Judy tried to catch the fox as he fell to the ground. Only managing to grab his wrist as his body slumped over. She rolled him on to his back and checked his heart. Placing her head on his chest she could hear the steady beating of his heart and felt his chest rising and falling. She was startled when she heard his still armored arms begin to move. No, his arms weren't moving the armor was. The plates that covered his arm were retreating upon themselves. Folding up into the next layer all the way up to his shoulder guards.
Judy had never seen anything like it. She reached out to touch the metal on his shoulders when she noticed her own paw. The paw that was attached to the arm that only moments ago she was certain was broken. It felt fine now. Better actually. She reached down to her chest plate and felt where she thought the dented armor should be pressing against her broken ribs, which also seemed to be fine now. Finding no sign of damage or even scratches she turned her attention back to the fox.
Lying in utter darkness, Nick's mind began to slowly wake up. Where am I? He wondered. Trying to open his eyes, he found it took a great deal of effort. Before an eyelid could budge he felt something pressing on his chest. What is that? He wondered. Sniffing the air instinctively, he could smell something earthy and sweet. Curious to discover whatever it was, he reached up to investigate. Instead of reaching his chest, however, his hand found something else. It was soft but firm, he moved his paw upwards feeling the object curve slightly. He stopped when he felt something fuzzy.
Intrigued he wrapped his paw around it and squeezed. "EEPH!" Whatever it was had made a sound and pressed off of him at the same time. He opened his eyes to find a gray bunny kneeling over him. A look of shock and embarrassment on her face. If she's here then what happ… Suddenly realizing that he had grabbed the bunny's tail, he looked over to confirm what had happened. There was his paw wrapped around the fluffy appendage. He immediately released it and turned back to face the bunny to apologize.
Looking at her face he no longer saw shock, instead, it was replaced by anger. He opened his mouth to speak but it was immediately shut by the paw of the bunny.
While reaching to investigate the strange armor this fox was using, she felt a paw grab ahold of her rear. Frozen by the sudden contact, she felt his paw move up the back of her leg and onto her rump touching her tail and then grabbing it. The surprise caused Judy to let out a squeak and press of the fox to sit straight up. She saw his eyes open and look back at her tail. Once he released it Judy's embarrassment change to anger. Scowling at the fox she leaned forward and thrust her fist into the bottom of his mouth, causing the fox to yelp in surprise as much as pain.
"Ow rabbit! What was that for!?"
"Don't think that just because you helped me that it gives you free reign to cop a feel!" she spat angrily. Standing up and stepping away from the fox.
"What are you talking about?" He propped himself up on his elbows and turned his head towards her direction. "I didn't…" Unable to finish his sentence, he caught sight of the ram with a sword through his armor. He glanced around and saw the other two rams. And winced when he saw the one with its horns ripped off and stabbed into its own skull.
Noticing the reaction of the fox, Judy softened her stance.
"Did I do this?" he whispered. Breathing deepening. Looking like he could hyperventilate at any moment.
"You don't remember? Do you?" Her anger now gone and concern for the fox's mental state taking over.
Turning back to face her. "The last thing I remember is seeing you fly against the wall. Although, you don't look any worse for wear." He said eyeing her over.
She was about to respond when she heard voices approaching. Turning towards the entrance of the alley to see who would be approaching. She didn't notice the fox stand and walk up to her until he was beside her.
"This'll be difficult to explain." She said with a sigh.
"And just what do you expect to tell whoever is coming?" He asked pulling his hood over his head.
"The truth. What else?" Turning to face him as she spoke. "And what do you think you're doing?"
"I'm leaving."
"No, you're a key witness and…" she was cut off when he suddenly bent over to be eye level with her.
"Yeah," he said with an eye roll, "I don't think so carrots."
