Hey everyone!
Quick author's note here, as I actually have two instrumental music suggestions for you to consider when reading through this particular chapter, both of which I believe fair extremely well when paired up with a corresponding section in the text: The first one pairs well with the second scene, and the second one pairs well with the third scene. You're more than welcome to listen to my suggestion, but you need not if you do not wish, of course. Do still enjoy.
The first one: Davy Jones Organ Theme
And the second: Outlast Official Soundtrack - 35 Now My Son
That's all for now! Without any further ado, let's jump right into the 3rd arc finale of 'When Instinct Falls!' Feel free to leave a review once you finish! :)
Enjoy...
"The mind is not a vessel to be killed, but a fire to be to be dwindled." - Plutarch
So this is the way the world ends - In a fiery inferno of misery, regret, and hopeless endeavors.
Judy knew what she was doing. She knew where she was going. But she didn't know what awaited her.
As she drove her cruiser through the winding roads of the mountains surrounding the outskirts of Zootopia, she reminisced to many of her past arrests and throw-downs with her partner, Nick. She recalled one of her first; involving the ram, Doug, and Bellwether's other goons: It had been a tense and unforgettable experience, and one she would always both remember, and cherish. She also thought back to the tussle in Bunny-Burrow with the Orin family, and how their acts of arson against her own family were finally put to rest. She had Nick to thank for much of her success.
However, she could only guess and hope for what awaited her in the plumbless depths of the Nocturnal-District - This wasn't just some ragtag band of conspirators, or a pack of bunnies causing a ruckus. This was a full-scale criminal organization, akin to the likes of the Tundra-Town Mafia, under Mr. Big. This would be no easy task.
The bunny shook her head and gathered her bearings as she retrained her eyes upon the road in front of her.
Although she was no criminal psychologist, she had taken a few minor courses back at the academy, and had learned what she could from them. Vladzotz showed some disturbing psychological symptoms hidden behind his veil of cordiality - His maniacal smile, his revolting and uncaring perspective towards anything he deemed unimportant, his unwavering, almost irrational determination, and above all else, that crazy light that danced in his eyes. She was worried that she'd be having nightmares about those burning red eyes for a long time.
So now he had Nick - And Judy had to get him back. Simple enough as it was, but beneath the surface, it was an incredibly complicated and dangerous mission. It was her and about half-a-dozen other cruisers: all bound for the Nocturnal-District. In total, there were eleven police officers in that convoy, every single one locked and loaded for a daring mission. Chief Bogo was less than pleased to hear from Clawhauser that one of his top cops had been kidnapped, and might have overdone it with the rescue mission. Judy was confident in every single precinct member she had driving alongside her, but was a tad bit reluctant to find out that there would be nearly a dozen other officers risking their lives to rescue the life of one. Not that it mattered: Judy was ecstatic knowing that she would have such copious amounts of backup, and was certain that this mission would end up resolved with Nick back safe, and Vlad locked behind bars. From here on out, things could only get better, she liked to tell herself, again and again.
But still... She had her doubts.
The mobsters that worked for the bat, like Sprock and Russ: They didn't frighten her. Those crimson-clad criminals were no match for the ZPD... She hoped...
But in the end, what really worried her was Vladzotz. He'd demonstrated to her that he was willing to go to great and uncanny lengths to get what he wanted; from the butchering of that innocent antelope investigator to protect his arms-trade deals, to the kidnapping of her husband just to enact his own personal vengeance. The bunny knew that he wouldn't go down without a fight, and she had a sinking feeling that Vladzotz would stop at nothing to get his way in the end. That thought worried her.
But what worried her even more was the end result of this mission, assuming it even succeeded in the first place. Their main objective was to rescue Nick and get him home safely... But then what? Judy knew she'd have to face her demons sooner or later, and was anxious beyond comprehension to make amends with the fox that she loved.
Nick had more than a few skeletons in his closet, and Judy hadn't a clue how Bogo would react if he ever found out that Nick had been the one to accidentally burn down that house. Even worse, she hadn't a clue on how Nick himself would react to Judy's own advancements. For all she knew, the fox might shove her away and deny her re-acceptance and love... Like she had with him.
That thought made her sick with worry and anticipation. With misery and regret - With hopelessness and despair.
Just as soon as a hot sensation began pulling at her gut, and tears started developing in the very corners of her eyes, her radio transmitter started buzzing, shaking both the dashboard and her conscious as it rang. She reached over and plucked it from it's holster, placing it to the side of her head as she thumbed down the communication button.
Sniffing and wiping her brow on her sleeve before speaking, she responded to the other side of the line.
"This is Officer Hopps, currently on Route Seventy-Four, headed towards the Nocturnal-District, over?"
Releasing her hold on the communication button, she listened intently to the voice that followed.
"Officer Hopps, this is Lt. Delgato, calling in to report a 10-56..." A brief moment of silence. "We found the body of a male pig on Route 63, a bus-driver from the transit station. We found him on the side of the road, broken and battered, but still alive. We called an emergency helicopter on the guy, but we lost a cruiser in the process: Someone had to stay behind to make sure he got home safe, but we still managed to get some Intel out of him. We figured you'd want to hear it... It's some important stuff."
Another pause, the only sound emanating from the transmitter being the static buzz of pure silence. Seconds later, Officer Delgato continued;
"Like I said, bus-driver from the transit station... But he got held-up as a hostage by the same guys we're lookin' for, apparently. Forced to drive them back and fourth."
Judy pressed the communication button on her side.
"How do you know it's the same guys? I would assume that Nick was being flown back to the Nocturnal-District, right?" The bunny inquired.
"According to Fangmeyer, the pig says that he was held at gunpoint by a raccoon: Guns like that are rare among civilians, and used only by cops and criminals, and I doubt that it was any of us that stuck him up. He also said that the bus he was pushed out of was filled with nocturnal mammals ranging from bats to raccoons and badgers."
