Chapter 22 For Whom the Bellwether Tolls
Edited by R3D Fawkes & KungFuFreak07
AN: Thanks to Sarcasm_is_our_Strength in helping me fix a certain plot hole. Thanks Sarcasm!
"Is there another way out of this building?" Nick asked suddenly, taking several steps back from the window, fur bristling and tail standing straight out behind him.
Judy turned to her friend, "What do you mean… Nick?" She looked in confusion as Nick scooted further back into the room, his fur standing on edge and his expression a mix of confusion, anger and fear. "Are you ok?"
"Oh, Capitán Hopps!" a cheery voice called from downstairs, followed by a loud giggling sound. "Are you home?"
Judy started for the door, giving her companion a worried glance as she passed him… or would have passed him if not for his outstretched paw stopping her in her tracks. Finding herself in a sudden state of confusion, the worried face of Nick looking down at her didn't help the situation at all.
Why is he so… afraid of her?
The fox looked down at her, as if he was studying her. "Be careful, Judy," Nick finally stated. "That ewe is not what she seems."
Judy slowly nodded, "Thank you Nick, though I need to meet the Magistrate now, so..."
"Oh, right..." Nick muttered, drawing his paw back to scratch at the back of his head. "I'll just… try and slip out when she isn't looking."
Together, the two descended the stairs, Judy making it to the door just as it banged open, a long dark shadow stepping into the room.
"Why, this place hasn't changed in the least," the visitor giggled, adjusting her glasses. "Same musty air, same drab colors..." Walking further into the room, and right past the confused bunny, the ewe swiped her hoof across a desk, grimacing at the line of dust that came off with it. "Same dust bunnies even."
"Magistrate Bellwether, I presume?" Judy finally responded, giving the ewe a crisp salute. "Welcome to Fort Zootopia. We would have prepared for your arrival but had not expected you so soon."
The sheep turned, a huge grin on her face. "Oh, aren't you the tiniest Capitán I have ever seen! So small I could have one of my tigers crush you into gory bits."
"Eheh..." Judy stared in puzzlement at the rather morbid comment, her salute falling to her side. Choosing to ignore the comment, Judy extended her paw, hoping maybe the ewe would recognize that friendly gesture at least.
The ewe walked right past her, jumping onto a cushy chair in a corner. "I hope you haven't been enjoying the Capitán's quarters too much, Dust-Bunny," she began, staring at the rabbit. "As this is my room now. Please make sure you clean out your personal effects from the upstairs room before my tigers bring in my own supplies."
"Ma'am..?"
What is this sheep's problem? Judy wondered, before looking around the room to see where Nick was, spotting the fox sneaking around the far wall, almost to the door when an uncharacteristic growl came from the chair opposite both the fox and rabbit.
"Oh, I see the pelt is still here. Guess he must always stalk after the female Capitán's here. Must be in his nature."
"Magistrate Bellwether, that is completely uncalled for and-" Judy began, only to be waved off by the ewe.
"Oh, can it Dust Bunny. Dismiss the trash so we can discuss business."
Internally fuming now, Judy was about to speak her mind, when Nick interrupted her thoughts. "No need to get yourself into trouble, Capitán Hopps," the fox began. "I'll just be going."
"Good decision, Trash," Bellwether giggled, waving her paw as if dismissing the fox. "And thank you for reminding Dust Bunny here of her place in society, hehe." The door opened again, allowing the fox to sneak out as a tiger bringing in several large suitcases came through the door. The ewe clapped her paws and giggled. "Oh, looks like you failed your first mission, Dusty." Motioning her hoof towards the stairs, the tiger nodded, frowning as he passed by the small sheep before trudging up the stairs.
"Make sure you toss the bunnies stuff out the window when you get up there," Bellwether shouted at the tiger as another feline walked through the door, carrying several more suitcases.
Judy's eyes widened in alarm, before she sprinted up the stairs after the tiger.
That stupid sheep! Judy growled internally as she picked up her scattered belongings from the outside of her former office and home. Picking up one of her spare uniform tops, she dusted it off, frowning as she saw a brown smudge on the lapel where it had landed in some mud. No wonder why Nick was so nervous around her with how she treated him.
As her paw reached for one of her pairs of breeches, another paw accidentally touched her own. Startled, she looked up to the see the torch key raccoon from earlier stepping backwards.
"Sorry," he muttered, scratching at the back of his head. "Thought you might like some help cleaning up after..."
"It's alright," Judy calmed, grabbing the pants, folding, then putting them into her rucksack. "I don't have much but any help would be appreciated. By the way, I don't think we've been properly introduced. Capitán Hopps."
"Private Max Thrash," the raccoon supplied, shaking the bunny's paw. "How long have you been commanding this post, Capitán Hopps?"
