Mandatory darkness warning. Things get serious here, but be prepared for the next chapter. That one is gonna be a doozy! Also, another side-note: Graham, the jackrabbit driver that works for Jack? I have decided that he is voiced by Peter Capaldi – also known as the 13th Doctor from Doctor Who. Thought his voice fit perfectly with the character!
The moonlit hills of the Meadowlands flew by in a blur as Judy blankly stared out the window. Despite the heating system of the limo doing its job well, the bunny couldn't help but feel an unpleasant shiver run down her spine as she mulled over the events and new information of the evening. She involuntarily pressed herself up against Nick's said as she did this, and when the fox wrapped his arm around her, a weak sense of calm washed over Judy.
Thanks to the conversation with Jack Savage, the duo now had another layer to add to the complex character that was Victor Wilde. To know that the fox had been the sort of mammal to help those in need in the past wasn't that big of a surprise, however, due to similar conversations with Rachel and Mr. Woolson. What was surprising was how quickly the old fox had seemed to fall deeper into the pit that was the stereotype placed on foxes. Judy felt a pang of sadness in her chest as she felt sorry for the Victor that could have been.
From there, Judy's thoughts turned to the fox she was currently snuggled up against and her feelings towards him. Her resolve to tell him what was going on with her hadn't diminished in the slightest, but the bunny was a bit worried as to the timing. Nick already seemed stressed out enough as it was; adding the knowledge that his own wife was scared of him wouldn't help that condition in the slightest.
Judy huffed. She wanted to confess sooner than later, hoping that such an action could start to help her out of this emotional funk. Memories of before the kidnapping flashed through the bunny's mind, reminding her of what it was like to not have been afraid of Nick – what it was like to feel safe around her fox. Judy desperately wanted those memories to become a reality again, but to do so needed careful preparation and timing.
Tilting her head back, the bunny glanced up at Nick in hopes to decipher what was going on with him. Over three years of being best friends and partners had given Judy quite a list of signs and tells that aided her in reading the fox, but there was still so much to learn about him. Nick's face remained an emotionless mask, revealing nothing of what was going on behind those emerald eyes. However, with how quiet and unfocused he seemed, it wasn't hard for Judy to tell that he was thinking something over.
As Judy huffed again and lowered her gaze away from Nick, she turned towards the window. Instead of the sprawling hills of the Meadowlands like she had expected to see, the bunny was met with the sight of hundreds of different lights and storefronts. They were back in City Center.
"So, uh, where do you live again?" Graham, the driver, spoke up, breaking the two cops' concentration. The jackrabbit glanced at the fox and bunny from his rear-view mirror, his brilliantly blue eyes twinkling with hopeful mischief.
The silence the driver got in response was more awkward than he would have liked, though. With a shaky chuckle, Graham quickly retreated from his tease. "I'm just joshing ya. Don't worry your pretty little heads about a thing."
Nick and Judy decided to ignore the jackrabbit as he turned his attention back to the road. However, neither cop could get their train of thought back on track due to the previous derailment, much to their annoyance. The fox and bunny resorted to staring out either window to keep themselves occupied until they arrived at their destination.
The apartment complex came into view within minutes, though the silence of the car had grown deafening. With a bit more haste than she would have wanted, Judy hopped out of the car and thanked the driver. Nick followed after her, though his pace was a bit more lethargic. Graham tipped his driver's cap to the couple and proceeded to pull the limo out of the parking lot.
Nick had already begun walking into the large building that loomed behind them, eliciting a small bout of surprise from Judy. Jogging to catch up to the fox, Judy fell in step and hesitantly wrapped her paw around her husband's. Nick's body jerked at the sudden contact, startling the bunny. It didn't take long for the fox to realize that Judy had been the one to lightly scare him, and a relieved grin crept over his muzzle. It didn't reach his eyes.
Judy felt a small surge of warmth well up in her when Nick gave her paw a light squeeze, and she felt her hope for tonight soar again. She was determined to talk about the events of this evening, even if she didn't get a chance to reveal to the fox her inner turmoil.
The couple walked past Stacy, who was quietly napping behind a newspaper. The sight brought a smirk to the bunny's face which quickly vanished upon seeing how dead-set Nick was in getting home. The fox's emerald eyes were cold and hard, lacking that distinct charm that Judy so easily found comfort in. His gaze was determinedly set to whatever was directly in front of him, and his lips were set in a thin line. Judy could tell something was going on in his head. Whatever it was, it couldn't be pleasant.
