Chapter 11: Conversing With Dawn/Preparations For A Wedding
"Assistant Mayor Dawn." Alex called out as he quickened his pace to catch up with the sheep. Dawn turned to see Alex, and there was a mild look of annoyance on her face at first before it faded. "Officer Alex. I assume Bogo is having you escort me out of the building?" Dawn sighed. "That, and I also wanted to talk to you. I wanted to thank you for showing up here when you did, and for texting the mayor. You saved both me and Judy's hindquarters there." Alex replied.
Dawn was visibly surprised at this. " I saved you two? How?" Dawn asked. The ewe stuck her chest out a little in pride. "For whatever reason, Bogo doesn't seem to like Judy much. Might be the fact that she's a rabbit, or the fact that she was the best of her class at the academy. But he was threatening to fire her." Alex responded.
"That bigoted buffalo…" Dawn growled. "I agree. Judy's one of the best officers I've met. The only thing she's lacking in is experience, and that will be fixed with time." Alex said. "Well, I'm glad that I helped her out there." Dawn replied. Alex hesitated before asking his next question. "...How's Lionheart treating you?" Alex quietly asked.
Dawn looked down at the ground before responding. "...To be honest? He's been treating me more and more like a glorified secretary. His moods have gotten worse lately as well. He's always on edge, when we're in private he raises his voice at me and takes his temper out on me. It's… I wouldn't admit this to anyone but you or Kimba, but he really scares me when he gets like that. I know it's my stupid biology and inherited instincts, but whenever he starts yelling at me, his hot, stinking breath blasts in my face and it makes me want to bolt out of the room. I can't do that though, I have to provide a strong image as assistant mayor to inspire the prey of the city." Dawn whispered.
"Has it ever turned… physical?" Alex solemnly inquired. Dawn shook her head no. "If it did, I'd rat him out in a heartbeat. It's just yelling for now. I wish I knew what was getting him so worked up, he's so damn paranoid." The sheep answered, gritting her teeth. Alex recalled that Kimba had confided in him the belief that the mayor was up to something suspicious. Could it be connected to the missing animals?
"I'll do my best to find out what's got him paranoid." Alex promised Dawn. The assistant mayor smiled at him, though it was a weary and somewhat forced smile. "Thank you, Alex. I really must be getting back to my office. It feels like the paperwork that I have to do never ends." Dawn said before hurrying off.
At that moment, he got a text from Judy. "Are you going to help me with the case? The file for Otterton is pretty small, less than a whole page. No leads, no witnesses, no evidence… just a single photograph of his last sighting." The text read. Trying to think of a response, Alex's eyes widened when a reminder for a wedding showed up on his phone screen.
Hurriedly, he fired a quick text to Bogo explaining the situation and swore that this was indeed not a ploy to ditch patrol and help Judy, before replying to Judy's question. "Tomorrow I'll be able to offer as much help as I can, but I have a friend's wedding to go to tonight! And this friend of mine is the kind of animal who you do NOT want to refuse an invitation from." Alex sent. A response from Judy read, "That's all right! I looked at the photo closely and found someone who could lead me to him." After sighing in relief, the wolf got in his car and got home as quickly as possible.
As he opened the garage door and walked inside his family's home, he was greeted by being pinned to the ground. Alex couldn't help but crack a smile and laugh as the familiar ritual of his nose being tickled by the tip of his sister's tail unfolded. "Blossom, what're you doing home early? Isn't today a work day?" Alex asked.
The skunk smiled back at him as she got off of him, letting him up. "I asked the office for the night off, because I have to help you prepare for this special occasion! It's your first wedding, and it's imperative that you look your best for the event! After all, you wouldn't want to upset the man who invited you there, would you?" Blossom asked.
Alex shuddered at the potential fate of angering him. "No, I would not." The wolf solemnly said. Blossom took his paw and led him into his room, where there was a box waiting for him. "Is this the outfit I asked you to get for me?" Alex asked. His sister smirked and pointed to the box. "Open it up and you'll find out! I picked it out myself!" Blossom chuckled.
Sighing, Alex extended his claws and cut the tape holding the package together, carefully opening it to discover a tuxedo, nice pants, and a tie. "W-woah… Blossom, where did you even get this?!" Alex asked. "I bought it from the Best Looks tailor shop! Used some of the money that Mom put on my credit card for it!" Blossom answered.
Alex sighed. "Blossom, you know how I feel about using Mom's money…" Alex murmured. "Chill, big brother. I asked Mom about it before going through with the purchase, and she agreed that you need an expensive suit like that for the wedding!" Blossom reassured him. Then, footsteps were heard as a rainbow-furred skunk walked into the room.
