The sun began to set behind the towering buildings of Zootopia, painting the streets below with a cool, blue tint. The sidewalk was crowded with hundreds of mammals making their way home from a long day at work, and the traffic was a living nightmare. With a vast sea of mammals comes a plethora of hustling opportunities - anything from selling pawpsicles to conning some dough out of someone's wallet. At a very different time in his life, Nick Wilde would've jumped at the chance to partake in some easy money-making, his quick wit ready to out-think the many tired minds of the working class. But Nick was a very changed fox. He no longer conned poor, unsuspecting mammals out of their day's pay; he no longer tricked ice cream parlors into giving him the main ingredient he needed for the sweet, icy treat he used to sell. No, Nick Wilde now spent every day helping the citizens of Zootopia, breaking free from the negative stereotype placed on his kind. He thought back to his days trying to be a Junior Ranger Scout, remembering the oath he had longed to take: I, Nicholas Wilde, promise to be brave, loyal, helpful, and trustworthy. He now lived by that motto, showing the world who he was, not what he was.
Of course, that didn't stop everyone from habitually treating him like a sneaky fox. As Nick walked through the busy streets of Zootopia, many mammals distanced themselves from him; whether it was for fear of being pick-pocketed or catching some unholy disease, Nick did not know, nor did he care. Nick just ignored those mammals as well, letting them go about their business as he went about his. The fox knew this area of Zootopia rather well as it was one of his best spots for selling pawpsicles; the Lemming Brothers Bank was just across the street from him to his left. As Nick walked under the walkway above his head, he couldn't help but be reminded of when Judy explained how she had followed him around the day she had met him; it was the same walkway from which Judy had watched Nick. The thought brought a smile to his muzzle, cheering up the fox's mood.
Just as soon as his mood was brightened, a sudden, harsh feeling managed to bring him down. Judy's bright, happy image quickly darkened as her ears lowered behind her head and her amethyst eyes dimmed. She reached out her paw only to grasp at nothing as her image faded away.
The feeling was guilt.
Guilt for leaving her like he had; guilt for not at least explaining his intentions more specifically. Mentally kicking himself, Nick thought back to Judy standing there on the sidewalk, helplessly watching her husband walk away. The fox wouldn't have felt so bad if he and Judy hadn't just taken part in the prevention of an armed robbery, but they had. He and Judy had stopped four masked criminals from robbing one of the largest banks in Zootopia, and on their one-year anniversary, no less. That's not an ordeal you can't just walk away from, but that was exactly what Nick Wilde had done. And now, he was paying the emotional price.
Nick's feet stopped before a single shop on a quiet street, pulling himself from his dark thoughts. Upon gazing at the humble establishment, Nick was reminded of why he had left Judy in the first place. It wasn't because of the stress brought about by being in a robbery; it wasn't because of the insults that the crowd had thrown at them. No, he had to do something very important, and Nick just didn't want Judy to come along with him.
The fox took another look at the shop in front of him. It was rather quaint, yet held enough space to allow larger mammals to enter. The wooden framing around the windows and door were a rich green in color with gold accents on any corner of the frames and the door. Various potted plants lined the front of the shop, their vibrant colors a welcoming sight. The windows displayed more plants, each pot placed accordingly, reflecting the careful, organized attitude of the shop's owner. Nick couldn't help but glance at the large sign above the door as he entered the building. Golden letters over a green background read, "Emmitt Otterton's Flowers."
The faint ringing of the bell above the door announced the fox's presence as Nick stepped into the room. He took a moment to take in the flora around him, his emerald eyes drinking in all of the different colors. Plants seemed to be organized together according to color and habitat. Domestic flowers were bunched together near the front of the shop, their gentle aromas pleasing to Nick's sensitive snout. The deeper into the store that Nick went, the more exotic the plant type. Soon enough, Nick felt like he was in the Rainforest District with the thick foliage that was on display. The air even felt more humid back here, creating the optimal environment for the flora's growth and care.
"Why hello there, Nick," a cheery voice said, catching Nick's attention. The fox turned around to find one Mr. Emmitt Otterton standing before him, dressed in a green, cable-knit sweater vest, a pair of corduroy slacks, and a paisley tie – sweet Windsor knot. "How have you been?"
