Dr. Raymond Wright looked over the results of the electric shock treatment. While they showed initial promise, the progress became stagnant towards the end. The treatment appeared to resolve Judy's trembles, but the trauma from the memories remained. It didn't help that the patient exhibited strong resistance throughout the process. While that wasn't uncommon to Raymond, the extreme level to hers was.
After pouring over the results from the interview and the treatment, the doctor realized a change was necessary lest all progress be lost. Reaching out to his colleagues in the military yielded only one possible method, confirmed after receiving the same answer from multiple mammals. But its implementation required an investigation into Judy herself. Raymond was initially hesitant, but with no other options, he proceeded with the suggestion.
Knowing the patient would not be of sound mind to answer further questions, Dr. Wright decided to make a house call to the Hopps family. Thus, he spent the day preparing his questions and would then conduct the visit the next day. Early that morning, the white bunny, wearing a black suit and top hat instead of the white coat, was finalizing the arrangements of his duties when Jennifer happened to enter his office.
"Miss Tanner! I was hoping to run into you."
The tan rabbit stopped in front of his desk. "Is there something that you need from me, Doctor?"
"Yes, I will be going on a trip. It should take no more than the afternoon. Please take messages from any mammal wishing to speak to me. No exceptions."
Jennifer gave a bow. "Yes, Doctor. Have a safe trip."
"Thank you, Miss Tanner."
The doctor resumed packing his belongings and was soon walking the halls of the asylum towards the exit with a briefcase in paw. Outside, he was greeted with a vehicle and a brown rabbit chauffeur.
The driver opened the door for the white rabbit. "Hello, Doctor."
"Hello." Raymond set his briefcase down before taking a seat.
The brown rabbit then returned to the driver's seat. "Where shall I take you?"
"The Hopps burrow. Please."
"At once."
The chauffeur started the vehicle and began the drive to their destination. Neither rabbit spoke during the journey, each focusing on their respective tasks. Raymond used the time to prepare for the conversation with the Hopps family once more. The white rabbit reached into his coat and brought out a pipe and a matchbook. After lighting the pipe, he sat back and started puffing up smoke.
The doctor had to admit that Judy was one of the more particular cases he came across. She didn't exhibit the normal symptoms of an ill patient of the asylum, yet clearly something was ailing her. That made things difficult and potentially dangerous for Raymond and the staff at the asylum. He hoped to never get drastic, but if Judy continued to make no progress, the doctor would have no choice.
"We will be arriving soon, Doctor."
The words shook Raymond from his thoughts, and he looked around to see that they were approaching the Hopps burrow. The white rabbit put out his pipe and stored the object before fixing his appearance. Finally, the vehicle stopped a short distance from the front entrance. The chauffeur stepped out and opened the door for Raymond.
"Thank you."
"My pleasure. Shall I accompany you?"
"That won't be necessary. Thank you."
The brown rabbit nodded and waited by the vehicle while Raymond walked to the front of the burrow. When closing the distance, the doctor saw someone sitting on the porch. He put on a smile and made his approach. Raymond climbed the steps and approached the rabbit, ready to introduce himself when he stopped, and his smile dropped. For one, it was an elderly rabbit sitting on the porch. And two, the aforementioned rabbit was sleeping.
Feeling no desire to wake the individual and potentially cause trouble, Raymond sighed and approached the front door. He could hear conversations and tasks going on inside as he raised his paw and knocked loudly a few times.
The talking quieted down and was followed by an "I'll get it!"
Raymond only had to wait a few moments before the door opened, and an adult female gray rabbit greeted him. She wore glasses and a black dress. Her fur color was similar to that of Judy's. Raymond didn't want to make any assumptions about the family relations, and so he kept quiet.
The female rabbit smiled and made the introductions. "Hello. Can I help?"
The doctor put on a smile and offered a paw. "Yes, are the parents of Judy Hopps available? I wish to speak with them?"
The female rabbit kept her smile but didn't accept the gesture. "May I ask why?"
The white rabbit retracted his paw slightly. "Forgive me. I'm Dr. Raymond Wright. I work at the asylum where Judy Hopps is being treated."
