All right ladies and gentlemen", here we go. Once you read this chapter there's no goin back...because of cliffhangers. dun dun dun!...I'm joking of course...or am I? *ominous mystery music*
There will be a training scene in this chapter, or the next depending on how far this one goes, where Jack uses the Kyoketsu-shoge. If you want a clear picture of what he's doing you can imagine the Raizo training scene from the movie Ninja Assassin to get an idea. If ya never seen it just google it and its the first video. (Google Ninja Assassin-Training Scene) or don't, it's three minutes and it helps with the picture but either way. (P.s minus the blinfolds, creepy dude talking, and the flashback)
the next few chapters after this one will be all Vivian and Nick (I think.) at least two (I think.) planning isn't my forte. It's basically I'm doing something and the story clicks and I write until four in the morning. Like the start of this chapter! I was watching Netflix and then ideas popped in my head and I spent the next three hours typing! It was 1 am! Yay brain!
Please do review! Also still in need of beta readers to help me catch all the little mistakes.
P.s in chapter ones author note I mentioned that Nick and Judy would be similar in age, I meant to put Nick will be 28 not 26, Judy will still be 24. My bad.
A Father Figure Chapter 2: Starting Today starts now!
Chapter Two: ..Starting Today
Jack felt like he had been slapped in the face. Nicholas had answered Happytown like it was the normalist thing on the planet, like he accepted he was forced to live in that place, Jack didn't like that one bit. Jack had to ask little Nicholas again just to make sure he heard things right. "Little one, did you say Happytown?" Nicholas looked at him puzzled and replied "yeah. Lots of foxes do. Mom says we have to live there because finding another place is hard, and she doesn't have the time while working three jobs."
Jack knew instantly that his mother was hiding the real truth from Nick, they were stuck in Happytown because no other place would really rent to foxes (fairly at least) and places didn't pay foxes well enough either. Foxes were payed less, given less opportunities, if they worked at restaurants they got not as many tips, and if they worked at one in places like Happytowm they hardly got any at all because foxes had to save every penny. Now Jack may be using Sparrowtail Industries to help change that but it was a very slow process indeed.
Jack shook himself fully to reset himself before deciding they had been standing there long enough. Jack really hadn't returned to Happytown since after going into Big's service unless he was there to kill a mammal, and if he was honest with himself he had avoided coming back to it for a while..because this is where his happiness died. Jack lifted the back of his jacket slightly and quickly flipped the safety off his M1911, sure Happytown had improved but it was still a crime riddled slum for the most part. Looking back down at Nicholas he saw that he had heard the click and was looking at his back quizzically, he patted him on the shoulder a little before saying "that was nothing little one. Now I do believe we have been standing here for awhile, lets get you home. Stick next to me and lead the way, I might get lost!"
*Perspective shift*
Nick noticed how much Jack didn't like hearing that he lived in Happytown. Nick may have only been nine but that didn't make him oblivious to things, he knew that Happytown wasn't a good or happy place, and that there were a lot of bad mammals there. Not mention a lot of good ones stuck there too. Nick saw how Jack looked in the direction of Happtown and seemingly got lost in his thoughts, his paw had even gone up and started to rub the scar on the left side of his neck. Nick also felt Jack's tail wrap around his legs a little again, which once again Jack didn't even notice his tail had a mind of it's own.
Nick also wasn't blind. After Jack had come back from his thoughts and shook himself, Nick watched as Jack quickly snaked a paw under his Marines Unifrom right above his tail and then Nick heard a click, it didn't take a genius to deduce that Jack had a gun. Guns were something of a normality in Happytown, heck, even his mom owned one and carried it in her purse for her protection. Jack was a solider anyways so it made sense that he had one, and Nick also knew that Jack wasn't very trusting and seemed to be a little protective of him. Nick didn't exactly know why but he guessed it had something to do with Jack's parents being killed when he was little, and he certainly didn't mind either, in fact he liked that Jack was being protective of him (even if he didn't even realize he was being so) because it allowed him to imagine what having a dad would feel like.
Once Jack had retrieved himself from his thoughts he had told Nick to lead the way but to stick close, although it wasn't like Nick could do anything less since Jack still had a paw on his shoulder and was sticking very close to him anyways. Jack started walking towards Happytown at a brisk pace and Nick kept up the pace to the best of his abilities while telling Jack where to go.
As they walked Nick noticed that him and Jack got a lot of glances, stares, double takes, some foxes even took photos. They had even walked by the Fennec fox kit Finnick who had done a spit take with the soda he had been drinking when he noticed them, Nick tried not to laugh as the spray caught another fox kit he was with and simply waved at him. The deeper they got into Happytown towards his home the more Jack seemed to be on alert, he had drawn Nick closer, wrapped his tail slightly around him again, and was almost continuously scanning back and forth as if some mammal was gonna jump out at them with a knife or something.
They were nearing Nick's house now, just a couple of turns away. Nick glanced up at Jack and noticed he had stopped scanning for a moment and was looking down on him quizzically, then Jack asked a question. "Say little one, I just realized I never asked what your last name was, so what is it?" Nick was a little surprised by the question but then realized that it was true, Jack had never asked and he had never told so he answered him. "It's Wilde." Jack simply nodded at that.
