4/10 Early Morning.
The next morning Judy woke to the sound of her alarm clock blaring loudly. She had barely gotten four hours of sleep the previous night and didn't have the energy to lift her head from her pillow. She reached her arm out and felt around the end table for the alarm clock. She finally found it and pressed the snooze button as hard as she could to make the device shut up.
She rolled over on her back and stared up at the ceiling, last nights events still ran through her mind as if they had just happened five minutes ago. The shadow creature, the blue butterfly, Pembo.
"That had to have been a weird dream, or a hallucination." Judy tried to convince herself. "There's no way that was all real."
Judy reached into her pocket and felt for her phone, only to panic slightly when she didn't feel it. "It was shattered by that creature" A surge of fear ran down Judy's spine. "If my phone is gone, then that means whatever happened last night was real!"
Judy shot up out of bed and began looking everywhere in her tiny apartment for her phone. "I could've just misplaced it, or dropped it yesterday and didn't notice it!" Judy thought as she frantically looked under every piece of furniture and around every corner of her room. Her phone was nowhere to be found.
Judy sat down on the floor in front of her bed with her knees to her chest. "It's gone, it was broken by that shadow wolf thing." Judy remembered. She rocked in place for a minute before a knock at her door was heard.
Judy snapped out of her trance and stood up. "Who is it?" Judy asked.
"Judy Hopps?" A stern male voice said from the other side of the door.
Judy made her way to the door and turned the knob. As she did two mammals in black suits and shades pushed the door open and made their way inside Judy's apartment. One was a rabbit with white and black striped fur and the other was a White Vixen.
"Judy Hopps." The Vixen said. "Agent Winters and Agent Savage, ZIA." The Vixen produced a badge from her coat pocket. "You're coming with us!"
Before Judy could protest, The Rabbit in the black suit grabbed Judy's wrists and began zip tying them behind her back.
"Wait, what do you mean?" Judy questioned as the rabbit began leading her by the arm. "I havent done anything!"
Judy was lead through the hallways and down into the lobby of her apartment building. She was then taken outside and put in a black sedan.
4/10, Morning.
Judy was in a ZIA interrogation room alone, handcuffed to a desk. In front of her was a one way window she couldn't see through, but whoever was behind it could see her.
After a few minutes to herself the door to the room was opened and in walked Agent Savage and Winters. The door shut with a harsh click and Agent Savage sat in the chair across from Judy, Agent Winters stood with her back against the door.
"Why am i here?" Judy asked.
"Because you impeded on an official ZIA investigation." Savage said.
"Impeded?" Judy questioned. "I just arrived here yesterday, i couldn't have done anything!"
"You arrived at the Zootopia train station, five minutes later a mammal goes savage." Savage explained.
"I had nothing to do with that!" Judy defended herself. "There were hundreds of mammals at the train station, why aren't you questioning them!?"
Agent Winters reached into her coat pocket and handed Savage a few photographs which Savage spread out on the table in front of Judy. "But you were the only one, beside us, that was on the other side."
The pictures showed Judy and the blue shadow, Judy getting attacked by the Orange shadow, and the last one was of Pembo saving her using that strange power, Fursona.
Savage leaned closer to Judy. "Tell us how you ended up there!" He demanded.
"I-I." Judy stammered as there was indisputable proof what happened yesterday was real, and that this is no dream.
Savage slammed his hand down on the desk. "Answer the question."
"There was this app on my phone." Judy remembered.
"An app?" Savage leaned back.
"I didn't install it, I just clicked on it and the world changed." Judy explained in a frantic voice. "There was these creatures, mammals in black suits made one of them go crazy and-"
"Black suits?" Savage cut Judy off.
"Guess that confirms their involvement." Winters interjected.
"Who's involvement?" Judy asked.
"A group we believe you're a part of, a group thats responsible for the recent savage attacks." Winters answered before Jack could.
"Here's what we're gonna do." Savage pulled his phone from his pocket. "We're going back to that world, and you're gonna prove you're not with that group."
"You can't be serious!" Judy protested.
"Winters." Savage gestured towards Judy as he tapped on his phone
Winters walked over and unlocked Judy's handcuffs. Judy rubbed her wrists where the handcuffs once were.
Before Judy could run away, the world around the three mammals warped and distorted. In the blink of an eye Judy was back in the forest.
Savage pointed north, to a bright blue light shining from above the tree line. "See that light? Follow it!" Savage ordered.
Judy sighed and began walking forward. The two agents stayed beside her, eyes constantly on her in case she tried anything.
Judy's heart pounded faster and faster with every step. Best case scenario in her mind was either the black suited mammals kill her and she's proven innocent, or a shadow, similar to the one from yesterday tears her apart and her innocence would never be proven. Neither option sounded great in Judy's mind.