When hearing who the rabbit was, the gray rabbit's demeanor relaxed, and she brought forward her paw. "Oh yes, her parents are home. Let me bring you to the guest room."
Raymond accepted her paw, and they shook. "Thank you. And your name is, Ma'dam?"
"Violet Hopps. A pleasure to meet you," She released her grip. "I hope Judy is healing?"
"I cannot divulge the specifics but I can say that she has been responding well to the treatment."
Violet nodded, satisfied with the answer.
The doctor entered the burrow and, after closing the door and placing his hat on the rack, followed Violet to the meeting location. He glanced around at the ongoings of the burrow: kits playing, older ones tending to them, some working, and others resting. The adults and kits watched as the visitor passed by before returning to their respective matters.
Finally, the two arrived at a semi-isolated room. It contained a table with four chairs and a flower vase in the middle. There were also various pictures of the family hanging on the walls. And lastly, a window to allow sunlight in.
"Here we are. Please sit, and I will bring Mr. and Mrs. Hopps."
"Thank you."
Raymond took a seat and set his briefcase down while Violet went to get Bonnie and Stu. His eyes were drawn to the flower vase at the center of the table, yet he resisted the urge to grab one. At least until the rabbit knew he had permission. To pass the time, Raymond moved his seat back so he could place the briefcase on his lap. The doctor brought out the relevant documents onto the table before closing the briefcase and setting it back on the ground.
Not long after settling back, he heard a male voice call out to him.
"Hello, are you Dr. Raymond Wright?"
The white rabbit turned to find Bonnie and Stu entering the room, with Violet following behind.
Raymond stood up and offered his paw with a smile. "Yes, I am. You are the parents of Judy Hopps, correct?"
Stu accepted the paw first and shook. "That's right. I'm her father."
Bonnie shook the doctor's paw next. "And I'm her mother. Thank you so much for coming out here. We wanted to know how our daughter is."
Stu nodded. "We didn't know if we could write letters or visit, so we were hoping someone from the asylum would visit."
Raymond chuckled. "I can assure you that letters are welcomed. Visits will have to be discussed and arranged."
"Happy to hear," Bonnie motioned to the table. "Shall we?"
"Yes." The doctor said.
He and the parents took their seats at the table, and Violet approached with a tray of cups and a pitcher. The spectacled rabbit filled each cup with water and placed them before the doctor and her parents. She then set the pitcher on the table and stepped away.
"I will return to check."
"Thank you, dear," Bonnie said.
Violet bowed and took her leave, and Raymond finally pointed at the flower base.
"May I?"
Stu returned the gesture. "Please."
"Thank you." The doctor grabbed a petal from the base and ate it. He washed it down with the water before proceeding with the reason for the visit. "Okay, let's begin."
Stu led with the first question. "How is our daughter, and how can we help you?"
"Your daughter is responding well to the treatment so far," His demeanor then became sullen. "But I'm afraid some changes are required due to lack of progress."
Bonine clasped her husband's arm, hoping the news wasn't too bad. "What do you mean?"
Raymond raised a few documents he brought with him. "While her physical ailments appear to have quelled, her mental ailments remain."
"Mental ailments?" Stu asked.
"Judy is still suffering from her nightmares, and my treatments have failed so far."
Bonnie immediately understood the implications. "And you need our help?"
"Precisely. Judy appears to be putting up stiff resistance, and I believe that in order to understand the root cause, I need to break down that resistance. I will be conducting a series of tests to evaluate the mental ailments, and I will need information about Judy to help create those tests."
Bonnie and Stu looked at each other, and while they were silent, Raymond could tell they were debating on how to approach the situation. He understood that they didn't want to make the same mistake that led to Judy being in the asylum. Finally, Bonnie and Stu looked at Raymond, and the doctor could see their resolve.
"We'll help in any way we can," Stu said. "What do you need to know?"
"Thank you. First, what are Judy's likes or interests?"
A huge smile appeared on their faces, and Bonnie led with the answer. "She absolutely loves helping other mammals."
