The Purge Part One: Invasion of the Bunny Scratchers

by JoeyJoBobJunior

The climax to the Big Cheese arc starts here! Nick partners with Judy once more as they investigate a mauling by a fox in Bunnyburrow and it's relation to a possible Nighthowler gas. Meanwhile, Petey reunites with his long lost sister while Spots struggles with her feelings towards James. While it's the pseudo sequel to "Sacrifices", it's much less dark this time.

16. Chapter Fifteen: Don't Hate

Chapter Fifteen: "Don't Hate"

A/N: WARNING! There's a bit of a gay sex scene right near the beginning. It's important for helping understand who Dapper Dan is. Don't worry. It's not very graphic. I only use sex as a storytelling tool or as a joke. In fact this chapter beings suggestively and ends suggestively. BTW, this Dapper Dan in the story is definitely no relation to the Disneyland singing group outside of the nickname. I didn't name him to reference them just to be clear.

Sorry I'm so late on this one. You see, I do some writing on the side for a website. Doesn't pay anything, but I get into conventions as press. This includes E3 and I'm a huge gamer. My friend from back east came as well, so I had to show him around all week too. We had a great time, but it was exhausting and I had ZERO time to work on the chapter. I've also had the distraction of Paladins, Fortnite and Donkey Kong Arcade on Nintendo Switch. Now that E3's over, I have the time again to keep working on this. To make up for it, this is a much longer chapter as it was hard to put a break in.

I wanted the scenes between Nick vs. Finnick and Travis vs. Gideon to take place just right as their stories kind of mirror themselves. I think it came out well. Hope you like it.

BTW, I hope no one gets offended with what Hans says. It's not meant to be taken seriously. I don't want it to look like I'm bashing any criticism. I'm just joking.

5:06:pm Zootopia Maximum Security Prison

Chief Swinton felt proud of herself. Her capture of Carl Sheddingfur not only got an override on the blimp, but the location of the Adviser's phone which she, Higgins, Trumpet and Snarlov were onto route to now. "We finally got him!" The pig said excitedly.

They turned around the corner only to find a jail cell with a bed sheet dawn across it. "Here he is. Dapper Dan. What's he trying to hide?"

She pulled the curtain across only to see Dapper Dan being mounted by another cell mate. "Do you mind?!" The old fox replied. "We're...UNNH!..We're almost done here!"

"Oh Geez!" Swinton pulled back the curtain with her face blushing red. "Mr. Daniel, we're here because of..."

"A...OH GOD YES!...A phone?"

Swinton was surprised he confessed it so easily. "Y-Yes! That's exactly it!"

"Thought...so!...Haaaaa!...Okay, we're done."

"Dapper Dan pulled the sheet around him and the wolves privates. "I'm glad you came. Of course, I'm gladder that I came! Ho-Ho! Now then, I found this odd-shaped thing in my bed when I came back from lunch. Someone told me it was a...what was it? 'Cell phone'."

He handed the smart phone to Swinton. "I can't get the thing to turn on. They say they are almost as powerful as computers now! Amazing!"

Swinton chuckled. "I forget how long you've been here Dan." She then handed the phone to Snarlov. "Sniff this. Then we'll trace it for pawprints."

Snarlov gave it a good whiff. "Very small traces of Dapper Dan, but not strong. I guess he's only had it short time. Chemeecal smell too. Odd."

"We'll have one of our tech experts see if he can hack it. In the meantime, I'm afraid that since it was in your possession, we'll have to interrogate you Dan."

"Of course." said Dan. "Happy to oblige. Thanks for everything, Steven dear."

"Sure thing Danny boy!" the wolf replied. By the way, you smell a bit muskier now. No offense."

"None taken. I haven't been using any of my colognes in awhile. I have an old lover I'll be visiting soon that is used to my natural smell."

"Ah! I see."

Dan put out his paws for cuffs. "Gentlemen."

Higgins cuffed the fox and they took him away. "You think this is the guy?" the hippo asked Trumpet.