That just about confirmed it. Judy replied back hastily;
"Alright, that's everything I need to know... Thanks Delgato!"
And with that, she promptly hung up the transmitter, severing the connection between her and the lion. She leaned back in her seat, heaving a sigh as she drummed her fingers on the wheel, the soft pattering noise soothing her anxiety. With the returning silence encompassing her senses, her mind wandered off: Back to the tides of thought.
She remembered the way Nick had looked at her the very last time she had seen him... Back before he had walked off and gotten himself kidnapped. His eyes were full of so much misery, and Judy could tell at the time that he wanted nothing more than to hug it out: To do something, anything to quell his overwhelming sense of regret.
But in the end, Judy had pushed him away... Called him an impostor and a monster... Told him to get lost and take a hike when he had needed her the most.
Now, she was the one stricken with regret. She was the one who needed him now more than ever, and Judy was worried that he would simply just turn his back on her.
She began to feel that pulling sensation in the pit of her stomach once again; but unlike last time, she fought against it.
She had no intentions on crying this one out: That wouldn't make her problems go away.
Instead, she sat up and gripped the wheel with forward determination, steadfast and more than ready to take back the love of her life from the claws of that beast.
Then, when all was said and done... When Nick was back home and safe in her arms... She would pour her heart out to him, and hope for forgiveness.
She added more pressure to the gas pedal beneath her right foot, accelerating the vehicle as it sped down the midnight horizon.
Somewhere in the Nocturnal-District...
At last.
The chains of anxiety fell from his back, clattering to the floor where they could hold him down no longer.
Now he had the edge - He finally had what he had been wanting for so long!
He stifled a throaty laugh, his large fangs clacking together as his jaw swung on it's hinges. Vladzotz had Nicholas right where he wanted him, and would relish every single moment of pain inflicted upon the conniving vulpine. After seven years of waiting, seven years of pain and fury, he would finally have his revenge. After all this time and effort, through times of great anguish and stress, the moment that he had been dreaming of was within his grasp, ready to be exploited to his heart's fullest of content.
But despite his personal motives, he could never forget who this was really about...
The bat stopped in his tracks.
He was pacing down one of the many long and dark hallways of his mansion, the solitude and tranquil silence of the environment around him sending chills of pleasure down his backbone. He loved the darkness, and he loved being alone. It was a common trait for his species, and he accepted it with pride and vigor. The mesmerizing purple swirls of the wallpaper had begun to peel in this particular hallway, but it failed to make him considerate of the fact that his home was on it's last steps.
This manor had been through so much over the years... it had stood erect and tall ever since the Nocturnal-District first opened it's borders. This house was the oldest one in the entire district, and unlike the modernized urban-sprawl of houses made of rock and stone, his was made of wood and splinters, a testament to the days of old. Despite the clean and prosperous appearance from the outside, his manor was old and rickety from within. The wood that lined the walls of his home was ancient, and the wallpaper was peeling and flaking upon the floor, especially in the oldest sections of his manor.
A large chunk of his mansion had burned down from the fire - The fire caused by that wretched fox. The fire that had claimed the lives of his family.
The bat shook his head, pushing that thought from his mind.
But still... Even though much was lost to the physical inferno of the fox's sins, a good portion of the house had survived, and once the wreckage was cleaned up, the manor was outfitted with new upgrades and a more modern style in replacement to the rooms that were destroyed. Yet despite the pristine condition of the newer sections, the older parts that had originally survived the fire were crumbling and nearing destruction. But in the end, the bat did not care. In fact, he even preferred the older rooms over the newer.
He liked being in the old rooms by himself, alone and with his thoughts. With his memories.
He raised his wing and traced the tips of his claws along the length of the wall to his left. As he walked, he ran them down the wallpaper, gently caressing the smooth folds of wood and brick, slightly wincing each time his claws came into contact with a scorch patch.
Vladzotz may have used his claws for killing his enemies - For rending apart anything that stood in his way - But he was gentle with them only to the likes of his own home. He kept his claws incredibly sharp and well-preserved, yet he left no scratches or indentions in the walls as he ran his talons down their length. He breathed in the musty, rustic smell - A leathery sort of scent that he very much enjoyed. His appreciation towards his manor was purposeful, as he had long since realized and considered the idea that the older parts of his mansion were a symbol: A manifestation of defying what tried to pull you down.
These walls had survived that fire from seven years ago, and have stood undisturbed ever since. They represented hope through the smoke.
That was why Vladzotz cared so much for what he had left. He may have been a wealthy and powerful mammal, but he didn't consider himself such - Because the only things he had ever truly cared about had perished in that fire of seven years past. Vladzotz wasn't sure whether that made him humble or stubborn, but in his eyes, it mattered not which.
Because at last - At last he would harvest the fruits of his labors, and avenge the deaths of his family. Ever since they met their fate long ago, Vlad had relentlessly pursued the arsonist behind his manor's destruction - It was the number one objective in his mind.
And now, he had at last caught up to Nicholas Wilde, and would make him pay for his sins. Vladzotz knew not why he had tried to burn down Castle Fangpyre - Perhaps he was hired to do so by one of his business rivals - But he cared not about the finer details, for he knew that he would realize them eventually. Now, all that mattered was his revenge. A smile crept upon his muzzle, parting his lips and revealing his razor sharp fangs. He could only imagine the feeling of helplessness the fox was feeling now.
But as his underlings roughed-up the fox, and prepared him for his final judgment, Vladzotz himself retreated to the deepest and oldest depths of his manor, seeking to do one final thing before he finally avenged the death of his family. He removed his wing from the wall, and reached into the single pocket on the front of his double-breasted vest, pulling out the one thing he cherished more than the remnants of his manor that had survived the fire from so long ago.
