[AN/
Hey guys! As promised, here is part 2!
Don't hesitate to comment, both on what I'm doing right and wrong, constructive criticisms are always helpful and thus appreciated!
Disclaimer: I own nothing and don't pretend to. This story is purely fan work, all content linked to Zootopia belongs to Disney and all content linked to Warhammer belongs to Games Workshop.
/AN]
Chapter twelve : A bulwark against savagery – part 2
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Judy watched around her as all soldiers tensed. The sound of guns being loaded echoed in the air, the first notes of the melody of death that was sure to follow. Wolfard shuddered in front of her, and she heard the orders being relayed. As a blank, she didn't register the psychic scream that signaled the beginning of the assault, but she didn't need it to understand. Faust's call only confirmed what she already knew.
The first shot banged, quickly followed by many more. This time though, they didn't stop after a couple seconds. Turning her head, she saw as a large group of savage mammals fell to the ground, tripping their congeners in heaps of claws, hooves and fangs. The steel cage did its work, as several savages crashed on it in their desperate attempt to obey the order forcedly ingrained in their brains.
The crowd split in two just like expected, and the bodies of the first mammals to hit the floor acted as obstacles for the ones pressing behind. Each time a mammal managed to climb over, he was taken down, and his body only made the pile grow higher and higher. After only five minutes of intense shooting, the smallest mammals were already blocked, screaming furiously at being denied blood.
Said blood was already spilled in litters, rapidly spreading on the ground and making it slippery, adding to the assailants' struggle to reach their preys, safely protected behind their sand barricades. At least for now. It wouldn't be long before the combined weight of the mammals finally pushed the bodies over and resumed their assault.
"Faust, how long before reinforcements?" Wolfard shouted in his earpiece.
"ZPD inbound, ETA six minutes, but they have spread their forces and are already engaged with several groups of savages here and there."
Wolfard cursed. Six minutes could seem short, but in their position it was much too long. They would need a miracle to stop this bloodshed and prevent a full scale slaughter. He turned to face his boss, and his breath caught in his throat. The fox had fallen on his back, surrounded by mammals doing their best to wake him up and clean the blood dripping from his nose while moving him away.
He didn't know what had happened under their feet, but after so many years at the service of the inquisitor, he had felt his powers being unleashed. Silently, he prayed to the Emperor that Nick had finally manage to kill the snake, but he doubted it. Sure the savage mammal's attack could be the final order given by this bastard before he died, but he deep down he knew it to be wrong. They would have been freed from the mind control, or had their brain reduced to mash inside their skulls.
If Nick had indeed failed, their backup plan was standing in front of him. Cursing again, he stared at the rabbit, seeing her ears twitch with each new scream of agony, her fists clenched so hard on her gun that he swore he could hear the metal protest. The bunny's will to be useful, to protect her city and its inhabitants, the very same that had been tamed and caged years ago when she was removed from field work, was giving her an incredible amount of strength. Reviving that flame had been the goal of all their lessons so far, and it had worked spectacularly.
What they hadn't seen coming though, was the emergence of her stubbornness. Every order she had to contradict. Every time they tried to make her see the truth, she would close herself to their words and pout like a spoiled kit. Even here, nearly flooded by a sea of paws and hooves bent on tearing her apart, she still refused to see the efforts they were deploying.
She had done well on her first battle, even if it had taken her spirit to break to finally put her gift to use. So they had offered her a chance. She had gladly taken it and her first mission had been a success. But then she just had to act like an ungrateful brat, trying to act tough and strong and impose herself, going as far as imagining a personal vendetta of Nick against her, while the inquisitor couldn't care less about her at that time.
They had finally managed to make her open her eyes, and she had agreed to serve them for the rest of her life. They had hoped that this time, she had become one of them for good. But they had been wrong. Once again she was standing in their way instead of doing her part, trying to save a pawful of lives and refusing to see that it endangered billions more. She still hadn't joined the firefight and used her gun, deciding to simply watch as his friends and fellow soldiers did their best to survive the day.
Not for them, but for this city. This planet. The Imperium in its entirety.
Maybe his mammals were right after all. She wasn't a soldier, and she may never become one if she kept behaving like that. She was wasting her talent, and they were about to lose one of the greatest assets they could have hoped for in their struggle against the forces of chaos. A blank was truly a gift from the Emperor himself, if only she could stop being so selfish.
He winced internally. There was something that she seemed not to have understood. He had hoped that his reminder to the lion earlier would have made her tick, but he didn't think that was the case. She had pledged herself to the Imperium. There was only one way to put an end to her duty now, and ironically it was the only punishment in case of disobedience.
Taking a deep breath, he called her name and gave his orders. They had done their best. It was up to her now.
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Judy blanched when Wolfard spoke. He can't be serious, she thought, but his face spoke the contrary. His unyielding gaze was fixed on her, waiting impatiently for her answer. He was doing his best not to show any emotions, a feat in itself considering their situation, but she could see clearly that this was a test. Of what she wasn't really sure though.
Was he trying to see if she was ready for the darkest moments of her new career? If she was hardened enough? He could also be testing her ability to simply obey and keep her mouth shut, as it seemed that Nick's orders were absolute and that he clearly didn't like to have to repeat himself. But what if it was actually the opposite? What if they wanted to see if she could refuse senseless orders? Not only show her determination, but also her will to think.