"Everything has to be fair and equal for her," Stu said.
"Judy also loves Zootopia," Bonnie continued. "She reads about the city and gets excited when meeting someone visiting from or used to live there."
"She wants to fight injustice and crime," Stu added. "Which is why she wanted to become a police officer at first. Even applied to the one in Zootopia so she could achieve her dream of being a police officer and live in Zootopia."
That last bit of information intrigued Raymond, and he inquired further. "If Judy wanted to be a police officer, why did she join the military then?"
It was Stu who answered. "A compromise. The police department in Zootopia rejected her, but she still wanted to fight criminals and go to Zootopia. So, Judy decided to join the military. She could fight mammals threatening her home and enjoy the possibility of traveling to Zootopia."
Raymond took a moment to write down the information and check for corrections. "Thank you. That will do for the likes. I want to know what your daughter dislikes."
Bonnie and Stu nearly broke into a laughing fit but managed to compose themselves. Still, the display had Raymond confused.
"Sorry," Bonnie said. "It's that we know of Judy's dislikes as much as her likes. For example, criminals and injustice. Judy hates mammals being harmed or wronged and will do everything in her power to correct that. It's why she wanted to be a police officer. To make the world a better place for everyone."
"She hates being a settler," Stu said. "Her outgoing nature means she wants to explore. We tried to explain that being a carrot farmer is better and that the world beyond Bunnyburrow was dangerous for a rabbit. She just wouldn't have it, but I guess the one positive thing is that she can see excellence when it arises. There are things Bonnie and I would have missed had Judy not pointed them out."
Bonnie's face then became serious. "And lastly,"
Stu also mimicked her gesture, "But most importantly,"
They both iterated the point. "She hates giving up."
The synchrony and emphasis nearly caused Raymond to flinch.
"Surrender is never an option for her," Bonnie said. "Judy absolutely hates failure. It destroys her anytime it happens. But you would think that failure would keep her down." She shook her head. "Judy just comes back with a vengeance."
"It's why Judy joined the military. She is determined to achieve her dream one way or another. It has always been our biggest fear. That one day her refusal to quit will one day kill her. Admittedly, we were happy when Judy returned from the military. We care for our daughter and only want her to be safe. Is it wrong for us to feel that way?"
The table became silent as Raymond processed the answers from the parents. He took a few moments to write down information before setting the pen down and folding his paws.
"No, there is nothing wrong with wanting to protect your daughter. You have my commendation for doing so."
His answer made them happy.
"Thank you," Bonnie said. "Is there anything else we can do?"
Raymond shook his head and began packing up. "No, that will be all. Your information has been very helpful. Thank you."
Stu stood from his chair and offered a paw. "Our pleasure. Thank you for coming to tell us how our daughter is. Call us or drop by if you need anything else."
"I will." Raymond grabbed another petal and finished his water just as Violet returned to check on them.
"Violet!" Bonnie said. "We were just finishing up. Please escort Dr. Wright outside."
"Yes, ma'am. Please follow, Doctor."
Raymond followed Violet to the front door, where he discovered the elderly rabbit still sleeping on the porch.
He refrained from commenting and said goodbye to Violet. "Thank you for the hospitality."
"You're welcome. I hope to hear more good news on the next visit."
Raymond tipped his hat and entered the waiting vehicle. On the ride back to the asylum, the white rabbit poured over the results from the meeting. While a lot of information still needed to be dissected, one fact stood out among the rest: if Judy was going to make things difficult for him, he would do the same for her.
Sometime later,
Huff
"8."
Huff
"9."
Huff
"10."
After completing the pushups, Judy rolled onto her back and used the bed to help lift off the floor. While the exercise was slightly more difficult due to the dress she wore, the rabbit managed to perform them nonetheless. Pushups were the only ones the gray rabbit could perform without tearing the clothing, knowing the chances of a replacement were low. She finally pulled herself onto the bed and closed her eyes, breathing in and out.
