Chapter 14
Reveling in the Past
As soon as the rabbit and snake reached outside, Judy fell to her hands and knees and hurled right on the side of the house. Everything that had happened within the hour, had built into her stomach, which now found itself painted on the white walls of Ren's home. As gross as it was, it was a sweet relief. The pressure on her chest from throwing up seemed to block the pain, and it was a nice feeling. Though it didn't last long. She threw up whatever was left in her stomach, which was mainly bile and alcohol, and struggled to stand up, using Sally as support.
Judy knew she looked absolutely terrible. The black skin tight dress was crinkled and drenched in sweat, and reeked of alcohol and sex. Her makeup that had been applied by Sally was now smeared across the left side of her face and the mascara had run down making her look way older than she was. She stumbled across the patio, Sally lifting her tail to help keep the rabbit's balance and Judy only now realized she was missing her right flat. She just couldnt catch a break.
The line of cars outside of Ren's house were practically blocking the street so no one else could get by. The rabbit groaned in frustration when she realized Clawhauser had driven her to the party and he was busy tending to a certain jerk.
Sally must have knew why Judy got upset as the snake was now directing them to a small silver car. Judy raised a brow, she didn't know snakes could drive.
Again the albino snake guessed what Judy was thinking as she chuckled, "A company developed cars for us pawless folk about a couple years ago."
"How do you...?"Judy started but didn't get to finish as the snake used her tail to open the passenger side and gently shoved the bunny inside.
As for room, it didn't offer much and Judy wasnt used to not having room. She was small and most of the animals in Zootopia were on the larger side so must buildings and cars held a lot of space. So this was new. Her ears were forced to lay down on the sides of her head, and knees were scrunched up to the right, almost resting on the dashboard as she squirmed to get comfortable. When she realized the height and width of the car just weren't big enough to suit her, she gave up the struggle and stayed in the uncomfortable position.
Sally entered in the driver side, slithering into a vest that was strapped to the seat, with small wires that attached to the steering wheel. The snake used her tail to start the engine, put the car in drive and wiggled her body to the left. Judy was shocked when the car then turned to the direction Sally moved to. Sally continued to wiggle her body this way and that, maneuvering through the horde of cars lined up on the side of road before finally breaking free and setting a steady pace out of the elegant neighborhood. Whoever designed the car for animals like Sally, made a fuck ton.
"It was difficult to get used to at first." Sally started, her unblinking eyes focusing on the road.
Judy nodded, not really caring to talk despite the fact she was screaming on the inside. She wasnt drunk, but the emotions that just got slapped into her face within the last couple hours made her feel like shit. Nick was probably making up with Lily, and the image of them kissing and making up made her stomach tighten. She really needed to stop doing this to her self.
But then again, didnt she deserve it? She probably even deserved getting sexually assaulted by Ren. Of course she did, she was asking for it by this point. The revealing outfit, wearing too much makeup, dancing provocatively, all the evidence was shouting at her and she couldn't help but believe it.
Tears were starting to form in her eyes as she choked back a sob, her hands flying to her face to cover the shame she felt. She had lost. Lost Nick, her dignity, her confidence, all of it. The only thing she had was her job, but she even managed to fuck that up with her own assault. What did she have left?
Sally hissed, her tongue flickering out as she watched the rabbit have a mental breakdown. The snake couldnt help but feel she was partly responsible for this. She knew what Ren was like, granted, she didnt know Ren's true intentions with his "plan" but she should have seen it coming. Sally had been friends with the black rabbit for ten years, watched him destroy relationships and break women's hearts, over and over while she sat and watched. The need for a job outweighing her sense to do the right thing. Which unfortunately led to Ren assaulting Judy. The snake was just thankful it didn't escalate any further, but unfortunately, the damage had already been done.
Judy was still uncontrollably sobbing, the fur on her face completely drenched from her tears and Sally could take no more.
"Judy, i know you're not in the best of conditions to probably want to have a conversation, but perhaps it will take your mind off things?" Sally offered, her voice soft and offering comfort.
The broken rabbit removed her hands, her eyes blinking repeatedly, as they tried to refocus. Sally was right, she didnt feel like talking, "I'm not really up for it." Her voiced was hoarse and cracked, if they were on the phone, Sally wouldn't have even known it was Judy.
