As some generous reviewers have pointed out, we've passed the one year anniversary of Born to Be Wilde a little while back. Sure wish we could have gotten this out then, but thank you anyway. I'm happy to say that after a long absence caused by a combination of real life factors and a burnout of motivation, both of us are feeling pumped to get back into the story. Thank you for sticking with us in spite of that. :)
As a reward for your patience, we present not only the longest chapter yet, but a snazzy commission of Count Reynard from the skilled paws of Quirky-Middle-Child. Go check it out on Deviantart! (Or Reynard will be unhappy and nobody wants that.) There's also been a ton of Lucy Sang fanart lately, thanks to Upplet and "When Instinct Falls", so that's something to keep an eye out for as well. Go follow his story if you aren't already, seriously.
So how's everyone enjoying the arc so far? We're roughly halfway through it now, so hold on tight because the crazy (like a fox) train has only just left the station!
Our usual beta DarkFlameWolf was unable to do it this time, so a big shoutout to President Stalkeyes and Cimar of Turalis Wildehopps for taking over as emergency betas.
Chapter 21: The Wilde Boys
Grand Palms Hotel
Floor 12
4: 25 PM
It was around this point that Nick really regretted not having any better plan than "talk to Dad and try to figure something out". Needless to say, he hadn't, aside from losing even the tiniest shred of doubt that his father had to be stopped. Actually stopping him, however, was going to be no small feat.
Both figuratively and literally because the guy barely even slowed down. "Step it up, son! I've got like three decades on you!" Reynard taunted, spinning around to point the end of his cane at the pursuing Nick.
The younger fox dove to the ground as what appeared to be a small ink capsule shot out of the tip, coating the floor behind him in the sticky substance. He felt bad for the cleaning lady who had to deal with that. "How many functions does that thing have?!"
"Enough." He shrugged, turning and making a mad dash into the elevator. Nick scrambled back to his feet as quickly as he could, but he was only fast enough to catch his father's mocking wave before the elevator doors closed in his face.
He wasted a few seconds pounding on the call button before he realized it would do him no good. Instead, he made for the stairwell, keeping a keen ear out for the rumbling of the elevator as it descended next to him. It was thankfully only a few flights before it came to a stop, and a panting Nick rushed out of the stairwell and in front of the doors as they opened again.
Reynard was nowhere in sight.
"Seriously? Again?" Nick put both paws on the sides of the elevator and stuck his head inside.
He realized that he had been played just a second too late. He only caught a glimpse of Reynard in his peripheral vision before the old tod swung down from the ceiling and kicked him square in the face. "You're losing your touch! At least give me a challenge here!" he laughed, leaving his son in the dust as he took off down the hall.
Nick tried not to be embarrassed. Falling for something like that after all his years on the street? Maybe he was losing his touch.
But that just meant it was time to find it again.
"Watch me," Nick growled, continuing the chase.
Happytown
Sherwood Apartments - Room 73
4: 32 PM
Judy watched with silent trepidation, her frantic eyes traveling from Simon to Felix and back, unwilling to let either of them out of her sight, all the while trying to keep watch of the injured Marian as well. But even rabbit eyes could only do so much.
"Excuse me? Miss? What was the address?"
Judy's scattered attention was forcefully brought back to the operator on the other end of the phone, which her mind quickly registered as the priority. "Happytown, Pine Road, Sherwood Apartments, Room 73. And connect me with the ZPD while you're at it. The shooter is still on the premises, along with another wanted criminal."
No matter how much experience this 911 operator might have had, they were obviously not trained for this scenario. "What?! I-I mean, the police and medical services are already on their way! Now find a safe place to hide until help arrives-"
"With all due respect, I am not leaving a wounded mammal alone with these lunatics. I'm staying right here," Judy said firmly, keeping her eyes on said lunatics.
"You…" Felix said darkly, recognizing the raccoon instantly. He slowly rose to his feet as he raised his gun.
Simon didn't respond with words, simply reacting to the threat. He was already on the move, swinging his metal leg up into the wolf's wrist and knocking the gun from his grip. The weapon slid towards Judy, who cautiously placed her foot on it. "And I've also secured the murder weapon."
Another pause, during which she could hear the operator trying and failing to discreetly call their supervisor over for assistance. Judy's other foot tapped in frustration. So much for quick response.
"Do you have any idea what you've just cost me?!" Simon roared, aiming another kick at Felix's leg that could have well broken it. But Felix was not to be caught by surprise twice and dodged to the side, aiming a punch at the raccoon. Simon grabbed his arm and threw him to the side, ramming into him as he stumbled and sending them both into a shelf. The mammalian mercenaries grappled with each other whilst knocking over several sentimental items.
"Just get over here!" Judy yelled, hanging up the phone and ducking out of the way of a stray picture frame as it sailed past, hitting the ground and shattering next to her. She couldn't help but notice that it was the very same picture she had seen in Nick's house, the image of Marian now ominously cracked. "Hang in there, Marian…" she urged, tearing off a small bit of cloth from her shirt and fashioning a makeshift bandage. Thank goodness for required medical training in the ZPD.
It didn't take long for Felix and Simon's brawl to bring them into the kitchen, the former throwing the latter onto the table and breaking it. Simon quickly snapped off one of the table's legs and used it to block a kick from the wolf, breaking it again in the process. Felix then landed a punch to Simon's nose and pinned down his arms, grinning sadistically as he attempted to strangle the raccoon. Struggling for breath, Simon just managed to reach out and grab onto a nice big splinter to stab into the wolf's paw. Felix screamed and loosened his grip, allowing Simon to yank him closer and counter with a vicious headbutt.
Felix stepped back, pulling the splinter out forcefully. "I have to admit, I'm impressed. You're putting up a better fight than the bear."
"I've been doing this for a while," Simon replied, reaching inside his jacket. "And by the way, I have one of these too." In a flash, he pulled out his own gun and fired it.
Had Felix been any less skilled himself, he would have been shot dead for real this time. But by the time Simon went for his gun, the wolf was already diving into a roll. The shot destroyed a nearby teacup as Felix took position next to the kitchen's fridge and toppled it in front of him to block the next shot, spilling its contents all over the floor.
Judy winced, in the midst of attempting CPR. If Marian recovered from this, she would have some serious renovations to do.
When! When she recovered from this, she reminded herself. She took another uneasy glance down at the unmoving vixen, frustrated at her own helplessness. There was only so much she could do, an unwelcome reality for the rabbit who only wanted to make the world a better place.
Simon reflexively backed away from the spilled produce, which gave Felix the opening to dive from the top of the fridge and onto him. The raccoon fired off another shot as he was tackled to the ground, shattering a light above them as they wrestled for the weapon.
"Actually...I think I've heard of you," Felix strained, surprised by the smaller mammal's strong grip. "You're Simon VanDal, right?"