As expected, being alone in the room for most of the day started to take its toll. First, she requested to go outside for a walk. Jennifer promised to raise her request to the doctor, but from her last inquiry, the tan rabbit had no answer. Judy's good behavior did allow her to walk the asylum halls, albeit accompanied by either Jennifer or other caretakers. That left the remainder of the day in her room, which led to her performing exercises to pass the time.
Believing it to be a risk, the doctor also limited the number of objects in Judy's possession. She was allowed to pass on her condition to her family through the letters. Jennifer would always be present when Judy was allowed to write. The rabbit also tried to listen to what was happening outside her room, but the noise from the patients and caretakers was too distracting. She quickly gave up on that, more out of circumstances than for lack of trying.
Judy lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It had been weeks since Doctor Wright's last meeting. The rabbit had spent her time in her room, dealing with the cold baths, routine checkups, and bland meals. Still, it wasn't anything she couldn't put up with.
Judy heard the door open and turned to see Jennifer entering. The gray rabbit sat up and faced the caretaker.
"Hello, Judy."
"Hello, Jennifer. What is it this time?"
The tan rabbit stopped in front of Judy. "The next treatments are ready to begin."
"Oh. Okay." She noticed a set of clothes in her arms and pointed at them. "Are those for me?"
Jennifer raised the items. "Yes. Please put them on. They are needed for the next treatment."
Judy took the clothes and saw they were a long-sleeved white shirt and pants. The rabbit said nothing else as she set aside the clothing to remove her dress. Jennifer retrieved and folded the dress while Judy put on the shirt and pants.
Now in the new apparel, the gray rabbit got off the bed and stretched to get accommodated. "This is much better. I can move more."
"Try not to get used to it. Let's not keep the doctor waiting."
Judy nodded and followed Jennifer to their destination. The gray rabbit was surprised to find that they were going outside. The first thing she noticed was that the location was not the front entrance. It had a circular shape to it that led Judy to suspect that the layout of the asylum was in the form of a rabbit's head. The area the two rabbits were in had little features: mainly benches, tables, and pavilions. The rest was open space.
"It's not much farther now," Jennifer said.
Judy followed the caretaker, and the two soon arrived at a setup where Doctor Wright and two other caretakers were waiting: a deer and a horse.
Judy's attention was on the setup: two large poles stood in parallel. Along the upper half of the poles were bells hanging off hooks.
That explains the deer and the horse being here.
Raymond smiled when the two rabbits arrived. "Good day, Miss Hopps. Thank you for bringing her here, Jennifer."
"You're welcome, Doctor."
Jennifer then joined the other caretakers by Raymond.
"What are we doing, Doctor?" Judy said.
"I'm glad you asked, Miss Hopps. Today will be the first of the new treatments for your ailments. The goal is to push you to your limits in the hopes of curing them."
That didn't seem too terrifying. Nothing Judy hadn't experienced before, but she remained cautious. "I see. What is the purpose of this?" She pointed at the poles and bells.
"Your task is to ring all the bells on the poles. That is the reason for the change of clothes. I realize your dress will affect your performance and thus affect the results."
"This doesn't sound difficult."
"But you are not permitted to use the poles as aid. You must ring the bells with your body alone. You have until the end of the day to complete this test, and you are free to stop at any time."
Judy didn't question why the doctor would give her so much time. She wasn't surprised about the rule as well. The rabbit felt confident in her abilities to ring all the bells.
"Do you have any further questions before we start?"
"No."
"Excellent. Please step between the poles and wait for my signal to begin."
Judy took a deep breath and got into position. The deer and horse had also moved to each pole, which the rabbit assumed was to remove any bells she successfully rang. Only Raymond and Jennifer stood far from everyone else.
Judy shuffled her feet and prepped her paws while looking up with determination at the bells. Like with the electric shocks, the doctor appeared to build anticipation.
"Begin."
Judy leapt into the fair and rang the first bell with a resounding hit. The horse removed it from the pole to make way for the next one. Judy leaped again and rang the second, and the deer removed the bell from the pole.
The first set of bells required little effort. Judy needed only to hop, but as she progressed along the heights, the hops became jumps. The rabbit also started to put more energy into the effort, and eventually, she needed to stretch her arms to reach the next bell. Despite the increasing difficulty, Judy focused on completing the task. All the while, Doctor Wright took notes of her behavior and performance.
