A/N: Yay! It's this story's and the Beauty and the Beast remake's one year anniversary! :D (Just seriously hope my other stories don't take as long as this one to finish, lol). Sorry for the delay too. I couldn't access the website sooner for some reason, but...it's still 03/17/18 here at the West coast! :3 Anyway, thanks for bearing with me and following this story for an entire year and thank you all for the support guys, I love you all, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)
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Chapter 10: Tale as Old as Time
A deadly silence fills the tense air as Jack points the loaded bow toward a completely puzzled and heartbroken Nicholas. They stare down one another for a moment, until Jack at last breaks the silence…
"I can see by your perplexed face that you have absolutely no idea who I am, do you?" He chuckles and lowers his bow arm. "Pity, I had hoped my beloved Judith would have mentioned me. Perhaps she thought it unnecessary to soil my good name in your horrid presence."
Nicholas' ear twitches, focusing on one solitary word uttered by Jack… Beloved? What does he mean by that?
"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Savage. Jack Savage," he takes a bow, "I am Judith's fiancee. She sent me here."
A horrible shockwave passes through Nicholas' heart as he allows those words to register. Fiancee? S-She...sent him…? He feels the pain of heartbreak charge him all at once like a deadly avalanche rolling through a mountain and leaving nothing but complete destruction in its path.
He goes numb, realizing that his greatest fear had come true….his dearly beloved Judith had betrayed him…
The broken fox releases a small feral whimper as his ears bury themselves deep against his skull. He lowers his head and turns away from Jack, tucking his near hairless tail between his legs, all the while his heart continues to break and shatter into a million pieces.
"Aww, did my words upset you? Oh, I know, I know heartbreak can be painful," Jack says feigning sympathy. "Here, let me make it all…" Jack takes aim with the bow, "...better."
Jack releases the arrow, sending it flying straight into Nicholas' back. "RAAARGH!" Nicholas howls in excruciating pain.
.
Outside, on the castle's long bridge…
Philippe and the Hopps family finally make it past the castle's gates. All around them they see the wounded and defeated villagers limp past them. Judith looks at them all, realizing that they're not returning victorious, but retreating. Her heart eases, believing that they've all been defeated.
Her relief doesn't last long however, as she realizes that one particular hare isn't limping away with the rest of them.
Panic soon overwhelms her again when her powerful ears capture the sound of a horrible pain induced howl. She gasps! And looks up to the highest window on the castle's west end where the howl resonates from. She immediately knows who it belongs to. "Nicholas!" She jumps off the carriage seat, leaping past Philippe and races toward the castle.
Philippe comes to an immediate halt, "Mademoiselle Judith!"
Stu and the others pop open the back end of the carriage upon hearing Philippe's cry. "Judith?" Stu asks, wondering why Philippe yelled her name in a panic. He and Bonnie hop off the carriage in time to witness their daughter running off alone ahead of them. "Judith!"
"Judith, no!" Bonnie yells, extending a paw toward her daughter.
But Judith doesn't listen. She just continues charging toward the castle, determined to get to Nicholas.
.
As Nicholas continues to howl and groan in pain, Jack charges at him at full speed, using his bow as a pole vault to kick Nicholas through the balcony window. Nicholas lands out on the balcony under the heavy rain, shattered glass strewn all around him. The winded fox attempts to rise up to his feet by grabbing onto the balcony railing.
Not giving him the time to breath, Jack once again charges at the fox. He dropkicks Nicholas hard on his face, causing him to fall off the balcony and roll down onto a narrow arch platform.
Nicholas lies there motionless, making no attempts to rise back to his feet and having absolutely no will to fight.
Jack looks down at the wounded fox from the balcony. He laughs boisterously at the beast's lack of resistance and hops down to the narrow arch. "Get up!" he orders of him, but Nicholas doesn't move. He just stares up at Jack with a defeated look and whimpers.
This is no fun...Jack growls internally, having expected more of a challenge from the savage fox. In an attempt to get more of a rise from him, Jack sets up another arrow, "I said get up!" Jack shoots Nicholas on his thigh.
"AYIIH!" Nicholas lets out a high-pitch feral whine. He squirms and kicks his leg in pain, desperately attempting to crawl away from Jack. The hare just laughs cold heartedly at watching the fox squirm and whimper in pain.
"Aww, what's the matter beast? Too kind and gentle to fight back?!" Jack laughs mockingly at him.
Despite the pain and the harsh words, Nicholas still refuses to fight back. He just whimpers and turns his gaze away from Jack.
Jack scoffs, "If you won't fight, then I suppose it's time I end your misery..." Jack reaches for another arrow from the quiver on his back. He places it on the bow and aims at Nicholas' skull. "Say goodbye, beast!"
Jack pulls the arrow back, ready to release when-
"NOOOOO!"
"Aagh!" Jack screams in pain as Judith suddenly jumps on his back forcing him to release the arrow into the air.
Nicholas looks up the commotion, "Judith?" he utters quietly in shock. Surprised to see her there and attacking her apparent fiancee.
"Agh! Let go of me!" Jack shouts, dropping his bow to the ground and tugging at Judith's arms and legs in an attempt to pry her off his back.
Judith holds on tight, refusing to release the hare. "No! I won't let you kill Nicholas!" the bunny shouts in between grunts as she hangs on for dear life.
"Get off of me!" Jack wriggles violently. Judith starts to lose her grip on him as Jack's precious coat begins to tear where she holds on. In a desperate attempt to keep him at bay, Judith claws at his eyes before she could slide off. "ARGH!" Jack cries out in pain. The furious hare shakes Judith off to his side, "I said get off! You traitorous wench!" Jack backhand slaps Judith across the face, knocking her hard to the ground.