"What of it?" Simon elbowed Felix in the chin and attempted to point his gun right under it, but Felix brought down his arm and knocked it to the side again.
"Ah yes, the great 'One-Legged Bandit'. How's that stump holding up?" he mocked, aiming a punch for the raccoon's forehead that he rolled away from.
"Don't pretend you know me," Simon shot back, said leg whipping up into the wolf's crotch. Felix gasped and doubled over in pain, but as Simon reached for the gun, the wolf turned his head and literally bit into it, throwing his head to the side and removing the weapon from play. This one also landed near Judy, who mentally added something else to watch onto the list.
"I know enough." Felix smirked, kicking Simon away and getting back up. "Tell me, does the name 'Kyle VanDal' sound familiar to you?"
Simon, about to rush in for another attack, froze on the spot. It was just for a second, but it was all Felix needed.
Before the raccoon could react, the empty and open fridge was thrown on top of him, trapping him inside the cold coffin. Felix jumped onto it just for good measure, then took off through the front door of the apartment, not even sparing Judy or his unfortunate victim a second glance.
A loud banging immediately took her attention back to the fridge as Simon kicked it off, an impressive feat for one so small. Bruised, shivering, and covered in food residue, the raccoon immediately snatched up his dropped gun and went to pursue the wolf. He, however, stopped for just a moment to look over Marian's prone form. "Is she going to be okay?"
Judy's ears perked up, in confusion more than anything. Why did he care? "I...I don't know."
"Damn." He looked down and shook his head. "Kyle...I'm sorry."
The sound of sirens blared in the distance, quickly growing louder as the seconds flashed by. Snapped out of whatever trance he was in, Simon spared no more time and fled the premises. Judy realized that she probably should have tried to stop him, but her mind was too addled to even process what just happened. Especially that name she overheard: Kyle VanDal. It sounded familiar to be sure, and not from that long ago either, but she just couldn't place it...
Seconds later, emergency services rushed in, and suddenly she didn't care about anything else anymore. "Over here! Hurry!"
Grand Palms Hotel
Floor 10 - Sahara Spa
4: 34 PM
Nick stayed on Reynard's tail as he headed through a pair of large, double doors. He braced himself and plowed through them with his shoulder.
Immediately greeted by the smell of sweat and incense, his nostrils flared up in response. Various mammals getting various treatments in various states of dress lounged all around him. Decorated with tile floors and sand-coated walls, the Sahara Spa was the perfect place for desert mammals to relax. Shame that relaxation was the absolute last thing on Nick's mind right now.
It certainly didn't help him find Reynard, and it felt awkward to look when everyone in the room was now staring at him. "Uh...sorry, guys. I'll be out of your fur in just a bit. Just gotta...find my dad." Stop talking, Nick.
"You mean that fox behind you?" a hippo in a hot tub helpfully pointed out.
Nick yelped at a sudden, sharp pain in his backside. Unamused, he turned and glowered at the snickering Reynard, still holding the rolled-up towel he'd just used to smack his son in the buttocks. "Real mature. What are you, five?"
"Yep. Five steps ahead of you." Tossing the towel onto the end of his cane, he twirled it around and flung it at Nick's face. The younger fox swatted it aside and made a lunge for his father, who did a frontflip over his head and landed near a group of bathers.
"Hey, buddy, you're blocking my view!" a coyote protested, standing out of the tub.
Reynard pushed him back in. "Well, you're not blocking mine unfortunately. It's bad enough that a quarter of my guys are naturalists."
"Which reminds me, I still owe you for Fangs and Boomer," Nick said, coming up from behind and trapping Reynard between him and the tub.
"Oh, don't worry, I already took care of them," Reynard smirked back, ears perked toward the sound of an approaching cart. "Can't have it getting too steamy around the workplace, you know!" His cane lashed out and struck the cart as it passed by, spilling a large pile of hot rocks into the tub.
"Crap!" Nick shielded his eyes as both steam and the shouts of irate mammals now filled the room. Combined with the overpowering smells, it almost completely obscured his senses. Reynard could be hiding anywhere. Nick looked back and forth cautiously, trying in vain to detect any sign of him.
Great. He's probably flown the coop already.
You really think I want to lose you? You know I can't resist this kind of fun.
Then you're probably going to try and sneak attack me from behind. Nah, too obvious.
Perhaps, but you won't see me coming from any angle until it's too late, so choose wisely.
Then I choose none of the above.
Nick crouched down on the spot, soon hearing the distinct whoosh of a cane flying over his head. He immediately swept out with his leg and felt it make contact. As the steam dissipated, it was more than a little satisfying to stand back up with his father now lying at his feet. "How's it feel to be outfoxed?"
Reynard lifted his head up slightly, wiping away a small trickle of blood from his bruised nose and staring at it, almost fascinated. "Let me get back to you on that. It's a new experience for me." He looked up at him, a proud smile on his muzzle. "That's my boy."
Nick tried to ignore that. "Ready to give up yet?"
"Hardly. I'm having way too much fun!"
Told ya.
Nick attempted to subdue him just as Reynard tried to roll away, an effort that sent them both into the water. The other mammals were quick to clear out as they engaged in an aquatic wrestling match that ended with Reynard dunking his son. The two soaking wet foxes scrambled out of the tub, one giggling and one seething.
"Ahhhhh, right there…that's nice…" sighed a large bison, face down on a mat with a pair of attractive mountain lions massaging his back. The felines' gentle purring turned to loud shrieks as they quickly leapt off, replaced by the wet Wildes.
"Alright, boy, let's see how that fancy ZPD training matches up with my street skills." Reynard launched a fast kick at his side, which Nick caught, then attempted an elbow to the stomach. Reynard blocked it with the cane, then pushed back to free his leg and stabbed the cane at Nick again. Nick promptly dodged and punched him in the throat. It seemed he'd finally found an effective way to shut him up as Reynard clutched his throat and struggled to get another taunt out. And remember how to breathe.
"Hey, I didn't ask for the intensive massage!" the bison yelled, feeling the furious fox feet on his back.
Reynard responded with a swift cane smack to the rear. The bison roared and rolled onto his back to shake them off. Having seen it coming, Reynard was quick enough to hop off in time, but Nick was not. The younger fox grunted and tried to shove the ungulate off of him. "Bye, son!" Reynard coughed, still massaging his wounded throat as he made a break for the elevator.
Nick finally squeezed himself out from under the annoyed mammal and rushed for the open doors, determined not to let them close on him this time. Reynard stopped abruptly and sidestepped, extending his leg and tripping him into the elevator. He reached in after him and pushed the button for Floor 3. "Enjoy the Gazelle concert! I hear you can relate to her music now." Nick tried to get back out again, but the world's fastest closing elevator doors thwarted him.
With a belligerent sigh, he slammed on the button for Floor 9. He knew Reynard wouldn't shake him that easily, but this had better not turn into a full tour of the hotel or he'd be needing some relaxation after all.
