Alright, so here we have some lighter anti-fluff; not super emotional, but not super fluffy either.
The piercing sound of the alarm woke Judy from her slumber, much to the bunny's reluctance. She groggily opened her eyes and went to stretch out the last bits of sleep out of her system. Her arms, however, were currently trapped in the arms of her husband. It took Judy's sleep-ridden mind a few moments to realize that at some point during the night, Nick had subconsciously rolled over and assumed their usual sleeping position.
Judy knew she should have been happy with this situation. She knew she should have reveled in the warmth that her husband provided. But she couldn't bring herself to fully enjoy being wrapped up in Nick. The thought that he did this only because he had been asleep further fueled the doubts that had sparked over the course of yesterday's events.
Nick's outburst at the Penitentiary played on repeat in the bunny's mind. It was like a bad movie that just wouldn't be ignored. Judy's only consolation was that they had managed to talk something out on the drive home, even if it wasn't what she had expected.
Shaking her head, Judy focused on the task at hand. She slowly peeled off Nick's arms from around her body, almost regretting it as his warmth was replaced with the chill of the morning. Once the bunny was free of her husband's embrace, she stretched and yawned, chasing away whatever amount of sleep remained.
She turned to Nick, wondering if she should wake him before she went to shower. Based on his behavior yesterday, she wasn't sure if a good night's rest was enough to cool him off. However, they still had a job to do today. With only a little bit of hesitation, Judy bent over and gently kissed Nick's snout, which immediately began to wiggle. The sight put a small smile on Judy's face, though the bunny didn't stay for the fox's awakening; she had a shower to take.
The hot water sifted through her gray fur, reaching the skin beneath. It was always rejuvenating, the shower. Judy could feel her troubles wash away as she scrubbed herself clean. Usually, the bunny was in and out of the shower like lightning; having way too many brothers and sisters to count meant quick showers or shared showers, and Judy hadn't been all for sharing with her siblings. However, she couldn't help but take her time this morning. There were just too many thoughts in her mind to sort through, so what better time than while the soothingly warm water ran through her fur?
As she thought over her talk with Nick during the ride home last night, she heard said fox sleepily enter the bathroom. "Carrots?" he croaked over the sound of the running water. Judy could see him rubbing his eyes from behind the shower curtain.
The bunny braced herself for however this conversation could go. "Good morning, Nick," she said in a sweet voice as she began to rinse off the lather that she had worked into her fur. "Did you sleep well?"
She heard the fox mumble something in response. And then, more clearly, "You gonna be much longer? I still have to get ready for work, too, you know." He sounded somewhat irritated, but Judy blamed that on his usual morning attitude. A stressed Nick was a grumpily tired Nick.
"Yeah, just let me finish rinsing," the bunny answered back. She could see Nick nod in response from behind the shower curtain. After about a minute, Judy exited the shower. She stepped to the side as she reached for a towel, giving the fox access to the shower.
"I hope you left me enough hot water," she heard Nick grumble. Judy felt a flash of anger rising at the comment, but quickly ignored it. It was too early to start the events of last night again. Her body on autopilot by this point, Judy began her morning routine: brushing her teeth, drying her fur via the wonderful invention that was the full-body fur dryer, and combing down any and all rebellious patches afterward.
Judy finished and exited the bathroom just as Nick turned the shower off. She quickly made a beeline for the closet, where she retrieved her uniform. The custom engravings gave the bunny pause. To think that the anniversary of her marriage to Nick had just been a few weeks ago was almost impossible. As the bunny fought back a swell of emotions, she read what had been sewn into the collar of the blue undershirt:
To my favorite bunny: You know I love you ~ Your favorite fox
Judy felt a wave of hope wash over her as she read and reread the message. It was right: no matter what, she and Nick still loved each other. They could get through this mess as long as they had each other. With her positive side winning out, Judy began to put on the uniform, feeling as excited for the day as she had been on her first day in Zootopia those three years back.
Upon entering the kitchen, the bunny began to brew some coffee – the perfect pick-me-up for Nick and her. She continued to imagine all the good that could come out of today while the essential beverage brewed. A few minutes later, as she was pouring a cup for herself and her fox, Nick entered the kitchen, looking rather handsome in his uniform.
"Morning, Slick," Judy cheerfully greeted as she handed over his cup of coffee. "You ready to make the world a better place?"
