Continued from Chapter 79
"The Grand Zootopia Library?" Judy marveled, walking into the lobby and staring up and around at the high shelves filled with books. Her face lit up; she looked like a kit in a candy store. "It's just as gorgeous as I'd heard!"
"You're telling me a magic geek like you hasn't visited it yet?" Nick shook his head and clicked his teeth, his paws behind his back.
"I'm new in town," Judy admitted, suddenly a bit bashful, rubbing her hand behind her head. "So yeah, I haven't gotten everywhere yet."
"Mm," Nick nodded. "Well, let's get on with this."
"Yeah, let's find the librarian!" Judy seemed excited, and she rushed to the customer service desk. There sat a chinchilla, seemingly about thirty, in an old-looking burgundy robe and a faded navy conical hat festooned with silver stars and a half-moon symbol.
"Whats with this chinchilla?" Nick scoffed. "He looks like he's stepped out of another decade or something. Who wears wizard hats anymore?"
"Rude!" Judy shook her head. "Hello, sir. My name is Judy Hopps, I'm with the ZPD." The chinchilla fumbled with his book and looked alarmed to see them.
"Ah, hey!" His voice was bright and almost lax. "My name's Chet...ster. Chetster Freezer."
Judy narrowed one eye at the squirrely-looking rodent. "Oh... kay?" A wave of suspicion passed over her. "Can I see your ID really quick, Chester?"
"That's 'Chetster'. Uh..." the chinchilla flashed an embarrassed smile and handed over his ID. He winced.
"Okay, so your name is Chet Chilla, a water-innate..." Judy wrinkled her nose, then made a face. "Hey! Look at this, Nick! It says he's... less than a year old? And this ID was issued two and a half decades from now!?" Nick chuckled at his, shaking his head.
"Ah, yeah," Chet laughed nervously. "I'm uh... I kinda got displaced in time."
"What?" Judy shot him a disbelieving glare. "We'll see about that. I don't know what type of game you're playing at, but-" Judy took out a magic-detecting glass from her belt and peered over the card. "-no way! That's Zootopia's sigil all right, isn't it?"
"Sure is; the card looks authentic," Nick peered over the card, nodding. He chuckled. "Guess this kit did step out of another decade. Time magic, though. Never heard of someone actually using it."
"The only recorded cases of time magic fall under the Reality school," Judy explained. "All four base elements of magic together. The amount of mana required to cast such a spell would be... prodigious, to say the least."
"Yeah," Chet nodded. "I actually thought I was reading a really cool novel about time-travel, but when I said some of the cooler-sounding words out to myself I found myself in the past, before I was even born. I was mana-burned so badly that the doctors said I might never have been able to regenerate my mana. It took over three months."
"Even if I believe that, why didn't you try to go back?" Judy accused.
"Because I didn't understand how the spell worked," Chet shrugged. "If I used it again I could find myself back in the time of the Reptavians or something. And reciting a spell backwards is extremely dangerous, too. Besides that I like books, it's kinda why I got a job at the library. Was trying to figure out if I could get back to my time, doing some research. I dunno if the book I read from was even written yet?"
"As fascinating as this is," Nick huffed, feeling a burst of impatience. "Can we just get to the point?"
"Ah, okay!" Chet nodded, smiling. "Judy Hopps, right? I've heard of you. This case is like... it's big news in histo-." Chet stopped talking and looked at the two with tiny pupils.
"Is it?" Judy's eyes widened.
"Haha, forget I said anything!" Chet flashed his teeth nervously.
"You know how this goes?" Nick blinked.
"How it's supposed to...?" Chet looked away from them, seemingly contemplative. "What do I do? What am I supposed to tell them? Can I change the future here, or was I always going to come back to help them? How much do I tell them, and if the timeline is fated to split here will it create another entire universe? Or will it destroy the universe-!?"
"Ugh!" Judy held her hands to her forehead. "Studying about time-travel theory always gave me a migraine. Let's just pretend like you don't know anything special, hm?" Judy tilted her head. "We're looking for Emmitt Otterton. He may have come in here a couple of weeks ago?"