Deep in thought, focused on the wolf in front of her, Judy couldn't see the threat looming over her. She couldn't feel the invisible laser pointer on her forehead. Through the sights of her sniper rifle, Liz watched the emotions that boiled inside the bunny's head flash on her tiny face. Her finger wasn't on the trigger, her orders were to observe and report only, but she held the bunny's life in her paws all the same.
The snow leopard was torn. She had begun to enjoy the rabbit's presence, despite her natural aura. She was still innocent, full of life, hopes and principles. She had what it takes to become a great soldier of the Imperium, without becoming a robotic killer like so many before her. Not that it couldn't be her future of course, the brain having many ways to cope with the darkest truths of the universe, but something told the feline that this bunny was different.
But the soldier part of her screamed at her own stupidity. She was only a rabbit, a farm girl with a big ego that helped her do what no bunny had done before, at least in this city, but hardly soldier-material. And even if she managed to become one, the cost would be the same it had been for herself so many years ago. Everything that made Judy Hopps what she was would wither and die, sacrificed for the survival of the Imperium.
As she bore witness to the rabbit's most important decision in her life until now, she couldn't help but silently pray for her soul and beg the Immortal Emperor to have mercy on her. Movement broke her line of thought and she watched as the bunny turned her back and started walking towards the barricades.
The grey rabbit made her way through the sand barricades, oblivious to the waves of the soldiers around her, and reached the first bodies. She stopped for a bit, looking at the devastation around her, before stepping on them carefully. Many mammals had watched her come closer and were already clawing their way to her, but all fell unconscious before landing a single digit on her.
Judy was forcing herself not to cry as her hind paw touched the first body. The lion's back upheld her weight without protestation. She took another hesitant step forward, then another, and another. Each step made her walk on another corpse, her fur and paw wraps turning red as they bathed in blood. It made her sick, but she pressed on, doing her best not to show any emotion.
She was aware of the roars and grunts turning to sighs and whines as her aura worked her magic around her, but it didn't deter her from her objective. Finally reaching the metal box three times her size in the middle of the street, she started climbing on the piles of bodies to reach the top. When she crouched to jump the final distance, she lost her footing and landed on her rump.
Biting the interior of her cheek to focus on pain and not on the body she now sat on, she tried to take a deep breath to calm herself. She instantly regretted it, as the coppery smell of fresh blood assaulted her nose and made her gag. She found the strength to rise, secure her footing and finally jump simply by letting her body act, desperate to escape the sea of unmoving flesh.
She caught the edge of the cage, and with some difficulties due to blood making her paws slippery she managed to hoist herself up on top of it. There she rose to her full height, taking in the horrid landscape her city had become, turning her head from left to right slowly. The savages were still desperately trying to reach her, but they had no more hold on the piles of corpses that she had, and her aura debilitated them before they could become a real danger.
Judy watched as they fell, some rolling away, leaving her area of influence, simply to become savage again and repeat their useless attacks. The sight of her fellow citizens reduced to mindless and bloodthirsty beasts made her heart ache, and the tears finally broke free, rolling on her cheeks.
"Wolfard" she sobbed, "I'm in position." She had done her part. The deadly horde had been reduced to an easy and practically immobile target, ready for the reaping. Reaching for her gun in her holster, she secured her shaking paw with the second, readying herself for her final test. She was about to take a mammal's life.
The words came to her lips easily and without warning, her first ever prayer to the Emperor that she hoped was really watching over them.
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OoOoOoOoO
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Wolfard watched as Judy finally obeyed her orders, making her way to the steel cage, straight in the middle of this nightmare. A pang of guilt was quickly washed away by pride at her inner strength, and he put a paw to his earpiece.
"All units, ready to move at my command." His soldiers never replied, busy as they were. Most of the savages were focused on the grey prey waiting for them on a silver platter, but some understood that they would never reach her, and decided to just ignore her and focus on their initial target, the soldiers. Those were taken down quickly and efficiently, the shots accurate and deadly, leaving them no chance. The wolf in command waited for the perfect opening.
As Liz signaled the presence of a rhino finally reaching them within thirty seconds, he readied himself, and saw his mammals do the same. When the beast approached the carnage, it slowed, eyeing the bunny atop the cage with fury in his bloodshot eyes. The mountains of bodies seemed to deter him from charging horn first, and many mammals began roaring at its intrusion. He grunted back, making threatening motions with his horn, keeping them riled up but at bay.
"NOW!" Wolfard shouted. As one, all mammals rose and ran away, converging on the inquisitor's position, momentarily turning their back to the threat, trusting their friends airborne to protect them. The sound of Liz's sniper rifle echoed loudly in the air, as well as the slightly less noisy shots of smaller caliber weapons, which told them they had been right.
Many felt bad for letting the bunny behind like this. By accepting her orders, she had proven a worthy soldier of the Imperium, and they recognized it took guts to go alone in the middle of a hungry crowd when you are but a small prey mammal. But those thoughts were quickly replaced by their duty as soldiers, and some simply saluted her courage before running.
Some reached the still limp inquisitor to increase his protection, while the rest gathered a bit away from the rubbles, eyeing the ground with precaution. They knew well what kind of tricks the bastard beneath it was capable of, and none were ready to take unnecessary risk. Wolfard called to his clones and gave them packs of explosives.