Nick made a sound that was a mix of a chuckle and a scoff, but his smile didn't reach his eyes. "Someone's in a perky mood today," he commented before taking a sip from his mug. Judy noticed that Nick's tone of voice was off. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't warm, either. It was a neutral tone that reminded the bunny of the first time she had met the fox. Back in his conning days.
"Well, I took a good look at this uniform this morning, and I remembered the special night a certain fox treated me to," the bunny explained in a coy tone, hoping to keep the mood light between them.
Again, Nick made the scoff/laugh sound, but his eyes were visibly warmer than before, even if it was only a small amount. "Well, I'm sure that fox had a fun time too," he joked before a sudden sadness seemed to fall over him. "Look, Judy, I thought about what you said last night."
"I said a lot of things last night," Judy stated matter-of-factly as she took a sip of her coffee. "You'll have to be more specific."
She noticed the flicker of irritation in Nick's eyes just before it diminished with the fox's sigh. "I'm talking about the things you said about me trying to find Victor when it isn't my case. You're right, I shouldn't be acting this stupid. I'll just end up making a stupid mistake that'll hurt the both of us in some way."
Judy paused, her body still in the act of bringing the mug to her lips. With slow movements, the bunny turned to Nick. "So, you're not going to visit Wild Times today?" she asked with a small amount of hesitation.
Nick quickly glanced at Judy before shaking his head. "Yeah, not worth it. I've already had one nasty experience with that place; I'd rather not make it two," he reasoned with a cold, joking tone.
With careful movements, Judy set her cup on the counter and gently wrapped her arms around the fox's waist. She didn't say anything, as she was sure that the hug conveyed her message over. To her dismay, however, the fox didn't return the hug. "Careful, Carrots. You don't want me to spill my coffee," the fox teased, though his voice lacked its usual warmth.
Judy ignored this fact as the released Nick from her embrace. "I wouldn't dare deprive my husband of his morning fuel," she joked as she returned to her own cup of coffee. "That would be disastrous!"
"Oh, come on, Carrots. I'm not that bad!" Nick shot back, the hint of a sly grin forming on his muzzle. "Right?"
Judy smiled from behind her cup of coffee. There was the Nick she knew and loved. "Do you really want me to answer that?" she asked with a half-lidded smiled.
Nick shot back his own signature grin. "Only if the answer is yes."
The bunny suppressed a giggle as she finished her morning pick-me-up. "Then I'm afraid I won't be answering," she stated as she set the mug in the sink. "Finish up your coffee, Slick. We've got work to do."
"What happened to the Judy who didn't like work?" Nick asked as he downed the rest of his coffee. "I want her back."
Judy scoffed and opened her mouth to retort before she paused. She considered making a joke out of how he hadn't immediately cuddled with her last night, hoping to make light of the situation. But she could see in Nick's eyes that he still felt some of the anger and doubt from yesterday, though not as strong. The bunny mentally sighed; it was too early to be joking about the case and how it was affecting the both of them.
"She came to her senses, Slick," the bunny retorted, though her cheerful demeanor was somewhat dampened. "When you work next to such a handsome fox, it's hard to hate your job." She winked at Nick from over her shoulder as she made her way to the door.
Nick chuckled, and Judy was sure that he caught himself staring as he suddenly cleared his throat. "While I can't blame her, I still miss her. She was great in bed." Judy swore she could hear his eyebrows wiggling, though she didn't blush. Their usual, joking banter didn't feel right, especially after a day like yesterday. Maybe she could talk to her parents or Rachel for any advice on how to deal with this whole situation.
"Alright Slick, let's get to work," Judy shot over her shoulder, hoping that she had on her sudden, depressed mood well enough as to not raise any suspicion from the fox.
Elk were known to frequent the Deciduous District more often than not. The main reason being that many had grand "displays" atop their heads, making it hard to comfortably live in any other district. That didn't stop Derrick Entler from running for mayor. He made many choices to help him reach the top. He spent extended periods of time living in each district, learning the ins and outs of the different citizens and getting comfortable with maneuvering his mighty pair of antlers around the different environments. His campaign was directed at both predator and prey, both of whom were still wary around each other due to the repercussions of the Night Howler Case and the Hunter Incident.
Finally, Derrick made sure to befriend the Chief of Police – a worthwhile alliance should something try to get out of the new mayor's control.
Mayor Entler gazed out the office window, looking out over the grand city of Zootopia. Truly, it was a miraculous city: built on a watering hole hundreds of years ago, it had grown surprisingly well, despite all the trouble between predator and prey. Granted, Entler himself had his limits when it came to dealing with the meat-eating mammals of the city, but he strove not to let that get in the way of his duties to the citizens. This was something he prided himself on.
