Good time of day everyone!
We are back and so excited to be presenting this new chapter, one that will be shedding a bit more light on the mysteries our heroes have encountered... or not? Read and find out :) See you in the Author's note at the end!
Nous sommes toujours en retard de vivre.
- Sylvain Tesson, Dans les forets de Sibérie.
We are always late with living.
- Sylvain Tesson, In the Forests of Siberia.
It was turning out to be quite the atypical Sunday evening. Well, not for all of the animals living in Zootropolis, that' was for sure. There were many young mammals who were already safely tucked in, dozing wearily after their fun-filled week-end, in anticipation of the following Monday morning, when they'd come back to school and discuss the latest comings and goings with their pals. Their parents were perhaps enjoying a late nightcap, shaking their heads over how fast the week-ends flew by and asking one another what they should grab at the store tomorrow afternoon to make a nice supper for Junior. Aging rodents and felines alike were cracking their windows open a notch, deciding that it was a mite too stuffy indoors to get a good night's sleep, then shutting the pane the following minute because the breeze was cool, then opening it again, fussing. And mammals Judy's own age were either laying out their clothes for the following day, to start the working week off on the right paw, or else texting their friends and urging them to join one on a night out in Sahara, heedless of the following morning and the inevitable alarm clock ringing it would bring. It was, all in all, a question of one's general attitude, and whether one was responsible or quite the reverse.
Judy Hopps was generally, if not to say always, an exceptionally responsible young mammal. Which is why, the reader will understand, this Sunday evening was so untypical for her, as we've mentioned. At the close of any normal week-end, when the sun had set on a Sunday evening and the city was ablaze with its many winking lights and neons, you would probably find Judy brushing her fur, already attired in her comfiest pyjamas, uniform spread out on a chair next to her bed.
"How ironic," the rabbit thought cynically, pacing the length of her tiny (soon to be ex-) apartment. "I don't know why, but I've got this inkling that this adventure-packed week-end will be the first of many."
She shot her friend a look full of dark foreboding at this. Nick could hardly have read her thoughts, but he caught the glance and the feeling behind it and raised his eyebrows whimsically.
"When the sun goes down, the rabbits come out to play?" he asked innocently. "I always thought that was a saying about cats, my mistake."
Judy sniffed irritably. She had little reason to blame her fox friend though for how her week-end had shaped out. After all, it was she who had agreed to take part in the late evening interview on TV, thus falling into Jack Savage's trap and finding herself face to face with him in front of the camera; it was also she who had brought her parents' surprise visit on her long ears, with all of the comical outcomes that came with it; and it was she who had left some things at her old flat till the very last minute, rendering a trip back necessary before she quit it forever, bound for her new penthouse home at Zootopia.
If it came to that, it was even she who was responsible for the two animals moving to the penthouse in the first place, as our reader will remember, for she had very enthusiastically been at the origin of the 'housemates' plan.
The knowledge of her own paw in the current state of affairs did little, if anything, to improve Judy's mood and settle her rattled nerves, however. She walked from door to window of her small domain, she walked back from window to door, she shoved her paws in the pockets of her trousers, forgetting that she was still wearing her best suit, the one she'd donned for going on-camera. She muttered to herself, at her last idea, the one about her and Nick sitting for the State Examinations. Say they did it next year, she mused. That would mean passing the pre-qualification test in the fall. Which left only a few short months to prepare for the latter. She could do that, she was sure, she'd pull some all around revision week-ends during the summer, she could head over to her parents to study in peace... an image of the Hopps' family house overrun with noisy siblings popped into her head. No, perhaps that was no studying-heaven... she had the penthouse now though, that would be just great for spreading the books out too. What an advantage it was to have a larger place, she and Nick could break in with the preparations for the written pre-qual, maybe take breaks in between for a jog downtown now and again. If they qualified, they'd be sent back to the Academy for a few months and then sit for the Exams. And if they got that, she'd be that much closer to becoming a Chief someday, but, more urgently, they'd earn more straight off, they'd be able to pay Mister Big back quicker and then, then, well, then this whole menace that seemed to be hovering over their heads, and Savage with his veiled threats, could be safely faced.
"You're going to wear the carpeting out with your pacing Carrots," Nick said breezily, from his spot on the bed, breaking into Judy's thoughts suddenly. "You'll be charged extra by your charming animal of a landlady. I'm just saying."
"What's it to you?" Judy mumbled, though she stopped her endless shuffling.
"Well, we're wrapped up in debt together," Nick answered delicately, chewing on a piece of pie he had produced from somewhere about his person. "So I would rather you avoid every unnecessary expenditure."
"Oh carrot sticks and cream sauce, this debt!" Judy moaned, pulling her ears down over her eyes. "Will this ever end?"
"Sooner than you think," Nick said, his tone unusually kind. "And there's no use of your worrying yourself sick now, right? I told you, we'll sell the whole building and wash our paws clean if we see we're in too deep. We'll have nowhere to go, but no money to pay back either, once that's done, so keep your chin up."
