Welcome back my dearest readers.

The rubber is really going to hit the road now. We're in the final stretch.

WHAT'S THIS?! NICK?! Seems rumor of his demise was premature. Though it seems like he has some work to do in order to pull himself together. Literally. And Judy… I'm sure you were wondering what happened. I mean, her eyes did glow back when she went into labor after all.

On with the show!

I do not own and thus can claim no rights to Zootopia or its characters. They belong to Disney.

Chapter 17

HELL

Lucifer looked up from the grill, a concerned and confused look on his muzzle as he looked around trying to locate the source of the sensation passing across Cerberus. Cerberus themself had risen at the same time from their spot curled on the couch, their three heads tracking around. The assembled foxes, demons, and others all freeze as the other higher beings, including Karun, Gabriel, and over a dozen others attending the Barbeque held in Nick's honor, did the same.

Lucifer looked at Karun. "Mom? What am I sensing?"

She shrugged, stepping closer to him. "I don't know. Whatever it is has a strong connection here, but it's happening in the living world. It feels almost like, Nick."

"You don't think Judy has figured a way to force a re-manifestation of him?"

Karun shook her head. "No, that would feel different, as would her trying to reach back in time to pull him free of what happened. I mean… I felt her do something with time, but it was far more subtle than that would be. Could it be possible that he actually survived it somehow and is re-manifesting on his own?"

Lucifer's eyebrows went up. "That's so not my area of expertise. To answer that, we would have to reach out to… Him."

Karun frowned with a look of severe distaste. "No. That price could be the curiosity of what is happening, or an ask none of us are willing to pay."

Lucifer nodded. "Okay, yeah. Solution of last resort. You still haven't said what it cost you to get the information to create universes."

Karun rolled her eyes. "I just had to have a long conversation with him about the whole thing. Basically, if I couldn't understand the process I didn't deserve the knowledge, but if I could, I got it from the conversation itself. He's weird, and old, in ways that make us look like newborns."

Lucifer cringed. "I met him that one time. You could tell, and yet he hangs around so many mortals and beings so much less powerful than he is. Why?"

"Same reason we do. He doesn't want to become aloof like the Rheethuulia. He's actually older than most of them, yet he is still able to interact on a mortal's level. He does it so he doesn't become detached like that."

Lucifer looked around again. "I suppose we will have to visit Judy soon, then. Whatever it is, it is close to her."

Karun nodded. "I agree. It also bears investigating what she has done that had her manipulating things across time. Whatever it was didn't disturb the flow of things, but definitely altered an outcome."

Lucifer turned back to the grill, starting to pull burgers off. "After the party is over, but I think we should take a few of us. To be safe, as it's a full unknown."

"Agreed, now give me one with cheese."

The Living World

A month after the events that resulted in Judy wielding her power.

City council chambers.

Judy smiled. "So, you have all had a chance to review the proposal. Happytown has the lab facilities best suited to study the variant and the empty space to house them. We'll set up a barn, fencing, and monitoring. They are all already equipped with the personal GPS tracking implants developed and now used in the prison system. Such escapes as allowed this to happen can't happen again. So even if it wears off ten minutes from now, we can track them.

The proposed field should be more than large enough to let them graze, and we can harvest some of the other empty lots as well, if needed. It is also a great community service opportunity for those that need to complete such, and will be cheaper than any other option proposed."

Another council member shook his head. "But they are walking around naked, because they are simple beasts now. It's… perverse."

Judy groaned internally. "Only to you, Samuel. The Happytown ZU Campus is eager to study them from an anthropological standpoint. If you had bothered to look at the proposal, rather than assuming, you would have seen that they won't be exposed to the community, as you imply. It will be surrounded by privacy fencing, in two layers. Only a giraffe or other megafauna will be able to see over it, and the proposal includes drone monitoring and megafauna to patrol, for that very reason.

The fact is, this is the most secure, and cheapest option for the city. So please, get over your little moral freak out. The only mammals that are sexualizing or worried about the fact that they are not wearing clothes, are you and religious busy bodies like you."