Nick donned his signature smirk upon the sight of the otter, relaxed by Emmitt's cheery attitude. "Hey there, Mr. Otterton. I've been doing great!" Nick said as he stuck his paws in his pockets. "How's the fam?"
Mr. Otterton chuckled, adjusting his glasses as he did so. "They're doing wonderfully! My little ones keep getting bigger every day; before I know it, they'll be off to college!"
Nick chuckled too. "I'm glad you guys are doing alright," he said.
"We wouldn't be if it weren't for you and Judy," Otterton said cheerily. "By the way, how is your wife doing? I saw on the news that you guys just stopped a bank robbery."
Nick stiffened slightly at the mention of his wife, but almost immediately regained his composure; Mr. Otterton didn't seem to notice Nick's slight hesitation. "She's doing fine. She's at the apartment," Nick leaned in as if he was afraid of someone eavesdropping. "She also doesn't know I'm here. I want to get her something really special, seeing as it's our one-year anniversary."
The otter placed a paw under his chin in thought. "Well, I have plenty of flowers to choose from. Why don't you follow me?" he said, turning around and beckoning Nick with his paw; the fox complied, following the florist through the foliage.
Mr. Otterton led Nick away from the exotic flora and back towards the front of the building where the more domestic flowers were located. Nick constantly had to glance from the sights of the shop to Mr. Otterton as to not suddenly get lost in the plethora of colorful vegetation. The flowers were eye-catching, to say the least. Vibrant splashes of colors whisked Nick's attention from one side of the room to the other, every single plant calling for his gaze. To top it off, the sweet concoction of aromas created a soothing atmosphere, capable of calming any troubled mind.
"What about these?" Mr. Otterton asked, gesturing to a display that held bunches of red roses. "You can never go wrong with a bunch of roses, and these have had their thorns removed!"
Nick studied the flowers. The scarlet petals folded over one another, creating the complex and unique image that these flowers were well-known for. As Mr. Otterton had said, the stalks were bare of any thorns, removing the biological "inconvenience" that many mammals disliked. While Nick didn't mind the thorn-free rose, he couldn't help but think of how society wanted him and Judy to just conform to the social norm, instead of being something that they shouldn't. Nick faintly grimaced at the thought, ultimately deciding against the rose.
"Eh, it feels a bit cliché," Nick finally stated, turning to the florist. "Got anything else?"
Mr. Otterton nodded. "Of course! If you would," the otter gestured again, and the two mammals started another journey through the flora. They walked through the store, passing several displays that hung from the high ceiling. As Nick's gaze was directed upward, more flowers came to view. Nick saw towering flora scraping the ceiling of the shop, easily recognizing sunflowers and confused as to what the other species were.
"What about these?" Mr. Otterton suggested as he and Nick walked up to a display of daisies.
Again, Nick studied the flowers. Daisies were very common, yet with the many different climates in Zootopia, there were plenty of mammals who had never seen a daisy in their life. The white flower was simplistic, almost reminding Nick of the flowers that kids would draw. The daisies were nice but also commonplace; nearly every single florist in City Center sold the flowers. Nick, however, knew that he didn't want to go the easy way when it came to getting something special for Judy. All his life, Nick had to look out for only himself, but now that he had married his best friend, he wanted to do everything in his power to let her know how much she meant to him. For Nick, a daisy wasn't the way to go about that.
Mr. Otterton studied Nick carefully, noticing how the fox's ears would twitch as he thought deeply. He's taking this rather seriously, Mr. Otterton thought as Nick's tail suddenly twitched. The otter chuckled, pleased with how much effort Nick put into making his wife happy.
"Eh, I don't know," Nick said hesitantly. "You got anything more," the fox paused, gesturing with his paws as if the word he was looking for would suddenly appear from thin air, "interesting?"
The otter smiled. "Of course. I think I have just the thing," Mr. Otterton said before once again leading Nick around the shop. Nick didn't bother gazing at the shop as he was too curious about what the florist could have in store for him.