They finally turned the last corner and after about another minute of walking they were standing right in front of Nick's house. It was modest compared to the other homes in outside condition, small like the rest, and sported a brown outside. It also had no graffiti on it and a red door. Nick pointed to the house and said "This is it, thank you for walking me home Mister Jack." As Nick tried to walk towards the door the paw on his shoulder squeezed it a little and the tail around his legs wrapped itself around more. Craning his head back a little he noticed Jack's raised eyebrow with his gaze fixed on his own tail, Nick guessed Jack noticed it wasn't swaying behind him finally. He watched as Jack shook his head a little but did not withdraw his tail, instead he turned his gaze and raised eyebrow to him and said "easy there little one not so fast. First I would like to meet your mother and second I think she needs to be filled in on what transpired tonight, wouldn't you agree?"
Nick had kinda hoped he could keep his mom out of the loop but thinking about it some more he realized it would be a mistake not to. Plus it also meant Jack would stick around a little longer to, and he was right his mother needed to know what Jack did for him tonight, although Nick figured Jack wouldn't understand the full extent of what he did for him, heck, Nick didn't even fully know himself. Nick nodded and replied "yeah you're right Mister Jack. Mom should know what happened, like when you beat the snot out of the scout leader when he pulled out some FoxAway Spray!" Jack had begun walking them towards the door but abruptly stopped at that almost tripping before hastily saying "nonononono I do believe we can leave THAT out of the report, we will just say that Officer Wolford tackled him ok?" After he had finished Jack began walking them toward the door again and Nick shrugged and replied "ok, but I still think it was awesome!" They had finally reached the door and Jack brought Nick flush to his side and then rang the doorbell.
*Perspective shift*
Vivian Wilde had just finished changing out of her uniform from the diner and into the clothes she had been wearing earlier in the day when her son had been trying on his uniform for the Junior Ranger Scouts when she heard the doorbell ring. She quickly snapped on the pearl necklace and looked at the alarm clock on her dresser, it read 8:02 PM. "Well it shouldn't be Nicky he's not supposed to be back for another hour at least, maybe it's Skye popping in?" Skye was an arctic fox her age and also her very best friend, they had know each other since highschool and where nigh inseparable, they knew the everything about each other even each other's hopes and dreams. Skye knew she wanted to be a nurse and she knew Skye wanted to be a renowned mechanic working on classic cars. As Vivian exited her bedroom and walked towards the door she realized it couldn't be Skye either because Skye was on a date with the mystery male she'd been seeing, the one Skye had yet to tell her about. Now even more curious she moved the rest of the way to the door, unlocked it, and opened it.
She would always see her son first, no matter how many other mammals, no matter what she would always see her little Nicholas first. She didn't like what she saw. His uniform looked rumpled and his looked red from crying, not to mention he was home an hour earlier than he was supposed to. She assumed the worst, leaned down toward him to scoop him up into a hug and began to say "oh Nicky sweetie what happ.." her words died on her lips when she noticed the black furred paw on her son's shoulder and the black tipped russet tail of another fox wrapped securely around his legs. Shooting back up she immediately looked towards her sons left to look at the fox next to her son, and was surprised when she was staring into it's chest, so she looked up more..and was blown away.
Standing in front of her was a very tall male red fox. He had brilliant green eyes in a shade she'd never seen before, he was lean and built but not to ridiculous lengths, his shoulders were broader for a fox and his posture almost rigid straight. He had a diagonal scar running on the left side of his neck, black tipped paws, black tipped tail and his uniform...his uniform was that of a Mammilian Marine. In between her three jobs Vivian had seen photos of a fox wearing a Mammilian Marines uniform but she had brushed them off as fake but standing in front of her was proof that they were real. She immediately began to wonder why he was here when she remembered what she was doing before she noticed him.
Turning and leaning back down she immediately scooped up her son into a hug. The tod had seen this coming and backed up a little and removed his paw and tail. Her son had seen it coming as well and stretched his arms out to accept the hug. Her Nicky immediately wrapped his arms around her neck and buried his face in the rest of her neck fur. After a moment he withdrew a little and said "I'm okay mom, just..just the scouts..they." She saw that her son was struggling to tell her what had happened and was about to start comforting him more to coax out what happened when the mystery tod chimed in. "Hey little one, why don't you go change out of your uniform? That way you can get start to forget what happened to you and I will fill your mom in on what happened, ok?"
Part of her wanted to yell at the mystery tod because she was feeling very protective of her kit at the moment, she didn't know this fox and he definitely wasn't Nick's father so what right did he have? But she also admitted it was a good idea for him to change, but it also raised the question who the tod was and why he was here. After debating internally for a few seconds she conceded to her more rational side. Focusing back in on her son who had started sniffiling a little she said "I think he's right Nicky, why don't you go change, I trust he can fill me in on what happened?" She ended that last part as a question and shifted her gaze over to the tod. The tod nodded his head and said "yes I can completely fill you in, I found him outside of the meeting place and he told me what had happened and I was present for everything that happened next."
Looking back to her son he nodded confirming the tod's words before saying "ok, I'll go change. I think I'll take a shower to if that's okay?" She didn't know why her son was asking that but then she realized he must have wanted to give the tod enough time to fully fill her in without hearing any of it. If her hunch was right that meant that whatever happened was traumatizing and she hoped it didn't leave a lasting emotional scar on her son. She nodded to her son she said "that's fine sweetie." Nicky just nodded and walked off in the direction of his room after waving to the tod who waved back.
Shifting her gaze back to the tod she finally fully acknowledged his presence since she'd done nothing accept gawke at him when she first noticed him. The tod was currently turned slightly scanning behind him, he was also absent mindedly rubbing the scar on his neck as well. Clearing her throats a little to regain his attention the tod's ears perked and fully shifted back to facing her. Once his eyes settled on her she said "why don't you come in, unless you'd rather not mr...?" She went to say his name but quickly realized that she had been so absorbed with her thoughts and her son that she hadn't even asked.
