Chapter 18

Enlightenment

June 18th, Monday, 10:55 am

For the rest of the weekend, the Meadowland gang – as Judy jokingly adopted – settled into their respective roles relatively comfortably, with Finnick and Claire designated to go out for supplies using the zebra's truck. On one of these trips, Nick had specifically requested his personal pair of shades to Finnick's chagrin, as well as a set of ZSF DVDs. Nick was still groggy each morning, but with a midday nap he was slowly able to adjust to his new role as a lookout.

Gabby spent almost all her time in the medical room, and true to her word, she was constantly adjusting the dialysis machine's parameters, and Judy often spotted Finnick with her working on the desk computer, lines of code and GUI elements plastered over the monitors. The rabbit knew that the somewhat uncomfortable tests were providing direct data for the pregnancy overall, so she steeled herself for more.

On the wolves' side, they maintained constant watch, with at least one being awake at all times. Despite their vigilance, there was no sign of attack from Razorbacks. Instead, Nick spotted several vehicles, which at a glance were unassuming motorbikes or cars, but the fox was able to spot media affiliation logos on the vehicles as he looked through binoculars, and alerted whichever wolf was at the front door. This only happened twice, and both times it was Alex on duty. The tod smirked as the vehicles slowed down and stopped at the sight of the pale wolf, then after pausing for almost a minute, turned around and left.

However, following the ZNN and other news outlets on TV, the discussion surrounding the Meadowland gang was only ramping up. With Gilesby unwilling to give details, pundits from all walks of life were often invited on air for their opinion. Something that often came up were interviews with Bogo and Commander Maxwell, as many speculated the two chiefs had important information to present.

And indeed, on Monday morning, another conference was held, with the ZNN anchors – Fabienne, and the koala David Koalabell – on duty today. While Gilesby was set to attend, Bogo and Maxwell were also present. There were more Razorbacks this time, but there was a clear divide between the wolves and the pigs, and audience members closest could feel it, edging their seats away or moving if the space was available.

It seemed much of the same journalists were present, and as the Mayor stood up to the lectern once more, Nick spotted him glance ever so slightly at Quilda in the front.

Is that fear I see, my upstanding Mayor?

They all found it a bit odd that Bogo and the black-furred wolf were in full uniform off to the side, as if the Mayor had approved their presence. There was tension in the air, but it wasn't as hostile as it was between the wolves and boars in the back.

The hamster cleared his throat, and the crowd fell silent.

'Well… there's little explanation as to the agenda today. Chief Bogo and Commander Maxwell here have information that Zootopia no doubt wants to hear. After nearly non-stop discussion, I have agreed for them to present whatever information they see fit, with no danger of them losing their positions.'

Nick and Judy especially raised their brows in surprise, as did many of the journalists. The audience remained quiet even as the Mayor gestured to his left.

'Now, I will allow Maxwell to speak.' He bowed his head respectfully at the much larger wolf. 'Commander.'

The middle-aged wolf bowed back stiffly before taking the stage. As the crowd began to stir, he held up a silencing paw.

'Let me make this absolutely clear; I have no input in relation to anything medically-related, or any specifics about the police officers' statuses, who were involved in Friday's incident. What I will provide is what happened starting with a call I received from two of my squad members, who at this time asked not to be named.'

He waited for the audience to fall completely silent.

'According to my squad, they were contacted by Grenn, invoking city emergency protocols for backup. Typically, when this happens, my command is temporarily overridden… but only if there was an actual emergency. However, after debriefing them, they were uncomfortable with how little information they were given about the emergency, and it wasn't until they confirmed a pregnant civilian was in danger that they contacted me. Until that point, they were led to believe the occupants of the van were terrorists.'

The wolf fell silent for a moment as there was a wave of scattered discussion that spread through the audience, though Nick and Judy got the sense the commander was pulling their legs a bit with a momentary smirk.