"That's fine, what if i do the talking instead?" The snaked asked again, her eyes still focused on the road, driving no where in particular, just roaming to keep Judy safe.
Judy thought for a moment, she wouldn't have to talk, just listen, she was good at listening and this would be a good opportunity to get know Sally better. It wouldn't kill her.
"Okay."
Sally smiled, "Good, anything you'd like me to talk about?"
Without hesitation Judy responded, "You."
The car suddenly got very quiet, Judy staring at the snake, waiting for a response. Sally flickered her tongue out, a habit she did when thinking, "What would like to know?"
"Anything."
"I have my beauty license." The snake retorted, she wasnt that keen on revealing her life, especially since her life was tied to Ren's. The very same bunny that felt Judy up against her will. Sally didnt want to put any more pressure on the grey rabbit than there already was.
Judy rolled her eyes, "That's nice but I mean, how did you get where you are now?"
Shit. If Sally answered that question, there was no going back, Judy would know everything about her and Ren and she didnt know if the rabbit could handle it. But at the same time, Judy deserved to know, it was the least Sally could do.
The snake sighed, "If i go into depth about my life, you have to keep quiet till I finish, understood?"
The seriousness in Sally's voice peeked Judy's interest even more, the bunny nodded her head, eyes completely focused on the snake who kept her red eyes focused on the road.
"This also involves Ren, will you be okay with that?" Sally asked, taking a quick glance to Judy.
The cop took a deep breath, she didnt want to hear about him, let alone even think his name but Sally had her attention, so she was going to have to suck it up.
Judy nodded again and Sally flicked her tongue out, pondering on where to begin before she, herself, took a deep breath and started, "I was eighteen when I first moved to Zootopia. I previously lived in another country, where most reptiles live but it was impossible to make a living there. It was constantly checking to make sure your door was locked, bars on the windows were sturdy enough, and your money was stashed in the most bizarre places if the latter failed. It was hell."
Sally stopped talking as she wiggled her body to the right and continued her story, "My foster family wasnt too thrilled with the idea of me moving as i was their main source of income." Sally hissed at the memory, "They displayed me wherever they could, stores, towns, other people's homes..." She stopped for a moment, shuddering again at old memories resurfacing, Judy listening, eagerly waiting for her to continue.
"You see, albinism in reptiles is very, very rare. Our scales are used to make clothes, furniture, decoration...we're highly sought after but you cant just take scales right off of us. You have to wait till we shed or the scales fall off themselves. My foster family made their money off me by letting complete strangers rip my scales off."
If Judy hadn't been watching Sally intently, she would have missed the tear that fell down the reptile's face. Judy knew this must have been hard for Sally to share, and she felt terrible for pushing the snake but it was helping get her mind off things.
"I'm so sorry, you don't have to..." Judy said, laying her paw on the snakes body.
"It's fine." Sally gave a small smile, nodding a thanks before clearing her throat as she continued, "For years I had my scales torn from my body and it took months for the wounds to heal, but the scars...the scars stayed."
The snakes shifted uncomfortably, slightly glancing down her body, before going back on to the road. Judy roamed down the snake's body, her eyes widening as she noticed multiple faded lines covering Sally's body. If she weren't an albino, the scars would have been easy to catch.
"I became self conscious, and with no money of my own, i stole makeup from the drug stores around town. I covered my wounds with the makeup, feeling a little better i could hide my shame in front of others." Sally now parked the car, shimmying out of the vest as she coiled into a ball, looking off in no where in particular, "My apologies, my emotions are getting the better of me."
Judy nodded in understanding, her body was starting to cramp at the uncomfortable position, looking to the car door to hopefully stretch her limbs. She heard the driver side door open and looked to see Sally slithering out, "It be best if we walked and talked."
The cop nodded and exited the car, catching up to Sally who showed no emotion on her face as she proceeded her story, "As i said, when I became eighteen, i moved here. I became quite experienced in beauty and pursued it as a career, thinking my life would change for the better. When i got my certificate, i thought finding a job would be easy, and it was." The snake narrowed her eyes and let out a small hiss as she spoke, "But no one wanted a snake to work for them. Bad for business."
Sally stopped and looked to Judy, "It wasn't just about me being a predator, but because i was a different type of predator. I wasnt what they were used to and they shunned me for it. So i took some freelance work, unfortunately most of my clients were prostitutes."
