Eli checked his watch for the third time in as many minutes. While the cold was far from bothering, there were things back in the city that required his attention, and the dryness wasn't helping his recently wounded condition. It hadn't been more than a week since his encounter with Savage's agent, but he was already more than ready for another meeting. He firmly believed in Charlie's motto of not having time to be hurt, and so he wasn't. But if he stayed out in this weather…
He straightened as the pair exited the cabin, and he noted their proximity, but decided to not say anything. Even if they hadn't noticed, Charlie and he had a long time ago, so he wasn't at all surprised when they veritably hugged their way out to the still-running car.
"Took you long enough," Eli remarked as he made his way back around to the driver's side from his position outside the passenger door. "You two should be well accustomed to waking up early."
He noted the rabbit's ears go from pink to red in the rear-view as he clambered in, and saw the fox's ear twitch over the opened trunk, where he was stowing their luggage.
Predawn light filtered through the light snow falling past the car as Eli made the speed limit and more through what where already dangerous mountain roads made doubly so because of the weather, and Nick was not-so-subtly reminded of many similar adventures with Finnick at the wheel, and although he was still around to remember them, it was not an experience he'd liked to have repeated, but Eli maintained control for every last second of the journey, even as he handed out what looked not dissimilar to case files to both of them. They were quite surprised by what they found inside.
"A masked ball? Seriously?" Nick scoffed, "Who does this Savage guy think he is, a king?"
Eli glanced back at him with a sarcastic grin. "Yeah, actually. That's exactly what he thinks he is, remember?" He put his eyes back on the snowy road. "The plan goes something like this;
"Judy, you're our in. Say what you will, but he finds rabbits specifically preferable to almost any other mammal on the planet, and as such, you'll scoot under his radar, hopefully. You'll be attending as a Ms. Caroline Gardner, a rich and curious possible benefactor to his plans. Nick, you're going as her manservant, which means no talking and complete subservience. Anything less might tip Savage off, and that is the last thing we want to happen. The files I just gave you are your objectives, try and get as many done as you can while maintaining anonymity. You have until Friday night to get your personas in place, after that, Charlie and I will take care of the rest. Got it?"
Both of the smaller mammals nodded, and the rest of their trip back to Zootopia was made in silence.
They reached the city shortly after sunrise, and after quick stops at each of their respective residencies, they reported into the Precinct in much the same fashion as they always had, almost. Only someone who had been meticulously observing their behavior towards each other would have noticed the complete lack of reserve that replaced the admittedly small amount that preceded it, the minute increase in wagging of Nick's tail, the way either one of their ears would perk up when the other was talking, the way Judy seemed to react just a bit faster than normal at anything that had to do with Nick, and a little slower if it wasn't. And so it was that Clawhauser barely got any work done that day.
"Have a nice vacation?" he asked as they were about to head home after a peaceful day in the Precinct, and Judy just about tripped on her own feet.
Nick, however, kept his cool. "We did, actually. Well worth the wait. Thanks for asking." He said and ushered Judy out the door, just in time to block out the sound of the heavyset cheetah trying his hardest to suppress a squeal.
They took a route that negated the site of their encounter with Carl, and although they'd just spent an entire weekend cooped up together, they lingered at the place where their paths would divide. Eventually they went their ways, and although she tried her hardest, Judy couldn't get the thought of Nick's stupid underfur out of her head. If she didn't know any better, one could've said that she'd become addicted. She'd reached the end of her patience and decide to pay him a visit when a knock sounded at her door. Fully expecting it to be Nick, she threw open the door to reveal exactly that, a sheepishly grinning fox.
"Evening, Carrots. I was just thinking about our little operation coming up, and realized that you'd probably need at least a little acting training before we don the masks." He said, "And I couldn't think of anyone better than yours truly."
Judy laughed. "Now that you mention it, I don't think that I could think of a better actor myself." She replied as she let Nick enter her abode.
"Then shall we get started?" Nick asked and swept into a profound bow, so deep and professional that Judy couldn't imagine him ever managing to stand back up again under his own power, but stand up he did, getting a giggle from Judy. Nick shook a finger. "Ms. Gardner would never laugh at such a simple thing as a bow," he said on a way that Judy could only imagine a butler would talk, which just made her giggle again.
Judy had always been quick on the uptake, so when their outfits were delivered on Thursday, she could curtsy six different ways and knew all the steps of any given ballroom dance. Those lessons with Nick had been her favorite, so much so that she forgot to ask why he knew them as well.
Nick's outfit consisted of a simple black vest and cream shirt, set with black slacks and a dark violet tie that matched the violets on Judy's dress. His mask was simple and elegant, befitting of a servant of Ms. Gardner, a stark white affair that hugged his face perfectly while casting his eyes into shadow, preventing anyone from making eye contact with him. Judy's dress was also a perfectly white affair, balanced by lines of violets that seemed to blossom around her neck and shoulders, a pattern repeated on her mask, a pair of violets blooming around the eye-holes against a white background that simultaneously hid and accentuated her eyes. Nick found himself glad that she couldn't see just how wide his eyes had gotten when she'd given him the go-ahead to re-enter the apartment.
"How much you think this all cost?" Nick remarked, trying to avoid looking directly at the dress, which was slightly lower cut than anything Judy would have chosen on her own.
"Way too much, that's for sure." Judy replied, pleased at Nick's reaction, which had revealed itself in the form of a rapidly wagging tail. The thought was replaced with worry, however, as she considered what they were about to try. Nick, somehow, sensed it too.
"Don't worry, Carrots," he said, and lifted his mask. "I'll be right beside you the whole time."
And Judy believed him.