"I don't know how you can stay so relaxed about this," Judy said, sinking down on the carpeted floor, suddenly exhausted. "When I think that you used to hustle your way around town, playing so casually with money. I'm not applauding your criminal career, mind you, but I'm starting to see it took some guts. I'd have been a mess if I had to work the streets I guess."
"What kind words of appreciation! I will share my simple secret of success, if you want to hear it, Rabbit."
"Really?" Judy smiled in spite of herself, feeling that one of Nick's many jokes was coming up. "Let's hear it then."
The fox looked at her solemnly.
"Pie," he uttered, his tone grave.
"Pie?" Judy echoed, raising her eyebrows.
"Well, My Mom's pie is pretty amazing," Nick elaborated, breaking a generous share off he piece he was holding. "But you can use some pie you've bought in a bakery, when in a pinch. Try to get your paws on the best you can find though," he held the share out to her at this.
"I'm not hungry," Judy started automatically, but Nick was already placing the pie in her paws. It did smell lovely, Nick's Mom was quite a good cook.
"Sure you're hungry", the fox was saying cheerfully, polishing off the remainder of his own portion. "And that's the whole problem Carrots, that's why you're feeling the way you do. Never do business or think business on an empty stomach; it puts the bravest animals off."
Smiling and shaking her head a little at this down-to-earth piece of advice, Judy bit into her share of pie. It was quite delicious and, to her surprise, it helped her jaded nerves quite quickly.
"It's working," she commented, chewing away.
"Of course," Nick nodded, springing up from the bed as Judy munched. "Sit tight, I'll get the rest of your things. We're supposed to get out of her by midnight, after all."
"Oh, that's right!" Judy exclaimed, making to get up guiltily. She had all but forgotten the purpose of their passage at her flat, what with her many thoughts taking over.
"Short term memory loss, so common among rabbits," Nick said breezily, waving a paw at her. "Eat the pie Carrots, you'll offend my Mom's cooking if you combine enjoying it with something else. I'll get your stuff, don't sweat."
"Kay," Judy replied, subsiding and watching Nick as he pulled the last odds and ends she'd left behind and stuffed them in a carrier bag. The little room looked quite forlorn and somehow even smaller once all of Judy's memorabilia was removed. She could swear there was an echo when one spoke now, though the size of the flat would hardly have credited it.
"All good?" Nick asked her, as she finished the pie and wiped her paws.
Judy looked round the flat, ostentatiously checking if anything was left behind, though in fact she was quite sure that they'd gotten everything now. Indeed, the flat was so miniscule that it would have been hard to miss any item still lingering there.
"All good," she said, not moving from her spot.
Nick opened the door and exited with the bag under his arm; he didn't call over his shoulder though or urge her on, and Judy appreciated his understanding. Left alone in the room that had been hers for those first eventful years at Zootropolis, Judy looked around as if for the first time. She remembered arriving there at the opening of her career so well, like it had been yesterday, and yet so much had happened. She had not even met Nick yet, she remmebered with a jolt, nor had she met Bogo or Clawhauser or anyone else at the ZPD when she first stepped over the threshold of the little place. She had been so naive, the little bunny full of dreams, arriving at the big city. Things had definitely turned out differently than she had imagined. They had turned out better, she told herself firmly. This last observation (and the pie, one can imagine) heartened her suddenly and made her feel quite sure that, somehow, everything would work out just fine with their current predicament.
Judy patted the foot of her little bed (no longer hers) briefly before leaving the flat.
"Thanks," she whispered to the flat in general and exited for the last time, shutting the door behind her and arriving on the scene of Nick exchanging pleasantries with her neighbours Gary and Bucky (if, by pleasantries, one could call the suspicious inquiries of the two noisy flatmates asking suspiciously just where the fox was leading their neighbour away too, and Nick's solemn assurances that he had no plans of eating Miss Hopps (that he was dieting and cutting out protein in general). Judy told both Gary and Bucky heartily that she'd be well, that she'd drop by and visit some time (she was careful to give no specific date and avoid outright promising) and then she pulled Nick away, bag in tow, with the pretext that she had to return her keys before midnight struck and she'd have to pay the late fee.
"No, it really is far from being a typical Sunday evening for you Judy Hopps," the rabbit told herself even later, when she was finally back in her new room at the penthouse, and changing into some PJs. She avoided glancing at her bedside clock, because she knew the hour was way more advanced than her usual 'weeknight' curfew. And she felt so wired up from all of the events of the last few days, if not weeks, that she felt quite sure sleep would be impossible even when she did pop into bed. Getting up tomorrow morning would not be easy.
"All good Carrots?" came Nick's voice from the living room.
"Yup," Judy called back, before giving her PJs a final tug, and emerging into the common room the two shared. Nick was lounging on the couch, sipping something from from a steaming mug.