Up ahead was the source of the blue light. A blue shadow, dissimilar to the black shadows walking around him stood there, clutching his head. Behind the shadow was two black suited mammals with helmets covering their faces.
"What now?" Judy asked in a low whisper.
"Stop them." Savage answered.
"What!?" Judy almost yelled this at the top of her lungs. "And if they shoot me?"
"If what you're saying is true and you're innocent. We'll back you up." Savage said. "Now go, quick."
Judy sighed in defeat. She walked closer to the shadow and called out "Hey!" To the two mammals in black suits.
The two mammals turned their attention off the blue shadow creature. "Who the hell is that!?" One said.
"No one else was supposed to be here!" The other said.
Judy turned back towards Savage and Winters, hoping they heard that. Both just sat there, arms crossed.
"Hear that?" Winters said to Savage.
"Could just be a cover." Savage brushed it off.
"Forget about her, she's not the target." The first mammal aimed his gun at the blue shadow, ready to shoot.
In a moment of desperation Judy leapt for the gun, trying to grab the barrel. As she did the mammal fired, the blue liquid that shot out hit Judy square in the face.
Judy staggered in pain, clutching her face. She felt her mind twist then go numb. Rational thought disappeared and she felt an insatiable urge for violence. She growled in pain and anger. Her eyes, once purple, were now a deep orange.
"This was just the push we needed." A female voice echoed in Judy's mind.
"Do you feel the pain, the bloodlust? Intoxicating isn't it?" The ethereal voice continued. "Lets form a contract, you and i!"
Judy clutched her head harder, her nails digging into her skin, drawing blood.
"I am thou, thou art i! From the savage heart i emerge, sharpen the fangs of thy heart and call upon me, and i shall grant thee my power!" The voice intensified in Judy's mind, making her bloodlust grow and her heart race with adrenaline. Suddenly, a name popped into Judy's mind.
"Boudica!" Judy yelled as she ran her nails down her face, leaving shallow cuts.
Blood from Judy's cuts turned to an orange mist that rushed out, then encircled her like a tornado. The mist exploded outward then cleared, revealing a Bunny dressed in ancient Celtic armor and longsword behind Judy.
"Now lets show them what it means to be truly savage!" The Celtic bunny spoke to Judy
Judy locked her sights on the mammal who shot her. "Tear them to shreds, Boudica" Judy yelled.
Boudica raised her longsword and slashed downward, a gust of wind rushed forward past Judy and hit the two mammals, knocking them back.
The two mammals retreated deep into the forest, leaving their guns behind. Judy stood there seething through her teeth, her anger still unsatiated with nothing to take it out on.
"Hey!" A familiar high pitched voice called out. "Up here, Judy!"
Judy turned to the source of the voice. Pembo stood atop a tree branch waving his arms to get her attention. "Remember me, im your friend!"
"Pem?" Judy remembered him from yesterday. She felt a sense of calm rush over her as Pem dropped down from the tree and approached her.
"That's right!" Pem bounced up. "I'm a friend, i saved your life yesterday."
Judy's savage anger finally left her completely and she was back in her right mind. She breathed deeply and calmly.
"I don't mean to be rude but i was hoping you wouldn't come back here." Pem said. "I heard the commotion and came as quickly as i could."
"Judy looked back to where her attack hit the two mammals, there was a deep indentation jn the ground from the force of the attack. "I did get a bit angry." Judy joked.
"You unleashed your Fursona!" Pem said. "Its powerful but near uncontrollable."
Agent Savage and Winters approached Judy from behind.
"What was that?" Savage asked. "And who is this?"
"I'm Pembo!" He greeted. "And I've seen you two before, snooping around and taking pictures."
"You have?" Winters asked.
"Sure have!" Pem said. "I just never bothered you cause you always looked so busy."
"We were investigating why mammals were going savage, and what exactly this world is." Savage said.
"Oh, well i can tell you all that right now!" Pem bounced.
"You can?" Winters asked.
"Yep. But first lets get somewhere more secluded, in case there's any more bad guys." Pem urged Judy, Winters and Savage to follow him.
The team of four walked all the way back to Pem's cave. They sat down in the cave's mouth.
"Ok, so. You wanna know why mammals are going insane, right?" Pem asked.
"Yes." Savage answered.
"Well the truth is... I don't know." Pem crossed his arms. "But i do know HOW those people are doing it!"
"How do they do it?" Judy asked.
"So, you know those shadows out there right?" Pem pointed outside his cave. "They each represent a mammal in the real world. When something happens to them in the real world it effects their shadow here, too."
"Then what?" Judy questioned.
"The bad guys come here and finish the shadow off, causing it to go berserk." Pem continued.