The three identical wolves didn't react to being sent to their deaths. Two exchanged their guns for the deadly packages, while the third one drew his double swords. As one, they made their way to the crumbled building, setting the explosives on the ground with precise and fluid movements. They encountered no resistance doing so, and the three walked away from the blast to come, the two who had armed the bombs drawing their swords in preparation.
Wolfard shouted a warning and all soldiers crouched, ready to face the gusts of wind from the blast and intercept whatever would try to make its way out of the hole. He pressed the detonator and the charges blew up. The blast made debris fly in the air and scratch at nearby mammals' fur and skin, but they withheld it without flinching, some only covering their eyes with one paw.
When most of the ashes fell down, they waited for the snake to try and run, but nothing happened. Checking their auspexes, they confirmed his presence, but he was unmoving. Carefully, the three clones approached the entrance of the newly formed hole in the ground, their close-combat weapons at the ready.
As soon as the first one took a look down, a long tail sprang out and stung him in the leg, too fast for his reflexes to save him. The poison quickly invaded his body, reaching every vital organs and devouring them like acid. His screams of agony was the signal that all needed to jump into actions.
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The remaining clones jumped down the hole while some soldiers ran closer, guns pointed in front of them, ready to provide support. The lifeless body of a wolf was suddenly thrown away and flew high in the air before falling on the ground in a sickening crunch of bones. The soldiers who reached the pit began firing, emptying their munitions without second thoughts. They knew this prey was worth every bullet spent, so they didn't hesitate one bit to let iron rain on it.
Most bullets hit the psychic shield they knew would protect the sorcerer, but it did nothing to deter them from trying. Each impact drained his strength, until it would finally crumble. Eophis knew it well too. Using his tail as a coil, he jumped as high as he could, knowing it would make him an easy target out in the open, but deciding it was best that staying pinned in his tunnel.
Summoning a wave of dark blue flames, he sprayed them all around him as he ascended. The last clone died a horrible and painful death, having trapped himself by jumping down the pit. Two other soldiers were caught by the Warp-fueled flames and slowly reduces to ashes, their agony reduced to silence as their tongues melted in their mouths.
During his short flight, Eophis had managed to catch a glimpse of his nemesis, the wounded fox lying on the ground on the other side of the street. He immediately tried to glide toward him and end him, but a volley of bullets clashed on his shield and forced him back. All the soldiers around him had opened fire as one now that their target was in sight.
The shield flashed under the relentless assault, its chaotic energies changing color as they gushed around the sorcerer's body, adapting to where they were needed most, like a living wall. A few bullets pierced it, some bouncing harmlessly on the reinforced scales of the snake, some drawing blood as non-fatal wounds opened, only fueling the snake's anger.
A thought crossed his mind, and he looked around, trying to understand why he was alone in the street, while he had called to the entire horde to attack. He saw his slaves gathered away in the street, and his eyes fell on the grey figure standing alone on a metal cage. Just as he looked, a wolf tried to pounce on her, sneakily approaching from behind, but as soon as he was close enough he fell unconscious.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Eophis screeched in anger as he understood that once again, the bunny was standing in his way and thwarting his plans. Forgetting everything about protection and self-preservation, he let his rage take control and summoned his powers to increase his mobility and strength. In a flash of shining scales, he was off after her, bent on destroying her once and for all, no matter the cost.
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"Judy, watch out!"
The warning made her turn her head and look over her shoulder. Seeing the blur form of the snake rushing towards her, she raised her gun and fired thrice, but missed her mark every time. Confident in her ability to disrupt his powers, she decided to save her ammo and waited for him to get closer. As expected, the psychic shield exploded in a myriad of colors that shouldn't exist in the mortal realm and hurt her eyes.
She had seen first paw how his skin had started fuming the first time he tried to reach her. Same for Nick, and how his nose had started bleeding. She remembered how the demonic wolf had lost cohesion with reality when she had jumped on him, also affecting his thinking abilities. All savage mammals had been rendered unconscious in less than a second by her aura. He was powerless against her, and that's what angered him. That's what made her a target.
She was not afraid of him. His kind she would gladly kill, especially if it would save all the innocent mammals around her. It was time to do her job, and fulfill her oath. She was ready to prove her worth once again.
Or so she thought.
The snake was a different kind of enemy, one she still hadn't understood the dangerousness of. Ignoring the sudden loss of demonic power and the pain from being stripped away from them, Eophis pounced straight on her, his two arms ready for a deadly strike. Judy tried to get out of the way but was too slow, and she was caught in the chest and sent flying. She bounced twice on the ground, each rebound straining the muscles in her arms and legs, before hitting the closest building hard.
Blood spurted from the three long and deep gashes on her belly, and pain flared from her back when it hit the stone wall. She fell to the ground and her vision blacked for a couple seconds. The fur stood on edge on her neck and she threw herself to the ground, ignoring the new wave of pain the motion brought forth. The sound of brick being hit and pulverized made her wince, but the hiss of pain left no doubt that the blow had left his mark on her enemy.
Using the distraction, she put a new strain on her ankle and propelled herself forward, avoiding the follow-up strike. Her ears perked up and she kept her eyes closed. Something primal inside her awoke. She knew the sensation. She had felt it before, and she embraced it. She ducked, and heard the swish of the air as the long tail flailed above her head. Keeping her eyes closed, she rolled away and was gratified with another hiss of pain and frustration.