"Not coffee at this hour surely?" Judy asked,, amused. She noticed that Nick was as of yet dressed in the same clothes in which he had come in, with no signs of getting ready for sleep. She wondered suddenly whether he were not an animal that retired to bed very late on a daily basis, she had no idea what his normal hours were. It was one of the many things she would undoubtedly discover about her new housemate, she mused, and living together suddenly became incredibly real.
"There's such a thing as decaf Rabbit," Nick replied in dignified tones. "You've maybe heard of it."
"Maybe I have," Judy agreed amiably, perching on the couch's armrest and dangling her feet in the air. "But, decaf or not, you drink way too much coffee Nicholas Piberius."
"I knew you'd start in on that soon as we were done moving," Nick said airily. "I intend to resist as much as I can though. Show some spirit. Fox kind of thing."
"Yeah, right," Judy replied, rolling her eyes and choosing not to parry with a joke at the expense of fox-kind following Nick's last remark.
This brief exchange was followed by a lingering stretch of silence, as Judy fell back into her reverie and Nick finished his decaf unhurriedly, his green eyes directed at the winking starrs that were just discernible in the midnight blue sky overhead, the oval ceiling window providing an unobscured view.
"What's on your mind Carrots?" Nick asked finally, setting his mug down on the coffee table with a minute 'chink'.
"Come again?" Judy asked, startled.
""You're sitting there like you've been turned to stone, chin in paw," Nick told her dryly. "Keep up the worrying like this and you'll go nuts. Take my word for it."
"Yes, yes, I know," Judy agreed absently, rubbing her temples. "It's just, it feels like everything has piled up out of nowhere. We were going to move into the penthouse, so that was awesome, but then we had to borrow money... so Mister Big got involved, with everything that that implies. But we were going to pay back the money anyhow, sooner or later, and then pow! Along comes this Mister Savage out of nowhere, like a toadstool popping up after the rain with his threats. Are they empty threats? Or does he know we are involved with Big? Whom is he working for? I feel like I'm going round in circles here Nick, and I had that idea, that if we earned more, if we pass the exams, we might pay our way out of this blessed debt sooner, and then Savage won't have anymore leverage-"
"That may be true," Nick said slowly, cutting across her, his face rather serious for once. "But you know, it might just be a bluff, the whole act where he pretends he has something on you. Your conscience is acting up because you feel guilty about the borrowed money, and you forget that that... rabbit has his own agenda."
It felt like they were in the office, talking over some case, for they often bounced ideas back and forth like this, asking for one another's opinion. Judy looked at Nick questioningly.
"Savage, when he was pretending to be a hare," Nick said ponderingly. "He was trying to get at you before we got the house... before he could ever have known that you had borrowed money from Big."
"That's right," Judy agreed, racking her brains. "He had gone to my parents' place, and he pretended he was 'collaborating' with Gideon. He was trying to talk to me. And what about... remember, when he finally got the chance today, what he asked about were the Night Howlers."
"Always back to that cursed Night Howlers case," Nick mumbled wearily. "That'll be at the bottom of this, believe you me. That weasel of a rabbit has to get his paws on some serum and sell it to someone, I'm telling you."
"Maybe you're right," Judy said, chewing her lip." But for whom? And what should we do if he is? I could try and talk to Bogo I guess, but then I'd have to get into the whole story, including the penthouse deal, and that's off. It would be great if we could sniff around on our own first, but where to start, we've really got no leads..."
"That's really something you should have learned by now Carrots, particularly considering you're aiming to be the boss sometime," Nick told her reproachfully, and when she asked 'what?', the fox supplied easily, "Why, ask for help of course."
"Help? That's just what I was talking about, asking Bogo," Judy shrugged.
"Naw, not old Chief Buffalo Horns," Nick shook his head. "We should get some input from freinds though, friends who might have heard of Savage, friends who have spent time on the same side of society as he has, see ?"
"Whom are you talking about?" Judy asked, wishing to know before committing herself with an answer.
"Well, your tiny rodent friend, Mrs Grande aka old FruFru could have unexpected insights," Nick suggested "You should invite her over as soon as you can - ask her how she's getting on with that hair salon idea too, that'll help us with our debt-cancelling plans - and ask her if she ever heard of Savage from her father or anyone."
"She might know something," Judy agreed thoughtfully. she took a snap decision. "I'll invite her to dinner tomorrow, tell her to come and see how we've settled things at the penthouse. Then I can bring it up."
"I'll grab some take-out on the way back from work," Nick suggested. "Then you won't have to prepare anything, just ask Mrs Shrew-daughter at what time she'd be available."
"That's nice of you," Judy smiled. "But I don't even know if you should bother, that's what's so convenient about inviting FruFru over to eat you know, she barely eats anything compared to us—"
"She might not," Nick agreed with a grin. "But the tiny fennecy fox sure eats a lot, last time I checked."
"Finnick?" Judy asked in amazement. "Are you going to ask him over tomorrow too?"