A voice sounded from the intercom on the desk, drawing the elk away from his musings. "Mayor Entler? Your six o'clock is here to see you," said the receptionist. She was a cute, young doe who would have caught the buck's eye if he wasn't already married to the love of his life.
With a smile on his face, Entler pressed the button on the intercom. "Send him in." He leaned back in his chair as he waited for the arrival of his good friend.
Chief Bogo entered the office seconds later, dressed in his usual work blues. He didn't have his usual scowl that he saved for work; instead, he wore a faint smile as he greeted the mayor. "Thank you for seeing me on such short notice, Derrick," the buffalo began as he took a seat.
Entler waved him off. "It's my pleasure, really. Anything for my childhood friend," he exclaimed with weak flamboyance.
Bogo snorted at the phrase. True, the two had known each other for a long time, but both were aware of their different ideals and perspectives. "Sure. I think you're just trying to butter me up due to the fact that I voted for the other guy."
Entler laughed aloud at this comment. "You would, wouldn't you?" the elk continued laughing, and Bogo joined in. It took only a minute for the two friends to settle down and get to business. "Anyway, what was it that you wanted to see me for?"
The buffalo sighed as he chose his words carefully. "I'm sure you're aware of the trouble that has been going on in the city as of late, yes?" Bogo asked, his serious tone a stark contrast to his boisterous laughter just moments before.
Entler gave a somber nod. "Yes, unfortunately. Bellwether being attacked, riots breaking out over the city, and whatever happened to Wilde and Hopps last week." The mayor sighed. "Even I find myself getting emotionally tired just thinking about all of this."
Bogo nodded in agreement. "We all do. I honestly look forward to the day that this is all finished, but I'm afraid we can't get there without your help."
Entler quirked an eyebrow as he regarded the cape buffalo before him. "What do you mean?" he asked, genuinely curious as to the chief's plans. He leaned forward, giving his friend his full attention.
"The people of this city need someone they can trust. Right now, that's not Wilde and Hopps, what with their unfortunate ties to Victor Wilde. Through that logic, I'm sure the already wary citizens of this city would be a bit untrusting of the ZPD as a whole. Most already are, seeing as I haven't fired Wilde and Hopps, nor do I plan to." Bogo sighed heavily.
Entler gave a thoughtful nod as he considered what the buffalo said. "So, are you thinking we do something like a rally or press conference?" he asked, trying to get specific details from the chief.
"Anything that would get the citizens to listen to you." Bogo shrugged. "You'll have ZDP protection, of course, but the people need to know that there is someone that they can trust."
"I see," Entler said with a nod. "What time were you hoping I would host this conference?"
"As soon as possible," the chief replied. "Maybe even this morning, if you can manage it."
The mayor scoffed. "This morning!? Man, talk about putting me on the spot!" he exclaimed with a tone that Bogo couldn't quite pinpoint. It sounded somewhat agitated, but the elk didn't look it.
Again, the chief shrugged. "That's only if you can manage it. Like I said, the citizens need someone they know they can trust while we at the ZPD get this whole mess fixed, so the sooner the better."
Silence fell over the two as Entler weighed the option out in his mind. Bogo was right: the people needed someone they could stand behind and fast, or else more innocent mammals were going to get hurt. On the other hand, such a press conference could quickly go south should any violent and bigoted mammals make their way into the crowd. The ZPD would be there for such an occasion, yes, but was that a risk the elk was willing to take?
"I'll do it," the mayor finally spoke, shattering the silence. He met Bogo's eyes. "I'll get the press called up and let them know. You just make sure your officers are ready for whatever could happen."
The chief nodded. "Of course. What time are you planning on?" he asked.
Entler smiled. "Oh, I'm sure I can come up with a riveting speech within the hour or so. You're right: the sooner, the better. I'll shoot for this morning, but it will really depend on how fast the press gets here."
Bogo gave a relieved smile. "Thank you so much. This means a lot to me," he said as he stood to leave.
"But of course," Entler replied as he stood too. "This is my city as well. If anything can be done to help, rest assured that I'll do it." The two friends exited the office as Entler personally escorted the much larger Chief Bogo to the elevator.
"Again, thank you for this," Bogo said as he crossed the threshold into the small room.
"It'll be my pleasure. I'll make sure to call and let you know what time the press arrive," the mayor said as the elevator doors began to close. Once he was sure that his friend was well on his way, Entler returned to his office. He had a speech to write.
