A guy who reads- Don't worry, there's plenty of surprises in store!
Junick is awesome- I'm not quite sure what you mean by that, lol. And congrats on the account! :)
Guest- That very well could (could) happen!
Firefly4545- Thank you very much!
WingsOfBronze- Not sure when I'll start back on it, but I'm not making a sequel to TOT. I'm simple going to continue it as one story and just add more chapters to it. I figured that would be easier! :)
just-a-guy-having-fun- Why would I ever do such a thing?
Aldo B T- That's awesome! Tiring, yes, but what isn't tiring in life? And yeah, Finnick. That was unfortunate...
Guest- I guess anything could happen? ;D
leozkin- I do not plan on including any graphic torture scenes in this, but trust me, there will be plenty of dark subject matter later on. It's just how my stories are ;)
The Mexican- Yeah, that chapter will definitely happen, so don't worry about it! :)
Star Glaze Writes- No, Kygo isn't aware of her mother's death. Also, the number of people working with Vince now is around twenty or so (at least now that their original plan failed).
stephenrobillard2000- You ship the Velvin, eh? Well, who doesn't? ;D
RandomNobody37- I'll probably continue TOT after I finish this story, because working on two stories at once, well...it doesn't exactly flow.
TheCartograher- There will be death! That's not something to be concerned about, lol.
Holy foshizzles! It's been a week! How dare I leave you hanging on a cliff for that long! I think I need to drink some molten lead or something as punishment. On a serious note, I was out catching Pokemon/on vacation and I had an awesome time! There will not always be a week in between updates, so I apologize for that. Anyways, no more waiting! Enjoy the newest chapter!
Nick POV
"What?" I ask in response, overcome with denial to a severe degree.
"It was Finnick...who died. Y'know, that kid who sat with you at lunch" Kygo replies.
This doesn't add up! Finnick isn't even a fox, he's a fennec-fox! I guess the media counts that as close enough.
"How do you know?" I ask, not fully taking in Kygo's words or comprehending that Finnick is in fact dead.
She sighs as Judy returns from her parents room, looking quite enthusiastic.
"Kygo, you can stay for now" Judy tells her, and Kygo nods in confirmation.
"Thanks. As you know, I'm not one for cardboard boxes in alleys, so that's a relief".
I stare at Kygo and glance quickly between her and Judy, silently indicating that Judy deserves to know the news as well.
The news that I'm finding quite hard to believe.
"Kygo" I simply speak, and Judy glances at me in confusion.
"Something wrong?" Judy asks after a moment of silence, and I hold my gaze at Kygo, silently attempting to gain affirmation.
There's no reason to hide it.
"I...well..." I begin.
Perhaps a few minutes of peace would be nice before Kygo or I break the news to Judy. After all, a calm before the storm is quite necessary.
"Nick is just feeling kind of...out of sorts" Kygo lies, winking at me with hidden implications.
Judy blinks with a shrug, moving closer to me as I attempt to calm myself down.
It's one thing to stay calm after hearing about the death of someone you spoke to on a daily basis, and an even tougher thing to keep myself calm with the one girl who makes me feel like I'm walking on air beside me.
"What's the matter?" she asks in her usual mesmerizing, sweet tone.
I neglect the matter at hand, at least for now.
"Oh, um, just thinking hard about stuff".
Judy gestures to the balcony, and I nod in response to her silent suggestion.
"Kygo, will you excuse us for a second?" Judy asks her, and Kygo rolls her eyes in response.
"Sure, anything for the lovebirds" she mutters casually, pulling out her phone to kill the time.
I walk outside with Judy at my side, nervously glancing around, the former subject matter eating away at my insides.
The stars are visible in the sky, reminding me of the first time Judy and I talked on her balcony. It reminds be of the past experiences I've been through, able to say I have a best friend at my side.
It reminds me that even in the darkest of times, on the verge of death, Judy was there. It further strengthens the fact that Judy will always be there for me, as long as she lives.
