Nick opened his eyes, expecting to see his bedroom bathed in morning sunlight as it streamed through the curtains. His pile of dirty clothes in one corner, trash overflowing from the bin in another, and a pile of questionably clean clothes at the foot of his bed; the remains of an alarm clock on his night stand where he had been too tired to replace the old one after he had smashed it for interrupting his sleep. The half-open closet, where he could see several police uniforms and, if he looked closely enough, an old, olive green shirt now too small for him.
Instead, he saw gray. And he smelled... Earth and sweat, with an underlying scent of fruity soap, like pomegranate and... Blueberries? And in his arms, which he quickly realized were wrapped around a significantly smaller frame, was a soft bundle of fluff pressed against him. It didn't take long to realize that the gray was an ear, long and soft, yet limp as it lay across his eyes. Nick stiffened slightly, doing his best to control his breathing as he slowly lifted his head to look at who or what he held.
It was entirely possible it was a stuffed rabbit he'd been given as a kit – one that he had kept close to him and used as a constant source of comfort through the years, and one of the few childhood items he had clung to (his first stuffed animal, actually). But it didn't smell like this, it didn't feel this soft, and it didn't snore.
Nor did it look this freaking cute.
Snuggled against his chest, back to his, was Judy, wearing some slightly oversized shorts and a basketball t-shirt one size too large (they had been Finnick's at one point, but the fennec came around so rarely now that Nick was sure he wouldn't mind sharing some clothes; besides, all of her clothes at his place were dirty still). Her head rested just under his, chest slowly rising and falling with her snores, and her heartbeat – though still faster than a fox's – was beating slower than when she hugged him during the waking hours. Her mouth was open slightly, and the sunlight caught small strands of drool that she let out – something Nick was torn between finding absolutely adorable, and slightly disgusting. He settled on adorable, though he'd never let Judy know it, before he looked around his room for some signal as to what the time was. Unfortunately, with the curtains mostly closed, and his alarm clock in several dozen pieces, he had no way to do so.
That did little to stop the urges he felt that called him to the bathroom, a part of the typical morning routine for when he awoke; but there was the problem of one arm being under a certain pile of gray cuteness. But, with either attempting to move or else completely embarrasing himself and disgusting Judy, he decided to take the logical route of finding some way to leave the bed.
But first... Nick reached over for his nightstand, doing his best to leave Judy undisturbed as he grabbed his phone and went to the camera. This could be some great hustle material, the kind even he couldn't pass up.
After a quick picture of the Judy, and recording a small video that captured her snoring, Nick drew himself carefully away from the bed and climbed to the floor, quietly slipping into the bathroom to do his business. When he exited not long after, he checked up on his partner – still sound asleep, snoring loud as a plane. Satisfied, he walked out to his kitchen and began brewing a pot of coffee, beginning to check his social media. It didn't even occur to Nick how odd it could be for him and Judy to wake in the same bed when they weren't a couple; it didn't feel odd, or wrong. If anything, it was more of a comfort.
By the time his coffee was done, the fox felt relatively caught up with the world he knew and was ready to go wake his partner. However, a phone call interrupted him, from the Chief no less. Panic briefly tore through the fox – were he and Judy meant to go in at their normal time today? Without a moment's hesitation, he answered the phone, holding it up to his ear and biting back a smart opening, going with a simple "Hello?"
Bogo answered on the other line. "Wilde, good. Where's Hopps? I've tried calling her but she hasn't answered."
"Still asleep, sir. We had a late outing getting some information last night, remember?" Nick said.
"No, actually, I don't remember. But that's besides the point – we need you two to come to the Downtown Hospital."
"The hospital? Why? We can't have hurt your pride that much," Nick replied, immediately regretting his words.
"Shut it, Wilde! I don't have the patience or energy for that right now. Your friend was attacked at some point last night, and he'll only speak to you two. We're reviewing the footage of it now, but don't have any leads just yet."
Nick's ears fell along with his tail at the news. Robin had been attacked, inside the ZPD? "Got it, sir. We'll be over soon as we can."
"Make sure of it," Chief Bogo replied. "I want to put an end to all of this." Then, he hung up.
Nick sighed, and started brewing a second pot of coffee before going to wake Judy. This was already promising to be a long day.
óÓÒò ~
Nick stepped into the hospital room beside Judy, the Chief turning from his stance by the window as a nurse shut the door behind them. Both officers were in half uniform, Judy wearing her undersuit with a loose ZPD t-shirt and jeans, Nick sporting a long sleeved navy blue shirt and plain khakis. Robin was sitting up in his bed, bandages over his left cheek and new ones on his left arm. He wore just his hooded vest from the day before, and underneath new bandages stained with red could be seen.
"Finally," Bogo muttered. "Now then. We need answers," he said, turning to Robin. The fox looked up at him and let his ears fall flat, something of a whimper emitting from his throat. This somewhat startled Nick; Robin was the last mammal that seemed likely to whimper outside of a fight. The room filled with a tense silence – aside from the beeping of medical equipment - as Robin let his whimper die off, and he opened his mouth several times, only to close it without a sound.
