Chapter 36

Edited by Euphonemes

"Where is Nicholas? He was supposed to be here hours ago."

Judy's foot drummed against the decking outside Valorie's shop. She stomped her foot one last time, a small cloud of dust rising from the unswept boards. She was annoyed by the fox, though the feline shopkeeper, at the moment, bothered her more. As soon as Judy had thought she had the cat cornered, ready to tell why she knew so much about Zorro, several customers had come into the store and ended their conversation.

And Valorie seemed quite content to have those customers stay and peruse her wares...

...for hours.

As the number of shop patrons grew, so did Judy's irritation. She had been so close to finding out something big about Zorro she could almost taste it as well as her mother's aqua fresca de pepino. It boiled her to no end that they had been interrupted, and by the time the shop was again left to the two ladies, Valorie had clammed up completely.

Infuriatingly stubborn feline! Judy pouted as she sat at the edge of the deck, shoulders slumped as she watched citizens of Zootopia pass by. Her new clothes, selected by Valorie, attracted much more attention from the local male lapine community than the prim, dress-wearing does. Her new, rather form fitting if you asked her, brown breeches and white blouse had managed to gather quite the stares from local bucks. She noticed the 'harumphs' from proper bunnies wearing proper dresses, as well as several leers from a gaggle of young bucks across the street. Ake'cheta's glare and step forward had them scattering and Judy was left wondering why Valorie would chose such an attire for her.

Maybe she wanted me to wear it for Nick? Judy thought, blushing at what Nick might think of her attire. Though considering he'd seen her in her uniform day in and day out, and with how bland the colors of her current outfit were, she doubted that.

"Do you think something happened to Nick?" Judy finally asked the stoic native warrior. The coyote shrugged.

"My opinion why the rain falls when it does reveals nothing as to why it falls."

Judy stared up at the larger predator, raising an eyebrow as he offered a light grin. "It means I have no idea what that xu-shum is up to."

She huffed and stared up the street towards where she had last seen the fox travel. The shadows lengthened as noon passed before a figure slowly trudged around the corner, one street down from where Judy sat.

"Nick!"

Judy was up in a flash and scampered towards the fox. But as she neared him, she slowed, confusion dawning on her when Nick shuffled into a nearby building. Nick leaned on it with his shoulders slumped and head down. The moment passed, and Judy ran faster than before, skidding to a stop before him.

"Are you alright, mi amor?" Judy asked, taking one of his arms and placing it over her shoulders to support her love on their way to a nearby chair. To her surprise, Nick shrugged off the gesture, though he slumped into the chair with a haggard expression in his eyes. "Nicholas, what happened?"

An eternity passed as his gaze crept towards hers. The one word he spoke only caused her more confusion.

"History."

"History?" she repeated. "What history?"

Nick remained silent, blinking slowly as if waking from a trance. "We should be leaving," he said suddenly, pushing himself to his feet. As if he were an ice statue in the Pawnoran desert, the coldness of his expression melted, revealing his regular smirk. "I'm sure I've kept you waiting long enough for this venture to begin, no?"

Before Judy could comment, Nick sauntered off, hefting a bag over his shoulder. Ake'cheta looked between the pair as Judy jogged after Nick, lugging her own supplies over her shoulder and pestering the fox about his tardiness. The coyote sighed.

"This is going to be a long trip..."

The study was quiet as the ewe reclined in her soft, squeaking rocking chair. For all intents and purposes, she should be happy with herself and their plans. Zorro was dead, that fool Wilde cowed into submission once more, that pathetically annoying rabbit dismissed from the army and her lackey in charge of Fort Zootopia. Everything seemed as it should be.

Yet she still seethed.

Her hooves were dug into the wooden armrests of the chair, and several glasses lay shattered on the floor, their expensive and intoxicating contents downed by an angry Bellwether. She had thought that crashing the fool of a fox's gala would improve her mood, especially when she'd let her assassin know that Zorro would be there. It was going to be exciting to see that fox finally bested and slaughtered like the pelt he was.

Instead, she had foolishly opened that bottle of wine to celebrate early. Its remains still rested in the corner, obliterated when she had returned without her wool.

"My wool..." Bellwether muttered, shivering as she drew her warm, cotton cowl around her more tightly. It may have been summer, but without her precious wool, it felt like winter. An enraged growl spilled from her lips as she kicked her legs against the chair in frustration, banging her hooves on the armrest.

"Those estupido foxes!" she roared before adding, "Those estupido tigres!" Her ire at her guards when she'd awoke from her nap was all-encompassing. How dare they allow her...her!...to be shorn like that.

