Chapter 4: Socialize and explain.
Someone knocked at the door.
'That must be Martin and Valerie!' I said to myself, excited. I jumped up the bed, and opened the door. Behind it were two foxes. The silver fox Martin, and next to him, a red fox. Valerie.
While Martin had melanism, making his fur go black and white, Valerie's fur was simple and perfect. No special little details. She had clean and bright orange fur, and from her muzzle downwards the fur was a pure white. Her tail was the same orange smoothly transitioning into a white bush at the tip.
"Martin! Valerie! Hi there!" I exclaimed, while offering them my paw.
"Oh, Martin told you about me?" Valerie asked. Her voice was sweet, but it crackled a bit. Apparently she had a cold.
"Not exactly, I looked trough your profile on Furbook. I'm sorry." I chuckled.
"Oh, no worries. If I didn't want anyone to look trough it I wouldn't have signed up in the first place." She reassured. "We brought the chairs and Mum's strawberry smoothie."
"Awesome. Bring yourself in, make yourself comfortable. As far as possible of course." I said. "It's not much, but at least we're alone."
The brought in the chairs and put them next to the small table. Martin put two jugs of smoothies and three plastic cups on it.
"You live alone? How come?" Martin asked.
"It's a long story, you know." I started hesitatingly, but we had time. "I have no parents, and found my way to Zootopia from rather far away just yesterday. I have a guardian now, which owns this apartment and lets me stay here for the time being."
"Oh I'm really sorry. Mordo, right?" Valerie asked. I nodded. "Where are you from? We moved here from Den City last week because of…"
"You don't need to tell me anything you don't want to, Val." I said calmingly. "And I'm from Foxwalls."
"… because of me." Martin threw in after a short pause. "I got bullied in school, and people talked bad about us behind our back. Our mum made us move here because Zootopia is more tolerant."
I knew it. But I didn't want to peak further into it.
"Oh yeah, Zootopia is much more tolerant. I even got lectured about tolerance and speciesm right after I arrived at the Central Station." I laughed, which brightened up the mood a bit. "Seriously though, you look awesome Martin."
"Thanks!" He smiled.
"So we're all pretty much starting anew here. That's a nice coincidence!" Valerie said. "Do you already know which school you're going to? I'm going to the Zootopia High here in Savannah. I'm going to make my first year. Martin's gonna do his eigth grade at the Junior High in the Rainforest District."
"First year? Aren't you a year older than me? You should be in the second year." I asked her curiously. "And no, I don't know yet. I'm gonna ask Judy. I'll try to get in the same class as you then!"
"That'd be awesome! Then I would at least know someone." She said excited. "And yup, first. I started with school a year later than everybody else because our dad died at that time, and I, or we, weren't ready for it."
"Oh, I'm sorry for you guys." I told her. But she didn't seem too depressed about it. "Anyway, I want to try out the smoothie! I'm drying out!" I changed the subject. I was really thirsty, so them bringing something to drink was awesome.
We sat around the table, and Valerie filled the three cups. Their mum made them a strawberry smoothie. It smelled like they were picked and mixed just a minute ago. I took a sip, and it was incredible. It's like a dream come true in smoothie form.
"Oh wow, this tastes delicious." I complimented.
"You can compliment my mother on it when you visit us sometime." Martin smiled. "Also don't tell me you're also an strawberry fox?"
"A strawberry fox? What do you mean?" I asked confused.
"You don't know? Well, usually foxes prefer blueberries rather than strawberries. We don't like blueberries at all, making us a bit weird, I guess. But at least we're not alone apparently." Valerie explained.
"Actually, I like both. Does that make me a godsent?" I joked, which made them laugh.
"So, Mordo, what do you like to do when you do nothing?" Martin asked me. "I mean in your free time."
"Oh, like hobbies? I like games and watching series or movies. My favorite movie is Inception." I stated without thinking.
"Inception? I LOVE that one. Lionardo DiCaprio is my favorite actor, too." Valerie agreed.
"Lionardo…? Oh right." I mumbled.
"What do you mean?" She asked confused.
"Oh nothing, just mixing up something." I tried to fumble myself out. "What's your hobbies?"