She opened her mouth to speak but before any words could form he placed his finger on her nose and spoke a single word. "Somnus"
Judy's world suddenly went black. As her body went limp and she began to fall to the ground, the last thing she was aware of was two large paws wrapping around her. Catching her as she fell, Nick lifted the rabbit up into his arms. Looking down at the sleeping bunny Nick couldn't help but be awed by the adorable twitching of her nose.
Pulling his cloak around the two of them he said only one word before walking out of the alley. "Invisibilis." A single word to allow him to become invisible under the cloak. While everyone could still see him, they would pay him no attention. Now he could travel with the rabbit without drawing any suspicion.
Making it back to his, house he placed the rabbit down on the couch. She would awake on her own the next morning. Nick started gathering his things again and placing them in his pack. He then lifted it onto his back and walked to the door. Stopping in the still broken door way he once again felt the tug in his heart, pulling like a magnet to the sleeping bunny. Growling in frustration he turned and placed his pack on the floor.
"At least, I'll get to find out what she's done to me." He hissed. He pulled a chair up to the couch and took a deep breath. Clearing his mind and preparing the questions he would ask. He then removed the rabbits helmet, shield and sword. Once satisfied she was properly disarmed, he took a moment and studied her sleeping. A small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. I wonder what that's about? He placed a paw on her cheek and spoke. "Exsomnus." Taking his paw away he waited.
Judy was enjoying the most wonderful dream. She was relaxing in a sea of warm and fluffy red fur. It seemed so foreign and yet welcoming. The best part was the smell, a musky masculine scent that made her feel excited and safe at the same time. But it was all snatched away by a single whisper. "Awaken" Suddenly she was snatched away from the warm red fur, while the smell remained, everything else went dark and she tried to open her eyes.
"Car-rots." A soft tender voice rang in her ears. Her eyelids parting slightly, a blurry image filling her view. A red image surrounded by brown was in front of her. She blinked a few more times to clear her eyes. Now seeing clearly, her vision was filled with a red fox.
"Wakey wakey carrots." He said with a smirk. Judy sat up, looked around, seeing she was back in the fox's home she looked at him with confusion.
"How did I get here?"
"I brought you here carrots." His face showing no emotions. His eyes blank. Whatever his intentions, he was hiding them perfectly from her.
"For what purpose?" her confusion turning to anger. He had abducted her against her will. Taken her from the scene of a crime. Cast a spell on her. Why? She had to know!
"To get the answers I require." He leaned back in the chair he sat upon. Intertwining his fingers and crossing his legs. I will get my answers one way or another!
"Why should I tell you anything? You've kidnapped me and stole my property!" Gesturing to the equipment in the corner.
"And you destroyed mine." He said gesturing towards the broken door.
Lowering her gaze to the floor, Judy felt guilty, again, for the damage she'd done to the fox's home.
"Very well, but I get to ask a question for each of yours." She looked him in the eyes again with determination.
"Alright, but I get to ask first." Before Judy could reply he spoke again. "What have you done to me?"
"What?" Judy tilted her head to the side confused by the question. "What are you talking about?"
Nick looked into her eyes searching for the slightest hint of dishonesty. Finding none, he decided to redirect his inquiry. "Then why did you come to my home?"
Judy thought about how to answer this question. Not wanting to give away the details of the case. However, she still believed he had the scrolls she was originally looking for. She decided to open with him. "I was investigating the theft of a relic when the evidence led me here." He didn't need to know all the details.
And then she remembered something, "Tell your master to return the stone." He knew who had the stone!
"You know who stole the Peace Stone!" Judy leaned forward in her seat, excitement shining on her face. She had cracked the case in less than 24 hours. Her heart sunk when she saw the fox raise and eye brow in confusion.
"I wasn't even aware the stone had been stolen carrots." Slightly annoyed by the indignant nickname he'd given her, she pressed on.
"Then why did you tell the ram to return it before knocking him unconscious?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. As I stated before when I woke up in the alley. The last thing I remember was seeing you knocked into the wall by that ram. A blow that should have been fatal to one such as yourself yet here you are seemingly unharmed. Perhaps you should fill in the gaps and maybe I'll be able to explain what happened."