Nicholas' eyes widen in shock.
"Ah," Judith rises to an elbow and holds her cheek in pain. Seeing her hurt, causes a deep rage to boil inside of Nicholas. He eyes Jack and snarls with a low rumbling growl.
Not having yet noticed Nicholas' change in mood, Jack grabs his bow and tugs at the tears on his coat as if attempting to fix them. "No! No, no...my coat," he whimpers miserably. There's a distraught look on his face when he realizes that the damage is too much. He turns to Judith with a growl, eyeing her furiously.
Jack wipes at the little bit of blood left behind by Judith's scratches to his eyes. He stares at the bit of blood on his fingers, then back to Judith. "I see spending so much time with this monster has made you into a little savage beast as well. Consider yourself lucky that I love you so much, otherwise I would have put you down and let you burn alive with the rest of your family! But they didn't die, did they?"
Judith stares at him from the ground, terrified of the vicious look in the mad hare's eyes.
"Just for that, when we get back to the village I'll ensure that your family is locked away forever and suffers the most horrendous tortures Bellwether has to offer! Until they can take no more and die! And you...you will marry me!"
"Never!" Judith yells back at him.
"Oh yeah? We'll see about that," Jack pulls out another arrow, "Right after I kill your precious fo-!" Before Jack can place the arrow on the bow, Nicholas lunges at him and bites down on the bow, causing Jack to drop the arrow. The terrified hare immediately grips both sides of the bow as a means to shield himself from the fox's massive jaws.
Nicholas pushes Jack back, forcing him to step away from Judith. Once he has him far enough, Nicholas shoves the hare back, knocking him down on his tail and causing the bow to break in two. Jack's eyes widen in shock as he takes the bits of broken bow in his paws.
Nicholas rushes to Judith's side, gently licking her injured cheek with a soft, distressed whine. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiles up to him with those same, tender, amethyst eyes that he's grown so fond of.
He smiles softly back at her, realizing what he should have known all along, "I was such a dumb fox. How could I have ever thought that you would…"
Tears of guilt begin to swell in her eyes, somehow knowing what's on his mind, "I tried to stop them but I couldn't. I'm so sorry I couldn't warn you before-"
"Hey, hey. It's okay, Carrots," Nicholas gently nuzzles her cheek with his snout. Thankful that she did not betray him and that she is still the sweet rabbit he has grown to love.
A furious Jack rises to his feet, pulling out a multi shot flintlock pistol from beneath his coat.
Nicholas seizes his snuggling upon noticing the hostile hare. The hulking fox steps away from Judith to prowl toward Jack with a ferocious snarl.
"Stay back!" Jack shouts, taking a step back and keeping his pistol pointed at the snarling fox. Nicholas doesn't stand down, however. He continues prowling toward the hare. "Stay back! Or I'll…" Jack shifts target and points the loaded pistol at Judith, "I'll kill her!"
Judith gasps, while Nicholas flinches, stopping dead in his tracks.
"I mean it! I'll kill her if you don't back away now, fox!"
Despite his blood curdling rage toward the hare, Nicholas obeys. He takes a couple steps back, fearing that Jack will indeed follow through on his threat. After all, he apparently attempted to murder her family. Not only that, but if he hurt her once before without hesitation, what's to stop him from doing it again?
Jack continues to aim at Judith as he watches Nicholas' every move, keeping a close eye on every step the savage fox takes.
Once he feels he's far enough, Jack smirks and chuckles wickedly. "Fool," Jack once again changes target and shoots Nicholas.
"RAARGH!" Nicholas' left arm sinks downward as he howls in pain at the burning sensation left behind by the bullet. Judith gasps, bringing both her paws to her mouth.
Jack laughs at the fox's pain. "You really are pathetic. Did you really think I'd shoot my own fiancee? You're even dumber than you look." Jack continues laughing, believing he mortally wounded the fox-beast.
Nicholas keeps his head low, hissing in pain.
Still hissing, Nicholas forces the left side of his body to rise again. He stands firmly and lifts his head up when a sudden red fury overcomes him and his hissing turns to snarling once more. The snarling beast of a fox looks up to Jack, giving him a look that has not been seen in a predator's eyes since perhaps the prehistoric era - it is the look of an ancient predator ready to make a meal of its prey.
Jack seizes his laughter upon noticing that he only grazed the fox's shoulder. Not only that, but he sees that all he succeeded in was awakening the primitive predator within the savage vulpine.
Not wasting any time, Jack immediately attempts to shoot him again, but the remaining barrels of the pistol lock the powder in due to the heavy rain. Jack tosses the pistol. He takes a step back to remove the quiver from his back and unsheathe the sword at his side. Jack holds the blade in front of him with both paws, appearing ready to fight. But the look of complete savagery in Nicholas' eyes forces the hare to run in the other direction. Jack jumps over to the neighboring rooftop and dashes across it toward a pointed tower that lies adjacent to it. Nicholas follows suit and charges after him.
Judith rises to her feet and follows, though she stops at the edge of the arch from where Jack and Nicholas lept. She watches as Jack jumps over to the side of the pointed tower and begins scaling it. Nicholas continues on after him, sinking his massive claws against the side of the tower to climb up after the hare.
As they move up toward the pointed rooftop, Judith finds it increasingly difficult to see them under the heavy rainfall. Fearing for Nicholas' safety, Judith feels she must follow. She frantically looks around her surroundings and spots a nearby window. She rushes to it and enters it, aiming to head to Nicholas' bedroom balcony, as it is located directly across from the pointed tower.
Judith runs down one of the castle's many hallways, desperate to reach the stairway that leads back up to the West Wing.
