Ch. 14: Of Memories and Nightmares
Back at the Wilde home Nick and Judy enjoyed a meal with Amelia, she and Judy sharing more embarrassing Nick stories. When it was 8:55 they shared their goodbyes. Nick hugging his mother tightly, Amelia telling him to visit more often. Judy promised she'd make sure of that and Amelia pulled her into a loving hug that Judy happily returned. Before they walked out Amelia gave them a picture of young Nick and his parents which Judy happily accepted.
They walked through the street, lamp posts offering light in the dark.
"Are you feeling better," Nick asked his friend.
"Yeah," Judy answered. "I'm fine."
But Judy wasn't completely sure, she was feeling even weirder than usual, her entire body on edge.
"Good," Nick said, "You've been acting weird lately."
"So have you," Judy argued, remembering what had happened in the bedroom and feeling flustered all over again.
Nick shrugged, "I've always been weird."
They met Finnick at nine sharp which seemed to surprise the little fox. Nick walked to the passenger door, brushing past Judy as he did so and the rabbit suddenly jumped. Nick gave her an odd look as Judy tried to ponder why her fur was crackling with lightning where Nick had touched her.
When Nick opened the passenger door Judy hurriedly climbed onto the seat and to the back, curling up in her corner. As Finnick drove them back to the city Judy rubbed her still tingling arm, trying to figure out what was going on with her.
.
The next morning Judy was walking down the street not far from the van, testing out her leg without her crutch. It was still tender but she was able to start putting weight on it. Nick stood not too far away, leaning against the side of a shop while finishing his cup of coffee. Judy could feel his eyes on her and it made her feel self-conscious.
Suddenly a limo stopped next to them and Judy's brow furrowed. A window rolled down and she was surprised to see Mayor Lionheart, looking uncharacteristically forlorn.
"I've been looking for you two," he said somberly.
Nick tossed his empty cup into a nearby bin and joined Judy's side.
"What can we do for you, Mayor," Judy asked, remembering their last talk with him had ended disastrously.
"Get in," Lionheart told them, "We need to talk."
The two sat across from Lionheart as the limo drove downtown, Nick leaning back and making himself at home in the luxurious vehicle.
"I was told Ironclaw was the reason that bridge collapsed," Lionheart began.
Judy nodded, "I saw her."
Lionheart glanced out the window, his eyes melancholy. "I've been unable to stop thinking about that, since we shared blood I didn't want to believe she was truly that awful…but I can't hide from that fact anymore." His eyes turned to them, "I'm ready to tell you all I know about her."
Judy and Nick leaned forward with open ears as Lionheart began his story:
"Lucy and I shared the same father. However he was never serious about Lucy's mother and left not long after Lucy was born, he then met my mother and fell in love. He would visit Lucy ever other week and would bring me along, but we were never overly fond of each other. Lucy's mother had since then met and fallen in love with a zebra, so much so she wanted to pretend not to be a lion and clipped her own claws. She did the same to Lucy despite her trying to resist. She wasn't fond of the zebra anymore than she was of her distant father so she tried to find her own pride of lions. However Lucy was small for a lion cub and everyone knew about how her father didn't want her and her mother refused to behave like a lion. So they rejected her multiple times, except for one cub, he was her only friend…then one day he abandoned her as well, joined the other cubs in abusing her. She returned home broken-hearted, deciding maybe being a lion wasn't great, and went home to follow her mother's footsteps only to find her mother sobbing, her heart broken after that zebra abandoned her."
Lionheart let out a heavy sigh. "Months later her mother became sick and passed away, she didn't want to live with us so she was sent from foster home to foster home, I had asked how she was treated in each home and none were good. Lucy was an outcast, she was bullied and rejected, anything she wanted to do, any dreams she had she was told it would never, ever happen. Until finally she was old enough to live on her own and she left Zootopia. Years later she returned and started her attacks."
Lionheart fixed them with an intense stare, "Lucy spent her whole life having her heart broken over and over again by the city where anyone can be anything and it told her she was nothing. She hates it all; predators and prey, same species relationships and interspecies relationships, and she will not stop until she destroys all of Zootopia."
.
Judy had thanked Lionheart for talking to them and asked if he would have any idea where she would hide. Lionheart said the only thing she had enjoyed since her mother died was the history of the Stone Age, which gave Judy an idea.
"Shouldn't we call it in," Nick asked as he and his partner made their way to the museum.
"If we do Bogo will order us to stand down so he can get someone else to check," Judy replied. "Besides, we're only going to look for clues."
"This isn't going to end well," Nick predicted.