Leaning back into her chair again, Judy took a deep breath before speaking. "Alright, after I was hit by the ram…" Judy recounted what she could remember of the battle. Most of it just what she heard without being able to move. What seemed to really get the fox's attention was the mention of his eyes changing.
"Does that explain anything?" Judy now more confused by his reaction than what really happened.
Nick reached up and scratch under his chin for a moment, pondering the tale he had just heard. "Well, it does explain the gap in my memory. It also answers my previous question."
"How so?" she asked. He seemed to ponder how to best answer her before speaking.
"Tell me fluff, why did you come to my home. Specifically, I mean."
"I told you, I'm investigating the theft of the Peace Stone." She held out a paw to him as if that was something he already should know.
"Yes, you told me that. But why my home? What in your investigation lead you to look the relic?"
"I wasn't looking for the relic specifically. I was trying to do research on why the stone was considered a relic. When I went to the hall or archives I found all the scrolls on it missing. After further research, I found a record where the last mammal to have retrieved them was the mage that last guarded the relic. A Nicholas Wilde that lived some 300 years ago." Suddenly, Judy came to a realization. Here before her sat a mammal named Nick in the home of a mage named Nicholas. "Wait a minute, are you his descendent?"
Oh, this is going to be fun. He thought to himself. "No," he couldn't help the smile creeping up the sides of his face. "I'm not." Judy's lips began to sag down into a frown. "However, I do know him." Her eyes shot wide.
"How do you know him? He's been dead for at least 250 years if he lived to an average life span."
"I could describe him if you'd like." She'll never believe me so what's the harm? He thought to himself.
Judy rolled her eyes. He's just trying to mess with my head. Two can play at this game. "Fine then, if you know him so well, tell me what he did before he was a mage."
"A simple conmammal who would used his magical abilities to fool the unsuspecting mammals into parting with their money. Of course, he didn't know he had magic until he was caught trying to con the wrong person. Who just so happened to be a mage."
Judy held her best interrogation face she should muster. Trying not to give away the fact that he seemed to know more than the official records indicated. So, she decided to take a different approach.
"Did you ever serve as a mage for the realm?"
She's changing to subject to me, cleaver bunny. Let's see where she's going. "I was a long time ago."
"Then how do you still have your powers? Because I know that upon leaving the service as a mage your powers are constrained to being nearly useless and yet, you seem to wield a great deal of magical abilities."
"Simple actually, I made them think they had performed the ritual that removes a mage's powers."
"And how did you manage that?" she asked, knowing he was lying now. "The mage's that perform the ritual are the most powerful in the realm."
The fox started laughing with his mouth still closed. "Oh, they were the most powerful at the time. However, I've heard that they have managed to increase the ability of mages somewhat since I've left the order."
Gotcha! She thought. "And how old did you say you were?"
"Technically, I'm 32."
Technically? "Ah, ha! Now I know you're lying!"
"About what? My age?"
"No, about being a mage of the realm."
Oh, is she in for a surprise. "And how do you figure that carrots?"
"Because, the history of the ZPD was required reading at the academy. Which included the advancement of magical arts. And the last advancement in magical abilities that was recorded was over 70 years ago."
Now she's giving me history lessons? Might be interesting if I hadn't already lived it. Time to end this. "So, what are your conclusions officer?"
"That you are either from outside the realm or a deserter."
"I can't help but notice you've changed the subject of our little conversation from your investigation to me. Which begs the question, what are you really after carrots?"
"Make it easy on yourself fox. Which is it. Because I would have just cause enough to arrest you for desertion or if you're an outsider from the realm that hasn't registered as a mage." Sitting up and crossing her arms over her chest. Secretly grasping the handle to her hidden dagger.
"Neither."