Samuel frowned and scoffed as if offended. "Miss Hopps!"

Judy slammed her paw on the table, the sound shockingly loud. "Samuel, tread very carefully. You were one of the mammals that voted and arranged for Nick's body to be disposed of with the unclaimed. You were part of the mammals that changed city records, altered documents, and nullified our marriage after his death. You only avoided actual criminal accountability because you signed off on it, but were not directly otherwise involved. Smart of you really.

However, because of you, I still have not gotten any survivor or spousal benefits. I've not gotten anything I should have, and only because Nick was a fox, and you couldn't get past your own religiously based bigotry to allow him to be recognized. For that matter, you also were the one that actually flagged his entire record as an officer, which called mine into question as well, and supported, in secret, the lawsuit that forced me to resign less than two days after Nick was killed.

So not only was there no body, because you expedited the unclaimed processing. Doing so interfered with an ongoing investigation. But the flagging of his record means no benefits could be processed even without the illegal changes to the city records. It also prevents him from being recognized as an officer killed in the line of duty. Something any other officer would have been granted, and again, only because he was a fox!

So I say again, Samuel. Tread lightly. You know my name. So don't misname me. You know my mates name, since you helped try and destroy his legacy and erase him. Were it not for the redundant backups of the ZPD and city, put in place because of Bellwether, who you supported I might add, what you did would have been lost. Those records were restored, but you still managed to prevent him from being recognized and me from receiving what I am due, because of the flagging of his service record. It'll probably be years before the tribunal even gets a chance to start working on the review of his and my cases.

You helped force me out, so I am not eligible for my own pension, and because of you, I may never see Nick's. Even our kits may be in their thirties before they see it. All the benefits they should be due, having a parent killed in the line of duty will be denied them, because he was a fox. Because you cannot get over your own bigotry. So tread carefully, Samuel."

The entire council looked between Judy and Samuel. Samuel looked split between backing down and screaming in response. The seconds ticked as Judy stared Samuel down with her savage slit eyes.

Finally Samuel stood up. "I don't have to put up with this. I will be filing a formal complaint, Miss Hopps."

Judy grinned at him. "Good! The discovery process, will include a lot. Not the least of which will be the minutes from this and other meetings where you've denigrated Nick, expressed specist stereotypes, misnamed me, and openly opposed my proposal to undo what you did, and openly admit to doing, just because he was a fox."

Judy stood on her chair, glaring daggers at him. "All that will be publicly available immediately upon my response. So please, make my rutting millennium you religious bigot, and file that complaint. Or, do the smart thing. Sit your specist tail back in that chair, stop being a whiny kit, and do your rutting job! Actually represent your constituents for once in your miserable existence, and do what is best for the city, instead of your donors."

Samuel Herrrring snarled, but sat back down, arms crossed angrily. The council agreed to the proposal, with his no vote, though he didn't block it further at that point. They also took up the other proposals Judy had, which Judy abstained from. Samuel, as the ranking member, did not block them from being considered this time, and they all passed. It would take some time, a few months, but the flagging of her and Nick's records, and all the other issues and blocks from him receiving his due recognition would be gone. Judy knew Bogo and Ben already had someone planned as soon as they could legally do it.

Happytown already have a Nick Wilde Boulevard, the new junior high school was named Wilde Memorial and had a mural created by students in the entry hall of him. The rest of the city may not have recognized him, though now they finally could, but Happytown had made sure he'd never be forgotten.

xXx

Judy arrived home late, slipping into the house and the kit's room. Kissing each, after which she changed and headed for the kitchen. She was making a sandwich as Skye appeared in only panties.

Judy chuckled at the bed fur shy was sporting. "It's not even winter yet."

Skye shrugged, pulled some bottles of water from the fridge. "What? You gonna tell me that you and Nick weren't like this?"

Nick walked into the room, much more solid, but still missing pieces. His upper right arm was just not there. There were holes in both ears, and several sections of his tail. It was clear that he was incomplete. "If she did, she'd be lying."

Judy grinned. "Hush, Nick. You're looking more complete tonight. How did the kits behave today?"