Judy's eyes widened, she never thought Sally would take to doing something like that but if you were that desperate...
"I was hired to make the working girls more presentable and lady like, to appease the buyer and i got paid well for it. I didn't mind it, as long as i was left out of the business part but the dangers were still very real." She spoke in a hushed tone, even though the sidewalk held no one else but her and Judy, she was afraid someone else might hear her.
"If the buyer didnt find their "date" appeasing enough, it fell on me, and i would lose part of my pay and sometimes much worse. I knew i had to get out soon but i felt trapped, until i met him...Ren." She said his name so quietly that Judy almost missed it and the rabbit couldnt help but gag that Ren had taken to prostitutes. With the way the black bunny showed his ego, Judy thought he was able to get easy sex all the time, but that showed false.
"He asked for me directly, impressed with my work to make, as he said, 'used up things look new.'" Sally hissed in disgust, "He wanted me to work for him, to make the girls he dated more attractive, so others would be jealous of him. Ren offered to pay me double to get out of the shit hole i was in, and let me live with him."
When the snake stopped talking for a moment, Judy noticed they had passed the car again, they were walking in a circle. She didnt mind though, her limbs were finally getting the stretch they needed and Sally seemed more comfortable to talk, now that she was out in the open.
"I took his offer, and for ten years I watched him use women for their bodies and I did nothing. I had been abused my whole life and when things were finally going my way...I didnt care what happened to anyone else." Sally stopped moving, she refused to look at Judy who was now staring at her.
The silence between the two of them becoming increasingly awkward. They had completed their circle around the building and were now in front of the car again. Judy had no idea how to feel about what was just said. Sally had practically admitted she knew how Ren was and let him get away with everything. Now Judy's emotions were starting to get the better of her, "You knew what his plan was?" Her face full of disgust.
Sally shook her head, "No, I knew what Ren was like, not what his intentions were. But i never thought he would try to..." The snake glanced to Judy and cleared her throat, not wanting to bring up what the ebony rabbit had tried to do with Judy.
As much as Judy wanted to be angry and blame it on Sally, she couldnt. The snake was just doing what Judy wanted, to talk about herself, even if it led to the truth. Judy sighed and walked over to the car, sitting on the hood as she stared at the ground.
"So why help me then?" The cop asked, now looking at Sally.
The snake was now coiling herself on the hood next to the rabbit, flickering her tongue out before she answered, "I knew about you, way before i met you. The first bunny cop, savior of Zootopia along with Nick, etcetera, etcetera." Sally said, waving her tail in the air, "I didnt think Zootopia would change for the better, even after you saved it. I knew there would still be racism, but when Ren told me about you wanting to be with a fox, I was shocked."
"Why?" The rabbit asked raising a brow.
"You remember what Ren said about predators and prey being together was 'fucked up'?"
Judy nodded, her mind flashing to the moment when Ren had her in an embrace and was slurring something about him and her being bunnies and Nick being a fox. Was Ren the one who was against interspecies couples?
Sally continued, "I didnt think I'd ever see the day a prey class animal would want to be with a predator. It changed my view, that perhaps the world could change for the better and it actually took my mind off of working under Ren."
Judy kept her purple eyes locked on Sally, looking for any sign of the snake lying but found none. She was telling the truth. Sally was just a broken animal, looking for a reprieve and she found it in Judy. Judy couldn't blame the snake for her decisions, she was just trying to survive, just like Nick once had to do.
The rabbit laid back on the car, looking up at the night sky as she took a deep breath, "This whole place is messed up, Sally."
The snake nodded, "So what do we now?"
Judy still looking at the sky, responded, "Nothing."
Author's Note: Hoooooolllllyyyyy shit, long ass chapter. I had no idea where to end it so I just kept writing till i came to a stopping point lol. Anyway, I told y'all I was committed to writing again, HA! I'm even a day early with an update, how you like them apples? Tell me what you think, i was a little concerned with how i wrote Sally's backstory, i didnt know if I should have had her explain it, or do a flashback. So i had her explain it, was it good, bad, eh? Let me know. Until next time, kiddies.
ALSO I AM STILL LOOKING FOR A CO WRITER FOR AN UNDERTALE STORY. PLEASE PM ME IF INTERESTED.