At this point Judy was tired of his insolence and leapt from her seat, pulled her dagger and pointed it at his throat. "I grow tired of your lies fox. Now tell me the truth or I'll slit your throat." Judy pressed the tip of the blade against his skin but he didn't move. He just looked into her eyes and all she could see was truth.
"My name is Nicholas Piberius Wilde. I served the realm as a low order mage for two years as punishment for my crimes. When my powers were fully realized my sensitivity to magic within certain objects became over powering. I was assigned to guard the lowliest relic in all of Zootopia. The Peace Stone. There I discovered more power than any sorcerer could possibly imagine. I was gifted with the ability to control magic at a level higher than any mammal in Zootopia. And with this gift came a curse of immortality. To understand what had happened to me I took every scroll concerning the Peace Stone and studied everything anyone had ever known about it. Then some days ago as the torture of not being able to die slowly began to take my mind I went back to the archives to erase any record of myself. Only to find that they had erased my species from my own file."
The last words shocked Judy. He had been to the archive and seen the same file of the person he claimed to be. He had been standing in the exact place she was earlier that same day.
Seeing her reaction Nick acted quickly. There was only one way she would believe him and not think he was just a mad fox. "Aestuare" Judy's dagger sudden became extremely hot in her hand. So much so that she had to drop it not to burn herself. And before she could get away from him, he reached out and grabbed her on both sides of the face and pulled her into a kiss. But Judy did not feel the soft moist touch of tinder flesh. Instead she saw what he wanted her to see. 300 years of agony and suffering. Sadness and prejudice all rolled into one second. What only lasted a second as physical contact felt like an eternity.
As Nick pulled away and release her, he leaned back into his chair with a heavy breath. While Judy did not feel the kiss, Nick had. His heart was now beating rapidly and his stomach felt as it if had been turned upside down. He knew the kiss didn't mean anything, but he didn't know why he suddenly felt this way towards this beautiful bunny. Did I just think that? "My apologies Officer Hopps. It was the only way I could convince you that what I had said was true. If you so desire you can return to the ZPD and research it. A message sent through a kiss has no way of being falsified."
The sound of his voice drew her eyes towards his. The mask he usually wore was gone. In its place was more than an empty shell. Eyes that spoke of nothing but tired loneliness. Judy could feel a lump in her throat start to swell and her vision started getting blurry from the tears that started to flow.
The sight of the poor bunny suffering before him was enough to cause his heart to break. He stood from his chair and stepped closer to her. "There is no need to cry on my behalf." He said while pulling her into a hug. "You bunnies so emotional." Holding her gently with one paw on her back and the other stroking her sensitive ears in a way that brought comfort.
Judy placed her forehead on his chest. Cursing to herself that all she could feel was the cold of the leather armor he wore. She wrapped her small arms around his torso as best she could and held onto him as she continued to let her tears fall. Suddenly she felt something warm and fuzzy wrap around her legs. Between sobs she looked down and saw he had wrapped his tail around her. Before she could think about what the gesture might mean he spoke.
"I'm sorry darling I've neglected to ask your name."
Taking a step back she looked up at him. "Judy, Judy Hopps."
He offered his paw, along with a smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Judy." She graciously took the paw and smiled back. After a mere second his face turned to one of pain and annoyance. "But you are standing on my tail. Off, off, off, off." Shooing her with his paw.
Judy took another big step back. "Oh, sorry." She nearly whispered, pulling her paws back to her in an apologetic manner. Nick lifted his tail up and began stroking the sensitive appendage. Judy couldn't help but stare and the fluffy thing before her. It's had surprised her how soft his fur was. She had expected it to be coarse.
He let his fall back behind him and address the bunny before him. "Now then, I suppose you'll want an explanation."
Judy's ears once again came to attention. She would finally get answers and with luck a lead in her case. "Yes please!" she said standing on her toes and grasping her paws together in front of her. While he had shared enough with her through the kiss to gain her trust, which she couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed at not having felt it, it didn't reveal everything. There were several gaps in the memories he shared.
