Chapter 4

Sun-trodden

The subway had been a reliable source of transport to and from the ZPD, given the dedicated station to the precinct. It was on average a twenty-minute train each way, not including the somewhat problematic walking distances. Foot traffic was a common problem around City Central.

As Nick ascended the warm yellow stone steps, the ZPD entrance remained as imposing as ever for a smaller mammal like him. He was used to it by now, and the enormous building did not feel so big when one had navigated it enough times to know it like the back of their paw. He still preferred to follow in after the larger mammals going in and out rather than pushing the revolving glass doors himself, though that wasn't much of an issue when Judy was with him.

As a consequence of being one of the smaller mammals, just walking around the ZPD was far more exercise than he normally did, and thus did not need to spend as much time in the building's gym as other officers would. He still complained about the oversized ground floor every chance he got, however. Especially now that an expanded budget had staffed their records and IT departments entirely with rodents.

The ZPD's main floor looked almost the same, but Nick jealously spotted the transport tubes lining the edges of the ground floor, with a few branches feeding into the upper floors, and a couple more dropping through the floor. They'd been built to prevent the larger mammals squashing a rodent without realising it.

Of all the new officers on the force, seven had been hired specifically through the mayor's MII: three IT staff and four record managers that consisted of mice, rats, hamsters and gerbils. Due to their equipment size difference the records work room had more than half of its contents removed, just from the redundancy of any electronic equipment used by previous, larger staff. They had been replaced by much tinier – but no less efficient – equipment of all kinds. It seemed that rodents in general were far savvier with streamlined processes and technology, and had automated much of the processes the ZPD officers had to go through previously. Writing reports, for example, took less than half the time it used to, as much of it was automatically filled from record management software, with only select fields the officer needed to fill in.

Nick viewed these changes as a godsend. Even with the restrictions on the internet the IT staff and ZCC placed on their network, he could find ways to amuse himself in the free time they had on desk. Judy had a harder time adjusting to this, which they resolved by pushing for more fieldwork. Which Nick didn't mind, if it meant using the new Z-242 more often.

The pristine building was relatively quiet, and Nick spotted Clawhauser sipping a large milkshake while watching something on his PC screen. Clawhauser spotted him approaching, who smiled brightly and set the milkshake aside. The desk now had a section lower to the floor, so Nick approached from that side to make it easier on the larger cheetah.

'Morning, Nick! You got that call from the Chief, I take it?'

'Yep.' The fox glanced to their left, toward the interview rooms. 'Is our lion in there right now?'

Clawhauser's smile fell for a moment. 'Yeah. I didn't see much of him, but he looked so sad. Poor guy.'

Nick nodded once in confirmation. 'Good to know.. Can you send Bogo an overtime form for me?'

'Sure thing!' Clawhauser said brightly. 'Gotta get a bigger paycheck, don't we?'

'You know it, Ben.'

As Clawhauser clicked a few times on his PC, he glanced at Nick for a moment. 'You can see yourself in. Bogo should already be waiting for you, along with Delgato and Johnson. Guess I'm not the only one who feels sorry for the guy.'

Nick couldn't help but frown as he made his way to the interview rooms. It wasn't often that he had to deal with a civilian with mental health problems, much less be called in specifically for them.

With some effort, he reached up to the steel door's handle and pushed it open. He stepped out into a long hallway with timber chairs, lined with room numbers and more doors. Bogo and the two lions looked down expectantly as the door shut behind him, off to his right in front of Room "5".

'Wilde,' Bogo said gruffly as the fox made his way over. The chief immediately fixed his gaze on the figure in the next room. 'Take a look.'

Nick stood on the nearest chair and looked through the rectangular glass window on Room 5's right steel door. His ears drooped for a moment.

'Clawhauser wasn't kidding…'

It wouldn't have been a stretch to label Gregory Sunride as a beggar or homeless mammal. His clothes were frayed and dull, and his fur was frizzled and unkempt. Judging by the lion's small mane, he was probably in his early twenties.

The young lion stared listlessly at the table in front of him. However, the lion carried something that reflected the light, as Nick momentarily spotted a glint from the neck area.

'He doesn't have anything… dangerous on him, does he?'

Delgato shook his shaggy head. 'I made sure to remove anything he could hurt himself with.'