"You're off" Judy informs me, and I clench my lips together, straightening my posture.
"How so?" I ask, the door now shut behind us.
She places her hands on the railing with a sigh.
"That's what I want to know" she responds earnestly.
"You're good at reading my mind, aren't you?" I say back half-seriously, propping my head on my elbow sheepishly.
"That's my specialty".
I ponder my options and decide to speak something that has been bothering me for years before I inform her of Finnick's apparent death.
I don't think Kygo would lie about such a serious matter, but it's hard to know anything for sure at this point in time.
"Well, for one thing, it's..." I begin with hesitation, "I just don't know what I'm going to be in life".
She nods empathetically.
"I mean, you've got it all mapped out, don't you? You've always wanted to be a police officer, and you aren't going to let anything stop you, but me, I...I just don't know" I speak in a downcast tone, feeling uncertain about my future.
"Nick, it's not that easy. I mean, look at me" she says, gesturing to herself, "how am I going to be a cop? I...can't even protect my best friend".
I put on a look of confusion.
"What do you mean?" I ask, "if anyone needs more protection, it's you. I've caused all this chaos throughout the city, and now you're in danger because of it, and if I was ever responsible for your death, I-".
She cuts me off by pulling me into a hug, and an intimate one at that. I feel my stress suddenly leaving my body once again, delaying my concerns for my future.
Sometimes I have trouble remembering that my friends will always be there for me no matter what, but I guess I can't help that. I can never seem to firmly grasp the concept that someone has my back now. It has just always been a foreign concept to me.
"I think you'll be a perfect police officer" I say lightly with my head buried into Judy's shoulder, speaking the first thing that comes to mind.
Without hesitation she kisses me on my cheek, and I run my claws along her side in a soothing way, trying to forget my fears.
I know that the family and friends around me will be here for me through all the conflicts of my current life, but there still seems to be that one question that won't let go of me:
What happens when I have to face the unknown?
Vince POV
It's funny just how quick the animals you trust most can betray you.
Hilarious, even. I had to learn this the hard way with my "family" among many of my former friends.
I stare at the television screen with nothing on my mind but revenge. I stare into the eyes of Kygo, the stupid little lion cub that I thought I could trust with an easy job. I glare at the headline written out under her photograph:
Hero Police Officer Saves Lives.
The real question is: in the long run, will Kygo save lives, or endanger many others?
"Sir, I've found it" Trevon tells me, and I grin wildly.
"You found them?".
He nods slowly, taking notes as he looks my way.
"Come look".
I walk quickly over to the laptop as he continues writing, the room very quiet; as though it is hiding an inevitable madness.
I stare intently at the screen, watching as he reminds the tape a few seconds, and then presses "play".
I watch as my son walks alongside a rabbit, and I think nothing of it. No matter what he does, I couldn't care less. He'll be dead soon enough.
"They're staying at that rabbit's home" Trevon explains to me, and I nod.
"Helping the enemy" I speak simply, "I can't wait to reward her".
He proceeds to fast forward the tape after the two of them enter her home, acting very timid as he does so.
"Now sir, I'm going to ask you to remain calm while I show you this" Trevon requests.
"Of course I'll stay calm. What kind of monster do you think I am?" I ask him angrily.
He shrugs briskly, pressing the "play" button once again.
I observe the screen in confusion as I spot a familiar figure talking to two other animals. I immediately determine the figure to be none other than Kygo, and I try to figure out what exactly she's doing.
Shortly after conversing with the two other animals; a fox and a lamb, the three begin walking in one direction, obviously headed towards the same location. This draws my attention even more as Trevon speeds the video up, my mind racing.
I see them walking towards a familiar set of stairs, and I feel my insides beginning to boil.
They knock on the door of the home occupied by my "family" and their allies, and enter short after.
I wait for them to exit moments later with blood on their paws, but they never do.
