Hope you guys are happy with this promised update. and on time too!
I have many references for you guys... and girls... to pick out. and just to mention... I named the vixen Rose... because Beauty and the Beast. In case you missed it. lol.
Anywho, enjoy, review, and bring the fire... because my snack of the day is pancake battered hot dogs and i'm cooking them old school. Well in my case, old mental institution.
Nicholas opened the door and entered his and Judith's chambers. She instantly looked confused at the package still in his paws.
"She was… otherwise engaged," explained the fox in short, looking rather shaken and nervous. The rabbit's eyebrow quirked up.
"Prey tell, what was my dear sister engaged in?" she asked overly curiously, seeing the state of the fox and seeing an interesting story possibly being revealed soon.
"Oh, uh…" started Nicholas with a light stammer. "Heather was…." He snapped his fingers, trying to find the words… well… the more delicate words. "She was wrapped in the arms of… someone."
"Well that's not surprising," Judith deadpanned. "Heather always was a flirtatious one. Gives the bunny stereotype quite the forceful momentum in the wrong direction."
"So, you already knew?" the fox inquired further, hoping to avoid having to outright say the words.
"About her occasional trysts with rabbits from town? Yes, yes I did."
"Well…" Nicholas began again, twiddling his paws together with an averted gaze.
"Jacks then. I forgot she had a thing for the tall and lean ones," Judith snapped back lightly. The fox couldn't help but drop to the floor laughing at the near accuracy of the statement. (A/N I used Jacks as a term for Jackrabbits, for those thinking it was a name. I figured it would be redundant for a rabbit to say Jackrabbit themselves.)
The grey doe was starting to get a little irritated now and began thumping a foot, her violet eyes becoming slightly violent. The red fox coughed to cut short his tearful laughter and did his best to muster a sense of respect in his voice so he could explain himself.
"Sorry, my lady," he started with the dregs of a slaphappy smile remaining, "but while your description was on point, I'm afraid you had the wrong species entirely."
Judith sighed, "Just tell me, please."
"Rose," the fox divulged with a smirk. "Technically, she is tall and somewhat lean."
"Seriously?" was all the shocked rabbit could muster for the better part of a ten second pause.
"Quite so," he responded. "I nearly interrupted them and made a stealthy escape."
"Wow… just…. Wow."
"I know," Nicholas chuckled. "Talk about breaking the mold."
"But, isn't she taking advantage of Rose…?" the bunny nervously asked to no one in particular. Nicholas froze. He hadn't thought of that. Considering Heather's personality, it was possible the arrangement was only enacted through her command. If that was so, then it made the behavior he saw poor Rose display seem a little sad. Even if Heather wasn't invested in the vixen, Nicholas could very see that Rose had some innate attraction to the rabbit, be it romantic attachment or emotional dependence.
"I don't know," the fox conceded, "but we can't rush to judgement. Not yet. It would only serve to direct some form of Heather's rage on us if she found out we tried to interfere."
"But what about Rose?" Judith inquired pleadingly.
"I'll see what I can do," he offered to his lady.
The fox subsequently tapped a paw on his chin and lost himself in thought for a minute or two.
"We can address the issue after Lord Bogo's event comes to pass," Nicholas continued. The bunny gasped.
"I forgot to let my parents know about that!" she exclaimed, getting up and straightening out her dress.
"Didn't Bogo say he would take care of the arrangements?" the red fox piped up.
"He said travel arrangements," Judith corrected. "I still need to be polite about it and make sure my father and mother know of his arrival and can prepare accordingly."
She rushed out of the room, leaving Nicholas to his own devices. He sighed and waited for a what felt like hours. The sun was now setting and he set to picking up all the stray books, laying paper leaflets in the ones he was sure Judith had been reading to a certain degree.
Finding a place in the back of the cabinet/sleeping chamber, where the rabbit had hidden other things, he carefully placed the books and hid them beneath other objects and such already in there.
Lighting a few candles, Nicholas decided to use what little sunlight leaked through the sky to try repairing a dress that Judith had torn slightly a few days prior. It gave him something to do and if any mammal decided to intrude, he would look busy. Despite his inexperience sewing, luck favored him as it was just a hem tear. He set to work slowly and surely sewing the thing back together.
It was definitely passing the second hour or so since the rabbit ran off and the fox was getting a little worried.
It wasn't two seconds later when the door creaked open and Judith padded in, heaving a sigh.
"All go well?" he asked to which Judith nodded tiredly.