Blushing a little in embarrassment she went to apologize when the tod simply held up a paw and spoke. "No need to apologize I know your focus was on your son and not some mystery tod at your door. I am Second Lieutenant Jack Hunter, and yes I would not mind coming inside at all." Blushing a little more in embarrassment Vivian was thankful her red fur hid it and hoped he didn't look at her ears to see the red insides from the blush. She stepped out of his way a little to allow him to enter and he did so taking his cap off the moment he walked past the threshold.
He walked past her and into the living room and she watched as he gave a brief scan of it before turning and facing her again. Realizing he was waiting for her to say something, blushing even more she quickly said "please take a seat on the couch, do you want anything to drink?" Once he was seated he shook his head and replied "no thank you. But, you should probably seat yourself as well, I know Nicholas wanted to buy enough time for me to tell you what happened without having to hear it himself. He may have acted tough around me, but I doubt it will be the case with you since you're his mother. What happened to him has and WILL effect him, there may even be forms of lasting trauma I'm afraid Ms. Wilde. Although hopefully through my actions tonight and your support it may be only a fraction of what it potentially could be."
Towards the end of his reply Vivian had sat herself down in her reading chair situated across from the couch and tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, whatever her son had gone through must have been so much worse than she imagined. Shifting forward a little bit she said "please Mr. Hunter, tell me what happened to my son." She watched as Mr. Hunter flinched a little at being called that. He leaned forward a little as well and shifted a box of tissues so they were right in front of her and said "of course, I will leave nothing out and will sugar coat nothing. Also in the future just call me Jack, Mr. Hunter reminds me of something I rather wish I could forget." Vivian didn't know what he meant by the last part but she assumed it was something to do with his father, so Vivian simply nodded. At that Jack began telling her what had happened to her son.
"I was on my way home when I had heard crying and sobbing coming from nearby where I was walking. When I heard it I immediately shifted my course and made my way towards the crying, and once I rounded the corner I saw your son outside of the Junior Ranger Scouts meeting building huddled against a dumpster bawling. Once I saw this I began moving towards him and I stopped when my foot hit something...Ms. Wilde when I looked down I saw a small muzzle. Your son was pushed, muzzled, hit, and kicked by the other members of that group led by a woodchuck, who happened to be the son of the Troop Leader. The leader which was not present but instead upstairs, and as it turns out is practically never present unless the scouts go on some trip." Vivian's paws covered her mouth and tears openly ran down her face. It was so so much more worse than she had thought, her poor Nicky had been practically toutured! Before she could bomb Jack with questions he continued.
"Now at that time your son had noticed me and I was able to approach him and began talking to him to cheer him up a little bit, once I had done that I got him to tell me what had happened. Once he was finished there was only one thing I could do that wouldn't end up putting me in a cell, so I called the ZPD. Now before you become more sullen and angry yes I know the ZPD has been known to turn a blind eye towards justice for foxes but I made a personal call, you see I know a certain officer there, Lieutenant Adonis Bogo. Bogo is one of the few mammals I trust, and he's not prejudiced towards our species in the slightest, I called him and told him what happened and requested he handle it personally and to bring one other officer with him. He immediately agreed and fifteen minutes later his cruiser and the cruiser of the officer he brung with him pulled up in front of the building, the other officer was wolf officer James Wolford by the way. Anyways, once he talked to Nick for a minute we all walked into the building. Once we entered Wolford went upstairs to retrieve the troop leader and the rest of us descended. Me and Nicholas went down first and the woodchuck ring leader decided to talk some smack to me and Nicholas and he said something interesting, that his dad the troop leader, worked at the FoxAway Company. Once Bogo descended FoxAway Junior smartly shut his mouth, and shortly after that Officer Wolford arrived with the father in tow. After the father began spewing specisist remarks and calling my uniform fake I showed him my deployment papers before giving him and technically the other kits a verbal lashing for the next ten minutes. After that I let the officers take over, they had Nicholas point out who did what. The woodchuck muzzled, pushed him and did most of the kicking, the rest expect for two joined in on that. Once that was done, they were arrested expect for the two who didn't participate in the beating. When FoxAway Junior was cuffed though dad blew his top and pulled a can of FoxAway Spray to spray all of us but Officer Wolford tackled him. To summarize both woodchucks are being charged, the rest are in trouble but will not be charged. Once they were all loaded up I offered to take Nicholas home, which he accepted and here we are."
Vivian was still crying, but some were now tears of happiness. She could not fathom the lengths Jack had gone to, to make sure her little Nicholas received justice and the mammals who hurt him punished. Standing she quickly moved over, went to her knees, and grabbed Jack pulling him into a hug. She felt Jack's surprise before he hesitantly hugged her back but only lightly, Vivian was squeezing him with all her strength. After a moment though Jack said in her ear "although, there is something I left out. It happened before the ZPD arrived." Vivian ended the hug and leaned back, tilting her head in question. At that Jack explained. "You see I knew they were going to be in serious trouble but I wanted to do something, make it like one last kick in the teeth. So I called the Junior Ranger Scouts Headquaters and got all of them and the father kicked out and banned from the Scouts so if Nicholas ever decides to join up again he won't risk running into any of them. All it took was me threatening lawsuits for them to cave, probably because they put the only fox under the leadership of some mammal that works at FoxAway." Vivian said nothing and instead just hugged him again this time much harder, he hugged her back again and after a moment she whispered into one of his ears "thank you."