It was a silver locket. He pulled it from his pocket by a long and beaded chain which ran through the oval-shaped pendant that dangled at the bottom of the chain. He cupped the pendant in the claw-tips of one wing, and ever-so gently opened the lid of the pendant with the claws on his opposing wing. Inside the locket was the last remaining photograph of his family. All the others had been incinerated in the fire, save for the single and tiny family portrait that the bat kept with him at all times. Through the glass, Vladzotz gazed down at the expression of his now deceased wife, who smiled warmly directly into the lens of the camera. Lowering his vision ever so slightly, he could see his two children, small and young as they were when the photo was taken.
This locket was the only thing that kept him from forgetting his dead children's faces. That thought made him mad. Vladzotz had spent years living alone with his grief, with no one to take solace in... Until Lucy came along, that was. He would always have her, at least, and she would have him. He wondered where she was now - Probably out sneaking into homes, looking for shiny things to steal. A part of him wished he had requested her to tend him for this auspicious event, but recognizing the risks, he had given her leave for the night. Wherever she was, Vladzotz knew that it was only a matter of time before they were reunited once again, and could only imagine what would come from it. For now, though, he was determined to focus on his mission.
He closed the locket and tucked it away back into the same pocket he had retrieved it from, which happened to be positioned directly over his heart. He resumed his journey to the heart of his mansion, where his favorite room lay hidden. He wished to experience what it had to offer once more, before finally passing judgement on Nick Wilde.
With his arms folded behind his back , claws enveloped within the folds of skin on his wings, he walked calmly to one of the largest rooms in his manor, eventually reaching the thick wooden doors that parted this room from the rest of the house. He slammed his wings against the doors, flinging them open as he entered the new room.
There wasn't much in this room, even though it was spacious and had much room to fill in. The walls were adorned with many expensive paintings, ranging from self-portraits of himself to landscapes of the Nocturnal-District. But the centerpiece in the room was the massive organ, which was centered in the middle of the farthest wall from the entrance. Vladzotz stared down the over-sized piano as he closed the distance between himself and the aforementioned organ, with its huge brass pipes rising high and nearly touching the roof of the room. Whenever Vladzotz wasn't working on expanding his criminal empire, be it through black-brokered business negotiations or assassinating his opponents, he had always found solace and enjoyment from playing upon his organ. He eyed a nearby velvet stool that rested at the base of the organ, but soon pushed that idea from his mind - The bat wasn't a fan of sitting down, as his kind usually rested by hanging from above, wrapping their wings around their bodies like blankets.
Vladzotz had no intentions of resting however, and walked right up to the base of the organ before flipping open it's lid, revealing the shiny ivory keyboard. As he stared down the many keys, he closed his eyes and breathed in slowly, a chill of euphoric indulgence settling down his spine once again. He pulled the locket from his breast pocket and placed it upon the surface of the organ. He then raised his wings and positioned the tips of his claws above the keyboard, hovering just inches from the glossy surface.
And then, with an exhale of baited breath, he began to play. His talons gently glided over the surface, pressing down upon the keys as he listened to his piece. A beautiful piece, as it was. He knew and cared not for who had created it, but greatly admired the sounds that emanated from the hollowed brass pipes of the organ.
The reverberating chords of bass filled the house, shaking the foundation of the room. As time went on, Vladzotz began to play with more intensity, picking up his speed and putting more pressure on the keys as he pressed them down. There was no need for music sheets of any sorts, for the bat had the entire piece memorized. He had played it many times; hundreds, if not thousands of times in masterful repetition. He knew the song from start to finish by heart. It was his favorite: Always had been, and will be.
The bat wasn't sure why he loved this piece so much. Perhaps it simply reminded him of good times past, and long forgotten memories of joy and pleasure with his old family.
But now, he translated those memories into anger and sorrow. The bat clenched his eyes shut along with his jaw, his eyelids clamping tight and blocking off all sense of sight.
He now played the organ blind, but it didn't even faze him. His body swayed to the sounds as his talons still glided over the keyboard, drumming each note respectively and without flaw. All the while, the bat was very much aware of his silver locket, which lay still and unmoving on the wooden surface of the organ.
After some time had passed, he finally finished his song, holding the final note for a full five seconds before releasing, effectively ending the piece for good.
He sighed longingly and turned his head to the right, glancing at the locket on the surface of the organ. He shuffled over and plucked it from the board, taking one last look at it before slipping it away and back into his pocket.
"I will avenge you all... And I know that you will be alongside me as I serve justice to the filth that took you from this world... That took you from me."
The bat muttered to himself, gazing into the distance at nothing in particular. Though in his shattered mind, he thought for a moment that he saw the haunting eyes of his old family, staring back at him through the darkness in the corner of the room.
Vladzotz then turned tail and set out for the area where Nicholas Wilde was being held, intent on passing judgement for his sins.
The bat crept to the inner garden courtyard, where the fox's judgment was arranged to take place.
As he made his way down the length of another hallway, one of his comrades turned around the corner, apparently coming from the same place where Vladzotz was heading himself. It was the mole, Lester, who was no-doubt intending to track the bat down and notify him of the fox's current state.
Instead, when he reared the corner, he suddenly stopped and took a step back in trepidation, as his boss happened to be right on top of him.
"I take it you're looking for me, no?" The bat questioned, his fangs still stained with blood.
Vladzotz watched as the mole swallowed and reorganized himself, but the bat could tell that he was still slightly shaken. Vlad didn't blame him, though: The bat's species wasn't exactly revered for its sense of gracefulness or appeal, and Vladzotz has long since grown accustomed to looks of fear or surprise, even from the likes of his own businessmen and associates.
For as ruthless as he may have been to his competitors and enemies, Vladzotz cared greatly for his comrades and henchmen, always trying to treat them like a second family, almost. The bat enjoyed being alone and to himself, mostly, but he still got lonely every once and a while. Knowing that there was a small army of mammals that had his back as much as he had theirs made him appreciative.