Seeing her excitement at the offer of information Nick gestured her back to her seat and he took his. "Well what would you like to know first?"
Judy reached down to pick up her dagger, testing the feel too make sure it wasn't still hot. She was surprised that it had returned to its normal temperature. She secured it in her gauntlet and jumped up into her seat and turned to face him. "The Peace Stone, you said while guarding it you discovered more power than imaginable? How?"
Nick leaned back and stared up at the ceiling for a moment like he was searching for a memory. "Well," he began, "After doing nothing but standing guard over a single relic, about the size of a large marble, I got very bored. I knew the only reason I was placed there was because of my sensitivity to the magic within objects. So, I couldn't work with any other relics or even with the knights."
Judy tilted her head to the side along with one of her ears. "Wait, why couldn't you work the knights?"
Nick looked down from his skyward gaze and eyed the bunny curiously. "Because of the spells used to strengthen their armor. Remember I was very sensitive to magic and…." Nick noticed the puzzled look on Judy's face intensify. "They do still cast protection spells on your armor, don't they?" He asked in a concerned tone.
Judy straightened her head and ears simply shaking it back and forth to answer his questions. Nick's jaw dropped in shock and horror. They had sent this little bunny out into the dangerous world of Zootopia and hadn't even bothered to give her proper protection. He turned to face her items in the corner of the room. He went to retrieve the items and set them down beside the bunny on his couch. Taking the helmet with him. He returned to his seat, slowly turning the peace of armor in his hands, and started talking again.
"Anyway, one day I got very bored. I started studying this little ball that had become the epicenter of my attention. They taught us that we shouldn't touch relics without a second mage being present and a special spell to contain the magic within them. But even with my heightened sensitivity, I couldn't feel anything coming from it. So, I recklessly picked it up." He paused for a moment, still turning the helmet in his hands.
Judy didn't pay any attention to what he was doing and was listening intently to his story. "And what happened?" Encouraging him to continue.
He looked up at her for a second before looking down again. "The relic came to life. The small stone floated out of my paw and up into the air. It shifted into the shape of a full-size fox. A vixen, to be exact. She looked down at me and asked, 'Who has come before me?' I was so petrified at the sight that I couldn't say a word.
She eventually asked me, 'Do you not wish to unlock your full potential?' that was enough to get me talking again. But all I could reply back was 'yes'. She told me to step forward. Once I was close enough, she reached out and placed her hand on my head. I could feel something within me spark to life. My ability to sense the magic in objects expanded but it was no longer overwhelming. And then the knowledge came. I suddenly had spells in my mind that seemed impossible. Just when I felt like my head would explode from the vast amount of knowledge, the vixen took her paw of my head, leaving me weak and exhausted. I collapsed to the floor and before I passed out I heard a warning. 'Contain your inner demon or it will consume you.' And that's all I remember before waking up on the floor."
Before continuing his story, Nick held the rabbit sized helmet out to Judy. "Here, try it now."
Judy took the helmet and looked it over. She hadn't paid it any attention while the fox held it in his paws. To consumed by the tale, he shared with her. At first it looked just as it had before, then she turned it to see the top and she was surprised by what she found. He managed to cut slots just large enough for her ears to fit through. She took a finger and ran it along the insides of the cuts to see if they were sharp. Surprised again, the edges were smooth and rounded, with no danger of cutting her delicate ears.
"Try it on." He said with a grin. She lifted the helmet over her head and tilted her ears so they could slide through the new holes that had been cut for them. Once on her head she tried out the new flexibility it offered. Twisting and turning her ears in every direction. "It's perfect she exclaimed! But how did you..." she was cut off when he raised a fisted paw with his thumb sticking up, twitching it at her. A smirk on his face.
"You cut metal with your thumb?" the bunnies face was in awe at the spectacle before her.
"Magic, remember?"