*Perspective shift*
Jack watched as the door to the home opened and revealed Ms. Wilde to him for the first time, he watched as she immediately focused in on her son and didn't even register his presence at all. He watched as she leaned down speaking to her son while going for a hug when she froze, her eyes locked on his tail that was wrapped around her son's legs. Jack didn't really know when he had wrapped his tail around Nicholas and only noticed it when they were in front of the house when Nicholas had tried to pull away from him. It baffled him that it had seemed to have had a mind of its own and that he never even noticed it doing so. When he finally did he decided not to withdraw it, it looked to comfort Nicholas and if he was honest with himself it made him feel a little better too, he had to admit that Nicholas reminded him of when he was little a little bit.
Ms. Wilde shot back up to a standing position and finally shifted her focus to him and observed him so he did back, and he was blown away. She did not look a single day over twenty, fur groomed and shining, her features mimicked her son's expect her paws weren't dipped black, that Nicholas must have gotten from his father. She had the same beautiful emerald green eyes as her son and Jack was grateful for that, he was glad it wasn't inherited from Nicholas' father. She wore a simple lavender shirt, a darker purple skirt that went past her knees, and a simple but elegant pearl necklace was around her neck. It wasn't something you'd expect a vixen her age to be wearing mother or not unless you were maybe a receptionist or a secretary, (which Jack wagered one of her three jobs might just be that) but Jack admitted that the simple outfit took nothing away from her, well...beauty if Jack was honest with himself, she was a beautiful vixen. If he wasn't him and had been some other tod he would probably try to ask her out on a date at some point..but he was him, so even if he really wanted to he couldn't.
Jack had long accepted the fact that he was alone in the world and would be until the day he died. No mammal would want to be with him once they truly got to know him. Know that he was a physically scarred, broken, soulless, emotionless, ex-assassin, and mass murderer. His current body count was 600, six HUNDRED mammals had died by his paws. 600 hundred mammals in a six year span, that's an average of a hundred mammals a year, not to mention the fact of the ages he was during that span; started when he was twelve and stopped at the end of seventeen. Sure they were scums of the earth but that didn't take away the fact that their blood was on his paws. Not only that, if asked he would say he didn't regret killing a single one and wouldn't hesitate to do so again, who could understand that? What mammal could look past all of that and love him? No one.
He came back from his depressing thoughts just in time to hear Nicholas struggling to tell his mom even a little bit of what happened to him while hugging her. Jack knew he was just acting tough when he was with him but now that he was home with his mother the trauma of what happened to him was starting to come back, and Jack didn't like it one bit. Thinking quickly Jack decided that he would save Nicholas the trouble of trying to recount what happened and spoke. "Hey little one, why don't you go change out of your uniform? That way you can get start to forget what happened to you and I will fill your mom in on what happened, ok?" He saw as her tail bristled a little bit because he had suggested her son go do something but noticed she quickly calmed down before agreeing with his statement. He was a little suprised when Nicholas said he would also take a shower but he guessed Nicholas just wanted to make sure he had enough time to say everything without having to hear any of it.
He watched their exchange and smiled just a little at the display, and waved back at Nicholas when waved at. He watched Nicholas walk away for another moment before his paranoia got the better of him and he shifted to face back towards the street. He had no problems admitting that he did not like being in Happytown again, and didn't like the fact that Nicholas and his mother lived here even less. He scanned back and forth until hearing Ms. Wilde clear her throat to regain his attention.
Immediately shifting back to face her she spoke to him asking if he wanted to come in, then when she went to saw his name he saw her realization at the fact that she hadn't yet. He watched as the inside of her ears took a slight pinkish hue in a blush of embarrassment that Jack couldn't help but thinking that it was adorable. He quickly spoke to save her from further embarrassment, introducing himself and accepting the offer to come inside. He took off his cap as he entered and moved past Ms. Wilde and into the living room and took in his surroundings, there were photos on the walls of her and Nicholas together or separate, a bookshelf sat against the left wall filled with all sorts of novels and...medical books? Jack guessed she wanted to go into the medical field, the walls were covered with a green topical like pattern wallpaper, there was a two seater couch, across from it was a small coffee table and across from that was a single reading chair close to the bookshelf.
As he turned back to face Ms. Wilde he took in the rest of the house as he did and was not very impressed, a meager kitchenette that while clean was outdated, and a small dining table that had seen better days. Once he was facing her again he waited for her to say something else and after a few moments raised an eyebrow slightly, he watched as the pinkish hue on the inside of her ears deepened to a red in embarrassment before giving him permission to sit and offering him a drink. He was tempted to jest that he'd take a drink only if she had any good scotch or bourbon but decided it would be in bad taste, so he declined the drink and took a seat on the couch placing his cap on the table. Once seated he told her "no thank you. But, you should probably seat yourself as well, I know Nicholas wanted to buy enough time for me to tell you what happened without having to hear it himself. He may have acted tough around me, but I doubt it will be the case with you since you're his mother. What happened to him has and WILL effect him, there may even be forms of lasting trauma I'm afraid Ms. Wilde. Although hopefully through my actions tonight and your support it may be only a fraction of what it potentially could be."
