Welcome back my dearest readers.

NICK IS REALLY BACK! Well, mostly… and with some extras it seems. But what is happening with Gabriel? He too has been tainted by the Devourer? That seems bad. This can't be good. We're almost there. Hang on, it is gonna get even crazier before the end.

Devourer… That seems like a good term for that extra-dimensional horror that wants to… devour our universe, no?

You, my dear readers need to understand. I'm a Pantster. I learn what is happening as I write it, just as you do as you read it. Nick being gone, hurt me, like I figure it hurt a lot of you. Thanks for sticking it out.

On with the show!

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

Chapter 18

Karun exercised her own power and the backyard filled with the image of the fight. Judy had to sit as she watched Nick impaled again. They watched, and now knowing to actually look, could see what happened with him as the shards pulled him away.

The view shifted, showing Gabriel as he hacked away at the tentacles with the rest. They watched as there was a splash of gore against him. He avoided most of it, but several small spots could be seen hitting his fur and then vanishing.

Gabriel gasped, then started crying. "No!... No… I didn't know. I've been hungry, yes, but I just thought it was a shift. Like when I grew in my second wings." Looking up at Karun. "I don't want to be destroyed."

Karun frowned sadly. "You're not really affected yet. We'll try everything we can before we get there. But if we get there, you know you won't be you anymore."

"I'd rather you just get it over with now. I don't want to get like Dees. Just…" Gabriel collapsed to his knees, tears falling. "Just do it."

Karun nodded and produced a spear, raising it as it started to glow with an almost violent light. "I'm so sorry."

Nick shouted. "Wait! There may be an option other than that."

Karun lowered her spear. "Speak."

Nick gave an audible sigh. "Look. He's been tainted, maybe even infected, but it has not progressed very far. If I can get the rest of myself together. If I can properly remanifest. I may be able to fully identify if it is just a taint that has not fully become an infection, or if it is a full infection, how bad it is.

Then I, with the help of the shards, I can try and burn out the infection or taint. I am not going to promise anything, but it's a chance. It's what they want to do, are driven to do. I can control them, direct them, but it's kind of a need with them. After having been infected myself, it's something I feel deeply."

Karun nodded. "I assume talking, holding what of you that you have located, takes energy."

"It does. Quite a bit, actually. The shards and I spend a good deal of the day searching for bits of me. I get stronger. I can feel it out there. I just can't draw it to me."

Judy growled. "Nick. Are you saying that you just need some energy to draw the rest of your former body to you?"

Coming from right in front of her. "Yes, Fluff. That's all I need, but…"

"Show yourself, Nick. As much of you as you've got."

The dust and ash from the fire pit and a bit more from the urn flowing into a spot right in front of her, and the incomplete image of Nick appears. "I am right here, Judy." Kneeling in front of her. "I will always be right here. Right next to you, even if you can't see or hear me. Before the fight with the Devourer, I was getting ready to look into my way back to you.

It was the hardest, yet easiest decision I have ever made. Leaving you alone for real. Sacrificing myself to ensure you were protected, but knowing you would go through the length of our promise alone because I would be no more. The alternative wasn't worth considering.

It told me. I could feel it. It was clawing through me, trying to get to the connection to you. If I didn't stop it, you would have been its immediate next victim. That would have been a bigger violation of my oath to you than anything else."

Judy looked at Nick with nothing but love. "Oh, Nick. I know all that. I watched it happen, live. I felt you through it all. I felt what it was trying to do to you. I pushed everything I could through the link to you. Only to get slammed into by a flood the other direction. That flood of power is what made me go into labor.

I know you. I forgave you the moment you made the decision. Now, take my paws. Forgive yourself, and as my mate, ask me. This life and the next. Until the stars burn out and whatever comes after. We promised that to each other. Well, we're already at the, whatever comes after, part. So stop being a dumb fox, Slick. Stop beating yourself up for doing the right thing. The only thing that could be done at that moment. Now take my paws, and ask, Nicholas Piberius WildeHopps."

Tears would clearly fall, were Nick capable of crying at that moment. The shards collected around, circling them both. "Judith Laverne HoppsWilde. My mate in this life and the next. Until the stars burn out and whatever comes after. I call upon you in my moment of need. Help me in your way. Grant me the power to be whole again. To be fully your mate again."