Inside the elevator, Judy contemplated starting some kind of conversation – anything, really - to lighten the mood and tension that had set in ever since their dinner with the Savages. There wasn't much else that Judy could think of, and the bland interior of the small room didn't help, either. Nick kept still and quiet, inadvertently contributing next to nothing to aid the increasingly anxious bunny standing next to him.
Judy gently cursed herself for being unable to think of anything else in regards to the conversation, and the more she dwelt on the possibility of revealing to Nick her state of mind, the more her anxiety grew. She skimmed through all the different, yet completely possible scenarios in her mind, each one worse than the last. Her head pounded with the overwhelming amount of new ideas, and her breathing became shallow as each one was worse than the last.
Her mind refused to bring up any positive outcome of the imminent conversation. Flashes of Nick's look of betrayal at the press conference three years ago dominated her mind's eye, making it hard to focus on anything else.
However, the more she dwelt on it, the greater her desire to come clean grew. The knot in the pit of her stomach became heavier and heavier, sending waves of guilt-induced nausea through the little bunny. Judy was reminded of whenever she had kept a lie from her parents growing up: it only got worse the longer it drew out.
The negative thoughts became images, showcasing the different outcomes in all their twisted glory. There was one of Nick lashing out at the bunny, throwing her deeper into her living hell. Another played through the scenario of the fox hiding away in himself, feeling unloved by his mate. A third, and more sickly result came to mind, telling of Nick forcefully removing his own teeth and claws just to make Judy feel comfortable again.
She didn't even hear the elevator ding, signaling the end of the ascent. Her body working on autopilot, Judy wrapped an arm around Nick's, allowing the fox to essentially lead her to their apartment while she remained preoccupied with her inner machinations. She didn't notice the concerned look the fox sent her way.
Her mind drew her deeper into its cold depths, intent on drowning her in her own doubts and fears. Judy shook her head to clear herself of such thoughts, though the damage had already been done. Images of what Nick could do to himself should she leave him flashed through her mind, taking predominance and completely shutting down the autopilot on her body. She stopped in the middle of the hall, her gentle grip on Nick's arm loosening as the oblivious fox continued walking.
The images all compiled into one garish mural before her mind's eye, its message blatantly obvious. However, Judy refused to believe it. She refused to fall prey to the deep-seated fear that had been a part of her life since childhood. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Judy began to think on the bright side of things, using old memories to counterbalance the doubts. She thought of life with Nick, and all the shenanigans they had gotten into during their time on the force. She thought of her family back in Bunnyburrow, and how they had helped make her into the bunny that she was today, albeit not how they had completely expected. Judy thought of the future she had with her fox – a future she was bent on experiencing.
"Carrots, you alright?" a familiar voice asked with a touch of concern. Judy immediately knew who it belonged to.
Nick. Her Nick.
As in the limo earlier that night, Judy suddenly felt a sense of calm rush over her at the thought of her fox. The rest of the darkness was repelled at the sound of her fox, helping strengthen her resolve and optimism. And if that wasn't enough, Judy was met with Nick's face, concern evident in his features. His paws were on her shoulders, as if waiting to catch her should she suddenly lose her balance. Judy felt an electrifying surge of warmth wash over her as she stared up into the eyes that she knew and loved.
Opening her mouth to answer, a thought popped into Judy's mind, pausing the bunny. She mulled it over, the possibility of revealing to Nick her current mental state. Now that her current state of mind was relatively stable, Judy knew exactly what she wanted to do. "I'm all right," she said, giving her husband a genuine smile. "Though, there is something I would like to talk about with you when we get to our apartment."
Nick seemed to study the bunny, his emerald eyes glancing over her features with scrutiny. Judy couldn't quite tell what was going on in the fox's head, as his concern for his mate took priority. The fact that the bunny didn't know what signs she had given off during her minor episode made her just a little nervous under Nick's watchful gaze.
Finally, after what felt like ages, Nick sighed and let his paws drop to his sides. "Alright, in the apartment then." Judy could hear a faint disappointment in his voice, much to her surprise. She chose not to dwell on it too long, however, as Nick suddenly scooped her into his arms and held her against his chest. The fox smirked down at his bunny, who was overcome by a giggling fit due to the action, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.
The couple traversed the rest of the distance to their apartment. Nick struggled to retrieve the keys from his pocket, seeing as he wanted to do so while still holding Judy against him. Eventually, he reluctantly decided to place her back down so his paws could be free. The moment the door to their apartment was open, however, Judy was back in Nick's arms.