Judy and Nick waited patiently, both taking up a seat on one side of the taller fox's medical bed. Chief Bogo snorted with clear impatience at Robin's continued silence, at one point letting out the bovine equivalent of a growl to the fox. Finally, he broke the silence with a quiet voice. "Blisk."
Judy and Nick looked to one another, a silent justification of their unease of the cheetah the night before. "Officer Blisk?" Judy asked. Robin responded with a silent nod, staring at his lap.
"Came into my cell and tried to claw my throat out," Robin muttered.
Judy turned her attention to the Chief. "Sir, do you have the files for Officer Blisk? Something we can look into to check this?"
Chief Bogo snorted at this. "Officer Blisk? I don't remember us getting an officer with that name," he said. Nick felt his ears fall against his head. The Chief knew about everyone that was in the Precinct, but he didn't remember the cheetah?
A sudden realization hit the fox, but Robin voiced it for him. "You don't know of the cheetah officer on night shift? Shouldn't you know about everyone in the Precinct?"
"Don't you doubt-" Bogo started, but Judy cut him off.
"Hang on, sir. Phraxus was able to get into SWAT – what if they got into the ZPD too? You're not around during the night shift, isn't it possible someone slipped in then?"
"They would have to be in the system," Chief Bogo replied. "Only academy graduates are entered in once they are assigned to a precinct."
"But what if there was a very skilled hacker who had access to back doors on nearly every system?" Robin asked. "Could he fake the information?"
Chief Bogo stared at the fox for a moment, before his phone rang. He looked down at it and made for the door as he answered, stepping outside. Nick looked at Robin, as did Judy. "How're you feeling?" Nick asked.
"How do you think?" Robin muttered bitterly. "Between new wounds every other day and your Chief being something of an ass to me..."
"Hopefully, better than you look," Nick said. "Then again, that won't take much effort." Robin groaned, Judy lightly slapping Nick's arm despite her snicker. "But what did Blisk do to you?" Nick continued.
"Like I said, tried to rip my throat out. Higgins brought in a more medically trained officer and checked on me to make sure I was still kicking, then they left. I heard the cell doors open again not long after, I thought they were coming back for something, but it was that cheetah. I fought back, but... He's a lot bigger than me." Robin set a paw to his side, wincing. "And has bigger claws. He settled for a good cut to my side and cheek, before I about bit his tail off. He booked it after that."
Chief Bogo came back into the room, phone away as he stared at the group before him. "That was the team reviewing the footage. They found the attack, but don't recognize the officer."
"So what're you going to do about it?" Robin challenged.
"What I'm going to do," Chief Bogo replied, his voice falling to his low and menacing tone typically reserved for officers in trouble. "Is go back to my office, review the footage myself, and find the mammal who decided to attack someone in my Precinct. Officers Hopps, Wilde, you two are coming with me to help identify the mammal."
Robin's ears fell to his head as he looked up at the Chief in something akin to disbelief. "So you're going to leave me here, alone and injured?"
"Of course not. I have Officer Snarlof on his way to keep you company. Although, as I was reminded over the phone, you should have a crucial bit of evidence on you?" The massive cape buffalo held out a hoof expectedly, Robin staring up at him. Nick and Judy looked between the two, debating if they should get involved.
Robin sighed, reached into his vest and taking out the dog tags Arctic had given him, setting them in Bogo's comparatively huge palm. He didn't let go, however, instead letting his own voice seep into a growl. "I'm not out of this fight. You better keep me in the loop."
"You aren't an officer," Bogo reminded him. "I've let you be involved for far longer than I should have. You'll be lucky if you even hear about this case on the news."
"Uh, sir," Judy interjected. "With all he's done so far, Robin deserves to at least be informed about what he risked his life for."
Nick nodded in agreement with his partner. "He didn't have to risk his hide to get us this information. It's the least we can do."
Their chief stared down at the smaller mammals, but they stared back in clear defiance. It took some time, but finally the buffalo turned back to Robin. "Fine. You'll be kept 'in the loop.' But don't expect anything beyond that."
Robin let go of the tags as Bogo withdrew his arm, putting them in an evidence bag. He turned to leave, motioning for Nick and Judy to follow.
óÓÒò ~
Arctic sat upright in his hospital bed, immediately hissing in the pain at his shoulder, immediately laying back down. His vision was blurry, and he could feel multiple IVs hooked up to his arm. The room was dark, but not because it was night; a small turn of his head revealed that Chloe was sat on a chair by the window, curled up in a blanket as she read a book. She had looked up when the wolf shifted, giving a small smile as she saw that he'd woken up, setting down her book and going over to the bed.
"Hey," he muttered, wincing at how hoarse his voice was. He paused and took a glass of water that Chloe handed to him, taking a drink before continuing. "So, you miss me?" he asked. Chloe nodded, pointing to the chair where she had sat. Arctic sat up and glanced over; several books were in a pile, and the trash can was filled with empty cups and food wrappers. "Oh, been catching up on your reading?" he muttered, glancing to the rabbit. She nodded with a smile, before glancing to the door as a nurse walked in.
It was a doe, dressed in the typical nurse outfit, holding a clipboard as she looked over whatever was on the papers it held. She looked up and was slightly startled to see the wolf leaning up on his elbows, a pain burning in his injured shoulder and making him lean on the other one more. "A-Ah, you're awake, mister..?"