The lion gestured to a small table against the room's outer wall. There were a few staples, a paper clip, and a pencil.

Nick glanced at the items with a smirk. 'Glad we got this stuff off the streets, guys.'

Delgato rolled his eyes. 'He hasn't said much, but his mood swings from unbearably gloomy to just… nothing. He hasn't actually tried to hurt himself, but he's showing signs of severe depression. The ZSS have somewhat forced our hand here.'

'We're lucky the ZPD isn't so busy right now,' Bogo said. 'I doubt we'd have the resources to help him otherwise.'

Nick jumped down from the chair and braced himself, recalling his training when dealing with those with mental health issues.

'Anything I should know before I work my magic?'

'There are a couple of things we want to know,' Bogo began. 'One — what has happened to him recently to leave him in such a state; two — when was the last time he had normal accommodation, or lived with his family; and three — has he done anything the ZPD should be aware of. Especially if illegal drugs are involved.'

Nick grimaced. 'That's a tall order, sir. It'll be an accomplishment just getting him to open his mouth.'

Johnson spoke up next. 'You can tell him that we plan to try and find him accommodation, and some form of government allowance just for living expenses. He doesn't have to worry about us putting him in prison or some psychiatric ward.' The lion pursed his jaw. 'I already told him this, but like I said, he just didn't respond.'

Nick nodded. 'I'll do what I can.'

Bogo and the two lions nodded and made their way through the left door, into the observation room. 'See that you do.' He gestured to a small desk in between the two doors. 'His file is on the table.'

Nick swallowed a quick pang of nervousness as he eyed the relatively spotless room, alongside the one-way window that he knew would be in full view of the three large officers.

After grabbing the small file, he pushed open the large door and hopped up onto the chair to stand at eye level to the young predator. Gregory didn't react to his entrance.

'Sorry to keep you waiting,' he began with a smile. 'I'm Detective Wilde. You want anything to eat? I'm sure you've heard the "donut-loving cop" cliché, but we got a lot more than that on hand if you want it.'

After getting no response, he laid the file out and skimmed over the first page.

'So… Central station, huh? Great for tourists, but not for making your home…'

'Can I go back?'

Nick blinked in surprise. Gregory remained in his sullen position, but he had spoken.

'Uh… You'd prefer a bench in a public station to a proper house?'

'It's where I belong.'

Nick stared at the lion for a moment. He glanced off to their left, and while he couldn't see the officers on the other side, he held up his paws with a confused shrug, before clearing his throat awkwardly.

'We're going to try and find you somewhere better than that. But to do that, I need to ask you some questions to figure out how you got to this point, alright?'

He paused for a moment as he waited for an answer, before flipping the file to the next page.

'You're the son of Marco and Valerie Sunride, correct? They have a lot of pull in the real estate business. Was there… any particular reason you're separated from them now? Or that they won't provide you any financial help?'

'…They…'

The lion's paws on his knees trembled.

Nick waited patiently.

'…won't.'

I kind of expected that, but still… harsh.

'Can I ask why?'

Gregory fell silent again, shifting his head away, and Nick frowned worriedly before he moved on.

'Education – Hmm. You're in your third year at High Plains University?'

Gregory actually nodded, to which Nick returned encouragingly before he continued.

'Do you have any friends from there that might be able to help you?'

For a split second, there was a spark of life as Gregory looked up at him.

'I…'

The lion lowered his head before covering his face, and Nick heard him sniffle.

'It's alright. I'm… sorry I brought it up.'

If he's a third year; he's gotta have some friends. I would bet money on at least one of them willing to help. They might not even know.

Unfortunately, with the ZSS refusing to take in this individual, family and friends were the only routes Nick could really explore. In terms of "knowing everyone", he still only really knew mammals that he engaged with from a business standpoint, with some pleasure sprinkled in. University students were not a group he had been willing to swindle, and thus he barely knew anyone in the tertiary education community.

Nick stood against the back of his chair with his arms folded as he pondered.

'How long have you been like… this?'

Greg managed a self-deprecating smile as he glanced down at his clothes. 'This? That's one word for it.' The lion paused for a despondent moment. 'Three months. Maybe four.'

Greg fell silent again. Nick had probed in every direction he could think of without asking directly, but the young lion was directly avoiding talking about the very thing he wanted to know.

'And – "this" happened because…?'

