Hey, guys. I'm back with the next chapter of this fanfic. Before I start, this is to answer the review left by Jackie the fox. There will be some WildeHopps in this chapter, and the epilogue, but it'll be subtle. Y'know, a small peck on the cheek, and hand holding. There won't be a lot, but it'll still be there. With that said, here's the start of the spring arc. Enjoy.
(Spring)
A warm breeze blew through the atmosphere. It was clear, with some clouds in the blue sky. The ground and roads were wet from the melting snow. The grass and flowers were poking right through cracks in the hallway. Vines growing back on the highway wall.
For Clem, her mind always found her way back to that winter. The harsh snow. The harsh winds. The harsh feel of that rabbit, Jack Savage, grabbing her...
Looking up, her mind flowed with the memories, as she saw a picture of an emu, on the highway wall. The last time she saw an emu, was during that same winter. Pursuing that same emu was what landed her towards Jack, which led them to that intense fight in that terrible, burning restaurant. The same spot where she almost...
"Clem! Clem! Clementine!"
Clem turned to see Judy, calling her name. Nick and Danny were behind her.
Clem wore a red flannel T-shirt, a grey long-sleeved shirt, and tannish yellow cargo pants. Judy wore a low-cut, dark blue ZPD T-shirt, with her black bra straps showing on her shoulders, and black sweatpants. Nick wore a gray flannel shirt, and grayish-blue jeans. Danny wore a dark blue hoodie, with the sleeves cut off, a black T-shirt, and light-blue jeans.
"Yeah?" Clem called back.
"Didn't you hear me?" Judy said, hands on her hips.
"No, sorry. What?" said Clem.
Judy pointed to a highway exit sign that led to Cliffside Asylum, where the Fireflies were supposed to be.
"Look. It says, Cliffside Asylum. This is where we get off." said Judy.
"Let's go, kiddo." said Nick, as he took the lead.
Clem caught up with the rest of the group. The wind began to blow through their fur. Nick took a deep breath, to take it in.
"Feel that breeze, huh?" asked Nick. "I tell ya, guys. On a day like this, I just sit at my porch, and pick away at my six-string. Y'know, I was thinking, once we're done with this, Clem, I'd teach you how to play the guitar."
"Think you can teach me, too?" said Judy.
"Sure. Why not?" said Nick. "What do ya say, Clem?" said Nick.
When Clem didn't give an answer, Nick and Judy both turned to see her still wearing that sad look on her face.
"Clem, we're talking to you." said Judy, softly.
"Oh, yeah. That sounds great." said Clem.
Clem walked ahead of the group, which raised their concern, more.
"Is she gonna be okay? She's been like that since... Y'know." said Danny.
"She needs our help, now more than ever." said Judy. "It was a scary moment for her. She's tough, but she's still just a kid."
"She's probably seventeen, by now. Right?" said Danny.
"That wasn't my point." said Judy.
"Come on, guys. We need to focus." said Nick. "We'll find a way to help her. Somehow."
When the group caught up to Clem, she was standing near a bus poster, with a plane.
"Y'know guys, I dreamt about flying the other night." she said.
"Did you, now?" said Nick. "Well, go on. Tell us about it."
"Okay, so..." Clem started.
"I'm on this plane full of mammals. Everyone's screaming because the plane's going down. I run to the cockpit, and there are no pilots. I try to take the controls, but I obviously have no clue on how to fly a plane. Then, right before we crash, I wake up. I've never been on a plane, before. Isn't that weird?"
"Well, y'know, dreams are weird." said Nick.
"I had a weird dream last night, where food walks and talks. This one stick of broccoli said some very unkind things to me." said Danny.
"Just be glad you're a pred." Judy rolled her eyes. "No offense."
The four mammals continued down the road, getting off the main highway, and towards Salt Lake City. Up ahead, there was a quarantine sign.
"Look at that. Another city, another abandoned quarantine zone." said Nick.
The four climbed up a row of cars, then up to the roof of the bus. From where Nick could see, rising in the middle of the city, was the tall, ominous building that could only be the infamous asylum, Cliffside. A large sign with the name of the building, with two figures of an ox and a bear, on top of the roof.