"My parents were oddly ecstatic at the prospect of Lord Bogo inviting me over, though all they took great pleasure in was that it was a chance to establish trade with them."
"Trade with Bogo?" the fox asked.
"I didn't really know but around here, he's the most able Lord that deals in establishing supply lines to other provinces and cities," Judith explained. "Even if they didn't care about trying to send their produce to other places using him, they seem to believe he will have many connections with others of importance if he has become as reputable as he is."
"Oh…" Nicholas sighed. "So, they want you to do your best to make all that happen?"
"Unfortunately," groaned the purple eyed doe. "They want me to dress accordingly tomorrow, but I was able to lie my way out of a full makeover. You're able to come too. They're reluctant but your silent act seems to mollify them into believing you won't say anything stupid."
Nicholas chuckled.
"Well I'm glad you get a laugh out of that," the bunny sighed with a small smile. "I had a hard time dealing with all the formal and pretentious language pertaining to the whole affair."
"Don't worry, my lady," the fox comforted, getting up and setting the dress he had just finished working on down. "We'll likely feel far less pressured by the whole situation once we're out of this place for a while."
Judith padded over to her bed and flopped down upon it, sighing heavily. After giving him an affirmative grunt, she lifted her head and gave him a mild glare.
"You haven't quite explained everything about what happened there yet," she started, "and I think I deserve an explanation."
"As well you do," Nicholas agreed. He took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. "Lord Bogo, as he calls himself, was my captain when I served in the People's Army to the north. I knew him as Captain Nyati."
The grey rabbit perked her ears and listened intently.
"Why did he change names?" she asked simply.
"Not sure as of yet. I'm not even sure which name is his real one," he admitted to both himself and her. He looked at Judith and saw her curious gaze as he continued, "When I left the service, a pittance to my name, I found out the one mammal I looked forward to seeing for so many years was gone and went off to find something. I looked for her but… well you know."
"Honey?" Judith guessed. "I heard you mention that name."
"She was the closest thing I had to a mother," the fox divulged. "Said what I fought for was an illusion. Found out she was right later. The battles I helped win were against powers we were told conspired against our nations, but they were nations of rebellion against occupation by nations that had prey driven governments. By the time I figured that out… it didn't really matter. I was wandering aimlessly through the northern forests from Animalia."
"What does Lord Bogo have to do with that?"
"The book he purchased was hand written. If I am correct, then it was a cypher and the mark scribbled over the cover is the one I've stared at most of my young life when Honey would write her notes, journal entries, and overall musings." Nicholas was a bit worried the rabbit wouldn't be able to follow, but she proved more adaptable than he gave initial credit for, her jaw set and eyes contemplative as she mused silently.
"So, you want to know if he can lead you to her?" she asked almost rhetorically. The fox nodded.
"If I can find her…" Nicholas let out a breath, "then maybe I can find a way to help her with her goals."
"I do hope that means you can be free again," Judith stated hopefully. Nicholas turned to give her an inquisitive look.
"Were you serious in your wish to come with me?" he asked in a deadly serious tone.
The grey rabbit looked at him with a conflicted gaze. The turmoil in her raging more so than the sky during a thunderstorm. Leave her home… her family. She may have said she was misunderstood and felt so alone… but the prospect of leaving everything… it scared her. When she thought about it though, if Nicholas left, as he well deserved to, her life would be a melancholy path towards old age and death. No one has ever matched his kindness and made her feel so alive.
If she was afraid of the outside world that could kill her, she was more afraid of a life devoid of living in a place that would just suffocate her until she lost all light in her heart.
"I was and still am," Judith determinately stated, a clenched paw to her chest. "Take me."
Both mammals stared in silence at each other for several seconds, letting the words sink in.
Unfortunately, Judith's mind found an alternative that could be meant by those words and tried to keep herself from blushing profusely, to no avail.
Nicholas's reaction was as much delayed as hers but no less frustrating to her when he started smirking widely and giving her a half-lidded gaze fraught with smug satisfaction.
"with you…" she desperately amended. The fox leaned in closer.
"Take you?" he asked in a low voice.
"Take me WITH you," the rabbit corrected him staunchly.
"Aww," he teased. "Are you sure?"
"Yes, yes! Just be quiet!" she whisper yelled. Nicholas relented to her and sat with a grin from ear to ear.
"Your wish is mine to grant, my lady," he calmly said, finally pulling away from her.
The hours leading into the night felt much too long. The intermittent sleep was even worse. And the following morning, leading into the afternoon whereas Lord Bogo would dispatch a means of travel for Judith and Nicholas felt like an agonizing wait.