"Frost?" Arctic tried, letting out a sigh of relief as the nurse checked the paper and nodded. "Just woke."
"A little earlier than expected, but it's good to know you're awake," she replied. "I was just coming in to check on you. How do you feel?"
"My shoulder's sore and my neck hurts," the wolf replied. "What happened?"
"You took... A bullet? To the shoulder, it didn't hit anything vital but it did fracture your scapula, so I suggest you stop putting weight on it," she said, gesturing to his aching shoulder. Arctic nodded and lay back down, noting how confused the nurse was at the cause of his injury. "You're in good condition, however, and should be released sometime in the next day or two. Though, a doctor will need to come and check up on you."
"I figured as much," Arctic groaned. "Anything else I need to know?"
The doe shook her head. "Not at the moment. Do you want me to go see if the doctor can see you now?"
"If he's free," the wolf responded, nodding to the nurse as she ducked her head and walked out of the room. Arctic sighed softly, turning back to Chloe. "Before someone else interrupts, I need to tell you something. It's about your sister."
Chloe looked up at the wolf sharply, and suddenly he felt somewhat nervous under her stare. But he knew the feeling wouldn't last, so long as he finished. "I wanted to keep this until everything blew over, but that's not happening any time soon. Chloe, your sister is... Well, she's alive."
Arctic wasn't quite ready for the fierce hug he was given, gasping and flailing his good arm as Chloe choked him with affection. "Air, air!" he gasped, taking in deep breaths as he shook his head. "Alright, bunny, I know you've got your questions... Ask away."
óÓÒò ~
The day flew by in a blur. It was evening before Nick knew it, and he was still up to his neck in paperwork.
The footage had been reviewed with them present and, as was expected, Blisk was the assailant. He had entered the cell with a blanket – likely his excuse for entering in the first place – and had tried to attack Robin. As the fox had said, though, he woke up and fought back – but not without sustaining some clear injuries himself, Blisk running out of the building as several officers chased him, and two others tended to Robin's wounds.
The cell itself was a mess. The three blankets that Robin had were strewn around the cell and part way through the bars, and there were splotches of blood on them, as well as a now-dried stain of it on the floor. A forensics team was going through what they had gathered in an attempt to find out more about their assailant, but that was something bound to take time. Shreds of the fox's clothes were also present, but there weren't any scraps of blue uniform to be seen, and there was a lack of fur at the scene as well, making it all the more difficult to track down the cheetah.
But, rather than help with the actual investigation beyond input from the footage, Nick and Judy were forced to do the most horrifying task of all: paperwork. Both knew that they would have to do it at some point, but both also tried to avoid it as much as possible. It was, easily, the most boring and time-consuming thing they could've done involving the case.
As a result, in an attempt to work faster, Nick and Judy decided to keep at the paperwork in silence. Nick could tell even Judy was impressed by his devotion to the task; not once did he crack a bad joke or make some sarcastic comment as they worked. When finally - well after the two should've been sent home - they completed the paperwork, the fox and rabbit made their way to the front desk, Nick holding onto a fresh cup of coffee and Judy a cup of water.
Clawhauser was still at the front desk, going through his phone as he packed up to head home. "Hey, Spots," Nick said, catching the cheetah's attention. The feline quickly turned and grinned as he saw the two.
"Nick! Judy! What're you two still doing here? It's getting late," the cheetah asked.
"Ol' buffalo butt wanted us to do some paperwork," Nick groaned. "I think he's been saving it up."
"You two haven't been here to do it though," Clawhauser responded. "You knew it was coming. Oh, but you're all done now, right?" His grin widened as they nodded.
"Just finished," Judy said. "What're you still doing here, though? Don't you leave at the same time as everyone else?"
"Normally, yeah," Clawhauser replied. "But the Chief is still here, he said he had a conference call. He's been in it for three hours."
"Three hours?" Nick asked, scratching under his chin. "I wonder what's going on? Don't they normally only last an hour or so?"
"Normally, yeah," Clawhauser replied, leaning over his desk and looking up to the Chief's door with a hint of worry. "But I heard that it's about your case, and that it just got a lot bigger."
"How could it get bigger?" Judy asked. Clawhauser opened his mouth to reply, before Bogo's door was slammed open, the cape buffalo storming to the railing and looking down at them.
"Good. You two are still here. Hopps, come up. Wilde, you too."
The tone of his voice – more defeated than anything else – caught the three off guard. Judy looked at Nick, who gave her a shrug, before heading for the steps. The fox started following her, when a 'psst' from Clawhauser called him back. "Nick, when were you going to tell me?" the cheetah asked.
"Tell you what?" Nick asked, head tilting in curiousity. There hadn't been anything for Nick to tell him.
"That you two are a thing!" Clawhauser replied, a massive smile appearing on his face as he bunched his paws under his cheeks, pushing upwards and making him smile even more.
"Who, me and Carrots? We're not a thing, what even gave you that idea?" Nick asked, glancing to his partner as she paused at the steps. Nick waved her on, and she nodded before resuming.