"Look. There's the place. Let's go, guys." said Nick.
The group jumped off the bus, and worked their way into a train station. As Nick and Danny were looking for more supplies around the lockers and the baggage left behind by the passengers, during their frantic escape from the city, Judy took this moment to finally sit next to a down Clementine, and try to get to the root of the problem.
"Clem, is something bothering you?" Judy asked.
"Nope. I'm fine." said Clem.
"You're not fine. You're ears are pointed back." said Judy.
"Really. I'm just... thinking about the Fireflies, and how they'll get the cure out of me." Clem lied.
"You sure? Because, you seem extra quiet, today." said Judy.
"Oh, sorry." said Clem.
"No, I just... Never mind." Judy sighed, not wanting to push the young vixen.
"Hey, I think we can get up from here." Nick called, pointing to a ladder on the second floor.
Nick boosted up Danny, and he brought down the ladder. Danny went up first, then Judy. Nick waited for Clem, when he saw her not move from her seat.
"Clem." Nick called, concern on his face. "Clementine!"
"Yeah?" Clem looked up.
"The ladder. Come on." said Nick.
"Right." Clem said, sitting up.
When Clem climbed up the ladder, her eyes widened when she spotted something past outside the window. Something Judy and Danny failed to notice.
"Holy cow." Clem said, then sprinted down the hall.
"Clem?!" Judy called, startled.
"Clem?!" Nick called.
"Guys, come here! You gotta see this!" Clem called.
"What the?" Danny said, as the adults ran down the hall.
When the adults caught up to Clem, they stared in amazement, as a lone, giant orangutan was sitting by an open hole in the wall, covered in vegetation. The orangutan began munching on some of the greenery, like leaves from the vines.
"Well, that's something you don't see every day." said Danny.
"Wait, Nick? Don't scare it." Clem whispered, when Nick slowly approached the big ape.
"I won't. I won't." Nick reassured.
Reaching out, Nick petted the ape's hairy left arm, which didn't seem to mind, much. Nick motioned for Clem to come forward, and she petted the orangutan on his back.
Judy watched, a little teary-eyed, at the beautifully painted scene before her. She didn't know why, but it just filled her heart with the kind of joy and hope that only a mother could have.
"So freaking cool." Clem whispered, smiling for the first time in a long time.
The orangutan sat up, and climbed back out onto the vines.
"Oh, where's he going? Come on, maybe we can follow him." said Clem, running off, again.
"Heh. Slow down, kiddo." Nick smiled.
"Hurry up! C'mon! C'mon! C'mon!" Clem called back.
The adults followed Clem out onto the roof, and the four looked out into the view, in front of them. A whole group of orangutans were mulling around an entire baseball field, without a care in the world. The group was in awe, at this breathtaking scene.
"So, this everything you were hoping for?" Nick asked Clem.
"It's got it's ups and downs, but..." Clem sighed. "Man, you can't deny the view, though."
The group took in the rest of the city view. Orangutans in the baseball field, the mountains behind the city buildings, pointing into the sky, the calm quietness that filled the air. No Savages, no hostiles, nothing. Just them, like they were the only mammals in the world, right now. However, that blissful moment couldn't last forever.
As the orangutans left out of their view, Nick turned to the door, leading to the stairs, back down. Nick stopped, hesitantly. Nick looked back to see the others catching up, when Nick spoke his mind.
"Y'know... we don't have to do this." said Nick. "There are other ways to make an antidote. You guys know that, right?"
"Sure, but who knows when that'll turn up?" said Danny.
"I'm just... feeling nervous. That's all." said Nick.
"Nick, we're all nervous here." said Judy. "What's the other option we have?"
"Go back to Bunnyburrow?" said Nick. "Y'know, just be done with this whole thing."
"Look, Nick. I know you mean well, but there's no halfway with this." said Clem. "Once we're done, we'll go wherever you want to. Okay?"
"Well, we ain't leaving without the other. So, let's go wrap this up." said Nick.
Clem went down the stairs first, then the adults followed last. They worked their way down to another ground floor part of the train station, and back outside. There, they found a line of white medical tents lined up on the street, right underneath the overpass.
"Well, this place takes me back." said Nick, looking at the tents.
"How so?" asked Clem.
