Hello, readers! I know it's time for the next chapter. So, United States citizens reading this, who else is excited for Thanksgiving? Anyone?

Okay, that's not relevant. I've really been getting into the Warriors book series lately. Yes, I know that isn't entirely relevant either, but it's such a good series!

This is somewhat relevant: according to an online magazine, Taylor Swift said that if she could be an animal, she would be a fox. Coincidentally, there is a species of fox out there called the swift fox. This sounds like it'd be a great opportunity to make a Zootopia parallel of yet another artist (like, as cited from the movie, Guns N Rodents, Hyena Gomez, etc). Here's more of what you came here for. Enjoy!

Chapter 4: Meeting the Hopps Side

Nick was helping Lucas pack after filling out everything he needed to for the paperwork, leaving Judy to the rest of it. Lucas was holding an acoustic guitar. He looked at Nick. His movements reflected a flustered demeanor; he timidly hugged the guitar to his chest and looked away. Nick smiled and asked, "Do you play or is that just a wall decoration?"

"I-I play, but…" Lucas informed the older fox, soft-spoken like Nick expected. "N-not in front of others…"

"Why not? You're probably a natural," Nick asked, trying to be encouraging. Lucas shifted in place. His big, blue eyes darted from Nick to the guitar. Sighing, the older fox thought, Well, Zootopia wasn't built in a day.

Much to Nick's surprise, though, Lucas went on to explain himself, "The last time I played in the open, my second foster father punished me for making too much noise." Nick's eyes widened at Lucas's explanation. He'd read about his second set of foster parents. The foster father was documented for his 'disciplining' methods being abusive, violent and even perverse. In other words, the male had gone out of his way to find excuses to justify doing whatever he wanted to the children under his roof. Nick wore a frown of disgust and hatred over the unjust pain that had been done to his new son on top of the pain of losing everything he had ever loved.

"Don't let what the creep ever said get to you. He's in jail now, right?" Nick asked. Lucas gave him a swift, nervous nod. Nick said, "Then don't worry! Your new mom loves noise anyway. Once she finishes the paperwork I started, you'll officially have an aunt who's obsessed with playing music! We're not going to do what he did to you—never!"

Lucas looked taken aback, as if he couldn't fathom why Nick was getting so worked up. Nick looked away, trying not to think about how much Lucas had gone through and how awful enduring it must have been. He hoped that he and Judy could gather some leads on how the house burned down. Lucas asked, "W-what do I call you guys?"

Taking a deep breath, putting his emotional mask on, Nick looked Lucas in the eye and kindly suggested, "How about Mom and Dad? I mean, that's the whole reason why we're here."

"O-okay… D-Dad?" Lucas tried the word, saying the word slowly as if it were foreign to him. He hadn't had a father in six years. Then, a small smile began to curl on his face. It was like he was a small child who had learned a new word. "Yeah… You're my dad now. Actually, you kind of remind me of my dad. You know…my biological dad?"

"Do I?" Nick asked playfully, starting to think he had made progress. Instead of diving into the topic of drawing comparisons, Nick thought it would be a better approach to ask Lucas something a father would typically ask. "So, son, what do you want to be when you grow up?"

"…" Lucas began to grow flustered again and Nick started cursing himself inside while maintaining a cool exterior. Then, the younger fox spoke up once more. "I-I like DNA fingerprinting. M-maybe I can be a forensic scientist."

"Definitely!" Nick agreed. He had remembered learning a bit about DNA fingerprinting and the like from various sources, but he focused more on the forefront of law enforcement. Rightfully so; as a police officer, that's where his focus belonged. Though, a question weighed on his mind. There was more to Lucas than just a fascination with genetics. No one is that one-dimensional. "Why else?"

"To find righteousness for the people who need it," Lucas explained tersely.

Nick's gaze softened. It was as if everything about the adolescent fox suddenly made sense. Introverted as Lucas was, there was no denying that he was considerate and intelligent. For a second, Nick thought Lucas was going to say vengeance. In retrospect, though, he didn't seem to bare grudges. Otherwise, he wouldn't have seemed so bewildered by Nick's reaction to the comment about his second foster father. Physically and emotionally, this 14-year-old fox was scarred for life. He had every right to hate everything that happened and everyone who had wronged him. Instead, he was afraid of being wronged any further and burrowed his psyche in isolation. Lucas wasn't angry, just afraid, upset and emotionally shattered.

"Alright! Who's ready to pay a visit to Grandma, Grandpa and his 200-some-odd aunts and uncles?" Judy asked enthusiastically from the doorway. She wore a huge grin on her face.

"I'll call every so often to check in," the doe informed the Wildes.

It wasn't much longer before Lucas, now in a blue hoodie and jeans, Judy and Nick were driving Stu's pickup truck back to the family ranch. Lucas asked, "You live on a carrot farm?"

"I used to. Then I became a police officer and everything changed. Most of my family still lives here," Judy informed her new son. Inside, she was praying, Please don't let Pop-Pop say something outwardly offensive to foxes in front of Lucas!

Bonnie happily greeted the two foxes and her daughter at the door, but before she got a word in edgewise, many of her younger children began spilling out the door. Bonnie laughed, "I guess they're all excited to see their new nephew!"

Lucas, who was standing behind Judy with his guitar case on his back, looked very uncomfortable with all of the rabbits around him. He held his tail and trembled behind Judy, who said to her mother, "That's perfectly fine. I wanted him to get to know the family anyway. Speaking of which, is Gillian around? She and Lucas have an affinity for the guitar in common."

"Oh? I think Gillian's actually playing her guitar on the roof right now."

At the sound of her name, Gillian climbed down the side of the house and ran over, her guitar slung to her back. "Did someone call me? Hey, Judy!"

"Gillian, I have someone I want you to meet," Judy began and took Lucas's paw, taking him over to her. "This is my new son, Lucas."

"Hey, Lucas. The name's Gillian. Put her there!" Gillian greeted and held her paw out to Lucas, who awkwardly shook it. "So how old are you?"

"F-fourteen…" Lucas answered shyly, near inaudibly.

"I'm sixteen. I guess I've got a couple years on you. But you can call me 'big sister'! After all, I'm not that much older than you!" Gillian informed Lucas with a wink.

"I hope she doesn't introduce him to everyone individually," Nick muttered as he watched Judy introduce Lucas to Gillian.