But he still noticed the surprise and fear that was momentarily suspended in their expressions whenever he flew down from above, or materialized from the shadows.
Vladzotz also considered the fact that some of his men might be scared of him for what he did, more so than what he looked like. Whenever the bat was presented with the unfortunate soul of an interloper, snooping police officer, whistle-blower, or anyone he despised, he would often kill them in private and away from the eyes of his men. Unlike Mr. Big, who froze his victims, Vladzotz preferred to drain them of their blood to use as sustenance. Sometimes he would even have said blood bottled, and sold on the black-market, or to hospitals and vampire bat restaurants that were in demand of it. Still, Vlad didn't want fear to be the dominant force within the hierarchy of his own mob, even if he wasn't afraid to inject it into his men for some extra motivation. He was smart, and understood that respect was the key to a successful organization.
But whenever his men heard the agonized screams of Vladzotz's victims as they were pierced with his teeth, they couldn't help but feel at his mercy.
Meanwhile, Lester watched as a single drop of saliva fell from the bat's fangs and splashed onto the carpet below. He swiftly shook his head, recomposing himself.
"Nick Wilde is ready, sir. He's all yours." The mole said.
"Excellent... Any luck with retracing that rabbit?" Vladzotz, his blood-red eyes narrowing in anticipation.
The mole just shook his head disappointedly.
"No, sir. The others couldn't manage to find her, unfortunately."
Vladzotz bared his fangs and snarled, causing Lester to back away a few steps in apprehension of the bat lord's fury. He then growled;
"No matter! I will slaughter that insolent vulpine, and once I'm through with him, we'll track down that rabbit and make sure she doesn't live to see tomorrow's light!"
The bat then pushed his way past the mole, making his way towards the court-yard entrance. He slammed his wings on the surface of the purple-oaken doors that hid the courtyard from the rest of the manor, and marched through the doors as they swung back into place, a loud and startling thud echoing through the outside court-yard as they made contact with the walls once again.
The mansion's garden wasn't very large, but it was choked full of many different plants, including mushrooms, bioluminescent mosses, and roots, all of which were able to thrive in the darkness of the Nocturnal-District. There was no sunshine, but from above, the bat could make out the soothing glow of the glow-worms that clung to the cavern ceiling, emitting ample amounts of light for even the surface-dwellers to see well enough down here.
For as lovely as all the sights were, it was nothing he hadn't seen before - The main attraction in the center of the garden was the only thing that put a smile on the bat's face.
A small square of empty earthen soil, piled up with blocks of wood and branches, the likes of which constructed a small wall, almost. A single rod of wood thicker than the rest shot up from the pile, jutting towards the dome of the cavern's ceiling.
It was a pyre, built with scraps of wood and other materials. Standing by it's side was Sprock, who held a Jerry-can of gasoline in his paws. Russ the badger stood on the opposing side of the wooden pyre, a large and smoking cigar sticking out from between his lips. But in the center, tied upright and vertical to the largest wooden board, was the fox Nicholas Wilde. Vladzotz smiled darkly, taking in the sight of his foe tied helpless and tight against the pyre, bound by thick ropes across his torso and legs.
"Hmm... Hope you like barbecue!" The bat shouted out to the fox, grinning maniacally. "We're about to have one!"
Nick raised his head from his chest and looked up: He had a black-eye, and a thousand yard stare that stretched past the bat in front of him. His gaze finally settled on Vladzotz, and tears began welling up in his eyes. He looked like he was about to say something, but stopped himself and held his words. The bat spoke out again;
"One barbecued fox! Well done, please!" His maniacal grin resurfaced, spreading his lips and displaying his blood-stained fangs.
And with that, Sprock began sprinkling the contents of his Jerry-Can across the pyre, dousing the wood with gasoline. Russ shuffled forward and positioned himself next to his boss, who was chuckling softly to himself all the while. Once Sprock had poured a satisfactory amount of gasoline across the wooden base of the pyre, he too joined the bat and badger as they all stood side-by-side, admiring the end-product of seven years of hunting.
Nick himself was woozy: Those thugs hadn't gone easy on him as soon as Vladzotz handed him over to them...
But now, facing the bat lord himself, the fox started to think that getting beaten by those mobsters would be a better deal right about now.
He just stood there and watched as Sprock dabbled the gasoline in little splashes across his feet... It wouldn't have taken that much to get a fire going...
The fox sighed.
Definitely not the way I imagined going out... He thought to himself.
Vladzotz's deep and raspy voice demanded the attention of the fox once again.
"So this is how it ends, Nicholas - The same way that my family perished... In the fires of your own reckless ignorance. You brought this upon yourself, old chum."
The bat's mocking and sardonic words felt like punches to the fox's abdomen, each word sending jolts of pain across his body.
"And now, after seven years of misery, and pain..." The bat hissed, a few droplets of spit flying out from the force of his words. "I will finally watch you burn."
Vladzotz then let loose a villainous slew of chuckles, the harsh noises emanating from his gullet filling the fox's ears with dread.
"And you... You will finally feel what it is like to die. Your body will incinerate to ashes, and you will die a death identical to the ones you bestowed upon my family."
Nick wanted to plead, but he couldn't find his words. A part of him knew that there was no talking his way out of this one. Unfortunately, he also knew that there was almost nothing more painful and horrid than burning to death - Because he figured the following minutes would be ones of terrible agony and pain, the fox took his final moments of sanity and peace to reminisce about the greatest thing that ever happened to him: Judy Hopps. He tried to imagine her face and features one last time within his mind...
Vladzotz's voice derailed his train of thought, severing him of the mental image of his dearest beloved.
"Goodbye, Nicholas. And one last thing..."
The bat then leaned forward, as if he were about to whisper something to Nick, despite standing several feet away. He smiled darkly, showing off his crimson-painted fangs.
"I'll take good care of your wife, Judith... She'll be sure to meet an end just as painful as yours."