"Oh, right." She sheepishly replied an embarrassed grin on her face. She took the helmet off and placed it with her other items. "So, what did she mean by your inner demon?"
"Remember the alleyway?"
Judy thought back to the image of the fox with his glowing eyes and frightening voice. And how he couldn't remember anything after it ended. "So, you have a demon inside you?"
"More like a split personality. Or rather a savage part that is pure instinct is able to manifest itself."
"Hu," Judy pondered on that for a moment, "are you able to control it."
"Until recently, yes. For some reason that inner part of me seems to be pulled towards you." He pointed a finger at the bunny across from him. She leaned back a little in surprise.
"Me? What did I do?" A shrug was his reply.
"I suspect it has something to do with the Peace Stone. You did say I mentioned it while in my savage state correct?"
"Yes! Like you knew who had it. But if you truly don't know who has it then why did you say it?"
"Most likely my savage side knows. It's far more in tune with the stone than I am."
Puzzled Judy posed a question. "If you can control it then how does it know something you don't?"
"Can I control it? Yes, yes I can. Can I understand it? No, no I cannot. I can't act…" his sentenced was cut off by a gurgling noise coming from the direction of the doe sitting before him. He eyed her for a second watching as her face and ears began to turn a shade of red under her grey fur. Judy clasped her stomach and let out a nervous giggle.
"Haha, sorry I haven't eaten since this morning." She looked away from her host trying to find something more interesting to stare at. Nick turned his head and looked out the window. It was already dark. Their activities and conversation of the day had caused time to pass exponentially.
"Do you like blueberries?" He asked her.
"Umm, sure but I couldn't possibly impose." She interjected not wanting to take advantage of his hospitality.
"Nonsense, wait here a moment." He stood from his chair and walked another part of his home.
Judy sat on the couch alone for a moment. For some reason, the room felt cold and empty after he had left. She attributed it him not being there to distract her from the cool touch of her armor. When he walked back into the room he held a shirt in his paw and had removed his own armor. Now only wearing the pants and a thin shirt over his torso. He offered the shirt to his guest.
"Here, you'll need to take your armor and uniform off." Judy sat up stiff as a board and ears fully erect.
"I shall do no such thing!" She yelled. But he laughed softly at her reaction.
"Not what you think, fluff. I'm going to cast a protection spell on your armor and since you don't have a lot of it, I'll also cast one on your uniform. But I can't do it while you're still wearing it." He offered her his shirt again. "You can change in my quarters while I prepare some food." Judy hesitantly took the shirt and slid of the furniture she had been sitting on. Walking towards the door she looked back and offered a nod in thanks.
She walked through the door way and into his room. She could smell the heavy musk of fox that permeated the room. Looking around there was very little to see. A bed and a large chest at the foot. She stripped off her armor and uniform. Not wanting to linger longer than necessary in her host bedroom. She neatly folded her uniform and placed it on top of the collection of armor. Holding his shirt up to her to exam it, it was obviously to big but would conceal her modesty. It also smelled very much like the fox. Something that she was starting to enjoy. Pushing that thought out of her head she pulled the garment on and gathered her things.
Walking back into the living room she looked to find Nick, but he wasn't there. Listening carefully, she followed the sound of dishes clinking together. Turning a corner, she found him setting plates on a table. He then looked up and saw her watching him. What he saw made him freeze in place for moment. The shirt he chose for her was thick and warm. It draped around her ankles and she had to roll the sleeps up to keep her paws from being covered. The collar was hanging slightly off one shoulder.
"Where do you want me to place these?" she said avoiding eye contact. She still felt uncomfortable wearing nothing but his shirt.
Offering a smile, he spoke. "Just set those on the couch with the others."
After placing her things down, she returned and took a seat at the table. Nick placed a large iron pot on the table in front of her. Taking a ladle, he dipped out two portions of steamed vegetables. Judy's nose was twitching rapidly at the sweet scent of food and her stomach started growling again.