By the time Nick and Judy arrived at the ZPD Headquarters, the general tension that came from yesterday had settled again. The two seemed to repel each other as they walked along, though not enough to draw any confused stares their way. However, one particular receptionist saw right through their subtle act and was devastated.
"Nick, Judy, how are you guys today?" Clawhauser greeted, hoping that he seemed cheery enough. He could tell that something was off with the two officers, that much was certain.
Seeing as they had arrived early, like they usually did, Nick and Judy stopped and greeted the cheetah. "Hey Ben," Judy said almost too cheerfully. "I'm doing great! How about you?"
Nick, on the other hand, gave the flabby feline a smirk that didn't reach his eyes and a quick nod. Clawhauser, of course, noticed both reactions from the officers and felt a spike of panic drive through his heart. There was something serious going on between these two, but not the "good" serious. The cheetah wondered why no one else seemed to notice.
"Ben?" Judy asked, drawing the receptionist away from his musings.
"Hmm?" Clawhauser mumbled, his attention refocusing on the conversation at hand. He then shook his head to clear his mind before answering Judy's first question. "Oh, I'm fine. Just same old, same old, you know? I recently put up a profile on this dating site – just for fun, I'll have you know."
When Nick smirked at the cheetah again, it was genuine. "Oh really, for 'fun?'" he teased. He turned to Judy. "I think our little Benji has finally become a man! How's your profile doing? Who dared you to make it? Have you met any lovely ladies?"
Judy couldn't help but smile as well. "Yeah, come on Ben! We need the details!" she playfully pressed.
Clawhauser saw the immediate change. Just moments before, Nick and Judy were somewhat distant with each other, as if they had just argued with each other and couldn't see eye to eye, no matter how hard they tried. But now, they were their usual selves: teasing, playful, and seemingly ready to take on the world. This confused the cheetah, and he was determined to get to the bottom of this.
But first, he had a dating profile to reveal.
With a faint, embarrassed blush in his ears, Clawhauser began to pull up his dating site on the computer. "Actually, Wolfard dared me to join. I think he was trying to get back at me for suddenly walking into his office while he was making out with Jenna." He couldn't help but happily smile at the memory, though he was still a bit embarrassed that he had witnessed such an act. "They're so adorable together, just like you two!" he squealed, though he paid close attention to the two officers' reactions.
Just like he suspected, their cheerful expressions faltered ever so slightly. Granted, it was subtle enough that anyone passing by would have missed it, but Clawhauser didn't. He could see that whatever was going on between them, it went deeper than just an argument or two. However, the cheetah refused to let them worry about that, and instead distracted them with his new dating profile.
"So, I made sure to be completely honest. I've seen enough movies where the guy who lies on his dating profile goes through too much trouble before him and the girl actually get together in the end," he explained, drawing Nick and Judy's attention to the screen.
"Ah, Z-Harmony. I've heard that site was good," Nick muttered more to himself than anything. "You chose well, Ben. I don't know what I would do if you were on one of the crappier sights," he stated with a mock dramatic tone in his voice, eliciting a silent chuckle from Judy.
"What, you thought all this cheetah," Ben gestured to his flabby self, "was gonna be put on just any market? I'm insulted, Nick," he teased. He felt his ears burn just a bit more when both officers laughed out loud.
"I think you've been spending too much time with us," Judy joked back, the smile on her face nice and bright. "You're starting to sound like Nick."
"And what's wrong with that?" Nick shot back with a tone of false offense. "I think that Clawhauser hasn't spent enough time with us! He's always cooped up behind this desk all day."
"Hey, that's not true," the cheetah exclaimed, pretending to be hurt. "I have some free time every now and then."
"And what do you do during that time?" Judy asked, genuinely curious as to her friend's out-of-work activities. Nick's ears perked towards the cheetah, showing that he, too, was curious.
Clawhauser tried not to smile, which was very hard for him, considering that smiling was second nature to the feline. "I try to get unstuck from behind this desk." As soon as the words left his mouth, he lost it. He began laughing at his own joke and the mental image that came with it.
Nick and Judy couldn't help but laugh either. "I'm telling you: way too much time with us," Judy stated again. Her mood, however, had improved since their talk with Clawhauser.
"And I'm saying he hasn't spent enough time. For real, we need to invite him over more often," Nick suggested, though it sounded more like an afterthought if his thoughtful tone was anything to go by.