"I'm afraid Kygo may have joined the opposition...well, your opposition".
"They're your opposition too" I tell him.
"They haven't done anything to m-".
I cut him off with a hot glare.
"If they're my enemy, they are yours too. We've been over this, Trevon" I say irritably, "but at least now I don't have to worry about who to kill and who not to kill. They're all going to die. I don't care how it's planned or what happens after, you got that? We need to start planning now. Get the others" I tell him, consumed with rage once again.
I grip the arms of my chair viciously, betrayed by everyone I have ever known.
Everyone.
Why am I to blame for this madness when I am the one who cannot rationally trust a soul? They're all out to get me, all out for my blood. Even those that I held close at one point in time are my enemy, no longer close to an ally.
There's only one way to rid myself of my problems, and I can't fail.
That's not a bad thing, is it? Getting rid of your problems? Right? It's just what any sensible animal would do. When there's a parasite latched onto you, you rip it off.
And oh boy, is that what I'm going to do.
Trevon returns moments later with the rest of my most "loyal" henchman, although I highly suspect any one of them could turn their backs on me at any moment.
"Hello, friends" I say in a slightly sadistic tone, standing up from my chair.
A brave soul speaks their concerns before I can begin any sort of formal address.
"Vince, what's going on?" the wolverine asks me, and I stop my walking.
"I'd like to address a few things" I speak calmly, "isn't that right, Trevon?".
"Yes sir" he replies sternly.
"So, from here on out, this is no longer about our...former objective" I speak, pacing the small crowd in front of me, filling the walls of the bunker, "this is about solely chaos and...making a point. If you do not want to follow my lead, you are welcome to walk out right now".
The crowd stands still, and I nod slowly.
"Good. Very good. This is still a way to make this city pay for the wrongs they have committed against us, but without all the organization and...planning. From here on out, it's time to get creative. We are not the villains here, so remember that. We are the...".
I pause, and then turn back to the crowd, looking into the eyes of my followers.
"The eye openers".
Violet POV
Serenity is most certainly not a feeling I'm used to, especially on a day like today. I mean, a child and a teacher were murdered in cold blood, so how am I supposed to feel? Well, I know how I'm supposed to feel, but how do I actuallyfeel?
Empty.
It's a sad truth, but my ability to feel true sadness and sympathy seems to have faded with each passing minute.
Each passing second.
I walk the sidewalk alongside my best friend, feeling my frustrations beginning to boil over again, just like the night at the park beside my house.
I suddenly tune in to Melvin's words again just as he finishes his story.
"And like, that totally wasn't okay! I mean, would you let some stranger do that? I don't think so!" he says, the story actually making him quite indignant.
Sometimes I like that about him. The way he's so passionate about even the most unimportant of matters, or the way he recreates his memories and incorporates his emotions into his recollections.
After a moment of silence as I pad along, Melvin turns his head.
"Hey, I'm not actually mad" he tells me, and I nod.
"Oh, I know, I was just thinking" I reply.
Wrong thing to say.
"What about?" he asks me.
Great, now he's putting me on the spot. That little twat can really get on my nerves sometimes...
"My...dad" I tell him.
He looks taken aback.
"Your wolf dad or your real dad?" he asks me.
I stare down at my claws as we walk, pondering the subject of my real family. Not the wolves back at home that treat me as nothing more than a burden, but the family who actually loved me. Or maybe they didn't love me, and that's why I'm alone now.
There's no way to know.
"My real dad" I answer, "I don't know much about him or my mom, so it's fun to think about I guess".
"Have you ever seen them?" he questions me as he adjusts his goofy glasses in the light of the moon.
The headlights of passing cars beam on us as they pass swiftly, causing Melvin's eyes to seem to gain some sort of gleam.
"No, not that I remember, but I like to imagine. What if they're right here in Zootopia?" I ask, my tone filled with hope.
Melvin shrugs.