"Ah yes, Mr. Otterton!" Chet held up an index finger. "As I recall, he was asking for books about berserking spells."
"Berserking spells?" Nick recoiled a bit.
"Mr. Otterton is a florist," Judy said. "What use would he have for a berserking spell?"
"What kind of innate is he?" Nick asked.
"Fire... most berserking spells are based in the school of fire..." Judy mused.
"Uh, he said he was looking for anything having to do with berserking spells that used Night Howler as a reagent," Chet explained.
Judy's pupils shrank and she gasped. "Night Howler? I just busted a petty crook for stealing a satchel of those from a florist! Something weird is definitely going on here. Did he check out any books?"
"No, he just seemed a bit upset, put the books back, and was on the phone talking to a Mr. Manchas?" Chet shrugged. "He said for him to come pick him up."
"Mr. Manchas, got it," Judy said, writing in her notebook. "Is there a way we can find the books he was looking at?"
"Sure," Chet nodded. "Let me just top off my mana here; this spell is a bit hard to cast." Chet reached under his desk and pulled out a small flask of clear liquid that danced with bright points of light, and began to carefully sip from it.
"Ooh, Distilled Sunshine," Judy nodded. "One of the most potent mana elixirs."
"Blah," Nick flinched. "That's like the vodka of mana replenishment. Effective, but it tastes like fire." Chet indeed made a face after a few sips. He brought out a large, ornate book entitled "The Librarian's Codex of Tricks, Spells, and Charms" and opened to a page he had bookmarked.
"Okay, let's see here," Chet read from the book, then held on to the brim of his hat, and the stars and moon upon it started to glow as he used it as a focus. "Mice of Minerva!" Swirling up from the book came a small army of spectral, floating mice. The one in front looked at him with interest, inclining its ear. "Find me any spellbooks that use the term 'Night Howler'." The mouse nodded, then the rest of the mice scurried off to search the library.
"Huh, neat trick," Nick said, though his voice sounded disingenuous. Judy however was enchanted by watching all the magical mice flit about.
Chet took another swig of Distilled Sunshine. "Bleagh. Hopefully they will find something." The mice returned, it taking several to carry each book, and they plopped them down on Chet's desk before returning to the book Chet summoned them from. "Here we go." Chet, Judy, and even Nick thumbed through the books.
"Pages are missing from this one!" Judy said.
"This one too," Chet looked genuinely hurt at the old book being damaged.
"Yup," Nick nodded. "Night Howlers are still mentioned, but I can't find anything about berserking spells or their dispels."
"This is worrying," Judy said, shutting her book decisively. She turned to Nick. "We've got to find Otterton and Manchas. I'll look up Manchas' address here and-"
Nick raised a paw. "Whoa there, spellslinger. We don't have to do anything. I did what you asked. So, if you'd kindly let me dispel the testimony you so rudely took from me, I'll be on my way."
"Nick, I..." Judy suddenly appeared hurt, then defiant. "I can't let you leave yet. I have only something like thirty hours left to find Otterton."
"That's your problem," Nick folded his arms. "I'm just a common fox; I'm not some mage or law enforcement."
"You're pretty handy with water magic," Judy said, her voice clearly trying to appeal to his pride. "C'mon, what do you say? I swear once I run out of time-"
"What makes you think your word is any good to me, blackmailer?" Nick seemed less than convinced. Judy took in a shaky breath, and took out her amulet, touching it.
"I've foolishly made a bet and put my job on the line to find this missing mammal," Judy said, her eyes narrowing in a wince. "I'm desperate for help and I will give you this amulet when my time is up, no matter the outcome." She released her grip on the amulet, her ears warm. "How embarrassing."
"Mm," Nick said, unsure of what else to say. "...You still have my confession on there?" Judy played it back for him.
"Sorry," she said. "I don't have anyone else to turn to, and I need-" Judy gasped tersely as Nick placed his own paw on the amulet.
"I'll help you until the thirty hours is up," Nick said. Judy smiled, wiggling her fingers over the amulet. She touched it's edge, and that voice sample repeated again, instead of the previously recorded one.
"I have your word," Judy said softly.