As they walked around a corner, an intoxicating scent hit Nick's snout. The aroma tickled his nose pleasantly, soothing Nick's nerves again. The fox felt his head clear up and his energy replenish; Nick felt refreshed. As for the actual scent, Nick couldn't quite describe it. It was sweet and fruity, but at the same time, it wasn't. It reminded Nick of his trips to Bunnyburrow with Judy and the nights they spent under the stars. Nick was reminded of when he and Judy had visited the Hopps' blueberry fields, where Nick was allowed to gorge himself on his favorite treat.
"Here we are," Mr. Otterton said, gesturing to the display as he turned back to Nick. The otter noticed Nick's already-wide smile widening even more at the sight of the flowers. Donning a bright smile of his own, Mr. Otterton turned back to the bunched-up flora. "These are lilacs."
Nick happily studied the flowers, his eyes widening with appreciation. The first thing he noticed was the color. Each flower had a different shade of purple, immediately reminding the fox of Judy. The flowers grew together, creating a natural bouquet with each stalk. Nick couldn't help but be reminded of Judy's huge family as he studied the numerous amount of small flowers. Each flower was an individual and at the same time connected to the rest of the stalk, much like Judy's family. Nick smiled happily; the lilacs were perfect.
"I'll take 'em," the fox said as he continued to stare in awe at the flowers. "How much?"
Mr. Otterton chuckled. "Please, my dear boy, there is no need for that! Consider it a gift from my family to yours."
"But, Mr. Otterton," Nick began before being interrupted by the florist.
"Nick, please," the otter said, raising a paw. "You've done so much for my family and me. Sure, you saved the city and helped out hundreds of predators, but you and Judy helped bring me back to my family. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to see my children grow up. Without you, my family would only have been able to see me behind a plane of glass. Without you, my kids would only remember me as a savage animal," Mr. Otterton stepped forward, placing a bundle of lilac in Nick's paw. "So please, take this as a token of my gratitude towards you and that wonderful wife of yours. It's the least I can do for all that you've done for us."
Nick smiled warmly at the otter as he allowed the florist's words to sink in. Being a cop, Nick had earned more respect among the citizens of Zootopia, but he always appreciated when someone took the time to genuinely thank him and Judy. Nick reached out his paw, which the otter accepted happily and shook firmly.
"Thank you, Mr. O," Nick said as he released the otter's paw.
Mr. Otterton chuckled. "Thank you, Nick," he echoed before suddenly shooing Nick towards the door. "Now go! You don't want to keep your wife waiting on your anniversary! Trust me, I know!" the otter added with a wink.
Nick chuckled as he was gently pushed out the door, turning around to face the otter one last time. "I'm serious, Mr. Otterton. Thank you," he began walking backward, firing finger guns at the florist. "I love ya; I owe ya!"
"You don't owe me anything, Nick," Mr. Otterton said, chuckling as he shook his head. He waved goodbye to the fox. "Say hello to Judy for me!" With that, the otter closed the door, and Nick went on his merry little way.
Humming to himself, Nick began walking towards his next destination when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. Shifting the bouquet to his other paw, Nick reached into his pocket, retrieving the small device. A smiled formed on Nick's muzzle as he saw the image on the screen. It was of Judy, her body surrounded by white covers and one red-orange arm. Her eyes had just opened, exposing their beautiful, amethyst shine. Nick's heart nearly melted every single time he saw that photo. It was from the first morning on their honeymoon; Nick had decided he wanted a picture of Judy waking up and revealing her bright, amethyst orbs to the world. He was lucky to get the adorable picture because almost immediately after waking up, Judy yelped, punched Nick in the shoulder, and hid under the covers. The memory made Nick chuckle.
Just as he was about to answer the call, Nick hesitated. What would he say to Judy? Would she be mad at him for leaving her as he had? Would she forgive him? Maybe if I told her what I was doing, he thought. Suddenly, Nick's smile grew wide as he came up with an idea. A devious little idea, the likes of which would only come to the sly mind of Nick Wilde.
"Alright, Carrots," Nick said to himself. "Let's see how sly a bunny you really are!"
