Chapter 19:
So, thing go on for awhile like this, exercise one-night, mental exercises the next. Gab did allow one day off a week, not sure why, as no one had a preference I chose Saturday night. And we were getting good at both. I figured Gab would be steeping up our game soon, so I put extra effort into it and it showed.
"Nick, I want you to look at this, this is one of the early walks we took with Daniel, Now I want you to look at the latest one. Notice a difference? Well, he seems to be moving a lot better than before. Nick it's not so much as move, as he seems to flow, no more excessive bouncing, no more wasted directions when trying to get away. He seems to be aware of where I am at all times, and move accordingly. I tell you Nick, you know how fast I am, but Daniel, is faster and able to move in impossible directions. I swear that if that accident happened now, he would have come out of it, with out a scratch. Come on now fluff, I think your exaggerating it a bit. No, I'm not, Nick, I can't catch him anymore, and when was the last time you managed to catch him on the way back? Nick, he seems to know what we are going to do. So, he's gotten good at reading people. I think theirs more to it than that. Maybe it has something to do with his strange ability?" Nick thinks about this for a bit, "you know you could be right, fluff". With that I come in the back door from the yard.
"Evening squirt, have fun in the back yard? It would be more fun if I had a brother or sister to play with." Judy gets a full head blush, and Nick blushes too. Vivian looks around the corner, "There's that wicked sense of humor again, Daniel". Vivian says this as she puts on an earring. "Whoa mom, Did I miss a special occasion? You look amazing. Thank you dear, but no, I'm just getting ready for my date. You have a date mom? Who with? Why I do believe you are being over protective again, son. Sorry mom, I just can't help it. Well if you must know, it's Peter Howler from the hospital. Isn't it kind of sudden? No dear, we have been going for coffee for some time now, and he finally asked me for a date, which I accepted. Did you know about this Daniel?" I just nod my head yes. "Well Daniel has been my chaperone for all the coffee dates, I couldn't just leave him alone, could I?" Just then the door bell rings, "I'll get it," as I jump up to answer the door.
"Evening mister Howler, how are you this evening? Daniel, how many times do I have to tell you, call me Peter? 100,000 times I respond." Everyone in the other room just laughs. Vivian comes around the corner followed by mom and dad. "Ready to go dear? Yes ma'am, your chariot awaits. Oh, and Nick, don't bother to wait up for me, I'm a big girl now, and I can look after myself." With that she kisses dad and heads out the door with Peter. As I close the door and turn around, I can tell I'm in some kind of trouble. I hold up my hand before anything could be said, and say, "not my place to say, grandma would have told you before now if she thought you should know." Dad deflates a bit at this, I'm sure he could see the logic in it. "But I can say that they really like each other. Don't be surprised if grandma doesn't come back till tomorrow some time." They both blush at this statement, as I burst out laughing. "He is a good mammal dad, just give him a chance. All right, who are you and what have you done with my son?" Dad says, as he grabs me, and starts to tickle me.
We start bad movie night, this time It's about a duck (a sentient duck?) who ends up in a strange world of bipedal mammals. They have five fingers and five toes, instead of the usual three, and they never go down on all fours, they always walk around on two. He keeps trying to find his way home, but fails, but he saves their world in the end. The main upright mammal in the story, then falls head over heals in love with the duck. Talk about a strange relationship. After the bad movie, I take a bath and head for bed.
"So where are we going, on this date? I thought I would take you to Chez Laronge, my little she wolf. Well actually I'm a vixen, but I like how you think." Vivian cuddles in close to peter. "So, this is the first time without a chaperon. Well if it bothered you that much, we could have done this sooner. Everything in its own time, my little red vixen. Why Peter. I believe you are falling for me. Ahh, were here, good food, but also the best darn view of the city. Ah Pete, I don't see a restaurant. Peter laughs, look up, way up. It's a revolving restaurant at the top of the tower. It takes approximately one hour to make a complete revolution, so you get a view of the whole city. Wow I didn't know that there was such a restaurant. Ready to ascent to the heavens?" He asks taking her hand and leading her to the elevator. "Lead on kind sir." As they enter the elevator, and select the top floor, Peter thinks it's time, he leans down and gives Vivian a quick kiss. But the quick kiss is returned, with more passion. They hear the ding of the elevator, as it reaches the top floor, and they break the kiss, both gasping for breath. They step out into the lobby, and walk to the hostess who would seat them by a window, with a great view of the city.
"So, Peter I hope you are not playing me, as I can see you are still wearing a ring on your right hand. I wear this ring Vivian, as a reminder of what I lost." Peter gets a sad look on his face, as he pulls out his wallet. He shows Vivian a picture of himself (much younger) and an artic fox. In the picture they have their inside paws around each others shoulder, and in the other they have what appears to be a kit of about two. "We were coming back from the fair, when we were broadsided by a drunk driver, he got out with only a scratch, and a cut. I lost my wife and son, and about six months to a coma. When I came out of the coma, I knew by the looks around me that my family was gone. They were everything to me. My pack leader, threw me out of the pack when I married her, so from that point on it was just her and I. When I came out of the coma, my pack was willing to take me back, but I wasn't willing to go back to those hypocrites. If they couldn't see the love, we had for each other, then I couldn't love them. So, from that point on, I became a lone wolf and threw myself into my job."