Once he was finished speaking Ms. Wilde sank into the reading chair and said "please Mr. Hunter, tell me what happened to my son." Jack couldn't help but flinch at being called Mr. Hunter because it reminded him of his father and he quickly had to snuff the memories that tried to spew forth. He leaned forward a bit because the barrel of his hangun was digging into his tail and as he leaned forward he shifted the box of tissues that were on the table so they were in front of Ms. Wilde, he saw the tears pricking at her eyes and he knew that those tears and more were going to fall. What he didn't know is why he didn't like the thought of her crying at all. Once the tissues were in front of her he told her "of course, I will leave nothing out and will sugar coat nothing. Also in the future just call me Jack, Mr. Hunter reminds me of something I rather wish I could forget." once she nodded at that Jack began telling her what had happened to her of course omitted the part where he beat the snot out of the older Woochuck with his asp baton before Wolford tackled it, but other than that he left out nothing.
Once Jack was finished had clear tear tracks running down her face, and Jack still didn't understand why he didn't like it one bit. He was about to hand her a tissue so she could dry her eyes when she suddenly stood and moved over to him, went to her knees, grabbed him to bring him down more, and hugged him, HARD. After a few moments of shock at the gesture he hugged her back but only lightly, and after a moment he decided to tell her the last bit he had left out, the part where he made a phone call. tilting his head more so he could speak into her ear he said "although, there is something I left out. It happened before the ZPD arrived." Ms. Wilde ended the embrace and leaned back after him saying that, and she tilted her head a little in question. He wanted to smile at that but repressed it and instead told her the last part. "You see I knew they were going to be in serious trouble but I wanted to do something, make it like one last kick in the teeth. So I called the Junior Ranger Scouts Headquaters and got all of them and the father kicked out and banned from the Scouts so if Nicholas ever decides to join up again he won't risk running into any of them. All it took was me threatening lawsuits for them to cave, probably because they put the only fox under the leadership of some mammal that works at FoxAway." Once he has finished fresh tears had tracked down Ms. Wilde's face and she embraced him again and after awhile she whispered into his ear "thank you." Jack smilied.
*Perspective shift*
Vivian ended the hug after about a minute and stood back up. She used an arm to wipe some of the tears away and when she removed her arm the tissue box was right in front of her being held up by a black furred paw. Looking at Jack she smiled a little sheepishly and blushed slightly in embarrassment again and took a tissue. As she was wiping away the tears and trying to get rid of the tear tracks Jack said with humor in his tone "you know, I did put those in front of you for a reason Ms. Wilde." She began to laugh little before frowning at being called Ms. Wilde, it didn't sound right coming from Jack and it made her feel old so she said "ha very funny, oh and since I can't be formal to you, you can't be formal to me either. So from now on please call me Vivian." She saw Jack smile at that a little and he replied "ok then, Vivian."
Once she finished wiping away all the tears and the tears tracks she took the tissues over to the trash can and disposed of them before walking back and sitting in her chair. Looking at Jack's uniform she just had to ask about it. "You know Jack I've seen the Mammalian Marines uniform before but I've never seen one quite like that, and the symbol isn't even right." Jack nodded at that and replied "Most haven't it seems. This is the special variant for the Mammalian Marines Special Sniper Divison, better known as the Periton Sniper Corps. They recently came up with the uniform so members would be more distinguishable from the standard Marine, before it was just the symbol that was the tell." Vivian was fascinated at that and said "well it certainly does the job, so I take it that means you're a part of it?" Jack replied "Why yes I am. First fox to join, first fox to graduate top of class, first fox officer, I'm actually a lot of firsts it would seem." Vivian laughed a little and said "okay now you're gloating!" .. "I am totally not gloating!"
They continued talking for another twenty minutes. Vivian wanted to lighten the mood a little after Jack had told her what had happened to her son and she could safely say that it was a success. Her Nicky had come out during it and had informed her that he was going to work on some homework in his room, she didn't know why he didn't want to stay out in the living room, he seemed to like Jack, but she didn't question him. He had just waved to Jack and went into his room, leaving the door open a crack. When she turned back to Jack she was suprised to see he was looking at her son's cracked door with a very thoughtful gleam in his eyes, then he shifted it to her, and after a moment he stood and walked behind the couch, shifting that gaze across the whole house before settling back on her.
She was tempted to ask him what was wrong before he abruptly turned and walked over to the small dining table and removed something from one of his pockets. She watched as he reached and scooped up a pen that was on the table and began to write something, after a moment he finished writing what ever he was writing, she thought maybe it was his phone number, before he returned the pen and walked back over to her. He stuck out a paw handing her the piece of paper and she took it asking "what is this Jack?" He looked her dead in the eyes and replied "that is a check for 165,000 thousand dollars."
*Perspective shift*
Jack was enjoying talking to Vivian immensely. This was probably the longest he'd talked with another mammal in over a year, and definitely the most enjoyable conversation in at least three. He wouldn't try to argue against the fact that he was a solitary fox almost on hermit levels, during training he only spoke when spoken to and kept it brief and never socialized with any of the others there, in the outside world he never went anywhere unless it was necessary and didn't go out of his way to speak at all. Jack just mostly stayed at one of his many homes throughout the districts, learning, reading, inventing, the list goes on. Yes he was a solitary mammal, and if he was a wolf he'd be the textbook definition of a lone wolf, there would probably even be a picture of him right next to the definition in a dictionary. But talking with Vivian like this made him want to actually try to socialize when he got back from Afuristan, and thinking about that he figured he should tell her that he was deploying tomorrow. He didn't know why, but he felt she should know for some reason.
