The subway doors slid open and Judy got out. Her head poked this way and that, as she didn't think she'd ever stopped off at that stop before. Feeling her phone buzz in her paw, she looked down at a text message from Nick.
[Um, okay? Yeah, I know one. It's at 1340 Searing Sand.]
Judy half-smiled and started tapping into her phone.
[Great, on my way.]
She immediately saw the telltale ellipses indicating the fox was typing and walked out into the evening air. Her nose twitched slightly as she plugged the address into her map app and headed that way. She knew the temperature would plunge soon, and hadn't thought to bring a jacket.
Sahara Square was perhaps the most objectively dazzling area of Zootopia in the evening. Lights of nearly every color began to come on, turning its understated buildings into lively, flashy facades. Judy smiled and took in the atmosphere during her walk; she hadn't gotten to enjoy all of the sights of Zootopia, and she figured it'd be years until she saw everything the city had to offer. The bunny was shaken from her serenity by her phone buzzing again.
[Are you really gonna do this, Carrots? You know Fangie is just trying to bait you.]
[Don't care.] She typed back.
[You don't WIN anything if you go through with it.]
[I win pride.]
[...] Judy could practically hear his eye roll from wherever he was. He started typing again. [Carrots, there's a difference between actually being accepting/open-minded and forcing yourself to do something uncomfortable just because.]
[Gonna do it anyway!] Judy went on. [Try everything! =;) ]
[All right, have it your way. I guess you didn't learn anything from your discomfort at Mystic Springs.]
[Oh hush, Nick.] Her eyes flicked up from her phone and she was coming upon her destination.
"Here we go..." Judy breathed out. The building had an unusual feeling, even standing out from many other Sahara Square buildings. The sign was understated and read "The Pawaiian Touch".
The bunny's nose was twitching rapidly as she entered the establishment, and new, weird smells hit her left and right. Right in front of her, behind the counter, was a massive reptile, the likes of which she'd never seen before. She stood easily two times her size and wore a sedate floral orange dress that sharply contrasted her greenish scales. Judy swallowed with great difficulty, feeling herself flinch as the reptile's tongue came out of her mouth to thrash the air.
"Welcome to The Pawaiian Touch, darling bunny," the reptile greeted her. The voice was just as scratchy and dry as Judy had imagined it in her head. Judy spared an instant to wonder if the reptile was considered attractive where she came from. "Will you be liking one of our treatments?"
"Um, yes, one please," Judy babbled, feeling an instinctive fear of the unknown sink deep into her stomach. "Wh-what would you recommend?"
An amused, somewhat-sinister laugh leaped from the long snout of the reptile. "For you, I would say a gecko massage. Soft pads on the hands. Easy to relax."
Judy looked at the notes she'd taken on her phone. Fangmeyer had specified that she wasn't supposed to take an "easy" one. She sighed, and her eyes slowly wandered up to the reptile.
"Do you have anything just a little bit... I dunno, tougher?" Judy nearly cringed.
Another laugh, much like the first. "Adventurous bunny? Well... hmhm, we do have a new leopard gecko. Perhaps she is more to your liking. Hands lack the pads, have claws. Good for a scratching."
"Ah haha..." Judy tittered nervously. "A- a leopard gecko. That sounds, um, that sounds..." dangerous, her mind finished. "Lovely! That sounds lovely."
"Excellent, you will be having one massage from our leopard gecko," the reptile said, making some notes. The way that smile crept across her face as Judy nodded, she had a hard time believing it wasn't pure malevolence in those greenish-brown eyes. She went on to speak very loudly in a flowing language full of "ss" sounds. The bunny didn't even have a frame of reference for this barrage of noises, and her ears swept back instantly.
After several long seconds, a tiny creature about half Judy's size wandered out. She had yellow scales dotted with black spots, and her eyes were black slits situated in white and gray spheres like lovely marbles. There were hints of pink on her tail and underbellies. Most noticeable was the wide, pleasant smile on the reptile's small face. She held her hands together in front of her, arms crossed demurely. Her soft pink dress created a sort of "pink lemonade" feeling in Judy's brain,and the matching flower garland and lei she wore were both pleasant and delicious-seeming to the bunny.
