Hey, did you guys think a new chapter was coming next? So did we!
Honestly, this is sort of a break from said chapter, which is ongoing and managed to be so massive that we got a little burnt out writing it. You should fear its power. But for now, there's nothing to fear but fear itself and vampire bats.
Drabble 21: For Want of a Fail
Pinebarrow
9: 43 PM
Lucy Sang was in somewhat of a rut. Not that she'd ever admit it.
So what if she had lost the Belfry? She had other hobbies. So what if all of her artwork had most likely gone up in smoke? True art was eternal. So what if Grunt, one of her most loyal subordinates and by far the strongest, was probably dead? She had more.
She had one.
Who was now staring at her from atop the tree branch they now shared, in that same blank way she always did, but which now suddenly felt more meaningful. "Is something the matter, Lucy?" Martina asked.
No, nothing was wrong. She didn't flee the city because she was afraid of going back to any of her other hideouts. She didn't fly all the way out to this backwater town in the woods because the trees would make her harder to find. She didn't start looting the pitiful tree homes of every schmuck who left their window open because she of all mammals was actually tight on cash right now. And she certainly wasn't feeding off the owners in their sleep because she had no other way to sustain her natural diet.
Martina kept staring. "Did you not have enough comfort food?"
"It wasn't comfort food!" she yelled, then quickly covered her mouth, peering down below the branch to make sure nobody had heard.
The town of Pinebarrow was situated far outside the limits of Zootopia, about as far as Lucy could flap before needing a rest. It was home to various woodland critters who lived off the land, using the trees for homes or lumber, fashioning baskets from twigs, hammocks from ferns, even making much of their own clothing out of plants. As far as she could tell, there was little real conflict out here and they all lived in peace and tranquility.
It was sickening. And unlike certain other rural towns she could mention, Lucy could tell that it wasn't a facade. They probably didn't appreciate her stealing from or feeding on the residents, but she hoped to be long gone before that became a serious issue. It was only a matter of time before they started noticing the bite marks.
Lucy's stomach grumbled. "Ugh, but I am getting hungry again. For something other than blood. Martina, you want anything?"
"To ensure that you are always happy and content. I live to serve your will, BFF."
"Thanks, but I meant food-wise."
"Oh. I would like donuts."
And donuts it was. On the outer rim of this forested community lay a local diner built out of a giant log. It was known as The Bark N' Bite, though Lucy sincerely doubted anyone in this town was capable of either. She certainly was, though not wanting to draw attention to herself, she sent Martina in on food pickup duty as usual. The mouse was disguised in a leafy dress to fit the crowd and waddled inside, Lucy peering in through one of the windows to keep an eye on her, just in case.
The inside of the diner was made up of seats formed from mushrooms and the counter was just a giant leaf that stretched all the way from one side to the other, but despite the all-natural decor, Lucy wryly noted that they still embraced capitalism just fine. "What can I get for you today, Miss?" asked a chipper squirrel behind the counter, wearing the top of an acorn in place of a hat.
"One variety pack of donuts please," the mouse answered.
"Right away!" The squirrel scurried off into a hole that led deeper below the log. Presumably wherever their supply was kept, as well as their oven. Probably smarter to have the oven down there than up here, but it did raise even more questions.
To her credit, Martina had blended in surprisingly well. Maybe it was because this town was full of weirdos already, but the residents didn't seem to mind her lack of emoting or monotone speech patterns. And it wasn't like they were going to blame anything on her, right? She could be a little creepy, but was clearly harmless.
"Good fellow, did you hear about those ghastly break-ins?" a voice whispered from below. Lucy looked down to see a pair of gophers eating at a nearby mushroom table.
"Why, I most certainly did. Quite disturbing, yes, quite disturbing."
"It would be terribly impolite to make assumptions, but do you think it might have something to do with you-know-who?"
"Yes, I think you are correct. It is terribly impolite."
"Oh, you!"
They both burst out into high-pitched giggles while Lucy narrowed her eyes. She didn't care if it meant blowing her cover; if those gophers tried to pin this on Martina, she'd gladly sink her fangs into their obnoxiously polite throats.
"But as much as it pains me to admit, you may have a point."
"Are you sure, chap? I don't want to influence your mindset with my scandalous gossip."
"No, it really is quite logically put. After all, that bat does have a certain reputation."
Lucy almost gasped. They weren't talking about Martina, but this was nearly as bad. Oh, guano! No, shit! This one warrants shit! They must have found the bite marks. Dammit, I have no choice then. Gotta grab Martina, grab the donuts, and scram.
"That he does, doesn't he?"
She froze, her panic giving way to confusion. He?
"Indubitably so. Almost makes me think...no, that's awful. I shouldn't say that."
"What is it?"
"No, no, I couldn't! It's in such poor taste!"
"Come now, you called me out for my rudeness, it's only fair. I won't judge."
"Oh, very well. It almost makes me think he should've burned up with the rest of his estate."
"That's terrible!"
"You said you wouldn't judge!"
"That may have been a wee fib."
"I bet you were thinking the same thing!"
"Of course not!"
"Really?"
"No, that was also a wee fib."
"Oh, you!"
They broke out into giggles again, but Lucy had stopped listening some time ago. It couldn't be. Everyone thought he was dead. She thought he was dead. But if he had survived, then why would he be all the way out here? Maybe for the same reason you are.
Still, it was a hell of a coincidence.
No, it wasn't that strange. If he had fled the Nocturnal District the same way she had, and flown in the same general direction, he logically would have tired out and ended up around the same place she was hiding out in now. Simple explanation. So then why was her mind still reeling?
"Lucy?"
She let out a squeak of surprise, falling backwards off the window she'd been clinging to and landing square on a box of donuts. She quickly scrambled off as Martina opened it up, revealing a dozen pastries of various frostings. "You look distressed. Are you offended by their choice of flavors?" the mouse asked. "I can attempt to barter for a different selection."
Lucy snatched up her and the donuts, flying away to a branch even higher and farther from the public than before. "This should be good…"
"I agree. The scenic view provides atmosphere for our snacking. I am awestruck by the beauty of nature." Martina opened the box again and pulled out a strawberry donut, nibbling around its edge in a perfectly uniform manner.
While she ate, Lucy took out her phone and searched through her contacts, her claw landing on one in particular that she had listed only as "Gummy".
The phone rang a few times, Lucy's toes drumming impatiently on the branch, until a smooth voice finally answered. "Miss Sang? I wasn't expecting to hear from you again so soon."
"Hi, Monty," she said, letting out some air. "I didn't think I'd be calling you either, but I need to look into something and I really don't want to deal with any of my usual contacts right now, especially not anyone from the Belfry Forums."
"Well, I'd be happy to help as always," the mongoose answered. "What do you require, Miss Sang?"
"I think Vladzotz Fangpyre might be alive."
There was a pause before he replied. "Would it be fair to say rumors of his demise have been greatly exagerrated?"
"Not in the mood, Monty!"
"Apologies. But would it really be so surprising? You do know that his body was never found."
"It was a fire!"
"Still, you seem rather shaken up about this. Why? Is he threatening you in some way?"
"No. That's just it." She laid out across the branch, sighing in frustration. "If he was still alive this whole time, then where has he been?"
"Here, apparently," Martina answered.
"Thank you, Martina!"
"You're welcome."