"Two weeks," the rabbit stated with a huff. "Though it looks as though now it will be in name only."
"Sorry about the Magistrate, she's a bit of a jerk."
Judy eyed him curiously, making the raccoon laughed nervously. "What, we all think that of her, besides her four bodyguards. She treats everyone like scums, especially foxes."
Judy's curiosity was now peaked. "Why, 'especially foxes'?"
"Don't know the reason," the private replied as he helped pick up a few loose shirts, passing them along to the bunny as a second soldier came and began to help gather her belongings from the dirt. "She just hates them, which is probably why Don Wilde was leaving in such a hurry."
"You know Nick?" Judy blurted. "I mean, you know Don Wilde?"
The raccoon smirked. "Oh, so you're on a first name basis with him already?" He waggled his eyebrows as the bunny blushed.
"Private..." she warned, just the barest whisper of a fond smile grazing at her lips.
"Alright, alright," he laughed, putting his paws in the air. "I know when to assume silence is better than conversation."
Both mammals had a good laugh at that as they, and now several other soldiers, had come to clean up the last bits articles of Judy's clothing, none of them even offering a snicker at how red Corporal Wolford turned when he accidentally picked up her underwear. Judy was grateful for the respect they were showing her, especially with how callous their recent guest was.
It made her heart well with pride for her soldiers when she heard them walking away, muttering curses about how the ewe had treated their Capitána. If she could, and if it were proper, she would have hugged all of them in that moment, though as she couldn't she made a mental note instead to have the galley cook break out extra rations that night or give him some money to buy an extra large cake in town.
Hopefully it would make it past Clawhauser this time.
"Ugh, now where did that Dust Bunny hop off to?"
Judy rolled her eyes, putting on the most forced cheerful smile as she turned around to see the mammal she was quickly growing to despise.
"Oh, there you went!" Bellwether giggled, clapping her hooves together. "Now, if you would be so kind as to fetch me some tea. Not that poor substitute you have in the galley, but some nice tea from in town… Porkshire Gold, if they have any."
Judy's eyes widened. "I don't have enough to buy that...!"
"Oh, ho… but of course you can," Bellwether giggled. "I'm sure that there are a few male bunnies that could use your, ahem, services, that would give you enough funds to buy it for me. Now shoo, I want my tea and I want it yesterday."
Mouth agape, Judy's mind didn't register anything after the insinuation that the ewe had made about her. She wants me to sell... Judy growled as her foot began thumping against the ground so quickly it became a blur. If she thinks for one moment that I'm going to do something like that...
Furious couldn't begin to describe her mood as Judy stormed out of the fort, heading into town while inventing all sorts of devious things to do to that sheep's tea. Could always get a panda to poop in it… she thought darkly. Some seem to like that...*
As she stormed out, she didn't even notice the pair of green eyes watching her, nor saw the red furred paw reaching out to grab her shoulder.
" Capitán Hopps?" a voice called out as Judy grabbed the paw on her shoulder and twirled it around as she herself turned, flipping over the mammal who had grabbed her. In an instant her rage was replaced by worry as the elegantly dressed fox groaned.
"Remind me call out to you next time..." Don Wilde weakly chuckled. "That was a, how do you say it, amazing move?"
Judy couldn't help but tease her friend as she offered him a paw up. "Yes, that is how you say 'amazing', so you aced that, Slick."
"Flipped into that one..." the fox laughed as he dusted himself off, a slight blush creeping into his ears as Judy began brushing off his chest, her paw's movement growing slower with each sweep until she held it against his chest, feeling his racing heartbeat through their touch.
Noticing what she was doing, she pulled the paw back, laughing nervously as the fox also took on a nervous expression. "So..." he began, "how did the meeting go with that ewe-tiful specimen of hatred and evil enclosed in the most fluffy of mammals?"
The rabbit groaned. "She wants me to get her some Porkshire Gold tea… and keeps calling me Dusty Bunny." she ground her teeth as the anger from earlier flooded back into her mind and body, her paws clenching tightly at her sides.
"Oh..." Nick frowned. "I do know a place that sells it, but it is muy expensive."
"I know..." Judy huffed.
"And it is out of season, so even more so now..."
"I know," Judy growled.
"And that..."
"I know!" the bunny shouted, pulling at her ears. "I have to do it or else I'll lose my job. Not that it means much anyway with her around." Judy stomped her foot in anger. All her work to get to where she was and she could lose it all over a puny bag of leaves.
"Leave this to me," Nick chimed, breaking the haze of red Judy was glaring through. "And I think I know a very special ingredient that we can add to it that she'll never suspect." The fox's eyes twinkled mischievously and for once, Judy smiled at the look.