Pressing the answer button, Nick greeted his wife over the phone, "Hey, Carrots! What'cha doing?"
Because of their work, most of their time spent together was in a car. Whether it was one of the ZPD cruisers or their white convertible, it didn't matter. So many memories were shared between Nick and Judy while on patrol, driving to and from Bunnyburrow, or just sitting there, listening to whatever was on the radio. Judy had quickly come to cherish these memories, as she often saw the real Nick, away from society's judgmental and prying eyes. It was through their many stakeouts, vacations, and patrols that Judy had learned who Nick really was: a dependable friend and the best partner a bunny could ask for. It was thanks to these many memories that Judy soon found herself falling for the fox, but she wouldn't admit it then; what would people think of a bunny who fell in love with a fox?
Apparently, Nick hadn't cared what others would think; he only cared what Judy thought. About a year after becoming partners on the force, Nick had surprised Judy by asking her out to dinner. Of course, Judy accepted, but it was what happened after the dinner that changed their lives forever. Very little had been said on the way back to her apartment, and even less as they stood at the door. After an awkward silence, Nick had sighed and turned to leave. Unfortunately for the both of them, Judy's foot stepped right in front of Nick's as she reached out to Nick, accidentally tripping the poor fox. The fall wouldn't have been so bad had Nick not landed on his paw awkwardly and broke his wrist. Judy had quickly rushed her friend to the hospital, feeling so guilty about her friend's injury.
When Nick had finally been treated and returned with a cast, all Judy did was apologize profusely while Nick had calmly listened. When Judy had finished, Nick wrapped his good arm around Judy's shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. He then uttered the cheesiest line in the history of cheesy lines: "I should be apologizing, Carrots. I'm the one who fell for you." Judy had been both disgusted at how bad the pick-up line was and ecstatic upon hearing the confession from Nick. From there, a wonderful, albeit difficult, relationship ensued.
But now, Judy didn't have anyone to utter the cheesy lines; she didn't have anyone with which to engage in witty banter. There was no shoulder to hug, no paw to tussle her ears. Judy Wilde was alone in her car, driving through the end-of-the-work-day traffic.
Judy had been trying to wrap her head around why Nick had left her at the bank, hoping to find an answer that didn't devastate her. Unfortunately, the circumstances of the entire situation didn't help. Nick could have been too stressed because of the bank robbery, so he went to get some air. He could've been hurt by the insults that were thrown at them, and he needed to vent his frustrations away from Judy. What if it was both, and he didn't want anything to do with Judy anymore?
Judy scoffed at the last thought, immediately dismissing it as truthful. She knew Nick, and she knew that he wasn't the type of person to just permanently walk away when things got bad; if he was that type, then he wouldn't have stayed with Judy this long. Judy allowed these thoughts to comfort her as she flicked through the radio.
*Click!*
We are never, ever, ever, ever, getting back together! Judy quickly changed the station.
*Click!*
You put on quite a show, you really had me going, but now it's time to go. Curtain's finally closing – Judy sighed and switched to another station.
*Click!*
What am I supposed to do when the best part of me was you? Another station.
*Click!*
He doesn't love you anymore! Because –
*Click!*
I'M A LOOOOSEEEEER!
Judy quickly and angrily shut off the radio that was apparently intent on dampening her mood. Yet, as she leaned back against the seat, she realized that the radio had succeeded. All the bunny could think about was the fact that Nick had left her alone without any explanation. Judy desperately wanted to know what was going through Nick's head right now. With a groan, Judy began to bang her head against the steering wheel after coming to a red light.
Why not just ask him, you dumb bunny?
Judy paused her assault on the steering wheel, the fact that she called herself a dumb bunny surprising her more than the thought itself. But the thought was right; she was acting stupid for not thinking of asking Nick himself.
He'll talk to me. If not, I have multiple ways of getting it out of him, Judy thought as she pulled out her phone. She roamed through her contacts before finding Nick; it didn't help when you had two hundred and seventy-five siblings to stay in touch with. Pulling up Nick's contact info on her phone, Judy took a moment to gaze at the picture on the screen. She and Nick had taken a picture together at his graduation ceremony. Nick's eyes were shimmering with pride and joy, and his wide grin said it all: he had never been more ecstatic in his life. Judy shook herself from her thoughts as she caught herself staring at Nick, but he looked so dashing in his uniform. The thought made her smile.