"Well I usually am an sit-at-home guy, playing video games, reading or anything that doesn't evolve going out too much." Martin said. "I know. Sound depressing. But each their own."
"I like watching movies, just as you, and also I like going out exploring and enjoying random stuff. But I'm not too picky, it depends on the people around me how much I enjoy something." Valerie said. "Like, even if I don't like bowling for example, it still can be super fun with the right people."
"I know what you mean. It really adds onto it." I agreed. "Another question. What's your mum like?
"She's the best, really. Her name's Johanna" Valerie answered. "She never really cares what we do, more like how. Know what I mean?"
"I think, yeah. But go on." I said.
"Well, she's sweet and caring, and wants us and pretty much everyone to do what they want as long as they do it with care and commitment." She clarified.
"That almost sounds poetic." I smirked.
"I'm serious though!" She laughed. "I mean we wouldn't be here if she wouldn't care about Martin for example, you know?"
"Yeah, I really love her." Martin added. "She's the best mum ever."
Valerie looked at me trying to figure out how to continue. "What about your mum? Or guardian, you said, right?"
"Well, I don't know her too well yet, I only met her today. Her name is Judy, and so far she's really sweet and caring, too. I guess she may be a bit emotional, but I think that's what makes her so fit for that role." I told her.
"Wait, you only met her today and she's already your guardian? Doesn't that take like.. months?" Martin asked surprised.
"Usually, I think, yeah. It's a bit of a special case, I'd say." I stated. "But I wouldn't complain at all."
"That's cool. I hope she's a good guardian for you." He said.
"Hey, another thing. What's up with the fur on your head?" Valerie asked curiously.
"Oh that, that's uhhh … some kind of rare condition." I said.
"It looks cool." She smiled, without asking further.
The rest of the evening was spent with all kinds of chitchatting. Favorite foods, songs, games. Cracking jokes and telling about a few fun moments of our lives.
"… I'm telling you, when Valerie gets angry she can kick your fluff off. Two years ago some guys from the ninth grade of our school tried to pick on me, and she steps in and punches everyone of them in their muzzle. Just like that. They ran away screaming like little cubs." Martin told.
"Oh yeah, I remember that. I got 2 weeks of detention, but after Martin and Mum went to the school and explained what happened, I only got one week and they were kicked out of the school." Valerie added.
"Alright, note to self: 'Be nice to Martin and Valerie.'." I joked and we all laughed.
Valerie seemed awesome. She wasn't such girly thing that only needs pink and princesses in her life. She likes doing things and is smart and mature for her age. I really liked her.
It started to get late, when their mum called Valerie and told them to get back home.
We were at the door and telling our goodbyes.
"Is it okay if we leave the chairs here? I don't want to carry them back home. We don't need them for now." Martin asked.
"Oh yeah sure, I don't mind. I won't eat them, I promise." I chuckled. "Have a good night you two!"
"You too, Mordo!" They said in unison. "Next time you'll be coming to us." Valerie added.
"Of course! Be safe, bye!" I said, as they left the door.
It was 8:50PM by now, and I started to get tired from all that talking. I took off my cargo pants, jacket and my beanie, and put them on one of the chairs. I jumped into the bed that gave out a little screech under the weight. I got out my phone and skimmed a bit trough MooTube for a few hours before I fell asleep.
The next day; 11:30AM; March 26th 2017
I woke up all by myself. Thankfully, Bucky and Pronk seemed to not be at home, as they definitely would've woken me up much sooner. I went to get my clothes and then went out of the apartment to get down to the communal bathroom. Apparently it was unisex, since there was a young female wolf putting on some makeup. She had clear light gray fur with a some white spots here and there. I went to one of the toilet stalls, satisfied my needs, and then went to the sink to the right of the wolf to wash my hands.
She gave me an accusing look, and the put her make-up bag from the right to the left side of the sink.
'Oh come on, just because I'm a fox, huh?' I said to myself. 'I'm a 14 year old boy with an police officer as a guardian. Like I would steal her make-up'.
I gnarled slightly, which made her give me an slightly terrified look. Some people just won't understand.
I went back to my apartment, and saw my phone LED blinking. Nick send me a message.