"It's possible" he says, "but I can't really relate. My parents basically worship me because I make good grades and they say it'll be good for college".
I nod, slightly irritated at the thought of children being pampered when my parents left me alone for whatever reason.
"You're lucky" I tell him, "I just feel so alone sometimes because...".
I stop walking, and stare straight ahead, my eyes tearing up.
Just open up to him, Violet! He's your friend! You have to break the stereotype! Society doesn't define you!
"I feel like everyone in my life ends up leaving me".
He tilts his head a bit, taking in my truthful words.
"I...don't know if it means much, but I promise I won't leave you" he replies, and I can't help but feel my heart speed up a bit when he says that.
That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me!
"Thanks Melvin" I speak timidly, flashing him a quick smile in return for his kind words.
Come to think of it, Melvin has been a really great friend to me. Perhaps I should stop taking him for granted...
"You know, you've really changed Violet" he tells me, "and I find that quite inspiring".
"What does that mean exactly?" I ask quickly, not knowing the exact meaning of his words.
He kicks a lone can along the ground as we walk.
"You used to really hate my guts" he informs me, "and you're different now".
I snicker instinctively at the utter sound of his words, shaking my head in a disbelieving manner.
"No I didn't" I say in defense.
"Uh, yeah you did. Remember the letter you gave me in fourth grade that said: "Hey Melvin, just remember that I'll always hate you!"? I still have it at home" he says with a chuckle.
I sigh, regretting the anger that so obviously had a strong hold on me.
"Doesn't matter now" I speak a bit quieter now, "I wasn't your friend back then and I...I had problems back then".
Melvin places his hand on my shoulder in something close to a comforting manner.
"That's my point. I mean, you still have problems. Everyone does. But you, you've overcome your anger and you've risen above it. That's what I meant".
I nod while attempting to hold back my joy, not wanting to look stupid.
"Well, um, sure...I guess...".
Melvin sort of halfway chuckles, trying to lighten the mood.
"Violet, I'm trying to be nice" he informs me.
"I know, I just wish I knew how to take a compliment" I say in a partially irritated tone, "I'm not used to it".
"Welcome to the club" he replies holding his hand out for a joking handshake as we walk, "the club of the never-complimented until today".
I laugh openly as I shake his hand, forgetting all about my stressful situation at home; at least for now.
"You're not half as annoying as I thought you were" I tell him, trying my hardest to compliment him in some way.
"Now that's a compliment" he speaks nonchalantly.
After a few seconds of silence, Melvin's eyes widen and he stands, staring ahead of us.
I scan the area for anything out of the ordinary and notice a large van heading straight in our direction at very high speeds, looking as if the driver is driving erratically.
"Move!" Melvin yells as the van slides to a halt right beside us, Melvin and I dodging out of the way and onto the hard cement.
The dust from the screeching tires fills the air, making it hard to see through the smoke.
I glance down at my bleeding elbow, a small sacrifice to make in order to save my own life. Then again, Melvin did warn me.
I hear the car door open and close loudly, followed by two more car doors as the smoke seems to get thicker and thicker.
"What is this?" I ask Melvin, confused by the disorienting, thick smoke.
Melvin starts sliding away from something in a panicked manner, and I can't tell what it is through the smoke.
"Violet!" he yells to me, and I stand up, my breathing quickening, "run!".
Abruptly, I feel something grab me from behind, and I sink my claws into them, scratching for all I'm worth.
"Run!" I hear his voice say again, and I knock the figure to the ground, slashing away at them mercilessly, screaming any words that come to my mind.
I feel more paws on my, pulling me off of my attacker, and then something like a needle stab into my shoulder.
The creature in the smoke is much stronger than me and manages to hold me down, injecting something into my veins.
"Stop! Melvin! Mel-" I scream in agony, but I am presented with no answer.
The smoke is beginning to burn my eyes as my vision fades to a blurry caricature of turmoil and panic.