"I hope they learned their lesson..." she spat as she slammed a hoof onto the armrest once more. A jolt of pain went through her arm as her hoof hit wrong, chipping part of its polished edge. "Oh, oww! Oww!"

Bellwether placed her hoof into her mouth, sucking on the broken bit to stem the pain.

The door to her office burst open.

"Magistrate!"

"Gah!"

Bellwether jolted backwards, nearly tipping over the rocking chair in the process. Her hoof caught in her mouth, gagging her as the tiger at the door grimaced.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"You blithering idiot!" she growled, coughing on her hoof.

I'm so going to get an atadura de lengua over this...the tiger thought as he saw Bellwether spit out her own hoof, throwing him an incendiary glare.

"What is it?" Bellwether growled.

The tiger glanced at the message in his paws, then back towards the sheep, wondering if this had been a good idea. "Er...its..."

"Spit it out already you dumb depredador!"

With eyes narrowing slightly, the tiger paced into the room and held the bound parchment out to the sheep, who snatched it with her hoof before waving him away. Slicing open the seal with her good hoof, she scanned the contents eagerly.

The tiger had turned to leave and had almost made it to the door when an ear-piercing screech stopped him in his tracks and had his paws shooting to his ears.

"They are doing...WHAT!"

The ewe shredded the paper, then tossed it onto the chair she sat on. Leaping up, she stomped on the pieces, jostling the chair further. After wobbling back and forth, her foot caught on the blanket that had covered it and she tumbled to the floor in an ungainly heap.

The tiger took a hesitant step forward as the sheep adjusted her glasses. "Um, magistrate?"

The glare she sent him stopped the larger predator in his tracks.

"Find them...kill them!" she growled.

"Uh, who?"

Bellwether's teeth grinded against each other. "Don Wilde...Hopps...ALL OF THEM!" she roared. "Find the Los Tres Amigos Asesinos and lead them to El Foso de la Desesperación with all due haste. We can't let that bunny and fox get there alive."

"They're heading there?" the tiger gasped. "By themselves?"

"Of course they are you idiot! I just told you they were!" Bellwether yelled. "Now do as I say or else I'll have to write another letter to You-Know-Who about another visit to your cubs! Hmm?"

The tiger took a step back and blanched. "Yes, Magistrate. At once, Magistrate." He rushed towards the door.

"One more thing..."

He turned to see the most wicked smile he'd ever seen on Bellwether's face. "When you find them, don't kill them immediately. Bring them to me so I can slice their throats myself. Comprende?"

The tiger nodded, stating a quick, "Yes, Magistrate." before leaving the room quickly. Bellwether growled as she kicked at the chair, watching it rock back and forth.

"Great...now this..." she grumbled as she headed towards the stairwell. "Now I'm going to have to let him know that all our plans could be ruined if they find them..."

Two days...

It took two days for Nick to finally speak again. Two, long, agonizing days of quiet that had infuriated Judy. But she held her tongue, the glazed look in Nick's eyes keeping her from prying too much into his current state of listlessness. Instead, she pondered her own revelations, worries and wonders as she imagined Nick was doing the same. They still held paws when they could along the trail, with Nick giving her hopeful glances and Judy wishing he would open up. But every glance ended with silence as they plodded on.

The quiet, usually something Ake'cheta enjoyed immensely as it allowed for self-reflection, instead created a palpable tension in the air. At around noon of the second day, he finally broke the awkward silence.

"In order to know my ancestors well, I sat in silence for three days to commune with them."

Two sets of ears perked towards him, and eyes followed to give him odd stares.

"You two must have gotten to know your ancestors very well by now."

The bunny's and fox's ears dropped once more.

"A lot on my mind," both said at once.

Ake'cheta chuckled. "They speak and in unison. You must have formed quite the bond while silent."

"Sorry," Nick muttered softly. His gaze caught Judy's. "My father kind of hit me with a proverbial mudslide and overwhelmed me. It has been ill of me to treat you so coldly these past two days, mi amor."

"It's okay," Judy said, grabbing his paw as they walked. "Whatever you had learned, I guessed you were still putting it together. I didn't want to bug you about it until you were ready."

A glimmer of hope sparkled in Nick's eyes. "Thank you, Zanahorias. Though this might take some time to sort out."

While not watching where he was looking, as he was too busy staring into the eyes of the one he loved, Nick plowed into the back of Ake'cheta.

"Well," the coyote said, sniffing the air. "You have five minutes to explain."

"Huh?" Judy asked, jumping ahead of the coyote to peer down the path, ears flicking this way and that. "Why?"

"Because by then, five banditos, wolves among others, will be arriving. The stench of death is heavy upon them."