"Just die already, bitch!" Eophis let all his frustration out in a loud and high-pitch hiss, but his three following blows were expertly avoided, something he had not expected from the tiny mammal. Again and again, he tried his best to kill her, jumping, gliding, hitting with both arms and tail, but every time she seemed to anticipate his moves and managed to get out.
Focused on her as he was, he completely forgot everything around him. He didn't even register the loud bang that echoed in the air from above him. He didn't feel the large caliber bullet penetrate his skull less than a second later, passing through the bones as easily as a knife in butter, and reduce his brain to pulp, before crossing his throat, lung, stomach, and exiting in a fountain of blood and rotten entrails where his tail began. He didn't feel any pain nor regrets, as the part of his body that processed them was obliterated in the blink of an eye.
For the first time in two whole minutes, Judy stood still and tall. She opened her eyes, needing several seconds to focus again, but she could feel it. The threat was gone. She had done it. Just like the demonic wolf before, her gift had weakened her foe enough for her friends to finish him. She raised her head to look at the snow leopard still holding her rifle against her shoulder, eye glued to the scope.
"Great job, Judy!" she heard in her earpiece. She let the first smile grace her lip that day.
"Looks like I had a great teacher after all. Thanks, Liz". And with that she executed proudly a perfect Aquila salute. She had hurt recently. A lot. Physically, mentally, she had been pushed to her very limit. But as she stood there, paws crossed on her chest with fingers intertwined, she felt better than ever.
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OoOoOoOoO
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Judy's moment of self-appreciation didn't last long though. Quickly, the ship flew away, and she saw as the mouth of the rifle spit another bullet in a small spark of flame. She winced, knowing that this time it wasn't a monstrous sorcerer on the receiving end. Forcing the pain back, she slowly jogged to the corner of the street where the piles of dead bodies still laid there.
As she had left her spot at the center of attention, the savages had finally recognized the rest of the soldiers as worthy snacks and resumed their assault. The whines of pain that followed each new bang told her that many were being gunned down before having the time to do any damage, and she winced.
Why did they keep attacking? She had thought that they would have gone back to their senses now that the sorcerer was dead. Then why? The question rang in her head as a group of mice made her way towards them, screeching and waving their arms menacingly. Or at least they tried to. Judy ignored them, they were no match for a mammal her size, and she knew her aura would make them stop soon. She frowned as she heard the sounds of battle still raging not that far away.
"He's alive". The coarse voice took her by surprise and she nearly jumped. Her head spinning quickly to the side, she watched as Nick slowly made his way towards her, eyes focused on the ravaged body of his nemesis. He was limping, and two soldiers, a skunk and a badger, were standing close, ready to help, though it seemed that they knew better than touch him for now.
"Ni- Inquisitor", she corrected herself. "What do you mean? He sure looks dead to me" she added, pointing to the corpse. He shook his head and the air started blurring around him. His eyes turned to golden flames as he reached the body, making sure to keep his distance with her.
"Two arms only." Judy just had the time to take one look before the fox released his flames that quickly engulfed the snake's remains. The hungry fire devoured it, some turning purple for a second. Nick roared in frustration and reinforced his flames, and the heat from the inferno made the rabbit take a step back. The flames vanished seconds later, leaving nothing but ashes and a black spot on the scorched ground.
She watched as Nick fell to one knee, immediately raising a paw to stop the soldiers that had moved to help him. They stopped, but stayed close, vigilant as ever.
"You're hurt, don't waste your powers like this" Judy said, still unsure of the reason for this sudden outburst.
"Don't tell me what to do, rabbit!" Nick grunted in reply, his chest heaving rapidly as he labored to catch his breath. She was about to reply, but remembered her talk with Liz. Nothing personal, she thought. He was angry, just let him be. So she stayed quiet, folding her arms behind her back in a solider-like pose, something the soldiers seemed to appreciate as they looked at her and nodded silently.
She focused on the burnt spot, and tried to understand the inquisitor's words. Two arms. Now that she thought about it, she realized that the first time she had met him, he had four arms. That was back in the garden, before he…
"He split" she whispered, the truth finally dawning on her. Back then, he had split into two slightly smaller snakes, with two arms. One had escaped, and it seemed like it had been enough for him to survive and even find his strength back.
"He played you." The voice was devoid of anger or resentment, but she could feel the rage burning behind the words. She bowed her head and guilt flared inside. She had been wrong. She had failed again in the end. Only now did she realize why he had been so stubborn at trying to kill her. Why he had ignored being stripped from his psychic powers. He knew from the start that this...
This what? Clone? Copy? Part of himself? She didn't understand what she had witnessed or fought against, but whatever it was, it had known it wouldn't make it. It had just tried to take her down with it. The weight of the target on her head appeared all too clearly now, but she repressed her shudders and raised her head defiantly. She was alive. She wasn't the one who had failed.
Her ears stood up straight as she heard the faint noise of sirens in the distance, and she gasped. Faust had told them six minutes until the ZPD arrived. Had it been really such a short amount of time since Wolfard gave her the order? The savages rushing towards her, the fight with the snake, all of it had happened in only six minutes? Before she could fully realize, Nick interrupted her.
"Talk to them first, but don't reveal his nature to anyone yet. Be quick, the fight isn't over." His voice was firm as he looked at her. She looked back, then at the ashes, and it clicked.