The fox carried his mate into the living room, making sure to close the front door behind him. He sat down on the plush cushions before releasing the bunny, who immediately took the seat next to him. However, the two simply stared at each other as a deafening silence grew between them.
Judy could tell that Nick was mulling things over behind those emerald orbs of his, but it seemed that he couldn't put his thoughts into words. The bunny was tempted to take over the conversation from here, but her mind drew up blanks as to how she could start the conversation.
Finally, after countless moments, the fox spoke up again. "Well, what is it?"
This wasn't the question that Judy was expecting. "What?" she asked, hoping for clarification.
"You said you wanted to talk about something," Nick stated. "So, what is it?"
Judy dipped her head in thought, taking a moment to plan through the conversation. Pros and cons were weighed again as the bunny worried about the repercussions that this talk could have in their relationship. Upon glancing at Nick's eyes again, Judy felt a rush of determination, reinvigorating her resolve. No matter the consequences, telling the outright truth would be more beneficial than keeping it hidden. Right?
"Well, I wanted to talk about what happened after," she paused, trying to find the right word while at the same time fighting back horrid flashbacks, "that night. Specifically, what happened to us individually."
Nick looked genuinely shocked. Obviously, this wasn't the conversation he wasn't expecting to have with Judy. The bunny in question, however, plowed right ahead; she was finished with living like this and would do anything to get past it.
"You see, like you, I've started having these panic attacks," Judy continued, keeping her tone serious. "I think about four or five in the past week alone."
"What!?" Nick asked, seemingly surprised by the reveal. "Judy, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
A wave of guilt washed over the bunny. "For the same reason you didn't tell me: I was worried about how you would take it. I see now that I wasn't smart to do that."
Nick sighed and rubbed his temples – the telltale sign that a headache was quickly growing. "Well, obviously, Carrots," the fox stated, seemingly trying to keep the growl out of his voice. "How bad have they been?"
"Nothing too serious," Judy explained, reminding herself of the panic attack that Nick had before they had been picked up by Mr. Big. "Most of the time, it starts with me arguing with my mind about something before it starts getting emotional. I mean, how can you not let someone see that they get to you, when the very thing trying to get to you is yourself?"
"I understand the feeling, Carrots," Nick somberly stated. "If you don't mind my asking, what were your arguments about? It's got to be something serious enough to get you all riled up, right?"
Judy nodded, though no words came to her as the knot of anxiety in her stomach suddenly became too heavy. Butterflies raged about inside of her, sending wave after wave of nausea throughout her body. Judy felt the bile rising in her throat, but she was determined to fight through this. "Yeah, it's serious," Judy affirmed with a sigh. Her gaze flitted away from the fox, suddenly unable to maintain eye contact. Her ears folded back against her head, and the bunny began to nervously wring her paws together.
"Take your time, Carrots," Nick soothed, placing his larger paws on hers.
The warmth of his touch radiated throughout her being, traveling through the bloodstreams and nerve systems to reach every part of her body and mind. The anxiety was replaced with a comfort, and Judy felt her emotional strength return to her.
"I'm not sure how you're going to take this," Judy began, her voice wavering slightly, "but I've got to get this off my chest. It's been eating away at me all week, and I can't take it anymore. Ever since whatever Dallas did to me at that warehouse, all my predator-fearing instincts have been hyperactive. I wasn't lying to you the other night when I said anything sharp startles me, but that was only the half truth. I've been fighting my mind with whether or not I was afraid of you.
"No matter what I said in your defense, my mind came up with another incriminating piece of evidence," Judy felt her resolve slipping as tears began to sting her eyes. Her gaze remained downcast as she hadn't the heart to look at Nick's reaction. "No matter how many times I said I wasn't afraid of you, my mind came around and smacked me in the face with the truth! I don't," she hiccuped as she felt the tears freely falling down her face now, "I don't want to be scared of you Nick, and I know I shouldn't be. It's all these prejudices I grew up with!"
Judy succumbed to her emotions and fell silent as sobs racked her body. She still kept her gaze averted, unable to muster the courage to see how Nick reacted. What kind of friend was she, keeping such feelings a secret? What kind of partner was she, not coming clean with this information? What kind of spouse was she, not harboring enough faith in her other half?
Two warm, strong arms wrapped around Judy's small form and hugged her close. A comforting warmth enveloped the bunny as she sobbed into the chest of her mate, pouring out her week's worth of pent-up emotions. A soothing paw gently stroked her back while another calmly massaged her ears. A kind voice whispered soft nothings, reassuring her that everything was alright.