Judy's paw quickly went to the hilt of her blade. "Only five?" she asked.

Nick walked back to Judy's side as Ake'cheta turned his head to look at them. "That is the scouting party. Many more are behind them. Several dozen by my wager."

"Only?" Judy repeated.

"Judy." Nick's voice was warning and heavy. "I don't think even you could take on that many at once, despite your overwhelming abilities to the contrary."

Judy went to reply but halted, new thoughts coming to the forefront. Licking a single finger, she raised it to the sky and waited several seconds. "The wind is at our backs. How can you tell, Ake'cheta?"

The coyote grinned. "Call it...intuition, little one."

"Hey!" Judy scoffed.

"At least he didn't call you cute," Nick chuckled nervously.

She shot the fox a death glare. "Nick…"

"Yes, beloved?"

Judy floundered under the loving gaze Nick sent her way. "I...uh..." Finally huffing in defeat, she pointed a finger at the fox. "I want you to head up the hill. I already know you'll be no good in a fight against that many, and I don't want you hurt."

Nick's eyes widened. "And you're going to face them all alone?"

"I've taken down just as many before," she shot back.

"When?"

"Taking down the Po Gang just a few weeks ago."

"That was just ten mammals!"

"There were...wait..." Judy paused, eyelids lowering. "How did you know how many mammals were there?"

"I know everyone," Nick shot back timidly.

"No," Judy pressed. "There were only 12 mammals in that room. "Ten gang members..."

Nick took a step back while holding out his paws. "Hopps, now don't jump to any conclusions..."

"...myself..." Judy took a step towards him, eyes narrowing and a finger jabbing into his chest.

"Judy...now please, I can explain..."

Nick was silenced when Judy's sword landed at his throat, her gaze as cold as ice and strong as steel.

"And Zorro."

A silence settled between the three mammals. The forest itself quieted, the rustling of leaves in the wind vacant.

"Why..."

Nick froze at the demand, as there was no question involved in what Judy said. He hadn't felt this trapped in years, staring down the bunny's blade into two, hard, questioning eyes. Unfortunately for him, his silver tongued answered.

"Now that is a very open-ended question, Carrots, and I'm sure there are a lot of...answers..." The last word came out more of a squeak as the blade tip was pushed deeper into his throat.

"You've been lying to me since the day we met..." Judy pursued, stepping forward as he stepped back until he tripped on a branch. Tumbling backwards, he was surprised to find that Judy's blade has followed his fall, barely flicking away from his fur. The steel tip was now pressed even closer until it hurt to gulp, the metal prodding him with each breath he took.

He looked back up into Judy's eyes and was surprised. Tears streamed from each. From the moment he had chosen to hustle the bunny, to when he knew he had fallen for her...this was the moment he feared the most. He had betrayed her trust, utterly and in the most terrible way possible. He saw the swirling mixture of anger and overwhelming despair in her eyes, and he recognized her emotions for what they were.

His double life had taught him those emotions all too well.

I need to tell her everything...

Nick gathered his thoughts. "Judy-"

"You do not get to 'Judy' me, Don Wilde," Judy snarled, hiding the cracking of her voice. "Only friends of mine can call me by my name."

"But..."

Judy pressed the blade closer, a pinprick of blood appearing as she leaned towards him. "You betrayed me," she whimpered, and Nick could practically hear the pounding of her heart as her tears dripped onto his tunic. "Everything you led me to believe was a lie. And your cousin died for your arrogance and selfishness."

Judy saw Nick physically shrink into himself. Ears wilted, eyes refused to meet her gaze any further and his tail, which had been twitching shrunk to the ground and stilled. The pity that coursed through him doused the flames of her anger a little, only for them to flare up again immediately after. Her emotions waged a war with each other. The logical side of her mind wanted, nay demanded, that there be justice for what he had done to her. The fox laying before her had led her on in the most hurtful of ways, halted her lifelong ambitions and destroyed her dream...and he was at her mercy to deal the justice a criminal like him deserved. Her blade pressed forward as a hiss of pain came from the fox.

Judy paused as her mind reeled against her paw's action, almost as if a physical force kept her from finishing what justice demanded she perform.

What has he gone through?

It was a simple question, yet so profound that Judy had to blink as it arose in her mind. That empathy...the side of Judy her mother always praised her for as a kit, asked for mercy for Nicholas. To empathize with him.

That she was not the only victim in all this.

The fox had been battling against corrupt Capitáns for years before she arrived. Had seen the destruction of an entire village of his friends and kin, and had no reason to trust her at all. Yet he not only helped her in cleaning out the town of the more villainous rogues – something she had realized a week into her stay in the city – but had only once struck her, and even then, had sought to help her immediately.