Vlad then nodded to the badger at his side, who returned the same gesture before plucking the cigar from his mouth, and throwing it into the gasoline-soaked wood at his feet.
Nick didn't feel anything at first. He hoped that it wasn't because the fire was so hot that it felt like nothing was there at all in the first place.
He eyed the base of the pyre below his feet, and watched as the smoldering wrapper from the cigar came into contact with the wooden blocks and branches. Soon enough, an inkling of a flame sputtered to life; small tufts of smoke drifting off from the burning gasoline. It started to spread, and pretty quick, at that, with the flames growing in size and intensity as more and more gasoline was set ablaze.
There wasn't much of the flammable liquid, as it was clear that Vladzotz wanted Nick to slowly roast to death, the bat ensured that only small amounts of gasoline were used in the execution. He seemed to be relying on the wooden blocks more, and Nick would have tried kicking them away, if not for the fact that his feet were bound and tied to the base of the pyre as well. Eventually, the wooden blocks started to catch fire themselves, the more powerful flames tickling at the toes of the fox, causing a prickling and almost chilly sensation in his feet.
He was about to spit at Vladzotz - He wanted the last thing he did to that bat to be something humiliating - But was interrupted when a shrill sound pierced the air;
"NICK!"
The fox was suddenly thrown from the pyre as a weight crashed into his side, snapping the wooden pole that he was tied to and sending him careening away from the scorching flames of the wooden pyre. As the pole broke, tufts of smoldering wood chips and even entire blocks of flaming wood were sent flying through the air, landing in the patches of plants surrounding the pyre. The nearby Jerry-can was knocked over and to the side, spilling some of the remaining contents across the patio.
After sliding a few feet, his body eventually made traction against the ground. He then looked up at his savior, and felt his broken heart slowly stitch itself back together.
Lying on top of him, her paws still clutched tight against the folds of rope that enveloped the fox's body, was none other than his favorite dumb bunny.
"Judy?!" He shouted out.
"Nick!" She shouted back.
"WHAT?!" The voice of Vladzotz roared from behind.
The bunny turned her head and stared at the bat lord, locking eyes with him momentarily. His eyes burned with a seemingly impossible amount of bewilderment and rage. A loud banging sound caused all the mammals in the court-yard to turn towards the large oaken doors that led to the inside of the manor, which suddenly blew open, half-a-dozen officers running towards the center of the court-yard. Through another set of doors to the left of the first ones, half-a-dozen more officers charged towards the commotion.
All the while, the flaming chunks of wood that had settled in the garden had set fire to some of the plants, and was quickly spreading around the pasture.
Judy eyed Vladzotz as he slowly turned in a circle, taking in the sight of his defeat. His body was shaking fervidly and his mouth was starting to foam around the edges.
"No... No..." The bat clamped his wings against his head as if he had a migraine. "I won't fail you... Not again." He muttered.
The bunny wasn't sure who the bat was referring to, and was about to get to her feet and start reciting the 'You have the right to remain silent' speech to him, but was stopped in her tracks when the bat suddenly threw back his head and let loose a horrible screech, causing the bunny to press her paws against her sensitive ears in an effort to drown out the awful sound. She saw nearly every other officer present do the same thing, and through her muffled ear-drums, she heard Vladzotz cry out in immortalizing anger;
"I will not be denied what is rightfully mine!"
The bat then lunged, but not at Nick and Judy, or anyone else for that matter.
His talons instead came into contact with the spilt Jerry-can, which he knocked aside in the direction of the pack of officers that had him half-surrounded. The gasoline canister slid for several yards, spilling out nearly every drop of liquid it had before coming into contact with the remnants of the pyre, and connecting with the chunks of burning wood.
The explosion that followed ripped through the dark atmosphere with a blast of heat and light, dispersing the pack of officers, and sending burning chunks of wood flying off in every direction, and raining flaming globs of gasoline throughout the vicinity. The bunny desperately began pulling Nick, who was still tied up, away from the raining flames and ensuing chaos - The last thing she wanted was for him to get burned. Using her police-issued knife, she started to cut through the ropes that had Nick bound to the wooden pole. After a few seconds of cutting, and when most of the rope had been removed, Judy spared a glance up to get a better glimpse at the leftover carnage around her.
In the spot where the Jerry-can had exploded, a flaming pool of gasoline was burning away at the ground, only adding to the mass of fire that was already consuming the garden. The explosion had blown out the windows surrounding the entrance to the court-yard, and had set ablaze large portions of the wooden frame-work of the house. From her brief moment of scanning, Judy reasoned that most of the officers had gotten away from the can safely before it had exploded, but the bunny found herself staring at the unmoving body of one officer that she didn't recognize, and another office, the polar bear, Grizzoli, was rolling on the ground trying to put out the flames that had encompassed his clothing. Most of the other officers were either too busy trying to contain the chaos to help her rescue Nick, or too busy fending off the packs of red-clad mobsters trying to defend their manor - Troves of them could be seen running through the windows of the mansion in a panic, some shouting orders while others trained guns on the ZPD.
Soon enough, Judy had finished cutting through the ropes, and was helping Nick get to his feet when a flash of leathery blackness soared through her line of vision, and when the flash disappeared, Nick was no longer standing next to her. She then glanced to her left, and saw Nick wrestling within the claws of Vladzotz as the two of them tumbled through the open door, down the hallway and into the house. Judy was about to chase after them when a wolfish officer tripped over his own tail while trying to put out the fire on his shirt, crashing into her. The rabbit quickly hauled herself to her feet and pat down her comrade before running off after Nick and Vladzotz, deep into Castle Fangpye.
Meanwhile, Nick himself was busy trying not to die.
When he saw Vladzotz pull himself to his feet, hunched over on all fours and ready to pounce, Nick realized brute force wasn't the way to deal with this.
So he turned around and ran. Was there any question or doubt in his mind?