I'd claim they were perfect angels, but that'd be a flat lie. If I didn't have the soul shards to help keep an eye on them, they wouldn't have even tried to behave."

Judy nodded, finishing up her sandwich as Skye slipped back into the primary bedroom. "So that's what you are calling them now?"

Nick shrugged, fading out to a cloud of dust which flew over and filled an open urn. "I spent the day interacting with them. That is what they are. Well, really they are souls. They're leftovers from the infection, but not. They came over with the rest, but were not with it. They seem to have been purified and were what protected me from being actually destroyed when I did what I did.

Now they're kinda attached to me. They do as I say, like extensions."

Lucifer stepped into the room. "Judy. Did I hear Nick?"

Nick chuckled. "Hey! Good to see you. Yes, I am here, but also not yet. I was just explaining what I learned about how I survived while not actually surviving."

Lucifer pulled up a stool to the kitchen island. "Okay, do go on then."

Nick chuckled. "So, after that, thing, attacked and I was infected. As you know, I took power from you, Karun, and everyone else there. I used that, poured my very existence into it and achieved fusion. Boom! I destroyed the infection and myself in the process.

However, there was more than just that thing that entered me. It was this undulating, formless mass of consumed souls. All fully mad and operating as one to devour anything they came into contact with. Me, at that moment.

The others are souls from consumed universes that were not themselves consumed. They attach to it like lamprey with a shark. And when they can, they try to carve off as much of a soul being consumed as possible to add to their own number.

They had started doing that when I did what I did. It's why I survived the process long enough to pour all that I did into you, Fluff. Since I had probably ninety five percent of my soul separated from the part being consumed and therefore destroyed, they dragged everything they could into a sort of subspace.

They were essentially trying to get away from being destroyed as well. They were partially successful. The blast purified them if you will, and cauterized the parts of my soul that were raw from being severed, while also fusing them to me. Not pleasant I promise, and something it has taken time to even begin to understand.

Now I am me, plus. They are from other existences. They are also beyond time. They have long ago lost who and what they were in most cases. A few have retained small parts of their former existence. They just knew the need to save as much as they could. Now as part of me, fused to me, they're like extensions of myself.

They are not fully independent, but they each have the residual of the being they were. The purpose they had. So I've been communicating with them as best I'm able. They're like semi sentient animals. There is some small spark there, but they operate mostly off me.

They have some bits burned into their existence, memories of their once was. Still, they slowly were becoming part of the other thing. Eventually they would succumb. It happened a lot, which is why they did as they do. Trying to save others. And fighting against it, weakening it whenever they can.

The blast burned that taint out of them and made them part of this existence by fusing them with me. After we came to, the way we entered that subspace was sealed. Likely by the blast I created. So we worked our way here, following Judy's scent, if you will.

You were like a beacon, Fluff. I was drawn to you. We swore an oath that transcends death. I think it was why the other wasn't able to consume me quickly, which gave them the chance to carve off as much as they did.

You saved me, Fluff. In so many ways. You saved me. Now I'm trying to collect enough of my old body to properly manifest. Not sure what to do beyond that. I have the desire from the shards. That's what I call them, and they seem to like that term. Shards or soul shards.

But I have the desire to fight the other, and keep it from devouring this universe. If possible, from devouring any more universes. I can sense it. Out there beyond space and time. Its madness is like a malevolent presence just beyond the edge of your hearing. You know it's there. Just out of reach.

If it ever breaches into our universe again, I will know it and will go there intent on killing it, but at least driving it back."

Lucifer nodded as Karun entered the kitchen. "So, Nicky. You survived and got extras in the process. But how much of you actually survived? How much of you now, is not these others?"

"I can't answer that. Most of me survived. The soul shards are small. Like animal souls. They filled up the parts I lost to the other. They were fused to me, but are still free, sorta. If I am not giving them direction, they will flit about and wander. As soon as I give focus or direction, they instantly snap to my intention.

The most they influence me is the desire to protect this universe and destroy the other if possible. Whereas they act like smart drones for me. I can give them orders. Send them off and see from their viewpoint, hear what they do. I have one watching each kit while they sleep."