"Hello!" After noticing Judy just standing there in stunned silence, the small reptile waved a hand pleasantly, the ridges on her eyes pushing up in a disarming way. "Please follow me, yes?"
Judy could do little but nod and aimlessly follow her. What a contrast in the two reptiles' voices! This little one had an airy voice, like the soft breeze tickling wind chimes. In short order, Judy was led to a room. The small reptile went and began to prepare things.
"Umh," Judy coughed nervously, "will the leopard gecko be meeting me in here?" She noticed the room was rather small. Comfortable, but snug for a bunny.
A pleasant giggle leapt from the female reptile. "Oh! Yes, she will, for I am the leopard gecko, yes?"
"Oh, haha, yes, okay!" Judy waved a paw as if she obviously knew that. "I just- um, I didn't think you'd be so... uh..."
"Small?" The gecko giggled. "But I am large for a leopard gecko." As she said this, her stout but fetching tail swept behind her, almost as an afterthought. "My name is Jhi Jhi, but my friends, they call me Jiji!"
Mild dread and panic settled into Judy as she honestly couldn't tell the difference between the two sounds. She tried sounding them with her mouth before a clumsy venture.
"Jiji?" Judy tried.
"Oh, so we are friends, then!" Jiji clicked her hands and claws together. "This is delightful, yes?"
"Aheheh..." Judy's lips wobbled a bit as she forced a large smile. "My name is Judy Hopps."
"Hops, like a bunny!" Jiji nodded quickly, eyes closed and with that charming smile all over her face. "I am pleased to meet you, yes?"
The two stood there in silence for several seconds before Judy began to feel like she was missing something.
"Oh, um, should we get started, then?" Judy chuckled unsteadily.
"Only when you are ready!" Jiji waved a hand. "If you are uncomfortable, I can leave the room while you are undressing."
"Oh no, that's, um, that's fine," Judy disrobed in a hurry, swallowing her trepidation, and then found her way onto the massaging table, where Jiji draped some warm towels on her.
"I am supposing you have never had a reptile massage before?" Jiji asked brightly.
"That's- that is correct, yes, no, I have not," Judy babbled.
"I will be hoping it will not be your last, then!" Jiji grinned, and Judy's ear told her she was climbing up onto the table with her. Judy involuntarily flinched as she felt the unusual sensation of many tiny fingers on her back. From the feel, Jiji had gotten fully on top of her and was starting to soothingly rub at all corners of her back with her fingers.
Judy fought not to say anything at the alien sensations, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. Her claws weren't like pinpricks; they seemed to be rounded and felt gentle.
"Ohh dear..." Jiji's voice took on a little concern, "but you are very, very tense, yes?"
"Ah, um, I'm a police officer," Judy said quickly, glad to be able to play that card, "stressful work, you know?"
"Oh!" Jiji seemed delighted by this. "You are serving the Zootopia. This is very noble! I will make sure to do my best, yes? As you are doing yours!"
"Th-thank you," Judy replied. Her mind burned with curiosity to know more about reptiles, the very few of which she'd seen wandering Zootopia she knew next to nothing about. There was a crime committed by one very large one, a crocodile, she thought she recalled, but Chief Bogo had assigned some equally large officers to that case.
Eventually, the massage caused Judy to actually unwind and relax. Jiji was dexterous and patient, and seemed to know just where Judy's tension lay and slowly worked it out.
"Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" Judy suddenly blurted. It sounded way more official than she meant it to.
"Oh! Ah- okay," Jiji nodded, "I hope I am not under the investigation?"
"Oh, no, no," Judy chuckled. "I'm just curious how reptiles have come to Zootopia, is all."
"Ahh..." Jiji nodded behind her. "Well, it is not a tale I wish to tell very much... there is much strife in my country of Pawaii. Lately, travel has just opened up, and I very much wanted to come to the Zootopia."
"To escape the country?" Judy nodded.
"Not as much," Jiji slowed her massage, trying to focus on happy thoughts. "I do like the mammals very much. They have such fuzziness, and such fur colors! It is very wonderful to be in such a place, where, what is it that you say? Anyone can be anything? I have seen this is true!"
"Yeah, it is really nice, huh?" Judy said wistfully. "Not perfect, but pretty close!"
