Chapter 34 Befuddled Bunny

Edited by Euphonemes

Ake'cheta was good on his word, packing together the supplies he needed in only a few moments. Together, the three mammals and four guards filled the now-packed peddle cart back to Zootopia with plans to pick up any supplies they might need for the journey within the city. The coyote gave away little about their destination, leaving the fox and bunny just to themselves the trip back.

An awkward fifteen minutes of silence.

Neither could place why the tension was building in the air. The sun, though shining bright, was warm rather than scorching as summer was rapidly changing to autumn, so hot and humid air couldn't be the culprit. Nor could blame be placed upon a lack of topics of conversation, as both had questions brooding below their calm exteriors.

I just don't know what to ask first. Judy leaned back into the cart with a sigh and folded her arms across her chest. Sneaking a peak at the fox sitting next to her, she noticed his features seemed bothered, too. His hackles were slightly raised while a deep concern played across his face. With another sigh, she went back to staring at the road ahead.

Too much had happened too quickly for it all to make sense. The last two days had been a whirlwind of emotions and events cascading into one convoluted mess.

And all I was supposed to do here was capture Zorro, not all...this!

Judy barely noticed the cart rolling into the main city minutes later. Apparently the news of the assassination after the gala had been whispered from mammal to mammal as citizens removed their caps or bowed their heads when Don de la Wilde passed by. The rabbit heard the muted apologies for Nick's cousin as they were stated in hushed and saddened tones.

"Zorro is dead! Zorro has perished by a unknown blade! We are at the mercy of the cruel and merciless! Karma help us all!"

All except for Ceville.

Judy glanced up at the capybara, who normally ran the barber shop in town, running in circles around the main fountain, clothed only in a barrel hanging by two thin ropes. She went to leap from the cart to arrest the mammal when the realization she no longer had any authority stopped her.

She instead watched as several soldiers ran from the nearby fort, Sergeant Clawhauser among them, and attempted to calm the frantic mammal. She wished she could still be among them, but the nostalgia fled quickly as two tigers waltzed from the fort, scowling at Ceville, who Clawhauser had managed to calm. Only when the shouting subsided entirely did the two felines re-enter the fort.

"Judy, did you hear me?"

Her ears flicked towards Nick's voice, and her head followed. "Huh?"

Instead of seeing the fox sighing in frustration, he smiled lightly. "I was just discussing with Ake'cheta what we needed to do before we left on our journey."

"Oh, right." She gave her full attention to him even though her embarrassment painted her ears a lovely shade of pink. "What do you need in order to make the journey? I know everything I'd need is in my rucksack back at your villa and-"

Nick laughed, perplexing Judy into silence. "Those clothes would be no bueno, Carrots. Nothing against your uniforms, as they do cut a dashing figure on you, but we'll have to be much more subtle with this cause."

Judy nodded at his reasoning. "Right. So I would assume we are going clothing shopping?"

Nick grinned. "What I believe you meant to say, was that you and Ake'cheta will be going clothing shopping."

"What?" Judy raised an eyebrow.

"What?" a shocked Ake'cheta declared.

"I have my own business to settle before leaving, so I believe we need to split up in order to gain the articles we need más rápido than we could together, no?"

"You want to split up with an assassin after us?" Judy asked in confusion. "I know that Ake'cheta can fight, but...you, Nick? I've seen you use a blade and I would say an infant bunny could better handle a sword."

Ake'cheta snorted loudly before turning stoic once more. Nick raised a paw to his chest, inwardly snickering at Judy's comment. Oh how little you know, Fluff...he thought. He had a retort at the tip of his tongue but held it. His eyebrows lowered in concern. How little you know about me...

Judy, when seeing the worry flickering across Nick's face, took it entirely the opposite way.

"I'm sorry, Nick," she apologized. "I shouldn't have said that. I know you've been trying to become better to defend yourself and-"

Nick placed his paws on her shoulders. "Judy, it isn't like that...it's..." He halted, his voice suddenly gone.