It took a few moments, but the cheetah finally calmed down enough to speak coherently again. He wiped a tear from his eye as he turned back to the two officers. "Anyway, I filled in my profile and whatnot. My profile pic is from that Precinct One photo shoot that we had a few years ago."
"Haven't you lost weight since then?" Nick asked as he studied the profile on the screen. So far, it looked good; he was sure that there would be a few users of the female gender who would see Clawhauser for who he really was thanks to his honesty on the site.
The cheetah nodded. "I have. I think that if people see me like that first, then they could see how much I've changed, health-wise. Besides, I don't have any good recent pictures," he admitted, sounding a bit embarrassed.
Judy quirked an eyebrow. "What about those selfies we would all take together? You always looked good in those," she asked. Nick nodded in agreement and turned to the receptionist with a curious gleam in his eyes.
Clawhauser's ears grew a deeper shade of red under his fur. "Well, you see, I don't want people to date me just because I'm friends with you guys, you know. It wouldn't be a healthy relationship at all, and what if the person just wants to get close to you to hurt you? I would never forgive myself if I had been the cause of that," he muttered, drooping in on himself.
Nick and Judy were both rather impressed with their cheetah friend. He really wasn't just a flabby, donut-loving cop who greeted everyone with the latest bit of Gazelle gossip.
"Well, shoot. Thanks, Ben," Nick finally stated, shattering the silence that had fallen over the group. "That means a lot to us."
Judy hummed in agreement before hopping onto the counter and giving Clawhauser the biggest hug she could muster. "I'm sure whoever you find will be the luckiest mammal in the world. Well, besides me, that is, but you get the point," she added with a teasing tone, eliciting a chuckle and a smile from the cheetah.
"Thank you, guys. Without you just being here, I don't think I'd ever have worked up the courage to do it in the first place, even though Wolfard dared me." Ben watched as Judy leaped off the desk and landed next to Nick. To his relief, she seemed content staying closer to the fox than she had been when they first entered the lobby.
"Alright, well, we've got to get to roll call. See you later, Ben!" Judy waved as she and Nick began making their way to the bullpen.
"You guys have fun!" Clawhauser waved back, feeling pleased that he hopefully helped them get over – or at least forget – some of whatever had them down earlier. He turned back to his screen with the intention to close out of his dating profile when a notification popped up.
It was a new friend request from one Stacy Felin.
If the officers had been oblivious to Nick's and Judy's attitudes towards each other before, they were well aware of them now. The fox and bunny hardly glanced at each other, let alone greeted any of the other officers, as they made their way to their usual seat. Nick scrambled up the chair first, followed by Judy. Other officers began to worry as they noticed that neither had helped the other.
The few officers who had been against their relationship from the beginning were starting to see the proof of why they were against them. Two completely different mammals just couldn't get along that well for an extended period of time, and with how much Nick and Judy spent together, that moment was long overdue.
Before anyone could speak up, however, Chief Bogo entered the room. The customary greeting that the chief got was a bit lackluster this time, as everyone was distracted by the fox and bunny officers. Bogo noticed both the distraction of his officers and the change in demeanor from the two small officers, but he chose to ignore those for now. There were more important matters at hand.
"Alright, alright, enough!" the chief bellowed, putting an end to the sorry ruckus that tried to be the usual greeting. "If you can't do it right, then don't do it at all. Now sit, all of you! We have some very important things to discuss today.
"First off, I recently talked with the mayor about setting up a press conference to try and quell the fears of the citizens for the time being. He agreed. The conference is scheduled to take place in front of City Hall in about an hour or so. We expect a rather large turnout of mammals who may be prone to violence, so most of you will be tasked with crowd control. The lucky ones get to go about their usual days, patrolling the city and whatnot. Do I make myself clear?" Bogo's gaze swept the room, looking for any questions or concerns from his officers. He found none.
"Sir, yes sir!" Came the reply. On the inside, the chief proudly smiled at his officers. On the outside, he kept on his usual scowl as he nodded.
"Good. Now, we'll move on to assignments. First: crowd control. When I call your name, I want you to stand and leave the bullpen so I can make sure that I didn't miss anybody. You are to head straight for the armory and await further instructions, is that clear?"
"Sir, yes sir!" the entire room replied.
Again, Bogo nodded his approval. "Officers on crowd control this morning are as follows: Delgato, Wolfard, Fangmeyer, Pennington, Trunkaby, Rhinowitz, Snarlov, Higgins, and McHorn." By the time the buffalo had finished his list, a good chunk of the officers in the room was gone. Those who remained awaited their orders, including Nick and Judy.