"Nick, you know about smells, you're a predator too. When she came in this morning she smelled a lot like you – a lot, like, more than usual. Like, same bed a lot," Clawhauser explained. Nick's ears flattened as he realized what he was saying, and immediately regretted how he didn't think of it sooner.
"Wha- Look, Spots, she and I aren't together. She slept at my place last night because it's closer and we were out late," Nick said, breaking his sentence with a quick drink of coffee. "That's it. Promise."
Clawhauser's smile faded a bit, but it still kept strong as his tail flicked behind him. "But it's not the same as today," he pressured. "Come on, Nick, you gotta tell me what happened!"
Nick sighed and looked around, ensuring no one else was present before speaking. "Alright, Benji I'll tell you the truth. We... Went home, ate a quick dinner, and went to sleep. That's it. Now look, I'd love to stay and chat, but I should get going before-"
"WILDE! Get in here!" Chief Bogo's voice boomed from above, making the fox jump.
"Before that," he finished. "I'll talk to you later, Spots, eat a donut for me!" he called out, sprinting up the steps. He entered the office and paused to catch his breath, spotting Judy waiting in a chair far too large for her. She shifted over to make room for the fox as he clambered on with her, sitting down and letting his smirk fall into place as he looked up at the Chief.
"Now then, that you're both here, we can resume this... Disaster of a call." Bogo started. He reached over to the phone on his desk and pressed a button, and immediately the voices of several other mammals sprang into the room. The buffalo winced and stared down at the source with a glare that would freeze most mammals in place, before sighing. He waited for a brief lull in the call before clearing his throat, bringing about a sort of silence. "Now that I can be heard," he said. "I have here with me the two officers leading on this case. Officers Judy Hopps, and Nick Wilde."
Judy and Nick looked to one another, with a bit of confusion. They were here to join in on the conference call?
"Ah, splendid," one voice sounded – to Nick, it was nasally. "Are they aware of everything we have discussed?"
"Not yet," Bogo replied. "I recall some of you wanting to do that yourselves."
"Not all of us wanted to wait," the female sounded, almost an irritated hiss.
"Yes, well," Another voice sounded, this one being a much softer tone than that of the others. "Officers... Hopps, and Wilde? Can you two hear us alright?"
"Loud and clear," Nick said.
"Very good. My name is William Howler, and accompanying me in this call are Ms. Shien and Mr. Bouncer," he continued. A female voice gave a warm 'hello' and the nasally voice from before did the same as they were introduced. "We also have one or two others in the call, but due to pressing matters for them they can only hear us. Now, correct me if I am mistaken, but you two have been working on this case to take down something of a cult that goes by the name of Phraxus?"
"That is correct, yes sir," Judy replied.
"This is a group that we haven't seen before in Zootopia, yet they appear to have a great amount of traction and a mass following of several hundred mammals, comprised of what appears to be eighty-nine percent predatory, and many have criminal backgrounds, according to the information delivered to us by your chief. What do you know of them?" Howler spoke calmly, but with an authority that made Bogo sit back in his chair, staring at the officers.
"We honestly don't know all that much, sir," Nick said.
"What we do know is that they are mostly armed, dangerous, and have made murder attempts on officers and civilians. A few in particular have been singled out, and these individuals have done all they can to help us with our case."
"You say civilians are helping with your case?" Shien asked. "How do they know of it?"
Nick and Judy looked to one another, then to Chief Bogo, who sighed and leaned forward again. "Officers Hopps and Wilde were initially assigned to a case regarding a series of vigilante attacks. When they found the vigilante, he revealed news of Phraxus and has since been aiding my officers in retrieving the information I have shared with you all."
"The ZPD is enlisting the assistance of a criminal now?" Shien scoffed. "I can't be surprised, it's hardly the first time after that Night Howler crisis with the conmammal playing hero."
"I'm flattered you've researched me, ma'am," Nick said, making Shien fell silent. "With all due respect," the fox continued. "This 'criminal', from what we've seen, has yet to break any real laws – yes, he intimidated other mammals but we never found any evidence to suggest he actually harmed them, or took anything."
"Assault is assault, regardless," Shein argued. "For the ZPD to be advocating this mammal's actions is simply-"
"We never once advocated his actions," Chief Bogo interrupted. "We set out to bring him in for his actions. It just happens that the same mammal is more useful to us as an ally on the streets than an enemy in a cell. And you can't pretend the Bureau of Investigation hasn't enlisted the help of criminals in the past."
Judy and Nick looked to one another again. The Zootopia Bureau of Investigation was a part of this now?
"Back to the reason we are here," Howler said, not letting the argument go on any further. "This vigilante has given us quite a bit of information. We have the names of nearly all of its members, and most importantly, the one who is leading them – of course, along with his closest supporters. A Maximus Campbridge, cheetah from Outback Island, ex-gang member; Esmerelda Ocelo, ocelot from the Rainforest District, ex-SWAT sniper; as well as one more, a Lestnitsky Udvoi, wolf from the Sahara Square.
And lastly, their alleged leader: Viggo Capeli, arctic fox from Tundratown, and current CEO of Brightwater Industries. These four are currently being investigated, and we are slowly working on doing the same to the other mammals listed. Unfortunately, though, it doesn't look good."