They stayed like this for a countless amount of time. Judy began to calm down as her worrying gave way to comforting safety – a safety that only came with being in Nick's arms. Gentle kisses peppered the space between her ears, eliciting weak giggles from the bunny. Once she calmed down enough, she returned the favor with a few kisses of her own, trailing along the underside of Nick's long muzzle.
"Thanks for coming clean with this, Judy." Nick's chest rumbled as he spoke, much to Judy's faint amusement. "From now on, though, I want you to be honest with me and tell me when this starts to happen again, okay? I can't help you if you won't let me."
Judy nodded against his chest as waves of relief washed over her, draining the last of her energy. The warm embrace of sleep hugged the edges of her consciousness, softly inviting her.
"Thank you for understanding, Nick," Judy mumbled as her body began to shut down. "It means a lot to me."
The fox gently chuckled as his mate yawned against his chest. "I'm always here for you, Judy. Don't forget that."
Judy picked up on the sad tone in Nick's voice, but decided not to care about it as she felt the fox's lips press against her forehead. Humming happily, the bunny nodded against her mate's chest and slowly slipped into a peaceful slumber.
Nick looked down at the sleeping mammal in his arms. He studied the steady rise and fall of her chest, the faint twitching of her nose, and the way her little tail happily swished about as Judy dreamed. The faint smile on her muzzle was enough to tell Nick that the bunny would have a good night's rest.
With a sigh, the fox carefully picked up his mate and carried her into the bedroom. With practiced moves, he managed to undress the bunny without waking her before undressing himself. Using careful movements and plenty of pauses when he though she was about to wake up, Nick eventually situated himself on the bed next to Judy.
He pulled the covers up and over their bodies, enveloping both mammals in a comforting warmth. The fox gently wrapped his arms and tail around Judy's slumbering form, hoping to fall asleep himself. However, his recent chat with the bunny had left his mind reeling.
Of course she would just now tell me about this! he thought bitterly. As if all of this couldn't get any worse!
Nick sighed and glanced at the sleeping bunny again. Her peaceful expression was too easy to read, though he had gotten enough info from Judy during their conversation. Oh, Carrots. You can't make any of this easy, can you? You just had to make me start second-guessing myself.
A wave of guilt washed over the fox, but he chose to ignore it as he buried his nose into the crook of Judy's neck. He was rewarded with a gentle hum from the bunny as Judy involuntarily pressed more of herself against his chest. Under normal circumstances, the action would have brought a smile to Nick's face. Now, it just made the guilt stronger. Nick still ignored it, though, as he thought of the plans he had discussed with Chief Bogo the other day.
I have no other choice, Carrots. I'm sorry, Nick thought as he fell into a dreamless slumber.
Judy's ear flicked in an irritated manner as she sat in silence, scanning the streets for any sign of riots or protesters. While it helped that her partner, who was currently driving the cruiser and protecting his nocturnal eyes with his trademark pair of sunglasses, was just as focused as she was to find these signs, the lack of conversation was starting to grate on Judy's nerves. Normally, Nick would have cracked the odd joke or two, if only to lighten the mood. Now, however, he seemed to be completely engrossed with the task at hand – a rare sight and something that was not like Nick.
Turning away from the window, Judy studied the fox that sat beside her as she let her mind wander. She had slept peacefully last night – the first time in a while. The dark voice of her mind was locked away, unable to test the bunny's resolve anymore. Ever since she had confessed her episodes to Nick, Judy felt this overwhelming sense of peace wash over her. While she wasn't naive enough to believe that she wouldn't have any more attacks, the thought of Nick being there for her was calming enough.
"Carrots?" Nick's voice derailed Judy's train of thought, drawing the bunny back to reality. Judy noticed that Nick was glancing at her from time to time as he continued to scan the area, doing his job. There was a ghost of a smile on his lips. "I know I'm drop-dead gorgeous, but ogling me while on duty isn't very professional."
Judy shook herself from her stupor as a retort formulated in her mind. "Yeah, you're right. Same goes for you, though." She grinned smugly.
Nick turned towards the bunny, dipping his head enough to look over the top of his sunglasses. "I don't know what you're talking about," he defended, though his lips pulled back into a smug grin of his own.
Judy's smile widened. There was the Nick she knew. "Oh, I think you do! You see, we rabbits have a wider field of view than most other mammals. Meaning, I can see all those sneaky glances you keep giving me from behind your sunglasses," she stated rather happily.