"This fruitcake?! The elephant replied. "Hardly."

"HEY!" Higgins snapped. "That's his life choice!"

"Oh yeah. Sorry Higgs. I forget that you're gay too sometimes. So what do I call him? Fairy? Queer?"

"A prisoner!"

"Oh! Yeah...right. Sorry again. I'm kinda new to this 'sensitivity' stuff. What was this guy in prison for again?"

"About twenty five years ago, he killed his gay lover and the woman he was cheating with. He tried to kill a witness too. He got life in prison. Surprisingly, he's been a model prisoner though. All the prisoners like him."

"I'll bet! A guy who does those kinda favors would be very popular!"

"True." Higgins replied as they all walked off to the interrogation room.

On their way, Snarlov ran up Swinton. "Chief! I just got word that Good Deer blimp was deescovered!"

"Excellent." Swinton replied. "Where is it?"

"Een Bunnyburrow at mall. Neeck Vilde called it een! The blimp disappeared again."

"Dammit! Our override had an override. Why are Nick and Judy still in Bunnyburrow?! They're going to be late!"

"They can take the train I guess." Snarlov then got another message on his phone. "OH! I am gettink report! The blimp gassed the mall and the bunnies inside went savage! Local police and fire trucks are blockading the mall until matter ees resolved."

"Good. They can handle it. We got too much on our plate as is."

Moments earlier, at the Humphrey Bear mall...

"Judy help me! It's Honey! She's barely breathing!" Finnick shouted. His eyes were a river of tears.

Judy kicked a few rabbits away that were attacking Finnick and Honey. They attacked back, but since the savage rabbits would show no mercy, Judy would show none back. She kicked and bit and scratched at them, then growled and hissed so loud that the rabbits back of and left. Even while savage, they knew who the bigger threat to them was.

Judy approached Honey who gave laying on the table. Her legs had almost snapped off where they hit the edge of the table. The poor badger was spitting blood and could barely breathe.

While keeping the other bunnies at bay, Finnick was begging for help. "PLEASE Judy! There's gotta be something you can do! Oh God! I don't wanna lose her! She's all I have left!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Judy replied. "I have some bandages, but her body's too broken and she's got blood filling her lungs!"

"Noooo. No! NOO!"

Suddenly, a weak and frail voice came out of the badger. "F-Finn?"

Judy stood over and helped watch for savage bunnies while Finnnick talked his dear friend. "I'm right here Honey! I'm not going anywhere!"

"I-COUGH!...I can't see! I-I can't feel my legs. I'm going."

"Hold on! Judy's here! We're gonna get help!"

"Heh! Bullshit. We both...COUGH! both know it's...too late."

Finnick couldn't stop crying. "DAMMIT! I'm gonna kill the bastard that did this! I'll avenge you Hon-"

"NO! COUGH! COUGH!"

Finnick didn't understand. "No?! What do you mean?"

"Don't...hate." With that Honey's eyes rolled to the back of her head and Judy could no longer hear a heartbeat.

Finnick still didn't understand. "Don't hate? Don't hate who? Judy? The guy that killed you?! I-I don't understand!Tell me!"

The bunnies all fell back. Judy put her paw on Finnick's shoulder. "Finnick. She's gone."

"No! No. No. No. NOOOOOO! AAAAAH-HAAAA!"

Despite being enemies, Judy embraced him and let him cry for a bit. "Finnick. Hatred is a viscous cycle. Your vengeance on me and the prey brought you to this. I think that's what Honey was trying to say. Hatred will only bring about pain and destruction."

Finnick pulled off of Judy and held Honey's paw one last time. "I-I'll do my best. I promise. I PROMISE!"

The bunnies were coming back. Judy had no choice but to grab Finnick and carry him off. "No! Honey! Put me back! HONEEEY!"

Judy ran towards the Pretzel Palace with tears in her eyes. "She's gone Finnick! I'm sorry!"