If there was any spark of energy in Greg's eyes, it faded now.

Nick exhaled and shook his head to himself.

This isn't going anywhere.

As he frowned and stroked his muzzle thoughtfully, one thing had bothered him ever since Greg had started responding. Why would a young lion be so receptive to a fox, especially compared to fellow lions? Even if he had his "silver" tongue, he didn't feel like it was actually the reason. It wasn't directly related to his objective, but his curiosity was piqued.

Nevertheless, he continued to flick through the file for anything else he could use, but his disquiet lingered. As if in answer to these turbulent thoughts, Greg finally spoke again.

'You said you were Detective Wilde? Nick Wilde?'

The question sounded so mundane that Nick stared as he absorbed the words.

'…Yes? I… suppose my reputation precedes me.'

'Is it true that you're married to Judy Hopps?'

How does he know that? I guess universities have their connections…

Nick got a strange feeling that he was the one being interrogated. His interview training would say to refocus the subject if they got off topic – but in Nick's experience, he got more information about the subject just going along with them when they bring something up. Bogo and the others no doubt had followed their training to the letter.

And yet, these questions were so out of left-field – not to mention personal – that he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The way Greg gazed at him made him feel like their ages were reversed.

Should I go along with this? It might be awkward, but I've played all my other cards.

He nodded cautiously and put down the file. He couldn't hold back a little indignation.

'Depends on what the "legal" definition is, but… yeah, I am.'

'That was a mistake.'

Nick stared at the lion in bafflement. He had heard that same sentiment many times; it was the main reason he and Judy kept their more overt exchanges under wraps when in public. When they received such disapproval, it was done with disgusted looks and dismissal from anyone in public.

But... this was different. The lion was watching him warily, and the way his muzzle twitched made it seem like he wanted to say more. When Nick finally responded, his voice trembled a little bit.

'What was a mistake? You're going to have to explain that one to me.'

A mixture of emotions flowed forth from Greg. He opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but pain emerged in his gaze once again, making him clench his eyes shut and recoil. Then the lion pressed his paws over his eyes and began to sway from side to side, as if trying to expunge a memory.

Nick leaned forward with his paws on the table.

'Hey! You alright!?'

He heard movement from the room to their left, but it faded as Greg's motion slowed, albeit gradually.

'Why… Why her…?'

Nick continued to examine him worriedly, lowering his voice.

'Her?' He said gently. 'You mean Judy?'

Greg didn't respond, but his motion slowed further. He was silent for several seconds until he was still, but his paws were still pressed over his face.

'She didn't deserve it…' He said, almost in a whisper. 'Because of me…'

Deserve what?

He stared at the lion at a loss. The lion was quiet again, and eventually settled into the exact same state they'd began the session in. Nick stood up urgently.

'Wait – what didn't she deserve? If you talk to me, we might be able to prevent it from happening again... whatever it is.'

Unfortunately, Greg didn't respond, and Nick was out of his element. Even though the lion was far younger than him, he was still a lion. His joints tensed up, as tension in his stomach made him want to prod further, even to the point of him personally wanting to know more. Especially if it was related to Judy somehow.

Still, he remained standing, unable to intervene. Thankfully, Nick heard the adjacent door open, and there was series of short taps on the wall behind him that signalled the interview was over.

'I'm sorry for… whatever happened to you,' he managed to say, forcing his muscles to relax. 'We'll see about getting you some help.'

When Greg didn't respond, Nick gathered the file and showed himself out, leaning back against the door to push it open. As soon as the door closed behind him, the tod slumped against it for a moment and sighed heavily.

'Wilde?'

The three large officers studied him with varying levels of concern. Nick glanced up at Bogo, who was the most reserved.

'Chief… Next time you call me in for a subject interview… at least give me an Itreea gift card as an incentive.'

Bogo eyed the fox flatly.

'No, I don't think I will.'

They made their way out to the mezzanine after Grizzoli showed up to relieve them, with Johnson leaning down and opening his paw. Nick handed over the file before running paws down his face.

'Ugh… I need a drink.'

Delgato grinned and stopped at a vending machine against a side rail, tossing a small can over to him.

'Here you go.'

Nick opened the can and immediately took a sip. His eyes widened with displeasure as he turned the can around to look at the label.

'Cawberry Soda?'

He redirected his scowl up at the grinning lion.