"Alright, Slick," Judy said to herself, pressing the call button on the screen. "Let's see how dumb a fox you really are."
The phone rang several times, each passing second only fueling Judy's anxiety. She hoped that Nick wasn't ignoring her, instead praying that he hadn't heard his phone ring yet. Judy momentarily moved her attention back to the road as the light turned green.
"Hey, Carrots! What'cha doing?" Judy sighed in relief as her husband's voice emanated from the device in her paw.
"Worrying about whether or not our marriage is over. Trying to figure out why you up and left me at the bank. Confronting my feelings over everything that happened in the past hour or so," Judy did not say. Instead, she took a deep breath and put on a cheery attitude. "Just driving home. You?"
"I'm taking a walk," Nick replied over the small device held up to Judy's ear. "Passed by some flowers while I've been out; they smelled amazing."
"What I wouldn't give to be with you right now," Judy said, glad that Nick couldn't see her smug smile; she was setting up the trap perfectly. "Smelling the flowers sounds a lot better than sitting at a red light for fifteen minutes at a time; traffic's a nightmare!"
"I hear you," Nick stated, his tone one of exhaustion. "From what I can see, I'm surprised that you're this calm; you and I both know that patience isn't your strongest suit," his teasing tone made Judy scowl, but she didn't pass up the information that Nick let slip: he was still in City Center; perhaps even in close proximity!
Judy took to scanning the crowds on the sidewalk as she drove, looking for any signs of her husband. "But knowing you, you're not that great of a social mammal, Nick. I'm not sure how you're surviving the storming sea of mammals out here!" she teased.
She could feel Nick tense up over the phone. "You can see me?"
Judy's smug smile turned malicious; she had unintentionally hit a weak point with Nick, and now she was going to take full advantage of it. "Why yes, Nick, I can see you. You're the only mammal wearing that awful green, floral shirt!"
"I thought you liked this shirt," Nick whined with a mock tone of hurt in his voice.
"I tolerate that shirt, Slick," Judy corrected, her eyes still scanning the crowds as she came to yet another red light. "Besides, you look so much better when you wear something that compliments your fur! For example, that police uniform of yours …" she purposefully trailed off, hoping that her sultry tone had produced the effect on her fox that she wanted.
Nick's chuckle emanated from the small phone. "Don't start drooling, Carrots," the fox teased; apparently, her plan hadn't worked. "Besides, your uniform is so much better …" it was his turn to trail off, but his silver tongue wasn't going to get him anywhere this time; Judy was on a mission.
"Don't start drooling, Slick," Judy teased. At the light turning green, Judy made a right turn; she noticed – with much relief – that the traffic was starting to thin out. "Besides, flattery isn't getting you anywhere."
"Drat," Nick said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I was so sure it would work this time, too!"
"Calm down, Slick," Judy retorted. "You'll have plenty of time to compliment me tonight. That is, if you survive the 'wild' streets of City Center," she added with a fake ominous tone.
"I was born and raised on these streets, Fluff," Nick declared excitedly; the mental image of the proud look on Nick's face made Judy smile. "With my sharp wit and bare paws, I became the strong, hardened fox that I – oh sweet cheese and crackers, that storefront is so pink!"
Judy chuckled at Nick's sudden burst of excitement. "Found us a new favorite color, have we?" the bunny teased.
"Carrots, you know nothing will ever top amethyst," Nick replied. "But the pink is so ugly. The entire front of the building is just a hot, blazing, 'stop-and-look-at-me' pink! It's an affront to nature and whoever is responsible should be rotting in jail … or they should really reconsider getting a new paint job," the fox added softly.
"Has someone been put off of pink indefinitely?" Judy asked with a mock tone of disappointment. "If so, we'd have to swear off the Pink Moscato we like so much, and what would I do with that dress?"