"I said friends Carrots, the more insights we get the better," Nick reiterated. "Don't worry about Mister Finnicky, he may seem rough around the edges, but we can trust him, and he knows the who's whom of the criminal world pretty well."
"I'd have thought you did too," Judy commented. "I'm pretty surprised you haven't heard of Savage Nick."
"He could have had his moment of fame before I – arrived on the scene – so to speak," Nick shrugged. "All the more reason to ask Big's daughter or the finicky fox, they'll have intel that dates back before what I've got."
"What I wonder is," Judy said in bemusement, "how they'll like each other as dinner companions. Only one way to know I guess; I'll text FruFru straight off."
She did as much, and was surprised to find it allowed her to sleep soundly soon afterwards, as if the fact of having done something to throw light on their muddled mess of a situation helped calm her in itself, though the outcome of the attempt was still uncertain.
It was a good thing she had tonight's dinner party to look forward to, Judy decided the next day. Because she did look forward to it, she found, to her surprise. She always enjoyed hanging out with FruFru (who had responded with an enthusiastic 'yes' to Judy's invitation) and even though she did not know Finnick too closely, Judy found herself pleased that he'd be coming over too. He had known Nick since years after all, and Nick said he could be trusted, that was more than enough to consider him a friend. And this was, the young rabbit officer realized with a jolt, exactly what had pushed her towards the idea of moving homes. She had wanted to have some space to entertain friends, to have them over for a bite and a chat without having to sit on one another's heads. Well, it was becoming a reality and, even though the motive of the dinner she was to throw was somewhat heavy, anticipate it gladly she did.
"I'm heading out with McHorn after lunch," Nick said, popping his head in the office door. "Chief wants a Senior and a Junior Officer to sweep the alleys of Tundra following that drug smuggling tip-off."
"Good idea," Judy nodded. "You should be sent out on more sweeps anyhow, it's only your second year."
"Please," Nick rolled his eyes heavenwards. "Like I wasn't already 'sweeping' the back streets of Tundra when I was barely as tall as your desk. I'm just telling you cause I said I'd pick up the food for tonight – dunno what time we'll wrap up with McHorn, so I guess we'll head home our separate ways, right? Tell me what you want for take-out then, Thai OK?"
"Ooh, yes!" Judy exclaimed happily, bouncing up and down on her chair. "Get me something with plenty of vegetables and anything stir-fried for FruFru, ok?"
"Will do," Nick replied, waving his paw as he disappeared, pulling the door shut behind him.
"What time did you tell Finnick to come over?"
"Around eight pm, gives you plenty of time to finish up here," Nick called from the corridor.
"Don't forget to pick up something for desert!" Judy called urgently after him.
She heard her friend and partner laugh in reply to her last request, obviously indicating that there was absolutely no risk of his forgetting the sweets. Judy turned back to her papers with a small smile. It was so convenient, this living with Nick thing; here they'd be having friends over in the evening and she didn't even have to take care of the food or anything.
The sun broke through her office window and painted a cheery leaf-pattern motif on the top of her desk, all across the scattered documents, her mug of herbal tea and her pens. Judy glanced wistfully outside; she would have loved to head out and handle the 'sweep' in Tundra with Nick. But no, it was one of those Mondays when Bogo had apparently gotten up on the wrong hoof and started the week by breathing down all his officers' necks. All Senior Officers had to file any paperwork that was late by the end of the day. Judy was never late, as a general rule, but she had avoided as long as possible a specific report detailing how she was coming along with the verification of several diamonds she and Nick had taken from a certain walrus businessman.
Judy remembered their intervention in Aquatica with a shudder and glanced over at the little safe that stood in the back of the office she shared with Nick. The diamond specimen had been stored away inside of it after coming back from the lab with the results of an expert's analysis. The results were far from intriguing; it seemed so far that the walrus had been completely honest with them, that the stones were in fact, as he had said, diamanté – no, wait, it was the other one, wasn't it – brillianté – oh, cream cheese, Judy had no head for technical terms as far as jewellery went. One way or another, the moment would soon arrive when she had zero pretext remaining for keeping the precious stones from their owner, when she'd have to return them. But she'd promised Big she'd show him a sample. Of ZPD evidence! Judy groaned and whacked a paw on her forehead. Never would she ever ask for a criminal lord's help again if she managed to wriggle her way out of this one, she vowed.
Her phone buzzed.
"Hopps here," she said shortly, grabbing the receiver. "Hey Ben," she added a touch softer, as Clawhauser's cheerful voice came down the line. "What's up?"
"We're snowed in here, that's what," came the cheetah's voice. "The Chief seems to think we need about five times our normal workload to keep busy today. Any-hoo, that's what I was buzzing you for – Chief asked to see you."
"Uh-huh," Judy said with a groan. "Any idea what for?"