"It just doesn't make any sense!" Lucy continued. "Vlad and his family have ruled the roost in the Nocturnal District for generations, but one little house fire and he flies the coop? I don't buy it. Do you know how many times I've seen 'Fangpyre Lives' graffiti, usually upside-down? His old loyalists are still everywhere, and I used to think they were just a bunch of whiners who couldn't accept the truth, but now I know that he could easily swoop back in and reclaim control overnight if he really wanted to!" She hissed, glaring up at the innocent foliage overhead. "So why hasn't he? How can he let everything he's built go to waste?"
"Maybe he just got tired of it all and wants out?"
"You and I both know it's not that easy to quit, Monty." Lucy sat up abruptly. "No, I'm getting to the bottom of this. If Vlad's in the area, then I think it's time to pay him a visit."
"Do you need my assistance, Miss Sang? I'm sure I could get there by tomorrow if I-"
"You stay where you are," she said firmly. "You're one of the lucky few who already got out and I'm not dragging you back in. It's been nice having you work for me, but you need to keep away now. I'm a bad influence. Got it?"
"...Understood. I will not call again." He hung up.
"Alright, now that that's settled-" Her phone immediately started ringing. But despite the comedic timing, it wasn't Monty again.
It was Reynard.
Lucy stared at the phone for a few seconds before she hit decline. "Nnnnnnnnnope! Now that that's settled, we need to track down Fangpyre. Martina?"
The mouse looked up, some crumbs still clinging to her face that she didn't seem in any hurry to remove. "I have finished devouring one of the donuts. It is your turn."
"Actually, these are an offering now," she said, taking the box away. "We're gonna need something to get us in the door. Assuming he hasn't gone completely old-school and is living in a cave now."
"What about that thing you brought with us?"
Lucy frowned, patting at a noticeable bulge beneath her jumpsuit. Most of her stored valuables from the Belfry she'd been forced to leave behind, but there was one item in particular she managed to save on the way out. "No. That's a last resort to sell off in case of emergency. I'm not giving it up that easily."
"So the donuts then?"
"That's right. He can have all of these no problem." Her stomach grumbled again, reminding her of why she'd gotten them in the first place. "Then again, he does owe me an explanation. There's a sugar tax for that."
Night in the Woods
10: 16 PM
"Okay, so we're out of donuts. But that's fine," Lucy declared as she carried Martina through the forest canopy. "I'm way more used to taking than giving anyway."
"Does that not include taking directions? Because I am incapable of doubting you, but if I could, I might think that we were lost."
"We're not lost," she insisted, letting out a burst of sonar. Fat load of good that did her in the middle of a forest, aside from helping her navigate a bit better. "I'm just trying to find something valuable that doesn't want to be found. In a way, it's no different from a heist."
"Actually, there are several key differences, including-"
"Yes, I get it!" she cut her off. "It's totally different and I'm not used to it. No careful planning, little idea what I'm getting myself into, not even sure how I'm gonna make it out if things go sour. As much as Reynard annoys me, he's the only one I've ever seen consistently make that work. My theory is he's got a giant vault of rabbit feet hidden somewhere. He's a fox; I wouldn't be that surprised."
"His luck does seem improbable."
"But me, I'm not so great at flying blind. This is a stupid idea."
"Yes, definitely one of your less intelligent moments." Lucy growled. "Oh. Was I not supposed to agree with you? Please specify that next time."
"If there is a next time." Lucy stopped flying. "You're right, this is dumb. I have no idea where I'm going and I'm still not entirely sure if these rumors are even accurate. Let's just stop and rest for the night."
"Okay. Might I recommend that house over there for lodgings?"
"What?" Lucy followed Martina's gaze, spotting the outline of a rooftop and spire in between two distant trees. "Why didn't you tell me you saw something?"
"I did."
That one I should've seen coming. "Alright then. Cool. Not sure how, but my luck is turning around."
"Did you steal some of Reynard's rabbit feet when you broke into his house?"
"No."
"Then I too am at a loss."
Even though they'd pretty much just stumbled upon the place, there was very little doubt that if Vladzotz was hiding out anywhere, it was here. It practically screamed "haunted mansion", about three stories tall with beige brickwork, impressive glass windows, tall spires, and a pair of large, wooden double doors that marked the entrance. It didn't look in any way rundown either, actually in very good condition. While not quite living up to the majesty of Vlad's old home, Castle Fangpyre, the atmosphere was suitably intimidating, the light of the moon casting the mansion in an eerie glow. Lucy almost expected to see a bolt of lightning crackle across the sky to herald their arrival, despite it being a perfectly clear night out.
She wondered if Vlad had found this place by accident, as they had, as it seemed far too fitting for him. He'd been out here about a decade, right? It wasn't unreasonable that he could have built it from the ground up, with enough help anyway. She could see some of that help now, patrolling the perimeter. Had they fled the Nocturnal District with their master or been recruited from elsewhere? Both? Just more questions to add to the pile.
But now, it was finally time for some answers.
"Let me do the talking," Lucy advised Martina as she descended near the front doorstep, instantly catching the attention of the armed guards standing watch.
As expected, they were nocturnal creatures, a mole and a possum running over to confront them. They wore suits similar but mercifully different to what she had gotten used to. "Hey! Who goes there?" the mole demanded, sounding a bit taken aback. He probably wasn't expecting another vampire bat to find their way here.
No reason not to be honest, especially since she had no clue how much they already knew about her. If Vlad had been keeping an eye on his old home, her name might have come up a few times, hopefully not in a way that would make him issue a 'shoot on sight' order. "Lucy Sang," she introduced.
"The thief?" the possum asked instantly, distrustfully.
So they did know a little, but not much. The fact that he had called her 'the thief' instead of 'the rodent drinker' or 'the dark web show host' was evidence of that. Only the tip of the iceberg was well-known when it came to her criminal activities, and she tended to gauge potential threats by how much they had glimpsed beneath the surface.
Which wasn't to say she considered the two guns pointed at her face harmless. "Professional thief," she insisted, already deciding on an angle to play. "I'm here to talk to your boss about a possible business arrangement."
The mole squinted, even more than usual. "How do we know you're not just here to rob us?"
"I did say I was a professional, right?" she asked, a little annoyed. "Why would I fly right up to your doorstep and announce myself if I was planning that?"
"Because it's the last thing we'd expect."
Honestly, that was totally something she would do. Just not this time. "Look, can I just talk to your boss? Let him decide if I'm telling the truth or not?"
"That depends," the possum answered. "You got an appointment?"
"Erm...no."
"You got an offering?"
Godammit, I had better not die for my sweet tooth.
"Is the mouse the offering?" the mole asked before she could respond. Martina didn't even blink at the insinuation.
"No, she is not the offering!" Lucy said quickly, mentally kicking herself for now implying that there was one.
"Then why is she so quiet?" the possum thankfully noticed instead. "It's a little creepy."
Have you SEEN the place you're guarding? "Martina, you can answer him," she said, a bit resigned. Odds were not in her favor of Martina improving the situation, but the guards were forcing her claw here.
"Because Lucy told me not to talk," the rodent replied.
The mole somehow managed to narrow his eyes even further. "Oh? And why is that? She got something to hide?"
"Innumerable things. But I don't think Lucy would like me sharing them, as it would be detrimental to her attempts to gain access to this place. So I won't, because I am a good friend."
Lucy's emerald eye twitched, forcing a smile at her greatest of friends.
"Is that so?" Both the mole and his possum partner glared daggers at her. Their guns clicked warningly.
"H-Hey! Like you guys don't have any skeletons in your closet!"