"Right after everything started, I ended up in a triage, just like this one." said Nick. "No matter where you looked, you just saw families torn apart. Whole world seemed to have turned upside down in a blink."
"Was that... after you lost Cassie and Abby?" asked Clem.
"Clementine-"
"It's okay, Carrots." Nick stopped Judy.
"Yes. Yes, it was." Nick answered Clem.
"I... can't imagine losing someone you love like that. Losing everything that you know. I'm so sorry, Nick." said Clem.
"It's okay, Clem." said Nick.
"Why don't we look inside the tents for more supplies." said Judy.
The group entered one of the bigger tents, and found some more canned food, and medical supplies. Before leaving the tent, Clem called to Nick.
"Nick, wait. I got something for you." said Clem. "Here. Vicky showed this to me, and I, uh, I stole it. I hope you don't mind."
Reaching into her pack, Clem handed Nick a small paper. Nick turned it, and saw it was the picture of him, Cassie, and Abby at the soccer game. The same picture that Nick turned down, when offered to Gideon.
Nick didn't bother blocking out the memories, this time. Nick just let them flow through. The happy memories. The sad memories. A few tears mixed into his eyes, and yet still smiled. Nick took a deep breath, and put the picture into his pack.
"Well... no matter how hard you try, I guess you can't escape your past." said Nick. "Thank you, Clem."
"They look beautiful. They both do." said Judy, holding Nick's paw.
"You would've loved them, Carrots. I know they would've loved you, too." said Nick.
"I know I would've." Judy said, as she kissed Nick's cheek.
"They almost look like..." Danny trailed off, lost in memories of his own.
"Look like what?" said Nick.
"Well, I might as well tell ya, now." Danny sighed.
"Y'see, back before this whole thing started, I lived in Zootopia with my twin sister, Maggie. She had a daughter, my niece, Madeline. Maddy, for short. She was just five years old, when everything went to total crap. I joined in the riots down in Zootopia, and became a hunter, so Maggie and Maddy could get something to eat. I wasn't proud of what I did, but I had to do it, for their sake. That's when the rules started breaking down. I knew I had to get all of us out of there, but they found us, and... I was the only one who got away. They killed the only family I had left. I made it all the way to Hartford, snuck in, and the rest was history."
"Danny... we're so sorry." said Judy, holding onto his arm.
"So, yeah. That's kinda why I was acting like a douche, first time we met. Being forced to go back through there, it didn't bring back pleasant memories." said Danny. "But, if anything, this just proves we ain't so different. We got something in common, Nick."
"Yeah. Come on, we need to get to the hospital." said Nick.
The group continued out of the triage, through a bus, and headed down to an underpass.
"This time, it's gonna be different." said Clem.
"What do you mean, Clem?" asked Judy.
"They're gonna be there. The Fireflies. I know it." said Clem.
"You and me both, kiddo. Fingers crossed." said Judy.
The underpass was littered with cars and trucks, along with some fallen debris, that broke off the underpass, and was covered in vegetation. The group moved through a gap in the debris, towards the right. Further down the pass, the road started to become filled with knee-deep water, a result from the fallen rain, and melted snow.
"Wait, you guys hear that?" Judy said, ears twitching.
Further down the pass, the sound of Savages echoed off the walls. Up ahead, there was two antelope Runners, two badger Howlers, and one rhino Bloomer.
"This doesn't look good." said Nick. "Come on. We can get past most of them, through there."
The group crouched, and crawled on the walkway, off the road. Nick strangled one of the nearby antelope Runners, to avoid detection, before making their way towards a doorway. The group were inside the generator room that powered up the lights in the underpass. The group got back up, but stopped to see three wolf Howlers on a railing.
Taking out a molotov, Nick threw it, and set the Savages burning to a crisp. Once the flames died down, the group rushed through the railing, and out onto the opposite side of the generator room.
Crouching and crawling back outside, there were more Savages further down the underpass. There were two jackal Runners, two serval cat Howlers and one mink Howler, and two elephant Bloomers.
"There's too many to take on." said Judy. "I think we can sneak past them, over there."