The Hopps patriarch pursued a course of trying to drop hints and tips to impress a Lord and earn their favor throughout the day, while Judith was given preparation to look her best. Nicholas helped as necessary and mentally scoffed at most of the advice. His captain was no fool for flattery. In fact, he rather despised it.
Finally, the arrival of the carriage for the two arrived. Pulled by a quartet of tigers, the carriage stopped in front of the large doors to the Hopps estate.
Without help and waving off the rabbits that tried to offer any, Bogo climbed from the cabin himself.
"I've come for the young Lady Hopps and her personal aide," the buffalo stated in his resounding and authoritative baritone.
"Why of course, Lord Bogo," Lord Hopps cheerfully answered. "My dear daughter is ready and awaiting you." He waved her forward, to which Judith more than eagerly complied. She had enough doting for weeks and just wanted to get away. "And Lord Bogo? Do you really need her personal aide to go with? I can offer you far better company to assist my daughter."
"That will not be necessary," Bogo gently denied. "I believe it is necessary for an aide to always be responsible for their charge. This fox will need to learn that. I will return them later tonight."
Still reserved but accepting that answer, Lord Stuart Hopps silently conceded the point and let his daughter proceed with departing alongside the fox.
The tigers began pulling at a brisk pace, wasting no time to carry them away from the Hopps estate.
Looking back, Bogo let out a low huff, casting a glance to the two mammals now in his charge for the evening.
"Why are you using predators for labor?" Nicholas asked in all bluntness, shocking Judith into tensing up with wide eyes as she now looked terrified. The buffalo looked rather unfazed. One could say he might have expected that question.
"It's a means to stay hidden here and they understand it," he started, "but I assure you… they are not slaves."
"And why are you hiding here?" the fox pursued. "More to the point, what does Honey have to do with this?"
"Haaa… I and many others, prey and predator alike, are using my title and status as 'Lord' to garner favor and acquire displaced predators looking to flee. The book you saw Honey's symbol on was a cypher of locations and paths to take, guiding the displaced away from the nations affected by predator subjugation."
"You're running an emancipation relay," Nicholas stated bluntly.
"Yes," was the simple reply. "But that's not all. Honey has something she's planning. She's keeping it to herself for the most part but it's pretty big. All I need to do is decrypt her cypher to get the new information."
The buffalo pulled out the book from before and waved it about for them to see.
The fox offered a paw and Bogo reluctantly handed it over to his former soldier. Nicholas flipped through the pages quickly and began using the blank pages at the end to write down letters and numbers, somehow sorting through everything like it was second nature.
"How are you doing that?" Bogo asked. "It normally takes me hours to get that much."
"I was raised by Honey, remember?" the red fox retorted slightly sarcastically. "She drilled this as much as you drilled our wake-up calls at the crack of dawn."
The buffalo snorted, "I forgot that crazy badger basically made you a walking library."
Judith watched as Nicholas's eyes flew over the pages and his paws scribbled at a rapid pace, figuring out the message like it was child's play.
The fox looked over the book. The story wasn't put together well and made no sense. But that wasn't the point. The cypher Honey used was simple, if not frustratingly time consuming. Each page was labeled with a number. Each number, however, had to be double checked. When a page number didn't correspond to the actual page, he had to check for spelling errors. Once he found them, he corrected them and used the intended letters that he corrected with to form a word. Miss a misspelled word and the message becomes altered and hard to understand.
The book was over a hundred pages or so, meaning he had plenty of pages to check and double check. Every page couldn't have an error so he had to keep an eye out for the mislabeled page number. the factor that denoted how the words were placed lied with the page number he found it on. The number that was used instead of the actual page told of its place in the message.
Once he unscrambled the message and wrote it out in full on a blank page, he read it and became confused. The buffalo held out a hoof and Nicholas gave it back with no delay. He had memorized the message anyhow.
Blaze the same trail, enact scorched earth policy, resistance is found.
Once Bogo saw the words, he sighed.
"What's all that mean?" the fox inquired sternly.
"It means that aside from our previous path remaining unchanged, we have to sever our operations and burn everything," explained the buffalo. "the last line though… it appears the resistance was discovered."
"Resistance?" Judith piped up with intrigue. Both fox and buffalo looked at her.
"Our ultimate goal lies in rebellion, Miss Hopps," Bogo said in resolute determination. The rabbit gulped with eyes spreading wide and the red fox set his jaw stiff.
"So, where is Honey?" Nicholas ventured to ask, hoping she was near enough for a reunion.