Nope. He just ran. He didn't have any weapons to defend himself, after all. He'd much rather take his chances inside the burning house than with the bat, who was screaming bloody-murder while chasing after him. He never considered himself much of a fighter, anyways, and without any weapons of his own, he didn't want to take any chances with the deadly claws of the crime-lord, even if said crime-lord barely reached his sternum, in total height. As the fox ran, he continued turning corners and trying to put some distance between him and the bat, occasionally sparing glances behind him, only to regret it moments later, for Vladzotz was right on his tail; half-running, half-flapping after him through the dusty old halls of the manor.
Both mammals were screaming as they ran; One in utter fear for his life, the other in blood-lust for his life. Least to say, Nick ran faster than he ever had in his entire life.
Eventually, he turned a corner and sprinted into a burning room: Fire was devouring the walls and furniture, turning the mostly wooden material into ash and dust. It was evident that the explosion earlier had eaten away at larger portions of the house as it spread. It was quickly building in size and intensity, the harsh heat radiating off of the flames like a furnace. A part of the roof above the exit had collapsed, blocking the way out. Now, the only escape was through the way he had came. Only problem being...
The fox turned around to a guttural growling sound behind him.
Vladzotz was now taking his time as he paced towards Nick. The bat knew that the fox had no way of escaping this one: He was cornered in a crumbling room choked full of fire and smoke, with his only way out blocked by the approaching bat, whose wings were now spread, filling the entire hallway with leathery blackness.
"End of the line, fox!" The bat laughed crazily, his eyes burning with hate and anticipation. "You have no way out this time!"
Nick just couldn't believe it.
Vladzotz's mansion was burning down, and everything he owned was being reduced to cinders; yet here he was, more invested in capturing Nick than anything else.
"Why?!" Nick found himself shouting. "It doesn't have to end like this! You can still walk away from it all!" The fox gestured at the raging fires around them.
Another part of the roof collapsed, landing depressingly close to the bat as he picked his way across the wreckage, closing the distance between himself and the fox.
"Is this what they would have wanted? Your family?" The fox asked loudly. "This madness? This insanity? All this pain and misery? Let it go, Vlad!"
The bat planted his talons into the ground, embedding them within the floor-boards beneath his feet. His eyes were smoldering with unparalleled rage and fury.
The last time Nick had witnessed such aggressive and crazed behavior was during the Night-Howlers case, dealing with all those savage mammals. That was what Vladzotz looked like right then - He looked more than just crazy or insane... He looked downright savage.
"You don't know anything about them! What they would want!" The bat snarled menacingly. "And you never will! Your life ends here!"
"Don't do this, Vladzotz! Back away!" The fox shouted.
The bat swiped at him, his punch slicing through a board of wood that was behind his head. Nick scurried off and cornered himself a few feet farther away from the bat.
"Who are you to stand against me?!" Vlad hissed. "I've wanted nothing more than to tear you apart for the past seven years, and you think words will stop me now?!"
The bat lunged again, his claws cutting straight through another wooden plank that supported the ceiling. The fox dodged just as the bat flew past, effectively slamming into a burning pile of rubble directly behind where he had been standing just moments before. Vlad writhed around and got to his feet, harshly twisting his head towards the fox, staring him down with anger and hate. Nick swallowed hard, and spared a glance at the burning ceiling, taking note of the crumbling foundation of the support columns around him.
As Nick spoke out to the bat, his intentions were truthful and just - He didn't want this to happen.
"Vladzotz, I'm not trying to stop you, I'm trying to save you... Save you from yourself! If you keep doing this, you'll only make things worse!"
The fox positioned himself in front of another foundation column... He was trying everything he could to dissuade the bat. He didn't want it to end like this... Not at all.
"No!" The bat shouted once more. "This isn't for me!" He clawed at his chest, cutting away at his black vest and undershirt and ripping open their buttons.
As his shirt tore away, something dropped to the floor, clattering against the wooden floor-boards as it hit the ground.
Vladzotz dipped down and tenderly plucked the silver thing from the ground, which appeared to be some sort of necklace, or pendant of some kind.
The bat then fiddled with it, opening the oval-shaped pendant and staring into whatever was inside. As the house burned down around him, and his mind was at last pushed over the edge and into oblivion, Nick saw a flicker of something he'd never seen before in the bat: Regret. Vladzotz began crying, his tears falling to the ground and pattering on the shredded remnants of his vest. His deep voice then spoke out impossibly softly, but loud enough for the fox to detect past the sound of the gunfire from just outside.
"It was never for me... It was for them." The bat spoke out. "It has always been for them."
Vladzotz dropped to his knees, the necklace slipping from between his claws and clattering to the ground. Nick stared at it, and a heavy blanket of empathy settled.
It was a locket. Inside, a miniature photograph of a family of bats. Nick knew without thinking that it was Vladzotz's family - The one that he had lost in that fire.
Now here they were, fighting the same feud in the same mansion, with a new fire raging through the property. The irony made Nick sick with regret and disgust.
Nick exhaled, and took a step forward.
And another...
Until he was standing right next to the bat, with his paw on his shoulder as he knelt, weeping over the locket on the ground.
Nick didn't know what to say, or do, for that matter - He'd never imagined the day when he'd see himself comforting the same mammal that had wanted him dead for so long.
And he'd never imagined Vladzotz crying. He'd never even imagined that the bat was even capable of anything other than rage and cruelty.
But here, against all odds and beliefs, Nick Wilde had his hand on the shoulder of Vladzotz Fangpyre, gripping him with a sense of consideration and understanding.
In the upper corner of his line of sight, Nick saw Judy and a number of other officers turn the corner down the length of the hallway, and come to face with the sight of Nick comforting the bat lord as he wept on the ground, flames enveloping the entire room, the sweltering heat of the fire causing the fox to feel almost dizzy.
Nick saw one of Vladzotz's red eyes dart upwards, briefly locking with his own.