Karun nodded. "It would help if we could see this."

Judy had finished eating her sandwich while Nick had described things. "Nick. Back yard?"

"Good idea, Fluff."

A few minutes later Judy, Karun, Lucifer, and a dozen other beings stood around the fire pit in the backyard. Judy had Nick's urn. Some dust swirled about, the dust and ash in the urn flowing out and forming Nick.

Once as formed as he could be, and standing over the fire pit, Nick smiled. "Hi! So…" closing his eyes a moment, several bright blue white spheres, about an inch in size appeared. As the seconds ticked by, some yellow ones also appeared, all glowing gently, like steady fireflies. When Nick opened his eyes again, his right eye wasn't fully there.

The spheres moved around slowly, seeming to orbit him. "This isn't all of them, just the strongest and youngest. So they've lost less of what they were." Holding out a paw, the largest greenish one settled in his palm. "This is Deeter.

They actually remember their name, sort of. It's one of the words they remember and identify with it, so that's their name. They were neither male nor female, and not both either."

Nick was standing over the fire pit, as he concentrated, more of him fell into it creating more gaps in his image. Deeter shifted into a vague shape. Four forelimbs, six rear, two tails with possible spikes at the end. No clear head.

"That's what they remember of themselves. Not a lot of detail, and I have worked with them to get that much. The issue is, Deeter was from a stone, maybe bronze age world when the devourer arrived. It was bigger than their world at that point so it just consumed it, and their people along with it.

Because it was so late in the process, the redeemers, closest I can get to what they call themselves, were able to save more in a whole or intact state, like me. So they've hung onto who and what they were longer."

Deeter wandered off and a larger, brighter, blue one landed. "This is Went. That is their name. Went was similar to us, but had 4 legs. Through what I would call mental discipline, Went has maintained the most. Their form as described, and that they were both male and female, is all they remember. They had young both ways, but were male default.

They gave up the full memory of their form to keep other things. Went was from an intergalactic society, and they fought hard against the devourer. They preserved much of the knowledge of their people.

Really, Went seems to have been chosen as a kind of storage device. They don't wander far. Their identity, form, the person they were generally sacrificed to preserve the knowledge. They are so bright because they were boosted in some way so it would last longer.

Much of the data on the edges is now corrupt and unreadable, but I'm working with Went to get at the rest. But first we kinda have to scrape the rest off. Like removing the dead tissue so the new, fresh can replace it.

There are a few others I have named because they are smart, but not intelligent. Even Deeter and Went are not more than clever animals."

Karun moved amongst them. "Fascinating. I wonder how much they lost saving you?"

The now very thin and transparent Nick shrugged. "I'm sorry. That's another question I do not have an answer for."

Skye and Jack stepped out to the back, Jack smiling up at her, neither wearing a thing and towels in paw. Both froze about halfway to the spa. Jack gulped. "Uhm… Judy?"

Judy face-pawed herself as Nick laughed, the last of his dust falling into the fire pit. "Well, Jack. Skye. I'd like you to meet Lucifer, Karun, Gabriel, and some of the other beings I have told you about."

Gabriel waved. "Hi." Then waved at the shards as they began swarm and circle around him. "What's up with these things? Call them off!"

Karun motioned the others away from him. "Nicholas? Explain."

Nick's voice came from close to Gabriel. "He smells of the other, the Devourer. The shards react to its presence, its taint. Gabriel has been exposed. I can't tell if he's been infected. If so, it isn't like I was. This is more subtle. Like what it was trying to talk me into. A tiny piece of it, burrowing away. Have you been extra hungry lately?"

Gabriel glared around at the others. "This is insane! You're listening to the disembodied voice of a fox that's now dead twice over."

Lucifer stepped closer. "Gabe. You really went crazy at the party. It was as if there wasn't enough just for you. Did you come into contact with it when we were fighting it?"

Gabriel shook his head. "No! We've seen what happens when that happens. It's how we lost Dees."

Karun frowned. "We need to see."