Chapter 6 – Going Home

Before we went to the lab we needed to organize some real clothing for me. I was still wearing just a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. No underwear which is something I do not like and I needed a shower, like right now, because I stank.

Problem number one was quickly solved. Figuring out which size I was, was the hardest part, because I was already too big for the sizes supposed to fit bunnies we had to do a bit of 'try and error'.

Problem two's solution was in some apartment in down town Zootopia not far from the ZPD.

"This is the Apartment we use for WPP applicants until they move somewhere else.", she said as we entered, "So, this is gonna be your home for the next few weeks, until all the paperwork is sorted and you got a place of your own."

It was a standard one room apartment, with a bed, a toilet/bath and a cooking corner. I dumped all my stuff and went for the bathroom.

The initial feeling was awesome. The warm water running down my body was a relieving feeling.

But try getting dry with fur, it's a nightmare. I needed hours, or that what it felt to me, to get myself dry without looking like I've been struck by lightning.

When I came out of the bathroom Judy was fumbling around with my laptop which was in the backpack.

"Hey, that's private."

"Oh, come on I just wanted to have a look and besides that, you got something to hide?"

"It's for your own good, you could have found the porn folder and get disturbed for life.", I replied to her in a sarcastic tone.

"Well, lucky me didn't guess your password. OK then, let's go visit your home."

Now some of you might ask themselves "You are taking all of that rather good. Are you not sad to maybe never meet your family and friends again?" And you are right because that random statement from Judy made me realize that I'm only visiting. I can't stay there, not like this.

She noticed. I guess all of a sudden the smug smile for the sarcastic answer suddenly disappeared from my face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing." I looked away from her on the ground and let myself plunge onto the bed.

"Oliver, when working with Nick has taught me anything it is that you don't slip like that from 'smug as hell' to 'I just realised something horrible'. So what's up?"

"It just let me realise that I can't see my family ever again, not like this. That my old live is essentially gone."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and placed her paw on my shoulder.

"Hey ..."

I interrupted her.

"Just… don't. It's not your fault. It's nobody's fault. It just happened and I'm OK with that. Live sometimes does crazy shit like this."

I jumped up from the bed.

"Come on we have to make sure we and my family don't die a horrible death."

I thought that lying here and being depressed and all didn't help anyone, I never was an emotional guy to begin with. And I also thought that when I am over there I couldn't see them again, but at least I could say them farewell.

The ride to the lab was pretty uneventful. I tried to distract me by looking out the window. Sadly the radio was also non-functioning the same as the mobile phones and TV, so no distraction from that.

"Hey", she started, "I know that this must be a hard thing for you, so you don't have to do it."

"No, I am OK with that. I just haven't really thought about it until now and I just realised this, just now."

She gave an understanding nod.

"Just, when there is anything bothering you just tell. OK?"

"Mhh ..." I made in agreement.

When we arrived in the lab Nick and the professor were already waiting. In front of the building a dozen Officers were patrolling.

"You just come to the right time. Everything is ready for your departure." The professor stated.

I had a look at the portal. I felt like I was standing in front of the Stargate. My gazing at the machinery was interrupted by sounds from Nick and Judy.

"I've brought you some provisions. Don't know how long you'll stay over there." Nick said shyly.

"Thanks." Judy said in a near whisper tone while she took the bag. She was starting to blush.

The two continued to stare at each other saying nothing.

The Prof was standing beside me.

"What's with them?" He asked, inaudibly for the two.

"I think there in lo…" I whispered.

In that very moment the two essentially jumped at each other to engage in a long deep kiss.

"I think that speaks for itself." I continued.

While the two looked like they tried to swallow each other whole I got my phone out.

When I learned anything about Nick then it was that you never could have enough bribing material against Nick Wilde and this was perfect.

The two didn't notice me snapping the picture, as I had turned the sound of.

After what felt like eternity they finally parted.

"Ehem …"

They looked at me shocked.

"When you two lovebirds are finished, can we get going?"

Nick finally let go of Judy.

"Uhh … yes, sure."

She wanted to go, but was held back by Nick.

"Carrots, please, come back."

"For you always, slick. Always." She whispered.

He let go of her.

"OK, then." the Professor started talking before anyone could make any other objections "Here is what you two have to do. This is the 'countermeasure'. You have to place it at the place of the first Portal through you (he pointed at me) got here. Place it there, push this button and get out of sight. I hope it isn't anywhere with a lot of people?"