"Please… do tell."
"Alright," the fox grinned. "Have you ever heard of ipecac...?"
*Five hours later in Judy's/Bellwether's study*
Dawn's stomach gurgled again after her meal provided by her tigers. Clutching at her stomach she hurried towards the nearby small mammal size outhouse, only to find the door blocked with a sign saying, "out of service".
How can a hole in the ground be out of service… Bellwether grumbled, her knees clanking together as she bolted for the nearest cabode she could find, groaning as she saw an elephant leaving it, waving at his trunk with his hoof. As soon as the door slammed behind her, the elephant stopped and turned, glaring at the building. Stomping over to the outhouse, the elephant gave several hard knocks with their trunk.
"Keep it down in there!" the soldier roared, a smile curling over his lips at the terrified yelp from inside.
"woahahhahahaaaa!" *splat*
My work here is done...the soldier grinned, walking off back to the barracks as a horrified shriek came from the outhouse. Nobody treats Hopps the way she does and gets away with it.
Two of Bellwether's tigers had wandered out of Hopps' home, looking around the field for their boss as private Trunkaby walked past. "I think I saw your boss heading towards the cabode," the elephant stated mutely. "I think she might be in a bit of a...sticky situation."
*Back to the present*
After Nick had laid out his plan, the pair had set off for the store, bought the tea, as well as some ipecac, then offered both to the Fort's chef with specific instructions on when and how to put the 'special ingredient' in Bellwether's meal. The plan had provided a bit of a release to Judy's nerves, however, with how frazzled she still was, it didn't take a genius, or in this case a well meaning fox, to recognize that she needed something more.
"Tell you what, Carrots," Nick said, clapping his paws together. "I can tell you're a bundle of fluff waiting to explode and need a way to release that tension. So, I propose a practice in swordsmammalship, with you teaching me how to use a blade."
Judy just stared at him blankly. "You want a sword lesson… now?"
"Why not?" he exclaimed, taking on an overly exaggerated fencing pose. "You need to release some stress, and I'm sure your laughter as I break nearly everything in the room of my home we'd be practicing in would remedy that, no?"
Not being able to keep the grin from her face, Judy smiled at her friend. "I won't have to buy what you break, right?"
"Absolutely not, one hundred percent you won't have to," the fox replied.
Judy grinned. "Good. Now let's go see how many vases we can destroy."
The answer to how many vases and pots Nick could break in one sitting they had found out, was 24. They had set up in an empty storage area of Nick's home, right next to his gated entryway to his fields, where he kept extra pots and vases around for storing berries and fruit during the picking season. The clumsy fox had nearly dispelled all ideas that he could secretly be Zorro in Judy's mind for several reasons during their three hour session.
The first, was he didn't use his left paw. The second, no mammal could fake being that clumsy, for that long, while destroying that much of their own property to prove a point. By the end of the lesson, the ground had pieces of pottery everywhere as well as other random odds and ends. In several pots that Nick has smashed to pieces while trying to fend off Judy's practice advances, they had even found different colored jewels that had been hidden inside them.
"I was wondering where those rupees went..." Nick muttered as he picked up the jewels. "I've been missing these since the last harvest."
If the massacre of the pots was bad, it was nothing compared to the fate of the upholstery in the room. The remnants of pillows were scattered about the guest room that was connected to the storage area, feathers strewn about the floor, couches, tables… everywhere. The fox was certain he could perform a certain spinning slice he had seen The Fox do once, and before Judy could stop him, he ended up twirling about in circles, his sword catching in the nearby sofa, nearly bending the sword in half before it bounced back into his stomach with a loud yelp from Nick as a loud ripping sound split the room.
"I liked that sofa…" Nick whined, staring at the furniture that now held a massive hole and tear through the center of it while rubbing his stomach. The laughter of the rabbit, who was rolling on the ground clutching her own stomach, filled his ears.
"Oh my...oh…oh my!" Judy giggled, wiping at her eyes as she pushed herself up. "Nick, do you always want to try everything you've seen others do?" The rabbit glanced at the fox through laughter fueled tears as his shoulders slouched.
"I thought it would have been easier to do…" he muttered. Turning around, he flopped into the sofa with a sigh, fluff from within the tear shooting out into the room like a puffy cloud. The fox groaned again as the cotton floated lazily to the ground around him. "This was given to my family by Don Big nearly twenty years ago as a gift exchange. We received this sofa after mother..."
Judy's ears popped up as Nick fell into sudden silence. Pushing herself up and walking towards him, she noticed that even his tail hung limp over the edge of the sofa as he stared down at his paws.
Mother? He's never mentioned his mother before...
"Nick?"