With this Peter looked up and saw the tears in Vivian's eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry Vivian, that was a really heavy subject for a first date. No peter, it's the perfect subject for a first date. What made you ask me out after all that time?" At this point they were interrupted and asked what they would like to order. "Do you mind if I order for both of us?" Vivian just shake her head no. "Then my good sir, we would like the surf special, and two-night howlers. Yes, some fool came up with a drink with that name, but it is quite good." Ordering done, Peter looks at her and says, "I asked you out because of Daniel. Daniel? Yes, I could see the love you had for him, even though I could see he was a hybrid. And something came back to me, I think I had forgotten how to love, and I realised I did want to feel that again, And I feel it again with you Vivian. He says this as he takes her paw in his from across the table. Wow Peter, you are a bit of a romantic. I do try, they both just laugh."
"Well if were being honest, I need to tell you my story. You don't have to unless you want to. My story starts 28 years ago. I was a young vixen, in love with a tod, it was a whirlwind romance and after 6 months we married. John was a good tod, he worked hard in a Taylor shop, but always had a dream to start his own shop. Well, I become a mother fairly quickly. Nick was born and the three of us couldn't be happier. Things went a long well for about 6 years, John was walking home from the shop, when a speeding car, blew a tire, and jumped the curb, just as it come close to John. I was told he tried to jump over the hood of the car, but he was run over by the car. He died there in the street, with no one around. The person driving the car said they weren't speeding, the cops said they were. It went to court, and he was going to get off on a technicality. But a few days before the next court date, he was caught speeding 3 times the speed limit in a residential area. No one else was hurt, but the judge found him guilty of John's mammal slaughter. He was sentenced to three years in jail. Nick was angry at the verdict, he figured he should have gotten life. The insurance company tried to give me a small sum, for it to all go away. But a high-powered lawyer handled the case for free. The insurance settled out of court, they gave me the house we live in, and a small monthly fee to keep up the place. Nick was never the same after that. He just couldn't see the good in people. After about 6 years, Nick had stolen my money again and I just threw him out of the house. So, at the age of twelve Nick became a con mammal. My heart was broken that I had to throw him out, but I never gave up that he would come around and be good again." Vivian dabbed at her eyes as she told this.
"So, what made him change? Well, you remember that cute little bunny in the house? Yes, is she a friend? No, Peter, that's Nicks wife. She was a cop who needed help, and her chief did nothing to help her. So, she turned to the only other person she knew in Zootopia. And with Nicks help, they solved the missing mammal's case, and the night-Howler case, which put Bellwether behind bars. She believed in him when no one else would. And because she did, Nick then went on the straight and narrow, and became a cop. She is Nicks partner on the force, and a home. Wait, your telling me that was Judy Hopps at your house? Yes Pete, that was Judy Wilde, Nicks wife of two and 1/2 years now. Wow, and Daniel is their kit? Yes, he is their biological kit. How did that happen? Were not sure it's still under police investigation."
With that their meal came. Their meal was eaten in relative silence, both of them thinking of what the other had said. Their meal done, Peter pays the bill, and they head down to the lobby. They were in no rush, so Peter pushed all the floor buttons, and they started to kiss, one for every floor. As they get into the car, Peter turns to Vivian, "could…Could you love an old dog like me? Oh, Peter, I think I already do." And with that they kiss with all the unbridled passion they both contain.
So, as I appear in the meadow, I could sense the attack coming from behind, I move just enough that the paw goes by me, I then grab the paw and pull the person off balance and to the ground beside me. But Gab jumps up and continues the attack. We fight back and forth like this for about 10 minutes, neither of us giving ground or losing. Gab then steps back, and putting one paw in a fist, he then puts it on his other paw palm, which is flat, like a piece of paper, and he bows to me. "Very good Daniel, you have proven yourself." My littermates who were standing off to the side, and watching the whole thing, start to clap. "So, Daniel, what are you planning for your second birthday? Nothing Gab, I don't want to celebrate our birthday with out my littermates." With this I am mobbed by them all. Gab, just laughs.
"Well Daniel, I have taught you all I can teach you, regarding defence, you need to learn offensive maneuvers, which I can not teach you. You will have to find a new teacher in the waking world. But why can't you teach me offensive maneuvers? Look around you Daniel, this is love, and love is not offensive. Love is not the end or the beginning, it just is. I'm sure you can find a teacher in the park close to your home. You will just have to look. Can I teach my littermates? Yes, you can, just not here in the meadow. You will have to show them by pictures and feelings. Is this goodbye Gab? Gab laughs, no Daniel this is not goodbye, I will always be here for you, I can teach you more, but you have to ask the right questions. And I'm sure you will be back in the future with more questions." With this Gab walks away and leaves us alone. I hug and kiss Susan, and we just walk in the meadow arm in arm.
"So, any progress on finding out what they can all do? No Sir, Just "O" and "N" so far. So, give them books on varied subjects and see if they take an interest in some thing. What kind of subjects? Let's try math, medical, music, structural engineering, quantum theory, and just about anything else. Very good Sir. Anything else new? The last of the test subject, have their eye color. What colors? "N" has amethyst eye color, "O" has a gold color, and "Q" has gold with brown lines through the iris.
And their education? They seem to have stalled at about a grade 11 level. Seems to have? Yes, "O" "N" are well above that level, they are doing 1st year university computer science and electrical engineering. Could they be hiding their abilities from us? I believe so, but until we are sure I would hesitate to start level two. Right, continue on, report to me if thing change." (from the file of the institute).