"Nope," Clawhauser replied. Judy could hear him chewing on what she could only suppose was a donut. "I heard Francine saying he had too many cases to go over and file and was looking for a victim to help him out though."
"Yippee," Judy grumbled, laying her receiver down and getting up. She stretched before dragging her feet over to the door and grabbing the doorknob. At the mention of Francine's name, she remembered that she had been meaning to ask her elephant colleague about the State Exams during the day (the elephant had sat for them a couple of years back) but had never gotten the chance what with one thing and another. Judy wondered ominously whether climbing the career ladder in the Force would indeed mean less and less raids and outings and street work and more and more paperwork and office hours.
Jack Savage's opinions and comments came to her mind unbidden, as did his his assurance that working as a private eye was much more rewarding than working as an officer on the Force, both in satisfaction and in monetary compensation. Judy pushed the memory back firmly, straightened her back, held her chin a little higher and headed over to the Chief's office.
It had been a very long Monday. Judy pulled herself away from her desk at length; reluctant to leave the couple of files that still needed tending to. Once outside in the balmy perfumed air that was so typical of a spring already hinting strongly that summer was nearby, she found herself smiling. Nick had texted her that he'd finished his work for the day and was heading back home, reassuring her (in jokey terms) that he had not forgotten or mixed up the take-out orders she had asked him to collect on his way.
This was going to be an enjoyable evening, Judy told herself happily, hopping along the sidewalk as quickly as she could. It was easy, after all, to switch off the flow of her thoughts still swerving and flitting around the many case files she had taken care of during the day and turn to more cheery matters, such as wondering whether she could offer FruFru some of the spicy cinnamon infusion she'd purchased the other day after the meal (did she have something that could serve as a tiny teacup and saucer?) and worrying over whether the penthouse were sufficiently decked out to receive guests (she had been planning to change the coffee table, the one they had recuperated did not match the sofa after all).
She need not have preoccupied herself over the effect the penthouse had on her guests.
"Oh Judy," FruFru chimed in her high-pitched voice, clasping her paws over her chest complacently. "This is very nice! How cosy! SO much more homey than last time, you've really added some fine touches here and there. Those flowers peeking in through the windows, I love them! So bright! The sofa is so comfy, let me stretch out my paws."
The shrew proceeded to do just so, sinking onto the couch with a sigh of contentment, after depositing tiny JuJu the toddler at her side. One of the huge polar bear bodyguards that seemed to always hover around the Big family, after seeing that FruFru was safely installed in the penthouse with her daughter, headed out through the backdoor into the garden, presumably to await the end of the soirée, when his minute mistresses were to be collected and brought away. Judy threw the large receding animal an amused look, before turning to FruFru.
"Want a drink FruFru?" she asked, pulling some bottles out of the fridge.
"Oh, let's have some veggie fizz if you've got any – is that apple soda in your paws? That'll do just fine," FruFru requested, waving a paw.
"Coming up," Judy replied readily, carefully picking up the thimble she had prepared to serve as a cup for her small friend, and balancing it over the kitchen sink to put a couple of drops into it.
FruFru accepted the drink with a happy word of thanks, followed by a steady flow of chatter that seemed to revolve around itty JuJu and her remarkable progress as well as FruFru's ambitious plans for her hair salon project. Judy was well gratified to attend to her friend, who was obviously enjoying herself immensely; her sharp rabbit ears picked up Nick's voice approaching steadily outside the front door, accompanied by peals of laughter in a low rumbly voice she recognized with ease. Evidently, Nick's guest had arrived as well.
This was confirmed a second later as Nick made his entrance into the living room, closely followed by Finnick. The shorter fox stopped in the doorway, cocked his head to one side and took the room in in one sweeping curious glance. The small domain was very attractive, with the last bright colours of the cloudless sunset pouring in through the many windows, not the last of which was the huge oval opening in the ceiling. Judy was stationed behind the kitchen counter, pouring out drinks and transferring the take-out onto some plates; Nick was bending over the back of the sofa to greet FruFru and her child, letting the latter catch his thumb, much to her amusement. Finnick shook his head slightly at the scene, as if in answer to some thoughts of his own; what they were Judy had no idea because his one greeting was to thrust a couple of bottles at her as she came over to say hey and to remark in a gruff voice "Nice place you've fixed up here."
"Thanks," Judy said, the corners of her mouth twitching, as she put the bottles into the fridge to cool, alongside the selection of cakes FruFru had brought as a gift. Between that and the ice cream Nick had bought on his way home, they would not be lacking in the desert department, Jody thought in satisfaction.
Finnick was over at the couch, bending over to shake FruFru's paw after Nick.
"Mrs FruFru Grande, née Big," Judy heard FruFru trill in reply to the fennec's inquiry. Glancing over at the two animals shaking paws (Finnick taking care not to squash FruFru's delicate fingers) Judy had a queer feeling that each animal had already known the other's identity in advance.
It crossed her mind that she was in the presence of nobody but criminals, ex-criminals and criminal family members.