They made it to the museum which was closed for the day for cleaning, thanks to Nick's street smarts breaking in had been criminally easy (Judy once again following the rule that if they believed a suspicious figure was in a closed off property they wouldn't need a warrant) and they walked into an empty museum, their paw steps loud on the tile floor.
"We'll have to split up," Judy decided.
"No," Nick replied without hesitation.
"If we split up we can cover more ground which means leaving here quicker," she argued.
"Carrots…" Nick began warily. "Remember the last time we ran into her?"
Judy frowned, "Here, we'll keep our phones on so if anything happens the other will know right away."
Nick still didn't look happy, "I wonder how hard it would be to drag you out of here."
"It would be trouble that isn't worth it," she replied and made her way across the lobby, "I'll check downstairs, you check up."
As she walked she called Nick's number, the fox telling her he still didn't like the idea and made her swear she'd stay on call.
Judy passed exhibits of fake prey and how they acted during the Stone Age, huddled in holes and munching on leaves.
The exhibits mixed with the quiet and dim lights made for a creepy vibe but Judy didn't dare say anything, knowing Nick could hear her on the phone. He had no problem voicing his opinion on the exhibits upstairs that were reserved for the predators.
Judy noticed a STAFF ONLY door and was surprised and frightened to find it unlocked. Slipping in she saw it was a empty security room full of security screens, a few were nothing but static, she sat at the desk and studied them, seeing Nick by an exhibit of a pack of wolves turning on a fox, she shuddered. Looking down at the desk she noticed an official looking file folder and she opened it.
Her jaw dropped, this was a folder over Arachnid, Ironclaw's 'friend'. He was a vile looking spider monkey, looking through his arrest record she was surprised it said nothing about Ironclaw. Only that he was a con artist who used hypnosis, swindling animals out of money and possessions. She checked the date of the file, it had been years ago, years before he and Ironclaw met she reckoned… And when he started to hypnotize animals to go rabid for her, he stole this file from City Hall before someone could read it and put two and two together.
"Nick, I just found a major clue," Judy said breathlessly, snapping photos of the file.
"Really, can we go now?"
"Yeah, it's-" Judy suddenly saw a shadow flit by one of the cameras on the upper floor. Judy swallowed, "Nick, head downstairs. We need to go now." She slipped her phone safely into her pocket and raced out the door, only to be slammed into and pinned to the floor.
"Well, well, well," an oily voice spoke. "I didn't think I'd see you again."
Judy glared over her shoulder to see the grinning face of Arachnid the spider monkey. "After the bridge Ironclaw and I were sure you'd be a smart little bunny and leave well enough alone."
Judy squirmed under the surprisingly heavy monkey, he pressed his foot onto Judy's cast and she yelled out in pain. "Nick! Nick help!"
There was no answer.
"I wouldn't hold my breath," Arachnid chuckled, "Ironclaw will handle your fox friend."
Instant terror took Judy's breath away and she couldn't believe she had been so stupid! Nick had told her this was a terrible idea but she had ignored him and now who knows what's happening to him! All because of her!
With fear and fury pumping in her veins Judy started to squirm again, and then Arachnid's tail reached around him and dangled over her head, a strange medallion-like object tied to his tail.
It started to wave back and forth and Judy's eyes couldn't help but follow it.
"I want you to realize what you are," Arachnid's voice seemed to echo in her head, digging into her brain. "You are a rabbit, a rabbit that can be easily killed in this city, you can be stepped on, run over, if I had my way you'd be eaten. You may think you're a cop but once Ironclaw and I are through with this pathetic city there will be no such thing. Now, I'm going to get up and leave, and when you get up all you'll see is predators and all they'll see in you is a snack. I'll be gracious however; I'll give you a second chance. This little spell won't last long, but when it's over I highly suggest you run, far, far away, little bunny, because next time I'll think of very creative ways to torture you."
Arachnid snapped his fingers and Judy felt her body go numb, she couldn't even move her tongue and was forced to watch while Arachnid casually walked away. The numbness started to wear off as soon as the monkey was out of sight and she reached for her phone.
"Nick," she tried to call, "Nick, where are you?"
There was still no answer and Judy's heart dropped. She called Clawhauser who answered on the second ring.
"Judy?" He asked, as cheerful as ever. "How are you?"
"Clawhauser, I-" Judy stopped, having seen something moving in the edge of her vision. She looked over and saw a snarling fox.
"Nick?" she asked, terror pumping in her blood.
But no, this fox was slightly bigger, it's eyes yellow as he snarled, spittle dripping from his fangs, he took a step forward.
"Judy?" Clawhauser asked.
"M-museum," she began but let out a scream as the fox ran at her. She jumped to her feet and started to dash, trying to ignore the pain in her leg, she felt the fox's hot breath on her heels as it ran on four legs, growling and snapping at her.