"I know," Nick replied, his smugness still intact. "Why do you think I keep doing it?"
Judy felt a blush creep over her cheeks, but the warmth didn't last long as she glanced at Nick's eyes again. They held none of the smug cheeriness that he was outwardly exuding. This aroused more than just a little suspicion, but just as Judy opened her mouth to ask about how Nick was doing, her partner's attention suddenly snapped to something across the street.
"Carrots, look." Nick pointed to a local shop just down the road. A small group of mammals was crowded around the entrance, all of them angry and growing increasingly violent. Judy felt her fur stand on end as her anger reared its ugly head.
Flicking on the sirens, Nick pulled the cop car over to the shop. A few of the mammals, upon seeing the cruiser heading their way, gave up on the riot and left. The ones that remained all had a defiant air about them, which did not bode well for the two smaller mammals.
Nick and Judy stepped out of the car, their batons and tranq guns at the ready should the protest become too violent. Both cops hoped it wouldn't come to this, as the small crowd of mammals consisted of medium-sized prey: pigs, rams, and the like. The anger radiating off of these civilian rioters was palpable; it even drowned out Judy's rising anger, bringing her to second-guess herself.
Upon glancing at the sign for the establishment, however, Judy felt her anger rise again. It read, "Emmett Otterton's Flowers."
"Good morning!" Nick called out, putting on his friendly cop mask. He absentmindedly swung his baton around with the strap wrapped around a finger, adding to his carefree appearance. Combined with his somewhat-wrinkled uniform and his rolled-up sleeves, he looked more like a slacker and less of a threat. "Now, I know that the prices for a good bouquet can be a bit enraging, but this is ridiculous, guys! I'm sure other stores would be better boycotting targets."
One of the mammals, a rather portly pig who's greasy belly wouldn't fit in his tight, yellow shirt, scoffed. "Well, if you know of any other shops run by a filthy pred, let me know. You guys need to be taught a lesson!"
Judy watched as Nick feigned naive confusion with a tilt of his head. "Oh? What lesson is that, might I ask?"
Again, the obese pig scoffed, the movement causing his grotesque stomach fat to jiggle about. "Where your places are! If them fancy exhibits in the Natural History Museum are anything to go by, we prey mammals evolved before you preds did! So, you have us to thank for your enlightenment. But do I see any of you showin' the proper gratitude?" He placed his hoof on his eyebrows and gazed about the street in an exaggerated manner, emphasizing his point.
Nick chuckled. "Buddy, I'm sure that your idea of things is not how the world works. That's a pretty poor excuse, so give me something more substantial than that. If you can give me a good reason for your little get-together, then I'll leave you be. If not, then I'm gonna have to kindly ask you to vacate the premises under threat of arrest for attempted assault," Nick stated with his clairvoyant professionalism.
"You what!?" the pig screamed in outrage. "You ain't got nothin' on us! We have as much right to be here as anybody!" Out of rising, fear-induced anger, the pig stepped forward and swung a thick hoof at the fox. Even Judy saw the blow coming from a mile away, so she wasn't surprised when Nick deftly side-stepped the fat mammal.
"You didn't let me finish," Nick calmly spoke, though it was obvious to Judy that he was on his last reserves of patience with these guys. "If you don't have a good reason to be here, then I'll have to ask you to leave under threat of arrest for attempted assault of an officer."
Judy felt a rush of pride as the pig felt all the color drain from his face. Both knew that the larger mammal had played straight into Nick's hustle. For a bit, the pig stammered as he racked his brain for anything substantial that could satiate the cop and let them enact their "justice."
Both Nick and Judy winced when they saw the lightbulb go off. "I know!" the pig cried as if he had discovered a powerful secret. "The owner of this here shop had been attacked durin' that there Night Howler Case those years back. Who's to say he still doesn't go savage every now and then, huh? We're just here to make sure that he hasn't hurt nobody, that's all."
Judy had to resist the urge to facepalm, though she did take the conversation from here. "Sir, you do realize that the case you're speaking of was closed three years ago, right? Every predator treated with the antidote was tested for about a week to see if there were any side-effects, and there were none. Mr. Otterton will not and is not going savage!"
"Who ran the tests?" the pig asked, unfazed by the facts stacking up against him.
Judy paused a moment as she skimmed her mind for the information. "Dr. Madge Honey, one of the city's best scientists," she answered, standing to her full height to add that extra weight to her words. As a smug grin crept over the pig's snout, however, the bunny grew confused.