"It's what, Nick?"

Their gazes matched, each staring into the other's eyes, searching for answers as the questions hung in the air.

"It's..." Nick hesitated before supplying an answer. "It's just that you don't have to worry. I will have Gary and Larry with me, so I will be perfectly fine."

Judy leaned to her left to look around Nick, only to see Gary watching a butterfly flitter its way across the street, his tail wagging as Larry slapped a paw over his eyes. "Right...those two..."

Nick let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Besides, I need Barry and Harry to go back home and let Finnick know he will be in charge while I'm away.

"Wait..." Judy placed a paw to her forehead, shaking her head before matching Nick's gaze. "Your guards names are Gary, Larry, Barry and Harry?"

Nick nodded. "And you can't forget their cousins, Jerry, Kari, Mary, Perry and Twitchy."

Judy's left eye twitched as she held up her paw. "Something tells me there is a story with those names that I don't want to know."

"Would that be an accurate assumption?" Nick chimed in with a smile. "Yes, yes it would be."

"Fine," Judy stated bluntly. "You go off with Gary and Larry but stay close to them." Her features softened as she took a step towards him, letting her paw trace the line of his muzzle. "I don't want you to be killed."

Noticing the already short distance between them, Nick leaned forward and pressed a quick, chaste kiss against Judy's lips. "Not to worry mi amor. You'll have your fox back in one piece." Leaning in further, he pressed his muzzle against her left ear, whispering, "Please stay safe as well."

Pulling away from a now heavily blushing bunny, the fox nodded at Ake'cheta. The coyote nodded back, their silent agreement formed.

Keep her safe.

With a flick of his tail that brushed Judy's nose, the now snickering fox snapped his paws. The two wolves in the cart pedaled away while Larry and Gary fell in by the Don's side. With his paws behind his back and head held high, he marched off towards the docks.

Judy watched him leave until he vanished around a corner, leaving her to her own thoughts.

"That diigis lutsa tlipa," Ake'cheta muttered when they found themselves alone in the middle of the street.

Judy flicked her attention to the coyote. "I-ya-yush mąʼii."

Ake'cheta blinked several times as he lowered his crossed arms. Judy walked past him, a smirk gracing her muzzle. "You aren't the only one who learned to curse from their brothers. Now I think I know a place where we can go for new clothes."

Page break

The walk to Valorie's emporium was a short jaunt. Before long, the cheerful tone of the bell atop the door announced their entry into the women's clothing boutique.

"Just a minute!"

Judy smiled at the warm voice. Her ears perked up at hearing her close friend, even as a bunch of peculiar emotions bubbled around in her gut. Within moments, the female jaguar pushed away the linen curtains to the back room, smiling wide as she saw the familiar bunny.

"Why if it isn't Judy Hopps?! I'm so glad you're okay!"

The jaguar ran up to Judy and spread her arms out wide as she kneeled in front of the rabbit. Judy leaned into the embrace, her own arms only able to wrap partially around Valorie's neck even when the jaguar brought her closer in for the hug.

"I heard what happened at the fort from Benji and I just...ugh!" The jaguar pulled away from the bunny with a frown, tears welling in her eyes. "And then I heard about the attack last night! Oh I'm so glad you are safe!"

She enveloped Judy in a second hug, one much tighter than the first. There was little Judy could do besides pat the feline's arm gently with a nervous smile.

"It's okay Valorie. I'm okay, Nick's okay...you can put me down now."

"Oh, sorry!" The jaguar placed Judy back onto the ground, nervously smoothing out her dress as she stood. "So, what brings you in here today?"

Judy fidgeted in place. "Well, can you promise to keep a secret?" The jaguar crossed her heart with her paw before Judy felt safe enough to continue. "Alright..." Judy let out a sigh. "Nick, Ake'cheta and I are going to find the mammal who killed Zorro and figure out what role Bellwether plays in it."

Judy barely noticed the slight twitch in Valorie's eyes and the slight curve of her lip. A saddened expression took hold upon her as she kneeled down in front of the bunny. She still towered over Judy, but it didn't seem to matter to either mammal.