Judy took the lead, this time, as they crawled past to the far left, and towards the left walkway of the underpass. They snuck behind one of the Bloomers, and Judy quietly took out a ferret Howler with her knife, so as to not alert the Bloomer.
The group made it to another truck, blocking away, but still a good length away from the pack of Howlers. Nick boosted up Clem, and she climbed up to the top of the truck. Clem then pushed down a crate, and the adults climbed up via the crate, and onto the truck. The group jumped down the other side of the truck, and back onto the ground.
"Okay, they can't reach us, now." said Nick.
Continuing further down, they moved down a narrow path on the left, as the water was getting deeper to the right. What's more, another truck blocked the way.
"Wait here. I'll check it out." said Nick, diving into the water.
Below the surface, Nick swam through a subway car, holding the truck in place, and resurfaced back onto the opposite side of the truck. Nick climbed back onto shallow ground, and climbed a ladder onto the hood of the truck. Nick picked up the ladder, and brought it to the right, dropping it back down, so Judy, Clem, and Danny could climb up.
"Alright, it looks like it's shallow on the right. Follow my lead." said Nick.
The group continued down another narrow path on the right, but the water was waist deep.
"Oh, that is freaking cold!" Clem squealed, as they walked back onto dry land.
The group approached a metal fence, where they could hear the sound of another Howler. Nick turned on his flashlight, took out his pistol, and fired through a gape in the metal fence, taking out the Howler.
"That's that." said Nick. "Come on, Judy. I'll boost you up, and you can unlock the gate."
"Sure. I can't wait for those things to be exterminated." said Judy.
Nick boosted Judy up an open grate in the wall, and she hopped down, and unlocked the gate. The group continued down the path, until they reached an area where there was a pool of water, surrounded by several platforms, one leading up to another level. Up above a hole in the underpass, the group saw they were right underneath the asylum.
"We need to get up that ladder, if we're gonna get to the asylum." said Judy, pointing to a ladder.
"I'll find a way up there." said Nick.
Nick dove into the water, and swam down to a doorway, through a corridor, and resurfaced into a large, empty generator room. Nick then climbed up top on a couple generators, then getting onto the second floor of the room. Nick then squeezed through some pipes, and made it back to the other room, where the rest of the group was waiting for him, back on the first floor.
Back up top, Nick found another pallet, and pushed it off into the water. Nick jumped down into the water, and pushed the pallet towards Clem. Clem knew the drill, and jumped on. Nick pushed Clem towards the platform with the stairs, leading up. Clem climbed up, then ran up the stairs, and brought down the ladder.
Nick swam back onto the dry ground, and went first up the ladder. Suddenly, half of the ladder snapped off, and Nick, Judy, and Danny jumped back, as it fell to the ground.
"Whoa! You guys okay?!" Clem called.
"Yeah, just the stupid ladder fell off." said Nick.
"How will you get back up?" said Clem.
"I think I have another idea. Hang on." said Nick.
Nick picked up the ladder, and laid it against the wall, leading back up to the second floor where he found the pallet. Nick climbed up, then beckoned for Judy and Danny to follow him up. Once they were up, Nick picked up the ladder, and carried it over to the right. There was another smaller platform in the water, just a good length away from the platform with the stairs. Nick set the ladder down, then the trio climbed back down. Nick picked up the ladder once more, and laid it between the two platforms, forming a bridge.
"Clever fox." said Judy.
"Ladies first." said Nick.
"Show-off." Danny muttered, sarcastically.
Judy crossed first, then Nick, and then Danny. They worked their way up the stairs, and reunited with Clem. With that, they continued down the path, when the sound of rushing water came to their ears.
Up ahead, the group could see the next underpass had turned into a rapid river, with several trucks and cars still standing in the water, the current batting against them.
"Oh, boy." Clem said, shaking nervously.
"Let me go first, then you guys follow my lead." said Nick.
"I'll be right behind you, Clem. We'll go after Nick." said Judy.
Nick walked on a broken air vent, then jumped onto a truck container. Then, Nick jumped onto the next container, pinned to the right wall. Clem followed after, then Judy, and lastly, Danny. The four crossed a make-shift bridge made between two trucks, and a broken part of the air vent. Nick jumped onto the next air vent.
"Come on, Clem." Nick called.