"Let me get away from the store; my brain can't take much more of it," Nick replied playfully. "But I could never give up Pink Moscato! That would be sacrilege! The dress on the other hand," Nick paused, the phone going silent as the fox pretending to mull over the decision. "We could probably sell if for a reasonable price; with my business skills, we could even get a profit!"
"Over my dead body," Judy challenged; her tone was a dangerous mixture of playfulness and seriousness.
"Alright, alright," Nick said, backpedaling from his tease. "We won't sell the dress. Would it be too late to say that you look good in it?"
"Yes," Judy blatantly stated. "But, by all means, go right ahead; nobody's stopping you," she added, her smile turning smug again. She came up to another red light, but she was now free from the thick traffic; it was a straight shot from here to the apartment.
Nick chuckled over the phone. "No, no, the mood is lost. It would mean nothing for me to say that now," he said somewhat dramatically.
Suddenly, Judy's ears caught the faint ring of a bell over the phone. "What was that?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Judy heard Nick's voice, but he wasn't speaking to her. His voice was faint and muffled as if he was covering his phone with his paw; unfortunately for him, he was married to a bunny, and bunnies had big ears for a reason. Unfortunately for Judy, the audio quality of the phone kept the rabbit from making out any coherent words. From the tone of Nick's voice, he was talking business with another mammal, and he didn't want Judy to hear.
After another moment of muffled talking, Nick's voice became clearer. "Sorry about that, Carrots," he apologized, purposefully being vague; Judy wasn't going to accept that.
"Oh, no problem," Judy said innocently. Her tone changed, becoming slightly sharper as she went on the offensive. "Who were you talking to?"
Judy could practically see Nick's ears fold against his head; he had been caught. Knowing Nick, though, he wouldn't stay trapped for long, being the slippery devil he was. "Oh, you know, just another grateful citizen of Zootopia asking for the autograph of the ZPD's first fox cop," he said coolly, but Judy saw straight through the lie.
"Bull!" Judy said, her face a smug mask that would put Nick to shame. "Not once has anyone wanted your autograph, no matter how 'famous' you are. Besides, the chief is against those kinds of practices; 'sends the fame to the head,' he says."
"That's why I'm off-duty, and just because you haven't seen anyone asking for my John Hanclaw doesn't mean that it never happens!" Nick defended, a faint tone of mock hurt in his voice.
"Sure, Nick, sure," was all Judy said as she came to the last red light before reaching her apartment. If she was going to get some information out of Nick, it was now or never.
"I see the apartment," Judy said, almost to herself. "How long do I need to hold out before you get here?" This was her last, desperate attempt to get any info out of Nick; she prayed it would work.
Nick chuckled softly. "Not too long. I'll be stopping to grab us some dinner before I head back. That sound good?"
"Where do you plan on going?" Judy asked, trying not to sound disappointed; while she was glad to know that she would see Nick soon, she wanted something a bit more specific.
"Ah ah ah," Nick scolded; Judy could virtually see his finger waving in her face as he said this. "It's a surprise, Carrots. You'll have to wait and see."
Judy rolled her eyes, fatigue from earlier events finally catching up to her and forcing her to accept defeat. "Fine. It better be a good surprise, or you really are sleeping on the couch!"
"When have I ever let you down, Carrots?" Nick asked. He was setting himself up for failure with that question.
"Do you really want me to answer that question, Slick?" Judy replied blatantly.
"Only if the answer is positive," Nick quickly retorted.
Nice recover, Slick, Judy thought, her mood somewhat brightened thanks to her husband's charisma. "Then I'm afraid you won't be getting an answer," she said as she pulled into the parking lot of the apartment complex.
Nick chuckled over the phone. "You sly, mean bunny."
"You dumb, handsome fox," was the reply.
"See you later, then, Carrots. Make sure you get some rest," Nick said, a faint tone of concern in his voice.
"Gee, thanks, Mom," Judy replied sarcastically. "I'll get my homework done before dinner, too."
"That's my girl," Nick replied happily, drawing out a chuckle from the bunny. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Judy replied, and the phone went silent. The bunny sighed as she placed her phone in her pocket and exited the car.