"Before I move on, is there anyone who would rather be on crowd control?" Bogo spoke up. Sure, the bigger mammals were usually the go-to choice when it came to dealing with larger crowds, but it never hurt to have smaller mammals on duty. This addition alone was very useful when dealing with smaller press conference in a crowd.
A few paws were raised. Bogo felt a small twinge of relief to see that the officers those paws belonged to were of the smaller variety: a bobcat, a goat, and a ram. After the chief gave them a nod of approval, the three mammals exited the room, leaving behind a decent number of officers.
The chief's eyes swept over the room, lingering a split second more on the fox and bunny sitting almost directly in front of him. "Now, as for the rest of you," the buffalo bellowed. "I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunists out there today. I'm also sure that they think that a last-minute press conference means a few mistakes on the ZPD's part, including forgetting to keep tabs on the rest of City Center. Well, they thought wrong. The rest of you are on patrol duty; keep our streets safe, is that clear?"
"Sir, yes sir!" the rest of the officers replied. It consisted of the voices of fewer mammals before, but it was still just as spirited as before. Bogo allowed a tiny smile to grace his lips. He didn't just have any plain officers under his belt; he had the best.
"Dismissed! Get out there and make the ZPD proud!" Bogo bellowed, and the remaining officers began to file out of the room. As Nick and Judy left, the cape buffalo suddenly realized something. On a good day, Wilde would have at least tried to get one tiny snarky comment in during the briefing. Whether that was to lighten the mood when the case was unusually severe or just to entertain his wife, Bogo didn't know, but he had come to expect it from the fox.
Neither Hopps nor Wilde had spoken one word out of line that morning.
The chief knew he should have been grateful. He was aware that he should have counted his blessings and written this date on his calendar to celebrate the day that neither of his two smallest officers talked back. But Bogo couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Nick and Judy.
Memories of his talk with Wilde a few days ago came to mind, further solidifying the chief's theory. As Bogo made his way back to his office, he could only hope that both he and Nick were making the right decision.
The thing about last-minute press conferences was that it was last-minute, meaning that there hadn't been any news or rumors about it beforehand. This fact was blatantly revealed as Nick and Judy drove along one of the main streets of City Center. Mammals of all sizes and species went about their typical day, most of them clueless to the event taking place at City Hall. But, once the reporters and news stations would soon broadcast the live feed, most of the citizens of Zootopia would know what was going on.
"You wanna listen to it on the radio, Nick?" Judy quietly asked. A steady silence had grown between the two as they drove, and the bunny was quickly becoming tired of it.
Nick seemed to have noticed this, for he only nodded in response before turning his attention back to the street. With a silent "thank you," Judy turned on the radio and quickly found the correct channel.
'-e'll be coming to you live with the mayor's sudden press conference.' Judy sat back as the anchorman continued to babble on about how great a mayor Entler was. Granted, the bunny liked him too, but she quickly grew tired of the overabundance of praise given to the elk. Understandably, Nick wasn't so fond of the prey mayor, but he certainly liked him more than Bellwether.
Judy decided to help pass the time with small talk until the press conference started. "So Nick, what do you think Mayor Entler wants to address?" she asked, glancing at her partner.
Nick's ears twitched in her direction, the only indicator that he had heard her. His eyes continued to scan the streets, and his body remained still and rigid. Judy had rarely seen her fox so "professional" before, and it unnerved her. She had found that whenever Nick got like this, it was because he was busy trying to get over something that he shouldn't be going through alone.
Judy turned towards her partner and placed a gentle, loving paw on his arm. "Nick, what's wrong?" she asked. The bunny braced herself for a lashing out from Nick as she was determined to stand her ground.
The fox sighed, and his posture relaxed, much to Judy's relief. "It's nothing, Carrots," Nick lied as he gave the bunny a quick side-glance. "Just tired, is all."
"Did you not sleep well?" Judy gently prodded further. Was it because you didn't cuddle with your wife? she added, thinking back to how she had woken up that morning.
Nick shrugged as he continued to scan the streets. More and more mammals were receiving updates on the conference as told by many of them turning their attentions to their phones or nearby television screens. Even the radio was growing quiet as the mayor was getting ready to speak. "Not physically tired, Carrots. Though, if and when Victor is caught, I'm gonna need to sleep for a week." Had it not been for the fox's exhausted tone of voice, this could have come off as a joke.