New Mexicow
4: 40 PM
"Mmmm...ooooooh...mmmm..."
"Lucy in the sky with diamonds! Lucy in the-"
Lucy scowled as her phone went off, literally dropping what she was doing as she reached into her jumpsuit to answer it. "Simon's right, you really do always call at mealtime! What do you want?"
"Just checking in, Queenie. I'm getting a bit held up over here with the boy coming to visit and all, so I wanted to make sure you're still holding up."
"Aside from being a vampire bat stuck out in the blazing sun, I guess I'm fine." At least the awning she was currently perched under provided some much-needed shade. "What's with you? You sound kinda raspy."
"Probably because my son just throat-punched me. So, you know, family reunion could've gone better. But I'm having a blast over here, so don't you worry about me."
"Because I was so worried about you," she muttered sarcastically. "Anyway, I'm still watching the place like you wanted, but are you sure he's even gonna show up?"
"Tsk tsk, oh, Queenie. Haven't you learned who you're talking to by now?"
"More than I want to. Fine, but you better be right! I've been taking in fluids all day long just so I don't shrivel up out here!"
"Relax, will ya? Sun's going down soon and then the fun will really begin! So get yourself as juiced up as you need."
Lucy bit her lip, dreading the answer to her next question. "Speaking of which...I don't really have to wear that, right?"
"Aw, come on! I worked hard on that design! Do it for me?"
"No."
"Do it for double the pay?"
"...Alright. As long as it doesn't end up on ZooTube like the punch bowl incident."
"Whatever. I'll still have it on recording regardless. Now go out there and make me proud!" He hung up abruptly.
"What, does he think he's my dad now?" she muttered, quickly disregarding the entire conversation. The Count was certainly one of her less likable employers, but at least he kept things interesting.
A weak moan touched her ears, reminding her of the small rat currently struggling to crawl away. "Oh no, I'm not done with you yet," Lucy purred, grabbing the exsanguinated rodent's tail with her clawed foot and pulling him back in. "Now where were we?"
"Para! Por favor!"
"Cuuuuuuuute!" With a flash of her pointed fangs, she finished her meal.
Rodentriguez Residence
4: 52 PM
Jimmy Frost was quickly learning the true meaning of the word "fiesta". The feast had yet to end, despite the fact that most of the rats had collapsed from exhaustion and were now laying all around the house, and on top of him. The fox had been effectively pinned down by sleeping rodents, but he didn't mind. He couldn't believe how at home he felt here, especially since he at least was raised by ordinary arctic fox parents.
"Need anything else to eat, Señor Frost?" Elizabeth offered.
He managed to turn his head. "No thank you...no gracias? I can't eat another bite." Which was pretty impressive coming off a meal prepared for rodents. Elizabeth sure knew how to cook.
The matriarch smiled and headed back into the kitchen to begin the long process of cleaning up. The fox yawned and slowly closed his eyes. Maybe he could do for a nap as well.
"Oh, the weather outside is frightful! But the fire is so delightful!"
His phone had other ideas. Jimmy shot up reflexively, spilling a half-dozen rats to the floor. "Lo siento," he whispered, a phrase he was now familiar with due to its repeated usage around Elizabeth.
The damage already done, he figured he might as well answer the phone. "Judy? There you are! Carla and I have been waiting to hear back from you all day! Did you find Nick?"
The rabbit could talk even faster than she ran, Jimmy just barely able to keep up as she rattled off everything she'd learned since leaving the precinct. "Oh, that's bad. But that's good. That's even better! Now it's bad again. Oh geez, that's really bad! Yeah, I'll let Carla know. Good luck."
He hung up, needing a moment to compose himself. His head was swimming with everything he'd just heard, but he could sum it up easily: Nick was in some pretty deep doo doo. He was grateful to have ordinary parents right about now. No wonder Nick had been acting so strangely this morning. Despite the onslaught of bad news he'd just heard, that knowledge brought a smile to his face. So he did have a good reason to lie! I knew I shouldn't have doubted him! Carla's probably still gonna hate him though...
He glanced around the room. Speaking of which, where was Carla? She needed to know about this ASAP. Stuffing Wallace back into his pocket, Jimmy slowly stood up, creeping out of the dining area while taking care not to accidentally step on any sleeping rats before making his way upstairs. Well, upramp actually, since rodents didn't care for stairs, but at least he didn't have to squeeze himself through a tube. He wasn't sure how much Carla would appreciate him coming up to her old room, but he had no choice.
It wasn't hard to find at least; he just had to look for the door that was way bigger than the others, which also happened to have her police badge hanging from it for whatever reason. He knocked lightly. "Hey, Carla? Just got a call from Judy. Some big stuff you should probably know about. Carla?" He knocked again. Still no response. Bracing himself to possibly get the snot beaten out of him for trespassing, he pushed open the door.
The hyena's room was mostly as expected. Dumbbells on the floor, luchador merchandise lining the walls, a worn-out punching bag in the corner, and a fine layer of dust from how long all of this had gone unused. Carla herself was sitting on her old bed, Priscilla perched on her shoulder, as she thumbed through a large book. It must've been a good one, since neither of them gave any indication that they were aware of his presence. Knowing he was playing with fire here, he slowly crept up onto the bed with them and looked over her other shoulder, curious what could make them of all mammals so enraptured they didn't even notice him.
It was a photo album, and an unexpected peek into Carla's life with the Rodentriguez family. Not able to get baby pictures, they started with her as an adolescent pup, playing around the house with her many undersized siblings. Elizabeth appeared in many of them, showing just how much she appreciated their roughhousing.
Next came Carla's teen years, angsty goth phase included. She had grown significantly and family photos now required her to either sit down or carry all of her siblings. Surprisingly, it seemed she often chose the latter. He wondered if this was for sentimental reasons or just another form of exercise.
And then her adult life. Much of it was filled with Lucha Libre photos, Jimmy's eyes nearly bulging out of his skull when he saw the kind of outfits she and Priscilla used to wear, though he had to admit they looked cute together. There were even wedding photos of their big day. He smiled to himself as Carla paused on one specific picture. She was in a tux (naturally) with Priscilla in the palm of her paw, both closing their eyes as they attempted a kiss as best they could.
He couldn't take it anymore. "D'awwwwwwwwwww-wck!"
Carla's paw wrapped around his throat in a heartbeat, and his were pretty fast right now. "What are you doing in here?!" she hissed.
"Urk! S-Sorry. Judy just called. Important stuff. Please let me keep my head."
"Let him go, mi corazon," Priscilla advised. "Like you said, he's just dumb."
Carla begrudgingly released him, letting the fox catch his breath. "You...must have been...really distracted...by those photos."
She slammed the album shut. "Tell me what Judy said, and make it fast."
Jimmy nodded eagerly, taking one more deep breath before opening his mouth.