During the end of their conversation his left ear swiveled in the direction of the hallway as he heard what he assumed as Nicholas' rooms door opening. Shifting his gaze off of Vivian he looked down the hallway and saw Nicholas exit his room, he was wearing red pajamas with a red shirt that would make any soft hearted mammal go awwww, but Jack settled for a little smile. Nicholas waved at him as he walked by and told Vivian he was going to do some homework before turning and going back towards his room waving at Jack again as he went past. Jack waved back curious about why Nicholas didn't stay and join them, then his thoughts turned darker. "He doesn't deserve this, having to live here, having his choices be so limited. Neither does Vivian, she has to work three goddamn jobs just to provide for them, and probably can't achieve her dream because of it. This is bull! They don't deserve to live like this! Not her, not him!... I have to do something."
He decided there was only one thing he could really do, the world works on fuel, and that fuel was money. "Lets see, they need to move out of Happytown, my apartment complex in Sahara Sqaure has vacancies, at least three. Vivian needs a car as I didn't see one, she also needs a new job... Demetri needed a new secretary, that jobs good pay, and with prior experience and a good word from me and shes practically already hired. Most of those medical books were nursing, that must be her dream, regardless she should get a degree at the least, it'll double her pay in the future and give her pay during a 1.5 times increase, so college perhaps... Dean at Sahara University could get her accepted in, he owes me a favor anyways after that mix up last time I was getting another degree. For nursing itself...in about six months Sparrowtail General Hospital opens up in Sahara Sqaure, it's gonna need good nurses and I know for a fact she won't be discriminated against."
With his thoughts sorted and set for Vivian he shifted to Nicholas. "Nicholas, he needs to go to a different school, earlier Vivian said he goes to the general public schools and those are brutal to foxes...there's that private school, Paragon Grove in Sahara Sqaure about fifteen minutes from Sparrowtail Industries Headquarters, it has a strict no bullying policy that will get kits ejected for doing it so Nicholas won't have to worry about that, it's the most prestigious school in Zootopia, but Nicholas getting a recommendation and endorsement from the CEO of Sparrowtail Industries and a endorsement from a military officer should take care of any problems getting him in. The school's a little pricey but he'll get the best damn education possible free from bullying and with Vivian's job, paying for it should be no issue once she's settled in. All in all 155,000 should cover it all, but I'll give them 165,000, the other 5,000 can be spending money however Vivian likes. She can of course reject all of this or some of this, but I'm offering it no matter what."
With his plan set Jack focused fully back in on the real world and quickly stood up. He walked over to the small dining room table and reached into his left pocket and pulled out his check book, opened it up, borrowed a pen from the table, and wrote the check. Taking the check out he returned the book to his pocket and walked back over to Vivian check in paw. He saw her confused expression and gave it to her, Vivian tentatively took it from him while asking "What is this Jack?" He looked her dead in the eyes and simply said "it's a check for 165,000 dollars." In an instant Vivian looked like she had just been electrocuted. All of her fur puffed out and her eyes widened immensely in surprise and she squeaked out "what!?"
Jack almost wanted to laugh at her reaction, almost. Instead he calmly repeated himself with a bit added to it. "Vivian that in your paws is a check I wrote to YOU for 165,000 dollars." Vivian's mouth opened and closed several times before she rapidly shook her head a few times, and after that she said "Jack I couldn't possibly take this much money from you! not only that why!? Why would you give me any money!? I should be giving you money for what you did for my little Nicky!" Jack shook his head at that and began to explain.
"Look Vivian for starters, I'm rich. I am a majority stock holder at Sparrowtail Industries, in simple terms I'm a millionaire. I'm the first fox millionaire and the youngest millionaire in Zootopia Vivian, after you cash that check I'll still have 114,000,873 dollars and 76 cents to spend, so money's no issue for me! Secondly, you and Nicholas deserve better than living in the slums of Zootopia, you having to work three jobs just to provide and still barely make enough to do it! And Nicholas shouldn't go to the general public schools were education is questionable and specism runs rampant! Seeing you and him having to live like this bothers me in more ways than you could possibly understand, and giving you that money is my way of helping you find a way out...you see this? *Jack traces the scar on his neck* I got this when I was four years old living in a house here in Happytown, right after I was forced to watch my parents be stabbed multiple times and in the case of my dad also shot. Then the mammal holding me stabbed me right here in the neck and left me to bleed out and die, and for extra measure my home was set ablaze. I managed to make it to my parents and got a sort of goodbye from each of them before they died right there, holding each others paws. Then I barely managed to make it out before the house collapsed. After that I was shipped off to an orphanage where naturally I ran away after two years and I came back to the only place I knew, and because of all of that if I took off the top portion of this uniform I could show a dozen of this scar's friends on my back that I got when I was five."
He paused his speech for a moment to take a deep breath, Vivian currently had her paws covering in muzzle in horror and shock and fresh tears streamed down her face, tears for him, and he still couldn't understand why he didn't like to see her or Nicholas for that matter cry. But he continued regardless, she had to hear this. "Sure Vivian, Happtown has improved a lot in fourteen years but it's still a crime riddeled slum and you know this. You don't deserve to live here, and Nicholas certainly doesn't either, you live here because you have to. But not anymore. With that money you could move out tomorrow! Worried about fidnding a new place? Sable Ridge Apartments, 1955 Cyprus Grove Lane, Sahara Square; a kind black and brown wolf by the name of Marcus Oliver is the landlord and he has absolutely no issue with having foxes as tenants. (the irony that one of his fake identies was a grey wolf with that name was beyond him.) most of the apartments are about the size of this house or bigger and in hell of a lot better condition. Worried about finding a job? Sparrowtail Industires Headquarters, the CEO of Sparrowtail Industries is in need of a new secretary, and I know him personally. One recommendation from me and your prior experience, one formal interview and the job is yours, starting pay is 25,000 a year. How do I know you have prior experience? You left your paycheck open on the table over there and I saw it when I borrowed the pen."