"You don't have any skeletons, Lucy," Martina clarified. "You always dispose of the bodies before they can decompose to that degree. It's very responsible of you."
"Oh my god, Martina!"
"Flattering, but I do not require worship."
"That sounds pretty intense for a thief," the possum noted, almost mocking her at this point.
"Professional thief..." Lucy muttered, trying desperately to salvage this somehow. Wait, I could've just said she was mute. Ugh, I didn't think 'blind as a bat' applied to foresight.
"Technically, I believe you like to introduce yourself as a professional thief, mercenary, and all-around mischief-maker," Martina reminded her. "Should I add the 'Pleasure to screw you over' part?"
I think you already have. She didn't want to have to do this, but she was pretty much out of options now. "I have an offering," she announced.
"I think it's a little late for that, missy," the mole replied.
"Seriously, I've got something good. Just gimme a sec." She slowly reached into her jumpsuit, the guards watching her closely while also looking a bit uncomfortable about watching her too closely with where she was digging. Finally, she found what she was looking for and pulled it out.
"Whoa…" the mole gasped.
"Is that a diamond?" the possum asked.
"A blood diamond," Lucy replied, her confidence returning almost instantly as she held it up with a smirk. "Stole it from a big estate in Foxden a little while back. What do you think? This diamond, for a meeting with the boss."
At this point, she was relying mostly on what she'd heard of Vladzotz's reputation. If they so chose, the guards could simply shoot her dead, dump her body, take the diamond to Vlad themselves, and probably feed Martina to him too.
Of course, if they tried any of that, Lucy wasn't going down without a fight, already preparing a plan of attack if necessary. Swoop in before they could fire, slice one of their tendons, bring down the other while he was distracted, go for the throat…
"Alright, we'll take you in," the mole finally said, not sounding entirely pleased about it. He probably would have preferred the more violent option.
But Vladzotz wasn't like that. He was known for being harsh, but fair, and having a sense of honor. He would never approve of coldly gunning down a mammal who wanted to meet with him, especially not one who had brought such a fetching gift in exchange for his time. And especially if that mammal happened to be another of his kind. Vlad inspired loyalty and respect among his henchmammals, so they heeded his wishes.
No matter how much she had pissed them off.
Castle Fangpyre II
10: 31 PM
As the double doors closed behind them, Lucy and Martina were guided down the hall from behind, the guards being sure to keep an eye on them the whole time. It seemed to be a relatively straight path at least, and at first their walk was a quiet one, almost ominously so.
That changed as Lucy's ear twitched, picking up a low, booming sound coming from further down the hall. Then there was another, and another. As the sounds started to come together, she realized that she was hearing music, and music of a very old-fashioned sort. A pipe organ, by the sound of things. Given the scenery so far, she could almost roll her eyes and claim that Vlad was trying too hard to sell the classical vampire angle, but...she had to admit, he was selling it. She couldn't quite make out exactly what the song was yet, but it was played well, drawing her in all on its own without any further coercion from the guards. She had to respect that, one artist to another, even if their styles were quite different.
At the far end of the hall, Lucy's eyes came to rest on the mammal she had come all this way to meet. Seated before an organ's wooden mantle, Vladzotz Fangpyre played with passion, spine swaying to the music as it resonated deeper into the mansion. Lucy couldn't see his face, but she had no doubt it was marked with focus, judging by the intensity with which he performed. The back of the crime lord's neck was obscured by a vampiric collar jutting from his sleeveless black tailcoat, which displayed the muscles in his arms as they flexed against the keyboard. His fur was as dark as night, and the ears that peered over his collar were peppered with minuscule holes near their tips, akin to swiss cheese.
It took seeing him herself to fully cement the revelation, but the crime lord of the Nocturnal District truly was alive and well. Lucy wanted to wonder what sort of ramifications this could mean for Reynard's big plan, and Zootopia as a whole, but she was too awestruck to put any thought to it at the moment. She didn't like wasting the brain space on a jerkwad like Reynard anyways, especially not now when she was about to meet the first vampire bat she'd encountered in years.
Lucy was about to step forward when the possum placed a paw in front of her, halting the bat in her tracks. "Wait," he advised, voice barely audible over the music even to Lucy's sharp hearing. "Let him finish his song." In contrast to his harsh tone outside, he sounded nothing but respectful now.
She did as she was told. In-hiding or not, Vladzotz was still a crime lord, and from Lucy's experience working for and dropping disco balls on them, she noticed that crime lords tended to prefer controlling the conversation themselves. Maybe Vladzotz would be different though. Either way, Lucy didn't mind waiting, and in turn, listening. Now that she could better discern it, the piece Vladzotz performed was actually quite beautiful. Lucy thought she recognized it as one of the songs from a movie she'd recently seen called Otterstellar. Being a mammal of the big-eared variety, music had always been a particular enjoyment of hers, and to her pleasant surprise, Vladzotz was an incredible organist. She watched as his elongated fingers swept across the ivory keyboard, filling the hall with song. The notes flowed like water from the ocean, and were just as deep - brimming with enough power for Lucy to feel her bones vibrating in her body.
Another minute followed, and with it, the piece came to an end as Vladzotz held the final note for a solid ten seconds before releasing, and the organ suddenly went silent. Lucy was surprised when she felt herself wanting to hear more, but she pushed those thoughts aside as she watched the crime lord raise himself from the bench and turn to face his guests. The first details Lucy noticed were his eyes - deep and red, brimming with a cultured intensity like fire contained within a jar. Vladzotz was handsome in a regal, timeless way, like any true vampire, with an angular face and meticulously combed fur. A red bowtie molded into the shape of a pair of outstretched bat wings hung at his throat, visibly popping against the crisp white undershirt beneath his suit. He glared down his guests, red eyes flickering with distrust at the sight of Lucy and Martina. Lucy couldn't tell if he had sensed their presence when they had first arrived, but there was no going back now.
"And with whom have you brought into my home tonight, Mr. Plankard?" Vladzotz inquired, his voice deep and velvety, smooth as molasses.
The possum gave a slight bow. "Forgive the short notice, my lord, but these two were encountered trespassing on the property. We were about to dispatch them when this one-" he gestured to Lucy. "-requested entry to meet with you, sir. She, well...has an offering. With respect, I believe you should hear her out."
He narrowed his gaze. "I suppose you wouldn't have let them live, far less enter these grounds, if you hadn't thought their intentions to be worthy of such." Vladzotz paused, straightening his spine and softening his expression ever so slightly as he looked to Lucy. "Very well. State your claim."
Despite her bravado coming in, Lucy was a bit hesitant to speak now that she was actually in the presence of the former Nocturnal crime lord. Despite only being slightly larger than herself, Vladzotz radiated power and authority. If the years away had done anything to diminish that, she couldn't imagine what he was like at the height of his reign. She was in his domain and out of her comfort zone.
Nevertheless, she refused to show weakness either. "My name is Lucy Sang, professional thief," she greeted, not giving the rest of the introduction even if Martina might. She was tempted to order her to be quiet again, but the still-present guards would likely rat out the mouse if she tried. The damage had been done anyway. "I wanted to discuss business affairs with you in exchange for this beauty." Like a pup hiding a stolen cookie, she brought the blood diamond out from behind her back and held it up to him. She had to admit, it was a fitting gift, even if she hadn't planned it that way.
Vladzotz glanced at the diamond for but a moment before returning his gaze to Lucy. "A self-admitted thief enters my home, flaunting a gem and seeking to buy my time with it? How can I ensure its legitimacy? I do not get many visitors, Miss Sang. Your arrival begets no trust."