"SoJudytoldmethatshetriedtofindNickathishousebuthewasn'tthereandheleftthisnoteabouthowhisdadisactuallytheCountandIwaslikeohmygodandthenNick'shousegotburneddownbutshewasn'tactuallyinitatthetimesothenshewenttofindNick'smomandfoundoutabouttheirmarriageissuesandstuffbutthenshegotshotbythatbigscarywolfguyandnowshe'sheadingtothehospitalandJudy'sfreakingoutandI'mfreakingoutandwehavetodosomething!"
The fox gasped for air, even more winded than before. Carla and Priscilla just stared at him, wondering how he didn't explode. "Que?"
"Nick...is in...deep doo doo."
"Oh." Any interest Carla had before was now gone. "You call that news?"
"Look, it's bad okay?" Jimmy insisted. "We need to get out of here and-"
"No."
He froze, stunned. "Say what?"
"I say no!" she repeated. "I'm finally home with my family again after all this time and I'm not leaving them to go chasing after that imundo mala vido!"
"Carla!" Priscilla gasped.
"He's not a-wait, what does that mean?"
"Filthy lowlife."
"He's not a filthy lowlife! Sure, he used to be a sorta bad guy, but he's not anymore! After all you've seen him do, how can you still hate him like this?"
"Why can't yoooooou be friends?" Wallace pleaded.
Carla scowled, firmly turning her back on the fox. "None of your business. Don't you have a crooked cop to go rescue? Sorry, I meant ex-cop."
"Yes, I do!" he answered. "I mean...I don't? Whatever, I'm going back out there, with or without you!" He stormed out of the room, making a feeble attempt at slamming the door behind him.
Carla shook her head. "Wouldn't have spent all that effort telling him to mammal up if I knew he was going to waste it on him. Can we get back to the book now?"
Priscilla put a paw on her cheek. "Carla...are you sure about…?"
"Please?" she asked, her tone of voice practically begging her to drop it and move on. The rat could see a distinct wetness in the corners of her eyes. This was not the time to push her, but she hoped that time would come soon.
"Alright."
Grand Palms Hotel
Floor 9 - Mrs. Pong's Noodles
5: 03 PM
No one knew the full story of how a Pandese restaurant ended up in the Palms. That was a tale lost to the ages as the owner would simply say that she came here from "the old country" and leave it at that. She had gone all out in making it resemble the old country as well, oriental designs and a large amount of bamboo furniture decorating the place. Despite its foreign atmosphere, the restaurant was always packed, though the usual clientele were mostly pigs and bunnies for whatever reason.
"Sir, I'm going to need you to either order something or leave," said a somewhat furious tigress waitress.
"But I'm just getting to the good part!" Reynard insisted, his legs propped up on the table as he regaled her with another of his "hilarious" stories.
"I'll have something." Nick kicked open the door as dramatically as he could. "One dirtbag crime lord to go please."
"Hey, you've finally caught up!" he grinned, waving his son over. "Come on, let's have a bite to eat before we play some more."
"I'm not hungry." Nick pointed a clawed finger at him. "And the only thing I'm taking out tonight is you."
"...Are you coming onto me? Because I'm flattered, but-"
He was nailed in the face with a bowl of soup. Nick shot a quick apology to the rabbit he'd swiped it from.
Reynard let the bowl slowly fall off, leaving his face covered in broth and a stray noodle that he quickly slurped up. "Excuse me, Miss...do you have Kung Fu Fighting on your jukebox?"
The tigress sighed, sulking off to turn it on. "Not again…"
Reynard slowly got out of his seat, leaving his cane behind. He hopped from foot to foot, making faux martial arts poses and noises.
Nick tried very hard not to crack a smile. Maybe it was some kind of fox instinct, or the fact that it had been so long since he had seen his father, a mammal he once admired and respected more than anyone else, that a part of him wanted nothing more than to just chill out and have some actual fun with the guy again. He was still going to kick his ass and haul him off to jail, but that didn't mean he had to be all angsty about it, right?
Oh, to heck with it. He did the same thing.
They stayed like that for some time, just waiting for their cue.
"Everybody was kung fu fighting!"
"Ooooooooooooooooh!"
"Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
The two foxes stepped forward, launching a flurry of lighting-fast punches and kicks that could shatter bricks. Or so they liked to think anyway. In actuality, they were just beating the tar out of each other, but in a much sillier fashion. The other customers certainly didn't care, cheering them on excitedly.
"You have brought dishonor to the House of Wilde," Reynard said dramatically, blocking a chop from Nick. "I must avenge our sly ancestors." He snatched up a pair of chopsticks from a bowl and jabbed them into his nostrils.
Nick yelped and hopped back, yanking them out with one paw and leaning on a table with the other, hoping no one would be using those utensils anytime soon. "No, it is you who will face defeat today, one who is crazy like fox." Reynard dove behind his table to dodge a flying bowl of egg soup made to compliment the noodles still coating his face.
Reaching one paw up, he retrieved his cane and stepped back out into the fray. Twirling it like a bo staff, he swatted aside a half-dozen pot stickers that Nick had thrown like shurikens. "No no no, not the suit!" He swung his cane into a plate of dumplings, sending all of them flying back at Nick. Using an overturned tray as a shield, he avoided getting any of it on his face at least, then quickly returned fire. The disturbingly eager customers not only didn't mind their food being stolen, they outright passed it to each side to continue fueling the kung food fight.
"What is going on out there?!" an angry voice boomed from the kitchen. All the action stopped abruptly, the food-covered foxes and their audience staring up at the large form of an old female panda, dressed in an apron and armed with a wok.
"Mrs. Pong, they're kung fu fighting!" a rabbit answered excitedly.
"Not again," she groaned, focusing her wrath on the Wildes. "Is this true?!"
Reynard cleared his throat. "Well, madam, and I must add that you are looking fine, technically we did cause a bit of a ruckus. But it's really all about what your customers want in the end, right? And I have to say, they seem pretty-"
He took a wok to the face, so hard that his face was actually imprinted into it. Before he could regain his senses, Mrs. Pong lifted both of them off the ground and tossed them firmly into the opposite wall. Father and son shared a look that clearly conveyed the same sentiment: Run.
As Mrs. Pong roared and charged at them, they quickly got their tails out of the restaurant, past all the cheering bunnies and piggies that they couldn't help but share a few hi-fours with, and into the elevator.
Nick slammed the close door button while Reynard tapped the '8' with his cane, then they both leaned back against the wall and spent a few moments catching their breath.
Happytown
5: 11 PM
Judy sat out there on the cold steps for what felt like hours once the district's understaffed ZPD was done taking her statements. Happytown's effects on her had faded, her own anxiety far more powerful than anything it could cause. She tried to block it all out, but it was hard to ignore the flashing lights of the ambulance, or the squeaky wheels on the gurney that was transporting Marian Wilde towards it.