Finally, Judy was down to the last bell, and knowing she neared the end without missing any filled her with excitement.
Judy bent her knees and then sprung into the air with her arm stretched as far as possible. The bell grew closer and closer in her vision…until the object started moving away. The rabbit landed on the ground, and before she had time to process that she missed, a sharp pain erupted from her back. In her state of shock, Judy landed awkwardly on the ground. The rabbit let out a cry and quickly went to massage the afflicted area, eyes and faces scrunched.
"Judy!" Jennifer immediately went to her aid.
The deer and horse stepped away to allow the tan rabbit through.
Jennifer helped Judy into a sitting position. "Is the pain bad?"
The gray rabbit grunted from the pain. "I've been through worse."
She barely heard Doctor Wright addressing her. "I must say. That was impressive how you managed to avoid missing a bell this far. I would have rewarded you had you got them all without missing any of them. You may try again once you are able."
"Can you stand?" Jennifer asked.
She answered after another pained grunt. "Yes."
Against her better judgment, Jennifer helped Judy to her feet and stepped back, but kept her arms ready in case she started to fall. Judy managed to stand straight and stretch her body. Most of the pain had gone away, but no one knew the full extent until Judy tried to jump again.
"I'm ready."
Doctor Wright motioned with his paw. "Continue."
While continuing to soothe the pain, she cursed herself for letting this happen. Once her back felt slightly better, Judy resumed the position. Again, she bent her knees to maximize the distance. No sooner did Judy launch, did her body ache, which affected the jump.
This time, Jennifer was quick to react, catching Judy before she could injure herself further.
Through rapid breaths, she managed to utter, "Thank you."
Jennifer gave a soft smile. "You're welcome, but please, Judy. There is no shame in stopping."
Judy shook her head. "You should know by now. I don't know when to quit." She took a deep breath and straightened herself. "But this will be my last attempt."
"That is quite unusual," Doctor Wright said. "Knowing what I know from your records."
She shot the doctor a determined look. "Yes, I learned from experience that life will tell you when to quit. And right now, this is one of the moments."
"I see."
Judy then looked at Jennifer. "I am ready."
The tan rabbit acquiesced but remained by the poles.
Judy bent her knees again, but not without a few grunts of pain escaping. Once in the crouched position, the rabbit did not jump immediately. Instead, she was breathing slowly with her eyes closed. The doctor and the caretakers continued to watch and wait for Judy's next move.
Then, Jennifer spotted Judy scrunching her face and baring her teeth. The display was followed by a low growl that became louder by the second. A roar came from her, catching everyone present off guard and likely attracting the attention of those nearby. With all her strength, Judy thrust herself into the air, still with her eyes closed and teeth bare. As soon as the rabbit felt herself slow down, she forced her ears up and still. Next, she thrust her head forward.
The feeling of metal and the sound of ringing reached her ears.
A smile broke through, and Judy felt elated. She also felt herself falling, but the rabbit cared little for anything else. To her fortune, she didn't need to as a pair of arms wrapped around her, stopping the fall. Judy then felt herself being lowered before feeling another set of arms around her. When she opened her eyes, the rabbit found herself in the arms of Jennifer, who had an exasperated look.
"You are one crazy rabbit! Do you know that!?"
Judy only responded with a weak chuckle.
She and the caretakers picked up the sound of clapping and turned to see Doctor Wright being responsible.
"Marvelous! I admit that I began to doubt whether you could complete the test."
Judy was too exhausted to comment or even move.
"That will conclude things for today. I will let you know of the next treatment. I would also like to extend my gratitude to the caretakers for setting up the contraption."
The deer and the horse silently nodded and began taking the poles down.
"Jennifer," Doctor Wright said. "If you could do so please."
"Yes, Doctor."
The tan rabbit helped Judy to a wheelchair and carefully sat her down. The gray rabbit grunted in pain from being moved. Jennifer tried to apologize, but Judy reminded her that she caused her condition. The caretaker accepted the reason and began wheeling Judy back to her room. Neither rabbit spoke during the trip. When they arrived, Judy was still in pain, but the worst had passed as Jennifer helped her onto the bed.