Down at the main hall, River, Elliot and the Hopps family enter the castle. River looks up and spots Judith running across one of the upper floor hallways. "Look there's Judith!"
"Judith!" Stu calls to her, but the bunny ignores them. She's on a mission! "Where is she going?" asks her concerned father to the teacups.
"I don't know-"
"River? Elliot?" Mrs. Otterton cuts in spotting her two sons. The Hopps children flinch at the moving teapot.
"Mama!" the two rush to their mother.
She nuzzles against them, happy to see them, until she remembers that the two had gone missing. "Where were you two? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"
"We're sorry Mama," River speaks for both of them.
"But we left because we needed to help Judith and her family," Elliot adds in.
"Judith's family?" asks the puzzled otter-teapot. She looks up behind the two and sees the bunny family.
"Howdy there again," Stu greets her a bit awkwardly.
"Oh hello. Nice to see you again and my...quite a few new faces," she giggles warmly at the many new rabbits in her presence.
"Monsieur Hopps? Philippe?" Clawhauser calls from behind . Finnick and Manchas follow behind him. "What are you both doing back here?" He covers his mouth with both candles, gasping with glee, "Is Judith with you? Did she come back to see Nicholas?!"
"Well, sort of. See, she said she needed to save this Nicholas fella from Jack before it's too late!" Stu replies.
"Jack?" Finnick questions, unaware of who they're talking about.
"He's a cruel hare that's infatuated with Mademoiselle Judith and has come here to kill your Master!" Philippe answers.
"What?!" the servants all cry in unison.
Outside...
Thunderous lighting strikes across the sky as Jack and Nicholas reach the tower's rooftop. Jack swings his sword, attempting to slash Nicholas before he could climb up, but the savage fox manages to pull back his head, dodging the strike. Jack crawls back, swinging his sword at Nicholas as the fox follows after him across the rooftop.
Back Inside...
"Surely there's nothing to worry about now. I'm certain we scared off every single one of those invaders, didn't we?" Mrs. Otterton asks, hopeful that the threat of Jack and his followers is no more.
"I'm not sure if you got 'em all. None of us remember seeing Jack crawlin' away with the rest of 'em." Stu answers.
"If that's the case, Master Nicholas must still be in trouble!" Clawhauser cries out, bringing his candles to his cheeks.
"And Judith too if she's gone up there with them!" Bonnie cries out with a twinge of fear in her voice.
"We saw her heading to the West Wing!" River speaks up.
"Then we gotta move fast!" Finnick orders of them, running ahead with Clawhauser. Stu and Philippe follow without question. Mrs. Otterton follows but stops after a couple steps to turn to her sons.
"Not you two."
"Aww, but Mama!" Elliot whines.
"No buts. You two ran off without my knowing, so you're staying down here with Manchas. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Mama," the boys lower their heads in defeat, conceding to their mother.
Mrs. Otterton heads off after the others. Bonnie motions to follow her, but stops short when she notices her children all huddled together with wide eyes.
"Children what's wrong?" their concerned mother asks of them.
Pierre speaks for the other children with a stutter, "D-Did a candelabra, a clock, and a teapot just talk to Papa?"
"What kind of a place is this?!" Antoinette shouts, tossing her arms into the air dramatically. No longer being able to contain her uneasiness over the talking inanimate objects.
"I know this is all very strange and new to all of us, but your sister is in danger and needs our help. So just try to relax and come on! Or we'll get left behind!" Bonnie runs off after Mrs. Otterton. Pierre and the others follow.
Antoinette stays in place. She groans frustratingly, "Why does only weird and scary stuff happen to us when it involves Judith?" She runs after her family.
Outside…
Jack swings the sword at Nicholas again, but the fox dodges it, capturing the blade between his jaws. He shoves Jack back with a growl, causing the hare to slide down the steep rooftop. Jack grabs onto the edge, hanging on for dear life. He manages to crawl back up over the edge, rising to his paws and knees before Nicholas pounces on him. The force of Nicholas' spear causes both of them to fall down onto the next rooftop below. They roll down the sloped end of it.
Inside...
Judith runs up the long stairway of the West Wing, desperate to get to Nicholas.
Outside...
Jack and Nicholas roll down onto the roof's flat surface. Nicholas lands over the hare and makes to swipe a paw at him, but Jack kicks the fox square in his stomach. The large fox whines and backs off winded from the kick. Jack pulls out a second pistol and aims at the fox. Nicholas notices and immediately runs off to hide between a series of dark fox-looking gargoyles. Jack shoots, just barely missing Nicholas by the fur of his tail. Instead, Jack shoots off a gargoyle's head. The persistent hare tries to shoot Nicholas again before he can completely disappear from sight, but once again - the powder jams - forbidding him from shooting.
Jack hits the butt of the pistol trying to unjam it. He pulls the trigger again. Once, twice, "Argh!" Jack growls, furiously tossing the jammed pistol over the edge of the castle's rooftop. Thunder roars and lightning flashes across the sky as Jack walks over to pick up his sword from the ground. He grips it with both paws and enters the labyrinth of gargoyles. "Come on out and fight!" he calls out, wiping his damp ears back, "Were you in love with her beast?!" Jack walks between the rows of gargoyles, turning as he walks, keeping an eye out for the fox-beast at every turn he makes, "Did you honestly think she'd want you?! When she had someone like me?!"
Nicholas stirs from his hiding place among the gargoyles. He gives a low rumbling growl, quietly prowling behind Jack. The hare's powerful ears immediately perk up, realizing that Nicholas is behind him. He takes a swing, but Nicholas ducks in time. The savage fox manages to circle around him and bites down on Jack's sword before he can have another chance to swing it. The two spin around. Jack trying desperately to free his sword from Nicholas' jaws, while Nicholas holds on to the blade, refusing to let it go. In their violent motions, Jack manages to release his blade and takes a wild swing at Nicholas. The fox moves back, dodging the strike, but ends up backing up to the edge of the rooftop.