The old vixen was surrounded by paramedics, doing everything they could to staunch the blood loss and keep pressure on her chest, with a respirator placed over her muzzle to keep breath in her lungs. She was still alive, that much was clear, but for how long? She didn't want to ask.
"Excuse me," a paramedic said, oblivious to her desires as he came over. He was also a lupine, an unhelpful reminder she didn't need, as specist as that might have been. "You are the officer who called this in, right?" Probably for the best he didn't recognize her either. "It's too early yet to tell anything for sure, but we can give you an update if you want to hear it."
Given the choice, she honestly wasn't sure she did, but it was against her nature to stay ignorant. "Yes. I do."
He nodded, his expression already making Judy regret her decision. He crouched down to reach her level. "I'm going to be frank, it's not looking good. The bullet pierced a lung, the shock sending her into a comatose state. If you hadn't kept air in her for as long as you did, she would likely be dead already, but...I'm afraid her chances of waking up again are slim, even if we can repair the damage."
His bedside manner could use some work.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "If you would like to come with her, you can."
Of course she did. Where else was she going to go now? Judy stood up numbly, just putting one foot in front of the other as she made her way into the ambulance. The paramedic hopped in behind her, closing the doors and blocking the grim scene. She could almost thank him for that much. In just a few seconds, that felt like minutes, the ambulance took off. It was a relief to finally be leaving this place, but now she was stuck in here...with Marian. She couldn't ignore this now. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to look at the comatose fox.
All at once, the reality of the situation sank in. Her partner was gone, and may never be her partner again even if she found him. His mother could very well die and he probably had no idea, and his father was a ruthless criminal she had no idea how to stop. Maybe this wasn't going to decimate the city like the Night Howler Incident had, but on a personal level, it was even more devastating.
And if she was this torn up over it, then how was Nick ever going to take it? The poor guy must be a wreck already having to face his dad.
Grand Palms Hotel
Floor 8 - Elevator
5:16 PM
Nick and Reynard kept their eyes trained on each other as the elevator moved down to the next floor. Pulling himself together, Nick shook off the Mrs. Pong's ordeal and the brief moment of nostalgia it provided, ready to finish this as soon as those doors opened.
And as soon as they did, what seemed like an entire herd of antelope filed into the elevator, effectively trapping them both. Seemingly oblivious to the odd mammals out, they pressed the button to go one more floor down and the doors closed again. Herding mammals were never known for being courteous of others.
"Guess we're skipping Floor 8," Nick said, trying to untangle himself from the sea of limbs and antlers.
"It was a stupid floor anyway." Reynard shrugged as best he could. "At least we got a chance to clear the heir."
Nick glanced over at him, one look at that stupid grin telling him that, yes, he had heard that right. "Yeah. Too bad I wasn't tailor-made for this after all."
"Actually, I think it's been a rousing successor."
"Then I guess your failure isn't becoming a parent."
"No worries, I've still got an offspring in my step."
"And he's gonna smack you where the son don't shine."
"...Are you sure you're not coming on to me?"
"Positive."
"I may have fathered this plot, but you're just being a child."
"I could have conceived a better plan, I admit."
"It's given birth to a total disaster, Nicholas."
"But I can still give it new life."
"Or maybe you should have aborted this while you had the chance."
"Whoa!"
"Too far?"
"A bit."
"Sorry, but I don't give even a little fox about that."
And so the Wildes continued their duel in the only means available. Their captive audience groaned loudly with each new pun, wondering just how long this elevator was.
New Mexicow
Rodentriguez Residence
5: 21 PM
Elizabeth furrowed her brow in worry, rapidly counting the numerous rats slumbering around her. Only through her honed mothering instincts did she know that some were missing. "Tomas? Pedro? Maria? Where are you? I swear, they had better not be off drinking again, or so help me…" Her attention was drawn briefly away as a certain arctic fox lumbered past her, heading for the door. "Señor Frost? Where are you going?"
He winced, for some reason thinking he could slip out without anyone noticing. "Something came up. I need to go help Nick."
"But do you even know where he is?" the matriarch asked, concerned. It was hard not to see the vulpine as just a much larger child, and she didn't let any of her children wander out after dark.
Sighing, he opened the door and looked back at her. "Not exactly, but I know his evil fox dad is after Sanchez, and Sanchez is somewhere here in Sahara Square. So if I find Sanchez, I find evil fox dad, and I find Nick."
"What an amusing coincidence. It appears we are looking for the same fox, amigo." Jimmy knew then that this wasn't going to be easy as Sandcat Sanchez was suddenly standing right outside the door. "May I come inside?"
Elizabeth glowered at him, but reluctantly nodded. Letting a cat into a den of rats was never a cause for security. At least most of them were asleep already. Jimmy moved to the side and let Sanchez into the residence, smelling that pungent cologne instantly. El Orgullo attempted to come in behind him, but couldn't quite squeeze himself through the door. "You can stay there," Sanchez told him. "This should only take uno momento." The lion nodded and squatted down in front of the door, which also happened to block off anyone from trying to escape. "So...you know why I am here, si?"
"I have a few ideas…" Jimmy muttered.
"Then perhaps I must sing for you a song of reminding." Whipping out his violin, he ignored Elizabeth's frantic attempts to stop him and began to sing.
"I know it haaaaaaas, been quite some tiiiiiiiiiiime!"
"But now I muuuuuust, sing you this rhymeeeee!"
"I am prepaaaaaaared, all things in plaaaaaace!"
"For the two of yooooooou, to guard my spaaaaaaace!"
A chorus of wailing served as the coda to his song, as he had managed to wake up everyone in the house, if not the entire neighborhood. The Rodentriguez family only screamed louder when they saw the two felines at the front door, scurrying back to their rooms in a scampering stampede. "That should only take a few years of therapy," Elizabeth sighed. "So you finally want to bring in your new bodyguards, Sanchez? Having trouble in El Paraíso?"
"Nothing my boys cannot handle. Just going on a fox hunt, as it were."
"So you do know where Nick is?" Jimmy pressed.
"And his father. They're both at the hotel, making a complete mess of the place I might add."
"Sounds good to me." He smiled. "So when can we go?"
"We're not going anywhere." Carla stomped into the now-empty dining area, heading straight for Sanchez. Priscilla was still riding on her shoulder, equally pissed. "Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've gotten to be with mi familia?" she snarled at him. "I'm not giving that up just to be your little slave again!"
"And whose fault was that, Carla?" he asked tauntingly. "I'm not the one who said you had to exile yourself from your family. That was your own decision."
Priscilla glanced at her briefly, uncertain, but was quirk to direct her ire back on Sanchez. "I'll get her reasons out of her eventually. But not before getting you out of here!"