"No, just the busiest square in town."

"Well, I think you will find a way. This is the 'Back'-device. With it I can open safely a new portal to get you over back here when you are done. Find a quiet place for you two to get back and push the button. And that's it really. You are ready?"

"Yes" Judy answered.

I just gave a nod.

"OK, then stand on the platform over there and I get you over."

As we went over he continued to speak and got to the control desk in-front of the platform.

"Now, if my calculations are correct you should get out in a Forest west of the town. It may knock you out but not for long. So good luck." Judy made a wave to Nick to say good bye and the professor pressed a big red button on the control desk.

The machinery sported to live and we two stepped through the portal.

Just like the Professor said we were in forest. The sun was just about setting, so it wasn't that dark but not really bright.

'That's good for us' I thought.

"Any Idea in which direction we need to go?"

I got out my phone and fired up Google Maps. I knew bringing it would come in handy.

"That way." I pointed in the general direction of the city. "But we can't go there now, it's still too busy."

"OK, we need somewhere to hide then. Until we can do what we have to do. You said you live here?"

"Yes."

"Can we get to your place without being spotted?"

"Uhh… We could get there unspotted, if we go the long way round and keep of the roads."

Now, I lived in one of those hideous social housing estates build during the cold war. These were normally directly at the end of town so we could go over the fields and we were directly at my place. And we could get in through the back entrance where nobody would see us. If there would be someone in the stairwell we'd hide in the cellar otherwise we would go into my apartment.

It wasn't exactly far. We had to go through a rape field, cross a country road and through another field until we reached the block. Generally we could hide in the plants on the fields but now we had to leave this security.

"See that door at the building over there. That one that is slightly lowered into the ground?" I said.

She nodded. We were hiding in a bush behind the apartment block.

"That's where we have to go. Ready? Go."

We sprinted over to the cellar door.

"Ok, I don't think anybody saw us." I said when we reached the stairs to the door.

After we made sure that nobody was in the cellar and the stairwell. We got up to my apartment.

"So this is your place then.", She begun, "Could use a clean."

"I am a Computer Science student what do you expect?" I replied in my usual sarcastic tone.

We were sitting in the one room I called home. Couch, bed, telly, PC, drawers for clothes and a big shelf for my DVD and Blu-ray. That's pretty much everything that fitted in there.

"Wait how late is it anyway?" I asked without directly speaking to Judy.

It was about 22:00 on a Tuesday in summer exactly a week after I got to Zootopia. So we had a few hours to kill before we could go. We agreed that 4 in the morning was the ideal time, because I knew the place we had to go would be the most empty at that time.

"So where did we stop the last time?"

"Do you still resent me for … you know?" I interrupted her in her thinking. I wanted to get this out of the way before we got any further in exploring the differences between our two worlds.

And I wanted to hear if Nick's words had any effect.

She let out a sigh. "No, I guess. I mean it isn't really your fault. You just followed the cultural standards of where you grew up. I bet if we'd sent me to a world with living carrots, I would be in the same situation as you." She ended with an unsure laugh.

"Thanks. But any ways what do you want to know then?"

"Do you have that movie here? As I said I would love to see myself in it."

"Sure."

One and a half hour late the credits started rolling.

"That was creepy how accurate that was."

"Really?"

"Yes, most of the stuff was like in reality. But I don't have as many siblings."

"How much do you have, then?"

"12. Bunnies used to have so many children, but after mammals got civilized and most of our 'natural enemies' didn't hunt for any more it isn't needed any more. And we do not have as many children per litter as we used to so I guess evolution has reacted to our different lifestyle."

"Makes sense. I guess if your family alone would be 200+ children alone the world would drown in bunnies on no time. You would have a serious food problem and you can see what that would be in a lot of … sci-fi … movies."

Then it hit me. "What if Zootopia is not the only one?"

"What?"

"What if Zootopia isn't the only 'story' that made it over to other worlds?"

"Like?"

"Like any of this." I was pointing at the big shelf on my wall full of books, DVDs and Computer Games.

"Imagine all the crazy fucked up stuff that might be out there."

A shudder runs down my spine.

"If that's really a thing you guys are lucky you only have to deal with me."

UPDATE 10-9-16: I realised I did a little mistake in not properly explaining how they get back. Sorry.