'Suffice it to say, they were somewhat off-put when they saw the famous officers in said vehicle. And when I heard this, suffice it to say I was NOT happy. I ordered them recalled immediately, as well as doing what they could to stop the Razorback activity in the area, but they were unfortunately waylaid by vehicle waste dumped on their windscreen.'

Finnick couldn't help but cover his face a little. By the Commander's chuckle, however, the wolf seemed more amused at this development than anyone else in the room. Bogo, scowling, raised an impatient brow.

'Commander, if you would…' He urged.

At this, the Commander dropped his smirk.

'Two Nightstalker vehicles were then dispatched, with me at the helm, and we found several Razorbacks on the side of the road. They had bullet wounds, but after reviewing footage with the ZNN, it is conclusive that another wolf wielding a rifle had inflicted these wounds. Until we know for sure his relationship to the ZPD officers, we are treating his actions as duty of care towards protecting civilians, and he will not be prosecuted without further evidence.'

A pig raised his hand, with the wolf acquiescing.

'Commander, was that wolf a former member of your group?'

Maxwell once again smiled, as if the question reminded him of a joke. 'Perhaps. But it seems there are no members of the press willing to get close enough for a visual confirmation, instead opting to flee with their tails between their legs.'

Nick couldn't help but snort, as he thought back to the vehicles he'd spotted doing exactly that. That earned the tod a few odd looks from the others, but he got the feeling he and this wolf commander would get along well if they ever met.

The audience fell silent, with a couple of the journalists actually ducking their heads in embarrassment. Quilda, however, raised her paw.

'Commander, what is currently happening with Ralor Grenn?'

Maxwell's smile was replaced with a scowl. 'He is still under arrest, and we are holding him in a special cell, and are in the process of interrogating him. However, he is proving to be… less than forthcoming.' He allowed his gaze to wander over to the Mayor, who was standing somewhat nervously aside Bogo. 'Hopefully with the Mayor's cooperation, that can be rectified.'

With that, there were several more unprompted questions, but Maxwell curbed them with a shake of his head.

'No more questions.' He glanced over Bogo. 'Chief?'

The buffalo grunted as he strode away from the Mayor. If the hamster were as large as the Chief, there was little doubt the bull would have shoved his way past.

Even the audience could tell the Chief was angry, though the buffalo was doing his best to maintain his composure. After placing a clipboard on the lectern, he attempted to swallow his ire as he spoke into the microphone.

'I have come into possession of information that, if accurate, will fully explain the circumstances behind Detectives Wilde and Hopps' recent actions. The caveat is, upfront, that I received this information from an anonymous source, and so far, the ZPD's attempts to contact this individual have been unsuccessful. Therefore, it is likely this information was obtained illegally.'

Nick and Judy, after a moment, glanced over at Finnick for a moment. However, the tan vulpine's scowl remained transfixed to the screen. In City Hall, there was a momentary clamour amongst the press before a swift, threatening scowl from Bogo silenced them.

The beaver raised his paw after clearing his throat. 'So will you be presenting this information, Chief?'

The buffalo shot the mayor another look, with the hamster meeting it with a resigned bow of the head.

'I've had an extensive discussion with our Mayor, and he has consented to the release of the information to the public, regardless of the legality of how it was obtained.'

The audience was stunned silent for several seconds.

The oryx raised her paw. 'Sir – can we ask why?'

'You can, but that is not my concern.' Bogo bowed his head and began reading from his clipboard.

'Now, I'm no medical expert, but from what I've gathered, from this information, and the Council's pursuit of Wilde and Hopps, is that predators and prey can, in fact, become pregnant from each other.'

The audience shifted as if to ask another round of questions, but Bogo's no-nonsense scowl cowed them into silence so the buffalo could continue.

'The Council has known this for some time. In fact, it is possible even the founders of Zootopia knew of this. And they have been keeping this information from the citizens of Zootopia ever since. They have also erased the city's own records of these occurrences, by removing the cause of death from the unfortunate mammals that died when attempting to give birth. Tragically, it seems that any mammal that did not choose to abort a predator-prey pregnancy, lost their own lives and that of the children.'