And when not as Zorro, he had been with her, helping her learn about the city, growing in her love of its citizens and people. Of its culture and life that sprung from it. To help the mammals there realize their own dreams. He wasn't an arrogant son of a Don like she had the displeasure of meeting several times before in her life. She'd heard the stories of what he did for the poor. Even his entire villa was crafted with helping the city in mind. From its vast gardens and orchards, to the high wages he paid and the parties he held to bless the townspeople's lives.

But he lied to you! Misled you! Betrayed you!

True...Judy thought, focusing again on the tod who had not moved from the ground before her. He is no saint...

Then do it! Reclaim your rank and standing!

Judy dispelled the voice of vengeance in her mind.

...but he is also no demon.

With her mind made up, she glared down at the don, who she noticed also had tears staining his fur. "I am going to need time to even think of us as friends again," Judy proclaimed as she lowered her sword.

A cough sounded behind them. "Time," Ake'cheta began, "is something we do not have much of."

"Right..." Judy went to turn, but found her paw caught in Nick's grasp.

"Judy," he began, his voice cracking. "I know you'll need time. And I doubt at this point that I'm even worth being forgiven for what I've done to you."

Judy felt frozen in place, Nick's words causing her breath to hitch and her heartbeat to quicken as he continued.

"But..." he began, stopping as he wiped at his eyes, "I wouldn't blame you if you didn't either. I have hurt you in the worst fashion imaginable. I have destroyed any and all trust you should ever hold in me. Now, or in the future. For as noble a doe that I've ever seen in my life, Judith Hopps, after what I have done, I do not deserve to even see your smile again and would gladly leave everything I own behind if that was your desire."

Judy felt her paw trembling, her attempt to hold onto her sword failing with each emotion-laced word Nick spoke.

"But..." Nick leaned forward onto his knees, pointing down the road, to the sounds of many armored paws clanking against cloth, wood and metal. "Let me at least prove to you that my love for you was never a lie."

"Wh-what...?" Judy stammered.

"Let me defend you with my life," he said calmly. "Then after we're done, I will walk away if that is your desire, and you'll be correct in your assumptions that I was nothing more than a shifty, no good fox."

Barely a moment passed between the two after his statement. They caught each other's gazes, seeing the sorrow in their expressions. Both realized the other was trying, and with the sound of hooves and paws growing louder, that was enough for them.

Judy jumped at Nick, sobbing loudly, sword clacking to the ground as she wrapped her arms around his neck. The tod did likewise, patting the rabbit on her back as he pulled her tighter, whispering, 'I'm sorry,' over and over again.

The soft crunching of gravel threatened the moment, as did the heavy paw that came down on both their shoulders.

"As much as I hate to interrupt," Ake'cheta began. "But we're all going to be dead in a minute if you two can't go from blubbering messes to the Zorro and Capitán Hopps I know and respect."

"Right," both of the formerly crying mammals repeated at the same time, earning a raised eyebrow from the coyote. The larger predator reached down and picked up Judy's sword before passing it over to her.

"We're not through here, Nicholas," Judy reprimanded. "I still will want answers from you and you better have some good ones if you think we'll still be together after this."

"And you will get them," Nick replied as he unshouldered his pack. Finding a long, wrapped cloth, he reached inside and pulled out a black scabbard with gold tailoring along its length. "But for now..." he continued, nodding his head down the road several hundred yards. Nearly two dozen mammals were jogging up the road towards them. Several of the wolves broke into howls as they stormed forward, their leaders near the back urging them forward.

Nick pulled his sword from its scabbard, the sunlight glistening off its polished edge like the dawn as he stood besides Judy. Ake'cheta pulled two hatchets where they hung from his sides, eyes focused on the oncoming storm of mammals.

Nick chose that moment to look down at the rabbit he loved and hoped she would be able to forgive him fully one day. She nodded back at him as he offered a few final words. "...We fight for Zootopia."

AN: Happy New Year! So I didn't get this out by Christmas, but, this chapter was hard to find a balance at the end there. So yep...Judy knows, now, lets hope they can deal with all these banditos so she can deal with Nick afterwards. XD

Also, a few movie easter eggs in this, so let me know if you find them, or all of them! ;)

Translations

Aqua fresca de pepino - Cucumber water

Xu-shum (kuh shoom)- Trouble maker

Zanahorias - Carrots

Capitán - Captain

estupido - stupid

atadura de lengua - tongue lashing

depredador - predator

El Foso de la Desesperación - The Pit of Despair