A/N: Did Judy make the right decision?
Chapter 16: A Deadly Game of Truth
We're taken to a cavern. The blindfold is taken off me and Judy. The view is somewhat magnificent along with everyone else that I can see. The cavern has blue crystals everywhere on the walls. I think there's about just about a hundred of them in the room. Every predator is shirtless with blue markings of some sort and a black collar. The prey wear normal clothing though. Judy has been here before and never told me. I hear the Prime speak, "Welcome Nick, I expect you to become a member of our order within the following days."
I reply, "I don't know much about your order or how to become a member. How does becoming one of you remove the need of eating prey?"
"Most join our order because of the desire to protect. We were in combat with the savages before I decided upon peace. Everyone comes here willingly, Judy was somewhat of an exception but that's her tale to tell.
To become one of us, you will take part in a sacred rite by drinking desire's embrace and surviving. That is only the first step. Judy would have taken part in the rite before if I hadn't interrupted it. When you drink desire's embrace you will act out what your heart truly wants. There will be no morals involved just pure desire. Take off your collar, you will be given a new one." I remove the collar that I had before. I see that Judy is given a remote and I'm given a new black collar this one has three circles red, yellow and blue just like the remote. "Judy, this time you are here with your mate and by choice."
I say, "But she is not my mate."
"Both of you love each other yes?"
"But that's not the same."
"Then it shouldn't be a problem. Feel free to mate whenever you want, all it takes is one act then you will become mates." I noticed Judy is blushing.
"How can you so casually say that? What about tradition?"
"If we cared about tradition our order would have never been founded in the first place. We searched for an alternative something different from the status quo. It came at a great cost. You will learn the entire history of our order once you become one of us."
"So, do I just drink desire's embrace and then you magically take us back to Zootopia or help us find it?"
The Prime laughs at what I've said. "If only things were so simple but no, I won't allow you to drink desire's embrace until Judy tells you where she has been when she was away from you. There will be no resentments between you two when you undergo the rite. Until she does you are to live in the sanctum while we prepare for your ascension and an exodus out of this place. Lasan and Kindleheart accompany them. Judy stay here, I have something to tell you."
We wait outside for Judy to come out and join us. It's been a few minutes and she comes out. I ask her, "What did he tell you?"
She responds, "Nothing important. Just stuff." An evasive answer. Why won't she tell me anything?
I follow them into the village. I noticed that a lot of the animals here have strange fur colors. We're going to a bunny burrow apparently. "So, Judy you've been here before?"
Judy replies, "Yes, I lived among the Swiftpaws when I was here."
"Just what happened to you here?"
"I'll tell you later." She still isn't willing to tell me the truth. I guess I'll try asking the other two to see what it's like.
"Lasan and Kindleheart so what was it like? From what I've heard from earlier you two were new to the cult."
Lasan replies, "Well, from what I can tell you about the rite is that I respect Kindleheart a lot more now."
Kindleheart comments, "Let's see … when we first came here, I found Lasan accepting a race against a wolf at the risk of being eaten without my knowledge. Then we lived here for a while. During the rite, we worked out all our differences… let's put it that way. Now, we no longer need to eat although it still gives us pleasure."
I ask another question, "So, why did you two join them initially? When I lived in Everlight all I've heard was how the cult was evil and all that."
Lasan says, "Well, we lived in the chasm. One of the pairs offered us the ability to join. We were told that we would gain the powers that they have."
Kindleheart follows up with, "We saw them fight and protect our friends and family. We would be able to do the same. Judy here told us all about you two. We're apparently going to go to Zootopia sometime soon. Tell me, what's Zootopia like?"
I tell them about Zootopia and how I met Judy. It's something they already knew but hearing it from my perspective. They agree that despite all its flaws it's far better than living here. I ask them, "How did she end up here in the first place?" They tell me that Judy will tell me in time.
We finally arrived at the burrow. The Swiftpaws give us and give me and Judy a room together. Now, that were alone. I ask Judy, "So, how did you get involved in all this?"
She replies, "I'll tell you later."
"When is later?"
"Just later okay?" She doesn't want to talk about it at all apparently.
"Is there anything that you want to tell me about them?"
"Not right now, later." Why is it such a problem for her to tell me what happened to her here? I drop the subject.
"What do you want to do now?"
"Mingle." With that we began socializing with the residents of the burrow. It kinda feels like back in Bunnyburrow tons of excited rabbit kits playing with my tail and climbing on top of me. I still don't how she first got here for what exactly happened.
From the conversations, I've had and heard they revere everyone that's part of the cult. Food is provided for us just vegetables and fruits though. Lasan and Kindleheart eat as well even though they don't need to. I guess being part of the cult wouldn't be so bad.