Judy gave a watery grin. "With love and joy."

Judy closed her eyes, and when she opened them, they glowed with a bright violet light. Lightning began to arc across her body, as well as tendrils of green and purple flames.

The green flames flowed into Nick and he began to glow with a green internal light. With only a small tendril of green left on Judy, a small tendril in purple joined the green now infusing Nick. The lightning then arced from Judy to Nick and back, causing him to stiffen. As Nick started to glow even brighter, a breeze kicked up as a flow of dust and ash from multiple directions carried on that breeze, flowed into Nick.

Nick began to fill in until the breeze ended. Closing his eyes he became more and more solid. With a burst of light, he fell on his butt, blinking as his eyes, glowing green in counter to Judy's violet glow. The shards spun around rapidly, trilling in joy.

Judy stood and reached out to Nick tentatively. "Nick?" Gasping as her paw actually came into contact with him, and the fact that he was warm. Nick's eyes went wide at the contact, closing just as quickly as they wrapped around each other.

It took several minutes for the two of them to separate. They, and the now much brighter shards turned their attention on Gabriel, both of their eyes glowing even brighter and slitted. Seeing this, the large winged lion took a step back. "Uhm…"

Nick smirked, he and Judy stepped to opposite sides of Gabriel. The shards swirling around and bathing him in light. Nick nodded. "It was just a taint. Just exposure. But it's grown into an actual infection. Can you sense it, Judy?"

Judy nodded. "Now that we're reconnected, and the link is back, absolutely. You know that you were still tainted."

"Were, being the operative. You burned the last of it out, and out of the shards. Let's do Gabe here, the same favor."

Judy nodded. "Gabe. This is going to hurt. A lot."

Nick nodded in response. "She is not kidding. I was in a transition state, so I dodged most of it. Like a burning itch. For you, it's going to be like being flayed alive."

Gabe looked nervously between the two mammals. "It'll free me of it? I'll be okay, after?"

Nick shrugged. "Free of it, yes. Will you be okay? Can't answer that. But it isn't big yet. It'll be kinda like cauterizing a wound, with no anesthetic. Major surgery without anesthesia. That sort of thing. Just tell us when you are ready."

"I'm never gonna be so let's just do this."

In the next moment Nick was engulfed in green flames, Judy in violet flames, and both crackling with lightning. The flames lanced out into Gabriel from their outstretched paws and he screamed.

Windows shattered for blocks, as the scream was the scream of an angel in agony. Gabriel himself started glowing until he was almost transparent. And three small, grayish spots could be seen. The lightning leapt off Judy and Nick, forming cages around the gray masses, before pulling them out of Gabriel.

The first that was pulled free was then attacked by the flames and destroyed. The second met the same fate. The third managed to squirm free of its cage, appearing as a slug about six inches long and covered in eyes and screaming mouths.

The kits had come out to see what was happening, and the slug made a leap for them. The shards screamed in response and intercepted the slug. One of them plunged into it and burned it from the inside. The other shards dragging it back to Nick and Judy, who quickly fried it. The shard inside it trilled happily in the flames as the last of the slug was destroyed.

Jack and Skye collected the kits to safety. Lucifer and two others placing themselves in protection of them and the kits.

Judy and Nick finished examining Gabriel, then released him. Gabriel collapsed, sobbing. Nick and Judy came together and fell into each other's arms, the lightning and flames vanishing.

Karun watched as the shards seemed to celebrate the shard that attacked the devourer slug, only to be surprised as two more small shards appeared. "What?"

Nick and Judy stood, supporting each other. "Three. That's the one's name that went into the devourer piece. They managed to pull some new shards out. The devourer collective mind seems to fuel itself with souls it bleeds of energy. The pieces of the collective don't seem to generate energy the way a normal soul does.

The light attack we used on it may have weakened it more than we think. Especially if it freed some souls it is using as fuel. That's why it wants to infect beings here first. The piece of itself needs something to feed on or it'll wither and cease to exist."

Karun sat down. "Well, that's good to know. Something to think about. It wasn't the first time it has made an encroachment into our reality. We can use any information on it to fight it. We're not the first to fight it, we're just the first to be successful with minimal casualties. Now, you said you could smell the taint of it on a being? How? It has a scent?"