"I'll put in a special request to have you cleaned in here. Given your good behavior, getting that accepted shouldn't be a problem. Still, don't get your hopes up."
Judy managed to get herself on her back. "Thank you regardless."
Jennifer then decided to change the topics to about the test. "You realize that Doctor Wright was expecting you to give up. "
She nodded and put on a weak smile. "He must have forgotten how often and quickly I had to change tactics while in the army." She turned her head to face the ceiling. "But in truth, had I failed on that last attempt, I would have given up. Believe me. I hate doing that with every fiber of my body." The rabbit closed her eyes and took a deep breath, slightly wincing from the pain. "I had to learn the hard way that eventually, perseverance becomes stubbornness, and that could lead to myself…or other mammals getting hurt."
Jennifer could see the vacant look in Judy's eyes and could only assume that memories of seeing mammals get hurt or die in the war were the cause. She placed a comforting paw on Judy's arm, which caused the rabbit to shake her head.
"I'll return with your meal later and to change your clothes. Get some rest now."
Jennifer didn't wait to hear Judy's response before leaving her alone.
The physical exercise test left Judy very much sore over the coming days. The morning after, she could barely get out of bed. Upon seeing her condition, Jennifer informed Doctor Wright and was told to do what was necessary to speed up her recovery. The tan rabbit kept her protests to herself, knowing it would take time for the doctor to set up the next treatment. Thus, she took advantage of the liberty granted.
Because of Judy's importance to the doctor, the asylum allowed Jennifer to become her primary caretaker, which allowed her to secure for the gray rabbit better accommodations. Examples include giving her a wash bath instead of a cold shower. Medicinal aid instead of being left to recover on her own accord. Still, Jennifer would tend to other patients as needed. Nonetheless, Judy was grateful for her efforts.
Sometime later,
Jennifer wheeled Judy into a large room where Doctor Wright was waiting in the center. Judy looked around to see the place devoid of any objects. The only features were a window, overhead lights, and another set of doors on the other side. Judy wondered about the room's original purpose before being emptied. They stopped a few steps away, and Jennifer stood by Doctor Wright.
"Good day, Miss Hopps. How are you feeling?"
"My back still hurts from the exercise, but I can still move. Jennifer has been helpful in my recovery."
The white rabbit nodded. "It was at her insistence. I do hope you have recovered enough for what I've prepared."
Knowing you, anything is possible.
"And I do hope you aren't asking me to do more."
"On the contrary, this next treatment will require no such thing."
Judy felt a small relief, but the uncertainty gave her pause. "Thank you. What will I be doing?"
"This time, you will be undergoing a mental exercise."
"Does this involve leaving me in isolation?" Given they were the only ones in the room, it wouldn't surprise Judy.
"Please, Miss Hopps. You are already isolated in your room so such exercise is futile. This will not be the case. Now, please don't interrupt."
"Apologies." For once, the moment of remorse was genuine.
"Now, I will not give out the details, but I know you are an intelligent rabbit. You will understand the goal once we begin."
Doctor Wright clapped his paws, and two rabbit caretakers entered the room through the other set of doors. The two approached the mammals in the center of the room, and Judy could see they were holding something. When they finally stopped, Judy could see them holding leather straps in each paw. She wondered about their purpose when Doctor Wright spoke.
"Restrain her arms and legs."
"What?!"
The caretakers obeyed and approached Judy while Jennifer stood behind and held her down by the shoulder in case she became frantic. Panic started to rise, and the gray rabbit darted her head between the caretakers and the Doctor. Her ears also rose and became stiff while her nose twitched rapidly. She tried not to fight as the leather wrapped around her arms and legs, securing her to the chair.
"Is this necessary, Doctor?! Do you think I will harm myself?!"
"No, I do not. But for this exercise, I cannot have you be mobile. While you will be restrained, I still advise you to keep still when it begins regardless."