Chuckling at her embarrassment, Nick offered her some relief. "You go ahead and eat. I'll take care of your uniform."
"Aren't you hungry?" she asked not wanting to be a bother. And still feeling guilty about breaking down his door earlier in the day.
"This won't take long." He said with a grin and walked out of the kitchen.
As soon as he was out of sight, Judy grabbed her eating utensil and began shoveling the food down as fast as she could chew. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until she could see and smell the food before you. After the first few bites she slowed her pace and looked around the kitchen. Something was off about it. But she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She looked down at her hot plate of food and the then the pot which still had steam coming out of the top.
A realization came to her. There was no stove. There was no fire in the fireplace. She couldn't smell smoke and she hadn't taken that long to get dressed. How did he manage to cook such a mean without a fire? She looked in the direction the fox mage had last stood. Rolling her eyes at herself she softly whispered, "magic". She went to take another bite and stopped before putting it in her mouth.
She had been missing something. Or rather overlooking a detail. Magic required spells. The wielder to speak words that would instruct an object to do something. Such as cause wood to catch fire. She looked around again and sniffed the air. No sign or smell of smoke there had been no fire.
She then thought about her dagger. It was touching him when he uttered a word causing it to heat up. She wondered if he did the same with the pot. That would explain the lack of fire or smoke. Then she remembered the attack in the alley. While a savage Nick controlled the sword with just his paw outstretched. He never muttered a word much less touched the blade.
She listened intently trying to hear something in the next room. She strained her ears to hear anything. Only the slighted sound of scratching on metal reached her. Then the click of claws on the floor. She would get to ask about it after all.
"Enjoying your meal?" Nick asked as he returned to the table and took his seat. Filling his own plate.
"Yes, it's very delicious, thank you." She showed an honest smile. He grinned in return and began eating his own meal.
"I wanted to ask you about something that happened in the alley. While you were in your savage state."
Raising an eyebrow and swallowing his food before answering. "O-okay?"
A little nervous now, she pushed on. "When the ram was about to bring his sword down on me, you reached out your paw and it looked like you used it to control the blade the other mammal was wielding."
"And you want to know how I did that without words or touching it?" She shook her head vigorously. "Remember what I told you the vixen said about reaching my full potential?" Again, nodding her head quickly. "That's part of what she meant. With a lot of effort, I can control objects with just the wave of a paw so to speak." Waving his paw in front of him for effect.
Judy's eyes were wide with fascination. "Part of what she meant? What else can you do?" Nick raised his paw off the table. Looking at Judy with a mischievous grin and then snapping his fingers. This produced a flame on the tip of his thumb which was pointing up. No one in the ZPD had such an ability. She was awe struck. So much so that her host had to remind her the food was getting cold.
After finishing his plate, he walked over to a cupboard and produced a half-eaten blueberry pie. He sat at the table and rested his elbow on the table holding the pie in front of his guest. "Watch this!" he said in a somewhat cocky tone of voice. As she watched she could hear the slight sound of sizzling. And then steam began to rise from the pie and the smell of warm pie began to fill her nostrils. "Amazing!"
Nick chuckled at her reaction. After finishing the pie. They returned to the living room once again. "So, what kind of spell did you put on my armor?" she asked while examining the breastplate which somehow seemed much lighter now.
"Well for starters I managed to lighten it slightly. Which you can probably tell." He looked at her for confirmation. Seeing a smile tug at her lips he felt satisfied it had the desired effect. "And also made it stronger so you'll be better protected from brute force attacks."
"Like when the ram headbutted me?" Rubbing her arm and ribs at the memory of the pain. Nodding his head in confirmation. Judy checked each piece of equipment feelings its new light weight, she was pleased that it would produce the desired effect of allowing her to be quicker and nimbler while offering more protection. She then turned her attention to her uniform.
"And what of my garments?" She asked picking up her blue uniform. It's color reminding her of the warm fruit which filled the pie they had just enjoyed. A slight smile forming at the memory.