The reporters immediately began to speak, but Bogo cut them off. 'Do NOT ask me why the Council would do this. The Mayor, I believe, intends to illuminate you on this after I have finished speaking. Now, I will name every mammal who, according to my information, died from a predator-prey pregnancy.'

The bull proceeded to read out the names on the list. With every name, the audience, as well as the Nightstalkers, grew more and more quiet. The air in the Hall, as well as the living area, was cold and silent. Even though all the Meadowland gang knew something like this might come up, it still stung to hear all the names of mammals who died, with even their friends and family likely disowning or otherwise abandoning them when they needed it most.

Several of the reporters stood up and left by the time Bogo finished. As the Chief let the silence set in, he spoke softly, glancing in Maxwell's direction.

'In light of the implications of this information, Maxwell and I have agreed that all Razorbacks need to be accounted for and put under surveillance. If any member of the public sees a uniformed Council guard away from Council premises or events, inform the ZPD immediately.'

With that, the bull closed his notes and stepped away from the lectern, returning to his previous position. As the silence pervaded, Nick noticed several of the mammals still presented with different reactions. Most were appalled, with the ears visibly down or folded back, no longer so eager to hear the truth. Some, however, regarded the others with contempt, as if the information they were just provided was nothing new to them.

The tod gripped his knees so tightly that he almost jumped when he felt Judy touch his elbow. The doe gazed up at him with her concerned purple eyes.

'You alright, slick?'

It took him a moment to answer. 'I dunno, Carrots. Just hearing about them… It's hard.' Internally, some of his fears that were at the forefront on Thursday night resurfaced somewhat, even with all the help they were getting.

As if sensing his fear, Judy slowly rubbed his arm comfortingly. 'Just think about what'll happen if we get through this.' She looked back at the screen. 'I can see those mammals as well as you can, you know.'

'… You mean those that remind you of the "asshole doctors", as Finnick put it?'

The rabbit nodded. 'They seem so convinced that it's wrong for predators and prey to be together on principle, and that we deserve what we're getting.' She frowned with determination. 'We'll prove... we can work.'

Nick managed a smile.

'Your confidence never ceases to amaze me.'

Gabby shushed them as the Mayor finally took up the podium, exuding a similar fear to Nick's a few moments ago. The hamster finally spoke, while the audience reserved judgement.

'It pains me to admit it, but I can confirm that the information Bogo has provided, whoever the source was, is accurate.'

It took the audience a moment to process this, as no one spoke or raised a paw for several seconds. Finally, Quilda raised her paw, her cold expression the same as ever.

'Rachel Banner – the most recent victim. Did you approve the erasure of her record, Gilesby?'

The rodent bowed his head, a hint of conviction returning to his face. 'I did.'

'As Bogo said, will you elaborate on why, sir?'

'… Yes. Before anything else, however, I wish to say that what I have done, what the Council have done, has always been for the good of Zootopia.'

The hamster then spoke about the Council's point of view on predator-prey pregnancies, going over how the children from these unions threatened the very principles that Zootopia had founded itself on. Some of the audience seemed receptive, especially those mammals who were privy to the situation already. Finnick grew restless during this speech, and left early on to start working on lunch.

However, as soon as the mayor was finished, Quilda raised her paw. Several of the audience members were trembling.

'Are there any confirmed cases of predator-prey children surviving, mayor?'

The hamster hesitated before answering. 'Not to my knowledge, no. It's why–'

'Then how do you justify letting them die, along with their mothers, over speculation?'

Quilda put no more emotion into her question than any other, but this seemed to set something primal within the rest of the audience. One by one, they began arguing amongst themselves, some advocating for the Mayor, while the majority called them out on their callous disregard for the lives of the other mammals. Bogo, Maxwell, and the guards were forced to intervene when chairs began to scatter and several mammals soon came to blows and claws. Nick and Judy still couldn't believe how audaciously some mammals held fast to their beliefs, even with the confirmation they had no actual evidence to back up the Council's actions.