"Hello there, my children." Iris's smooth, silky voice spoke as she greeted her two kids. "Mom!" Alex exclaimed as he ran up and hugged his mother. She warmly returned the hug before looking at Blossom. "Blossom, may I have a word with your brother in private?" She asked. Nodding in understanding, the black and white skunk exited the room, leaving Alex alone with his mother.
"You've been through a lot in the past two days. I was worried when you didn't show up last night, you were out far later than your patrol hours. And… Do I detect the scent of a lagomorph in your fur? I know that there was a female rabbit who joined the police force two days ago… something about her has caught your attention. I'm curious to learn more about her, and about the effect she's having on you." Iris softly said, stroking Alex's head fur.
Alex then began to tell Iris about everything that had happened since Judy showed up to work yesterday: his first meet with her in Zootopia, the encounter they had with Nick, him staying at Judy's apartment and treating her to a proper dinner, catching Weaselton today and Bogo's ultimatum.
Iris chuckled fondly as she planted a kiss on Alex's snout. "It sounds like my son has finally fallen in love, and developed his first crush." The rainbow-furred skunk mused. Alex pondered this. He had never felt such strong feelings towards any animal he had ever encountered, not even Arie. Was it possible that he loved Judy?
SONG: In My Life (Les Miserables)
ALEX
How strange
This feeling that my life's begun at last
This change… Can creatures really fall in love so fast?
What's the matter with you, Alex?
Have you been too much on your own?
So many things unclear… So many things unknown.
In my life…
There are so many questions and answers that somehow seem wrong
In my life…
There are times when I catch in the silence
The sigh of a faraway song!
And it sings
Of a world that I long to see
Out of reach
Just a whisper away
Waiting for me!
Does she know I'm in love?
Do I know if she's real?
Does she see what I see, does he feel what I feel?
In my life
I'm no longer alone
Now the love in my life is so near
Find me now, find me here!
"Mom, what is love? Feelings of affection, of desire? I've never felt anything like these emotions in my life before…" Alex wondered. Iris hugged her son tightly. "Oh, my sweet baby boy…" Iris sighed.
IRIS
Dear Alex,
You're such a lonely child
How pensive, how sad you seem to me
Believe me, were it within my power
I'd fill each passing hour
How quiet it must be, I can see
Just me and Blossom for company.
ALEX
There's so little I know
That I'm longing to know
Of the feelings you've felt
In a time long ago...
There's so little you say
Of the life you have known
Why you keep to yourself
I feel always alone...
So dark! So dark and deep...
The secrets that you keep!
In my life
I have all that I want
You are loving and gentle and good
But Mama, dear Mama,
In your eyes I am just like a child
Who is lost in a wood
IRIS
No more words
No more words. It's a time that is dead
There are words
That are better unheard,
Better unsaid.
ALEX
In my life
I'm no longer a child and I yearn
For the truth that you know
Of the years... years ago!
IRIS
You will learn
Truth is given by God
To us all in our time
In our turn
They finished putting on Alex's suit. "Thank you mom. I feel better now. I'll see you soon! Gotta head out to the wedding!" Alex quickly said, giving his mom a kiss on the cheek before exiting the room. Blossom stood in the kitchen, looking at Alex. "Alex, what's going on with you? You've been acting different the past two days." Blossom asked. The wolf smiled at her and his tail wagged as he told the truth. "I think I'm in love!" Alex exclaimed.
ALEX
In my life
She has burst like the music of angels
The light of the sun
And my life seems to stop
As if something is over
And something has scarcely begun.
Blossom, dear!
You're the friend who has brought me here
Thanks to you I am one with the gods
And Heaven is near!
And I soar through a world that is new and is free!
Blossom felt a sharp pain in her heart. It was like a knife was being driven into her emotions, making her heart ache in pain. Ever since her mother had adopted Alex when they were both teenagers, Blossom had been harboring feelings towards him. Feelings of romance and love. They were adopted siblings, not biological, so it wasn't wrong. She had tried so damn hard to make him realize she loved him like a mate, but he was just too thick headed and dense!
BLOSSOM (to herself)
Every word that he says is a dagger in me!
In my life
There's been no one like him anywhere
Anywhere, where he is...
If he asked... I'd be his
ALEX & BLOSSOM
In my life
There is someone who touches my life
ALEX
Waiting near
BLOSSOM
Waiting here