This can't be the end, no way! I don't even know what's going on! I can't die without knowing the reason why!
My thoughts are cut short by a brutal blow to my face, and then I fade away completely.
Nick POV
"Nick, you just need to calm down" Judy urges me as I pace around her kitchen, eating all sorts of food out of anxiety.
"Calm down? Calm down?! That's impossible!" I say exasperatedly, the thought of my father on the loose finally beginning to get to me.
She rolls her eyes at me and bites into a cookie, glancing down at her phone as she does so.
"It's almost eleven" she states with her mouth full, "shouldn't we sleep?".
"How can I?" I ask her, "I feel so...so...overwhelmed! What if he shows up?".
"Then I'll shoot him" Kygo replies from the sofa in the den.
I brush off Kygo's words, still not one hundred percent certain that I'm safe even with all the security around my house. It's not rational, really, but it just won't stop bugging me.
"I still can't sleep" I mutter, "I'd probably have like a billion nightmares anyways".
I drink some chocolate milk nervously, Judy smirking at my jittery state with an amused expression.
Although she may not understand some things about me, at least I know the best rabbit in the world is here with me and not against me.
Problem is, now that she's with me, she's in constant danger. I know I've said it a lot, but the best things in my life always seem to have awful side-effects or whatever.
I just wish I could be with her in a peaceful world without animals that want me dead. Is that too much to ask for?
Maybe I should tell her about Finnick...
No. You're already dealing with enough right now.
How is this about you, Nick? You're so selfish.
She'll be hurt...
She'll be even more hurt if you don't tell her.
I will tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow. Nothing will stop me from doing it tomorrow. As for today, well...
"Um, Nick? Why are you eating a banana with the peel?" Judy asks me.
What?!
I realize that I am indeed eating a banana, skin and all. I must've been too deep in thought to know what I was doing...
"Oh, well..." begin, eyeing the peel, "it's a new challenge on the internet. Yeah! The: "Banana Peel challenge"! It's really hard to do" I squeak, trying to convince her.
Judy glances over at Kygo and then back at me in bewilderment.
"Yeah, maybe you do need some sleep" she tells me, patting me on the back.
I sigh heavily, knowing that there's no hiding my emotional hurricane.
"Yeah, I know, but I just can't" I say, walking over to the sofa and sitting back with a deep breath, closing my eyes in attempt to find some sort of relief.
"You haven't been this nervous until now" Judy says, sitting down close beside me, "why the sudden fear?".
I bite my lower lip, not quite knowing the exact answer to that question.
"I...don't really know" I answer, glancing out the window at the dark sky for a moment, "I guess it just settled in".
I feel Judy's warm paw grab hold of mine, holding it delicately as if I'm the one thing she can't lose.
"I can't say I know how it feels" she says, "I don't have a family member that wants me dead".
"It's a weird feeling" I say with a bit of a cynical chuckle, "and he doesn't even have any reason. He used to beat me down really badly on some nights, and then when I'd ask him: "why do you hate me, dad?" he'd just stare at me. He wouldn't ever answer me. It..." I pause, my eyes beginning to tear up, "it just didn't make sense to me".
"That's...that's awful Nick" Judy tells me.
"Oh, but that's not even nearly the worst of it. On nights where I'd come home with a bad grade, he'd take the iron from the laundry room and burn me, and then on days where I'd be late for school he'd use me as his punching bag for practicing his martial arts the next day. And then I'd ask him why he was never at home, and he'd rip off some of my fur. I just don't get why he hated me. I just don't get it. And then one day after we had dinner, he-".
"Nick" Judy says softly, stopping me before I end up caught in a lengthy, emotional rant, "please".
I can see now that Judy is tearing up as well, and I spot Kygo looking quite shocked as well.
"I'm sorry" I say, scraping my paw through the fur on the top of my head in anguish, "the memories just hurt and...I just have to let them out somehow".