"So you intend to turn your back on me, after all the good times we've shared together?" Sanchez looked down, almost sadly. "In that case, I must sing for you a song of-"
Carla snatched the violin out of his paws before he could so much as play a note, breaking the instrument over her knee in one swift motion. "The only song I need to hear is your swan song."
Sanchez looked like he had just lost his mother. Even El Orgullo raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Mi...mi violin…"
"Would you like to borrow one from my siblings? That should help accentuate the mood."
"Carla…" Sanchez kept his head lowered, eyes hidden by his sombrero. "I believe you know the consequences of crossing me..."
Priscilla looked away, arms moving down to her chair. It was a subtle movement, but not subtle enough to escape her mate. "I do. And that's why I'm going to put an end to it."
The rat was quick to turn back to her. "Wait, what are you…?"
Carla glared straight at El Orgullo, still watching all of this from the doorway. "How about it, you big cabron? You and me, in the ring, tonight."
Jimmy gawked. "Say whaaaaaaaaat?"
"Now hold on, Carla!" Elizabeth cut in, commanding attention despite the vast size difference. "This is not what you joined the ZPD for! Even if you win, you can't catch Sanchez this way! All you'll be doing is getting yourself in even more trouble!"
Priscilla stroked the hyena's cheek lovingly. "She's right, mi corazon. You don't need to do this for me."
To her surprise, Carla paid her no heed, her cold stare resolute and unwavering. Something was seriously wrong here. Derelict of duty was one thing, but disregarding her and her family was unheard of. "Maybe not, but I want to. For you, and for the glory of Luche Libre, I am going to take El Orgullo down!"
"An interesting proposal, and no skin off my teeth of course." Sanchez smiled back. "Well? Do you accept her challenge, El Orgullo?"
The lion slowly formed a wide, fanged grin.
Jimmy covered his face with both paws, letting Wallace droop at his side. "Ay, carumba!"
Grand Palms Hotel
Floor 7 - Oasis Casino
5: 21 PM
By the time the elevator doors opened again, the antelope were all too eager to escape. Nick too was getting sick of all these distractions, even if another side of him was enjoying it more than he'd like to admit. The sooner he got his dad under wraps, the sooner he could sort out all these conflicting emotions.
But as soon as they emerged, they came face to face with a very strange mammal. Dressed in a matador's uniform and billowing red cape, the bull was glaring pointedly at both of them. He wasn't the only one either, as he was surrounded by a whole team of coyotes, wild dogs, various felines, and other desert mammals, all dressed in surprisingly-intimidating mariachi uniforms. Backing up this group were armored ZPD officers from Precinct 2, and yet they were the ones who looked out of place here. All of the regular patrons had wisely been escorted out. "That's quite enough out of you two," the bull bellowed. "Just who do you think you are?"
Reynard managed to look smug and confident despite being covered in water, bruises, and foodstuffs. He jabbed a thumb at himself. "In your own language, I'm loco como un zorro."
"He asked who, not what," Nick grumbled, sorely wishing that the old "enemy mine" adage didn't apply here. The opportunity to apprehend his father was now sadly overshadowed by the very real chance of getting shot in the attempt.
"Same difference. And who might you be, aside from ironic?"
"This is Gomez, my head of security," said Sandcat Sanchez, stroking a whisker as he emerged from the crowd. "And he's told me you boys have caused quite the ruckus here."
"That's right, Jefe," Gomez snorted. "Damaged property, food fights, puns! They must be stopped."
"And indeed they shall be. But first, I must sing for them a song of hopelessness." Sanchez prepped his violin while Gomez pulled out a pair of maracas to join him.
"A pair of fooooooooxes, you've crossed the liiiiiiiiiiiine!"
"You tried to ruuuuuuuuuun, but now you're miiiiiiiiiine!"
"And in the ennnnnnnnnd, you had no chaaaaaaaance!"
"Cornered nooooooooow, it's your final daaaaaaaaaaaaance!"
He bowed as his minions cheered uproariously, the ZPD offering their best golf claps. "Oh, you are so kind! How marvelous it is to perform for you today."
Reynard laughed, completely ignoring the multitude of tranq guns and other weapons aimed at him. "Okay, you know he's not that special, right?" He got reactions akin to committing blasphemy. "Seriously, anyone can do that."
"Disparates!" Sanchez snapped. "My musical talent is unique and unparalleled!"
Reynard casually popped the headpiece off his cane, revealing a small microphone, and put it to his lips while tapping his foot.
"Five, six, seven, eight, let me set the story straight!"
"You make a good show, but it's already too late!"
"If you corner a fox, you'd best be ready to fight!"
"With two of us here, you're in for a hell of a night!"
Reynard's rap concluded, he held the makeshift mic out in front of him, and dropped it. Nick found himself unable to contain an amused smirk while Sanchez just scoffed. "Feh! You call that music?"
Doors slammed open all around them as around three dozen suited mammals burst into the room, now surrounding the group that surrounded them. Sanchez and Gomez went from smug to scowling. Reynard twisted the headpiece back on the cane, seemingly oblivious. "Actually, I call it stalling. Good work, King! Now do us a favor and cash these chips!"
"With pleasure." He immediately punched out the nearest of Sanchez's thugs. This brought the room to chaos in a matter of seconds as the two crime gangs waged war on each other. Sandwiched in the middle, the ZPD was hopelessly outmatched trying to quell them all. The sound of shots and musical chords filled the casino.
In spite of this, Reynard calmly placed his arm around Nick's shoulder. "I believe this nicely demonstrates the difference between our kind and theirs. A few too many mooks and the boys in blue become the boys in black and blue. And you want to be associated with these mammals?"
Screw the adage. He liked those mammals. Reynard just barely dodged Nick's attempt to slug him. "Better than being the guy just sitting back and watching!"
"On the contrary, Nicholas, one's level of success is inversely proportional to how much work you have to do yourself. But just for you, I'll play a little longer…" He clicked his tongue and proceeded to run directly towards the fierce melee now engulfing the Oasis.
Nick had no choice but to follow. "You are crazy!"
Reynard actually spun around and ran backwards, as if to make that point even clearer. "Are you feeling lucky, Nicholas? Hit me! If you can." He effortlessly ducked a warthog's arm that swung at him and disappeared into the crowd.
"That escalated quickly" did not even begin to describe what just happened. Nick mentally kicked himself, knowing that if he had just ended this sooner, maybe he wouldn't have to deal with the hail of limbs, blunt objects, and tranquilizers that flew all around him. He shoved aside a suited wombat, immediately having to dodge a New Mexicown feline and his flute-shaped baton, then using said cat as a shield to block a salvo of darts. This wasn't his first time getting involved in a skirmish with the police, though it had been a long time since he was on this end of it. Not the kind of memories he wanted to relive.
Then what do you want, Nicholas? Isn't this whole thing about you chasing your memory of me?
I don't want anything to do with you anymore.
You've got a funny way of showing it.
"Think fast!"