"I can't lie to my boss, he has to know what we're facing if he wa"
"Your what?" Nick growled, cutting her short. Judy took a step back under his furious eyes. She didn't dare answer, as even the two soldiers were now staring daggers at her.
"You pledged, rabbit. You belong to the Emperor now. Don't forget it. I won't." And the three left her alone, catching with their colleagues and adding their strength to the battle.
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"HOPPS!" Chief Bogo's voice boomed as he jumped out of his cruiser. A dozen more cruisers parked next to their boss, discharging nearly fifty officers who all grabbed their tranq guns and ran towards the commotion. Orders were shouted, teams were formed, and quickly they disappeared around the corners, some raising their guns and shouting as soon as they reached the location.
The buffalo alone came to her and entered her sphere of influence, before taking a few steps back as surprised flashed for a brief moment on his face, before he put his usual gruff exterior mask in place.
"Explain, now!" He was huffing in anger, and she couldn't blame him. They had all thought her kidnapped or worse, and now they had found her wearing another uniform, with soldiers they didn't know about, firing live ammo on the population he had sworn to protect. The inquisitor's words fresh in her mind, she sighed and struck a pose.
"Bogo, I'll explain everything, but we have a far more urgent matter on our paws." She saw him frown and clench his teeth, both at her apparent lack of respect by using his name, and by being denied the explanations he actively sought, but the cop part of him knew she was right, so he just shrugged and nodded, but not before pointing at her with one finger.
"You better. Report." And Judy did as she was told, describing how the savages had gathered on her, deciding to use herself as bait for the time being, and never mentioning the snake or psychic influence. She said the soldiers were part of a special strike force, which wasn't that far from the truth in the end, and here to help, though they didn't hesitate to use any means necessary compared to the regular beat cop.
"Army?" Bogo asked, a brow raised in suspicion and doubt.
"Possibly" she said, trying to sound convincing. "They don't talk much, part of their training."
"And you?"
"Half hostage, half member. They know I'm in it deep, so they keep a close eye on me, but they accepted that I'm not responsible. They armed me and took me with them, as I could be helpful as an already trained officer."
They both stared at each other, Judy doing her best to keep calm and serious, which proved easier than expected, maybe because her ex-chief didn't seem so scary now that she knew how far worse there was, and Bogo trying to read between her words to find the truth he knew she was hiding.
"And the space ships? Part of the army too?" He said, going straight to the point in showing that he didn't believe what she had told him.
"I think so, yes. But they don't talk much, part of-"
"Their training, right" he cut her. After another moment of reciprocal contemplation, he snorted.
"This isn't over, Hopps. You better not disappear on me again, understood?"
"Yes, Bogo." Her answer didn't satisfy him one bit, but she was right. He had more urgent to care of.
"This way" he said, and both started running to catch up with their colleagues.
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The two officers quickly caught up with some of their colleagues. The officers had formed a line in the middle of the street and were shouting to the savages charging them to stop and surrender. Only when they got too close to their liking did they start tranqing them. Judy grunted at their stupidity. A line of sleeping animals was already forming, but it was thin compared to what she had left behind minutes before.
Judy grunted in frustration as she got closer, using her aura to catch their attention.
"They can't understand you, you fools! Just tranq them before they hurt themselves!" And to show example, she swallowed her pain, ignored the shouts of protestation and ran forward. The few savages that tried to attack her fell unconscious at her feet, and she pointed their bodies to her former colleagues. None reacted, too busy trying to understand what they had just witnessed, until Bogo took matters in his hooves and darted them all one by one.
"Hopps!" he shouted, pointing behind her back. The reason for the smaller crowd began obvious when she saw the group coming towards her. Now that most of the fastest and most agile species had reached them, or at least those that were not called from the other side of the city, the only left were the heaviest. In front of her were gathered rhinos, elephants, bears, buffalos, apes, and maybe more she couldn't see at the back of the crowd.
She heard the gasps of fear from the other cops, as well as the call for her to come back quickly. She even heard one of them ask to retreat. Grunting again, she ran to them and stole two dart guns from two tiger brothers that stared at her with surprise and hatred.
"Leave the job to the real cops, pussies!" she told them, making sure to puff out her chest to add to her challenge. Without waiting for the answer, she ran away, straight to the behemoths filling the street.
The 'no's, 'wait's and 'dumb bunny's reached deaf ears, and the officers watched with a mix of admiration and disdain as the small creature ran to her own death. What they didn't expect was for the first line to crumble like a castle of cards when she got too close. They watched her jump backwards and roll out of harm's way, as the giant's momentum brought them much farther before falling.
The second line slowed a bit, taken aback at seeing their newly formed pack members fall, and Judy used the opportunity to make sure the fallen mammals would not rise too soon. She darted some of them in their neck at point blank, but used the cross of the gun to stun the rhinos and elephants, as she wasn't sure if the darts would pierce their thicker hide.
What she hadn't accounted for though, was for them to be stomped on by the mammals still standing as their surprised receded and they tried and charge again. She heard a few bones crack and cursed, before quickly assessing the situation. Ahead of her was a narrow street, which would force the behemoths to step on each other, so she quickly dismissed the option. On the other side, a bit behind the group of savages, was a large road perpendicular to the one she was in. This one was perfect.