He paused again to take another deep breath. Vivian was no longer crying but still locked absolutely shell shocked, and after a moment said "I..don't...I don't...I.." Jack let a little smile show before cutting her off and continuing. "I saw on the bookshelf all of those medical books, most of them on nursing, I take it that's your dream? To be a nurse?" *Vivian nods on instinct* "well that requires education and a degree. Sahara University, the dean owes me a favor, I can get you accepted in but you're gonna have to do all of the work naturally. Worried about finding a hospital that will hire you? Sparrowtail General Hospital opens in six months, its going to need good nurses and when you finally get certified as one I know for a fact that they won't hesitate to hire you, because if they don't I will rain down fury and hellfire upon them because they would have turned away one of the best damn nurses that'll ever hit Zootopia. How do I know you'll be an amazing nurse? Call it an intuition. Now for Nicholas, he's in the horrid public schools system. Paragon Grove private school, its the most prestigious school in all of Zootopia. It has a strict no bullying and no specism policy, so he wouldn't have to worry about that. Worried about him getting accepted in? A sponsorship and endorsement from the CEO of Sparrowtail Industries and an endorsement from a military officer, I.e. me, should take care of that. Worried about transportation for all of it? There's plenty in there to buy a nice sedan or SUV...worried about paying for it all? You're holding a check for 165,000 dollars."
*Perspective shift*
Vivian stared at the check Jack had just handed her in utter shock. She couldn't even comprehend why he had just gave her a check for 165,000 dollars adressed to HER, and Vivian voiced as much. "Jack I couldn't possibly take this much money from you! not only that why!? Why would you give me any money!? I should be giving you money for what you did for my little Nicky!" She bacame even more confused when he shook his head, then he started explaining.
When Jack said he was a millionaire she felt like her eyes would pop out of her skull and a ton of questions flooded her brain like why if he was rich did he join the military among others, and she wanted to voice them but he just kept talking. He began laying out her and Nicholas' predicaments in life, where they were forced to be. It was something she already knew well about and was ready to question him more...then he traced the scar on his neck with two claws.
Jack told her how he got the scar and tears immediately sprung from her eyes and her paws snapped to cover her muzzle. She couldn't fathom it at all, his parents murdered in front of him, followed by him being stabbed himself, and then his family home being set ablaze!? Then being sent to an orphanage, they might as well have just shot him there in the street! All foxes knew what orphanages did to them, and the fact that Jack ran away and came out with according to him a dozen scars on his back...She thought she had a tough run a life so far, but it was NOTHING compared to what Jack had been put through. After he finished telling his story of how he got that scar he stopped his speech and took a deep breath, even though he hid it well Vivian could tell that recalling that day however brief shook him. She took that moment to grab a wipe her eyes and try and recompose herself a little, she was confident she had until Jack started talking again.
He started laying out all the things she could do and as fast as her brain could formulate the reasons why even if she did things wouldn't work out Jack told her the solution to all of them. He just lined her up a new home and a new job for crying out loud! "Why is he doing this? He's just told me I could use this money to change me and Nicky's lives, and then went a dozen steps further by laying out where we could live, where I could work! I need to say something! I...I...I..I don't...I..ashdejskskajsnowbsgoniokjhiptdeo..*ERROR! ERROR! Brain Malfunction! Brain Malfunction! Shock and stimulus overload! ERROR!*" Anything she thought of saying went instantly on hold as she tried to reboot and comprehend all of this and her voice reflected such. "I...I don't...I don't...I" While her brain was busy rebooting it did log Jack's ever so slight smile directed at her before it disappeared as quick as it came and he began to speak again
With her brain mostly back on track when Jack asked her if being a nurse was her dream she on instinct nodded in conformation, that might have turn out to have been a mistake as Jack immediately blew her mind again. He told her what college to apply to, that he could guarantee she got in, and then told her what hostpital without a doubt would hire her. Her brain became a jumbled mess again of thoughts and emotions with only slight coherent thoughts inbetween it all like what about her Nicky, and then as if he was reading her mind he told her that too. Told her that she should apply to have him go to the most prestigious school in Zootopia, a school she could now afford to send him to, and that he could also guarantee her son would get accpeted in. Then after that he added she could now afford to buy a car, and then ended his entire speech with "worried about paying for it all? You're holding a check for 165,000 dollars."
She just sat there absolutely still in complete shock and her brain was busy trying to reboot itself, it was nearing a minute and she was able to notice Jack's concern at her lack of well, anything besides breathing and moved closer to her taking a knee right in front of her. Seeing his eyes staring right into hers brought her brain back online and since she didn't trust her mouth enough to form words at the moment she just settled for grabbing Jack and hugging him again. This time Jack hugged her back still lightly, but with no hesitation.
As they hugged Vivian couldn't help but have a few tears of pure joy form and fall onto Jack's uniform, but as far as she was concerned they were well warranted. This tod in a single night took care of her son and got him justice at the same time, and then handed her the keys to a better life for her and Nicky. She still didn't fully understand why he was doing this and at this point didn't care, she knew he wasn't doing it as some elaborate plan to get into her pants, she like any other vixen could tell when a tod was "interested" in them in that way and Jack exhibited none of it, so he could keep the rest of his reasons. The ones he provided were good enough for now.
