Chapter 9

"Here you go." The now cheery voice of the lioness waitress said as she placed a steaming hot cup of coffee in front of me on the table as I briefly looked at her with my leaf green eyes. "Thank you." I said immediately avoiding the lionesses gaze out of embarrassment as the she gave me a toothy grin before making her way back to the cafes till, the smile from the result of my accident still present on her furred face. I sighed in annoyance as I began to lower my auburn furred head onto the cafes table whilst my ears began to fold down against my head. "Well you sure know how to make an entrance Ben." I heard the suave voice of Nick say as I slightly raised my head to face him. "Well." I said as I looked at Nick before glancing at Judy as they sat on the opposite side of the table that I was on. "I don't do it by choice Nick. If I did then I would have stopped a while ago." I said as I covered my eyes with my black paws before continuing. "And I would still have some dignity left." Nick smirked and nodded his head whilst Judy on the other hand just chuckled slightly as she took a bite out of a piece of carrot cake she had bought for herself. "Well if it's any consolation Ben I don't think it's that bad." Judy said as she swallowed another bite of her carrot cake whilst Nick looked at her raising his eyebrow in confusion. "Why isn't it that bad?" I asked uncovering one of my eyes to look at Judy with my leaf green eyes.

"Well at least you don't have a mad craving for blueberries every second like Nick does." Judy said before laughing as Nick looked at me with a smirk plastered on his face. I on the other hand just groaned in annoyance and embarrassment as I covered my eye once again whilst Nick let out a small chuckle before sighing. "Carrots I've known Ben for years and I know that we share some similar traits." Nick said looking towards Judy as she began to cease her laughter. "And it would seem that Ben here has the same problem as I do. And I don't think it's curable." Nick said slyly as I let out a sad whimper of embarrassment whilst Judy's face began to turn into one of regret from the previous one of laughter. "I'm sorry Ben." Judy said sadly as she looked over from Nick to my saddened form which was still trying to hide from the world. "I didn't know. I just presumed that it was only Nick who had such an addiction to blueberries." I slowly began to lift my head up off of the table, my tired leaf green eyes meeting Judy's sad purple ones. "It's OK Judy. Don't worry about it. I'm just glad it wasn't as bad as when I tricked Nicks Mum into thinking that Nick had broken one of her favorite vases." I immediately covered my head in pain with my black paws as Nick began to growl slightly in anger at my answer. Judy on the other hand had placed a paw over her mouth to try and hold in her laughter as I looked up to Nick who was gazing at me with his emerald green eyes which showed a slight hint of anger and annoyance.

"I knew it was you who did it Ben. I knew it was you all along. But you always seemed to find a way to convince my mum that I was the one who broke things in the house and not you." Nick said inching closer and closer to me as Judy burst out into a fit of laughter, nearly dropping her piece of carrot cake in the process. "What's got you laughing? What's so funny?" Nick questioned as he quickly turned from me to Judy, the slight anger still present in his eyes as Judy began to cease he laughter. "Oh Nick. Come off it. You're getting worked up over nothing." Judy said as she lightly punched Nick on the arm which caused Nick to recoil slightly before she returned back to eating her slice of carrot cake. Nick let out a small sigh and a chuckle as he began to move away from me. His emerald green eyes slowly losing their aggressive glint. "I guess your right as always Judy. It was in the past and I shouldn't have acted aggressively towards a member of my family." Nick said as he began to lie back down in his seat before he reached out and grabbed his own steaming hot cup of coffee from the table, a smile beginning to appear on his face as he sipped at the coffee. I soon followed Nick's actions as I too began to slouch in my seat as the pain from my head began to recede much to my delight. "But if we are on the subject of families Judy." Nick said as the smile on his face began to widen in a sly fashion. "Then why haven't you invited me around to see your parents?" This seemed to shock Judy a lot as her eyes widened in fear before she began to choke slightly on a piece of carrot cake that she had just swallowed. "Sweet cheese and crackers Nick….." Judy said as she tried to regain her breathing from her chocking as well as from Nick's sudden and unsurprising question. "Well then carrots." Nick said in his usual cocky tone of voice as he looked towards the shocked and recovering Judy with his piercing green eyes. "Have you got an answer for me?" Judy's once calm and controlled demeanor had now changed to the complete polar opposite as she looked at Nick with her deep purple eyes, which met with his emerald green ones. "W...what. Nick…where did that come from?" Judy said with trepidation, confusion and worry in her voice as Nick just smiled slyly at her.