The carriage stopped as they had apparently traveled all the way to Bogo's property. The tigers dropped the towing lines they used and a crowd formed at the opening of the door.
Lord Bogo stepped out and gave a grunted thank you to all the tigers, resting a hoof on their shoulders. More prey and predators gathered around, all image and decorum forgotten as the intermingling of both types happened without malicious stares or jibes.
"Alright everyone," the buffalo yelled, "we have guests and I expect you to treat them well."
The crowd looked at the two mismatched mammals stepping out of the carriage.
"I ask again, where is my mother?" the fox repeated.
Bogo turned to Nicholas upon entering his manor, kneeling down and giving a thoughtful gaze towards him and the rabbit.
"She is hiding in the forests to the north," he revealed. "She maps out the safest paths away from prying eyes and patrol parties. Once I get the updated information, I send out more mammals on a path through various checkpoints and safe havens. Each point involved is run by a mammal or mammals who only know the next link or two in the chain."
"How can I find her?" Nicholas pursued once more. Bogo turned to him and snorted.
"We'll be packing up and leaving for the north with as many mammals as we can safely take with us. You are welcome to join us. Hopps here too, provided she wishes to leave."
"You would so readily accept me with you, even knowing who I am…" Judith solemnly stated.
"Nicholas seems to trust you," Bogo began, "and I learned long ago to trust his and Honey's judgement. I won't pretend I don't have my reservations, but that wouldn't bode well for the trust I have resting on me."
"Thank you," the rabbit murmured, "and I accept."
"Good. Because I may need your help. We were going to cover the escape with a few targeted attacks and rescue missions. Your family's estate is a nearby target and I know you would not like your family to be in danger. If you can somehow distract the guards, we can release all the trapped predators."
"Are you serious?" voiced Nicholas. "Their manor is crawling with guards all the time. Even if we found a way to distract some of them, you would still likely alert one of their many siblings."
"I don't really have any better ideas," the buffalo admitted. "Aside from a full-frontal assault that is."
"Fine…" the fox grumbled.
"While I go prepare something to eat, why don't you acquaint yourselves with a few mammals here?" Bogo invited. Both mammals nodded slightly.
Entering a living space adjoining the entryway, Nicholas and Judith found a throng of mammals making conversation.
"Well well well," a deep voice greeted them amongst the murmur of the crowd. Both mammals looked down to see Finnick, biting down on a wood slat, as was apparently the norm they came to realize. "Look who decided to drop in."
"Finnick," Judith happily cheered, holding out a paw to the familiar mammal. He took it graciously.
"Nice to see you too, little lady," the fennec greeted. The red fox grimaced at his name for her and nearly let out a low growl. Clamping his muzzle shut for a second, he let the feeling pass.
Finnick continued, "Why don't we introduce you to a few others?" the rabbit nodded enthusiastically.
The fennec started gesturing around the room to a few mammals who broke from their conversation to allow for proper introductions.
"This here is Wolfard, Philippe, Phoebus, and… the one stuffing himself with crackers is Meeko." Finnick gestured to a timber wolf, horse, lion, and a raccoon who was looking a bit guilty for his lack of decorum, respectively.
"A pleasure to make all of your acquaintances," the rabbit chirped politely. The entourage let out a collective murmur of greetings to the pair. Nicholas looked contemplative but offered a short greeting.
"There are plenty more mammals around here to introduce," the fennec fox began, "but these four here are sort of the ones in charge. Wolfard is our lookout and tracker, Philippe is our runner, Phoebus is quite the beast with a sword, and Meeko…" the raccoon perks up and grins, hoping to hear a pleasant title as well, "… is Meeko." His face falls into a deadpan look, making the red fox chuckle slightly.
"Actually," Meeko squeaks, swallowing a cracker, "I'm in charge of procuring provisions."
"I can tell," snarked Nicholas, crossing his arms as the raccoon freezes amidst having almost put another cracker in his mouth.
"Don't worry about him," started the lion. "He's just a bottomless pit." The whole room started laughing at the poor raccoon's expense. He seemed to be good natured about it though… or just uncaring, as he rolled his eyes and stuffed another cracker in his maw.
"Anyways," remarked the wolf, "it's very good to meet you. I'm sure you'll fit in well around here if what we heard about you is correct, Rouge Rogue." Nicholas twitched a little at that, making Wolfard tilt his head in confusion.
"For now, I'm going by Silence," the fox corrected kindly. "That is a life I don't feel as proud of now that I know what it served."