'You didn't say what kind.'

'Come on, man!' Nick eyed the nearby garbage bin for a moment. 'I need something with a bit more kick.'

'Need I remind you that you are on duty, Wilde?'

Bogo was watching them from afar. Nick bowed his head and reluctantly took another sip of the unusually sweet beverage.

'Yeah, yeah…'

Bogo glanced around at the three of them analytically.

'The three of you take a break. I'll expect all of you in my office in ten minutes.'

The buffalo strode off without another word. Nick punctuated the silence with a deliberately loud slurp.

'Cheapskate,' he said playfully. 'Five minutes less than usual.'

Nick tuned out everything except the two lions' take on how they could help Gregory, going up to the reception desk and including Clawhauser in the discussion. Nick spent most of it sitting next to Clawhauser's mic and sipping his drink. Noticeably, they avoided bringing up the subject of Nick and Judy's marriage – much to his relief. That would have cost them at least five more minutes with Clawhauser in the mix.

The lions were still talking on their way to Bogo's office, but the moment they stepped through they fell silent and waited for Bogo to address them.

Bogo pressed his digits together over the desk before he spoke.

'Well, young Gregory is not helping his case. And yet, somehow, bringing you in, Wilde, got him to open up, just like I hoped. However, judging by your response, it might have been better if the kid kept his mouth shut.'

Nick nodded after a moment's thought. 'I'd rather not go through that every interview.'

'He brought up "her" several times toward the end,' Bogo pondered out loud, 'and I doubt it was Hopps. But I've looked over his records; no lodged tax returns in the past two years, and no listed spouses or significant other.'

'Were there any recorded deaths in the past three years at the university?' Nick asked.

'I have not had time to look through those records,' Bogo said. 'However, nothing comes to mind off the top of my head. If there were any murders at a University, I would likely have remembered it.'

Bogo leaned back for a moment, before shifted his attention to the lions. 'Delgato, Johnson. Thoughts?'

'Plenty, sir,' Delgato began, 'but I think Johnson has something that might actually be useful.'

Bogo focused on the lion with the slightly yellower fur.

'My eldest daughter goes to that very university, sir,' Johnson began. 'Even if there were no records, the students themselves would know better than any record management system. I don't think she knows him, though.'

Nick managed a smirk. 'Ah – the personal touch.'

Bogo brushed the fox off with a grunt.

'I can see how that could work,' he said. 'Short of going to the University yourself. However,' the buffalo lowered his voice. 'Seeing as the ZSS refused to assist us in this matter, I cannot assign this as an official case, Johnson. Anything you can find will help.' He frowned. 'Unless it turns up nothing. That would make Gregory a total nutcase and a lost cause, and his reaction to Wilde's questioning would make no sense.'

Johnson nodded in agreement. 'I'll ask my daughter. And also…' The lion exchanged a glance with Delgato and Nick. 'If push comes to shove, my family could take him in.'

Nick looked up at him in surprise before smirking again.

'Wow. Generous.'

The lions gave the fox a disgruntled look, with Delgato scowling. 'What, did you stuff paper into your ears? You were there when he talked about it.'

Nick grimaced for a moment. 'I was distracted by your drink's irresistible sweetness.'

Delgato rolled his eyes, but Bogo eyed Johnson carefully.

'Are you sure about this, Johnson?'

The lion shook his head. 'I have not run it by them yet. But we have the space. Vanessa may not be a police officer, but she'll help those in need as much as anyone.'

Delgato snorted. 'Don't start gushing about your wife again, Johnson.'

Bogo lowered his head thoughtfully while they were talking.

'Very well,' he said reservedly. 'We might get in trouble with the ZSS for taking it upon ourselves, but their opinion can be put aside unless they can provide a good reason to refuse helping this washed-up lion.'

'Well, surprise surprise.' Nick teased. 'You really do care, Chief.'

Bogo narrowed his eyes, but adopted a smile. This set off several alarm bells in Nick's head.

'Indeed. But you know what I don't care for? Overtime forms!' He placed his hand on his PC mouse off to his left with a threatening scowl. 'Maybe I should just delete this one I received from Clawhauser… with your name on it?'

'Eh… heheh, I would very much appreciate you not doing that, sir,' Nick stammered. The lions snickered.

After a moment's pause, Delgato spoke up.