She took a moment to study the building that loomed before her. It was one of the nicer apartment complexes in City Center, closer to the ZPD, and all around better than what Nick and Judy had back at the Grand Pangolin Arms. The building was large and gray but still managed to emanate a warm and inviting feeling through the colorful flora that decorated the exterior. The complex was built to accommodate all sizes of mammals: the two lower floors were designed for large mammals; the two floors above those accommodated mammals around Nick and Judy's sizes; and finally, the two top floors housed the smallest of mammals. Each floor contained about ten, full-sized apartments, filled to the brim with every amenity on Nick and Judy's wish list.
The front doors had three handles, each at a different height to be more convenient for each general size of mammal: small, medium, and large. Each handle connected with the other two, allowing the door to be opened using any one of the handles. Judy walked through the entrance, using the handle designed specifically for mammals of her size, and entered the lobby.
The welcoming smell of some exotic air freshener met her nose, rejuvenating the tired bunny as she walked towards the elevators on the other side of the room. Her amethyst eyes scanned the large room as she did so, deciding to take in the sights that she had grown accustomed to over the six months she and Nick had lived here. As the sun drifted even lower in the sky, the warm, orange walls of the room were tinted a faint blue thanks to the large windows at the front of the complex.
Judy turned her attention to the receptionist – a female cougar with sandstone-colored fur – manning the front desk, her cheery attitude rivaling that of Clawhauser's. In her paws was the day's newspaper, the headline immediately drawing Judy's attention.
RECENT STRING OF ROBBERIES CONNECTED TO NEW CRIME BOSS?
Her ears perking in interest, Judy walked up to the desk, hoping to get a better look at the article. She skimmed over the multiple paragraphs, her eyes picking up key words and phrases.
"...Recent events have shown that the rise of crime..."
"...multiple robberies have plagued Zootopia for the past..."
"...much controversy has arisen because of this. Will the ZPD..."
"...the rumors have grown in strength and numbers, but one thing remains certain..."
"...all we can do is hope that he gets what's coming to him, this Victor Wil-"
"Oh, hello Judy!" The newspaper was folded away as the receptionist finally noticed the bunny's presence. "How are you doing?"
Judy blinked repeatedly, the sudden shock back into reality still processing in her brain. "I-I'm fine," she finally stammered, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. "How are you, Stacy?"
Stacy's ears folded against her head as her faced donned a somewhat-bored mask. "Oh, you know, as great as I can be," her mood immediately brightened, her brown eyes twinkling with glee. "I just watched you guys on the news! That was so cool how you stopped that robbery; on your anniversary, no less!"
Judy's smile widened as she "humbly" shrugged off the praise. "Oh, it was nothing really. Just making the world a better place."
The cougar smiled brightly before looking around the room as if she had lost something. "By the way, where's Nick?"
"Oh, he said he needed to get some air, so I went ahead and came here," Judy said, her ears falling behind her head.
As if she could see right through the fake happiness, Stacy decided to add a lighter note to the conversation. "Ooh, he's getting you something special for your anniversary, isn't he?" she asked excitedly, her enthusiasm equivalent to that of Clawhauser when Gazelle was brought up. "Do you know what he's getting?"
Judy gave the cougar a small smile. "No, I don't. He says it's a surprise," Judy had to flatten her ears against her head to keep them from getting permanently damaged by the high-pitched squeal that emanated from the receptionist.
"That means it's extra special!" Stacy looked like she would explode into a cloud of happiness at any moment. "Oh, Judy, you're so lucky to have such a great husband!"
Judy's smile grew larger, a genuine feeling of happiness seeping through her body. "I guess I am," she chirped, her eyes donning the same twinkle that Stacy's held.
Giving Stacy a wave goodbye, Judy made her way to the elevators. Her spirits remained high as she stepped inside the small room, Stacy's excitement rubbing off on the bunny. Nick was all Judy could happily think about as she was whisked away to the third floor.
After the bunny had left, Stacy refused to return to her newspaper. She was determined to watch for Nick and immediately send him upstairs to his waiting wife.
Did you guys catch the song references? Yes? Good! Can you tell what Nick is getting Judy? No? Good! It's a surprise! If you did manage to figure it out, then you're as clever as Nick!