He wasn't exactly wrong, but she merely smiled. "Feel free to test it if you want. Maybe with a bite or two. It is a blood diamond." The kind of joke that she knew only another vampire bat could get away with telling him.
"Actually, 'blood diamond' is just a name," Martina helpfully explained. "In fact, it is usually used more as a broad term for diamonds mined and used to fund violent ends than a singular object."
Getting more frustrated with her friend wasn't going to help, so Lucy played off of her instead. "Exactly! It's going to fund you, Vladzotz, and any future violent ends you strive towards." She smiled a bit more, in a way she hoped was innocent and not sarcastically innocent. "Come on, I came all this way just to talk to you. Isn't that worth something?"
A smile spread its way across Vladzotz's mouth, showing off large, pointed fangs as white as snow. Lucy wasn't sure if his grin originated from her joke about the diamond, or in a visual reply to her own grin, but she welcomed the sight. If he was opening up to her, it was a good sign.
She watched as Vlad folded his arms behind his back, wingflaps trailing behind him like a cloak, and began to stroll closer.
"I will judge the true value of your presence." He glanced at the possum. "Mr. Plankard, if you would be so kind as to retrieve the gemstone. Take it into town, and find the nearest appraiser." He stopped in front of Lucy, staring down at her with curiosity. "Meanwhile, we shall talk. Sudden as your arrival may have been, you are still my guest. It wouldn't be hospitable of me to deny my guests their basic rights." His lips pulled a little more into a smile, this one softer than the first. "Come with me. I'm sure we have much to discuss."
That we do. Lucy passed the diamond off to the possum and watched him leave the room with it, thankful that she herself had already confirmed it to be genuine. As she had gotten it from a professional conmammal, she'd have been a fool not to.
Lucy followed after Vladzotz as he strode out of the room, not sure where they were heading but appreciating the chance to see more of the mansion. It really was a lovely place. Reminded her a bit of her old home, which still held some sentimental value to her despite the plethora of bad memories associated with it.
The crime lord noted the way she ogled at the decor. He swept his right wing to the wall beside them, gesturing to the paintings that adorned it. "Do you like them? Your eyes seem far from idle, Miss Sang. I need not worry about being burgled, do I?" he asked.
Lucy's attention snapped back to Vladzotz. It was hard to tell if he was being serious or just teasing her.
Either way, she herself preferred the teasing route. "I wouldn't be a very good burglar if I told you that, now would I? But I will tell you that your art is fantastic. I'm an artist myself, so I'd like to think I have a discerning eye for these things."
Vladzotz allowed a smile to play at his lips. "Well, so long as you look, but don't touch, that eye of yours is welcome to wander as much as you'd like."
"Is it acceptable that both of her eyes wander?" Martina asked.
"Yes, that is fine," Vlad chuckled, glancing back at the rodent. "Who is your amusing friend?"
"That's Martina," Lucy answered. "She has a...different outlook on the world than most."
"I see. Quite the intriguing pair you two make. I've never seen one of our kind befriend a rodent in this fashion before."
"Believe me," Lucy said with a short and slightly uncomfortable laugh, "there is no other rodent like her."
Reaching the end of the hallway, the crime lord led Lucy into the parlor, where a plush arrangement of gothic furniture surrounded a crackling fireplace. Much of the furniture was several sizes larger than would fit any vampire bat, likely to accommodate any minions, guests, or victims of a heftier mass. Pots bursting with semi-luminescent mushrooms glowed softly in the corners of the room. It was easy to tell that Vladzotz had fond memories and preferences from the Nocturnal District.
Lucy noticed that there were no guards with them. Vladzotz didn't trust them that much, did he? A quick pang of echolocation revealed several guards standing out of sight, yet within range of hearing on the outskirts of the halls branching from the parlor. She had no doubt that they'd rush in at the first sign of trouble. It was a bit distracting, knowing that their conversation was being eavesdropped on, but Lucy did her best to relax and focus on her talk with Vlad. Thankfully, despite his power, the crime lord himself seemed to have somewhat of a calming presence, with his relaxed posture, attentive eyes, and soothing voice. His demeanor seemed to be saying, "We're all friends here, so long as we stay civil."
Vladzotz seated himself in a tall, dark purple armchair near the fireplace, beckoning for Lucy and Martina to join him at the surrounding couches. A vole in a maid's outfit scampered up to the crime lord with a tea set hefted atop a silver platter, setting it atop the coffee table between her master and his guests.
"Would you care for some tea, Miss Sang?" Vladzotz inquired gently as he split open what looked like a bloodbag from a hospital and poured it into his drink, turning the liquid a deeper shade of burgundy. "I presume you'd take yours with blood. Am I wrong?"
"Not at all. In fact, it's the tea part that I'm less used to." The vole prepared and delivered a cup to her as well, and a bloodless one for Martina, who likely would have drank it regardless. Lucy took a sip, giving a small "hmm" of satisfaction. Despite leaving the upper-class life behind long ago, she found herself slipping into old habits by the way she held her teacup and forced her extended pinky to retract.
The action didn't escape Vladzotz's eye. "I have to wonder what force compels a well-off mammal to a life of thievery," he remarked before taking a brief sip from his teacup. "And why said mammal would go through all this trouble to find me."
"It wasn't by choice," she said. "At least, not at first."
"She's referring to the 'life of thievery' part," Martina clarified.
"I...actually, yes I am." Lucy did a double-take at her actually giving entirely helpful input. "A long time ago, if I had my way, I would've been living on my own as a famous artist. Instead, I got framed for a crime I didn't commit by someone who I thought was my best friend..."
"It was very tragic," said friend obliviously added. "It's a good thing she still has me."
"Well, you know what they say about prison changing a mammal," Lucy continued with a shrug, then took another sip. "Even after my family disowned me, I still had tutors and I learned a different sort of etiquette. When I finally escaped, I was already a wanted fugitive with a brand new skillset under my belt. There really wasn't any going back; just moving forward along a new path and hoping for the best."
Vladzotz nodded, his attention having not diverted from Lucy throughout her entire explanation. "I see," he nearly whispered. "It sounds as though you've lived a hard life, Miss Sang. You have my sympathies. I understand your circumstances," His gaze dipped toward the fire, staring thoughtfully into the dancing flames. "There was a time when I too was forced down a harrowing path with no knowledge of where it led. When in such a situation, all a mammal can do is keep flying forwards," he glanced back to Lucy with a delicate smile, hefting his teacup in acknowledgement. "As you said."
Lucy mirrored the gesture back at him without even thinking. "Let me tell ya, I encountered some turbulence in that new path I flew, but I also found plenty of enjoyment along the way. If you ever asked me before now if it was all worth it in the end, I would've said 'Hell yes'."
Vlad stirred a small spoon around in his tea, gazing thoughtfully. "Are you implying that your answer has changed?"
"Not...changed exactly, but I suffered a loss recently. A hefty one," she admitted. "Hefty enough that I needed to flee Zootopia and lay low for a while. That's how I ended up out here, and how I eventually heard about you." With a dash of breaking and bloodsucking that you might be taking the blame for. She found herself feeling a little guilty about that, and even a little guilt was unusual for her. "After that, I couldn't resist. I had to see if you were really...here."
Vlad took another sip of his tea, a wry smile on his face when he put the cup back down. "Interesting. I believe the stated purpose of your visit was to 'discuss business affairs', was it not?"