"Way to go for the opening dinner at Zootopia's penthouse," she thought wryly, as she headed over to the sofa bearing bowls of noodles for her guests.
It was lucky, all in all, that FruFru and JuJu were so small. All five animals present fit comfortably on the couch as it were, but Judy noted mentally that they would have to get some armchairs to match the sofa if they counted on entertaining a larger company some day (or larger company, as it were).
She had been wondering if conversation would be strained at first, but she need not have held any apprehensions on that subject. FruFru was quite the socialite, with many anecdotes under her belt, which she apparently adapted to the company present. Instead of her usual gossipy yarns about fashion and hairdos, the kind of talk they had when they met one on one with Judy, FruFru was telling them a story about some wolf builders that had been contracted to finish off a new wing of her father's house, and had apparently tried to swindle Mister Big out of his cash, playing on the price of timber. As she described how her father had let the animals believe they were getting the upper paw in the affair, Finnick lolled on the couch, in stitches from laughing too hard. Judy thought sourly that she knew the end of the story before it was told, and that it was probably the icing of the tale. She wondered whether Finnick enjoyed the story so much because the laughter was at the expense of wolves.
"How funny," Nick said amiably, and Judy bit her lip at the recollection that he had also been responsible for trying to swindle Mister Big once. Well, once only to her knowledge.
"Oh, it was," FruFru replied, giggling and wiping away tears of mirth. "I was only a young girl at the time, but I remember how amusing it was."
Judy perked up at those words. It seemed like an ideal opening for the subject she was hoping to breach.
"Speaking of long ago," was how she started, and Nick looked up at her, his gaze alert. "I was wondering FruFru if I could ask you about something.. about someone that is."
"Of course Sweety?" FruFru was busily cutting her one noodle into bite-size pieces on her tiny makeshift plate.
"It so happens that I," Judy picked her words carefully. "Was approached by this… well, this rabbit, who seems to be a rather shady character. I wanted to ask you, well, if you knew anything about him…" she broke off, hearing how her question sounded when voiced out loud.
FruFru seemed unperturbed.
"I might, if he's ever had dealings with Daddy," she said matter-of-factly, showing that she understood the tone of the question perfectly. "Do you have a name?"
"Yes," Judy cleared her throat. "I don't know if it's an alias though. He goes by Savage – Jack Savage—"
The reaction of her guests was immediate as soon as she had spoken. Both Finnick and FruFru snapped to attention sharply, eyes fixed on Judy.
"Savage?" FruFru echoed, and
"That rabbit? No way," Finnick muttered in disbelief.
Both turned to look at each other, following their words.
"You have heard the story, Mister Finnick?" FruFru asked, somewhat surprised.
"It's just Finnick, without the 'Mister." The fennec fox replied. "And I've heard it all right. Had a front seat, you coulda said."
"Ah," FruFru pushed her noodle around unnecessarily on its plate. "Yes I see. Given your species…"
Judy and Nick watched their friends in surprise; they had hardly dared to receive such a ready reaction.
"I've never heard you mention the animal," Nick told Finnick. "Or any story."
"It's been long ago," the latter replied. "What's the use of picking over by-gones?"
"There would be if the rabbit has sailed back into the scene," FruFru replied tensely. "How about you tell what you know, Finnick sir, and we compare our versions of the tale?"
"How about you tell it?" Finnick offered. "Seems like you're better with words."
"Very well," FruFru rubbed her snout thoughtfully, looking up at Judy in earnest. "Though I hardly know where to begin… I've heard the story long ago, I was a teen. How old can Savage be? He must have barely been in his twenties, he can't be many years my senior. He was in the business you see, and very promising… I heard Daddy speak about him sometimes, I'd never heard him praise a rabbit's work before."
"In the business?.." Judy asked delicately.
"Oh, he was a double-agent, presumably working for the feds, but actually getting intel for Daddy and Daddy's.. business associates," Judy said brightly. "He was really good too apparently, they never doubted a thing on the other side."
"Where's the proof he wasn't swindling your Pop in truth?" Finnick asked her darkly.
"Don't ask me, I never got too involved in Daddy's business," FruFru replied haughtily."I reckon Daddy knew what he was about though. And the rabbit was very bright, I tell you. He wasn't an officer at the bureau, of course, that was before the mammal inclusion program. He was signed on as some assistant I think. But in reality he tracked down animals of interest for both sides it seems. That's the, thing with being a double agent, isn't it? You're in so deep both ends, no one knows where the truth is anymore."
"I heard he worked a couple of assassination jobs," Finnick put in brightly, causing Judy to gag on her mouthful of rice.
"I don't know if that's true," FruFru frowned. "That animal can shoot a dart gun pretty well though I reckon. Is it really him you've met though Judy? How can you be sure? Even if he says it's him, Jack Savage has been out of sight for years…"
"He has pale blue eyes, and these dark stripes on his face and ears," Judy supplied, casting her memory back to the encounters she'd had with the sombre personage.