"That is a subject that the ZBI should be working on," Shien commented.
"Yes, well, with the outbursts I've heard tonight, regulation of information may be an order, though the ZBI is in charge of investigatin Capeli," Howler responded. "Now then, as for their goal, it seems to be something akin to the plot Dawn Bellwether had against the city. Bouncer, if you will?"
"Thank you, sir. I received some documents highlighting a serum similar in design to that used by Ms. Bellwether, though it has been heavily modified and we're still trying to figure out exactly how it would work and what it would do," Bouncer said, sniffling as he paused. "Of course, being from the same plant, it could cause mammals to go savage – something we have a cure for. However, it is evident that there are heavy modifications to the formula, and new elements in the mix.
"What we can say for certain is, this version is not meant to be contained in a pellet, as was Bellwether's design. It's meant to be more of a gas, similar to steam, but from what we can discern it only works in colder environments."
"What this means," Chief Bogo sighed. "Is that Tundratown is the most likely target at the moment. But, with winter approaching, Downtown and potentially the Rainforest District, as well as multiple sub-districts, could be affected as well in the colder months."
"Correct," Bouncer confirmed, sniffing before resuming. "Unfortunately, the information provided is limited and, unless we can locate where this is being created, we are unable to know exactly what the effects are and how to counter it with an antitoxin."
"Wait," Judy interrupted. "Will the original Night Howler antidote work against this?"
"We can't be certain," Bouncer responded. "But we can assume it will mitigate the effects, if not prevent them entirely."
"So then what are we to do about this?" Shien asked. "With the ZIA witholding information there's little we can do, and this task could be far too large for the ZPD alone to do."
"I agree. It seems that, with this modified Night Howler serum, they wanted to create a mass chemical attack and, due to the lack of preparation on the behalf of the law enforcement, would have the members step in under the guise of a private army with promises of a cure. Using that they would take control of certain portions of the city and impliment a new ruling system that involves... Predators once again turning to prey as a source of food and to 'cull the population'." Howler sighed at this. "Chief Bogo, what do you think of this?"
The Chief was, again, leaning back in his chair, a hoof on his chin as he reviewed everything. "I think we need to make sure all of this information is correct before we charge into this."
"Clearly," Shien said dryly. "We're going to launch a full investigation on Capelli and his financial backers, as soon as Howler and the ZIA grant us more information."
"Which is something I am working on," Howler replied, ignoring the irritation in the female's voice. "Chief Bogo, is it possible for us to speak with the vigilante?"
"He's currently in the hospital, but I could speak with him tomorrow," the cape buffalo responded.
"Splendid," Howler replied. "I believe we have little else to discuss?"
"Uh, sir," Judy interjected. "Why did you ask for us if we were only here to confirm a few questions?"
"Well you two are the main officers assigned to this case, correct? And with such prestigious records as yours you need all the information you can get to put an end to it." Howler stated matter-of-factly.
"If that's all you needed from us," Chief Bogo started, "Then I-"
The door to his office was flung open, cutting off the buffalo as he jerked his head up. Clawhauser was standing there, bent over and panting, holding up a paw. "I just... I need a second," he said, grabbing the door frame and doing his best to stand upright. "Sir, I've just gotten a call from Officer Snarlof. Robin's gone!"
The room fell dead silent, broken a moment later by a single resounding question from everyone:
"What?!"
óÓÒò ~
"It appears you have a minor concussion, a newly cracked rib with another still healing, bruising along your cheek and neck, as well as some torn tissue in your right leg," the doctor said as he looked over his clipboard. The lion looked up from his paperwork and nodded to Robin. "You've taken quite a beating, it seems. You're very lucky that this is all the damage you've taken, especially since I see signs of other recent injuries that haven't healed."
"I lead a very active lifestyle," Robin replied.
"So it would appear," The doctor replied. "You'll need a bit of rest before you can even think about getting back to that lifestyle, however."
"Roughly how long?" Robin asked, ears lowering at the prospect of an answer he wouldn't like.
"Give it a month or so," was the response. "Your ribs need time to heal properly, as does the torn tissue, and your body itself needs time to heal before you can be back to full strength. The concussion is something we'll have to monitor, however. If we aren't careful, it could lead to something worse down the road."
"Right," Robin muttered. "Well, when's the soonest I can leave?"
"Hmmm... How are you feeling?" the lion asked, walking over to Robin's bed. Now the fox could see his nametag – a Doctor L. Glyf, a unique name.
"One hundred percent," Robin lied.
Doctor Glyf looked Robin in the eye, before nodding and lifting Robin's injured leg – to which the fox let out a hiss of pain. "I somehow doubt that, Mr. Wick. The best we can do is send you home tomorrow evening, and have you check up every few days."
"That's the absolute best? I do have something I need to attend to tomorrow morning," Robin replied.
"Yes, and now that thing will be your body. It's evident that you've been running on low sleep, low rest, low food, and low drink for well over a week. You can't go on that way."
Robin looked down and sighed, nodding. "Alright, alright. Then, can I at least ask when I'm free to move from this bed? I've got a friend somewhere in here that I would like to see."
"What's his name?" Doctor Glyf asked.
"His last name should be 'Frost'," Robin told him.