"I can respect that… sorry friend."
"No worries," Nicholas replied.
Philippe finally made his voice heard, "Why a name such as that?"
Judith answered for the fox, "He was mute when we met… and until we met Lord Bogo, he only talked to me." She blushed as the red fox shot her a small grin.
"I may not be so silent anymore, but this amazing mammal showed me a kindness I've lacked for too long," Nicholas commented to the horse. "So, for all who know me from now on, I am Silence."
"I thought your name was Nicholas though," the lion spoke, yawning a bit.
"Let's just say I prefer to keep that information as limited as possible," replied the red fox. "I don't want the wrong people knowing my name."
"Hmm," Phoebus huffed, "maybe we should do that. We'll call Meeko here Crackers."
"Oh, no you will not!" the raccoon near shouted through a mouthful of said crackers.
"Wolfard can be Howling Mad," resumed the lion.
"What? I'm not mad," the wolf rebuked.
"Philippe can be Stallion."
"As much of a double standard as that name seems, I like it," the equine calmly replied.
"And Finnick…" everyone stared at the tiny fox, who also glared back at the lion with deadly force.
"I wouldn't if I were you," the fennec warned while chomping down and cracking the slat in his mouth.
"Well I had one, but now I'm rethinking it," Phoebus grunted uncomfortably, clearly afraid of the much smaller mammal.
Saved by the bull, Bogo entered the room, carrying a large platter of food that he placed on the low table in the center of the room.
"I'm still working on dinner but for now, please enjoy these refreshments," he politely stated. "Just give me another half hour."
"You can cook, Captain?" Nicholas inquired with a raised eyebrow.
"What of it?" Bogo asked incredulously.
"Nothing bad, I assure you," the fox answered. "I just remember you always cursing at all the cooking utensils when you couldn't do much more than burn food at any time you tried to cook."
"A mammal can improve," was the belated remark after a short silence.
"Now that I believe," Nicholas conceded.
"It's so nice to see my husband getting along with everyone," a new voice softly spoke. It was like some exotic sweet permeating the room with a fresh aroma straight from the oven.
All heads turned to see a gracefully dressed and tall mammal. She glided over to Bogo and gave him a peck on the cheek, to which he blushed and turned his head to avert his gaze. All within the room were frozen in shock at the disarming display.
"I never get tired of seeing that," the horse remarked, breaking the awkward quietness. Bogo glared at Philippe, who shrugged innocently. The new mammal walked over to the fox and bunny, lowering herself to their eye level.
"I'm Gazelle," she introduced herself. "Welcome to our home."
"T-thank you," mumbled the rabbit doe. Nicholas politely nodded and bowed slightly in respect.
"I've never seen someone turn the Captain into…." The red fox gestured ambiguously. "…that."
"Well beneath that hard exterior lays a gentle soul," Gazelle softly said, looking over to her husband, who huffed in embarrassment, resigned to the whims of his wife. "Believe me."
"Glad you found someone to crack that thick skull of yours, sir" jibed the fox, grinning without restraint.
Lord Bogo snorted in mild annoyance as he trotted off to complete dinner.
To say the meal was delicious would be an understatement. With whatever training the buffalo received, he somehow became capable of such meticulous sensitivity to cooking with skill that it defied the red fox's known logic.
Who knew that a simple stew could be so savory and taste so meaty… but no meat was involved. Turned out Bogo got his hooves on something called Portabella mushrooms. While the fox didn't care much for the texture, he couldn't deny the taste that simmered into the rest of the stew.
Judith seemed intrigued at the new taste, becoming strangely gluttonous from the taste and politely asking for seconds.
More information was revealed about Honey by Bogo. He told the duo that the badger was coordinating some major exodus from various nations, wanting to find a homestead they could all call sanctuary. She had many little projects and few big ones she kept secret, not even surprising the fox.
His mother had always been fond of her projects, most of which flared out after a while, but some working out in the form of strange contraptions. Nicholas cringed at the memory of a few. The one he dreaded most was this stove on wheels that used some form of water or the like to move an arm with an axe at the tip. She meant it to be for cutting down trees without all the effort, but she forgot to install some way to disable the confounded contraption once she lit the stove. It ended up rolling down a slight hill and bashing into the cottage cellar, whereas it died a tragic end in fire and steam.
Apparently, Honey has also been making preparations for conflict. Supplies for armies, including weapons, armor, and easy to transport living accommodations.