This time, Nick saw no tears in his eyes, anymore - Only that same burning flame of insanity that had consumed him earlier.
Not good... The fox thought.
The fox only had seconds to react before the bat slashed his talons upward, hitting Nick across the chest with the duller side of his claws. The impact of the swipe sent him flying backwards and slamming into the wooden column that he had been bracing himself against earlier. He heard the board emit a slight cracking sound as his back slammed into it. Nick felt a warm feeling of a liquid trickling down his chest, and knew without checking that he was bleeding. He was beyond thankful that the bat had struck him with the duller side of his claws, causing him to fly back instead of causing him to split in half.
Vladzotz hauled himself to his feet, chuckling as he eyed the fox sprawled out before him.
"You don't... Know me... Fox!" Vlad spoke with heaving breaths.
Nick noticed that the bat's locket was still on the ground near his clawed feet, part of the chain hidden beneath one of his toes.
"And you can't stop me... From doing what must be done."
With that, the bat lunged toward Nick, his claws fully extended and his massive wings spread to their full length. The fox did as he had done twice before: rolling out of the way at the last second, causing Vladzotz to crash into the pole, snapping it as his momentum collided with the column. Nick scampered away, and hoped that his plan would work.
Nick thought he heard Judy yell something from somewhere behind the bat, but her voice was blocked out by the horrible crunching sound of something breaking.
His plan worked perfectly. But in the end, he wished that there could have been another way.
As Nick rolled away and Vladzotz crashed into the final support column, the remainder of the crumbling roof gave way, chunks of the ceiling falling and burying the bat in a wooden tomb of fire and boards. Just before the roof collapsed atop of him, Nick saw Vladzotz look above at the ceiling, and then spare one final hate-filled glare at him before tucking his wings against his body, seemingly embracing his fate as the room then caved down atop him. Unfortunately, Nick only thought out that much of his plan.
As the bat was buried beneath the flaming rubble of the ceiling, Nick was buried right along with him, and felt a sharp pain in his back as the wooden boards fell from the ceiling and enveloped him in his own tomb of foundation and flame.
Judy watched in horror as the remainder of the room collapsed atop the forms of both Vladzotz, and her husband.
When the smoke and dust had mostly cleared, she stared at the wreckage and saw Nick's upper body sticking out from the pile of flaming boards. She quickly ran over to him and pulled him out, the adrenaline rendering the task quite easy as it was. Around them, the hot fire continued to spread quickly and eat away at the foundation of the room.
She helped the fox to his feet, wrapping one of his arms across her shoulder and holding him tight against her own body, all while tears of joy and sadness fell from her eyes.
"Come on, Nick! We have to get out of here! The entire house is falling apart!" She yelled at both him and the other officers, who immediately reacted; scooping the bunny and fox off of the ground and sprinting towards the nearest exit.
Soon enough, the pack of officers burst through the front door, officer McHorn carrying Nick and Judy in his arms, and several other officers wrestling with the writhing bodies of Sprock and Russ, who were being directed away from the burning manor along with everyone else. Judy didn't know what happened to all the other mobsters that were present within the house during the raid, but as they ran from the manor, the bunny saw several crimson-clad coons, moles, and badgers tripping over themselves as they escaped the burning house through windows and other openings.
After the officers had all distanced themselves reasonably well from the burning mansion, they all turned around and watched dutifully as the manor gave way at last.
Nick in particular was silent during the whole ordeal. He watched in muted sorrow as the remainder of the bat's manor, now full engulfed in flames, collapsed to the ground. The fox knew that somewhere within the flaming wreckage was the body of the bat lord; who had perished at his own hands as he had tried to kill Nick. The cloud of dust and smoke was large and haunting, and seemed to flicker with the shapes of shadowy figures as it ascended toward the cavern roof high above their heads.
He silently wept for the manor, he silently wept for the long and nearly forgotten souls of the family of bats that had died in a fire much like this those seven years ago. But most of all, he silently wept for Vladzotz. Despite the countless atrocities he had committed in his lifetime, Nick felt for him. This entire time, Vladzotz was only trying to quell the internal rage of losing his family. The bat lord had finally met his end from his own actions though, and had passed away in the flaming wreckage of his own manor as it burned to the ground.
The fox felt a squeezing pressure against his right paw, and glanced over to its source: Judy, who was physically crying, tears dripping through the fur on her cheeks. Nick reached over and grasped her in a hug, embracing her shaking form within the grip of his arms, which clung tight to her body as she cried into his shoulder. For minutes that felt like an eternity, the only sound emanating from the group of officers was the stifled cries of fox and bunny, holding one another in loving embrace.
Meanwhile, the mansion had finally collapsed: And was now nothing more than a smoldering pile of rubble and regret. A thick pillar of smoke was rising from the wreckage, drifting high and all the way to the surface of the cavern's ceiling, where it blocked out the light of the glow-worms, dimming the entire area around the fire. It was a sad sight.
As the other officers filed in and packed their things, preparing to dispatch back to the station, neither fox nor bunny left the side of the other the entire time. Eventually, another police cruiser pulled over to the scene, and Chief Bogo himself stepped out from the passenger seat and paced over to the commotion, his gaze long and blank as he stared down the smoldering ruins of what was once the House of Fangs.
Nick was standing far away from the wreckage, but with his eyes trained on it solemnly. Chief Bogo lumbered over to the fox and stood by his side.
The water buffalo sighed. "The world used to be a bigger place, didn't it?" He asked.
Without averting his gaze from the rising columns of ash and smoke, Nick responded with the truth, as ugly as it was.
"The world's still the same. There's just..." The fox swallowed and gestured toward the ruins. "Less in it."