'Will that be all, Chief?'

Bogo remained silent for a moment longer, before waving hand towards the door.

'Yes, for now.'

When Nick turned around though, he continued.

'Not you, Wilde.'

Nick frowned but gave a shrug, pulling one of the side chairs closer to Bogo's desk and hopping up onto it. Once the lions were gone, Nick cleared his throat.

'Did you want to ask me something else, sir?'

Bogo narrowed his eyes, studying Nick with scrutiny.

'Has there been anything unusual happening with Hopps?'

'Huh?'

'Answer the question, Wilde.'

Nick frowned thoughtfully for a moment, before shaking his head. 'Not that I can tell, no.'

Bogo scowled, still deep in thought.

'As unusual as that whole session was, him bringing up Hopps was by far the most disconcerting. It almost sounded like a threat, but even I doubt that the kid is capable of murder – or crimes in general.'

'That's what I thought too, sir.' Nick glanced away for a moment. 'And I don't think it was a threat – more like a warning.' It was his turn to study Bogo. 'Why are you asking, anyway? Don't tell me you've caught the "asking strange questions" disease from Greg?'

Bogo groaned, but turned around to stare at the Zootopian map on the wall to his right.

'I can't explain it, Wilde. There are… small things, here and there, that I've noticed over the years. Individuals who should exist in our records, but don't. Relationships — such as spouses — that seem to exist when talking to the individuals, but are not listed on any tax forms. This "her" of Gregory's is another such individual. And what bothers me the most is that I have no power to dig any deeper, despite being the Chief of Police. Also, that Hopps was brought up with no apparent connection to "her" makes it even more irritating. Given the city's past, there's only one party I can really suspect.'

Nick ran through a list of suspects in his head, and only came up with one possible answer. Ever since the Night Howler case, Nick and Judy both picked up on Bogo being far more suspicious of their governing entity. However, Nick was beginning to think Bogo's distrust had originated long before that.

'The Council, then.'

'Who else?' Bogo grumbled after a nod. 'Our rodent team has done a stellar job with our infrastructure's security. Hackers would have no reason to delete individuals from our records when it does not benefit them in any way – at least in terms of money or notoriety.'

'Distrusting our governing body doesn't sound… healthy. At least in a mammal of your standing.'

Bogo threw up his hands for a moment. 'It's the way it's always been, and right now, it is very irksome.'

Nick nodded emphatically, before slowly grinning.

'So… was that all you had? Just needed to vent a little?'

Bogo was silent as his beady eyes sharpened, and he turned towards the fox once again.

'Ah, yes. In the coming week – possibly on Monday or Tuesday, Mayor Gilesby will be hosting what he calls the "Unification celebration". And he has requested ZPD's participation during the event.'

'Really?' Nick pondered by tapping his muzzle.

Mayor Gilesby, the new mayor, also a hamster, rarely hosted public events, at least compared to Lionheart. When he did, though, they usually left quite an impression.

'What kind of participation?'

'He wants to highlight the diversity of our department,' Bogo said begrudgingly. 'Including the rodents. As he wanted one appearance from every species we've hired, naturally, you and Hopps would be similarly requested.'

Nick was all too happy to appear in public, but he was not so sure with Judy. She hadn't appeared so publicly since her disastrous interview after the Night Howler case.

'I can guess the reason, but... can I ask why, sir?'

Bogo snorted. 'That little hamster really wants to sell how all the species contribute to the greater whole. How you and Hopps make stellar detectives, how the rodents have maximised our electronic efficiency, how elephants and rhinos are the best for quelling street fights, wolves are good at tracking… etcetera, etecetera.'

'That doesn't sound so bad to me.' Nick said earnestly. 'It actually sounds pretty good for public awareness. The city definitely needs more of it.'

'True,' Bogo admitted after a moment, 'but I'd appreciate him not parading us around like a damn choir.'

'Well, count me in, anyway,' Nick said. 'I'm sure Carrots will like the idea too.'

'It doesn't matter if you like it,' Bogo began gruffly, 'and I'll be giving out more details Monday morning anyway.'

There was a pause, and Bogo lowered his head as if running through a mental list. After a couple of seconds, he cleared his throat with finality.

'That should be all, Wilde. Dismissed.'

Nick hopped off his chair and dragged it back to where he found it. He called over his shoulder just before he opened the door to leave.