"Busted," said Martina.
He sounded more amused than accusatory, but Lucy flinched anyway. She had still just lied to a notorious crime lord and been caught in it, not entirely sure how he was going to respond. At the back of her mind, she wondered if maybe she should be discussing business affairs, but she shook the thought away to focus on damage control. "Right. Sorry, that might have just been the first excuse I thought of. I was really just looking for answers." She glanced up from her tea, deciding to just come out with it now. "I wanted to know why. Why you left the Nocturnal District behind. You still have a ton of followers there who would gladly help you take over again if you wanted. So why stay out here? I just don't get it."
A deep, tired sigh siphoned through the crime lord's nostrils, as though he had been dreading having to answer that very question.
"Your curiosity serves you well, my dear, but there are some questions better left unanswered. Nosy mammals much like yourself have died in pursuit of that inquiry," he darkly warned before pausing, and fingering his teacup handle with a few claws. "Yet here you are, having come all this way, risking your life for the simple chance to talk with me. Should I be flattered? Truth be told, your dedication is flattering."
Lucy took another sip of her tea, hesitating for a moment to press the question. Had it just been a matter of simple curiosity, she might not have. She wasn't so sure she really cared about the "why" anymore. Or rather, she cared for a different reason than she had initially.
Perhaps the question she really needed the answer to was not, "Why did Vladzotz leave the Nocturnal District?"
But rather, "If Vladzotz left the Nocturnal District, was it for good reason?"
And she wanted an answer badly enough to use a word that typically didn't belong in a thief's vocabulary. "Please? I just want to know the truth about what happened."
Vladzotz's large ears dipped ever so slightly. "Oh, very well," he muttered as his gaze swiveled toward the fire, a tender smile pulling at his lips. "I suppose it's not every day a mammal like you comes to me." His tone brought a brief touch of levity to the room, but it seemed to melt away the longer he stared into the fire, until his smile was no more. Another sigh escaped his fangs.
"I left the Nocturnal District because I did not want to die as I had lived." He paused, a sneer creeping across his face. "Amongst the dirt. It was my home - my empire - and always will be, but the Nocturnal District is not a place one can call safe. No amount of money, no amount of power, can guarantee it." He lolled his head to Lucy. "You know of the fire. Castle Fangpyre was totally lost. Three hundred years that manor stood. All gone in one night. You're a mammal of the arts, so I presume you're familiar with poetry?"
"A little…" Lucy said sheepishly.
"Her magnum opus is 'Roses are red, you're looking blue, I want your blood, and now you're screwed'," Martina added.
"It's not my greatest pursuit," she admitted.
It still got a chuckle out of him. "There is an old poem, about a statue in a desert of some great king from a forgotten time. The statue stood hundreds of feet tall. At the time of its construction, none thought it capable of being toppled. On the statue was a plaque which read, 'I am Ozoomandius, king of kings. Look upon my works, ye mighty, and despair.' But all that was left of the mammals that built it were bones and ruins. And as for the statue, the sand had claimed it so that none knew who it even depicted. In the grand scheme of things, nothing lasts forever."
Lucy rubbed at her arm, growing increasingly uncomfortable. "Okay...I see where you're going with this, but…"
His claws gripped the arms of his chair. "No matter how long a thing stands, no matter how powerful, how beloved, how feared a mammal is, all will eventually crumble, and be forgotten. The statue was. Castle Fangpyre was. Yet I had survived. And as I flew from the burning wreckage of the only home I'd ever known, I realized that I did not want the story of Vladzotz Fangpyre the Third to end in such a way. Life is...too short, to spend looking over one's shoulder. Too short to look back wishing for a second chance, when the future stands to be so bright."
"Yeah, well, I'm not really sure a 'bright future' was ever an option for me," Lucy claimed.
"But you're not sure it wasn't either," he noted, gazing pointedly across the table at her. "All you can be certain of are the consequences of the path you chose."
She opened her mouth, about to protest how much of a choice she really had...but closed it again.
Vladzotz slumped back in his chair, eyelids sliding over his red eyes with weariness. "After the fire, I knew what I stood to lose. And that it, too, could one day go up in smoke. So I left the Nocturnal District to begin anew. And I have lived more in the decade since my leave than I could have in a lifetime underground." He breathed in deep, air filling his chest and causing him to perk with renewed energy. "I had never touched grass before I came to the surface world. Never felt rain upon my face. Never had I even tasted anything other than blood. The first time I saw the sun set above the coastline beyond the trees," he said, smiling with nothing less than pure happiness, "I knew what living truly was."
Lucy remained silent. Lucky you. I was living just fine before I lost the Belfry. I don't need anything else. I never have. The fact that I'm not saying any of this out loud means nothing.
Vlad looked to Lucy, bearing that same happy smile. "Some of my employees from the Nocturnal Mob came with me, settling here in our new corner of the world. They serve me as they did before, and we continue what we once did in the Nocturnal District, but...not on the same scale. I don't seek power anymore, my dear. It doesn't fulfill me like it used to. Basic psychology suggests that those who seek it are trying to fill something - to satisfy some hidden unhappiness - and I understand the truth behind that now. No mammal satisfied with their life seeks more power. Most ironically, the chase for power is an unending cycle of unfulfillment. Once a new step is reached, another takes its place." He smiled knowingly. "I know of your work with the fox who calls himself Count Reynard."
After so much time spent just listening, Lucy was caught off-guard by that notion. Did he not trust her after all? No, of course he wouldn't, they only just met! What was she thinking letting herself be lured into what must have been an elaborate trap? "W-Wait, hold on! I can explain!" she sputtered out, not entirely sure she could.
Vladzotz raised a wing. "Relax, my dear. I know you're not here to do me harm. If you were, we wouldn't be talking. Allow me to continue."
Lucy sighed in relief and nodded.
"I still have many ties to Zootopia, you see. I have heard of the deaths of all my fellow crime lords, save Narwhalter. He and I were the only ones that ever seemed to truly care about security," the bat grumbled. "But that's beside the point. I made it out early, and here I am, still breathing while all the others have fallen. I might have been among them had I stayed. My foresight was rewarded. But that is not the only point I mean to emphasize."
Vladzotz set his teacup down on the coffee table and calmly folded his wings over his lap. "This fox that you have worked for. He seeks power. But have you noticed that because of it, his goals have changed? He wanted the crowns of all my fellow lords. He acquired them. And now he wants more. And what do you think will happen if he achieves that goal? Another more grander than the last will take its place, again and again until his hubris leaves him rotting in the ground, and all he has built will inevitably be torn apart by those trying to claim it, leaving nothing behind but a lesson: a lesson of the fox - the fool - who thought a temporary solution could fix a permanent problem. And just like the statue, and Castle Fangpyre, he will join history's dustbin of failures."
Lucy smirked. "Oh, I have no problems bad-mouthing my more annoying employers, especially that one. If you think his ambitions are reaching too far, you should hear his puns."
"His comedic value is lacking and so is his fashion sense," said Martina. "I also don't think he is a very good father."
Vladzotz smirked too. "He claims to do it all for his son, yes? His family? Wouldn't he have been happier had he simply tried reuniting them, rather than trying to forge a doomed legacy?" The crime lord leaned forward in his chair. "Power is temporary, and oh so dangerous. Why work, never fulfilled, to be a momentary master of a fraction of a dot, when one can enjoy what truly matters in life?" He spread his wings, gesturing to the walls around them. "Why fight a battle that never ends? Why not choose peace, prosperity, good times and good health? Because most mammals fail to see the bigger picture until it is too late."