Judy nods, leaning onto me and beginning to cry a bit.
I can tell in all certainty that Judy hates hearing stories about my traumatic past. For me, discussing such matters relives some of the pain by letting my emotions run free, but also create fear for the future.
What if it happens again? What if he kidnaps me? He's not worthy to be called my father...
"Judy" I say gently, pulling her into a cuddle-of-sorts as I lie on my back on the sofa, "I didn't mean to-".
"It's fine" she speaks, her face buried into the cloth of my shirt, "you just didn't...you didn't deserve it"
I see that Kygo is still looking at me with her mouth agape, her features looking quite flustered.
"Nick, dude" she begins, talking for perhaps the first time with a tone of seriousness, "I know your dad is a monster, but did he really..." she trails off.
I simply look down at the floor, indicating that indeed my father is something more than a monster.
"I really hope you can hold him off" I say, knowing that inevitably, my father will show up. He will find a way to get here; find a way to get to me. To my family, and to my friends.
I know that he has always been one to hide sinister intentions, and in this case, I don't doubt for a second that he's out for our blood.
"You really think he'll find us?" Judy asks me.
"He will" Kygo answers before I can say a word.
"How do you know?" Judy asks her, and Kygo leans back a bit on the sofa and shrugs.
"Just a hunch".
Vince POV
"Sir, we have them" Trevon's voice speaks through my phone, and I chuckle coldly to myself.
"Well done. Get them here quickly" I say in response.
This is the first part of our little idea. I don't want to use the word "plan" due to the largely malleable nature of the idea, but it is bound to work.
It's finally here: the day that I rip off the leech that had sucked my blood so ruthlessly for years. The time has finally come to show that I'm far from a joke, and that I can succeed. I'm not the fox that everyone made fun of in high school. I'm not the fox that once fell for a devil of a woman.
I'm a new fox now.
"Um, excuse me" a voice comes from behind me, and I whirl around, my eyes confronted with one of my most skilled gunmen.
"What is it Bryson?" I grunt in his direction, ending the call with Trevon.
Bryson has always been a bit slow for a large gorilla, but he's excellent at what I order him to do, so what can I say? I don't pay him, and he's stupid enough to do anything. It's a win-win.
"Are you really gonna kill your whole family?" he asks me slowly in his usual deep voice.
"Remember what I said about that word?" I ask him menacingly.
"What word?".
"Family".
He narrows his eyes in confusion.
"What did you say about that?" he asks.
"Just don't say it!" I order him, "and yes, that's what's going to happen. They're all going to be dead. Any other questions?".
He picks a bit of a white substance out of his ear and wipes it on his shirt sleeve, shrugging lazily.
"Not really. I just thought that was a lil' bit weird" he bellows.
"Who defines what's weird? Society? Haven't we had enough of them?" I ask him furiously, and his facial features remain stiff and dull.
"Yeah, gotcha" he says, stumbling away from me ignorantly.
That idiot! If he wasn't so good at combat I'd shoot the guy!
But I don't have time to waste my rage on such trivial things. Now is the time to take action. Now is the time to make them all pain, starting with the largest parasites.
I'll pop them, burn them and rip them off one by one.
This is going to be perfect.
Something tells me that Vince's definition of "perfect" is different than the status-quo. Oh well, there's no way to stop him now.
Poor Violet and Melvin! How will they fall in love if they're dead? Oh, wait? Was I supposed to say that?
Also, the final chapters of this story will be quite dark and emotional, but not all dark. At least not in my eyes. As this story continues to inch towards the end, I get more and more excited. It's so close, yet so far away.
Anyways, I know this chapter didn't focus too much on poor ole' Finnick, but that's due to Nick's habits of hiding his death from Judy which...may not end so well. Or maybe it will! Or maybe...
Bah, who even knows anymore.
Anyways, thank you for reading, and please leave any thoughts in the reviews! Trust me, I read them all!
Until next time!