'We're all good with the overtime thing, right?'

'Dismissed!'

As Nick took the subway home at around lunchtime, his thoughts lingered on the young lion's odd comments. While he could at least understand the feline's knowledge of his marriage – it wasn't really a secret – what really bothered him was how the lion sounded. Like he knew something terrible was going to happen. Nick wasn't superstitious, but for some reason he couldn't fully rationalise the lion's behaviour away.

As such, he felt a pang of anxiety as he stood before his front door.

Don't be stupid. There's no reason to worry about Judy now – nothing's really changed. You just had a weird morning.

The tod took out his keys, but tested the knob, and found it unlocked. Judy was still home and waiting for him, it seemed.

He spotted her tall ears in the kitchen, just visible over the counter. A knife struck a chopping board, and the air was laden with the scent of fresh vegetables.

'I hope that's not all we have for lunch.'

Judy greeted him with a small smile after standing on her tiptoes for a split second.

'It's all I need, but you look like you could use something more filling.'

'Tell me about it.' Nick said tiredly as he started walking over to their bedroom while loosening his tie. 'Bogo better give me those overtime rates, or I'll file a report for police brutality.'

'Is there any reason he wouldn't?' Judy called.

Nick paused awkwardly as he started taking off his clothes while standing in front of their cabinet.

'I… may have teased him a little hard.'

Judy sighed, but her tone remained light. 'I keep telling you, he's going to explode one day.'

'I dunno, he had a pretty witty retort for me while threatening to delete my overtime form. I think he's learning.'

Judy groaned as she slid a pile of shredded veggies into a boiling pot. 'Great. My dumb fox of a husband is grooming the chief of police to be a comedian.'

Nick grinned and leaned out to call down the hall after putting some shorts on.

'Don't forget handsome, expert interrogator, and lucrative provider!'

'That last point doesn't count! If I cared about it that much I would tell you to go back to hustling.'

'Huh. Now there's an idea.'

'Nope! Don't even think about it. Or I'll find some more dirt to blackmail you with.'

'We've been together for over a year, Carrots. Pretty sure you've seen all my dirty laundry, both figuratively and literally.' Nick soon finished changing and hopped over to the TV, flipping it on while cycling some channels.

The grey rabbit grinned at him as she started preparing two bowls, alongside one of Mary's food boxes. 'I could always fish out that wolf plushie of yours and bring it to work.'

Nick paused for a moment before smirking. 'You could, but it's over two decades old. It'll probably fall to pieces. And poof! Goodbye childhood memories. And then I'd finally have some dirt on you for a change.'

Judy paused for a moment as she prepared some cheesebake and put them in the microwave, before shrugging. 'Okay, you got me there, slick.'

Nick cycled through a few more channels, but was soon reminded of the reality that was dead midday television.

'Damn, nothing's ever on at this time. At least the mornings have some of those cartoons.'

He could picture Judy rolling her eyes off in the kitchen. 'Mhm.'

Nick looked around, his eyes falling on where Mary had been sitting that morning.

'So how was your morning?'

Judy grinned widely as she worked on finishing the boiled vegetables. 'I actually managed to even up the score after you left. Gee, I wonder why?'

'Har-har. But flatter me like that too many times, Carrots, and we'll probably end up between the sheets way before our bedtime.'

Judy fell silent, but Nick could tell from out of the corner of his eye that she was standing up straight and her ears were turning pink. He couldn't resist winking at her for a moment.

'Anyway, that aside, did you seriously play Vexxen all morning? That might actually be more exhausting than overtime.'

Judy had finished preparing their lunch and brought the two bowls over to the TV table. 'No. We actually took a break halfway through, and–'

She glanced down at his outfit with a questioning brow. He was wearing his favourite green Hawaiian shirt.

'This again? Didn't we just wash that?'

'Come on, it's my comfort shirt.'

She shrugged and placed the steaming bowl in front of him, and the other next to it on his right. She darted back to the kitchen and grabbed a couple of forks, and Nick started on the potato slices immediately.

'Anyway, you were schaying?' Nick said through a mouthful.

Judy blew on her vegetables before she spoke.

'Mary was talking about a carnival that was set up today in Skylight Basin – they call it the Cascade Carnival.'

Nick raised his brow with interest. 'Really? I can't think of many things going down at the bottom of the Rainforest District.'

