A/N

Hello everyone. As suggested, here is chapter 7 a bit early because I'm not going to be around to post this weekend. The next chapter is probably going to be delayed a bit too, for that reason.

Of course, I do not own Zootopia, and can therefore make no claims to Zootopia or its characters. I only make claim to my own OC's included herein as needed. Though I think I could do more with it than Disney is at the moment. So many awesome ideas that they could use, and they're sitting on their asses.

You are getting this early, because I'm out for the weekend. Enjoy.

I blame Bear678 for this.

Anyway, on with the show.

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Wilde Cardz - Savage Territory - Chapter 7

Walking back through the settlement, Nick and Jacob were mostly quiet, save for Jacob pointing out a few points of interest. Jacob finally spoke with an inquiry. "You have an amazing way with mammals. Is that one of your abilities?"

Nick chuckled with a shake of his head. "No. At least not that I know of, unless it was something I had from before. I was a hustler, a con-mammal, before I met Judy. No one wanted to see anything other than a fox who was sly and untrustworthy, so that's what I was. Then Judy happened to me. I could almost always talk my way into or out of things, except with her. She could see right through me and any mask I put on as if they weren't there."

Chuckling himself, Jacob nodded. "I see. That explains a lot. So she is why you became a cop?"

Nick nodded. "She is. She believed in me… Believed I could be more than just a fox. I wanted to live up to her belief in me."

They came around the corner to the entrance area and found it packed with security mammals. It was loud, as if a party was in effect, all of them talking at once and surrounding the cruiser. Looking at this, Nick laughed. "Well, this is going to delay getting the paperwork. No way I'm going through these guys without hurting someone." Looking around he made a map of the area in his head. "Or, I can go around them. Trick I learned from Carrots. I'll be right back, Jacob."

Jacob looked down and was about to question Nick when Nick leapt to the top of a light pole, jumped from that to the side of a nearby building, and propelled himself from there to arch over and down to where the cruiser was hidden. "Wow!"

Dropping down on the cruiser's roof with barely a sound, several of the closer officers took a step back in surprise. Then recognizing him, a roar arose from the group. "NICK!"

Nick laughed and waved at his former coworkers. "Hey everyone. Give me just a moment. I need to get something to Jacob so he can take it to your council to review." Nick popped the hatch on the top of the cruise and dropped inside, reappearing a moment later with a folder in paw. "Okay guys. Care to make way, then we can play catchup." The throng of mammals quickly parted giving him a direct path to Jacob who took the folder.

Jacob smiled at Nick as he took the folder. "I have to say, if this is not a glowing endorsement of you and your friends, and the settlement you represent, I don't know what is. I will get these to the council right away."

Nick nodded. "Great. Please let me know if they will allow us to stay a few days and do some trading for supplies. MRE's are good, but fresh is better if we can get it."

Jacob nodded. "I'll ask that when I deliver this." With that Jacob turned and walked away, Nick turning to face the croud of mammals.

With a large grin, Nick smiled. "Hey guys. What did you do with my wolf and tiger?"

Lizz responded from somewhere in the middle of the throng. "They're trying to crush us both with hugs."

There was a very recognizable squeal from behind him, Nick turned and saw the approaching cheetah moving way faster than he should be and wearing an empowered armband. Using his own speed, Nick deftly dodged. "Hi, Ben."

However, Ben was in fact just as fast as Nick, turned on a dime and had Nick wrapped up in what would be a crushing hug for anyone else a fraction of a second later. "NIIIIIIIIIICK!"

Nick grunted, actually feeling the pressure from the hug. "Hi Ben. Good to see you."

Putting Nick down, Ben grinned. "Oh. M. GOODNESS! Nick! I can't believe you made it." Looking around wildly. "Where's Judy?"

Nick frowned. "I don't know, Ben. We were separated, following different leads on the case when everything went sideways. I have tried tracking her down, but the most I have is a whiff of her on the wind every now and then, too faint to be sure it isn't my imagination. Though last night I got more than that. Enough to know that she wasn't savage as of a few weeks ago, and that she was alive as of a few weeks ago."

Lizz stepped out of the crowd. "Yeah, he actually slept last night. Something I don't think he has actually done in months."

Nick laughed darkly. "I've slept, but there was nothing good about that sleep, or the dreams that came with it."

Delgato stepped out of the crowd carrying Mike in a massive hug. "Hey. So all three of you are, what's the new term… powered?"

Nick smiled. "Empowered. It's a better term because you can be good empowered or bad empowered, all depending on how they use those abilities."

Delgato nodded. "I agree. You hear that everyone? That's the term we're going to use from now on." Turning to Ben. "Ben, buddy. How'd you like to be part of the guard?"