"What is it carrots." Nick said as he took a long sip out of his coffee. "I only asked you a question." Judy now looked desperate to change the conversation from what it was currently about as she quickly looked over from Nick to me, a worried smile making its way onto her face. "Hey can I ask you something Ben." Judy said rather quickly as she focused intently at me whilst I caught a glimpse of Nick as he raised one of his eyebrows at her in curiosity as Judy continued. "How was Nick when he was younger? I'm sure you could tell me something funny that happened to him?" Judy said trying to keep a cool attitude and calm demeanor which didn't work in her favor at all, as she began to lean further in towards me. I blinked in confusion and surprise as Judy looked on at me pleadingly before I briefly looked over towards Nick's direction. Nick just stared at me with his emerald green eyes for a few seconds as he looked at me in thought before shrugging slightly as I gave him a raised eyebrow in return. 'Well.' I thought to myself as I returned my vision back to Judy who was still looking at me with her deep purple eyes. The pleading gesture still clearly evident in them as her pink nose twitched in anticipation. 'I guess I have to choose a side.' I thought as Judy continued to look at me pleadingly "Sorry Judy." I said as I began to get up and out of my seat, much to the surprise of both Judy and Nick, more so to Judy as she fell back in her seat whilst watching me stand up. 'I need some fresh air.' I thought as I began to try and come up with a quick lie to get away from Nick and Judy for a bit so I could explore a bit more of the city. "But I actually have to meet with a friend of mine. He said he would show me around the city."

Judy looked crest fallen and panicked as she looked over to Nick who now didn't seem to really care about how Judy was reacting to his question. "And who is this friend if you don't mind me asking Ben." Nick said raising his right eyebrow at me in suspicion whilst Judy kept switching her gaze from me to Nick in quick succession. I smiled slyly at Nick before turning away from him and Judy whilst Judy's face now showed the same confusion as Nicks as I began to make my way over to the cafes door. "Just someone I know Nick. No one you need to worry about. You to Judy" I said as I reached the cafes door before I began to open said door with a black paw. Before I could exit the cafe I was stopped in my tracks by the serious and suspicious voice of Nick. "Don't get into any trouble Ben." Nick said as I looked over to him, only to find the serious expression that was present on his auburn furred face. "Don't worry Nick." I said as I opened the cafe door fully open, the sound of cars and other animals filled my ears as I took one more glance towards Nick and Judy. "I never get into trouble." I said smiling slyly at the pair of officers before giving the lioness at the till a small wave as she did the same in return. "I'll meet you two at the police station….say…four o'clock." I said gaining a slight worried nod from Nick as well as Judy. "Well then. I'll see you later." I said as I exited the cafe before briskly making my way down the street with no real destination planned in my mind.

"Well isn't this just great." I said in anger as I held up a map of the city in one of my black paws whilst holing the other to my muzzle in thought, as numerous animals passed me by. I stood just off of the sidewalk to avoid being knocked over and bumped into by the passers-by so that they wouldn't disturb my concentration and focus on the map as I tried to find out where I actually was in the city. Talking about said map I had borrowed (and by borrowed I mean steal) it off of an unsuspecting couple of arguing deer who must have had the same problem with directions that I was now inn myself. After staring blankly at the map with my leaf green eyes for another couple of minutes I decided to do what I do best in these types of situations…..sigh loudly and give up. "Ugh." I groaned tiredly in frustration as I brought the map down away from my muzzle. "How come whenever I want to explore a place on my own I get lost?" I said in defeat as I began to slowly make my way down the street once again, throwing the map away as I walked. As I walked along the bustling sidewalk I began to notice how almost every other animal bar from myself looked like they knew exactly where they were going and how to get there. It seemed I was the only one lost in the city. This just aggravated me more as I silently cursed to myself whilst continuing on down the sidewalk, bumping into one or two animals as I continued on my way. I kept on walking down the side walk at a brisk pace, dodging and weaving past other animals as they too like myself briskly made their way along. As I continued on my way along the side walk I occasionally looked at some of the buildings that I was passing.

There where an array of buildings and shops from food stores selling insects instead of meat to a slightly peculiar naturalist club which made me laugh out loud, much to the annoyance of the animals who were entering and exiting said building. After another few minutes of dodging and weaving past animals I began to recognize some of the buildings that were around me from when myself, Nick and Judy went to the cafe after the small incident with Finnick. "O thank god." I practically cried out in relief as I noticed a very familiar street, with a very familiar cafe. "I actually know where I am." I said as I began to make my way down said street passing by numerous animals and shops as I did so. "Well." I said as I looked up to the sky briefly in thought, whilst my ears swiveled around as I picked up on various snippets of conversation from the animals that were walking down the street. After walking for another couple of minutes down the familiar street I came across a garage. The garage itself looked reasonably old as some of the blue paint work on the garages main door had begun to peel away, leaving some of the wooden door bare and open to the world. The building itself was reasonably big compared to most of the buildings along the street which were made up of cafes, stalls and small apartments. "Well." I said as I gazed at the garage in wonder as my tail swished from side to side. "What's a garage like you doing on a street like this?" I said as I began to make my way towards the garages second door which was much smaller than the main one and painted white instead of blue.