The conference was thrown into chaos, with the last camera shot of Linnalo escorting the mayor away as several of the reporters began to advance on him – predators and prey alike. Then the camera cut out, with a "Technical Difficulties" banner flashing for a moment before it returned to Fabienne and David. The snow leopard was silent for several seconds, her jaw hanging open for several seconds, while the koala stared at the monitor, speechless. Fabienne was the first to regain her composure.

'Ahem… We apologise for the loss of video feed, but it seems our cameraman was susceptible to the… emotions on display. We'll make sure to keep the update you all on the developing situation.' She glanced toward David, her voice lowering. 'We need to get Ralph in there.'

'You don't say…' The koala squinted at an off-screen signal of some sort, and frowned curiously. 'We have some colourful audience members in the chat today. We have… what? A dozen already? Do we have the bandwidth–'

After some confusion on ZNN's end, they interrupted the broadcast temporarily, as they awaited further updates on the conference, as well as the new calls coming in. The screen stayed on a ZNN banner that read "stay tuned", with normal programs evidently not running today.

As the Meadowland gang took it all in, Gabby was the first to speak.

'Well, I'm glad the Chief and the other guards maintained a degree of professionalism in their roles, unlike some others.'

'Can you blame them?' Claire said, some anger feeding into her words. 'I mean, if I was there, I'd probably be arguing just as hard.'

The gazelle shook her head. 'Focus, Claire. There will be a time and place for that later, but right now, we have our own duties.'

She, Claire and Madge shot Nick and Judy a quick glance, before they nodded, and went back to their respective duties, with Madge opting to help Finnick with the cooking.

Nick and Judy remained staring at the screen, but then, as they looked at each other, they couldn't help but smile a little, offset by the concern over the violence that broke out.

'I… didn't expect so many to stand up for us.'

Nick shrugged. 'Well, maybe not us, specifically. But… yeah, this was never going to fly.'

'I hope no one got hurt in that…'

It was the tod's turn to rub her arm. 'Come on, with Bogo and all those wolves, they should be fine. Even the razorbacks seemed to take their jobs seriously.'

'Well…' Mary folded her arms, scowling darkly. 'I wouldn't mind if some of those stuck-up bastards got a broken bone or two.'

Nick and Judy glanced at her in surprise, before the tod twisted his muzzle worriedly.

'Mom… you sure Finnick isn't rubbing off on you too much? You're worrying me.'

'What kind of mother would I be if I didn't feel at least some animosity towards those who judge my son and bunny daughter without even knowing them?'

Nick glanced at Judy with a help-me-out-here look, but the rabbit smiled and shrugged.

'You should've seen my mother after she found out I got clawed by Gideon.' She paused. 'Well, I suppose it was forgiven, but still…'

By now, the smell from the kitchen was enticing, and Mary momentarily forgot her previous ire.

'Well, can't stay angry on an empty stomach!'

When the ZNN returned to air, the group broke for lunch while all sorts of prominent figures began to weigh in on the Council's actions, including some Council spokesmammals. The higher up they were in the hierarchy, the more they were in line with Gilesby's viewpoint, which the ZNN and many others took note of. More importantly, doctors, nurses and anyone who had been coerced by the Council regarding predator-prey pregnancies were beginning to speak up.

About two or three interviews in with various medical employees describing the council's extortion, Dr. Franklin called the ZNN in an interview alongside another doctor they didn't recognise: a wildebeest going by Dr. Zander. Headed by raccoon dog anchor Michael Tanuyama, the discussion began on the note of why predator-prey pregnancies were so dangerous to the mothers. The tone shifted away from the technicals as Franklin and Michael brought up the fact that such crucial information was deliberately withheld from the citizens.

'If these pregnancies are indeed possible, why are there no education programs aimed at addressing this, as there are for such things as speeding, drugs and alcohol?'

Franklin was the first to speak.

'Because we, under the Zootopian Council's umbrella, were specifically forbidden from doing so.'

The raccoon seemed unperturbed, as if he was only asking the questions so they would be answered.

'And why would the Council do that?'