"And what do you feel about going on this quest to avenge, ah, Zorro, with Nick?"

Judy overlooked the slight hitch in her voice. "What do you mean?"

"Weidii told me what happened when you lost your rank. That The Fox had asked you to investigate the Magistrate."

"Should that matter?" Judy asked. "A murder is a murder, and in order to make the world a better place, I shouldn't overlook one because they were a jerk."

"Is that what you think of Zorro?" Valorie asked.

Judy froze. "What?"

Valorie continued, "Is that what you think of Zorro? That he is simply a jerk?"

Judy felt like shouting, 'Yes!' as loudly as she could, yet it died in her throat. Was that what she thought of the deceased vigilante? The one who had annoyed her, goaded her, played her and in the end, got her dismissed from the army? All the instances of him annoying her, abusing her, ridiculing and taunting her flashed through her mind, with a particularly nasty blow to the head from a lantern leading those rancorous thoughts on the jaunt through her mind.

Without knowing it, her fists had clenched and she was gritting her teeth. "Of course! He was nothing more than a jerk who couldn't try to be anything more than a shifty, no good, conniving fox!"

Judy hadn't meant to shout. She really hadn't, yet, that is what she had done. When she was finished, she was glaring up at Valorie with ice in her heart and fire in her eyes. All the bad that has ever come to me in this town came from him.

The calculating gaze Valorie leveled on her caused her to second guess herself. Her words even more so.

"I can tell you don't believe that."

Judy took a step back, stunned. "What?"

"You don't believe a single word you just said." Before Judy could retort, she continued. "I can see it in your eyes. They may dance with fire like the devil himself, but your words show a conflicted soul."

"Zorro," Judy grated out.

"Is you."

Judy blinked, then blinked again. "What was that you just said?"

"I said," Valorie repeated, "That Zorro, is no different than you. Tell me, what was your goal in coming to Zootopia?"

"General Bogo ordered me to cap-"

Valorie shook her head. "No, why did you come to Zootopia?"

"I..." Judy stuttered before falling silent, pondering her motives and thoughts. Finally after several moments, she looked back up at the feline. "I wanted to make the world a better place."

"And how would you do that?"

"I would use anything at my disposal. The soldiers of Califurnia would help me."

"Tell me then," Valorie stated causally. "Before you came here. Back when the soldiers didn't help the citizens of Zootopia. What did we have at our disposal to make the world a better place, hmm?"

Valorie cut the bunny off before she could speak. She hated to be so frank and angry with the doe. Nick had gone on and on about Capitan Hopps and how after a few meetings with the rabbit officer, the fox knew that she could be the one to turn things around for Zootopia. To complete the mission he could not do alone. That she could be the sword of justice that he could never be. "Zorro the Fox was the only mammal that was helping any of us before you came. His goal was simple, just as yours is: to make Zootopia a better place. We had no means of getting there ourselves. We had no mammal to fight for us. We only had him."

Seeing that Judy was pondering her words through her wide eyed stare, Valorie continued. "What has he done to you?"

"What?" Judy was startled a bit by how wobbly her voice was. "What do you mean?"

"What has," Valorie said slowly, "Zorro done to you?"

Judy's paw unintentionally went to the spot where a lantern has smashed into her cheek, swung by that desperado. Just as quickly came what happened afterwards.

He had treated her. Apologized even. His eyes had betrayed a worry that she hadn't seen before. Why would he have cared if he had hit you?...one part of her brain suggested. He only wanted to get on your good side. Soften you up before he completely destroyed you. He just wanted your trust.

Judy shook her head. "He's done lots of things..."

"Like?"

"He's...he's struck me. He asked me to search out Bellwether when he knew I would be caught for doing so!"

"Did he now?"

"Eh-"

Valorie smiled lightly. "I don't think that was his goal when he sent you after Magistrate Bellwether. I think he truly believed that you were the only one who could bring her down. Many others have tried, including Admiral Wilde, but none have been able to come even close to bringing down that despicable ewe."