Nick and Judy were cuddled with the kits as they got to know their fathers scent for the first time. Judy herself almost lost herself in it. Nick nodded, looking over at Karun. "Scent is the best description I can give you. It's the sense most related to what I am picking up. It tickles my brain like the distant scent of death and rot."

Lucifer sat next to them. "Okay. I can get that. It makes sense. A sense I have not used in millenia, but I get it. Any idea what the range is?"

Nick shook his head. "No, but I will learn, and the stronger the taint, the greater the stink. For now, I need to be with my mate and kits for a bit."

Lizz, Mike, and Eric walked around the side of the house. Lizz speaking. "Hey, Judy. Any idea…" They froze seeing the collection of beings. From a lion with two sets of feathered wings leaning against the house and weeping. A feather winged leopard comforting the leopard. Or the demonic looking fox sitting with Nick, Judy, and the kits.

Mike locked on Nick and his eyes went wide. "Nick?" Stumbling forward. "Nick? Buddy?"

Nick smiled up at Mike. "Hey, bud. Yeah. It's me, all the way back. But, Karun. I don't mind if you, Lucifer, Gabe and Jass hang around. We've got the room. The rest should head home. Once Judy and I have been able to reconnect, we'll visit, and see if we can sniff out and burn away any other taint or infestation. Honestly, Gabe is not up to traveling and Jess needs to look after him."

Lucifer nodded. "I'll stay and look after things. Then I will teach Nick and Judy how to get to Cerberus."

Karun nodded with a smile. "Sounds good. But I really want Nick to sniff out any other spots of infection before they can grow any more."

The various beings faded away or popped out of existence. Leaving Gabriel and Jess the leopard. Lucifer, and Karun, who turned to Mike, Lizz, and Eric. "Hello, you. It's good to meet the ones who helped make such impressions on Nick and Judy. I can see why they attached you to them. I look forward to seeing more of you."

With that, Karun vanished. Eric looked over at the winged mammals, walked over to a large mammal chair and sat heavily. "What the actual rut did we walk in on? This was no normal noise complaint."

Jack laughed, him and Skye now in the hot tub. "Welcome to living in Happytown. Ain't nothing normal. Hey. Gabriel and Jess was it? Join us in the hot tub. After the shit you've just been through. A nice soak is probably in order."

Gabriel nodded, standing shakily, supported by Jess. "That sounds good. I'm happy to be free of that infection, but rutting hell as you mortals say, that sucked."

Mike had reached Nick and reached out tentatively. Finally touching Nick, he pulled his paw back like he'd been burned. Rut! You're real."

Nick chuckled. "I am. There's a long conversation about how that is possible. One we can have later. The noise complaint is kinda legitimate. It was Gabriel screaming as Judy and I burned an infection out of him."

Lizz nodded. "Okay, but it shattered windows for blocks."

Jess spoke up for the first time. "I can fix that." He snapped his fingers and a silent bomb echoed through Happytown. Mammals busy sweeping up shattered glass found it dissolving and vanishing, the shattered windows reforming before their eyes.

The issue being, he fixed every window in Happytown, not just those affected by Gabriels screaming. Gabriel sighed deeply as he sank into the hot bubbling water. "Hey, Nick. Buddy. If we have to do that for anyone else. Make sure we've got one of these for them after. Jess, we're getting one for our place."

Jess nodded as he sank in next to Gabriel. "Totally agree. This thing is awesome."

Lucifer laughed." You refused to come over and try mine. Have had one for years. It's the best. Just upgraded to a new one. It's got full layback seats with dozens of massage jets."

Nick picked up Judy and the kits. "Lizz, Mike. We can talk tomorrow. Eric, go say hi to Gabriel. You and he have a lot in common. Just look at his mate. Lucifer. I trust you to look after things. Maybe bring Dad and Dem up to help. Judy can call mom and Anna over for a reunion in the morning. For now, we're going to put the kits down and then do as married mammals are want to do after a long separation."

With that, Nick carried them into the house. Some time later an odd fox screech came from the house, causing Jack and Skye to laugh. Late, or early that morning, around 4am, Gabriel and Jess were resting in the guest room, Lizz, Mike, and Eric had left around 2am, and Lucifer had set himself up in the living room watching TV.