The lion looked down and sighed. "We'll see what we can do. Depending on where he is, you might be able to take a walk there. It could be a way for us to evaluate your condition later."
"Whatever I can get," Robin nodded again, smiling. "Thank you, doctor."
With a grunt of acknowledgement, the lion walked out of the room, leaving Robin alone with Officer Snarlof. The silence settled for a few moments, before the polar bear spoke. "So you're the fox that's been giving the Chief such a headache?"
Robin looked at the polar bear and gave a nervous smile. "I guess so? I haven't been trying to, I swear."
The officer chuckled and sat back in his chair. "It doesn't take much to irritate the Chief sometimes. I'm not sure if it was your consant escaping or vigilante acts that got to him first."
"I think it was both," Robin replied, laying his head down.
"Probably both," Snarlof agreed. "But hey. You realize, when all of this is done, there's not going to be much you can do about the charges against you, right?"
"Wait, there's actually charges against me?" Robin barked out a laugh. "Sheesh, you scare one or two mammals and you're the bad guy all of a sudden."
"Wait, you're surprised by it?" Snarlof asked. Robin nodded.
"I never hurt anyone. I chased, I tackled, I tried to get some information, then I took the Night Howlers and-" Robin's eyes widened as he realized something. "Oh hell. You guys don't know where all the stolen Night Howlers are! Where's my phone?" The fox began to frantically search around his bed, hissing in pain as he twisted awkwardly to search under him, before realizing his phone was in his pocket and settling down. He drew it out and began sending messages to King, letting him know that he was going to tip off Nick and Judy to where the flowers were stashed so the ZPD could contain them. Snarlof looked over at Robin cuiously, raising an eyebrow as the fox set his phone down. "The Night Howlers we intercepted, we stashed them somewhere in the Rainforest District. The ZPD can contain them and keep them safe, I just forgot to tell anyone else about them."
"Right," the officer grumbled, reaching for a magazine.
Robin lay his head down, shutting his eyes as exhaustion overwhelmed him. He yawned widely and shifted to get comfortable.
One day of rest, that's all.
A lot can happen in one day.
A lot can also not happen in one day.
We can't take a break now, we're so close!
If we don't rest, at least a little bit, we won't be able to finish.
...
Robin woke with a start several hours later, to a darkened room. Officer Snarlof was dozing in the corner, the blinds were drawn, and it was clearly evening. Senses flooded his body as he stretched, wincing at the pain his injuries brought him. But the most prominent of all, was hunger.
It was late, though – the chances of him ordering food were slim. As best he could remember, the latest food could be ordered was six at night – it looked more to be seven. Officer Snarlof was asleep in the corner - as was evident by his surprisingly soft snoring - and, if he was to make the decision, food was not something to alert a nurse for.
Robin checked himself for any sort of IVs or any other needles that would be stuck in him, relieved to see none, before taking off the pulse oximeter off and rolling himself out of the bed. He sank to his knees once he hit the floor, gritting his teeth. "There's no way I can just walk this off, is there?" he muttered, walking for the door to his room.
Robin pulled the door open and peeked out, taking in his surroundings. No nurses, doctors, or really anyone in sight. He rolled his eyes, muttering 'lousy security' before walking out and trotting down the hall. All he really wanted was something light – a bag of chips, maybe, or a granola bar. He just had to find a vending machine.
He looked down over himself and hesitantly zipped up his vest – if anyone did see him walking around, they didn't need to see all the bandages he wore. It took him some time, but after several twists and turns deeper into the hospital, he finally found a vending machine. After settling with a bag of chips, Robin paid for his snack and began to walk back.
Immediately, he could tell something was off. When he turned the corner to his room, his door was open, and there was clear movement even from where he stood. So he stalked closer, listening closely for whoever was inside.
"Well check the security footage, then, we need to find him!" A voice, clearly Chief Bogo, sounded.
"Sir, that'll take time. We have to-" A nurse was speaking, but Robin cleared his throat once he walked into the room. All eyes turned to him – the doe nurse, Snarlof, Bogo, Hopps and Wilde were all inside.
"Robin!" Judy said, taking a step towards him. "Where have you been?"
Robin looked at Judy curiously, then to his bag of chips. "I was hungry and the cafeteria, if I remember right, is closed. And food isn't worth calling a nurse when I can still walk. But it flatters me that you all got worried about me."
Nick facepalmed as Judy stared at Robin in exasperation, Chief Bogo practically had steam coming from his ears and Officer Snarlof looked about as lost as the nurse did. Robin stared at the group, and shrugged. "Sorry. I'll get back into bed."
"You do realize that you're not supposed to get out of the bed in the first place without a doctor or nurse?" the doe asked.
"Technically, ma'am, I shouldn't be breathing. So getting out of bed when I need food and a stretch isn't exactly high on the list of things I shouldn't be doing right now." Robin replied, walking over to his bed and carefully climbing into it.
"Hopps, Wilde. Talk to him." Chief Bogo ordered as he stomped out of the room, gesturing for the rest to follow. Officer Snarlof walked out after him, and the nurse followed with a small sigh and glare at Robin that told him to stay in bed. Robin just rolled his eyes and started eating his chips, looking at Judy and Nick as they stared at him.