Seeing he's managed to trap the savage beast in a corner, Jack raises his blade high, ready to land the final blow, "It's over beast! JUDITH IS MINE!"
Jack's words fuel Nicholas' rage ten fold. He snarls and pounces forward, swiping at Jack's sword with his massive left paw, swatting the blade away from the hare's grasp. Nicholas takes another powerful swing at the hare, pinning the smaller mammal against the sloped wall of the rooftop - trapping him underneath his right paw. The fox sinks his massive, dagger-like claws deep into the tile, caging the hare's vulnerable neck between his long deadly claws.
Nicholas snarls viciously at Jack, baring all of his razor sharp teeth. Jack's eyes immediately focus on the inside of the fox's drooling mouth, realizing that he is seconds away from meeting the same horrible fate that his ancestors did thousands of years ago - becoming the meal of a ravenous, merciless predator. Jack's ears drop and his nose twitches wildly. It is clear that whatever killer instinct he had previously displayed is no more. "L-Let me go! Let me go! Please! DON'T EAT ME! I'll do anything! ANYTHING!" he cries out, completely and utterly terrified.
Nicholas takes in the sight of the hare's twitching nose. It fills him with a boiling rage as the action brings back horrible memories. Memories of the hare princess and her dreadful nose twitching! That TWITCHING, serving as a constant reminder of what he is. Of what he's become. Of what he's forever cursed to be in the eyes of a prey mammal:
"MONSTER! SAVAGE! BEAST! DON'T EAT ME!"
The accusations ring through his ears. Years of horrible, unfounded verbal torture come towering down on him all at once.
Nicholas shuts his eyes, feeling a savage, untamed, animalistic fury overtake him - he's had it! He's tired of the accusations! The nose twitching! The unfounded fear! Everything! - if they want to see a savage beast, then he'll show them a savage beast! Nicholas opens his eyes, his mind decided on Jack's fate. The fox quivers his snarling upper lip, looking all the more vicious.
Jack whimpers fearfully. His mouth gaping and his glassy, terror filled eyes filling with tears as he stares deep into the unforgiving predator's eyes. This is it he feels. Death is upon him and he cannot look away. He is frozen in fear.
The savage Nicholas starts to slowly open his mouth, looking ready to devour the hare when suddenly…...he can't.
Staring at the helpless hare's pathetic gaze, Nicholas finds himself unable to act on his predatory instincts. He tries to shake it off, snarling at the hare once more and directing his attention back to Jack's twitching nose in an attempt to refuel his anger, but...nothing. Rather than feeling anger or disdain, Nicholas finds himself feeling...pity.
But why? This hare has shown nothing but hostility towards him, so how can he feel sorry for him? Nicholas moves his gaze back up to Jack's eyes, but rather than coming face to face with the same icy blue eyes he had been seeing all this time - he finds himself staring at amethyst ones.
Judith…? His beloved's name resonates in his heart as thoughts of the bunny flood through his mind.
His mind suddenly wanders back to the day he first met her. Remembering how her pink nose twitched and of how scared she looked upon laying eyes on him. She was so vulnerable and helpless. She started out like any other prey mammal - fearing him without any other reason but the fact that he was a savage predator.
Though in time, she eventually warmed up to him and helped him feel better about himself by bringing out the good in him. Reminding him that he can be good, that he can be caring, that he can be a good friend...that he was wrong to label all prey mammals as cowards based on one traumatic experience...
He never liked being judged as a monster just because he was a predator and a fox. Yet here he was unknowingly doing the same to prey mammals. He had judged them all as uncaring cowards without giving the chance to get to know them. And the one he did get to know...was Judith. His beloved, the light in his otherwise dark existence. The beautiful and brave prey mammal that taught him that prey mammals can indeed be brave and caring.
All in all...she helped him realize that there is no defining trait to prey or predators. Judith isn't a coward. Just like he isn't a mon-
His eyes widen and he stops his train of thought as an important memory brings to light a sudden realization he's been blind to all this time...
"I know that you are so much more than what Mother Moose or this hare princess could have ever thought you Nicholas, a fox, a predator could ever be..."
Judith's words echo through his mind...
They make his hardened face soften. His snarling recedes and his rage slowly subsides.
She's right, he thinks to himself. Curse or no curse, deep down I'm not a monster...I never was one...
Nicholas looks up to the panicking Jack.
...And I won't become one now.
Nicholas softens his grip a little on Jack, but doesn't release him.
Though he doesn't have it in him to kill Jack, he still feels he can't let him go just like that. Nicholas thinks for a moment, then brings his face close to the frightened hare once more. Jack squirms, fearing Nicholas will eat him, but is shocked when the fox suddenly starts to speak instead, "I am not a monster. But know this, if you ever come near Judith or her family again, I will rip your throat out!" Nicholas pulls his claws out from the tile, releasing Jack. "Now get out."
Jack grips his throat and crawls away from the massive fox.
"Nicholas!" Judith pops out from Nicholas' balcony.
Nicholas looks up to her, "Carrots!" He smiles happily with a wag of his tail. Judith lowers down a paw, signaling to him to come up to her. Nicholas complies, scaling up the rooftop to get to his love.
He climbs up and holds onto the balcony rail with his forepaws, meeting eye to eye with Judith. They both smile happily to one another. "Judith…" Nicholas gently presses his forehead against hers, shutting his eyes as does she, reveling in the tender moment. They open their eyes and gaze tenderly at one another. "I'm so happy you came back."