As the early morning news came on, he chuckled initially as the story about shattered windows that seemed to magically fix themselves. There were even some videos, which is where he started groaning. He was full face pawing himself as the story about what happened last night at councilor HoppsWilde home.

There were videos, most shaky, but some clear shots that showed more than a dozen beings that were clearly not the mammals of the world. Then there was the clear video of Gabriel glowing, Nick and Judy wreathed in flames and lightning, and appearing to attack the winged lion as the others looked on.

"Ah, crap. We forgot this is a more advanced society. Cleaning this up is going to be a nightmare. They have clear shots of Nick. And they have already done facial recognition work. It will be interesting to see how Nick and Judy figure this one out."

xxxXXXxxx

Around 9am that morning, Vivian and Anna walked in looking for Judy. Vivian also had some questions considering that the normally punctual rabbit was not in the office before her. They had confirmed that the kits were taken to school by Jack and Skye as normal.

Seeing someone sitting on the couch, Anne growled. "Hey! Who are you? What are you doing here?"

Lucifer's ear spun towards Anna. "Ah. Anna. Vivian. A pleasure. I'm here looking after things while my brother and his mate get some much needed rest after a rather stressful and painful evening, both emotionally and physically. As well as miss Judy getting to know her mate again.

Speaking of which, Nick asked a long time ago now, and again last night. After a chat with mom, we agreed that it was an ask deserving of being granted. Especially after he and Judy saved Gabriel last night."

Lucifer stood up and turned around, a smirk on his muzzle. He enjoyed the shocked looks for a moment. He then gave a deep bow. "Ladies. Forgive me for having a bit of fun at your expense. I am Lucifer. Patron of all foxes and creator of red foxes, after a fashion.

It is a pleasure to meet you both. I feel like I know you from my conversations with Nick. So, as a favor to him and Judy for a favor in kind. More than just a visit. I return to you, Vivian, and you Anna. Two someone's missing from your lives."

The door opened, John speaking. "Hey, boss. You summoned Demetri and I?"

Demitri followed John in, the door closing loudly. "Hey, where are we? Feel like I walked through one of the long range portals."

Lucifer was grinning as he pointed to the side where Anna and Vivian stood looking on in shock. "John. Demetri. You are back in the living world. You are still your demonic selves. That's a change that cannot be so easily undone. However, you have been granted a new form ability so that you reflect the world you find yourself in. You will look like normal reds while you are here. You will still have responsibilities back home, but you will now live here."

Vivian sobbed out John's name. "John? Is that really you?"

Spinning in place John gasped, launching himself across the room, pulling Vivian to him. They held each other for dear life, falling to their knees. "Viv! My perfect rose. You are as beautiful as I remember."

Vivian could only cry and hold onto John as if her life depended on never letting go of him. Trying to stand, John succeeded, but found Vivian had wrapped herself around him. Petting her head. "It's okay, Viv. I get it. But let me introduce you to our son."

Vivian leaned out slightly. "Huh?"

Demetri chuckled. "Hey mom! Hi Anna. You look great. Nick said that you are a doctor."

Anna blinked at the fox that looked so much like Nick, but wasn't. "Demetri? This can't be possible."

Demitri pulled his little sister into a hug. "Well, it is. Though Lucifer is going to have to explain it, because I don't understand how it is possible."

Lucifer chuckled from the couch. "A few reasons. Nick asked to allow a visit of sorts. Nick and Judy saved the life of my brother last night. Also, the whole thing last night was witnessed by many and a few took pictures and video.

Really our fault for forgetting that your world is more advanced and ensuring recordings were not possible. Then again, we were also not expecting to find out Gabriel had become tainted by the devourer. As such, you get the benefit. Your mate and son are still demons, but when they're not doing their jobs in hell, they'll be here for you."

Lucifer focused on John and Demetri. "Tread carefully, as you are still demons. Your strength is beyond what most here could ever hope for. You still have power here. Try to keep a low profile, and defer to Nick and Judy. You are free to get jobs here, and there are few weapons that can hurt you, but remember that you are not the only beings here."