A group of prey knocked on the door. I was told that the Prime wanted to see me alone. Judy seems much more at ease with the whole situation and didn't cling to me like back in Everlight. I guess that's a plus. I left the burrow to see the Prime. I wonder what he wants. The Prime speaks, "So, how much has she told you about us or how she's got here the first time?"
I reply, "Nothing, nothing at all."
"I see. That will be all. I'm a bit disappointed though."
He dismisses me. He wanted to see me just for that? How strange. I went back to the bunny burrow it was time for bed. She still wants me to be her blanket. I oblige. I noticed her struggling a lot less during sleep but she still does. I still don't know why.
All of us are wanted in the cavern this time. I see the Prime there waiting for us. He speaks, "So, Judy how much have you told him?"
She replies, "Nothing, nothing at all. I still have time."
"Technically, that is true. You do have time. Things are not progressing fast enough for my liking. We're going to play a game." I don't like this sound of this at all. Lasan and Kindleheart are somewhat scared too. That's not reassuring but I guess we're somewhat in this together. "Now, let me tell you how this is going to work. Nick, you will ask a question you've wanted to ask Judy but she never answered. She will shock you five seconds for each question. This will go on until you learn the entire truth."
I comment, "Can't she tell me on her own time?"
The Prime replies, "I've given her the chance. She didn't tell you anything. She wouldn't even tell what happened to her to the one that she loves. You two love each other but she keeps her secrets. This will not do.
Now, let me tell you more rules. She, will tell us six things today:
1) How she came here
2) Her first night here
3) Her knowledge of us
4) Her knowledge about the rite
5) Her relationship with Quickpaw
6) Her nightmares.
By the end of all this, you will learn the answer to all these questions. For each question, she doesn't answer or if we decide to halt the game. She will lose a limb or an ear choosing from two ears or any of her paws. Are there any questions?"
"What kind of twisted game is this?"
"A game you both need to play and a game they need to watch and probably help out in the process." He's referring to Lasan and Kindleheart. "Now, let us begin." This is bad. This feels worse than meeting Mr. Big and she willingly returned here. "Ask a question."
From the six things that I can ask. I want to know how she came here in the first place. I ask, "How did you get involved in all this in the first place?"
She's willing to answer this time. "I was —" The Prime stops her.
He says, "Shock him first."
She reluctantly reaches for the remote and shocks me for five seconds. It feels extremely painful. She answers the question and ends up crying in the process. I learned that she was saved by them when they fell into the Chasm.
The Prime says, "One down, five more to go."
I say, "That shock felt extremely painful. Does she really have to do this five more times?"
"You can stop this at any time you want. Which limb do you want her to keep?" He's serious. "Now, ask your next question and the process will repeat."
I ask her, "What was your first night here like?"
She shocks me for five seconds and I scream during it. This one felt even worse. Judy tells me that she spent the entire night watching over Quickpaw and being extremely afraid of being eaten. I ask her, "Why didn't you tell me any of this earlier?"
She replies, "I didn't want to talk about it, okay? I was told that I had a week's time to tell you. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I'm sorry."
The Prime says, "You did have a week but you haven't told him ANYTHING, that's the issue. Now, the game will continue."
I ask my next question, "What do you know about them?"
Again, she shocks me for five seconds. I really don't think I can survive the next one. I ended up screaming and crying through this one. Judy doesn't like what she's being told to do either. Her answer was rather surprising though. She didn't know much about them at all.
The Prime says, "Now, here's where it gets fun. Let me tell you Nick. I don't expect you to survive the next shock. Let's see what we can do about this hmm?" She's afraid of what's going to happen next. I'm afraid for her more than for myself. "Now, we can end the game right now and she can keep three of her limbs or she can choose a limb for her to lose and she can tell us the truth after you ask the question. The game can continue as normal. She can shock you for five seconds then answer. Now, ask your next question."
I ask, "What do you know about the rite?"
The Prime asks, "Judy, what is your choice?"
She chooses her left paw. I say, "Don't Judy, just shock me. I can take it."
She's insistent on not shocking me. Is she really going to lose a paw because of this? The Prime says, "You know, if you lose a limb. You cannot take part in the rite."
Judy responds in a voice filled with sorrow, "He can find another. It's better than him dying." She cares for me from her tone, she sounds like she's going to lose me.
The Prime says, "Now, place your paw in Kindleheart's mouth." Kindleheart is surprised by this as well. She places her paw in Kindleheart's mouth. I close my eyes because I don't want to watch. The Prime unfortunately notices this. "Open your eyes and look." I wait for the inevitable. "Now, bite it off." To my surprise, Kindleheart doesn't bite it off. "Are you disobeying me?" His tone implies there's going to be consequences.