[Hey Mordecai, Judy and I will come over at 1. We want to talk about you a bit, we think you weren't completely honest with us.]
'Oh crap.' I thought. I thought of any scenarios I could tell them, but I couldn't come up with anything right. I had to tell them where I'm from. How would I even do this?
"Well, I'm a human from another world. I somehow found myself in this world and that's why I have absolutely no idea about anything going on around here."
They wouldn't even believe a word. They'd probably put me into an asylum or something.
I started to panic, but there was nothing I could do besides telling them. I couldn't just run away again, I had nowhere to go. I had about an hour left before they would come around and interrogate me on my lies.
Were they mad that I lied to them? Disappointed? I didn't know. What I did know is that my story was completely ridiculous. I took out my phone, and starting cougaring about humans, but didn't find anything. In this world there weren't even any monkeys or apes. I could only hope for the best and wait for them to come.
I put on some music on my phone, and laid myself on the bed.
After an hour, I heard it knocking at the door. I paused the music, and opened the door. Nick and Judy stood there. They already had some accusing looks, although they tried to hide it.
"Hey Nick. Hey Judy. I guess I weren't completely honest with you." I started to fumble out and slightly sobbed, thinking they would think less of me for lying.
"How about we sit over at the table? Wait, where did these chairs come from?" Judy asked.
"My new friends brought them yesterday when they came over." I answered.
"Alright, take a seat then." She said.
We sat down on the three chairs. They looked at me, now not even trying to hide their accusing looks.
"Okay buddy. We looked up what you said. Foxwalls doesn't exist, and somehow there is noone looking for you. Heck, there's not even someone born in the last fourteen years that matches your description." Nick started to say. "Why are you lying to us?"
"Please, hear me out." I cried out, not wanting to lie more.
"We want to, that's why we're here." Judy said reassuringly.
"Alright. First, a question." I began. "Do you ever heard of humans?"
"Huu Mens?" Nick asked confusingly. "Don't try to get yourself out."
"I'm not. Listen." I said. "I'm from another world. I'm actually a human. I got here with some magical note or something. When I stepped on it, I woke up somewhere in the city's outskirts."
I noticed how utterly ridiculous that sounded. Nick broke out in laughter. I knew it.
"Now that's some dedication!" He laughed.
"Nick, stop it." Judy shove her elbow into Nick's side. "Mordecai. Tell us the truth. Right now."
"I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!" I yelled out, crying. They didn't believe me. I was lost.
After a few moments of silence, Judy started to speak again, in a calming voice. "Honey. You can trust us. We will protect you. You don't need to hide anything from us."
"But I'm not hiding anything!" I yelled again. I felt a bit guilty for yelling. "How can I prove you …"
And there it was. I knew how I could prove them. My phone! I have everything from my past life on my phone!
I took out my phone, Nick and Judy gave me confused looks.
"Look, this is my phone. It was one of three things I could bring with me from my world. Didn't you notice the strange look of it?" I said while showing them my phone.
"I mean I did notice, but I'm not too much of a tech person." Nick said. "Go on."
I opened up my gallery, and tapped on my dad folder.
"Look. This is me and my dad before he died. This is me as a human." I stated, pointed at the picture.
"This has to be fa… oh wow he looks exactly like you." Nick said.
"BECAUSE IT IS ME!" I yelled again, but less aggressive than before.
"Show us more." Judy demanded.
I showed them more pictures of me, my dad, my mum, my school. I even showed them some music videos from Shakira. I remembered Clawhauser listening to one of her songs. I was lucky a classmate sent it into our class' texting group before I left my world.
"But that's 'Try everything' from Gazelle. It's the same song!" Judy pointed out.
"It may be, but this is my world's version of it. It's a singer named Shakira. She's a human." I stated. "Humans evolved from monkeys and apes. These don't exist in this world. We're the only evolved mammals."
"So all the other animals are savage?" Nick asked curiously.
"I wouldn't say 'savage', but rather unevolved or primal. Judy, you wrote that text in the museum, right? In my world, animals are like they were here thousands of years ago."
"I see. But how did you get here?" Judy asked. She seemed like she started to believe me.