He reclined back again in his chair. "I was lucky to have glimpsed it for even a moment. It took almost dying for me to truly learn how to live. That fire was the greatest thing to ever happen to me. It saved me. While all my fellow lords are dead, I rule over a peaceful little town, watching the sun set over the treeline, sipping blood cocktails, certain that the future is secure, and safe. No longer am I a pawn in a game outside of my control. All mammals who seek power are pawns upon a chessboard, nothing more. Count Reynard thinks himself a king, but even a king is just another piece, and not even a very useful one, at that." He chuckled softly once more. "I have grown beyond the board. Now, I am the one playing the game, and not the other way around. That is why I left the Nocturnal District, Miss Sang. And that is why I have more power than any other crime lord in existence."
As the weight of Vladzotz's words hung in the air, the crime lord let out another sigh, this one more contented than dreadful, like he were pleased about having removed a heavy load from his chest.
"I hope that answers your question." He smiled warmly at Lucy. "And more than that, I hope that you, too, have glimpsed the bigger picture now, my dear."
Lucy set her cup down, then slowly leaned back in her seat, staring up at the ceiling. "Honestly, I'd say that was a bit long-winded to answer one question, but I'm not one to talk."
"Yes, you are," Martina pointed out.
"Still…" Lucy took a deep breath, in and out. "You sure know how to make a point. What are you suggesting exactly? That I should quit? Hang up my catsuit and retire in peace, like you? You think it's that simple?"
"I never said it would be simple," Vlad clarified. "It took the destruction of my ancestral home to make me even consider it. And I can sense that you have suffered great loss yourself, Miss Sang."
"Her reality show was cancelled," said Martina.
"I will not judge."
Lucy looked towards the fire, the same one Vladzotz had gazed into before. It was hard not to see similarities between herself and him. Even her own loss had come from the same source. "Look, I almost hate to admit it, but this has been all I've ever known for a long time now. Fly here, fly there, steal this, steal that, drink a rat. I wasn't even doing it for power, really. If I sought power, it was only because power gave me the freedom to do whatever I wanted. That's all I've really aspired to."
"And there is nothing wrong with that," he assured. "Freedom is a very understandable desire, especially for one who's seen the alternative. It is not my intent to force anything upon you, my dear. The choice is yours. I am simply laying out what I've learned from my experience so that your choice may be better informed. That said, I personally believe you have tied yourself to a mammal with too much ambition, whose downfall is all but inevitable. And I would hate to see you go down with his ship."
"I have wings, I'll be fine," she joked, attempting to lighten the mood. It wasn't happening. "I agree, alright? Reynard wasn't a good investment. I got lured in by his style, his charisma, his promises of entertainment, but it's because of him that I'm in this mess now. 'You can have that hyena when I've got no more use for her', he said. 'It'll be fun!' he said." Vlad tilted his head curiously, but her rant was not to be interrupted. "Spoiler alert: it wasn't fun! Okay, it was pretty fun for a while, but then it wasn't! Even so…" She trailed off, biting her lip.
"Even so?" Vlad pressed, leaning towards her.
She sighed in frustration. "Even so, I'm stuck with him! We're pretty similar, Vladzotz, but I don't have the same options that you did. There's no mob of loyal followers waiting to jump to my aid. All I've got is a bunch of contacts I can't use. Friends and family who are too risky to get in touch with, a bunch of jerks on the dark web who think I'm a laughing stock, some foreigners there's not a chance in hell I'm going to. So I'm pretty much on my own right now unless I go back to Reynard."
"Not necessarily," he said pointedly. "It is true that going back to the fox may be in your best interests at the moment, but I can assure you that there is yet another option you obviously haven't considered."
"And what's that?"
"Staying here, of course." He smiled at her casually, too casually, as if it should have gone without saying.
But Lucy only raised an eyebrow. "You just met me, acknowledged how untrustworthy I am, and now you're offering me a place in the Nocturnal Mob? What's the catch?"
"Well, not stealing from me. I believe we covered that one."
"We did. What else?"
"No breaking my possessions, no leaking my information to outside sources, no feeding off my subordinates without permission, several other things I probably don't need to tell you," he listed, sounding almost amused by her question. "You don't have to become an official member either. Think of yourself as simply a consultant, or even just a guest if you wish. That's up to you, as I don't wish to infringe upon your desire for choice."
"Are you playing games with me?" Lucy asked, both dumbfounded and, if she were being honest with herself, a little flattered. "Why would you make me this offer? What have I done to deserve it? You barely know me, and nothing about what you do know should in any way inspire confidence."
"Nevertheless, it is confidence I feel, my dear." He kept smiling, his eyes lingering on hers long enough that it almost made her avert them, and not because she disliked it. "You present the image of a cold-blooded thief and killer, but I don't believe anyone truly befitting that image would behave the way you have today. Showing such interest in both my life choices and your own, interest that I know is genuine. I didn't achieve my illustrious position by being a poor judge of character."
"First time for everything," she muttered weakly, having trouble coming up with anything actually substantial to throw back at him.
He laughed it off. "Perhaps. This is, after all, the first time I've bonded so quickly with a stranger. And yet, you do not feel like a stranger. Forgive me for the tired cliché, but I simply sense a connection with you, Miss Lucy Sang. One I find myself unable to ignore."
She did look away now, hiding an undeniable blush. "I hope there's more to it than that."
"Well, you are also a brilliant thief capable of making a dependable ally, if that makes you feel any better about it," he returned, still amused. "It's not all just because I like you, my dear."
She blushed harder, slowly glancing back at him. Yep, he was still hot. "I guess...you'd make a pretty good ally too, Vladzotz." An ally, a partner in crime, perhaps even more. "And you really do have a nice setup here." A perfect setup, away from the eyes of the law, free to pursue whatever she wished. "Somewhere that I could finally just relax." Did she really need so much excitement in her life? "Just me and my best friend." She smiled over at Martina, then back at Vlad. "And you."
And her ringing phone. It was Reynard again. Lucy stared down at it, frowned, looked back at Vlad again, smiled, then again at the phone.
She declined the call and put the phone away. "Alright, Vladdy, let's talk business."
Her sensitive ears twitched, easily picking up the sound of a doorbell reverberating through the mansion, specifically the tune of Toccata and Fugue in D minor. She raised an amused eyebrow at Vladzotz.
"What? There's nothing wrong with having an appreciation for the classics," he said, looking a bit sheepish about it himself regardless. "And before you ask, yes, I can play the entire song on my organ. But please, excuse me for a moment. I believe I am about to receive more company."
Lucy shrugged. "The more the merrier."
It was a word choice she regretted in hindsight. A few moments passed as Vlad's new guests were presumably let inside by the guards and taken to his spot in the parlor. At which point, Lucy's vision of the future came to an abrupt halt.
Another vampire bat entered the room, a female a bit taller than herself and with a more picturesque figure. She wore a crimson red dress of a similar shade to Vlad's eyes, though hers were a dark brown. Her grey fur and claws were immaculately groomed, the bat obviously taking very good care of her appearance. Lucy was no slouch in that department herself, but her standard black catsuit wasn't exactly the most fashionable thing to make a first impression in, something that hadn't remotely felt like an issue until this very moment.
"Carmilla, my dear, welcome home!" Vladzotz greeted, opening up his wings for a hug that the other bat gladly returned. "I trust you found everything we needed at the supermarket?"