"What?" he asked through a mouth full of chip.
"You just about gave Snarlof a heart attack!" Judy said. "When he woke up and you weren't here he immediately called the Precinct. We had to drop what we were doing and come here to find you."
"That implies I was lost in the first place," Robin replied. "Besides, it's the bear's fault for falling asleep. They should've gotten someone to cover night shift for him."
"That's true, but besides the point. You should know better than to get up from a hospital bed and just roam the halls!" She insisted.
"I do know better. I just don't care." Robin said, leaning back and popping another chip into his mouth.
"Sounds like someone's been taking lessons from buffalo-butt," Nick snickered, looking at Judy with a grin. But when she shot him a look that demanded he support her, he shook his head and ceased his laughter. "She has a point, though. You can't just get up and walk out of here."
"I'm not walking out of here," Robin sighed. "It hurt like hell to walk to the vending machine. You think I can make it home, take a quick nap, and be back out there tomorrow? Even I know that's crap. No, I'm going to listen for once and rest. At least for tomorrow. Besides, I've got another group of injuries!" He flung out his arms, faking a joyous expression, before becoming more sullen and staring at his lap. "Lucky me," he said bitterly.
"Alright, look," Nick said, frowning as he walked closer to Robin's bed. "No one's going to take the blame for your getting hurt, but is feeling sorry for yourself really worth it? Why not look at the good you did? We now have information that can lead us to almost every member of Phraxus and, once it's all been checked, that information could lead to what you wanted in the end. It could put a stop to them."
"And then what?" Robin asked, looking up at him. "You two resume your lives, I get put into jail with Phraxus, and peace resumes as normal?"
Robin couldn't help but feel satisfied at the way Nick was at a loss for a response, and Judy's ears fell. He wasn't a fool, he knew they couldn't guaruntee him amnesty for his actions during their time together. It may have happened to him once, but twice was nearly impossible. And he also knew that, if they said yes, then it would end up making him an enemy to the ZPD yet again. Chief Bogo seemed reluctant enough to let Robin aid them, if not downright angered by it.
The fox sighed, shaking his head. "Exactly," he muttered. "There's no way for me to win. So let me feel sorry for myself after getting a concussion and more broken bones, yeah? Haven't I at least earned that much?"
There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke. "No one's saying you can't," Judy said. "But don't lose hope. You never know what could happen."
Robin stared down at the rabbit, pursing his lips before nodding. "Yeah. Who knows."
"Hey, after you're released, we need to talk," Nick said. "But first, you need to be cleared by the doctors. But for that you need some rest, and we're gonna go so you can get some. We'll try to swing by tomorrow and fill you in on what's happening, alright?"
"Alright," Robin muttered, eyes falling back to his lap. "Thank you. Both of you. Have a good night."
"Have a good night, Robin," The officers responded, before walking out and into the hallway. This left the fox alone in the general darkness of his room, where he stared down at his lap until Snarlof trudged in with a cup of coffee and sat in his corner. Robin didn't even glance at him, instead taking the half-eaten bag of chips and setting them aside.
He wasn't hungry anymore.
óÓÒò ~
"That... Could've gone better," Judy sighed, walking beside Nick as the two walked the streets. They had been told by Chief Bogo to go home and get some rest, and the two left without argument.
"I don't know, Carrots, I think that went pretty well. All things considered." Nick replied, glancing down at her.
"Right, but what do we do about him?" Judy asked. Nick frowned at this, ears pressing against his head.
"How's about, for now, we put him out of our mind and focus on getting some rest?" The fox suggested. "Speaking of, are you staying at my place again?"
"Is it closer?" Judy asked. "My feet are killing me."
"A little bit, yes. Besides, we're already on the route there and, if you need it," Nick paused in his step and lowered himself to Judy's eye level. "I can put my dexterity to good use?" He suggested, eyebrows wriggling as he smirked. It had the desired effect, Judy immediately becoming a flustered as she blushed at his suggestion. Nick laughed as he stood upright, shaking his head as he walked further along. "Relax, Carrots, I'm talking about giving you a massage."
Judy quickly caught up to his meandering pace, looking up at him and his smug expression. "A massage?"
"Yes, a massage. Did they not have those out in Bunnyburrow?" Nick looked down at her, smirk still held into place.
"They did," Judy said, rolling her eyes. "But I didn't know you knew how to."
"I am a fox of many talents, Fluff. Besides, it was good for hustling," He replied, turning his gaze forward as he rounded a corner. Judy chuckled as she walked ahead, turning around to face him as they went.
"And you're only now telling me this, why?" She questioned.
"It never came up before," Nick replied calmly. "By the way, watch out for that parking meter." He gave a short bark of a laugh as Judy spun around to avoid the nonexistent meter, before walking alongside him again. "Made you look," he said.
"You're so immature," Judy huffed, but she still gave Nick a grin.
"But you love me for it," Nick replied.
"Do I love you for it? Yes, yes I do."
óÓÒò ~
Nick yawned and stretched as he sat up from his couch, rubbing his eyes as his phone went off beside him. He took care to not smash it like the horrid alarm clocks it mimicked, before going about his morning routine.
