a long-suffering look to Judy. "Honestly, I have no idea where he gets these thoughts. Bravo to you, my dear, for putting up with him as long as you have."
"Eh," Judy wiggled a paw midair, "I've learned to tune him out most of the time."
The feline chuckled, shaking his head. "A trick that I wish I'd thought of long ago. But for now, I shall work on escaping this institution." Giving a nod farewell to the pair, Connor turned to the reception desk, nodding to Carmelita and Sylvester as he passed.
Tucking his paws in his pockets, Nick's mouth quirked as he examined the mammals about the room. "Well, today's certainly been entertaining, if nothing else, wouldn't you say, Fluff?"
Judy sighed, shaking her head. "I'm not sure if I'd say 'entertaining' or 'insane' – although 'insane' is definitely what I'd call your old teacher and his… disciples." The doe turned a concerned eye on her companion. "Tell me you were never like them."
Scoffing, Nick shook his head. "Yeah, no, what you see's what you get, and I got away from their likes as soon as I could." A moment of silence hung around the pair as Nick surreptitiously cast a look about. "Speaking of that lot, did you find anything helpful? All I learned was that it was mostly smaller goods that were taken; jewelry, money, the likes of that, nothing big or noticeable."
Having her thoughts turned from the turmoil of the day back to the case helped pick the rabbit's spirits up. "Right! And that makes sense!" Seeing the look her companion gave her, she expanded. "He's been using the vent systems! I found a two-toned tuft of fur between Carley and Colin's apartments."
Nick had a skeptical expression on his face. "'He's'? And what's to say that the fur hasn't been there since those systems were put in?"
Judy shook her head fervently. "Because it blew away when your 'girlfriend' turned on the air conditioning. And… well, I guess it might be a she, but I still think it's Sly."
"The thefts still don't suit his M.O., though," Nick tsked.
"But he's a thief! He's the only one with any motive!"
"Hate to disagree with you, Carrots, but there's where you're wrong." Nick's usual smirk reappeared at the look of confusion on Judy's face. "Before the dinner went FUBAR, I was having a lovely chat with our dear Constable Neyla, and as it would so turn out, both she and my cousin are looking to get some money, and quick."
"What!?" The mere notion that not one, but both of the security officers amongst their list of suspects now had motive for the thefts rocked Judy's world to the core. "How? Why?"
"Well…" Nick paused, turning his focus to adjusting his plethora of bandages. At first, Judy couldn't figure why his smirk was growing, but as his gaze momentarily darted downwards, she huffed, pointedly stopping her thumping foot. Seeing the doe threateningly clench her paw into a fist, Nick broke his silence. "You've heard of the riots down in the Warrens, right? Well, wouldn't you know, the unrest is spreading. Apparently, what happened today isn't an isolated case; fights have been breaking out all over the city, and Carmelita's forces aren't able to contain them as quickly as she'd like anymore. Didn't you wonder what took them so long to bring in the hippo?" Judy had assumed that it was the droves of panicked mammals leaving the restaurant, but Nick's explanation made more sense. "So, my dear cousin's looking for more money to hire on more guards, and Neyla, the enterprising cat that she is, has been wanting to get out from under Carmelita's thumb for quite some while– a trait that I had no paw in whatsoever, I feel the need to add. Wants to start her own police force, from what she told me. Although," Nick glanced back down the corridor from which they had come, "Those plans may have to be put on hold for a bit."
"Ugh!" Judy's head fell into her paws and began shaking from side to side. "What's happening to this city? Thefts, I would expect. Missing mammals would have been normal – worrisome, but normal. But riots? Random acts of savagery? I mean, I guess I can understand it with Cam, but…" Judy trailed off as she thought of the wolf. What had happened to him? Was he okay, physically if not mentally? He'd told her about his bursts of rage lately, but how long had they been going on for? Had he had episodes like this on the surface? Doubtful, but what had caused them, then? Both for him and the others around the city?
Lost in her thoughts, Judy hadn't noticed the change to come over Nick until he broke her from her reverie. "What?" The vulpine hissed. "Why? Because he's a wolf?"
"Well, you couldn't imagine a bunny going savage, could you?" Even before the words were fully out of her mouth, Judy knew that she'd said the exact wrong thing, and the look on Nick's face only cemented this fact as his expression turned from confusion to hurt betrayal.
"But because he's a predator, he could. And that's why our thief has to be Barrelsmith, right? Because he's a raccoon, and everyone knows that all raccoons are thieves." The fox's glare intensified as he took a step towards the rabbit, and then another. "What about me, huh? I'm just a shifty, lowlife fox? Of course I wouldn't know what I'm talking about, you're the star of the show! Are you afraid I'll go savage? That I'll… hurt you?"
As Nick pressed closer, Judy took a step back, forgetting about her injured foot. The pain made her gasp out as her leg crumpled underneath her, and she tried to catch herself with her paws, back peddling to relieve the pain. The look on Nick's face made her realize what it must have looked like, but the fox turned away, storming towards the entrance before she could say another word.
"I thought you were different, but you're just like everyone else I thought we left on the surface."
Silence clung to the hospital lobby even after the fox had left. All the normal chatter had cut off as the fight between the two escalated, even the pages over the intercoms having caught a lull. As all of the mammals stared at the downed doe, only one thought ran through Judy's head.
What have I done?
Word of warning; I may disappear of the face of the earth in a short while.
My explanation: You guys know how my writing occasionally affects reality around me? Well, I may have been at a local jazz club recently that may have been the inspiration behind the one Judy was at in Chapter 1. As it would so happen, the only tables available were the ones where I'd pictured Judy and Katherine sitting, and the one where the ermine was. Well, I obviously chose the one Judy had been at. While there, a stranger sat at the ermine's table, and we got to talking, and somehow (I honestly swear, I had no hand in the topic shifts) the conversation shifted to pointedly Rapturian-style questions (thoughts on Capitalism vs Communism vs Altruism, possibility of scientific advancement if unfettered, etc etc.). So, if I go silent for a long time, I've probably been inducted into the Rapture Cult.
Seriously, only reason why I'd stop posting this story.
I've got so much of it mentally mapped out, nothing's gonna stop me.
Anyway, until next time!
~R.