Gathering her courage, she ran to the side of her street and hugged the wall, waving her arms and shouting to make sure the savages would follow them. They did, and she led them away, counting for the local forces to finally snap out of it and follower her trail.
For half an hour she led the savages, gathering them on one side of the road, disabling them, then leading the rest away. She was feeling sore, her muscles hurt, and she felt completely alone, but she pressed on, refusing to back down. It has to work, she told herself again and again. When she finally took care of the last remaining giants, she fell on her knees and closed her eyes.
She opened them a minute or two later when she heard a commotion getting closer. She watched as the bunch of cops made her way towards her and secured the last savages with shackles their size and tranqed them with adapted needles. Then all turned to face her. Whatever they might have thought about her those past years had completely vanished, replaced by respect and admiration.
Bogo was the most shocked as he got closer. She saw him flinch but he took a deep breath and walked closer and closer, until he finally put his hoof on her shoulder. She could see the efforts it required for him to speak, but he did anyway.
"Excellent job, officer. These mammals owe you their lives, if the reports I got about your friends in brown are accurate." He quickly stepped away to a safer distance, but the proud looks he sent her spoke volume. Too tired to come up with a caustic jibe at him or the other officers, she simply nodded and focused on catching her breath.
"Thanks, but this far from over."
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OoOoOoOoO
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As the sun set over the horizon, Judy watched the ruins of the city she loved and she had difficulties holding back her tears. From the roof of the Grand Palm Hotel, she could see at least half a hundred columns of smoke slowly reaching the skies, most of them white and dusty, but one stood amongst them, black and heavy with toxic particles. It resulted from a large fire raging, the result of the most expeditious strike from both the ships.
After two hours of relentless defense against the horde, the savage mammals had suddenly been freed from their trance. Most of them fell to the ground and began writhing, subject to strokes and various brain problems. Many however, and no one knew why for the moment, had remained savage and began hunting.
The casualties, at first mainly concerning the influenced mammals and cops, spread to civilians, and the death toll skyrocketed. A massive exodus began, citizens fleeing the city en masse, but it only made things worse, as the panic generated her own lot of deaths. Cars were left abandoned in the packed streets, the inhabitants understanding that they would go nowhere with them as all had the same idea at the same time.
The ZPD, backed-up by the city council, called for calm and asked the civilians to stay inside their home and lock every door and window. They used every monitor and radio channel available to broadcast their message. At first it wasn't listened to, and most still tried to run. Reports of packs of wolves hunting like the old times, choosing their victims amongst the weakest of the crowd and taking advantage of the panic, traveled far and wide, and finally the call was heard.
As a full lockdown and curfew fell on the city, a semblance of calm finally settled in, and the local forces could start counting the casualties and assessing the damages. Amongst the reports, they heard about a never-seen-before animal in TundraTown, near the fish market. It didn't take long for the inquisitorial team to reach the place and burn it to the ground, as well as all buildings in the vicinity.
Nick didn't think it would have worked, but he had a message to send to his nemesis. Wherever you go, you're not safe. A whole day had passed now, and the snake had remained unseen and unheard of. The soldiers didn't stop their search, and the ships made no effort to remain hidden now, circling the city with Warp auspexes. Their presence kept the citizens at bay as much as the events themselves.
The fire in TundraTown still raged despite the cold climate, the first forces sent to extinguish it too thin to contain it efficiently. Reinforcements had been sent, but a shift in the winds played at their disadvantage. The many buildings destroyed during the attacks would remain piles of rubbles for months.
The view was depressing for the exhausted rabbit. The three gashes on her chest had been patched up after she had blacked out, but her sleep had been restless, filled with nightmares. She awakened in Zootopia General Hospital, which surprised her, but she later learned that Bogo had taken her there himself, not trusting the still foreign soldiers.
Liz had come to pick her up with a bunch of soldiers. The few security guards had quickly surrendered to the armed-to-the-teeth commando team, not ready to risk innocent lives, as well as protecting their own. Judy had sent her a reassuring wave of the paw, claiming that she was safe, and to let Bogo know she was all right.
She had been taken to their main ship, in the cell she now knew well, and her wounds looked after with the same medicine they had used after her fight with the demon wolf. The medics of the city had done a good job, but Liz knew they were lacking in skills and product compared to the rest of the Imperium, and insisted on treating her friend herself.
After catching up, and learning that 'only' fourteen soldiers had died on their side, a figure much higher than she wanted to hear, she was taken to Nick in the command room. She told him what she had said to her former chief, and reported her actions after that. He seemed satisfy, and asked her to organize a meeting with the buffalo. The location was chosen by Faust and Terrance, as it offered the perfect view on the city and undisturbed privacy, the hotel staff would make sure of that. They worked in the most luxurious and prestigious hotel of the city after all.
The threat of having it burnt to the ground was not needed, but only guaranteed their entire cooperation.
And there she was, taking in the heart-breaking view, waiting for the meeting to start. Chief Bogo was supposed to arrive shortly, and the soldiers were double-checking that the place was safe. They knew the snake would need a lot of time, weeks maybe, to fully recover after the huge amount of energy he had to spend, but it didn't hurt to be cautious.
She had not slept since waking up in the morning despite Wolfard's insistence, as she didn't want to see the images that haunted her dreams and were sure to be back every time from now on. The wolf smiled sadly, claiming that it would require time, but that it would fade with time, and that he was speaking from experience. They all faced it, according to him. Judy didn't know if she had to feel grateful or afraid.