Ben smiled sadly. "You know I'd love to, but I'm not allowed. I'm at least one of the lucky ones who can get jobs that use my abilities, even if it is just as a wrecking ball." Looking down at Nick. "I'm fast and nothing seems to hurt me. So they have me knock things down by running into them. You know. You're pretty fast too."

Nick smiled up at Ben. "You're also strong there, Ben. If I was the old me, you'd have crushed me."

"Sorry. No one lets me hug them anymore, so I really don't know my own strength."

"All good, Ben. No harm, no foul, as it were." Looking up at the rest. "So, how have you all fared? I'm on a rabbit hunt, amongst other things."

Delgato looked Nick over and nodded. "I'm surprised you're still here. I would have thought you would have curled up and died without her?"

Nick nodded sadly. "It's been a near thing a few times, but every time I get close, I hear her voice in my head telling me to not give up. That giving up would be the one thing she wouldn't let me do if she were around, no matter what. So I persist. Last night's trace of her, even weeks old as it was, gave me more hope than I have had."

For the next several hours, the former ZPD and a few ZFD mammals caught up with each other. They swapped stories of their survival, who they knew was dead or savage, and who they hoped was dead or savage.

Late that afternoon into evening most of the mammals had returned to their duties. Jacob returned with the paperwork for Nick and information for Delgato, who was the head of the guard. Essentially Nick's counterpart, as he was head of security.

Jacob waited for Nick and Delgato to notice him. Nick smiled as he had seen the elk walk up and waited to see if he'd announce himself. He was clearly going to wait, so Nick took pity on him. "At least cough, Jacob. I see you have the paperwork, and the file seems thicker."

Delgato turned. "Jacob."

Holding out the folder to Nick, Jacob smiled. "It is. The council added the list of lost family members that citizens here are looking for. They also have a request for a similar list so families can find each other." Handing a sheet to Delgato. "Updates to the laws and expectations. All very good movements in my opinion."

Delgato grinned. " Absolutely. This is excellent. I assume more is coming?"

Jacob nodded. "Yes, though they wanted to get these out quickly. These will be part of the daily announcements in the morning."

"Excellent." Looking down to Nick, Delgato reached out and removed the arm band. " You don't need that anymore. The council agreed with you and your settlement. If empowered are going to contribute, they need to be equal citizens. They just have different ways to contribute. I've been advocating that since the beginning. Empowered have to register so we, the guard, know their abilities, but otherwise they're officially just like everyone else."

Nick nodded. "Same way we deal with it. You, security, need to know, but otherwise, they're just another citizen." Turning his attention to Jacob. "What about us staying?"

Jacobs' smile brightened. "You are free to stay as long as you need and are welcome back at any time. The council wished to also provide you this." Handing Nick a small bag. "This is why I am returning so late. We had to have those made, as we don't have an empowered that can just manipulate the metal. These tokens, and the map of the area as we know it are our gift to you. The file has a copy as well." Holding out a marked up map of Zootopia to Nick.

Smiling widely. "That's great news. Thank you, Jacob, and please thank the council for me. Del, I am going to be launching a drone shortly. Can you ensure it doesn't get shot down by one of your sentries?"

The lion laughed. "You have a drone?"

Nick nodded. "We have several with us, and use them for surveillance and monitoring of our borders back at the settlement. We have power, running water in an ever increasing section of the settlement, etc… All things made possible by tapping into the abilities of the empowered amongst us. Heck, even the sewer system is working in our area, protected by a society of sewer rats that we made a pact with. They keep the sewers clear, and keep raiders out, and they are kept as equal citizens and have a vote on the council."

Jacob shook his head with a frown. "You made a pact with the rats? How? Why?"

Nick nodded. "We did. It's a symbiotic relationship. They're scavengers. What they feed on may not be things we find palatable, but that doesn't discount it. I mean, unless things have changed. I'm a sushi glutton, and yet Del here can't stand it. Which is weird, given that he's a cat."

Del laughed. "My species never ate fish, Nick, so I just can't stomach it. Then again, what was up with your carnivorous bunny?"

Nick chuckled. "Heck if I know, but I wasn't going to complain either. Made shopping a lot easier."

"Well, I really hope you find her, Nick. I can't imagine how hard it would be if Jeff hadn't been with me that day. Or if he had gone savage... Wait." He looked down at the new information in his paw. A brilliant, toothy grin taking over his face. "These mean… I… I gotta go!"

Nick looked up at Jacob. "I'm going to bet that Jeff is empowered."

Jacob nodded. "He is. Delgato has worked tirelessly to keep as many empowered fed as he can. I think he's gone without on occasion, so they could eat. He's always been an advocate for treating them like citizens. Never understood why he was so focused on the leopard though."

Nick shook his head. "Really? I'll bet Del choses to live on the edge of where you've segregated your empowered."

Jacob looked down at Nick in confusion and concern. "How can you know that?"