'Well, they plan to use water for… basically everything.'

Nick chuckled and nodded. 'That makes too much sense.'

'Anyway, Mary said she's going to check it out tomorrow and asked if we wanted to go too. I said I'd be interested. We even went next door and invited Bertha and Alex. Alex wasn't so keen until she mentioned waterguns.'

'Waterguns, huh?' Nick smiled. 'Sounds like a perfect chance to pay you back for some of the hijinks we got up to.'

Judy tilted her head up at him, giving him a downtrodden look that screamed "really"?

'You too? Sometimes I wonder how old you and Alex actually are.'

Nick shoved a few potato slices into his mouth. 'It'sch called being young at heart! You schould try it schometime.' He swallowed and grinned. 'How do you think I can end up looking this good at thirty-five?'

She punched his arm playfully. 'Come on, you're exaggerating. There's no proof that acting like a child slows down aging.'

Nick shrugged, still smirking. 'Well, don't come crying to me when your fur falls out of your ears before you hit thirty.'

Despite the absurdity of the suggestion, Judy couldn't help but admit there was a hint of truth to what Nick claimed. She had since met quite a few foxes over the years they had been partners, including a couple of prospective ZPD applicants. Nick's vibrant red fur was unblemished by any grey hairs despite her seeing other foxes much greyer than him that were actually younger. She would go so far as to say Nick looked younger than he did when they first met, but that could be chalked up to settling with some stability and clear purpose in life with which he enjoyed.

Nick raised a brow under her stare, leering down at her lecherously.

'Oh? Did you want to hit the bedroom early after all?'

She pushed his snout away with a smile. 'You really are insufferable sometimes.'

'Yeah, but you know you love it.'

'Call me crazy, but… yes, I do.'

Nick paused for a moment.

'You're crazy. Craaazy bunny.'

Judy sighed and rolled her eyes, taking a moment to shovel down a few vegetables, which were now getting cold.

'So… I plan on going with them. What about you?'

Nick paused with a broccoli stalk hanging out. 'Who?'

Judy eyed him flatly before prodding him in his side, causing him to recoil.

'Ow!'

'Come on, focus, lover-boy.'

Nick paused before his eyes cleared. 'Oh, right. The neighbours.' He nodded to himself as he resumed working on his vegetables. 'We don't have anything else on, do we?' As Judy shook her head, he smiled. 'Even if there's only waterguns, it still sounds like it's worth it.'

'Good! We should probably wear something waterproof.' Judy grabbed her empty bowl as she hopped down from the couch. 'Maybe bring swimming trunks just in case.'

As Nick continued to eat, he frowned with trepidation. 'I don't fancy the idea of seeing those old wolves in swimming trunks.'

Judy squeaked in surprise before chuckling.

'I didn't think of that! But I doubt Bertha's going to be using the waterguns anyway. And you know how good Alex is with toy guns. He's certainly in his element, being ex-military and all.'

'You got a point.' Nick admitted. 'And he's even better with real guns.'

After a moment's thought, Judy grimaced uncomfortably, and she lowered her voice. 'I wish we didn't need them.'

Nick watched her quietly, tightening his snout.

'The world isn't perfect, Carrots.'

'…Yeah.'

Nick finished his lunch shortly after, drained the pot and transferred the remaining vegetables into a red-lidded box. Judy stretched out her arms and glanced up at the clock above the TV.

'We should wait a bit, but do you want to go for a run later?'

The fox shook his head. 'Not really.'

Under the rabbit's disapproving look, Nick shrugged.

'Come on! You know how big the ZPD's main floor is. And those doors are still heavy, even after all this time.'

Judy eyed him for one more moment, then shrugged nonchalantly before she grabbed a form-fitting shirt and shorts off a handrail in the hallway.

'Fine. I guess you'll have to miss out on staring at my butt while exercising.'

Nick coughed in surprise before holding up his paws.

'Wait, wait, hold up. How far?'

'I dunno. To the ZPD and back? No subways?'

Nick stared at her and smiled fondly.

'Yep. Craazy bunny.'

Judy shifted her hip to one side. 'Well? Yes or no?'

Nick crossed his legs thoughtfully.

'Alright – you win, Carrots. But I'm getting a blueberry shake from Dairy Green on the way back.'