"This is all your fault! This is..." Finnick then though of Honey's final words. "Don't hate." He couldn't let himself hate Judy. She risked her life to give him a few final moments with Honey. For once, he looked inside himself. Judy was right. All of his anger and hatred of Judy and all prey lead him to this horrible moment. He's the one responsible and he finally admitted it to himself. "This is MY fault! SOB! I did this! AAAAAH!"

Judy reached Nick at the Pretzel Palace window. The fox was furious. "Finnick you bastard! I'll kill you!"

"No you won't!" Judy said sternly as she handed the crying Fennec fox to her partner. "Cuff him. He's our prisoner. That means no abuse!"

"GRRRR! Fine! I called the ZPD and local police. They're already coming to blockade the place."

"I'm going to call the ZPD and see if they have any chemists who can help me with my plan. In the meantime, I'm gonna head to the back of the mall and try to help some folks along the way. Oh and Nick?"

"Yes?"

"Honey's dead...I'm sorry." With that, Judy took off. She couldn't stand to see her husband cry.

Tears welled up in Nick's eyes. "OH...OH God!" He picked Finnick and shook him. "YOU MONSTER! I ought to put you in the pretzel oven!"

Finnick just sobbed. "Do it! I deserve it! BAAAW-HAAAW-HAAAW! HONEEEEY!"

Nick never saw this side of Finnick before. True, because of some of their schemes, Nick would treat Finnick like a baby but at the end of the day, he was a middle-aged man he used to look up to. Now, here he was crying like an actual baby pup in his paws. The fennec foxes tears dripped down onto Nick's arms. Part of him wanted to kill him. Another part wanted to comfort him.

"Look you! I'm not...I'm not forgiving you so easy!"

Finnick wouldn't stop crying and sobbing. Nick couldn't take watching his old friend like this, He couldn't deny that despite all of the betrayal, part of him still loved the old man. He put Finnick's face on his shoulder and held him like a newborn trying to be burped. "Don't think I'm still not mad at you! I just...the pretzels are salty enough without you crying on them!"

Meanwhile, Judy was running as fast as her feet could take her. As she was getting on the phone to the ZPD, she stopped to scare away some bunnies that were biting and scratching on a poor raccoon. "Are you okay sir?!"

"I'm bleeding a bit, but I'll live!"

"The exits might be blocked by now. Head to the Pretzel Palace as fast as you can! That's the safe zone!"

"Okay! Thanks!" said the raccoon as he took off.

Judy finally got through to the ZPD. Francine was on the other line. "ZPD. Please hol-"

"FRANCINE!"

"Judy?!"

"Patch me through to our CSI department immediately! I have a cure to the Nighthowler gas, but I need their help!"

"You got it!" Francine patched Judy through to the science department. Judy could hear a voice on the other line. "Hello. Zees ess der ZPD CSI. BYOB! HA-HA! Our little joke!"

"Hans. This is Judy Hopps."

"One of zee main characters?...Oh mine goodness! Zat means...Finally! I'm in zee fic again!"

"I don't have time for this!"

"Shtoopeed author hasn't used me since ze fist chapter of ze first shtory! About time I return!"

"Hans."

"Some folks vere all like 'You can't use a German shepard in a Zootopia story! Their species exists through man-made breeding!' Yet they are perfectly okay weeth two-hundred 'human in Zootopia' fics!"

"I REALLY don't have time for.."

"Noooo! Mine species iz impossible to exist und yet, these fics always involve inter-species romance! Are you telling me my species couldn't eventually have existed ven you got a fox shtooping a bunny?! Plus, why are we beink so scientifically accurate?! Ve're talkink animals who valk on our back legs! Our mouths can't make der proper lip movement required for speech und yet..."

"WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP WITH THE FOURTH WALL STUFF ALREADY! I need your help!"

"Sorry. I got carried avay. Vat you do need?"

"Me and Nick accidentally came across the cure for the Nightnowler gas the bad guys are planning to spread."

"Really?!...Go on."

"It's our tranqs! When the gas came out, I went savage, but Nick hit me with a dart and I was only knocked out for a second and I went back to normal!"