"Stripes? That'll be him," FruFru said heavily. "Daddy had mentioned that, he had never been sure whether that was natural, and he had never seen another rabbit like that. And rabbits are numerous in the world, mind you."
"They are," Judy agreed with a faint smile and a thought for Bunnyburrow. "So… why did he disappear from sight then?"
"Oh, it's a whole story Dear," FruFru shook her head. "And not a very nice one at that," she covered tiny JuJu's ears, as if the toddler could understand what they were discussing, causing the latter to look up at her mother in surprise and squeak. "You see, on one occasion Mister Savage was asked to investigate this other mammal… a fox, it was a fox. The fox was involved in some business too—"
"Upscale hustler," Finnick cut in. "She was damn good."
"She?" Judy asked in surprise.
"Was not the name Skye, Finnick, sir?" FruFru asked politely.
"Now that name rings a bell," Nick exclaimed.
"Course it does," Finnicke replied testily. "It was a fox, an arctic fox. She was damn good at our line of work. You're bound to have heard her name Nick, she's the one who invented partner hustling, ya know."
"Very impressive," FruFru commented dryly, as Nick nodded and said,
"I've heard the name, but I've never met the animal, I'm sure."
"You will not have, Nicholas," FruFru agreed. "She was there… before your time, one might say. She would have been a bit older than you."
"And what, retired early?" Nick asked in amusement. Then he blinked. "Don't tell me Savage was hired to assassinate her? A hustler, for heaven's sake!"
"She was upscale, like Finnick said," FruFru said, shrugging. "I think she would have been responsible for the division of the city into areas of interest, deciding who works which sector, that sort of thing. She was cut above your average hustler, see. In any case, whether Mister Savage was sent to investigate Miss Skye, or to murder her, or to negotiate some deal, I do not know. I just know he was called in for some job that involved her."
Judy longed to ask whether indeed it was Big who had hired Savage for this job or not, but refrained from doing so for the time being.
"Whatever the case," FruFru went on. "It seems that Mister Savage tracked Miss Skye down alright, but could not get what information he wanted out of her, it seems she eluded him pretty successfully, much to his rage."
"Dumb bunny," Finnick jeered, before remembering Judy's presence and throwing her an apologetic guilty look. Judy smiled at him, to show it was OK.
"It was quite the cat-and-mouse-chase story, it went on for weeks," FruFru said reminiscently. "Daddy would laugh about it with his cronies. Mister Savage would be a paw stretch away from cornering Miss Skye, and then he would corner her, but it'd be in a crowded restaurant or somewhere like that, where he could only talk to her but without really saying anything menacing. She laughed in his face, it seems, always one step ahead. Drove the poor rabbit clean distracted."
Judy rather felt she liked this Miss Skye who thwarted Savage's attempts at getting at her so effectively. She imagined Miss Frost in her mind's eye instead of the Miss Skye she had never seen. Miss Frost was, after all, the only arctic fox Judy knew.
"Animals who were in the business were placing bets on the outcome of the tale, I remember," FruFru laughed, shaking her head. "Savage or Skye, who comes out on top? I guess Mister Savage did not expect a simple hustler to be quite so intelligent. He'd come to her flat, only it turned out she'd moved. He'd come to a drop-off point, only she'd changed it. Yes, he only got to come face to face with her in public areas… they were seen talking almost civilly at many receptions. Miss Skye was quite the socialite, and so pretty. She had the nicest silk dresses! And so many diamonds as she'd wear! Daddy was highly amused by the affair for a while back there. Everyone was."
"For a while," Finnick confirmed, seemingly unnecessarily.
"How did it end?" Judy asked, watching FruFru. Nick was following the tale closely as well.
"Well," FruFru said. Judy was surprised to see her friend stall. The shrew smoothed her (as usual resplendent) hairstyle though there was no need for that and examined her impeccable claws closely.
"He didn't kill her?" Judy asked, aghast.
"Oh, no no!" FruFru looked up at the rabbit wide-eyed. "Nothing like that. No… well. I was not a front row spectator in this story, mind you, I only know what I heard, bits and pieces here and there… This is also Finnick's case, I gather," the shrew looked imploringly at the fennec at this.
Finnick was piling sauce on his share of noodles with an air of one not following the conversation. It was obvious that he was leaving FruFru the care of recounting the story's climax. Nick and Judy exchanged bemused glances as FruFru plunged on.
"What I've heard.. ahem," she coughed daintily. "Is that Mister Savage ended up… quite… taken with his adversary."
Judy stared at FruFru, uncomprehending.
"Enamoured," the shrew clarified apologetically.
This was more clear, yet Judy gaped at her friend, unable to process this incredible information. By her side, Nick gave an astonished muffled exclamation.
"Yes, you may well be surprised," FruFru nodded darkly. "It's provoking, isn't it? More to the effect, it seems that the feeling was mutual—"
Finnick let out an angry protest at this, apparently defending the honour of foxes everywhere.