"Target inbound." Faust's voice woke her up. Bogo had arrived at the employees' parking lot behind the building, as ordered. It would only take minutes now before he and Nick finally find themselves face to face. She didn't know how it would turn out, but she knew it wouldn't go smoothly.
"Three guests. I repeat, three guests are with the target. All in ZPD uniform."
Many faces turned towards her, including Nick's, and she cleared her throat and organized her words before answering.
"Bogo is chief of the biggest precinct, but he's only one chief amongst twelve. I supposed he decided not to handle this alone." Nick seemed to ponder her answer for a while before speaking.
"Let them in."
.
They didn't have to wait for too long before the door to the roof opened. Chief Bogo stepped out first, his uniform neatly pressed, badge shining on his chest, which he puffed out in a show of strength and importance, which was completely ignored by the hosts. One step behind him was chief Bushwill, the lion already clenching his fists in anger, his large mane ungroomed, his uniform torn and badge missing. Obviously, he didn't care about appearances as Bogo did, or maybe it was his own show of strength.
Following was a much smaller mammal, chief Mustela. The snow white ermine was a really beautiful creature, thin but curved, who carried herself with dignity and grace. Her perfectly fit uniform only let her delicate paws appear, and the white fur only stood as more immaculate. Her small round face was gorgeous, topped by her deep ice-blue eyes that easily made the heads of males spin.
Judy stared in awe at the first female chief of precinct nine, Little Rodentia. Her size there had been her greatest advantage of course, but it was the only precinct that had accepted her. After several years, she was moved to TundraTown, where she took the reins easily and earned the respect of all, and began spreading fear to the criminals around. Even Mr. Big once supposedly acknowledged that he was taking her very seriously.
An iron paw in a velvet glove, the ermine was the perfect example of what small mammals were capable of if given a chance, and that they should not be underestimated. Judy had been looking up at her for years, and meeting her was a chance, but also made her nervous. Then her eyes shifted to the last guest.
The blue uniform of the newcomer was covered in dust, which had the same sand-brown color as his fur. As the perfect student, Judy knew about chief Leucoris. The golden wolf was known to be rather friendly and a tad lazy, preferring giving orders from his office rather than take part in raids, but his mind was sharp as a scalpel.
His nearly eidetic memory had enabled him to crack the hardest of cases by finding links between events or mammals no one who have thought about. He was also one of the best interrogator in the entire city, as he could see through the tiniest of discrepancy in suspects' testimonies and cite them word by word to destabilize them.
The four chiefs in front of her were the best the ZPD had to offer. Their presence left no doubt on their intentions in this meeting. They had come in force, and were not ready to let anyone wreak havoc in their city. Judy gulped, and turned to watch as the fox gave no sign of any emotion. Standing in front of his mammals, Wolfard on his right and Liz on his left, he watched them come with his usual cold eyes.
"YOU! Explain this shit!" Chief Bushwill immediately growled, pointing an accusatory finger at the fox. Bogo and Leucoris grunted in disapproval, but made no motion to stop him, as they too wanted explanations. Chief Mustela simply watched in curiosity, keeping her distance with the much bigger animals. As one, all soldiers drew their weapons and took aim, twenty guns ready to spit metal death. The inquisitor simply waved a paw in the air and they all lowered their guns, obeying the silent order.
"Chief Bogo, I invited you out of courtesy." Nick began, keeping his voice calm. "If you don't keep your dog on a leash, this meeting will be adjourned indefinitely and this city will suffer the consequences."
The lion roared in anger, but a hoof on his shoulder kept him from taking a step forward. Bogo watched him in the eye and simply shook his head, before motioning to the heavily armed soldiers around them. Bushwill was about to protest but Bogo used the grip on his shoulder to lean over him and whisper in his ear. He didn't seem happy, but opted for crossing his arms on his chest.
"Good" Nick said. "I know you, chief Bogo, but who are your colleagues?" Bogo sent a sideway glance at the rabbit standing away, before answering.
"This is Chief Bushwill" he said pointing at the lion, then he did the same with the wolf and the ermine, "and these are chief Leucoris and chief Mustela. This crisis is affecting the entire city and I have no right no handle it alone." Nick nodded, eyes fixed on the fuming lion, before raising his digits one by one.
"One, you're here to listen, not to speak. You'll wait for me to address you before uttering a single word. Two, when you do answer, don't bother with threats, you're in no position to issue them seriously and we all know that. Three, everything I'll tell you will remain a secret between us for the time being. If any of those condition is broken, today or in the days to come, any agreement we might reach is null and I'll do as I see fit. Understood?"
The four chiefs looked at each other, silently asking each other's opinion. When they finally all nodded, Bogo took the lead and spoke.
"Agreed."
.
"Your city is under attack, but not by us. You might find our methods brutal, but the threat you're facing requires them. If left unchecked, this entire city is doomed to a gruesome death, or worse. You've already seen it first paw in the street your ex-officer lived in, and yesterday with your citizens becoming savage. This is only the beginning. Either you accept it, and with it our help, or you sentence millions to die."
No word was spoken in reply, the shock of the declarations and the previous demand preventing it. Nick seemed satisfied, as he asked the buffalo if he had questions. Bogo looked at his smaller officer with a brow raised, but Judy kept her pose, arms crossed behind her back, so he focused back on the fox.