Once his former captain explained himself and made sure the information the fox well-deserved was given to him and his charge, Nicholas and Judith were graciously given a ride back to the Hopps property, with a stern warning to keep what they now know secret and to prepare for a rescue operation the next night.
The two of them exited the carriage with little, in fact… no greeting. It was odd. Off to the side, a grouping of mammals could be seen gathered around a growing fire.
Judith padded over to the group.
"You guys having a bonfire?" Judith asked merrily, hoping to join the possible festivities.
All the rabbits around the fire turned to the grey doe, eyes blazing with contempt. She noticed one of them holding a book… the book Nicholas was enjoying.
On the fire, turning to blackened ash, were the rest of her books. The ones she tried so hard to hide. The guilty pleasure that made her happy… now feeding the fire before her.
"NO!" she wailed, breaking down and crying. She leapt at the rabbit holding the last book, ripping it from his grip.
"Give it back, Judith," came the deadly tone of her father, making the doe tense up and wrap her paws around the book.
"NO!" Judith screamed, drawing a look of concern from Nicholas. "Why?"
"You don't need this kind of influence poisoning your mind. It's unladylike for you to have such interests." Lord Hopps looked so sure of himself it sickened the fox how righteous he believed himself to be.
One of her siblings tried to grab at her, squeezing her arm too hard and trying to pry the book away. She made a pained gasp that drove the fox over the edge.
Nicholas leapt forward in a bolting flash and struck the rabbit across the face, knocking him out. Judith was more than shocked and took the chance to hide behind him.
"YOU DARE DEFY US, FOX!" shouted the elder rabbit patriarch. Then his tone lowered… "Get him."
The swarm of rabbits overcame him before he could defend himself, but before he was grabbed, he pushed Judith away, yelling "Run, Judith! Now!"
She darted away a certain distance at the words, looking back to see Nicholas being tied down, with more of her siblings coming after her. She dared to go back and save him, but what could she do?
"Don't you dare come back for me!" he shouted, bringing tears to her eyes.
She gripped her book tighter and ran away, knowing the only hope she had now to possibly save whatever fate awaited Nicholas…
Lay with Bogo.
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As Judith disappeared into the night, the red fox smiled sadly and looked back at the infuriated elder rabbit bearing down upon him with the most venomous of stares.
"So, you could talk, fox," one of the siblings spat at him. "Figures you would trick us like that."
Lord Hopps slapped him across the muzzle, twirling his wrist as the fire in his eyes reached a peak.
"What have you done to my daughter to turn her into such a defiant spirit?" the elder rabbit inquired of him angrily. "What trickery have you used on her? She is my daughter you damned fox!"
Nicholas took in a breath, slowing the hammering of his heart. He was likely to die now for the transgressions they believed him guilty of. Honestly though, he probably was. She became not a defiant spirit, but one that embraced a chance at life. She cast away the darkness in him like no other mammal had and he was just happy enough to know she cared for him.
Maybe… just maybe… she would be able to bring help. In the meantime, …
"She is no less defiant than you are pleasant," the fox softly spoke. He took a breath as the sign of anger in the rabbits' faces grew more still.
"One might even say she is the essence of valiance."
*Insert maniacal laugh here*
You thought the title referred only to Nicholas didn't you?
Pfft... please. i was tricking you all along...
Wait... you knew? gourd dern it! broiled again.
Well anyways, I'm hoping you love this chapter. Gonna get the next one out within a week, hopefully. My new writing schedule is working out great so far.
REVIEWS! Yay!
Archangel12575: Ahh how correct you are. I needed to make someone a Hippo-crit. and now i have one.
Fannyfan: I'm planning to rule the world. just to note: you didnt specifically ask about which plan i had. that was plan 38.
But seriously, I have a wonderful solid plot that will spiral into something i hope is beautiful and gives everyone a tingling feeling when they realize what i did. no spoilers but keep reading. XD
judithwildehopps: thank you for noticing. (just a secret between you and me... and all reading this bit... I loosely based the dynamic between Judith and Nicholas on Beauty and the Beast. its in a strange reversal but I couldnt resist doing that.)
GusTheBear: Glad you like it. XD and hopefully that pans out. I wouldnt know, i'm only the writer. lol.
Silvox: I'm glad you are very much enjoying it. and I wanted to counteract the fluff of my primary story Dusted with something where i could let my dark side out a little more. plus cursing. haha.
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I believe that is everyone of note so far. Forgive me if i missed you. the reviews for most stories aren't posting and i have to rely on emails to read them.
Do have a wondrous evening.
Until next time, It's been a hustle, Sweethearts.