After giving Judy a massage, as promised (though he swore he never promised her one, she insisted he did), Nick had wound up falling asleep on the couch. He woke some hours later to find Judy asleep on the floor, the TV running in the background. With a roll of his eyes and small shake of his head, the reynard picked up his partner and carried her off to his bedroom, tucking her in and flicking her nose with his tail as he walked back to the living room to resume his sleep, using his shirt as a pillow. Although now this brought a unique idea to his mind: He was treating her as something a bit more than a friend.
Nick paused as he walked into his kitchen, one ear flicking. When it had started, he wasn't entirely sure. But, several times now they had woken in the same bed, or fallen asleep while Judy lay atop him, and from what he recalled that wasn't a friend thing. That was a partner thing – or, it was to him. Perhaps it was something normal to rabbits? Their culture was different from a fox's, after all. But at the same time, Judy was so unlike most rabbits.
That was something he would have to talk to her about.
Right now, however... Nick walked over to his coffee machine and started brewing a pot, before walking back over to his living room table and checking his phone. There was the typical updates from his social media, a text from Clawhauser about Gazelle's concert next year and, of course, a message from Robin.
Mental note, check to see how he got my number, Nick thought, opening the text.
'Being released around noon. Is it okay for me to stop by?'
Nick checked the time, thinking to himself on how he should wake up Judy as he set his phone back down. He'd ignore Robin's text, for now. As the coffee brewed, Nick walked into his bedroom, grinning as he found Judy still fast asleep in his bed. He walked over to his closet, digging around for something very specific, eventually finding it inside an unmarked box tucked away in a corner. He grinned, turning back to his sleeping partner as a smirk fell upon his muzzle.
óÓÒò ~
Judy couldn't tell where she was, but it was warm, and quiet. She looked around, smiling as she felt the ground around her – only for a red, fluffy tail to fall across her vision. "Nick," she giggled, batting it away, looking up to see her partner's smug expression. "Stop that, it tickles." His emerald eyes glimmered in amusement as he looked down at her from his position on what she now assumed to be his couch. Just like one of their movie nights, an old film was visible on the TV, but she couldn't quite make out what it was.
Nick opened his mouth to speak, but instead of speech, a noise like that of elephant Finnick blowing his nose came from him. Judy tilted her head, confused. "What?" she asked, only for him to repeat the sound. Before she could ask again, he repeated the sound – and again, he did it, and again, and again. Judy blinked once, and the dream Nick disappeared, replaced by blurred sunlight through her eyelids. The sound was clearer now, and Judy could finally identify the source: Nick, standing over her, party blowout in his mouth as he repeatedly blew it at her, the tip barely tickling her nose. Judy snapped her head back and covered her nose, resisting the urge to sneeze.
"Nick!" She whined, the fox grinning in amusement as he blew the noisemaker again.
"Yes, Carrots?" he asked, paws planted firmly at his hips as he looked at her.
"Will you cut that out?!" She hissed at him, covering her ears with a pillow.
"Well aren't you a party pooper," Nick chuckled, taking the blowout and setting it on his dresser. That was when she realized, she was in Nick's apartment. In his room and, more than that, in his bed. And before her, was a shirtless Nick.
Her cheeks and the insides of her ears reddened as she turned away, covering her head with a pillow again. "Nick, put on some clothes!" She shouted, just to be heard through the fabric.
"What, you don't like what you saw?" Nick replied, faking hurt in his voice, though it was erased with a snicker as she heard him open a drawer. A moment of shuffling later, and he clapped his paws. "There you go, no more shirtless Nick."
Judy peeked out from her cover, sighing softly in relief at seeing Nick wearing a ZPD t-shirt. Judy slipped out of the bed slowly and walked over to the bathroom. "Thank you," she said, turning to face Nick before shutting the door. He just nodded smugly before trotting off, leaving her to do her business.
It didn't take long for her to join Nick in the kitchen, the smell of freshly-brewed coffee filling the air as he pushed a mug towards her. "I made a decaff pot for you," he said, turning away to start a second pot, this one likely to be regular.
"Thank you," she repeated, taking a sip of the coffee. It paled in comparison to the coffee she'd had at Robin's, but for her standards, it was still some great coffee. "So what's the agenda for today?" she asked, ears perking as her body filled with warmth from the drink.
"Well, I'd imagine the Chief wants us to be there on time," Nick replied. "So we should probably get moving. Robin wants to stop by later, told him we had work and to try tonight. And Clawhauser updated me on the Gazelle concert."
"The usual, mostly," Judy commented, taking another drink. Nick nodded, pointing to the bathroom. As if reading his mind, Judy shook her head. "You shower first, you take longer."
"Logical as always, Fluff." Nick grinned as he walked past her, his tail flicking up to tickle her nose as he brushed past. Judy, again, resisted the urge to sneeze as she rolled her eyes and began to check her phone.
óÓÒò ~
Here it is, and it took me much longer than expected. I had initially planned to write significantly more than this for this chapter but, due to how long it's taking me and the fact that it's only reaching about halfway to a little beyond at this point, I feel as though it would be wiser to split this into two halves. This means that there are only two chapters left in A New Face in Town, and I hope you're all ready for what comes next.