"Indeed. It was a bit of a rush, but being able to see over the aisles did help," Carmilla chuckled. It was a refined sort of laugh, similar to Vlad's, not the playful giggles or maniacal cackles Lucy was prone to. Not that she was making comparisons or anything.
Perhaps the intensity of her stare caught Carmilla's attention because she immediately looked to her curiously. "Oh. Apologies, I didn't realize we had guests."
"It's quite alright." Vlad gestured a wing to them. "Carmilla, this is Lucy and her odd little friend Martina. Lucy, Martina, this is my wife, Carmilla."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Carmilla greeted, extending a winghand to shake theirs.
"Nice to meet you too," Lucy said as sincerely as possible, shaking back. It was Martina who had to be told to shake, which she did without a word.
While they were all distracted by that, Vladzotz was suddenly attacked.
"Daddy!" A young bat pup in a light shirt and skirt, no more than ten, divebombed into Vlad's lap, making him wince a little.
But he recovered quickly, smiling in that all-forgiving way that parents did when they didn't want their children to know they might have broken something. "Hello, Vasila. Did you beat your brother's record again?"
"I sure did!" Vasila giggled in his lap, getting an affectionate pat on the head in response.
"It's a little game they came up with," Carmilla whispered over to Lucy. "Our pups like to compete to see who can put away the groceries the fastest. Our kitchen is like a whirlwind of wings."
She was expressionless. "Yes. Whirlwind of wings. Very humorous."
"Are you imitating me, Lucy?" Martina asked. "It is flattering. I am most pleased."
"Let it be known that Vasila cheated," said another voice from the doorway, a teenage bat who wore a dark suit similar to Vlad's own. He also wore what appeared to be a cupcake on his head. "I motion to detract two minutes from her time."
Vasila blew him a raspberry as Carmilla flew over with a handkerchief to help clean him up. "There, there, Vasile. At least you didn't get any on your suit."
"You mean at least she didn't get any on my suit," he replied, though he shot his little sister a well-meaning smirk around Carmilla's wing that she returned with one of her own.
He was so caught up in the moment that Vlad almost forgot to introduce the two and turned back to his guests. "Our pups, Vasile and Vasila. Vasile in particular is being groomed to take over the family business when I'm gone. Granted, the business isn't quite the same as it used to be, but he is enthusiastic about it regardless and I couldn't be prouder."
"Sounds exciting," Lucy said, somewhat lacking in enthusiasm at the moment.
"It is," Vasile responded seriously, smiling with admiration. "Anything to live up to my father's legacy."
"Alright, now let's leave your father to tend to his guests," Carmilla advised. "We wouldn't want to intrude." She briefly flew back to Vladzotz and they shared a quick kiss before she left the room, followed by Vasile and then Vasila, springboarding off of Vlad's lap and winding him again.
"Precious, aren't they?" Vladzotz laughed, smiling warmly until he finally noticed the look on Lucy's face. "Is something wrong? You look troubled."
Martina spoke up. "I believe she is-"
"Stop talking, Martina."
Martina stopped talking.
"I'm just a bit surprised is all," Lucy admitted, which was only a partial lie. "I wasn't expecting to see your family here."
He furrowed a brow in confusion. "Why not? Did you think they lived elsewhere?"
"Not exactly. I just thought that...with the fire and all...you know…"
"You believed they were...oh dear." Vlad cut himself off, no longer confused but now looking a bit troubled himself. "Lucy, I just explained to you in-depth why I left the Nocturnal District and came here, and about the fire as well. Don't you think I would have mentioned something as dire as losing my family?"
Lucy nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. Just...assumptions were made, I guess."
He sighed. "I suppose I can't blame you. Truth be told, I certainly did fear for all of our lives that night, and had it happened just a little bit differently, the outcome could have been much worse. While it was hard to examine what happened at the time, upon closer reflection, I believe it was the manner in which the fire was set that saved us. It was deliberate arson to be sure, but clearly perpetrated by an amateur, haphazard and lacking in scope. Because of that, there were enough gaps in the flames for all of us to make it out of there, whereas a professional would have done a more thorough job and, intentionally or not, decreased our odds of survival."
Lucy forced a laugh. "Yeah, it sure would've been rough if that happened. Sorry for bringing it up."
"It's no problem at all. In fact, it raises an interesting point." Vladzotz got up from his seat and walked over to the fireplace, this time staring down into the flames. "Despite everything I told you earlier, about knowing what you stand to lose and getting out while you can, even I am not infallible. Had I lost my family that night, I can confidently say that I would not be standing here in front of you now, in this peaceful settlement out in the woods. No, I never would have left the Nocturnal District at all. I would still be there, rising from the ashes of my ruined home, maintaining my hold over my empire, and dedicating the rest of my life to hunting down those responsible for taking my family from me, to enact my vengeance." The fireplace almost seemed to flare up at that last word, casting Vlad's menacing shadow over the entire room for just an instant.
"But there is no point fretting over hypotheticals," he concluded, turning back around. "In the end, only Castle Fangpyre itself was lost, and while it was an impressive and historical structure passed down through my ancestors, it was still merely a thing. And things can always be replaced. Indeed, I'd say we've done a marvelous job of replacing it already. Still, it goes to show you: emotional responses are truly the enemy of rational decision-making, don't you agree?"
"Hmm?" Lucy perked up, snapping back to attention. "Right, yeah. Don't want any of that. Anyway, we should probably get going for now."
"Already? I was hoping you could at least stay for dinner, my dear. But if you must leave, I insist we at least seal our agreement to a partnership in the future," he offered. "Assuming you're still interested?"
"Of course," she answered quickly. "No reason I wouldn't want to be your...business partner."
"Then it's settled," he said with a nod, that slowly stopped and turned into a frown. "Are you sure you're alright?
"Never better. I just made an alliance with a powerful, influential," married, "crime lord. What's there to be unhappy about?"
Either she was a better actor than she thought or Vladzotz was sufficiently distracted because his frown faded away. "Well, when you put it that way, not much I suppose. I too look forward to working with you in the future. But for now, my guards will escort you out." He smiled slyly as a few guards, including the mole from earlier, entered the room. "We may be partners now, but we'll have to work together a bit longer before I trust you alone in my household. Consider it professional caution, if you may, and a testament to your skills."
"You raise a good point," she said with a smile, heading out of the room with Martina.
Once they had left even his earshot, she added, "I wouldn't trust me either."
The Lost Woods
11: 17 PM
Lucy and Martina had entered the mansion with a curious question to ask, and they left officially welcomed into the fold of the Nocturnal Mob. Yet it still somehow managed to feel like a loss.
"Do you ever get the feeling you missed out on something?" Lucy asked as they walked away from the manor. She suddenly lacked the energy to fly. "Like there was a window of possibility you never even knew was there until it got slammed in your face?"
Martina didn't answer.
"Oh, right, you can talk now."
"Does the possibility of living a normal life count?"
Lucy looked back at her, then sighed softly. "Yeah, I guess you would be familiar with the concept. For what it's worth, I'm sorry for taking that from you. One of the few things I've ever regretted stealing."
"I forgive you."
"Thanks, but you're not physically capable of being mad at me, so it doesn't mean much."
"Then I'm sorry too. That your face hit the window."
Lucy took one last glance over her shoulder, towards the mansion now fading from view as they walked. "It's no big deal." She brushed it off with a shrug. "I only came here to get answers, and I got them. The whole criminal alliance thing was just a bonus. Not like I need a bonus on top of the bonus, right? That's just being greedy."