Judith giggles, tears threatening to leave her eyes. She gently holds his face between her paws, "You didn't think you'd get rid of me that easily, did you?"
Nicholas breathes a chuckle at her joke. He's in heaven right now, his heart swollen with love. The two nuzzle foreheads once more when suddenly-
THUNK!
"RAAAAAARGH!" Nicholas howls in excruciating pain after receiving a deep stab wound to the side of his stomach. Judith gasps in horror when she witnesses Jack latched onto Nicholas' back with the knife.
Jack cackles wickedly, "Thought you were rid of me, fox-beast?!" he pulls out the blade, ready to stab Nicholas again. But the howling fox swings a paw back. Jack ducks his head, dodging the enormous paw, but his movement causes him to lose his grip and slide down the larger fox's back. On his way down, he claws at the fox's back and tail, quickly clasping on to the thin tufts of fur at the very tip of Nicholas tail. Jack's weight pulls down on the weakened Nicholas, almost causing him to lose his grip on the railing but Judith quickly grabs onto the fox's cape and blouse to prevent him from falling back.
Jack meanwhile literally hangs on for dear life, hoping the fragile fur doesn't give way. He releases one of the tufts of fur, stretching his free paw upward in an attempt to climb but the weak and mangy state of the fur causes the hairs to quickly pluck lose - one by one, until - "No! NO!"
Jack falls, a chunk of the frail fur still in his paw,
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh...…..!"
Judith watches in horror as Jack disappears from sight, plummeting down to his death.
She shakes it off and returns her attention toward Nicholas, helping him climb over the railing.
Clawhauser, Finnick and Mrs. Otterton rush to the scene, but stop by the balcony doors upon witnessing their Master's frail state. Philippe and the Hopps family catch up, but stop a few feet behind them.
They all stand silent and watch as Judith gently eases the mortally wounded Nicholas down on his side to lay on the ground. Judith softly caresses his cheek and ear in an attempt to comfort him.
Though he's in grave pain, he turns ever so slightly on his back to gaze up at Judith. He smiles weakly up at her, "You...You came back…"
"Of course I came back. I couldn't let them-" Judith tosses her arms around his head, feeling guilt overwhelm her. "Oh, this is all my fault. If only I had gotten here sooner."
"Hey, hey...don't...don't say that you...precious dumb bunny...you did nothing wrong," he gives her another fragile smile.
She returns the smile, but the growing shimmer in her eyes shows the hidden pain behind them. Judith very gently lifts his larger head towards her. She presses her forehead against his, "I promise, I'll never leave you again," she says gazing intently into his eyes and with a growing tremble in her voice.
"I'm...afraid it's...my turn to leave..." Nicholas utters back between strained breaths.
Judith tightens her grip on his fur, wanting so desperately to hold him closer and never let go. "Don't talk like that. You'll be alright," she forces a weak hopeful smile at him, "We're together now. Everything's going to be fine. You'll see."
Nicholas' paw flinches a bit, wanting desperately to place a paw at her cheek. Despite his fading life however, he restrains himself from doing so. His heart still fearing that he might hurt her by mistake. He instead uses whatever little bit of strength he has left to press his forehead a little closer to hers, "A-At least...I got to see you...one last time…" he gives her one final fragile smile as his eyes slowly begin to shut.
Judith can take it no more. She closes her eyes allowing one tear to slide down her cheek. Her premature crying is cut short however, when she suddenly feels Nicholas' head slowly slipping away from her grasp. His head falls limply to the ground as he takes his final breath.
Judith gasps, bringing both her paws to her mouth. "No...No!" her voice trembles and breaks as tears flow down her cheeks, "Nic...no Nicholas please...Please!...Please come back to me…" Judith's breath hitches as she sobs against the fur of his neck, clasping tightly to his fur and blouse.
The others watch her with tears in their own eyes. Clawhauser, Finnick, and Mrs. Otterton mourning the loss of their beloved Master, while Judith's family tears up at seeing their daughter/sister cry over the loss of someone dear to her.
Stu takes a step forward with an extended paw and tears in his eyes, wanting to comfort Judith, but an equally teary Philippe places a hoof on his shoulder. The horse shakes his head as if telling the rabbit to let her be.
Judith continues to cry over Nicholas' body. Her tiny frame trembling with each hitched breath, "Nicholas...please...don't leave me…" She trembles again as another tear falls down her cheek, "I love you…"
The last petal on the wilted rose falls, just as Judith declares her unspoken love toward Nicholas. Clawhauser, Finnick, Mrs. Otterton look back over their shoulders just in time to witness it fall.
This truly proves to be a tragic day for them. For not only has their young Master died, but they failed. Without the rose or Nicholas, they are now forever doomed to remain everyday household items for the rest of their lives. A tear runs down Mrs. Otterton's already teary face, while a saddened Finnick places a comforting brass paw on her back.
Judith continues sobbing over Nicholas as rain continues to fall over them.
Just then…
A long streak of pink light flashes by them, falling from the sky along with the rain. Another falls again. Then another. And another. Like little comets from the sky.
More land around Nicholas and Judith, this time in varying colors. The magical streams of light burst into bright little balls of yellow light when they hit the ground. Judith's ears lift, becoming alert to the colorful streaks and spheres surrounding them. Her eyes widen in shock at the sight of them. What are they? What's happening?
Suddenly…
She feels Nicholas' dead body slowly begin to rise from the ground. She releases him, confused and totally unaware of what's happening. A sudden breeze begins to blow toward Judith's gaping eyes and mouth as she witnesses Nicholas' body float up into the air.
Clawhauser and the others huddle together with hanging jaws, petrified yet amazed at the wondrous spectacle. The Hopps family follows suit, wondering what on earth could be happening.