Kindleheart spits out Judy's paw and says, "I can't bite her paw off in good conscience. She's a friend." I can see Lasan moving close to Kindleheart to support her.
The Prime says, "Very good, you've passed the test. Judy, I'm disappointed you followed my commands to the letter. This will not do, at least you had the sense not to kill your mate. Now, this is what's going to happen. You will answer the remaining three questions. There will be no more shocks. Will you do so willingly?"
She says in a clearly relieved voice, "I will tell you everything Nick. I should have told you all this before this happened."
She tells me about the rite. It involves drinking desire's embrace and then surviving. It's also something that is done with someone that you truly love. You become immortal at the end of the rite. The participants may kill each other during the rite and if that happens, both are killed.
I wonder why she was willing to risk taking part of the rite with another. I felt frustration that she would do something so risky.
I ask the next question, "What is your relationship with Quickpaw?"
She tells me that Quickpaw was the one that was in charge of teaching her how to drive a sheet of ice. They crashed and they were both taken here. He tried to eat her at first but then ended up changing after failing to catch Lasan in a race that she slept through. Quickpaw tried to change and to adapt to here. He was displaying a lack of energy just like me when I first came into Everlight due to lack of meat. She said even though the Prime said an exception might be made for her, she didn't want to ask about it and she thought Quickpaw would die if she did. It was completely her choice. When it came time for the rite she lied about loving him. She took part in the rite but was stopped.
The Prime says, "Judy, just so you know. Quickpaw died anyway, I could not in good conscience allow you to take part in our sacred rite with someone that you didn't love but wanted to save. Your hesitation spoke volumes about how you didn't want to do it but saw no alternative. I also couldn't in good conscience feed anyone alive to Quickpaw so that he stays alive.
Now, the question left is about your nightmares. Tell us all about them."
I guess I can't fault her about lying that she loves someone if it's to save them. She also wanted to be free.
She says that her nightmares were from being chained to a wall and not given anything. She became unable to tell what is real and what wasn't. She dreamt of me and I kept telling her that she must let me go. I guess our first reencounter with each other didn't help things. I was having nightmares of my own. She was set free and came to Everlight on her own but she thought it was dream at that time.
I say, "Carrots, you should have told me all of this at any time. I would have been supportive." She went through a lot during our time apart from each other. Now, I understood all of it. I love her and by what's happened today. She proves she loves me too. Can a fox and bunny even be together though in Zootopia?
The Prime comments, "Yes, she could have but she didn't."
Judy admits, "Yes, I should have but I didn't want to talk about it."
The Prime remarks, "Yes, you being unwilling to tell the truth has been quite... problematic."
She asks, "So, what happens now?"
"I believe both of you are ready for the rite. You will act out your heart's deepest desires towards each other whatever that may be."
I say, "I'm not ready."
The Prime replies, "Based, upon how well you know yourself. Are you going to kill her? Is there any part of you that wishes that?"
"No."
"Does any part of you want to hurt her?"
"No."
"Then what's the problem? You both love each other do you not?"
"Yes, we love each other. I can't tell you what the problem is." Can I really tell him that I don't know if a fox and bunny couple can work together? Based upon everything that I've seen around here. This may be here but what about back in Zootopia what would everyone else think?
"Well, if you're not willing to tell us the issue. It clearly must not be important." The Prime says, "Are there any other concerns?" No one said anything. "Kindleheart and Lasan bring the equipment." I watch them leave but not from the path we came in. We wait for them to return, it doesn't take long. They come back with two blindfolds. "Now, both of you strip."
I say, "You're going to ask us to take off everything. Just like that?"
"There's nothing wrong with it." I guess they're quasi-naturalists? All the predators don't wear shirts after all. Mystic Springs Oasis springs to mind. So, we both undress and see each other naked for the first time. We both blush at the sight of each other. "Blindfold them." We're both blindfolded. "Lasan and Kindleheart set Judy up. I will set up Nick."
I am guided down a set of stairs. I am backed against a wall and cuffed. My mouth is forced open by something, I can't close it. I felt fear, fear of being muzzled. I felt pure panic. I can't even say anything coherent. I hear him leaving. Something is poured into my mouth. I am forced to swallow. I suppose it's fine it tastes like blueberries.
Right now, I wanted to be free. I start to struggle against my bonds.
The rite has begun!
A/N: Not sure if I like how I wrote Judy in this chapter. What does everyone think of my characterization of the Prime that leads them?