"What about what happened with Judy?" Winters questioned.
"Sometimes people can face their shadow and accept it. When they do they unlock the power of a Fursona." Pem raised his arms up jn the air. "Like this, Fursona!"
Pems Fursona, Mars appeared behind him. "They're powerful but dangerous. Because you need to accept your savage side rather than fight it like most do, your psyche might collapse and you'll become savage too." Pem put his arms down and Mars faded.
"So what happened earlier was..." Judy hated to even think about becoming savage.
"No." Pem interrupted. "You accepted your shadow and didn't succumb to it, but if you're not careful you might lose control and have your savage side take over."
"So she could succumb at any second?" Winters asked.
"No. I mean yes, but i won't allow that to happen. I trained my Fursona all by myself and i'd be glad to help Judy train hers, too!"
Judy could feel Pems genuine desire to help her.
"Maybe we could start tonight?" Judy asked.
"Ok, sure!" Pem said. "But your two friends will have to leave, don't want them getting hit by an attack by accident."
"We should be going back anyway." Savage said as he stood up. "Winters?"
"Of course." Winters stood up as well.
"Come on!" Pem grabbed Judy by the hand. "Dont wanna get sucked back into the real world with them."
Judy and Pem walked outside the cave while Savage and Winters disappeared back into the real world.
"Ok, so. First thing I'll teach you is how to control your Fursona." Pem said. "Summon it. Like this!" Pem raised his arms up "Fursona!"
Judy raised her arms up like Pem. "Fursona!" Like before, Her Fursona, Boudica appeared behind Judy. She felt the familiar anger and bloodlust from before.
"Ok, ok. Now listen closely." Pem said in a slow, calm voice. "Don't give in to the anger, don't try to reason with it, just go with it."
"Go with it?" Judy seethed.
"Its like when you balance something on your finger. You don't talk it into staying upright, you move with it, work with it." Pem explained.
Judy took a few deep breaths and tried to control the anger she felt. Her breathing slowed but her body still trembled.
"Ok, good start, now. Try to attack something with only a fraction of that anger." Pem said.
"Boudica, hit that tree!" Judy said.
Boudica waved her sword and lunged forward, like before a gust of wind rocketed out from where she slashed. The tree Judy targeted was violently flung back before violently flinging back upwards.
"Good job!" Pem said in an encouraging voice. "At full power you would've sent that tree into the stratosphere!"
"Thank you." Judy tried to make her voice sound softer and kinder.
"Now, to unsummon it, just think of something or someone that brings you peace."
Judy thought back to her hometown of Bunnyburrow, her 300 plus siblings and her parents. Within seconds Judy's mind calmed and her heart slowed down.
"I knew you could do it!" Pem bounced up and down in joy.
"Thats all?" Judy asked.
"Well, that's just how to control it. With practice it'll grow stronger, along with your control over it." Pem said. "Before i send you back, i got you something. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a black smartphone.
"Another smartphone?" Judy took the device from Pem.
"Yep, i knew you probably would've ditched the last one so i took another one from one of the bad guys." Pem said. "Try not to lose this one, something tells me you'll be coming here often!"
"I can feel a tinge of a bond between me and Pembo." Judy thought to herself.
I am thou, thou art i. Thou hast attained a new bond.
It shall be the winds of fate that tames the heart of a feral reality.
On this day, the magician shall reveal to you the path of new power!
"Thanks Pem." Judy pinched Pembo's cheek.
"It's my pleasure!" Pembo glowed at Judy's praise. "Now go home and i'll see you next time! Pem waved as Judy clicked the return button and vanished.
4/10 Late night.
Judy went back to her apartment, tired but not as fearful as she was the day prior. She climbed into bed and fell asleep quickly. As her eyes closed she felt a familiar feeling of falling into a dark pit, and when she hit the bottom her eyes opened.
She looked around and saw she was back in the cage in the velvet room. She stood up and saw Igor sitting at his desk.
"Welcome back, Judy!" Igor said. "I brought you here to discuss your Fursona!"
Judy said nothing.
"You awakened something deep within you and used it to defend an innocent shadow. Just as i foresaw it." Igor said. "Most think being savage means being uncontrolled and feral, but in reality it is a tool like any other."
"I had help." Judy said.
"Yes, your new friend, Pembo helped you control your new power." Igor reached into his pocket and pulled out the magician tarot card. "You and him have a bond. Nurture this bond and you will grow in power. Bonds are what give us all power. Never take them for granted."
"I won't." Judy nodded.
"Good, go out into the world and you'll see new opportunities for bonds. Never let them pass you up." Igor flipped the magician card and it disappeared into thin air.
An alarm rang out through the velvet room. "Seems like the real world beckons. Go back and think on what i said. Til next time, Judith!"