"It's funny because you're a thief."
"Thank you, Martina." Martina opened her mouth. "I'm welcome," she added, and Martina closed it again. "But my point is, it's fine. I got what I wanted, and more, so now I can head back to Zootopia, finish up my contract with Reynard, and then I can worry about all of...this. Everything is fine. I am okay."
Wrapped up in her thoughts, Lucy barely heard her phone ringing. Unsurprisingly, it was Reynard. She promptly answered it and screamed into the receiver, "What the hell do you want?!"
"Lucy, you got some 'splainin to do!" the chipper fox answered with a laugh.
She simmered, her ears lowering. "How long were you waiting to use that golden oldie?"
"About as long as I was waiting for you to pick up. Why are you ghosting me, Vampirella? I thought we had a real connection here. But that connection appears to be muffled and lacking in bars. Seriously, where are you?"
"That's none of your business," she snapped. "Maybe I just needed a paid vacation."
"I don't recall paying you for this."
"I paid myself."
"Ha! Well, you can't have paid yourself too handsomely after your show hit the death slot. Which leads me to believe that you might be in need of my financial support right now and that it wouldn't be the best time to test my patience. I even brought a friend for you too. Say hi, will ya?" He pulled the phone away and Lucy could hear a familiar trumpeting noise on the other end.
"Grunt?! He's alive?!"
Another trumpet of affirmation.
"Yes, the guy could really use a pachydermatologist, but he's otherwise fine. And I'd hate to tell him that his dark goddess lost her job just because she didn't fill out her PTO properly."
She hissed, but forced herself to calm down. She wasn't going to give him what he wanted right now. "I'll be right back, okay? Don't worry about it."
"Oooooooh no, you're not getting out of it that easily! Call me a gossip hound, but I simply must know what you've been up to. Come on, you can tell me. I can keep a secret sometimes." She could almost hear his tail wagging.
"Not a chance."
"At least tell me where! Satisfy my curious itch a little, work with me here!"
If it was to shut him up, she'd gladly tell him. Not like he could glean much from just that. "Pinebarrow."
"Ah, I've heard of that place. Bunch of weirdos living in the woods, right? Seems a good spot to lay low in. How is Vladzotz anyway?"
Lucy tried not to react to that, but the slight hitch in her voice gave it away. "So it is true! I'll spare you the trouble of asking how I found out and just tell you. You see, I've been perusing Narwhalter's files in my spare time, and while some of them are heavily, heavily encrpyted, he was surprisingly open about his old colleagues in crime. Found out some very disturbing things about my ex-wife too, but that's beside the point. As it turns out, Vladzotz was still alive and in hiding the whole time! I mean, it wasn't exactly hard to guess, but..."
Lucy bit her lip, a pang of fear spiking through her. That wasn't an unusual feeling in and of itself, only that it was fear for someone else. She tried to keep it out of her voice. "You're not planning to come after him too, are you?"
He paused just long enough that it had to be on purpose. "Nah, he's inconsequential now. I'm not wasting my time riding all the way out there just to stake the vampire king. I've already lost my chance at a perfect victory anyway. Much as it seems you've lost a chance of your own."
She barely had the time to be relieved before being put on the defensive once again. "What are you talking about?"
"The Codfather was very thorough in his research. He knew that it wasn't just Vlad who had survived, but, less predictably, his family as well. And judging by the level of concern you so uncharacteristically expressed for him, I'm guessing that little revelation didn't go over so well. How does that song go? Vlad and Lucy, sitting in a tree, M-I-S-S-E-D OUT!"
Lucy glared into the speaker, but remained silent, even though she knew it would only encourage him to keep talking.
"I know what you're thinking. That maybe it could've worked out had circumstances been just a little different, and maybe you're right. Maybe I could've been something other than a dapper criminal mastermind. Like a plastic surgeon, or an air force commander, or a secret agent, or the leader of my own vampire court, or a navy admiral, or a dictator in some proto version of Zootopia, or a stand-in for the main villain of 'Hot Fuzz', or Robin Hood. But we both chose our current paths long ago. Me, the dapper mastermind, and you, the violent psychopath who kills for fun."
"You're one to talk."
"Oh, I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. Some of my best friends are violent psychopaths! No, the only thing wrong here is that you actually thought, even for a second, that you could ever be anything else."
"You don't know me!" she yelled. "I can be whatever the hell I want!"
"It's funny you say that, because Narwhalter had quite the extensive file on you as well. What a juicy read that was! Can't wait for it all to get published!"
"Yeah? And?" she challenged.
His voice turned cold. "And I'm not sure you've learned much from it. Here you are trying to subvert the lessons of both your past and Vlad's, and you're surprised that it ended in disappointment. You can't even be upset about it without feeling guilty because you know that the only way you could've gotten what you wanted is if he suffered a horrific, family-killing tragedy. Honestly, what in your life makes you think you deserve a healthy, loving relationship? That you're even capable of one? Given your history, you really should know better by now."
"Don't you dare." She clenched the phone tightly in her claws, trembling. "Don't you dare bring that up or I swear to whatever sly god you pray to that I will, in your own words, rip your foxing throat out!"
"Ah ha ha ha...see what I mean? You're not cut out for this. It may be true that beneath your monstrous exterior is just a lonely little girl trying to cover up her pain, but I didn't hire that little girl, Lucele. I hired the monster. And you will continue to be my monster until the bitter end, because deep down, you know it's the only role that suits you."
Lucy shook and hissed, but every time she tried to open her mouth, any argument she had got caught in her throat.
"So let's ditch the flightless fantasies and get back to business, shall we? There's work to be done. But I think the big takeaway here is...alternate universes are a bitch!"
He broke out into cackles, cutting off abruptly as he hung up.
Lucy stayed rooted to the spot, even as Martina came up behind her. "What do we do now, Lucy?"
She stayed silent.
"What do we do now, Lu-?"
"We go home," Lucy answered, standing up straight. She'd reeled in all visible emotion, looking and sounding closer to her BFF than ever. "Back to Zootopia. Back to normal. As it's meant to be."
"Yes, Lucy."
Martina stepped forward and Lucy picked her up in her talons again, taking off through the trees and into the night sky.
She didn't dare to look back.
The concept of "For Want of a Nail" comes from an old proverb and essentially amounts to a small and seemingly innocuous change resulting in larger, unforeseen consequences. In this case, a young and inexperienced Harvey being the one to set fire to Castle Fangpyre instead of Nick results in Vlad getting a happier ending. Unfortunately, it's not a happier ending for everyone.
It's a concept that lends itself well to alternate universes, which Jack and I are a big fan of. Incidentally, all the other possibilities Reynard mentioned for himself come directly from other fics or comics that involve Nick's dad.
Admittedly, the ending does lose a little impact if you're not familiar with Vlad and Lucy's much closer relationship in When Instinct Falls, which has just recently come to an end. Shoutout to Upplet for not only that incredible fic, but also for lending a big hand in writing this drabble. Much like Drabble 7, a large chunk of it was RP'ed out between the two of us, specifically everything between entering the mansion to the arrival of Vlad's family. He also created Vlad's family, for once outside of locket form. If you want to see some Sangpyre goodness though, you'll find plenty of it on his end.
But just in case you thought this existed purely to entertain a possibility and then squash it, this new alliance with the Nocturnal Mob may not be as inconsequential as it seems. Small changes, big consequences after all.
Next time, the actual next chapter for realsies.