"We know you're not from the city, and I don't see the military from another city coming in without warning like you did. Who are you and where are you from?"
"The only help you'll get, from where you least expect it." Bogo grunted at the non-answer, and put a hoof on Bushwill's shoulder, sensing him tense again.
"Why are you here?" he then asked.
"To save this planet." This got the ermine and the wolf to exchange a few whispered words and the lion to snort.
"Who is attacking us?" Bogo pressed on, his calm exterior cracking slightly, his voice darkening a bit as his patience grew thin.
"Nothing you've faced before."
"Oh for fuck's sake, this is useless!" the lion roared, this time choosing not to obey the buffalo. "Why ask if we have questions if you have no intention of answering them? Stop wasting our time and tell us what we're doing here!"
"If I may." The soft voice of chief Mustela covered Nick's answer as she took a step forward. Nick stared at her with narrowed and calculating eyes, before nodding. "Thank you. I know chief Bushwill broke the rule, but he's right. Why have us here, if we're only wasting our time? You said it yourself, we're facing a new kind of threat, and we'll better take care of it than listen to your evasions."
"I didn't have YOU here, I had HIM here" Nick answered in a courteous but cold way, pointing to the buffalo with his chin.
"But you knew we were coming the moment we stepped out of the cruiser, maybe before that" Mustela pressed on. "You could have had the three of us wait downstairs, or don't come at all. You didn't." Nick didn't answer but waved his paw, inviting her to continue, which she did.
"You already knew who we were. From what I've seen, you have both the equipment and the skills. You accepted to see us because you wanted to. I still don't understand why though."
Judy repressed a gasp at the ermine's perspicacity. Her arguments were solid and delivered in a straight manner that left no place to doubt or protest. She really hadn't reached her position by chance. Nick allowed one of his very rare smiles cross his muzzle.
"Well, at least one of you has brains. I just hope it can make up for others." The jibe wasn't not lost on the lion, but this time it was the wolf who stopped him.
"You're testing us" Leucoris said, taking a step on the side so he could be seen more easily. "You're observing our reactions, our interactions, and our ability to think. Why?"
"First relevant question of the meeting" Nick said. "I need to know who I'm dealing with, nothing more. If I am to work with you, I need to know what to expect, and who to go to depending on my needs. Now I do. Obviously, mister here is all brute strength, you are the observer and you are the analyst" he said, pointing at the lion, the ermine and the wolf in that order. He then looked at the buffalo. "You chose them wisely, that makes you the leader, and not a bad one from what I saw so far."
Judy didn't know if the compliments were genuine, and she thought that they probably weren't, but the look on satisfaction and understanding on three of the police chiefs made her see through the inquisitor's game. Joining forces with the ZPD was her idea, as at first he only wanted to manipulate them. He had given her the benefit of the doubt and gave them, and herself, a chance. She just hoped it was the best choice.
"All right" Bogo said, sighing. "You got us. What now?"
"Now, we have a lot to discuss. We spent the last weeks defending ourselves and you, now is the time to strike back. That bastard came looking for death, and I intend to deliver."
The meeting continued for two hours, the main plan prepared with several backup plans being discussed. Nick never talked about the Imperium or the snake's nature, stating it would be a later, but described many technologies and weapons at their disposal. When it finally ended, all chiefs saluted and left, only for Bogo to pause and send a look at the bunny. Motioning for his colleagues and friends to go, he went back in front of Nick.
"What about officer Hopps?" The fox stared at her, than back at him.
"She's not an officer anymore, she works for me now. She stays with my team, and will act as a liaison agent if required. You'll understand why later, when I explain everything I haven't told you yet." The answer wasn't welcome, but the buffalo knew he wouldn't get another. After a last look at her, he exited the roof and disappeared inside the building.
The soldiers quickly got away by using the two shuttles that were waiting for them, with only a few standing behind to complete the tenuous paperwork with the hotel staff, who seemed rather eager to see them leave.
The shuttles brought them to different locations, where each team would start their mission. At the end, Judy was left with Liz, Nick and a pawful of soldiers. Nick quickly made his way to the main ship and disappeared inside. The soldiers began establishing surveillance rotations. Acting an autopilot, Judy made her way to her dorm inside the ship, before closing the door, waving a tired goodbye to her new friends.
She sat on the bed, back to the wall, brought her knees to her chest and hugged them. As she closed her eyes, images of the poor antelope being beheaded came forward, followed by the slaughter in the streets. The hisses of the snake echoed in her skull, their promise of death plaguing her. More images flashed, coming straight from her imagination.
Bogo being pierced through the chest, his heart impaled on a long and sinuous tail. Bushwill tearing the flesh of the innocents he was supposed to protect. Mustela covered in blood, her once immaculate fur turned brown-red by dried blood. The city in flames, its citizens calling in vain for help. And high in the sky, a giant reptilian head hiding the sun, laughing like a maniac at their powerlessness.
The tears ran freely on her cheeks, as the events of the day finally caught up with her. The strong and iron-willed bunny finally let it all out now that she was alone. She sobbed and cried herself to sleep, unaware that on the other side of the metal wall, two emerald eyes watched her on a security feed.
.
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[AN/
Well that was harder to write than expected. I'm still unsure about the result… Hope it satisfies though.
Special thanks to Vince Fangway, I hope you know what I'm taking about ^^
/AN]