"Simple deduction. I knew Jeff and Del from before, so… Given that, and Jeff being empowered, it tells me that Del will live as close to his mate as possible. Now that you're going to embrace your empowered and open things up, that means he be with his mate."

Jacob shook his head. "You're telling me that Del is gay, and his mate is the empowered leopard? I… I just assumed they were friends."

Nick chuckled. "Nope, gay as the day is long. I'll have to make sure I catch up with Jeff tomorrow. Now, where can Lizz, Mike, and I stay tonight?

Delgato returned at that moment. "Actually, I almost forgot. You're staying at my place."

Nick frowned. "Del. How long has it been since you and Jeff have been together? And I doubt these two can keep their paws to themselves." Sticking his thumb over his shoulder at Lizz and Mike. "Is there an empty home we can occupy for the next few days?"

Jacob nodded. "I know just the place. It's in the same building that Delgato lives in, but is mostly unoccupied, since it is right next to the small area where the empowered live. There are dozens of unoccupied apartments that we haven't done anything but scrub for usable food."

Delgato chuckled. "That was actually my plan. Can you take care of them Jacob?"

Smiling at Delgato, Jacob nodded. "Go on. I'll make sure they get settled."

Without another word, Delgato took back off at a run, a grin of pure joy on his face. Lizz stepped up next to them with a laugh. "That was the same grin he had the first time Jeff agreed to go out with him."

After collecting some things and securing their vehicle, Lizz, Mike, and Nick followed Jacob to the building they would be staying in. The settlement only covered ten square blocks, giving them a short walk to the opposite corner of the settlement where an apartment building that Nick instantly recognized sat. Doubling over in laughter, it took Nick several minutes to get himself together."

Mike looked at Nick confused. "Nick. What?"

Still chuckling, Nick leaned against Mike and he tried to get his laughter under control. "The Grand Pangolin Arms? … hahahah… You're kidding me, right? This is where we're going to be staying? Oh, gods! I wish Judy were here for this."

Lizz put a paw on Nick's shoulder. "Why's that?"

"Because this was where Judy got her first apartment." Looking up at Jacob. "Please tell me Dharma isn't still around."

Jacob chuckled. "She still runs the place. She's who we will have to get the keys from, for you."

Nick sobered up quickly, though his grin was still splitting his muzzle. "Oh, in that case. I absolutely must be the one to knock on her door."

A few moments later, Nick knocked, hard, on the door of Dharma's apartment. A muffled voice from inside making Nick grin. "I'm coming. Keep your pants on." The door opened and the armadillo looked out, surprise on her face as she recognized the fox. "Nick Wilde? It can't be."

"Hello Dharma. You still over-charging those living here?"

Dharma frowned deeply. "I wish I could, but no. No one pays anymore. They get assigned, at least until they can find someplace else. My job is to keep things up as much as I can as my contribution. Besides, after you and your bunny reported me, I had to spend thousands cleaning up the place, fixing things, and making it what the housing authority called livable. Heck, they forced me to update most of my small mammal apartments, and no more communal showers either. You two cost me a literal fortune, so you are damn right I charged more."

Chuckling, Nick shook his head. "You do know that it wasn't us, right? You had an inspector from the housing authority move into Judy's old apartment."

Dharma's eyes went wide. "Eddy was an inspector?"

Nick nodded. "Yep. He's the reason you had to fix everything up. Anyway." Glancing back at Jacob. "I need a room for myself, as well as one for the Wolf and Tiger. We will be staying for at least a few days, not sure how many."

Dharma groaned. "Fine. I'll put you on the same floor as the security lion. He's the only one that ever stayed here. Too close to those that have the powers. That way he can keep you in check." Turning, and leaving the door open, she moved into her office and quickly returned with two sets of keys. "Five oh four and Six. Still think you two were part of my problem. I'm sure you gave testimony or something."

Taking the keys, Nick smiled. "Nope. We didn't find out until we ran into Bucky and Pronk while on patrol, that anything had happened. Sorry to disappoint. Thank you though." Taking the stairs, as the elevator was actually out for a legitimate reason, no power, they made it to their apartments they would be staying at for the next few days. Nick turned to Jacob. "Thank you for the hospitality. We look forward to exploring your settlement and doing some trading for supplies before we continue on our way."

Jacob nodded. "Did you launch your drone?"

Nick nodded as he pawed the keys to Mike for their apartment, the two of them disappearing quickly. "We did. Doesn't take much. Should get a signal that it made it home in another hour or so. Thank you again and have a good night."

Jacob smiled. "You as well."

Nick entered his temporary apartment and closed the door. Making his way through he found a small, one bedroom apartment. Opening the windows to let the air flow through, he found a collection of candles, lighting one, he explored the rest of the apartment. Finding a set of bedding wrapped in plastic on the bed, he quickly made the bed and set his bag next to it. Leaving the candle on the bathroom counter. Nick made his way to the fire escape and up to the roof.