Judith slowly crawls away, then rises to her feet. She leans a bit back, not wanting to leave Nicholas but unsure of how close she could be to him given the strange phenomena.
The streaks of light continue to fall as Nicholas' limp, suspended body slowly twirls in the air. In his motions, Nicholas' cape wraps around his body, cocooning him as if he were a caterpillar ready to undergo its transformation into a butterfly.
From his cape cocoon, Nicholas' large arm breaks free from it. A bright light shines around his arm as his massive arm and paw suddenly recede in size to the size of an ordinary fox's. His fingers and thumb stretch out a little as if to allow greater dexterity to his fingers. Meanwhile his large, razor sharp claws also pull back, turning into tiny stubs of claws. Out from those claws, a bright light shines through from each of his fingers.
Judith watches in awe at the drastic physical change to his arm.
Next, his enormous hind leg also shrinks in size as do his long claws. His calf extends a little and his feet morph slightly to a position to allow bipedal walking. The same bright light that passed through his fingers also shines through his toes.
At his rear, his near hairless tail suddenly blooms with fresh, bushy, neatly groomed red fur. The raccoon-like pattern disappears, leaving only a beautiful black tip at the end of it. A light shines through the tip of it.
The remainder of his body, along with his face are met with the same bright light. It pulses through him, allowing the rest of his massive body to shrink down to an average fox size. His crooked neck straightens and his body becomes thin and lean. His protruding lower jaw recedes, allowing him a normal bite and his long mangy blood-red fur transforms into a short, neatly trimmed, pelt of red-orange.
Judith's jaw gapes at what she's just witnessed.
Nicholas falls gently back to the ground - no longer as the large savage beast that he was, but as a small normal fox. He lands, resting on his side. His back facing Judith.
Judith extends a paw, wanting to approach him, but she holds back when she sees him stir.
The revived Nicholas lifts himself up to an elbow, then rises to stand on two feet without any effort. His cape slides off his back while the rest of his clothes appear to have shrunken down along with him to fit his new size.
The small fox keeps his back to Judith, as he looks at his smaller paws. He quietly touches the small claws on his left paw, then the ones on his right. He then looks to his left, coming face to face with his reflection on a nearby window.
He stares at himself with wide unbelieving eyes. The fox slowly brings a trembling paw to his face and gently caresses his snout in disbelief. He then moves his paws about the rest of his body, feeling his chest and tail. Can it be…?
Judith takes a curious step toward him, "N-Nicholas?"
The small fox's ear twitches at the sound of her voice. He slowly turns to face her at last. Judith's eyes widen at the sight of his face. Could this small, handsome fox really be the same large fox she was just crying over mere moments ago?
Nicholas presses his paws on his chest and chuckles a breathy laugh. He can't believe what he's seeing, "Judith! It's me!" he announces with a wide grin and a now softer, lighter voice.
Judith looks at him, dubious. Everything is so different about him. His face, his body, his fur color, his voice...Could this new fox really be the same Nicholas?
Judith curiously lifts a paw up to him, gently stroking her fingers through the soft fur at his neck. It too, feels so different than what it used to. She gazes deep into his eyes - those familiar, warm emerald eyes... Her eyes widen, there's no mistake about it! Judith smiles wide, "It is you!"
They smile tenderly at one another. The overjoyed and enamored Nicholas lifts a shaky paw by Judith's face. Hovering it next to her cheek. Despite the fact that his claws are no longer the long, dangerous daggers they once were, Nicholas still fears touching her. Judith notices his hesitance and brings his trembling paw in the rest of the way herself. She presses it gently against her cheek, keeping her paw over his to show him that it's okay.
Nicholas releases a small breathy chuckle as his eyes fill to the brim with tears. He gently caresses her cheek with his thumb. Judith melts to the touch, tears beginning to swell in her own eyes.
Nicholas finds himself unable to restrain himself and throws his arms around her, hugging her tightly. At last! He's able to hold her. Judith's eyes widen at the sudden act of affection. Tears run down Nicholas' cheeks, "Thank you…" he whispers a soft, trembling breath to her ear.
Judith gives a breathy giggle, her heart skipping a beat. She embraces him back, tears of joy running down her own eyes.
They slowly pull apart to gaze into one another' eyes. Nicholas brings both his paws to her cheeks, wiping her tears away with his thumbs. Judith sniffles softly, resting both her paws on his chest. Their warm eyes remain glued to one another's, unable to look away from each other. Their hearts beating strongly for one another.
Before they know it, they find their ears falling back and their sights drifting downward to each other's lips. Their faces inch closer and closer with half lidded gazes until…
Their lips connect in a warm, passionate kiss. Their eyes shut, Nicholas pulling Judith closer by the small of her back, while Judith wraps her arms at his neck and head pulling him closer to her. A magical breeze brushes through them as they continue melting into the kiss and each other's embrace.
Up at the sky, fireworks blow. Celebrating their newfound love. Around them, the curse lifts all through the castle as the dark architecture dissipates and returns back to its bright former glory.
Nicholas and Judith part their lips just in time to see everything around them turn back to normal. Clawhauser, Finnick, and Mrs. Otterton make their way over to the two, still as objects - until a bright flash of light shines through each of them as well.
Clawhauser suddenly finds himself engulfed in a blue light and changes from a candelabra to a chubby cheetah. Nicholas' jaw drops, "Clawhauser?!" he's unable to believe that his friend looks again as he once used to.
Poof! Finnick transforms as well. Going from clock to a dwarf fennec fox. "Finnick!" Nicholas exclaims excitedly.
Poof! Mrs. Otterton morphs back from teapot to otter. "Mrs. Otterton!" Nicholas exclaims again. He laughs in excitement. Overwhelmed with joy, he embraces the three as best he can into a big group hug. "Look at us!"