Judy nodded in agreement. "I feel ya. These past few weeks have been stressful. And right after our anniversary, too," the bunny added with a sigh. Her ears flopped down behind her back, and her somewhat cheerful attitude soured. Nick gave no sign of acknowledgment to the bunny's change in demeanor, and instead continued to do his job.
Voices from the radio caught the officers' attention. Judy decided to distract herself by gazing at the device while Nick's ears were the only indication that he was listening. Currently, the anchorman greeted the general audience before turning the feed over to the press-conference. Mayor Entler's smooth voice emanated through the cruiser's speakers.
'Hello, my fellow citizens, the mayor greeted. I know that this conference was quite sudden, but believe me, had I understood the severity of this city's current situation, I would have done this sooner.' The crowd's curious murmuring could be heard on the radio.
Judy was a bit intrigued as to what Entler meant by "severity of this city's current situation." Surely, the riots weren't that bad, right?
'Not only are fellow mammals attacking each other out of fear, but deeper relationships between predator and prey are being tested and worn out! Close friends are growing distant to each other, and new relationships or partnerships aren't being considered, all due to this fear that hangs over Zootopia,' the power in the mayor's voice increased as he continued talking. It was no surprise that the elk was skilled in public speaking.
'I know that a lot of you are scared, confused, and angry. Were I in your position, I probably would be, too. But I'm not, because I still have faith in the predator population of this city. A good friend of mine once told me not to hold the sins of one mammal against all of his species. Just because one fox, let alone a predator, attack Bellwether earlier this week does not mean that every other predator is held accountable!' The murmuring in the crowd grew somewhat angry. Whether it was anger at the predators or anger at those who lashed out at innocent predators, Nick nor Judy could decipher. Suffice it to say, the mayor's words were getting the people riled up.
But were they the right people to rile?
'It has also come to my attention that as of right now, you had no name, no face behind the mammal who had given you all such strife. Luckily, thanks to recent developments, the ZPD has been able to reveal the true identity of Bellwether's attacker!'
Nick and Judy did a double take, both now staring at the radio. The officers were lucky that they had stopped at a red light.
"What!?" was all Judy could manage before the mayor continued talking.
'Yes, my fellow citizens, you heard right. The ZPD has found the true identity of the mammal who attacked Bellwether. Granted, the ewe had been known for how she had felt about predators, but she was on her way to repentance, to change. She had accepted her mistakes and moved past them; apparently, this mammal couldn't.'
A faint voice sounded from the radio. 'Well? Who is this guy!?' asked a random member of the crowd. Nick and Judy continued to avidly listen to the mayor, even going as far as to gently lean in towards the device.
'Don't worry, my friend, I will get to that. I was lucky enough to be granted the permission to share this with all of you personally by my good friend Chief Bogo.' Nick's tail began to furiously twitch behind him, the telltale sign of the fox's agitation. Judy, on the other hand, grew wary of her husband. The angry aura that began to emanate off of the fox tickled all of Judy's flight or fight instincts, screaming at her to get out of there. 'Through extensive examination of the evidence and thorough interrogations of key eyewitnesses, the ZPD have come to the conclusion that one Victor Wilde was behind Bellwether's attack.'
A collective gasp ran through the crowd and out the radio, reaching Judy. Nick's ire only increased with each passing second of the mayor talking. His fur began to bristle, and his hackles began to rise. He didn't even try to suppress the growl that escaped his throat. Judy involuntarily inched away from the fox.
'Please, listen to me!' the mayor was saying, his voice easily rising above the din of shouting mammals. 'With this knowledge, the ZPD ask that you refrain from attacking anyone you may think to be associated with Victor Wilde. Yes, that does include Officers Wilde and Hopps. The ZPD promises that they're doing their best to catch this fox, but they will not tolerate mammals who want to "help." Trust me; you'll only end up tearing the city apart.
'If you need my "seal of approval," know that I completely trust Officer Wilde and his wife, as does the ZPD. I also trust all of you to take my warning to heart. This city does not need more strife during these stressful times. So please, join me in keeping the peace. Put your trust in me and the ZPD, and let us handle everything.' The crowd exploded into a bunch of angry yells and urgent questions, but by the sound of things, the mayor's speech was over. Judy quickly turned off the radio before the noise became too much to bear.
An unsteady silence grew between the fox and rabbit as the seconds ticked by. Judy decided to keep her mouth shut, knowing that she was already walking on thin ice with Nick's current attitude. His fur still bristled, his hackles were still raised. His growling had stopped, but Judy was sure that it was ready to spring back up at any second.