"Honestly? I don't know. These notes that flew to me, were either some magical stuff, or I'm just hallucinating in some corner for 3 days now." I replied.
"That is … honestly … I don't know what to say." Nick said flustered.
"Me neither. I don't get it. But I'm here now. I left everything behind, and now am here." I said.
"What did you leave behind?" Judy asked.
"Well, basically not too much, except for my mum. But she went crazy when my dad died 7 years ago. Almost everyone at school hated me, and I had to live by myself for quite a while." I explained to them.
"I'm so, so sorry. I can't see why anybody would hate you." Judy took me into a hug, which I gladly returned.
"Well, I don't care. It's gone now. I'm glad I got the opportunity to start a new life elsewhere." I sobbed. "You're the first that came to me with such love since years."
"Hey buddy, it's alright." Nick added. "It's alright."
The next two hours were spent with them asking me hundreds of questions about humans and my world. The way of life, the animals, how different it was to this world, and various other things.
Sometimes they were disgusted by things like humans slaughtering thousands of animals for food and bloodlust, sometimes amazed like at how similar they were to us humans nonetheless.
"So previously you said you took three things with you, right?" Nick asked. "What were those things?
"Well, first of my phone. Then a bottle of water, and a note reading 'My Mind'. Apparently it worked, because that note vanished when I woke up here, and I can still remember everything from my past life."
"A note reading 'My Mind'? That's incredibly smart thinking for a 14 year old, I must say." He complimented. "I somehow feel that's why you have that fur on your head, too. Looks neat though."
"Probably." I chuckled. "I'm … I'm so glad you believe me. But what are you gonna do with me now?"
"Oh of course sweetie." Judy said. "And, I don't know. We can't just give you into some foster care, can we?"
"Oh please no!" I exclaimed.
"Don't you worry, that won't happen." She said. "But there would be only one thing left. We can't let you live alone forever. You need a family. A home." She added with a specific tone, that made Nick turn over to her.
"Carrots, we can't do that. We're not even married." Nick threw in. "And Mordo has to be okay with it, too."
"Wait, you two are a couple?" I asked surprised. "And you want to adopt me?"
"Yes. We are. And I love him." Judy stated. "And it doesn't have to happen now. And only if you want it too. The citizenship we got you lasts a year before you need alternatives."
"I-I… wow. You honestly would want that?" I cried again. This time out of happiness.
"Well, I would. But Nick has a saying in it too. Also, we're not married yet, so we can't just adopt you like that." She explained.
Nick looked like he was struck by lightning. "Carrots … Did you say 'yet'? You would marry me?"
"Oh of course I would you idiot." She said smiling. "Is there any other mammal in this world that I could love more than you?"
"Alright, alright. I think we need to sort that out in private." He said, giving Judy a kiss on her cheek. "Mordo, is there anything else you need or forgot to tell us?"
"No. I don't think so." I replied.
"Alright then. Then I think Judy and I have to discuss a few things today." Nick said. "And you don't try to hide anything from us anymore. You can tell us anything, and I don't think it can get any worse than that." He added smirking.
"Honey, are you alright for today?" Judy asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I have friends I can spend my time with for now, and I still have some money left to get around." I replied. "Oh also… Is there any chance to get me into school?"
"Wow, you actually want to get into school?" Nick laughed. "I didn't think you could surprise me any more."
"I don't see why not. It could take a while though." Judy answered. "For now, we go and discuss a few things, and leave you alone. Thanks for being so honest."
"I'll never be not again." I promised.
"Okay then, it's settled. You have fun. We'll catch you later." Nick said.
We went to the door, and both of them gave me a hug.
"See you guys." I said.
A/N #6
Hey there dear readers! Thanks for already surpassing 600 views after just two days! It really makes me eager to continue writing.
This chapter is filled with dialogue, as this is, in my opinion, the best way to let this kind of story advance. The next chapter will be two sided. One with Nick and Judy, one with Mordecai. I can't wait to get my hands on that!
I hope you like this story so far.
Please, if you like it, or have anything to add or criticize, let me know trough a review or PM, and be sure to favorite my story!
Have an awesome day or night, see you in the next chapter.