And this time he did. Nick whirled around and caught Reynard's cane before it could hit him. "You know, if you're trying to be a better father, you can start by not caning me." He gripped the weapon tightly and yanked it towards him, kicking Reynard in the gut and letting him fall back into a slot machine. The already-spinning wheels stopped on triple 7's, sounding a chime and spilling a deluge of coins onto his head.
A pair of beefy arms wrapped around Nick from behind, lifting him off the ground and squeezing him tightly. "That is far enough, Wilde," a ZPD rhino growled from behind him. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but both you and your Dad can answer that down at the station."
"...Would you believe me if I said I have a perfectly good explanation for this?"
"You better."
Reynard flipped a coin into the air. "Heads!" As it came back down, he flicked it right between the rhino's eyes, making him shout and drop Nick. Reynard didn't stick around for a thank you and took off again.
That sure makes things awkward, huh?
Shut up, Dad.
Nick leapt out of the way as the rhino charged him, but his short flight was cushioned as he crashed into another mammal. One who turned and snarled at him, brandishing sharp claws. "Hey, watch it will…" The suited wolverine took one look at him and paled, backing away. "S-Sorry about that! Totally my fault! Please don't tell your dad!"
"Uh...I won't," Nick reassured him, too weirded out to even consider it.
Yeah, wouldn't want anyone to question your loyalties or something.
A soft thunk was all the warning he got, rolling away from a very unfortunate mariachi bear who had just been tranqed. The ZPD was stepping up their game and Nick had to swerve back and forth as several more mammals fell around him, grateful for his relative shortness. He reminded himself not to pick on Judy for that anymore.
"Nicholas, catch!" Nick leapt up and snatched Reynard's cane out of the air as it flew at him. The fox himself was standing on a poker table, one of Sanchez's jaguars grabbing his caning arm and a ZPD hedgehog trying to pull him down by the leg. "Now listen closely, I need you to point the mouth at them and pull on the right ear!"
Oh, this is precious! You gonna save Papa Reynard now?
That cat might kill you…
Yeah, but let's be honest, I'm kinda asking for it.
"Son, I know this is shocking and all, but it would be really nice of you to royally flush these guys now!" His mind wasn't made up fast enough to stop his body from acting. He aimed the cane's mouth at them, grabbed the right ear, and yanked it hard.
A plume of fire shot out, engulfing both attackers and sending them rolling on the floor. Reynard leapt away in surprise. "Whoops, I meant the left ear! I was going for itching powder!"
Nick just stood there, horrified at his own actions, dropping the cane.
Reynard hopped over and picked it back up again. "Relax, they're fine." They certainly didn't look fine, but at least they were alive. "As much as I'd like to give you a pep talk right now, we've got bigger problems."
A giant shadow loomed over them. "You've gone far enough, muchachos," Gomez huffed, grinding one hoof against the floor.
Reynard shot a quick glance towards Koslov, who was otherwise occupied tossing aside officers and criminal band members left and right. That option shot, he pressed his back up against Nick's, brandishing his cane. "Let's show this punk how the Wildes cut a deck." Nick wasn't exactly enthusiastic.
You go on and on about how much you've changed, yet here you are, siding with criminals and resisting arrest. Perhaps the new you isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Nick dodged Gomez's first swing, the second deflected by a cane strike. Before he could go for third time's a charm, Nick punched him in the gut.
Perhaps you need to stay out of my business.
Reynard twirled his cane around and brought the headpiece up into Gomez's crotch. The sturdy bovine was only stunned for a second, rearing back to headbutt the fox when Nick pulled him out of the way, causing him to trip.
Perhaps you need to figure out what your business is.
Nick felt a nudge in his side and saw the cane sticking out next to him invitingly. He hesitated for just a second and grabbed onto it, whisked off the floor as Reynard flung him onto the bull's back, swiping his cape for himself.
Perhaps you need to shut up and let me!
Gomez got up on all fours, Nick his unfortunate passenger. He grabbed the bull by the horns as he attempted to buck him off. Reynard fluttered the cape out next to him, waving it tauntingly as Gomez finally took notice of him. He promptly forgot all about Nick and charged, the younger fox steering him on course until Reynard pulled the cape away, jumping off and letting him crash head first into a pachinko machine.
Perhaps you need to make up your mind!
Reynard jabbed him the butt with his cane, delivering a shock not unlike a cattle prod. Gomez roared in fury and pulled him back up, eyeing the two foxes murderously.
Says the figment of my imagination!
Nick and Reynard smirked at each other, moving perfectly in sync to dodge to each side as the bull brought both fists down on them. In one swift motion, they both reared their fists back and struck him with simultaneous uppercuts to the chin. With a low grunt, Gomez collapsed onto his back and this time did not get up again.
And whose fault is that?!
Reynard panted, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "Is it just me...or do we make a really awesome team?" Nick tackled him backwards, sending them both onto a giant roulette wheel positioned square at the center of the casino. "Okay, just me then."
Nick pinned him to the wooden surface and snarled in his face. "What do you want?!"
"I want you to take over my hive of scum and villainy, I want you to embrace your Wilde side, I want you to stop being such a dang killjoy..." He jabbed the cane lightly into Nick's ribs and sent another surge of electricity into him, just enough to stun him while he raised a leg and kicked his son into the edge of the wheel. "But in lieu of all that, I at least want you to put up a good fight."
Nick groaned, slowly getting back to his feet as the shock wore off. The unsteady surface of the roulette wheel wasn't helping.
At least one of us can answer that question.
I really don't need both of you right now.
If you didn't need me, I wouldn't be here.
Dad, I-
I'm not your dad! Not anymore! And no matter how much you want to pretend that you can both arrest me and play around with me like the good ol' days, you can't! It's time to choose! One way or the other!
Reynard cracked his neck from side to side as he stared him down, raising his fists. "Two of a kind and playing for keeps. Shame your mother couldn't be here, or we'd have a full house." Nick glared at him silently. "What, too cool for puns now?"
Reynard's own voice interrupted them, and not the one in Nick's head. "What does the fox say? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!"
He glanced down awkwardly, eyes traveling quickly between his son and his pocket. "Uh...you mind if I…?"
"No no, go right ahead," Nick replied. "You've already been putting work before your family."
"Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing! Pick up the phone, me! Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!"
"That's it, when I'm done, we're going to have a looooooong talk about these behavioral issues." Reynard plucked the phone out of his pocket and answered it. "Hey there, Ace. Great to hear from you, but I'm trying to bond with my son here, so if you could maybe call...back...later…" Any ideas Nick had of trying to sneak attack him evaporated in an instant. He was too stunned to do anything at all.
He had never seen his father frightened before.
It only lasted for a moment before that rare expression disappeared, replaced by something more subdued, and more dangerous. "I'm sorry...could you repeat that? Because for a second there, I thought you just said my ex-wife has been shot."