The panic continued to rise, but Judy kept her composure. Yet she still hasn't figured out Doctor Wright's plan. Once the caretakers finished their tasks, they exited the room, leaving Judy, Jennifer, and Doctor Wright alone.
"Jennifer and I will take our leave before they return. We will be monitoring through a hole in the door. Rest assured. This exercise will cease once it becomes too dangerous."
Dangerous for me or dangerous for you!?
With that, Wright and Jennifer began leaving as well. The tan rabbit could only give Judy an apologetic look before following the doctor outside. Judy could hear the door behind open and close, followed by a sliding noise. At the same time, the other doors and a loud growl came through. The noise was followed by the two caretakers bringing in a female yellow rabbit. The two pulled the patient by the arms as her feet dragged across the floor.
The sight shocked Judy. She was about to protest the mistreatment when the appearance and behavior of the yellow rabbit halted all further words and thoughts.
The patient's fur was unkempt, and she wore a straitjacket. The smell was not as prevalent, informing Judy that the caretakers did the minimum of splashing the patient with water. The yellow rabbit snarled and tried to attack the caretakers, but they dodged and continued to forcefully move her. But what shocked Judy the most…was the muzzle on her face. This was the first time she had seen the object in real life, for predator or prey.
Nick's words of his memory of being muzzled flooded her mind. As described, it was metal and appeared as a cage with four straps. Judy could only assume there were different shapes for the respective species. The description of the object was forgotten after Christmas, and between everything that's happened since Judy returned home, the muzzle was never at the forefront of her mind until now.
Judy started picturing Nick being the one muzzled and fighting back, begging to be released and asking what he had done wrong. Nick's description and the resulting imagery nearly brought her to tears.
The yellow rabbit's snarl brought Judy out of her haze, and she could see her and the caretakers in front of her. One of them kicked the patient in the abdomen, causing the doe to let out a squeak and fall to the ground in a limp. The caretakers hurried to remove the straitjacket from her but kept the muzzle on. By the time Judy recovered from the shock, the caretakers had fled, and only she and the ill patient remained in the room.
An anxious Judy watched the yellow rabbit slowly recover. The patient got on all fours and started looking around while sniffing the air. The shock wearing off also allowed Judy to assess the yellow rabbit's condition.
It was now clear that the patient was behaving how their species did before evolving. That explained why the yellow rabbit wasn't saying any words when first brought in. Judy didn't have time to understand the doe's condition further when she began pacing the room. Judy remained still and tried not to do anything to attract the patient's attention. It did surprise her that the yellow rabbit had not discovered her presence so far.
Using only her eyes, she kept track of the patient as the mammal moved around. Her greatest fear came when the yellow rabbit moved out of her vision, but the ears alerted that she was behind her. Judy didn't know if the patient would finally discover her and become aggressive. Assuming the theories were true, the yellow rabbit was likely checking the area for any threats or intruders.
Stay calm Judy, and you will get through this. She may or may not be acting savagely.
The thought of a bunny going savage would have made her scoff, but given what she'd seen while in the asylum, it didn't.
Finally, the patient entered Judy's view again, and the gray rabbit started to feel relief from having one aspect under control. That was until the yellow rabbit turned in her direction and made eye contact. Judy's ears perked on instinct, and the rabbit let out a meep. She immediately realized her grave error as the yellow rabbit's eyes dilated and her face morphed into an aggressive snarl. A growl emitted from her, and she shifted herself to face Judy.
Knowing there was nothing else she could do, Judy finally let out a whimper as she closed her eyes and braced for the impact.
Oh, sweet cheese and crackers!
Judy heard a roar and felt the impact. A feeling of falling followed. Despite being restrained, she still had a vice grip on the arms of the wheelchair.
The freefall feeling came to a grinding halt, but Judy had no time to recover before feeling paws and claws assaulting her face and chest. She could also hear the relentless growling in her face. To her disgust, the gray rabbit could feel what she hoped to be saliva being sprayed onto her. The metal frames of the muzzle were forcibly pressed against her face and ears as the yellow rabbit attempted to bite.