Her calming whisper, as well as her paw guiding his chin up so he could meet her gaze, did wonders in causing his heart to race. He knew what she was about to ask him about, and painfully pushed her paw away.
"Not now, Carrots," he hushed solemnly. "Maybe another time perhaps, but… please, not now."
Judy nodded, grasping his larger paw in her own. "Then I will hold you to that, though always remember you've got a confidant in me. If you ever want to talk about anything, I have two ears for you." As if in response to her words, she rotated her ears around, letting them flop up and down once as a cheesy smile graced her lips, hoping the display would bring some of the cheer back into her friend's eyes.
The chuckle that came from him was warm and inviting. "Alright Señorita Hopps. I promise you I will someday tell that story for you. But for now?" he sat up suddenly, showing a confident smile, "We will continue this lesson until I am able to at least hold a sword without bringing harm to any more of my furniture.
Judy grinned. "Sounds fair by me, Señor Wilde."
Time passed quickly for the two as Judy tightly controlled the lesson from that point on. The clumsiness of the fox from before slowly, painfully, gave way to a much less inept version by the time the sun was beginning its slow descent above the Pawcific Ocean.
"Good, now again," Judy instructed, bringing her sword up in a slow motion as Nick parried the attack. She pushed forward again twice more, each successive strike being blocked by the fox. "Good, again!"
"Can we go faster this time?" Nick pleaded. "I think I'm getting the hang of this."
"You want to go faster?" Judy exclaimed. When she saw the fox nodding vehemently before her, as well as his tail wagging furiously, she could only nod and giggle softly. "Alright then. Faster it shall be." Capitán Hopps held up her wooden practice blade, lunging forward as Nick jumped back, bringing his own practice sword up in a parry, then pushed her blade away. Grinning the rabbit went back to her original position, before striking forward again.
She nearly missed the gleam in the Don's eyes as their blades connected. His movement was swift, silent, and would have otherwise been deadly if not for the present wooden swords they were using. Pushing Judy's blade aside, the fox turned in a circle as he moved forward and inside of Judy's reach. Before she could jump away, she felt a light tap upon her backside, sending her ears shooting straight up.
"Ahah! Yes!" Nick howled in triumph, his paws shooting up into the air. "Did you see that Judy? Did you see what I...just...did…?"
His excitement was short lived as he saw the bunny slowly turning, her eyes betraying no hint of emotion as she frowned at her friend.
"Eh, Carrots?" Nick chuckled nervously. "You know it was only a joke, right?"
"Oh yes," she replied, her voice devoid of any amusement as the left corner of her mouth curled into a smirk. "Quite an enjoyable one at that so let's see how you enjoy it."
Nick yelped, turned, and fled from the rabbit, nearly dropping his sword as she chased after him. The door creaked open, a small desert fox walking into the room with a platter of fruits, berries, cheese and breads, only for his mouth to drop open as he watched a rabbit chasing a fox around the room. Slowly, Finnick backed through the door, closing it with a shake of his head.
Judy gave Nick an A for effort, as she managed to corner him roughly two minutes later. Both breathing heavily, Nick pressed himself up against the curtains. "Now now, it was only in jest."
"This will be as well," Judy replied with a smile, lunging forward, trying to reach behind Nick. The sword caught inside Nick's jacket as the fox tried to turn, pinning him against the fabric. Unfortunately for both mammals, however, the fabric was not nearly as strong as the force pulling it away from the wall, and a loud tearing sound ripped through the room for the second time that day.
"Woah!" Judy cried as the curtains tore from their hangers one by one, the fox frantically flailing his arms around him as he came crashing down upon the rabbit. In a repeat of what happened during Nick's previous swordsmammalship display, the fox and curtains came crashing down, but this time, upon a bunny trying desperately to hop away.
"Not again!" Nick shouted, watching as the curtains fell over them as he frantically attempted to push them both out of the way of the heavy fabric.
Being unsuccessful in his attempt could be labeled as an understatement for Judy. She watched as in slow motion Nick flailed madly above her, before crashing directly on top of her. Judy felt the world spinning as Nick twisted his body, holding her close to his chest as the two hit the ground, Nick landing hard on his back with Judy atop him. The sudden stop pushed Judy forward, and before she could think even blink, her muzzle connecting directly into Nick's their lips meeting in a forceful kiss as the curtain fell over them, shrouding them in darkness.
*Yes, there is actually a type of tea out there called, get ready for it...Panda Dung Tea. Disgusting, right? Yeah, I thought so too...
AN: So, do you dislike Bellwether as much as I do? Does she live up to your expectations? Do you think I have a lot of evil diabolical plans laid in store for her? And how will she affect Nick and Judy? Love to hear your guesses. :D