After about another minute of hug and a few more tears of joy pittering onto Jack's uniform Vivian felt more than saw a little grin form on his muzzle and he said "you know, I didn't know vixens could be so emotional." Vivian thumped him on the chest lightly and ended the hug replying with humor in her tone "hey! You just overloaded me with information and emotions, took care of and got justice for my Nicky, and then gave me the keys to a new life for me and him in a single night! I think emotional vixen mode is warranted!"
Jack had gone and sat back down and they had continued talking again for another fifteen minutes about varying topics before it seemed Jack was bringing it to a close, he had pulled out his phone and checked the time, grimacing a little at what it read. Apparently he had lost track of time. During him checking his phone Vivian saw her little Nicky poke his head out his bedroom looking at them before opening it fully and starting to walk out. Jack suddenly stood and said "I'm sorry but it seems I lost track of time, to busy enjoying our conversation, but I need to go. I ship out at 0800 so I need to get home and get ready." Vivian tilted her head in question at that and said "what do you mean ship out Jack?" Jack looked at her a replied "well I mentioned I showed my deployment papers to FoxAway senior right? Well my deployment papers say, tomorrow at 0800 sharp I am to report to HardWood Military Base in Periton to be loaded up and shipped off to Afuristan on my first deployment. It's supposed to last eight months at least and a whole year at the most depending on rotations and such."
Vivian was shocked at this, sure she knew he said he had deployment orders but she didn't know he had to leave tomorrow! Before she could say anything Jack moved over to her dining table again and borrowed the same pen and a scrap piece of paper, scribbled something on it before returning the pen and walking back over to her. He handed her the piece of paper and said "that's my phone number, when I get back from Afuristan you can keep in touch with me if you want, and especially use that if you or Nicholas need anything. I'm rich and I have influence that I never use but in your and his case's I won't hesitate to use them. But for now this is goodbye Vivian..is it alright if I say farewell to Nicholas as well though?"
Vivian was surprised that he gave her his number and at his statement, but her heart warmed when he asked if he could say goodbye to her son before he left, he seemed to care for Nicholas a lot, certainly more than his own damn father. Before she could say anything though her son ran into the living room and yelled out of "yes you can!" Before practically launching himself at Jack. Jack's eyes widened a little before he quickly dropped down to one knee and met Nicholas' hug head on, hugging him fully. Her Nicky practically buried his head in the fur of Jack's next, Vivian got an urge and quickly pulled out her phone snapping a photo of their embrace before returning her phone to her pocket and ingrainimg this moment to her memory. After almost a minute her Nicky ended the hug and stepped back. Jack smiled widely at him before standing again and picking up his cap off of the coffee table and donning it. He then moved towards the door and opened it but before he could exit her son yelled out "wait!"
Jack stopped dead in his tracks and turned back to face them, looking down at her son Jack tilted his head in question. Overcome with a sudden urge Vivian pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of Jack while he was in that pose before putting her phone back, Jack never even noticed her take the photo and Vivian still didn't know why she had the urge to take it. Focusing back in on her son she also tilted her head in question, after a moment of what appeared to be her son thinking his eyes lit up and he pointed a paw at Jack a yelled out "please wait right there!" Before dashing into his room, both her and Jack's heads tilted even more before they glanced at each other. Jack raised an eyebrow in question at her and she just shrugged in response before returning to waiting for her son to return, and after a few moments he came back out of his room holding something in his right paw.
As he ran back towards Jack she noticed it was his Junior Ranger Scouts handkerchief that he had been so proud to have been wearing earlier in the day. Now more confused she watched as her son handed it to Jack and said "here, I want you to have this." She watched Jack tentatively take the handkerchief from her son and looking at it before looking back at his son and asking "why would you want to give me this little one?" She watched as her son shuffled his feet a little before he answered "when I put that on it made me feel brave and proud, maybe if you wear it it'll do the same for you. And maybe it will give you something to hold onto if things get dark." Vivian put a paw on her mouth at that, but the gesture seemed to mean a lot more to Jack. He looked back and forth at her son and the handkerchief for a moment before taking it and wrapping it tight before tying it around his right wrist, once it was secured on his wrist Jack dropped back down to one knee and hugged her son again. After a moment he said "thank you for this little one, I'll always wear it, well unless it needs a wash then it goes right back to where it is now. I think I could use a little of all of that." He then ended the hug and stood, then walked out the door. He tuned and grabbed the handle and looked back at her and her son who had moved to stand beside her and said "I'm sure I'll see you both again." Then he closed the door.
annndd done! Did that tug on your heartstrings? It tugged on mine!
Yes Skye is that Skye, and the mystery male totally isn't a certain Striped Jackrabbit *wink wink
Marcus Oliver is a nod to ThaRedPanda and their story Two Against The World. Paragon Grove is borrowed from Dancing Lunar Wolves and their story In Our Dreams. If you haven't checked out their stories yet (which is unlikely but still) you should do so, definitely worth the read! 1955 Cyprus Grove Lane is from...well a lot of stories actually but it comes from the movie originally. (Can't believe I forgot about that *facepalm*) thanks Beecroft and Guest for reminding me, it was around 1 when I typed that part brain wasn't working properly, still can't believe I forgot about that.
Next time on A Father Figure! Jack makes some calls, returns to a home he hasn't visited in awhile to get ready, and meets an old friend. Vivian meets up with Skye and tells her about Jack, and begins unlocking the door using the key she was given to a better life for her and her son.
Thus begins Chapter Three: Old Freinds Give The Best Advice
This is TheConcernedF0X signing off! Until next time!