"Nowhere is perfect," Jiji said seriously, but then her voice chirped up again, "but that is why we are having the police officers, yes?"
"I guess you're right, Jiji," Judy nodded. "So is this your dream job, then?"
"Oh yes," Jiji nodded, "I have always wanted to massage."
"You... mm, you do seem to be good at it," Judy almost purred as Jiji worked some soreness out of her arms.
"Thank you very much," the little reptile seemed genuinely pleased at this.
"How's it been in Zootopia?" Judy wondered.
"Oh, um, there is not much complaining to do," Jiji said unsteadily. "Apart from one time that I lost my tail."
Judy's eyes reflexively shot back to try to look at Jiji's tail, which definitely appeared to be there. "But, uh, looks like you found it, right?"
Jiji was quiet for a moment, then giggled. "I grew it back. Some reptiles can do this, yes?"
"Oh, um," Judy felt uneasy again. "I didn't know that."
"Oh, do not let it worry you," Jiji cooed, "every day is a new chance for exploring and to take in new wonders."
Judy felt herself relax at this, and a calm quiet came over them as the massage continued.
Before long, Judy found herself in her clothes again, sitting loosely on the massage table.
"That was just wonderful, Jiji," Judy stretched slowly. "Mmgh, I feel so limber!"
Jiji clapped her hands, her mouth open slightly in delight at her client's happiness.
"Wish I had someone to do something like that for me at home," Judy laughed.
"A lovely bunny like you is not having a mate?" Jiji tilted her head in confusion.
"Oh no," the bunny held up a paw, "not yet, anyway." A swirl of apprehension dashed her, but regarding what, she wasn't sure. A different unease grew into her chest and she frowned. "Um, can I tell you something?"
"Of course!"
"I actually was sent to do this on a dare," Judy frowned.
"On... a dare?" Jiji's eyes shifted and she looked baffled. Tentatively, she held her hands up to her head, seemingly symbolizing antlers. "...Dare? I am not knowing what 'on a dare' means."
"Oh, not 'deer'," Judy winced. "A co-worker of mine dared me... uh 'challenged' me, to get a reptilian massage." She swallowed hard. She didn't know why she was telling the leopard gecko this. Perhaps just because she seemed so lovely and genuine and she hated the bizarre feeling of duplicity she felt. "I think she thought it would make me uncomfortable; like I couldn't do it."
Jiji's smile finally faltered. "I... I am hoping you were not uncomfortable."
"Not at all!" Judy shook her head vehemently. "Not at all. I loved it! It's just... my coworker, this tigress, she's a huge hotshot."
"Perhaps she is needing a reptilian massage too!" Jiji perked up.
Judy laughed. "I think it would take a lot of Jijis to work over a tigress."
"Oh, no, it would not be me," Jiji shook her head. "It would be our Komodo dragon!"
"I've never seen one of those," Judy said, following Jiji as she gestured her out of the room. "What are they lii...!?" In the hallway was another female reptile that even towered over the one Judy had seen in the lobby. The intimidating creature said something terse, but friendly, in another language.
"This is our Komodo dragon!" Jiji giggled, and said something pleasant in her own pretty tongue. The dragon got that strange, sinister smile she'd seen on the receptionist.
"Tigress, good massage, I will give," she said. The voice was deep and heartily feminine, but carried a huge presence, only slightly broken by her stilted speech.
"Hmmm," Judy grinned. "Yeah, I think ol' Fangmeyer should come here. I might pay to see her reaction."
"Oh no, the massage session is private, yes?" Jiji shook her head in seriousness.
"I just mean, I want to see that smug look wiped off of that kitty's face when she sees what you have in store for her," Judy smirked, folding her newly invigorated arms.
Jiji passed a hand over her face, baffled. "I... we are not selling anything here. It is not a store."
"Or, I could stop using so many idioms," Judy rubbed behind her head. "Anyway, I go to the desk to pay, right?"
"Oh, yes!" Jiji nodded, indicating the front. "I am hoping this is not the last time I will see you, yes?"
"Yes," Judy nodded. "I mean, no, yes I will most likely see you again!"
Jiji seemed very delighted at this prospect.