"Wait...Admiral Wilde?" Judy was shocked. Nick's father had attempted to bring down the Magistrate? Why would he have wanted to do that? What did he know? The largest question, though, loomed darkly over the doe...

How did he fail?

Valorie nodded. "Bellwether had something over him, and he...withdrew. Into himself. To become the callous, hard-hearted soul you see today. I am convinced that Zorro knew you could succeed where others had failed. You had no weaknesses she could exploit. You were, and still are, the best hope that Zootopia has had to bring Bellwether to justice."

Valorie placed a paw on Judy's shoulder, nearly enveloping the smaller mammal. "That is what Zorro was trying to do. He wanted to make the world a better place. And he saw in you the best hope to do so. He was hoping you would succeed, and look, you have. You know where you need to go, and have enlisted the best help possible in that task." Valorie looked over at Ake'cheta, who nodded solemnly. She then turned her attention back to Judy.

"He didn't mean for you to be fired. Nor did he mean to strike you with that lantern. He was as antsy as a cheetah on their first date after that, figuring he had lost any budding credibility and trust from you, but it all still worked out in the end. He believed in you. And he still believes in you."

In that moment, Judy's entire world was flipped upside down. "He...he thought I could...All this time?"

Valorie chuckled. "Not all the time, that's for sure. I'm certain he thought of you as an ill-tempered, emocional, cabeza caliente, lerdo conejo." The jaguar stifled a deeper laugh at the huff the bunny let out. "But he warmed up to you. He believed in you. And I know he still does."

Valorie let a minute pass by as Judy thought.

"So...do you still think you can hate him?" she finally asked.

"I...I don't know!" Judy huffed, stomping the ground as she began to pace. "I don't know! I...I want to. Oh how I desperately want to after all he's done to me but..."

Judy grabbed at her ears, looking at the floor. She hadn't realized she had been crying until she saw tears staining the rug beneath her. "I just can't..."

A few hiccup-sobs came out as the bunny wiped at her nose. Valorie motioned the bunny forward and slowly, Judy walked into the proffered embrace. "Realmente soy un conejita lerdo."

Judy was glad for the warm embrace of her friend. Her emotions still felt all over the place regarding Zorro. Did she like the methods he had used? No, no she had not. Yet she realized she couldn't fault the vigilante for doing the only thing he could to help those put down by previous capitáns. Her burning hate had fizzled to a dying ember, as had the pain from Zorro's blow in that barn long ago...

Judy's thoughts came to a sudden stop. She looked up at Valorie, seeing only the bottom of her muzzle. "How did you know what he did to me?"

Valorie's eyes widened and her tail swished behind her nervously. "Eheh...oh look at the time! We've had much too much girl talk. Come, come, we must get you fitted for your quest." In a rush, Valorie was off her feet and pushing the bunny back towards the changing room.

"But, how did you-"

"Let's not dilly-dally now. I want to find you an outfit that will have Nicholas de la Wilde drooling over you."

Pushed several feet across the floor before she could recover from the sudden shock enough, Judy planted her paws on the floor. Valorie almost tipped over atop the bunny at the sudden stop, then found herself muzzle to muzzle with a very annoyed looking Judy Hopps.

"Valorie, you are going to tell me how you know all these little details about my encounters with el Zorro…now!"

AN: Word translation time!

Navajo

Diigis (Dee'geeus) - Stupid

mąʼii - coyote

Sahaptin

I-ya-yush (eye yah yesh) - Crazy

Lutsa Tlipa - red fox

Spanish

Verdezuela - Rapunzel

Belle - Belle (XD)

Emocional- Emotional

Cabeza caliente - Hot Headed

Lerdo - Dumb

Conejo - rabbit

Realmente soy un conejita lerdo - I really am just a dumb bunny.

Sorry about the delay, but this chapter was hard to write and get right. So hopefully you guys enjoy this chapter as Nick's pov is next!