The Hopps children watch the whole scene stunned, greatly confused over how Nicholas came back to life and of how he and the others are transforming from one thing to another. Stu, Philippe and Bonnie, though confused as well, find themselves smiling. Happy for Judith and her friends.
Mama! Mama!" River and Elliot call together, hitching a ride from the coat-rack Manchas. They brush past the Hopps family, making their way out to the balcony. The second they make it out there…
Poof! All three of them change back into their former selves - River and Elliot into two young otters and Manchas back into a black jaguar.
The two otter boys look at themselves, then to each other and smile happily. Mrs. Otterton rushes to the two, pulling them into her arms, "Oh! My boys!" They return their mother's hug with just as much love.
Nicholas and Judith smile at the scene, then to each other-
"H-Hey!" Manchas calls out, garnering everyone's attention. He blinks and covers his right eye with a paw, then uncovers it, then covers it, then uncovers it again. He laughs breathlessly, "I can see. My eye is back! I can see! I can see!"
Nicholas and everyone else smiles, happy for him. Something strikes Nicholas' mind though. He quickly looks at his once injured and scarred wrist. He then feels at his neck. Nothing…
He laughs happily, "My scars are gone too!" Judith gasps happily with clasped paws. "My scars are gone! My scars are gone!" the overjoyed Nicholas grabs Judith by the waist and lifts her up into the air. Judith giggles happy for him as they twirl around.
"It's a miracle!" Clawhauser declares, with a completely and utterly giddy laugh. They did it! The curse has been lifted!
.
Some days later…
A ball is held to celebrate their return to mammals. Judith's family and the castle servants all gather together around the ballroom dance floor to watch the happy couple of Nicholas and Judith waltz in the center.
Nicholas twirls a bubbly Judith around in the air. Both are dressed in the same attire they wore during their first dance there. Their clothing had to be retailored of course, as Nicholas had to have his suit refitted to his smaller size. Just as Judith had to have a new skirt reattached to her yellow gown. She dons the jewelry given to her by Fru-Fru once again, looking all too much like the future Princess/future Queen she's meant to be.
Nicholas sets Judith down as both their lips meet for a strong, yet tender, passionate kiss. They smile at each other with a warm gaze, their emerald and amethyst eyes shining as bright as gemstones. Nicholas feels his heart filled with life. Swollen with love. He can't believe that he now stands as a normal red fox, along with his newly returned mammal servants. The curse had been lifted and it was all thanks to this one beautifully kind hearted prey mammal. His savior, his true love. He could never feel more happy to be alive or more lucky to have her in his life.
Nicholas takes Judith's paw into his and leads her into another waltz.
In their twirls around the ballroom, Judith spots Philippe lightly applauding for her and her younger brother Pierre giving her a thumbs up in approval of Nicholas. Judith returns the thumbs up, then returns her attention back to her foxy fiancee.
Among the spectators at the sidelines, Mrs. Otterton stands reunited with her husband and royal bathroom attendant, Emmett Otterton. Their two sons stand next to them, happily watching Nicholas and Judith dance.
Mrs. Otterton sighs into her husband's arms, her heart overwhelmed with the romantic atmosphere, "Don't they look so happy, Emmett?" Mr. Otterton nods with a hum.
"Papa?" River speaks up to his father, "What was it like to be a toilet?"
"Oh! Hehe...um…" Emmett chuckles embarrassedly.
"Did Master Nicholas ever use you to go number tw-"
"Uhh! That's enough of that Elliot...why don't you and your brother go play over there?" Mr. Otterton ushers the two boys away, not wanting to relive his unpleasant experience as a latrine.
Nicholas and Judith waltz past Finnick and Clawhauser, "Ah, l'amour…" the chubby cheetah sighs, "Isn't it wonderful Finnick?"
"Yeah, haven't seen Master Nicholas this happy in years."
"I know right? See, Mr. Negative. I told you Judith would be the one to break the spell!"
"You? Puh! I remember me being the one to tell you. You wanted to go into one of the nearby villages to grab some random prey girl. The minute I saw Judith walk down that hall, I knew it was gonna be her. Never doubted her for a minute."
Clawhauser playfully, yet agitatedly shoves Finnick, "Don't be such a kidder Finnick. I'm the one who told you that she'd break the spell."
"No, you didn't!"
"Yes, I did!" Clawhauser argues, now agitated.
"Got anything to back that up tubby?"
"I certainly do. How 'bout you? You undergrown pocket watch?" Clawhauser shoves Finnick back with his round belly.
"That does it!" Finnick pounces on Clawhauser and the two begin to battle in a fist fight.
"Hors d'oeuvres?" a beautiful lioness maid asks of the two battle entangled mammals.
Clawhauser releases Finnick, "Ooh! Hors d'oeuvres! I love hors d'oeuvres." Clawhauser helps himself, while Finnick massages his cheek where he had received one of the cheetah's punches.
The lioness maid lowers the tray to offer Finnick one, "Hors d'oeuvres?"
"Yeah sure," he takes one. He looks up to the lioness. Something hits him upon looking at her face, "Hey? Do I know you? I don't think I remember seein' you around here before."
"I don't think you would. I'm new."
Finnick raises a confused brow.
"Mnew, huh?" Clawhauser mumbles with a mouth full. He swallows, "I guess we should introduce ourselves then, shouldn't we?" He offers her a paw, "My name's Benjamin Clawhauser and you?"
"Agathe. Charmed to meet you," the lioness shakes his paw. They turn their attention back toward the waltzing Nicholas and Judith. "He seems quite happy now, doesn't he?"
