A/N: This chapter is extremely dark. I hope I made the character interactions believable/plausible.

Chapter 3: An Outrageous Demand, Bleak Acceptance

The rabbit speaks. She says, "I want equality. I am not your pet. You do not own me. If you want me to eat and live. You will treat me as an equal. If you do not as you so desperately outlined earlier will be kicked out of this house and I will probably die. I was taken from Zootopia because I ended up trusting foxes thanks to my sister. You said you would do anything. Now, you can prove it." I finally heard the rabbit speak.

I ask the bunny. My voice barely containing my anger, "So, you want to be EQUALS? Can, I at least have your name first?"

The bunny replies certainly, "I am Avery Hopps. I was taken from Zootopia while visiting my sister. My sister has a friend that is a fox that was visiting her. His tail was extremely fluffy. My parents and I,learned about how they saved the city from a sheep. When it was time to go. I saw four foxes nearby with tantalizing tails. I ran to hug these tails and ended up in cage being carried here. Where, I come from predators and prey are friends together now. You like a good friend will go downstairs and fetch me a fresh bowl of carrots."

All the previous carrots I've brought up here have been wasted. I went downstairs to fetch a fresh bowl of carrots. Thankfully, my parents are out working. I ponder should I go to school and just leave this rabbit alone? No, that would probably get me into bigger trouble later on. I return with a bowl of ten carrots. I ask "Does that mean you'll finally eat something now?"

"Only, if you treat me as in equal."

"What, exactly do you mean by equal?"

"First, you will unleash me from the room. Once you do that. I will eat one carrot."

"I will not do that. I will not be trying to find you in the streets again."

We sit here in an uncomfortable silence seeing who's will, will break first. After an hour, Avery finally gives in and says "Since, you're not willing to unleash me from this room. You WILL remove the taming collar that you have put on me. If you don't do this I will simply not eat at all test me again at your peril."

As I gently remove the taming collar. I feel as if she's trying not to cry. I note that the spikes are stained with blood and there's wounds on the rabbit's neck where the spikes used to be.

Avery says, "Very good." She then reaches for the bowl picks up a carrot and begins to eat. She eats very slowly savoring every bite. She hasn't eaten for a while now. "Now, I must ask am I expected to wear this collar if I went along with you every day?"

I replied, "I don't trust you enough without , you will be wearing one. Owners do choose what their pets wear."

Avery says "At least, you're honest. If you lie at all, I will simply stop eating forever. Now, for the second carrot, since you do not trust me enough, not to wear a collar. You will sit next to me. Give me the collar and I will eat another carrot."

I do ask she asks. I give her the collar and I sit down next to her. She reaches for the bowl again and takes another carrot and eats it. She's still savoring her food by eating extremely slowly.

Avery's tone seems more confident now. She says, "For the third carrot, I will put this collar on you." I nod. She takes that as acceptance. She puts the collar around my neck. I can feel pain as the spikes dig into my flesh. She reaches for the bowl takes another carrot and eats it in two famished bites. There's only seven left. I wait for Avery's next demand.

Avery says "Move, ten feet away from me. Sit down and look at me."

That, request was amazingly simple after I do as she says. She takes a carrot from the bowl and eats it. I sit here waiting for her next command. She, now has the audacity to ask for the remote. This, request I am not so willing to budge on. We sit here for an hour. She says, "The carrots are no longer fresh. Go, back downstairs and bring me six fresh carrots."

I throw the remaining carrots into the garbage. Is it time to cut my losses and just eat her? I have used the law to try to save her. She has caused nothing but trouble and now I am stuck in this ridiculous situation. There's only six carrots left. How much worse can it get? I can always cut my losses later. When she asks for something too outrageous. Life in an orphanage would not be fun, at least I can show my parents I've tried? Maybe, they will kill her for me instead. I enter the room with six fresh carrots. I set the bowl in front of her again. I return to my previous position.

Avery says,"I tire of this. You will give me the remote or you will walk out of this room and I will not eat for as long as I am alive. Make your choice. Do it now. I'm giving you five minutes." I sit here waiting five long minutes before giving her my reply. I thought of the death of that poor obedient rabbit in school. The one brutally killed by Foxfire. I vowed back then. I would not be like Foxfire. I give in. I give her the remote waiting for what's to happen next. She reaches for the bowl and eats another carrot. "Brave, stupid or desperate, maybe all three." remarked Avery.