Judy turned a corner and slipped, falling onto her back as a wolf suddenly loomed over her, looking just as monstrous and hungry as the fox. It's shadow fell over her and Judy couldn't breathe, she curled into herself as the fox and wolf drew closer, fangs dripping, ready to tear her to pieces.
.
Nick opened his eyes, his head aching. He looked around and realized his arms were tied behind his back, he was leaning against a wall and his snout felt abnormally heavy.
"I'm surprised," a familiar voice spoke, "I didn't think you'd wake up so quickly after I whacked you in the head."
Nick's fur stood on end, Ironclaw sitting on the rail of the second floor, a smug smirk on her mouth. "But then, you must have a thick head, after all you didn't come here for a tour did you? You came to find me."
Nick tried to open his mouth to speak but something stopped him, he looked down at his nose and his heart nearly stopped.
He was wearing a muzzle.
He shook his head and started to struggle against his restraints, feeling like his face was burning as those awful memories came back and beat in his head without mercy, those awful words screaming in his ears.
Even though you're a fox?
If you really think we'd trust a fox without a muzzle, you're dumber than you look!
Aw, is he gonna cry?
"Stop struggling," Ironclaw slid off the rail. Nick didn't listen, he couldn't breathe.
"Stop struggling!" Suddenly Nick was pressed against the wall, his legs dangling as Ironclaw held him by the throat.
"I want you to listen to me, and listen well, fox. What's happening to you right now? It'll only get worse if you keep trying to get in my way. And I want to wonder if it's really worth it. And I want you to answer one question for me."
Nick glared at her and Ironclaw grinned nastily.
"Do you seriously think that rabbit will look at you the same way you look at her?"
Nick's heart dropped.
"Do you honestly think she'd ever look at you and see anything other than a fox? Diversity in Zootopia is a myth. You may think you're friends, but one day she will meet another stupid little rabbit and they'll run away to have a million baby bunnies and she'll forgot all about you."
Nick tried to swallow, he couldn't.
"You need a back up plan," Ironclaw told him, "And I can offer you that, if you're smart and realize I'm right, that that bunny will leave you all alone."
Suddenly sirens blasted through the air and Ironclaw let out a frustrated growl.
.
The sirens had Judy looking up to see the fox and wolf had vanished, she let out a breath of relief and then remembered Nick.
"Oh no, no, no, no, no," she raced up the stairs, trying to ignore her throbbing leg and pounding heart. Please let him be okay, she prayed, please let him be okay!
Reaching the upper floor she came to a halt. Nick was alive thank goodness, but his arms were tied behind his back, he was ferociously rubbing his face against the floor trying to get rid of the muzzle tied to his head.
"Nick," Judy ran over and Nick shot her a desperate look.
"Hold on, I got you," she quickly untied his paws and he suddenly grabbed her, carrying her down the stairs and out of the museum where they nearly crashed into the ZPD.
"What happened," Bogo demanded.
Judy pointed to the museum, "Ironclaw," she panted, "Arachnid!"
Immediately Bogo and a handful of other officers disappeared inside the building. Nick put her down and desperately reached to untie the muzzle but his paws were shaking uncontrollably.
"Nick let me help," Judy begged.
"Judy!" A new voice spoke up and she saw Percy jumping out a police car and running over to them.
Judy was busy trying to untie Nick's muzzle, Percy reached forward to help. "I was at the precinct when you called Clawhauser," he explained, "I wanted to come and see if I could help."
"Thank you," Judy said breathlessly as the two rabbits successfully undid the muzzle and Nick pulled away with a gasping breath, he then grabbed the muzzle and threw it as hard as he could with a feral yell.
"It's okay, Nick," Judy tried to assure him but she still hadn't calmed down from her terrifying hallucinations.
"What happened," Percy asked, looking at the two with concern and helplessness.
Judy opened her mouth to answer but then Nick whirled around with a snarl on his face, "Let me ask you something, Mr. Assistant Mayor!" He took a step forward as he talked, "Why do we still make muzzles? What, are the prey still terrified we'll rip you to pieces?"
"We don't," Percy said quickly, his brow furrowed in confusion. "It's only a precaution."
"Precaution," Nick snapped, "That's right because we're all a bunch of wild, bloodthirsty monsters aren't we? We're all like Ironclaw aren't we!?"
"Nick, stop it!" Judy jumped forward between the two, pushing Nick back. "This isn't Percy's fault, stop talking to him like that!"
Nick looked to her, and then to Percy, then back again, he gave her a disgusted look that surprised her before he stomped away to the patrol cars.
"I'm so sorry," Judy turned to Percy. "He just-that was all really, really bad."
For the first time since she started this case Judy start to wonder if they were all in over their heads?