"I guess you do," Nick nodded. The two turned to leave, and Chet idly waved after them. The chinchilla hoped he had done the right thing in helping them.
"RUN!" Judy yelled, fleeing from the Rainforest District home. Nick summoned a burst of water to propel himself away from the snapping melanistic jaguar and landed next to Judy. The two started running from the shrieking, snarling feline. "I've never seen a berserk spell like this! It's like he's gone completely savage!"
"Otterton must have gotten to him before we could!" Nick yelped. "What is wrong with that otter!?"
"Get ahead of me!" Judy yelled out, running across the rope bridge that led to Mr. Manchas' house. The ruby on her bangle glowed brightly.
"Are you crazy!?" Nick spat out. "You're going to destroy the bridge!?"
"Keep running!" Judy shouted. "Fire: Disperse!" Red beams drew a sigil around Manchas and fizzled with a crackling noise, emitting smoke. "Nothing! The spell on him is intact!"
"Must be more complex than just a fire spell!" Nick said, making an anxious groan as the cat gained on them. Panicked, Nick thrust out his hand. "Shoo, cat!" A burst of water splashed into Manchas' face and he stumbled back a few paces.
"I don't have enough mana to try all of the dispels I know!" Judy said anxiously, picking up her radio. "Clawhauser! I need backup! Enchanted, berserking jaguar on the loose! We're on vine and Tujunga!"
"Its ta-HUN-ga!" Nick corrected, and Judy lost her footing, slipping and dropping her radio into the misty depths.
The two found themselves on a wooden bridge leading to a sky gondola, and Manchas was gaining again, his eyes seeming to glow. Judy stopped running and slid under him, but the slick surface made her go flying off of the bridge where she barely held on with her paws.
"Spellslinger!" Nick shrieked, but then noticed a sky car coming, and Manchas prowling toward him.
"Just go!" Judy shouted solidly. Nick hesitated, and lost his chance, the car passing on by. Nick readied a burst of water magic, hoping to jump over Manchas. Maybe he'd have time to help Judy up.
"Okay kitty, I don't know if you can hear me now, but let's just take this nice and-"
Manchas snarled and lunged.
"Growth: Restrain!" Judy thrust out her bangled arm and the emerald and sapphire on it glowed. Vines from around the location redirected themselves into holding Manchas back just before he got to Nick. The fox took a huge breath.
"I'm slipping...!" Judy squeaked. Nick hurriedly made his way over to Judy. Manchas snapped and swiped at Nick and he flinched exaggeratedly, slipping and tumbling off the pier. "Nick!" Judy dove off, grabbed him by the wrist, and gestured upwards. "Growth: Vine!" A single vine relocated and snapped into Judy's waiting arm and the two swung back and forth. "If we lose momentum, I'm probably going to drop you! Do something!"
"Okay!" Nick nodded, "I'll just spray a little water to keep our momentum going!" Nick thrust his own free hand out, but instead of water, a heated, powerful burst of steam came out of his hand, sending them way farther on the upswing than they had intended, and Judy lost her grip on the vine.
As both screamed, flailing through the open air, Judy clutched onto Nick, feeling her mana waning. Desperately, she cried out:
"Growth: Restrain!" More vines snapped out from all directions and cocooned the two together. They bounced around on the springy vines before coming to rest, upside-down in midair.
"Heh heh..." Judy started to try to calm down.
"So you can do dual-element magic too," Nick gasped for breath. "What can't you do?"
"Well I'm out of mana, so I can't do anything else until the ZPD finds us like this," Judy's ears felt hot with embarrassment, or it might have been the blood starting to rush to her head.
"What was with that steam blast I used?" Nick blinked. "I don't know any magic like that."
"Oh uh," Judy laughed nervously. "That was a dual-element spell, too. Steam is fire and water. Apparently if someone is touching another of a different innate, they can use dual-element spells."
"Oh, oops?" Nick returned the laugh.
Judy looked away. "Uh, it's only supposed to happen though if two mammals are um... in-sync with one another."
"Ah," Nick looked away as well. "Well, waiting for the police just got a little more awkward."
"Yup..." Judy breathed out as she wondered how she'd explain what she'd gotten herself into.