"That honey badger?" The pig guffawed, his belly shaking in a way that made Judy gag. "She's a pred, too! Who's to say she didn't lie about the results just to unleash them preds out on the city!? Heck, she even could-ah sabo-ta-jeed those preds on purpose!"
Judy sputtered as she tried to formulate a response that even this imbecile would understand. Luckily, Nick beat her to the punch. "Alright, I've heard enough, sir. I'm gonna have to ask you and your friends to leave, or else you're under arrest."
The pig coldly regarded the fox cop, but after fallen prey to Nick's hustle, he complied and turned to leave. "Fine. I was done wastin' my time around here anyway. Let's go, boys! I'm hungry."
Their incoherent grumbling faded into the distance as Judy gathered her thoughts. Dealing with someone so small-minded took its toll on one's IQ points, that was for sure. As the bunny collected herself, Nick went to radio in the event.
The jingling of a bell caught Judy's attention. Looking up, the bunny was met with Emmett Otterton waddling his way to them. A warm smile found its way onto Judy's muzzle as she accepted the otter's hug.
"Oh, thank you," the florist greeted." I wasn't sure whether or not to call the cops, but now it doesn't look like I have to!"
"No worries, Mr. Otterton," Judy said, feeling that rush of pride that came with helping another mammal. "Just doing our job."
"Of course, of course." The otter's gaze turned to the fox who was returning from the cruiser.
"Alright, Carrots! Got it radioed in. Chief wants us to keep on moving," he said, jerking a thumb back towards the cruiser.
Judy nodded to her partner before turning back to the florist. "I'm sorry we can't stay and chat, but we have work to do. Don't be afraid to call for help if you need it. These riots are getting serious, so the ZPD will be more than willing to come to your aid."
Mr. Otterton nodded. "Of course. Thank you," he repeated before he suddenly grew somber. "Be careful out there, you two. I'm sure with your reputations, things are only gonna get harder for you."
Nick scoffed. "Yeah, tell us something we don't know." His voice sounded bitter and was void of his usual sarcastic tone. It set Judy on edge; she rarely heard Nick use this tone, if at all.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't really help you with that," the otter admitted, glancing between the fox and bunny. "But I can at least pass on some gossip that I heard from my customers."
Judy's ears perked up at this. "Oh?"
Mr. Otterton gave an affirmative nod. "Apparently, whatever that Victor Wilde character is doing, it's affecting the whole city; prey and predator included. If anything, the prey are being riled up because of this, bringing them to lash out at others and try to place the blame on something physical – you know, to be able to take out their anger on it."
Nick harrumphed, seemingly agreeing with the mindset. Judy, on the other hand, quite disliked that idea. "That's terrible!" she all but cried, her gaze flicking to the direction that the rioters had taken when they left. "They're hurting innocent mammals who haven't done anything to deserve this!"
"Like I've told you before, Carrots: that's Zootopia. This is part of the reason why no one gets along," Nick dryly commented, seemingly bored with the situation. He glanced about the street before turning back to the two smaller mammals. "Look, I hate to cut this talk short, but like I said, Bogo wants us back out on the streets as soon as possible.
Judy gave an affirmative, though reluctant, nod. "Right, right." She turned back to the otter. "Remember, if you need any help like this again, don't hesitate to call the ZPD. This is what we're here for."
The florist nodded. "Of course, Officer Hopps. Again, thank you for arriving when you did." He gave the bunny a warm embrace and shook Nick's paw. "You two have a wonderful day now!"
With that, Mr. Otterton waddled back into his shop while Nick and Judy returned to their cruiser. Though the fox remained silent as he pulled the vehicle back onto the street, Judy's mind buzzed with the aftermath of the adrenaline rush and her simmering anger towards the bigoted mammals in this city.
I want to take a quick moment and thank my beta, Selaxes, for doing a great job in helping me make this story the best it can be!
Man, it feels great to be back! I had a wonderful break, but now it's time to dive back into the fray and get on with this story. I'm sorry if it feels like it drags on a bit, but don't worry. The next chapter will be well worth the wait. I'm quite happy with how the first portion of this chapter turned out, but not so much with the second portion, especially the ending. But, it's not that bad, right?
Oh, that pig from the riot? Imagine Disney's Pete; you know, Mickey's somewhat lovable villain voiced by Jim Cummings. No other voice came to me while writing that, so I went with it.
I hope you all enjoyed, and I'll see you next time!