Judy dared not to open her eyes and desperately turned her head sideways to avoid having one side of her face take the brunt. She also used all her energy not to let out a cry, but each assault was pushing her to that point. Judy hoped that at the end of the exercise, she would not have any serious injuries. At first, the pain was minimal, but finally, the claws broke skin, and Judy felt the pain on her left cheek.
The location caused Judy to freeze as another buried memory began to surface. The image of a portly fox snarling at her and raising a claw, ready to strike. The claw then coming right down on her face before feeling the pain.
It also caused Judy to open her eyes and finally look at the yellow rabbit up close. The dilated eyes as if she were a predator. The saliva surrounding her mouth from the growling. The chipped buck teeth that gave the patient a predatory appearance.
It was the final strike that broke the dam.
"HELP! SOMEBODY! GET HER OFF OF ME!"
Judy's cries and the yellow rabbit's growls emitted throughout the room. The pain started to increase and rise around her face, neck, and chest. Being restrained; there was almost no way for Judy to fend her attacker off. She could only move her head to avoid the strikes there. Judy didn't know how much time had passed since the caretaker first left the yellow rabbit with her, but it felt like an eternity.
Then…just as quickly as the assault began, it stopped. Judy didn't know if the patient had lost interest in her or was checking to see if she was dead. She almost wanted to keep her eyes shut, but curiosity got the better of her. As the rabbit reluctantly opened her eyes, she saw the caretakers had returned, restrained the patient, and dragged her away before disappearing from the room. Judy also realized she had been lying on her side the entire time.
She soon found herself upright and saw Jennifer coming into her vision. The tan rabbit had to keep her composure from seeing the work done on Judy. The top of her dress was torn, and cuts littered the exposed area, the neck, the face, and the ears. Some of which were bleeding. It was a miracle that her eyes escaped unscathed. Jennifer quickly worked to undo the restraints from her arms and legs, throwing the straps away with great disdain.
Doctor Wright also came into her view. "Very impressive, Miss Hopps. You lasted longer than expected before calling for help. In truth, had you not spoken up, the exercise would have continued."
Judy said nothing and stared at the doctor with an almost catatonic look. Meanwhile, Jennifer looked up in horror at hearing the words.
The white rabbit then broke into a chuckle. "I'm only joking. As mentioned before, you are no good to me dead. While these exercises will bring pain, they are not fatal."
Judy continued to stare at Doctor Wright with the only movement coming from her breathing. Jennifer's horrified look turned into a glare. Neither of which affected the doctor.
"Well, this has been a trying day for all involved, so that will conclude the exercise. You will hear from me shortly on the next steps."
Jennifer wasted no time getting Judy out of the room, stopping only when the doctor opened the door for them. The tan rabbit said her thanks with a faux smile before hurrying along. Once in Judy's room, Jennifer carefully moved her onto the bed.
"I'll be back with some medicine to treat those wounds."
As she went to leave, the tan rabbit felt her arm being grabbed. She turned around to see Judy holding onto her. The caretaker could see the pleading and inquisitive look.
"Jennifer."
The tan rabbit gulped nervously. "Yes."
"The yellow rabbit. What happened to her?"
Jennifer bit her lip as she tried to come up with an answer. But she had none and so answered truthfully. "I don't know, Judy. I don't know."
Her answer appeared to satisfy Judy as she released her arm.
"I'll be back," Jennifer reiterated. "I promise."
Judy was then left alone again. She stared at the ceiling as many thoughts ran through her mind.
What happened to that yellow rabbit?
Was she already like that when she arrived?
Or did the asylum cause her condition?
Judy bit her lip as tears formed in her eyes. They stung the wounds that happened to be along its path.
Am I going to end up like her?
The info about likes and dislikes comes from an article about shellshock in WWI I found. Quote from the article, "Another form of treatment consisted of "finding out the main likes and dislikes of patients and then ordering them to abstain from the former and apply themselves diligently to the latter".
See the AO3 version for article link.
I took some creative liberties of course, and the chapters on the treatment won't drag on too long.
Nick, Jack, and Skye also have suffering to experience. :)