"Do you trust me?" I shake my head. "Now, you realize, I can shock you with the remote, you gave me? You realize, I can kill you with the remote?" I nod. "Good, I'm glad you understand that. Now, you will agree to be shocked for ten seconds on the lowest setting."

I don't agree to this at all. I just sit here refusing to reply after ten minutes Avery says, "You, take an extremely long time to make decisions. I'm going to put a stop to that right now. You will now have only ONE minute to accept or deny my requests. Keep in mind if you don't accept my requests or offer an alternative. I will simply stop eating and eventually starve to death. Now, do you agree to be shocked? do you have a better proposal? or do you give up and simply walk out of here?"

I am stunned. Uncertain how to reply to this. I wait. Avery says "Time, is up I will choose for you. I choose-" I shout "Yes, please shock me!" The collar shocks me for ten seconds. I can feel pain in my body. She takes a carrot from the bowl and eats it.

Avery says, "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?" I whimper and look at her. "Now, you will beg to be shocked on the second lowest setting and it better be convincing."

I say, "You win, please shock me on the second lowest setting."

Avery says, "I detect resentment in your voice, try it again, this time with more enthusiasm."

I plead with her," Please shock me, for twenty seconds. Please eat another carrot."

Avery says, "Much better, I was only going to shock you for ten but you wanted twenty. Marvelous, it begins right now."

I am feeling lightheaded from the shocks but manage to stay conscious. She reaches for the bowl and eats another carrot. Avery now says "Very good, begging to be shocked like that. You know you can walk out of this room at ANY time." I flinch fearing for what was to come. "Oh, don't worry. The next task is extremely EASY! You will take off your shirt. That shirt is very offensive it shows a tiger leading a bunny around with a leash and a collar."

I take off my shirt and throw it on the orange carpet and she reaches for the bowl and eats another carrot. Avery says, "Don't despair! There's only two carrots left! You're almost done! Then, we can move on to discussing terms and conditions and all that fun stuff." At, this moment I feel curling into a ball and crying.

I say barely keeping my voice straight "What, do you want mee to do now?"

Avery says, "Simple, I want to hear exactly from you, "I want to be shocked for ten seconds on the third setting." All you have to do is say it." I manage to say the words she wants while sniffling and sobbing in between each word that I say.

She shocks me for ten seconds. When I open my eyes. I notice there's only one carrot left in the bowl. She's grinning now. I must have blacked out for a bit. I didn't see her eat the carrot. I hear the voice I have come to fear. I really don't think I can take much more of this.

She says, "Last, carrot you're almost done. I want to hear from you beg to be shocked on the highest setting for twenty seconds." I really think if I was shocked that long I would end up dying.

I plea with her while crying. "Can, we please lower how long you shock me for? I don't want to die."

I wait for her verdict. she hasn't responded. It's been five minutes. This, is one of the few times I feel extreme fear. I look at her. Her looks don't betray her intentions.

It's been ten minutes and she still hasn't said a word. I fear of what she would do if I make another comment. This waiting is pure agony. Maybe, I should just say I want to leave would she even allow that?

Twenty minutes have passed. I start crying thinking I am about to die.

It has been thirty minutes. She finally speaks,"I have thought about it. The best deal I will offer you is this. You will crawl next to me. I will shock you for five seconds on the highest setting. Start moving, NOW!"

Her authoritative voice catches me off-guard I quickly crawl over to her and waited for my fate.

Avery POV

I see the tiger crawling next to me. His eyes display extreme fear. He's completely scared of me. I shock him for five seconds on the highest setting. I notice he has fallen unconscious. This was the result I was aiming for. I look at his tear stained face. I listen to his labored breathing. I eat the final carrot in the bowl.

I gambled much by making my demands. I was surprised he broke down. I felt hopeless at that time nothing to live for. Taken from family, lost in another country, forced to be someone's pet.

I learned from Judy to never stop trying. No matter what animals say. Be stubborn and persistent.

Considering, fox tails got me into all this mess. I might as well feel his body. His tail isn't as good as a fox's. I feel his fur it feels soft and comfortable. He has shown how far he's willing to go. What he's willing to do. We can talk terms later for the first time. My situation does not feel hopeless. I vow that I will see my family again. I climb on top of the tiger and lie down this so much better than sleeping on the carpet. I fall asleep.