Some of the officers had retreated back to the station, taking Sprock and Russ with them as they drove away. Eventually, only four cruisers were left, including the one Bogo had driven in with Officer Delgato. The Nocturnal-District's small-sized fire department eventually found its way to the wreckage, and put out the remainder of the fire their hoses. All the remaining officers stayed behind and both directed pedestrian traffic away from the manor, and assisted the fire-officers in digging through the wreckage, cleaning up the area and salvaging what little they could find.
The manor was huge, and it took many hours of hard work, but eventually most of the ruins had been sorted through, the wreckage cleaned out and removed. There were no bodies found within the rubble, and most of the house's contents and adornments had been incinerated in the fire, the second to ever blaze through the manor. The only difference this time, was the fact that nothing had survived the fire. But despite the lack of evidence and leftover remnants of the bat lord's home, it was Nick himself that a found a single, silver talisman within the smoldering rubble - Its once shiny surface stained with soot and ash. Nick reluctantly picked it up and opened it, staring inside.
The glass was slightly cracked, but within the lid of the pendant, the portrait of Vladzotz's family was still intact. Nick heard Judy call out to him from somewhere behind, and the fox quickly closed shut the pendant before slipping it away and into his pocket.
"Nick? Have you found any trace of Vlad's body?" The bunny asked flatly, her gaze looking to the side when the fox turned around and stared her down.
"No. Nothing at all. It's like he... Vanished." He replied in a similar monotone voice.
The two of them silently stood there, ankle-deep in the manor's rubble. The silence was as choking as the fumes that were wafting from the wreckage. Sick of so many things, regretful of so many choices, Nick didn't want this part of his life to slip through his fingers - to leave matters between him and Judy unresolved. He picked his way through the ruins, closing the distance between him and his wife, who was still staring at the ground, her eyes glazed over and thoughtless as they were. The fox then scooped her up in another hug, holding her as close to his body as he possibly could. He felt her heave within his arms, choking back tears of her own.
"Nick... I'm sorry for what I said to you. I'm so sorry." She stifled through deep and wheezing breaths.
He held her even tighter, and began tracing his paws down her spine and back up. Unlike the last time he had tried such a technique, the bunny did not pull away. Instead she just stood there, crying in his arms. At the end of things, there was no where else she'd rather be. In his arms she felt safe and secure, warm and welcomed, cared for and loved, above all else. She lifted her gaze and stared into his eyes: His were hazy and red from crying, but he currently shed no tears to the likes of their reunion. He smiled warmly as he stared down at her, his handsome green eyes piercing into her beautiful violet ones, igniting a sense of longing and passion that hadn't been felt for too long.
Simultaneously, the two mammals wrapped their paws around the backs of each-other's heads and pulled one another into a long and drawn-out kiss. For the ensuing time that followed, neither creature could recall how long they had been locked in loving embrace, their lips mended together in harmonic forgiveness. They heard no sounds and thought of nothing else but each-other. They were all that mattered, and all that were. Eventually, the bunny pulled away from her mate, staring deep into his eyes once again as their kiss severed, but their hearts continued to beat rapidly in their chests.
"A wise bunny once told me that true love means never having to say sorry." Nick said. A half-lidded smirk surfaced across his face.
Judy smiled, sniffling and wiping her eyes with the sleeve on her uniform before responding.
"That bunny must be pretty stupid." She muttered jokingly, but with a slight undertone of regret.
The fox just smiled and ruffled his paws through the fur on the top of Judy's head, the perspiration causing it to stick on end and jut up at peculiar angles.
"You got that right, Carrots," he chuckled softly to himself. "But I'd say she's still a heck of a lot smarter than a certain dumb fox that I know." He said, pointing to himself.
He then leaned down and nuzzled the top of his forehead against hers, rubbing his fur through her own. Judging by the placid and soothing purrs that she emitted, Nick reasoned that he had at last made sweet amends with his beloved sly bunny.
Neither would have had it any other way.
After the wreckage had been cleaned up and the tears had dried, all the officers were dismissed for the rest of the night. Nick and Judy were driven all the way back to their apartment by officer McHorn. They both sat in the front seat, which was more than big enough to accommodate them. Although no words were said between the two, they unanimously decided that they would not tell Bogo of Nick's former connections to the mob, and of the first arson accident at the manor. It was in the past, and better left to be forgotten. Both Nick and Judy refused to let past mistakes prevent Nick from doing what he could to make up for them. And if anything, Nick had every intention of making up for them.
When they at least reached their apartment, the fox made sure to respectfully place the soot-stained silver locket upon the kitchen counter, admiring it as the last remaining memory of the crime-lord who was now gone from this world. Though deep down, Nick hoped that somewhere out there, Vladzotz had finally been reunited with his family.
Nick would never forget the flames of the past. He would treasure that locket for everything it once stood for, and everything it stood for now.
And both Nick and Judy alike could only hope that what was to come would be all the better.
Hey everyone!
Wow, this is it! This chapter took hours to write up and polish, but here we are at the end of the third arc of When Instinct Falls! I couldn't have done it without you guys, as every follow, favorite and review encourages me to continue with my work, bringing my many ideas to fruition. I thank each and every one of you for everything you've helped me accomplish, and I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this finale to the third arc.
But until then, please tell me what you think of this chapter, especially dealing with the organ scene, the death of Vladzotz, and the reunion of our two favorite mammals! I would also like to know if you perhaps took the time to follow through with the link I presented, and if you did, I hope you enjoyed the lovely music, as I think it just goes so well with Vladzotz's character!
That being said, I would like to point out that, in fact, one of Vladzotz's personality inspirations is Davy Jones from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He's one of my favorite movie villains, and I believe that his organ theme is just perfect with the scene of Vladzotz as he played his own organ.
Anyhow, please feel free to tell me what you think in a review, and I hope you all enjoyed the ride so far, and join me on the coming adventures through the fourth arc, coming your way soon! :D
Thanks for everything once again, and as always...
Peace!
PS: In the next and coming chapters, you'll be learning more about the other crime-lords, and what's to come for the story.