"Hmm...eet must be zee added chemicals. Have you found out vat zey are?"

"Well, besides Nighthowler, it has Fresanine which kind of patches two chemicals together and a third chemical we don't know, but is probably what makes the Nighthowler gas species specific."

" 'Fresanine'? HA! Zat shtuff ees weak und volatile!"

"Meaning?"

"Just about any chemical it disagrees with will completely null the effects of both with zat chemical. Zat is why neither zee Nighthowler ot the tranquilzer worked on you! Zee Fresanine can't handle more zan two chemicals! Eets like eef you have too many pop-ups on your browzer from surfink fleshy porn und your computer crashes! Not...Not zat it has ever happened to me. No."

"Well, I need a big supply of tranq to get into the water system in this mall and then set off the sprinkler system."

"No you don't. Any sedative should have an effect. If zere ees a pharmacy nearby, stock up on a beeg supply of Night Owl."

"Night Owl hunh?"

"Yes. Ve shall make it zee nighttime, coughing, aching, stuffy-head, no longer a savage bunny medicine! Also, use the tranqs you got and dilute zem with water a bit. Eet should still verk!"

"There's a small drug store near the exit! Thanks for all your help Hans! Patch me back through to Francine. I need her to check her computer on the layout of this mall so I can find the plumbing system."

Meanwhile...

Travis slowly approached Gideon with his rifle drawn. "You stay right there Gideon! Plant your feet upon the asphalt and wander no more!"

Gideon was on his walker, scared out of his mind. "Ah ain't going nowhere. Just don't hurt mah kids!"

"I have no desire to put harm upon your youthful wards! It is you who shall perish this day!"

"Well thank God fer that." Gideon said with relief. "You can't so this Travis! You've never had the nerve to kill."

"Holeinyourearsayswhat?"

"What?" Travis fired his rifle and shot a small hole clean through Gideon's ear. Making him yipe in pain.

"I'm a well-trained sniper Gideon. And I have you right in my sights!

The kids saw from the van. Spots was furious. "I'm going after him!" It was in vain as the kids quickly stopped her.

Rose grabbed her by the feet. "No! He'll kill you too and...and...AAAAH my head!"

Rose grabbed her head in pain as Spots looked on concern. "What's wrong?!"

Julie looked concerned. "Rose dear, are you okay?"

"I'm fine! Just..shhhuu...SHUT UP!" Rose lunged at Spots and scratched her muzzle. She bit down on the hyena's shoulder, but Spots managed to pull her off."

"What the hell is going on?!" Spots asked.

"It must be the Nighthowler gas!" Julie replied. "She was closest to the back door at the store and some must have seeped through the bottom! It must have been just enough to eventually take effect!"

Rose had spots pinned as the children panicked. The store owner was demanding to get out of the van.

"M-Maybe I should let her mangle my face." Spots replied.

"What?! Don't be insane!" Julie replied.

"Then...then we'd be even."

Savage Rose was getting closer and closer to biting Scratch's face. Until she was knocked out by a punch in the lower back of the head by Cindy. "Cindy!" She shouted.

"Well SOMEBODY was listening to Gideon." Julie replied. "Quick! Tie her up!... I mean Rose! Not Cindy!"

Meanwhile...

Finnick was done crying on Nick's shoulder. "Nick, I'm sorry for everything. I've been a total asshole."

Nick just stood in silence. This was upsetting Finnick. "Look! What the hell do you want from me? I'm sorry! I got in too deep and me and Honey couldn't get back out! They even destroyed my van! It never would have gotten this far if it wasn't for you!"

"Excuse me?!" Nick replied angrily.

"Oh NOW you're talkin' to me!"

"You got Honey killed!"

"Fuck you! This is all your fault!"

Meanwhile, going on at the same time...

"This is all your fault!" Travis yelled at Gideon.

"You abandoned me!" Finnick yelled.

"You abandoned me!" Travis yelled at Gideon.

"Me and Honey, we couldn't grift as good as you!"

"Without you around, I was a target!"

"When they found out I was scamming them, they'd beat me up!"