I guessed this door was used as a reception door for people to discuss and book days for the mechanics to look at there cars and the main one used for the cars to enter the building. The smaller door had an old looking metal sign on it that hung on by a nail that looked like it had been hammered in during a rush of some sort. On the sign were the words 'Sharps garage' which I assumed was the owner's last name. 'Huh I wonder who would own a garage like this.' I thought to myself as I continued to look at the building in thought as I contemplated knocking on the door just to find out who owned it. After mulling it over in my head for a couple of seconds I decided to have a look inside. I began to make my way to the buildings small blue door before I reached out my right black paw and knocked on the door three times before waiting for a response. After a few minutes of waiting for the door to be answered with no sign of anyone answering sad door I began to lose interest in my mini investigation, as I sighed in annoyance before turning around as I began to make my way to the police station where I was meant to meet back up with Nick and Judy. As I walked away from the old looking garage I couldn't help but think about how Ryan helped me and Finnick when the van broke down. I mean I did lie to him to get his help. And the repairs he did where meant to help me and Finnick commit a con. And he seemed like a genuine mammal. But in the end all that really mattered were his skills. And my god did he know how to fix a vehicle. I mean even when I was back at my home on earth it was rare to come across a person as skilled as Ryan…. or mammal in my case now as I wasn't on Earth. I chuckled to myself as I continued on my way…or that's what I would have done if not for a familiar voice. "Ben. Is that you." I instantly froze to the spot at the deep, strong voice that had just spoken from behind me, a voice that belonged to a certain blue eyed mechanic. "It is you." The voice said again as I turned around to face who the voice belonged to, but I had a good idea of who it belonged to.

The animal that greeted my view was a snow white furred wolf with piercing blue eyes that stared at me in surprise and happiness. "Ryan." I said putting on an extremely well-acted smile as the white furred wolf came up and approached me. I say well-acted smile but I was kind of glad to see a familiar face. "It's good to see you Ryan." I said sticking out my paw towards Ryan as he shook it strongly in greeting. "What are you doing around here?" Ryan just smiled widely at me before chuckling whilst I on the other hand raised one of my eyebrows in confusion. "What am I doing here? That's the question I should be asking you. Weren't you meant to go and see your brother?" I nodded at Ryan in confirmation whilst wearing a happy smile plastered on my face as Ryan chuckled again. "Of course I went to see him Ryan. And thanks to your help me and him finally got to meet with each other after all those years." I said giving Ryan a small punch in the arm to which he responded by posing in a heroic stance. "Well Ben that's what I do. If there's a mammal in trouble then all they have to call is." Ryan raised his head before speaking once again. "Ryan. The super mechanic of Zootopia." I couldn't help myself but to laugh out loud hysterically as Ryan finished his little scene, before returning his gaze to my now laughing form. After a few more seconds of laughing hysterically I began to calm down and regain my composure, before I looked back up to Ryan with my leaf green eyes. "Wow Ryan. I didn't take you as the joking type." I said as Ryan gave me a shrug with a smile plastered on his face, as I chuckled slightly. "Anyway Ryan."

I said looking directly at the white furred wolf in front of me. "Why are you here?" At my question Ryan gave me the first sly smile that I had seen on his white furred face since meeting him. "I'm here because this is where I work and live." Ryan said as I raised my right eyebrow up in confusion. "You didn't happen to pass a garage on your way did you? Because if that's correct Ben. Then you're looking at the owner of Sharps garage which is the best garage in the whole of Zootopia." Ryan said as he folded his arms across his chest in a smug fashion, whilst I on the other hand was shocked to say the least. "You own that Garage Ryan." I said still in shock whilst Ryan just nodded his head, a smug smile present on his face as he did so. "Wow. Good for you Ryan. I knew you were good…" Before I could Finnish my sentence there was a loud cry for help from behind as both myself and Ryan looked towards the cry of help just in time to see a black hooded figure running away from a distraught looking female gazelle. "I guess that's the thief Nick and Judys chief was on about." I said to myself as Ryan stepped in front of me growling. "What is wrong with people?" Ryan said as his blue eyes showed evident anger as watched the thief get further and further away. 'God dam it.' I thought to myself as I sighed before I began to run after the thief, Ryan following me as soon as I left off. "What are you doing Ben?" I heard Ryan shout from behind me as the pair of us ran after the thief, constantly dodging the other mammals that blocked our path. "Well Ryan." I shouted back the white furred as he ran behind me. "Were going to catch a criminal."