Finally, Nick spoke. "I can't believe the chief would do that!" he angrily exclaimed, slamming his paw on the steering wheel. Judy flinched at the impact, but remained quiet. It was probably best to let Nick vent his frustrations.
"How did he even find out!? Did he know this before we did? If so, then he could have at least told me!" Judy was surprised that through his anger, Nick was still able to drive somewhat safely.
The fox continued to vent for about another minute, asking himself rhetorical questions while Judy continued to warily gaze at her husband. She had come to know Nick as dangerously unpredictable when he got like this, and she didn't want to be in the way should he suddenly get physically aggressive.
Suddenly, the bunny felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out of her pocket as she kept a close eye on the fox sitting next to her. It was a text from Jack Savage. Just watched the press conference. Do you wanna have lunch and talk about it?
"Carrots?" Nick asked, finally getting the bunny's attention. Somewhat startled and unsure of what the fox wanted, Judy carefully acknowledged her partner.
"Yes?" she asked quietly. She braced herself for whatever Nick might throw her way.
"I need to talk with the chief about this. I don't think you wanna see me angry right now, so do you want me to drop you off somewhere? I'll be sure to pick you up when I'm finished," the fox suggested, his voice surprisingly calm. Judy felt a wave of warmth rush through her as she realized how considerate Nick was being.
The bunny glanced down at her phone and quickly reread the text from Jack. Looking back to Nick, Judy nodded. "If you don't mind," she stated, surprised that her voice wasn't a fearful whisper.
The fox nodded before turning back to the street. "Where do you want to go?" he asked.
"Just take me to Main Street," Judy said as she quickly mapped out possible restaurants in the area. "I can find some lunch there."
"Sounds good. I'll text you when I'm finished ranting at Bogo." Nick, having known the city longer than Judy, had no trouble finding Main Street from their current location. Nothing much was said between the fox and rabbit during the drive, and only a simple goodbye was exchanged before they temporarily parted ways.
Judy quickly dialed Jack's number into her phone as she began walking down the street. The aroma of dozens of restaurants wafted through the air, awakening the bunny's hungry stomach. A loud growl from her bowels caused Judy to blush slightly as Jack finally picked up.
"Yes?" came his smooth, English accent.
"Hey Jack, it's Judy. Where do you want to meet?"
Entler always felt small in his limo. With his massive antlers, he had to ride in a rhino-sized vehicle just so he could be comfortable. While he'd never get rid of or prune his show of masculinity among his species, he did find it rather inconvenient from time to time.
Suddenly, the elk's phone began to ring, gently startling the mayor. He retrieved his phone from his pocket and glanced at the caller. The ID made his skin go white under his fur.
His throat going dry, Entler carefully answered the phone and brought it up to his ear. However, he wasn't going to show weakness to the fox that seemed bent on plaguing Zootopia; not if the elk's pride had anything to say about it, anyway. "What do you want, Victor?" he asked in a harsh tone that expertly masked the nervousness the buck was feeling.
A gravelly chuckle sounded from the phone's receiver. "You can drop the tough guy act, Derrick. It won't help your case at all," Victor's voice taunted, sending cold chills down Entler's spine. "Besides, I'm just calling to congratulate you on your speech. It was exactly what I expected from you."
Entler felt a rush of relief flow through him. "So, does that mean you'll let my family go?" he asked with a shaky voice.
Again, the fox chuckled. "Yes, don't worry. They'll be completely safe. I'll personally drive them home, if that makes you feel any better."
Unsurprisingly, it doesn't, Entler thought to himself, but he kept his mouth shut; he didn't want to suddenly invoke Victor to do something that the elk would regret. "As long as they're safe," the mayor replied with a defeated tone.
"Of course they'll be safe. I'm a fox of my word, after all," Victor chuckled before the line went dead.
Entler sighed and leaned back in the seat, a feeling of regret and guilt crawling over him. Now that the city knew who was behind the attack, there was no telling what sort of fresh hell would break loose.
Dun, dun, duuuuuuuun. I had a lot of fun writing that last part; it's been a while since I've written some bad ss Victor. Also, I thought it was about time to introduce a new mayor that I hope is unique to most everyone else's.
So, in other news, I finally have a new job! Luckily, this won't take away from my writing time as it is gonna be part-time and in the afternoons (hopefully), but I'll now be able to save up my muns and maybe even get some cover art for this story, since I'm being so lazy with Nick, lol
Two more chapters until we get into Act 3. Prepare yourselves, cuz it's gonna get emotional. Until next time!