"Who? Master Nicholas? Oh yeah! It's a long story, but we're thankful things worked out in the end!"
"I see. Well, I suppose living your everyday life as a beast must not be a very fun at all."
Finnick's eyes widen, "Wait, wait, wait! You said you're new here?"
"Why yes," the lioness answers in a very cool, calm voice.
"Really? Then how did you know Master Nicholas was a beast before all this? In fact, how'd you even get hired here? The curse was only lifted mere days ago and as Head of the Household, I'm in charge of hirin' all staff. And I gotta tell ya right now, I don't remember hirin' any new maids recently."
"Really?" the lioness questions without a sign of worry on her face. "That is curious."
"Curious nothin'. Who are you lady?!"
"Me? Why I'm just a helpless passerby looking for shelter." She walks away with the tray in her paws. The lioness approaches the large double doors of the ballroom, and turns to look over her shoulder at them. She winks a cheeky smile at them then walks past the doors.
"Shelter?" Clawhauser asks dumbfoundedly, the word hitting both him and Finnick hard.
"A-A beautiful lioness looking for shelter?" Finnick utters after him. The two look at each other.
Clawhauser gasps, "You don't think she could be...?!" The two run past the double doors but they find no one there. An impossible reality, given the long hallway's lack of doors. "She's gone…" Clawhauser utters, his jaw slacked.
The two stare back at one another, completely and utterly confused, "Uh…"
"S-Should we just head back to the party?" Clawhauser asks awkwardly given their surreal experience.
"Yeah...yeah let's do that." They close the double doors and head back into the ballroom.
Back at the ballroom, Stu and Bonnie hold each other close, happy for Judith. "Well, it looks like Judith's finally found where she belongs," Bonnie says leaning on her husband's arm.
"Yeah," Stu agrees, "And to think. Had somebody told me some time back that I'd have a fox for a future son-in-law, I'd tell 'em they were the crazy ones. More so if they told me he was a prince that would invite us all to live at his castle."
"True, but at least the danger's over and we don't have to worry about anyone calling us crazy anymore. Judith's found love at last and we're all here safely together."
"Yeah," Stu sniffles, tears swell at his eyes, "A real happy ending..." He looks over to Judith smiling and snuggling noses with Nicholas. His little baby girl's all grown up and is now safe and sound...it brings a tear to his eye, "Oh, cripes. Here come the waterworks. Bwa-ha-ha…" Stu cries over Bonnie's shoulder.
"Oh Stu, pull it together…" Bonnie humorously rolls her eyes and pats his back to comfort him.
Nicholas and Judith waltz by them, stopping to dance in place in front of Judith's younger siblings - more so in particular: Antoinette, Marie, and Janette. Nicholas notices the three little girls staring at him as if unsure of what to think of him. He smiles gently and winks at them.
The little girls' cheeks burn red and their jaws drop in unison, sparkles in their eyes for Nicholas as he and Judith waltz away back to the center of the ballroom. Goofy little smiles plaster themselves on all three of their young faces. Antoinette is the first to speak up among them. "Maybe I was wrong about Judith. I guess her taste in boys isn't too bad."
"He's much more handsome than Jack Savage ever was!" Marie squeaks in delight, cupping her paws together.
"And richer!" Janette adds in with a greedy hop. Antoinette and Marie stare at her like she's the crazy sister now. "A-And nicer…" Janette corrects herself. Antoinette and Marie look at each other. Antoinette circles a finger next to her head to tell Marie that she thinks Janette is crazy.
The three girls stare back at their older sister in the distance. Antoinette in particular, takes in her dress, her jewelry, her foxy fiancee, everything is just perfect for her. It fills the young bunny with joy for her sister, but also with a saddened envy. She sighs disappointedly, "It's not fair! Judith always gets all the cute boys going after her. Just because she's so pretty…" Antoinette crosses her arms and pouts.
"You're pretty," a young male voice suddenly says to her back. Antoinette turns to see River standing behind her.
"What?" her eyes widen, "Y-You think I'm...pretty?" her eyes sparkle with joy towards the young boy.
"Yeah!" River gives her a small bow, "Wanna dance?"
Without wasting a second, Antoinette grabs his paw and pulls him to the dance floor, "Let's go!"
Elliot giggles at the scene, but follows his brother's example. He turns to Janette and offers her a paw, "Would you like to dance too?"
Janette looks him over, "Are you rich?"
"Uh…" Elliot lifts a confused brow, unsure how to answer.
"I'll dance with you!" Marie cuts in.
"Um...okay," Elliot answers, shyly. Marie grabs his paw and yanks him over to the dance floor, "Whoa!"
Nicholas and Judith notice the two young couples, they chuckle at how cute they look. Nicholas then turns his attention back to his bunny, "So Carrots, what do you think about the real me? Handsome, right?"
"Eh, I liked you better before"
"What?" Nicholas stops with a frown, completely and utterly shocked by what she just said. D-Did she really think he looked better as a beast?!
"Just kidding!" Judith giggles. She brings an affectionate paw to his cheek, "I love you either way."
Nicholas sighs relieved with a light chuckle. He eyes her affectionately, "I love you Judith."
"And I love you Nicholas," she responds back, her voice affectionate and filled with love. They kiss once more and resume their dance with wide, everlasting smiles on their faces.
Certain as the suuuun...
Rising in the East,
Tale as old as time
Song as old as rhyme
Bunny and the Beast,
Tale as old as time…
Song as old as rhyme…
BUNNY AND THE BEAST….!
.
A/N: Sorry guys, I just had to go with the classic outfits for this chapter. I couldn't help it x3 Well, we've reached the ending of the actual story. Now all that's left is the Epilogue! :D Remember to keep in touch on Tumblr and my profile page for news and updates!