Nick, giving a wide yawn as he walked down the stairs. "Defer to me and Judy for what?" Nick found himself wrapped up in a hug by Anna and his mom. "Mom? Anna? What are you guys doing here?" Anna released him, then punched Nick, hard, in the shoulder. "Ooof. Anna? What the heck?"

"You were just a disembodied voice yesterday I wasn't even sure was real. Now what? Explain!"

Judy came up behind Nick, yanked his muzzle down for a kiss, then yawned. "What's all the noise?" Looking around Judy frowned. "Okay. Lucifer. Explain."

"I believe you did not show up at an expected time, so Vivian and Anna showed up looking for you. After discussion with mom, we decided, as long as they can behave themselves, we would allow John and Demetri to live here when not performing their jobs in hell.

A simple visit was what Nick asked for, as did you, but we decided, given what you did for Gabriel last night, maybe a bit more was in order. So, they now live here. Oh, and the news is full of videos of what happened last night. Mom has decided to see how you play this out, Judy."

Judy growled her eyes glowing a moment. "Damn it! Multiple angles and they had new phones, so good clean vids, too. Crap. I'm going to take a shower and get dressed. Nick, let's go." Nick looked between his mate and the rest of his family. "You can play good host after we're cleaned up. I'm going to need your brain anyway to help me think through this."

Nick gave a slightly embarrassed smirk and quickly followed her up the stairs. Anna face pawed herself. "I suppose, given the separation, she's unlikely to want to be apart from him, or him from her." Looking up, she finds her parents in an embrace and turns to Demitri. "Were they always like that?"

Demitri shrugged. "Hard to say. Time moves differently in hell, so it has actually been a few centuries for me down there. Worse for dad. So yeah. They're likely not going to separate any time soon."

Anna nodded. "So, where are you going to live? Dad will clearly move in with mom. Nick and Judy are obvious. I mean, he clearly claimed her again and she's chosen not to heal it. But what is Nick? She said he was gone for good. Some kinda fight with a horror from beyond."

"Don't know. I guess I will have to get a job and maybe see if they will let me crash here for a bit. Unless you have space, but you've probably got a mate."

Anna shook her head. "No mate here. Being a doctor in Happytown, in a free clinic, has been a bit of a challenge to meet someone of any species. Of course Nick being a cop and all the support from Judy and her family really helped. Now I am the Director of ZEMR for all of Zootopia, and not on Judy's recommendation either."

"Cool, sis. Well, I guess I want to go for a walk. See the sights and how much the city has changed. Did Nick and Skye ever even try to get together? Forgot to ask while he was in hell."

Anna laughed. "Let me show you around. As for Nick and Skye, no. Skye actually lives here, with her mate, one of Judy's brothers."

Demitri nodded. "Heh… Figures. I do need to let her know. Met her mom back in hell. She's actually one quarter arctic hare."

Anna smirked with a chuckle. "Oh, I'm sure they'll figure that out soon enough."

xxxXXXxxx

Nick and Judy come down about an hour later to find John and Vivian snuggled on the couch. Judy shook her head and sighed, knowing she had no room to talk. "Okay, where are Anna and Demitri. I'd like to properly meet my in-laws."

Vivian smiled dreamily from where she was. "Anna was showing Demitri around."

Judy nodded. "Okay. Viv. You and John go take a shower and then meet us at the office. We have some major damage control to do. John being a demon can provide you security, and Demitri can do that for Anna.

As a matter of fact, that is what I plan on hiring them for. We will have to work out other names, and a relationship to at least on the surface to explain away their existence. My thoughts so far. Nick is suggesting a cousin or something similar from Clan Wilde.

We will work that out over the already planned lunch. Call Anna to meet us there. Probably going to have to call Fabienne and Peter in. We'll talk more at the office. Lucifer. I'd like you, Gabriel, and Jess there as well. We're going to need some information and perspective."

"I'll collect them. They're resting right now. Between you, them, and the other pair. Jack and Skye, I think. It actually took quite the effort to keep the sound from disturbing the kits."

Judy blushed. "We all appreciate that. Nick, I guess it is time to start using this power." Taking his paw, both their eyes started glowing and they vanished.

Lucifer blinked. "Huh… The speed at which those two are adapting to the power they have is actually a bit disturbing. Then again, a being does not normally get handed that level of power that has been dumped on them all at once."