Nick's breath stopped dead cold. Suddenly, John wasn't the parent he was worried about anymore. "Mom?"
Reynard didn't seem to register Nick anymore either. He was completely occupied by the voice on the other end of the phone and...giggling? "But that couldn't be right. After all, I specifically remember ordering you to keep her safe! Do you remember that, VanDal?" His paw shook, the phone shaking along with it. "And do you remember our deal? Good. Then how about this? Until you bring back that wolf's bloody head, the deal is off! And I mean that literally, I want it dripping!"
He hung up, still not meeting Nick's eyes as he stared down at the multi-colored platform. "Alright...so that happened. No big deal. I...I can fix this. Nothing I can't handle."
"You did this."
Reynard finally looked back at Nick, now shooting him the most hateful look he'd seen yet. "W-What? No, I-"
"I may not know what happened exactly, but I heard enough. Mom was shot by one of those wolves from the Lang Family, wasn't she? As retribution for you killing their mom." He felt himself starting to tear up, but he fought it down hard. He could cry later. Right now, he needed some retribution of his own. "You did this!"
"No!" Reynard protested meekly. "I would never endanger Marian!" He choked down his panic, approaching Nick with a calm, outstretched paw. "Come with me. We can fix this, together. Remember, son. No matter what happens, everything I do, I do for you."
He didn't stand a chance. Like the bull they had just taken down, Nick was only seeing red. With far more speed and aggression than he had ever shown before, he threw a swift punch into his father's face, every side of him now all for kicking his ass. The blow knocked the old tod on his back, cracking one lens of his glasses, but Nick wasn't done yet. Taking the cane into his own paws once again, he pressed it hard against Reynard's throat, eyes burning with rage and hatred. "Everything you've done has only screwed up my life even further! I was perfectly happy before you came back and you ruined it all!" He tightened his grip, only faintly acknowledging Reynard struggling beneath him. "You should have stayed gone!"
"Oh, craps." Reynard winced and closed his eyes.
Nick paused, but not because of another stupid pun. As he stared down at his father, he took notice of the cracked lens, seeing his own face looking back at him from that small image. An image now greatly distorted.
"...What am I doing?" he asked quietly. "All this time, I've been trying to beat you at your own game. Only now did I finally realize something."
"What's that?"
"I don't want to play anymore." He dropped the cane and released him, standing back up again. "This isn't what Mom would want. It's not what Judy or any of my new friends would want. And you know what? It's not what I want either."
It was only then that it became apparent just how quiet it was in here. Most of the chaos had dwindled down by now and those left standing were all watching the family drama in the literal center of this conflict. The Count's suits were stunned at seeing their boss defied, the musical minions weren't sure if they were still supposed to attack, and the cops gladly took the brief pause as a chance to quietly call in backup. Nick took a cursory glance over at the assembled mammals and hopped off the wheel.
"Wait, where are you going?" Reynard asked. Desperation was another new face for him.
"I'm done doing things your way. I'm still going to stop you, but it'll be on my terms. If I want to be a cop again, it's time I start acting like one." He reached up and undid his necktie, wiping his bloodied paw on it, then throwing it back at him as if it were nothing more than a piece of trash. "Go fox yourself, Reynard."
He then immediately walked over to the nearest ZPD officer and said, "Hi, I'm Nick Wilde. You may arrest me now."
He wasn't sure what Reynard's expression was now, but he wished he could get a picture of it.
Time unfroze quickly after that. Nick's arms were pulled behind his back and cuffed, now the picture of perfect serenity. Reynard stayed where he was, the vulpine crime lord not making any attempt to go after him or avoid the incoming wave of law enforcement. He didn't move at all until the large paw of Koslov landed on his shoulder. The bear was wounded, with multiple darts sticking out of him on top of that, but he wasn't going down that easily. "What do we do now, sir?"
He slowly clenched the discarded tie and stared at his son, unable to focus on anything else. "Just get me out of here."
Nodding slowly, Koslov scooped up Reynard with one arm and swatted aside a row of cops with the other. Quickly scanning the crowd, he spied a certain feline making his own escape with Gomez. "What about Sanchez?"
"What about Sanchez?" In the entire room of scurrying mammals, his eyes never left Nick's.
Nick's eyes never left him either, but his were calm and half-lidded, just like they were supposed to be. Their mutual stare was broken only when Reynard finally tripped another smokescreen. The officers fired, but when the smoke cleared, several of their own were down, Reynard and Koslov were gone, and the casino now had a giant hole in the wall.
But Nick wasn't particularly upset. He knew that he had won this round.
Well done, Nicholas. To be honest, I wasn't sure you had it in you.
You can go now.
It went.
Nick's inner conflict between the two sides of him has been the central premise of this story from the beginning. It morphed over time from merely being cop vs. criminal to past vs. present and ideals vs. reality, but Nick has been unbalanced in some way for our entire journey thus far.
So why on Earth is this getting resolved in the middle of the fourth arc? I admit, that wasn't always the plan, but we've always been the kind of guys to write according to what the characters want and alter the story to accommodate. And right here, Nick was telling us that he couldn't stay like this for much longer, so it was time to put this issue to bed. Which isn't to say the story will be ending prematurely or that we don't know where to take it from here. Still plenty more up our sleeves. :P
If you're wondering why the casino scene was so much longer than the others, that's also because it was originally the only setting for this battle and not just the climax of it. In fact, the original title of the chapter was going to be Casino Battle Royale. (Yeah, even by our standards, that was a little weak.)
The scene with 'Mrs. Pong's Noodles' was a giant, blatant reference to Kung Fu Panda, our other big furry love. Which is also why that scene is even wackier than anything else we've ever written. We couldn't resist. Or rather, we didn't want to.
Nick and Reynard's pun duel was heavily inspired by a similar duel between Elan and his father Tarquin in "The Order of the Stick", a fantastic webcomic that is also one of my main inspirations when it comes to my style of humor. Some of the puns are even the same, but were too perfect not to include. (Lots of mood whiplash in this chapter, eh?)
Gomez was originally going to appear in Chapter 19, but the scene was a bit too packed as it is and supposed to be focused on Reynard and Finnick, so he was a bit too hard to fit in. His name is a not-so-subtle pun off of a certain famous director. He is owned by me.
Want to know what else wasn't originally planned? The metric ton of song references that found their way into this chapter. But it is appropriate. Speaking of which, we have another question to pose to you guys, a bit similar to the last. What ringtones do you think are a good fit for each character? Feel free to include as many as you want, even for characters who already got one in this chapter. (Speaking of songs, is it bad that for the majority of the chase, I had a variation of 'We Are Number One' to the tune of 'Crazy Like a Fox' playing in my head?)
Shoutout to President Stalkeyes (again) for helping out with the restaurant and spa scenes.
Did we intentionally postpone this chapter just to release it on Father's Day? Yes, but only for a few days, so please don't kill us.