"Because of my association with you, they assaulted me!"

"I only had Honey and she was trying to get out."

"I had no one! I was too afraid to leave my humble premises!"

"One time...me and Honey we...we tried this scam where she was selling a baby...me."

"I tried joining the local military to toughen myself."

"The plan was, she'd...she'd sell me to a nice couple and while they were asleep, I'd raid the house."

"I trained non-stop for weeks upon weeks."

"It didn't work. They...they were child molesters Nick."

"The other soldiers, they roughened me to the point of injury. Do you know what the sergeant said?"

"When they tried to fondle me, I freaked out and was like, 'Hey! Hey! I'm not a kid! I'm a middle-aged man!' You know what they said?"

"He said 'Good! You should get the crap kicked out of you! It'll make you a man!' I barely survived boot camp to become a sniper."

"They said 'Even better. No guilt.' and then held me down and they...they!...fuckin' bastards!"

Nick felt sorry for Finnick, but it wasn't his fault. "Look..Finn."

"Look Travis." Gideon replied to his old friend.

"I'm sorry for what happened to you. But..."

"It's not mah fault. You put yerself in that position."

"I wanted a better life for myself!"

"Ah had no choice but to leave!"

"I couldn't grift anymore! I became a law officer."

"Mah mama killed mah pa in self defense."

"Judy made me realize I could be more than just a con artist."

"That abusive bastard tried ta kill her! Her case was rock solid and was she only given house arrest."

"So I had to leave and join the academy."

"After her two years were done, we had ta leave out of state to mah grandma's until she was able ta make a livin' again."

"I wanted you and Judy to hang out and you wouldn't go near her. You were so jealous!"

"Ah cried when we said goodbye, but Ah hoped you'd become a stronger mammal without me."

"I tried to keep in touch and you started pushing me away!"

"Ah tried ta call and eventually, you wouldn't answer no more."

"I love you like family Finn, but it's not my fault..."

"...if ya couldn't survive on yer own."

"I found you jobs. I tried to get you into the academy!"

"Ah wuz still in high school! Ah didn't have a choice but to leave with mah mama!"

"You turned all of that down. Your damn stubborn pride wouldn't allow you to make money clean!"

"Y'all relied on me savin' yer ass instead of learnin' how ta defend yerself!"

"You only have..."

"...yerself 'ta blame."

In the food court and out in the parking lot, Finnick and Travis thought about what their friends had said. The message of "don't hate" was still going through Finnick's mind.

Finnick let out a big sigh. "You're right. I know. You gave me opportunities and my damn, stubborn pride wouldn't allow it. I'm sorry. But that still doesn't change the fact that you stopped hanging out with me and kept staying with her!"

"I tried to be tougher!" Travis replied. "It didn't work! I was too weak. Too cowardly."

"I have plenty of reasons to still hate you, but I can't. Honey wouldn't want that."

Travis started lowering his rifle. "I want to eviscerate you so bad but..."

"Despite everything that's happened between us..."

Travis dropped the rifle. "...I still love you!"

"I still love you man!"

Finnick embraced Nick while Travis and Gideon embraced as well. Tears flowed down each others cheeks, "Fuck my pride!" Finnick said. "I love you Nick!"

Nick was crying as well. "I love you too Finn! I got my best friend back!"

"Ah missed mah old buddy so much!" Gideon cried.

"Not as much as I missed you, my captain!" Travis cried back.

"Heh! Ah never liked you calling me that befur. Ah do like it now."

Nick set Finnick on the counter. The two were still sniffling a bit and even the two Pretzel worker were sniffling as well.

"That was beautiful!" the zebra cried.

"Aww shut up!" Finnick shouted. His male pride slowly coming back.

Nick wiped some tears as he spoke. "I'm sorry Finn old man. But I'm still going to have to take you in. You were 'Big Ears'."

"I know." Finnick replied. "It's time I started taking some responsibility for my actions."

"I promise I'll visit you more often this time."