"They won't protect you from a physical attack it's not in their nature. However, they will protect you from being burned or even feeling the heat of a flame against them. Your cloak is the same with something extra that I'm quite proud of." He said while picking up the light blue item and handing it to the rabbit. "Here, put it on."
After placing the cloak around her Nick went into his bedroom and returned with a hand-held mirror. "Now pull you hood up and repeat after me. Invisibilis."
"Invisibilis" she said and waited. Nothing happened. She looked at Nick with a now what look on her face. He turned the mirror towards her and he jaw dropped open. "I'm invisible?" Judy could see nothing in the mirror's reflection save the room around her.
"Not exactly. People can still see you but their mind will not register your presence. Only a mirror can reveal the spells true intention."
"Thank you for what you've done today. I don't deserve this gift after the way I treated you earlier and damaged your home."
"Don't worry about it," he turned to walk towards the kitchen again, "you're not the first to break down my door." He paused for a moment and looked over his shoulder, a smirk on his face. "Or have you forgotten?"
At this reminder Judy's mind raced with several memories that he had given her of his own life. Including several of other mammals breaking down his door. The it occurred to her, she hadn't asked how he was still alive.
"Nick?" she called out.
He poked his head out of the kitchen. "Yes?"
"Earlier, you said you were technically 32. What did you mean by that?"
Still grinning, he gestured her to follow him into the kitchen. Once there he motioned for her to take a seat. "I was 32 when the Peace Stone stopped my aging process. So technically I haven't grown any older."
"Ah," she said as if she'd known the answer all along. "so, is that an ability you were given?"
"More like a curse. Anyway," trying to change the subject, "tonight you can stay here with me."
Judy's eyes shot wide and she raised her paws up to him in a defensive gesture. "Oh, no, no, no, I couldn't impose on you like that."
"Carrots, it's past dark out there and the public transportation wagons have stopped running. It will take you several hours to walk back to the barracks you're billeted at. Besides, we need to get an early start tomorrow if we want to…" Nick stopped cleaning the kitchen and suddenly stared out the kitchen door.
"What is it?" Judy noticing the strange action of her host.
"Someone's coming. Quickly, get your armor on." He quickly walked out of the kitchen.
"Nick? Who's coming? What are you…" Nick was already at his front door wearing his green armored shirt again standing with the door open looking out into the darkness. Looking past him, Judy could see four figures standing in front of his home. Two holding torches and she could clearly see that the four of them were rams. The two holding torches dressed the same as the three who attacked her. The other two were covered by their cloaks.
"Give us the rabbit fox," one of the cloaked rams spoke, "and we'll let you go with your life."
Judy grabbed her uniform and started getting dressed under Nick's shirt when she heard the door shut and a wooden thump from the other side. He looked out from under the shirt to see what was happening, only to see that Nick was gone. Oh, sweet cheese and crackers!
Nick pulled the door closed and used a spare board to block it from being able to open from the inside. "That's a good boy." Spoke one of the rams holding a torch. Nick smirked at his words.
"It's for your own protection. That little bunny would tear you apart before you even knew what happened."
"So, you are the fox we were told about." The first cloaked ram spoke again. He stomped his foot to the ground and yelled out. "Vinea!" and giant vines sprang forth from the ground and wrapped themselves around Nick from his feet up to his muzzle, holding it shut so he couldn't speak.
Judy had nearly finished putting her armor on and was standing in a window looking out at the scene before her. Nick was completely wrapped in vines and looked as though the life was being squeezed out of him. Judy moved to the door and was about to attempt ramming it open but stopped when she heard a voice scream.
"That's impossible!" One of the rams. She looked out the window again and saw Nick was free of the now scorched vines and held his hands up with a fireball in each. Judy's face frowned in dread as she realized what was about to happened to the four rams who dared to challenge the fox that was far more powerful than anything anyone had ever seen before.
"Oh, sweet cheese and crackers!"