"Oh come now Finnick," FurFru said haughtily. "You can hardly deny as much. Evryone said so. And I must say, given that Miss Skye – Mrs Skye I should say – was a married mother, it is all the more shocking that –"
"She was married? With kits?" Judy gasped.
"She was a widow," Finnick grumbled.
"Yes, and a very recent one, dating more or less from the time Savage entered the scene, I take it?" FruFru shot back.
"What's that mean?" Finnick retorted.
"It means this story is full of too many dark twists and turns that we can't shed any light on, Finnick sir," FruFru replied majestically, shrugging in a supreme fashion. "All we can state is what facts we know."
"It would not have helped Skye none, plotting to kill her husband anyhow," Finnick said triumphantly. "She found herself with them kits on her paws and no means of income in the end."
"I thought she was an incredible hustler?" Judy asked, pulling her ears in agitation. "How come she was left without any money all of a sudden?"
"Because her father, who was a big-shot in the business, made her face an imperative, following her husband's demise," FruFru explained. "He told her she'd have to move to the countryside across the North Sea, raise her kits there, they had some family back there it seems. Told her to leave Zootropolis and her work, go live as a house fox up yonder. And you can shake your head all you like Finnick, but you know he threatened her he'd dispose of Savage in the long run if she resisted."
"Rubbish," Finnick muttered, but without any real assurance in his tone.
"Be that as it may, she did go off," FruFru said. "She sailed on one of those big ships that cross the harbour. And I will bet you anything she'd arranged to meet Savage across the channel. The rabbit agent was strangely absentissime from social circles at the time. Bizarre coincidence, you know."
"Did they meet?" Judy asked.
FruFru shook her head.
"Chance would have been a fine thing, Sweety. But we are to believe that a gale descended on the vessel on the middle of a fine June afternoon and everyone present was drowned."
"Creamy vanilla frosting!"
"Yes, I agree with you, my dear," FruFru nodded sadly. "And when you think that she had three little kits…"
"Four," Finnick corrected her quietly.
"Who do you suppose was responsible for drowning the ship then?" Judy asked.
"I always thought it was her family," FruFru shrugged.
"Foxes don't kill their own!" Finnick shot up.
"Finnick, sir, be reasonable," FruFru said, shaking her head. "You will have heard of what old Mister Snow was like… and you can agree that if one of his daughters had indeed fallen for… really, the shame for the family… and this was some years back, mind you, mammals were even more close-minded back then," FruFru grimaced with her tiny snout.
"And Savage disappeared after that?" Judy asked.
FruFru smiled crookedly.
"Well," she said heavily. "I hear he burned down all the storage houses where Skye's father kept his stolen goods. Back up in Tundra Town, it wasn't so far from our place. I remember seeing the flames. The fire lasted a whole day, and then half the night. And then yes, yes, then he was nowhere to be seen or heard of."
"So… it was a tragic love story," Judy pronounced, just to try and get her mind around it.
And suddenly, at her side, Nick, who had been nearly silent through the whole recital, let out in a feeling voice, "Poor animal!"
Judy looked at him in surprise, about to inquire who exactly he meant; both Finnick and FruFru turned to look at Nick too at nearly the same moment. This sudden attention made the red-furred fox snap back to reality, he got up with a lot of unnecessary fuss, laughing.
"What a morbid story! We've made you go over it at length, Mrs Grande. Who wants desert? High time to remember something fun," Nick sprang over to the fridge as he spoke.
Judy scratched her head, still dazed at the unexpected tale she'd heard.
"That's the first time I'd ever heard of a rabbit and a fox falling for each other," she commented, half to her astonished self, and half to say something to the other two who still sat on the couch.
To her surprise, Finnick looked away from her, fidgeting with his plate, and FruFru gave her a somewhat strange, lopsided smile, before busying herself in catching JuJu and making the child squeal with delight.
The cakes and ice cream were served in total silence.
Yikes! That's a bit of a mess, isn't it? :) No worries, I'm sure our heroes will pull through.
As usual, feel free to share your thoughts and feedback in the reviews section.
A note is needed so far as 'Skye' is concerned - this is not a wholly original character, as I have been stumbling across her in the fandom. What I have not yet discovered is whether she is someone's OC or a character that was supposed to have taken part in the film's first versions. Anyone have any info on that feel free to share, as well as any discussions on the topic of the day - what do you guys think of this Skye character? Or of Jack Savage now for that matter?
A sketch of Nick is up for you guys on irina-bourry dot deviantart dot com and on irina-bourry dot tumblr dot com.
And of course, don't forget our fanart/fanfiction contest that will run until September the 5th! There is still time! Read the Author's note from the previous chapter for more info; to the people who have submitted entries so far, well done! Looking good.
See you September 5th with the next chapter, and to announce the close of our contest! :) Have a greet week everyone!