"Thanks Nick." Finnick started crying again. "Honey would have been so happy to see us back together! I miss her alreadeeeeee!"

Nick picked Finnick up again and hugged him close. "I miss her too!"

Finnick nuzzled his face into Nick's shoulder. "Nick? Can you sing my favorite song?"

"C'mon man! In front of everyone?"

"Please?! I'm hurtin' so bad!"

"SIGH! Okay." Nick then started singing.

I sniff two butts in the morning. I sniff two butts at night.

I sniff two butts in the afternoon. It makes me feel alright.

Finnick started singing along.

I sniff two butts in time of peace and two in time of war.

I sniff two butts before I sniff two butts and then I sniff two more.

"Eww!" Said the beaver manager.

"It's a canine thing." Nick replied.

Meanwhile, Travis and Gideon were still embracing.

"Captain, you're holding me awful tight." Travis said.

"That's because Ah'm holdin' ya till the police come. Ah'm sorry Travis."

Travis sighed. "I understand. Do you know I never even managed to snipe a single person? Not one!"

"That's because ya ain't a killer. Y'all aint got it in y-"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"

Gideon let go of Travis and raised his paws up as the sniper rifle Travis dropped was now poking him in the back when the mysterious voice shouted at him. "You let go of Travis right now!"

Travis looked behind Gideon. "...Sharla?!"

"I've had enough of this place! First some old fart steals my ex-boyfriend, then hawks come and attack everyone in town and now I go to soothe my nerves with some coffee, only to be attacked by some crazy bunnies! I'm outta this dump and I'm taking the one person who actually cared about me with me! I'm not letting him rot in jail! TRAVIS!"

"Y-Yes dear Sharla?" Travis said nervously.

"You know how all through elementary to high school you flirted with me and crushed on me and I never reciprocated?"

"Yes?"

"Well I'm reciprocating now! I'd rather have you than no one. Come with me and let's leave this hell hole!"

Travis' ears perked straight up and his eyes widened. "It would be my pleasure my most beautiful Goddess! I was last picked but I still get to play ball! WHOO-HOO!"

Sharla kept the rifle on Gideon. "Get your family out of that van. We're taking it."

"Oh please don't hurt me miss Sharla! And please, don't take Stu's gray pick up truck over there. He keeps his keys under the floor mat like an idiot." Gideon said with a wink.

Sharla looked over and saw the truck. "It's perfect! C'mon Travis! We're gonna live on the wild side. Just like Bunny and Clydesdale!"

As Sharla ran off, Travis stopped one last time. He looked back at Gideon with sentimental tears in his eyes. "Goodbye my captain."

Somehow, Gideon knew he'd probably never see him again. He smiled back with tears running down his cheeks. "Goodbye buddy and good luck."

Julie came out of the van upset. "Did you just hand over dad's truck to them?!"

"Would you rather it was our family business van or the old rust bucket?"

"Fair enough."

Sharla looked under the floor mat and found the key. "There it is! Ha-HA! We're out of here Travis baby! I've never been so excited! I have a cousin who's been out of the slammer a few times that can repaint this old thing and give us new license plates. Then, we're gonna rob a few banks and become infamous!"

Travis got in on the drivers side and started up the truck. "Alright! Wait we're going to do what now?!"

As they drove off, Sharla flipped off everyone in the parking lot. "WHOOOO! Fuck you Bunnyburrow! We are outta here! I really am the black sheep of my family and I don't care! "

"I-I'm not too sure about this my darling." Travis said.

"This is so thrilling! I'm so turned on right now! Head out to the north 205 for the next twenty miles and keep the wheel steady while I suck your dick."

Travis' eyes almost popped out of his skull. "I am one hundred percent sure about this my love!"

They drove off into the sunset in Stu's old truck. No one knows exactly what happened to them. There were some reports upstate about two bandits calling themselves "the ferocious ferret" and "the ebony ewe" with a few mentions of banks being robbed by them but soon after, there were no more reports. The truth is, after awhile, they settled down, used their ill-gotten gains wisely, raised a family and both lived happily ever after.