Clem looked at the distance between her and Nick. "You gonna catch me?!" she called.
"I gotcha. Come on." said Nick, offering his arm out to her.
Clem backed up, then sprinted, and jumped, landing right next to Nick.
"See? You didn't even need me." Nick reassured, as Judy and Danny jumped and landed next to them.
"Let's just get off this thing, already." said Clem.
The group continued down the narrow path, and were met with another rickety obstacle. Below them, their only way across to the next balcony railing, leading out of the underpass, was a bus, turned on it's left side and wedged between the walls.
"Let me go first, this time. We go one at a time." said Judy.
Judy hopped down onto the bus. The bus swayed underneath her, upon impact. Judy moved slowly across the bus, and climbed up the railing.
"Okay, Clem. You next, hon." said Judy.
Clem jumped down next, the bus swaying again from her landing. Moving slowly across the bus, Clem reached the railing, where Judy helped her up. Nick was up next, but when he landed on the bus, due to his weight making the landing much harder, the bus began to wedge free from the walls.
"Oh, shit! Dan, get down here! We gotta run!" yelled Nick, running.
Danny jumped and landed on the bus, but too late. The bus moved freely, swept down by the current. Judy and Clem ran down the railing, hoping to catch up to Nick and Danny, and pull them up in time. Suddenly, in their rush, Nick fell through the bus doors, and Danny fell through a cracked window.
Nick and Danny quickly grabbed onto the metal bars of the bus railing, fighting against the current of the rushing water, which flooded half the bus. The railing broke off, and Nick and Danny were pushed to the back, pinned against the current.
With a tremendous leap, Judy and Clem jumped back onto the bus.
"Yes! We fucking made it!" said Clem.
"Guys, watch your heads! We're gonna kick the door open!" Judy warned.
Judy and Clem kicked against the doors, getting them open just ajar. Nick and Danny grabbed the doorframe, their fingers between the gaps. Nick and Danny pulled, while Clem and Judy kicked.
The door flung open, slightly bonking Nick and Danny on the head, but they shook it off, and resurfaced.
"Alright, quick!" said Clem. "Climb up, and-"
Suddenly, the bus started to tip rightside-up again, Judy and Clem scrambled to hold onto the side of the roof.
"Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Nick!" Judy cried.
"Girls! Give us your paws!" Nick cried, trying to reach Clem and Judy. "Give us your paws, before-"
Too late. The bus slammed rightside-up again, but now it was completely submerged in the water. The swift current carried Judy and Clem away. Nick and Danny crawled out, and were carried away by the current themselves, but then the current died down. Regaining their control in the water, Nick and Danny swam up to the floating, unconscious form of Judy and Clem.
Nick grabbed Clem, and Danny grabbed Judy. The two foxes swiftly resurfaced, taking in big gasps of air, and coughing. They pulled the girls onto dry land, as they were now out of the underpass. Nick and Danny quickly checked Judy and Clem's breathing. Nick and Danny quickly performed CPR, pumping their torsos to get the water out. They repeated the process of pumping them five times, before checking for their breathing, again.
"Hands in the air!" a voice called.
Nick and Danny briefly looked up to see two wolves, one with grey fur, and one with white fur. They wore Firefly uniforms, and had assault rifles pointing at the foxes.
"Please, they need help! They're not breathing!" said Nick, turning back to Clem.
"I said, hands in the air!" the grey wolf repeated.
"Come on, Clem!" Nick said, frantically.
The last thing Nick remembered was seeing the white wolf butting Danny in the head with his rifle, before he felt the same, painful feeling landing on the side of his head, rendering him unconscious...
Well, guys. That looks like a good stopping point here. Just two more chapters to go, before this fanfic is done. Up next, the climax. Following after that, the epilogue. Hope you enjoyed this one.
So, yes. I replaced the giraffes with orangutans, because orangutans seem gentle enough, and all giraffes in Zootopia are evolved. Like how I kept the monkeys in chapter 10, all primates are the only non-intelligent enough mammal to evolve. Hope you liked the little backstory I threw in for Danny.
I own nothing, except a few OC's, minus Daniel. All rights go to original owners. No copyright intended. Thanks. Stay tuned for more of this fanfic.