'… Because, in the long run, it would be the most effective method of prevention,' Zander said. 'When the public gets told not to do something, they will naturally either ask why, or do it anyway to spite the warnings.'

Michael squinted as he glanced at Zander's screen.

'Are you implying that neither of these outcomes is acceptable? Simply asking why is that much of a problem?'

Zander frowned. 'Yes, because that would create the very discussion that we would want to avoid. Up until now, it has been very effective, as there have been only two deaths in the last decade.'

Franklin, muzzle scrunched up as he scowled.

'There shouldn't have been any at all. That's my point here.' The black panther's paws stiffened against his desk. 'Those two mammals didn't need to die. Predator-prey pregnancies are indeed dangerous, but that is why we should be educating everyone to make an informed decision long before–'

'Those two mammals were given the information,' Zander countered. 'Whenever such a pregnancy does happen, they were always advised to get an abortion.'

'… This being after being left in the dark leading up to the pregnancy. If they were properly educated, they would have thought twice about their sexual partners. And ultimately, this is a medical concern similar to that of past deadly diseases, such as rabies and death pox. If the issue is silenced and ignored, then a potential cure can never be researched.'

Zander gave the panther a silent glare. 'A potential cure for this should never be researched.'

Franklin glared back, expecting that response, but Michael stared in confusion.

'So you are saying that medical advances that might make predator-prey pregnancies viable, even safe… shouldn't be pursued?'

'Yes, that's correct.'

'Why?'

Despite his firm frown, Zander stumbled over his words.

'Because they are wrong!'

'What are wrong?' Michael asked calmly.

'Predator-prey pregnancies! They should be impossible! It's unnatural, and–'

'Correct me if I'm wrong, but a core tenet in the medical charter is a duty of care,' Michael continued, his voice now low and quiet. 'If you refused to treat patients based on their sexual preferences or relationship status, especially when it can lead to their death – which we now know, it has – then that is a direct violation of your duty. In fact, I would go so far as to call it malicious negligence.'

The bovid's eyes widened in fear for the first time, and he stood up. 'You can't use that against me! If this leads to legal ramifications, you can be sure I–'

'Sir, calm yourself!'

Zander's camera abruptly faded as the cameramammal apparently turned it off.

Michael's expression was unchanged.

'Well, it seems one of our participants is no longer fit to continue this discussion. Do you have any closing statements, Doctor Franklin?'

'I…' The panther studied the small predator with a newfound respect. 'Nothing medically related, I'm afraid. However…' He then glanced straight at the screen, addressing the audience. 'Nick, Judy, if you can somehow hear me – I'm sorry I couldn't help you before. I want to make up for that. I'll keep pushing things on this end… so don't give up.'

'Thank you doctor,' Michael said with a short nod. 'I'm afraid that's all we have time for today. Stay tuned for more as the situation develops.'

Nick and Judy slowly exchanged a determined glance, before Nick resumed his patrol, and Judy her tests with Gabby.

Alex had been posted at the front door that afternoon, and he was on edge more than usual. Media vehicles had been barely coming by anymore, so he found himself simply waiting for an inevitable avalanche of cars and bikes that he wouldn't be able to scare away. While the occupants were gradually approaching and actually getting out of the vehicle, just about all of them had booked it as soon as he said anything.

It was convenient before, but the wolf was reaching a stage where he knew that at least one journalist would need Nick and Judy's side of the story. Thing is, he would not let anyone in that would in any way exploit the pair's renown for their own benefit.

On that note, Alex found himself thinking back to the fox mentioning Bertha as a candidate. While it may have been a joke at the time – for this specific reason, the wolf wished his wife was around. However, she spent much of her time nowadays keeping an eye on both their dwellings, while most likely taking advantage of his absence to go joyriding and eat junk food. The pale canine grumbled to himself as he could only imagine the mess he would be cleaning up when he got back.

It was then that he heard the distant familiar sound of a vehicle. However, as he scanned the field and saw the small car approach, he recognised the barbed figure inside.

Quilda showed no reaction to him as she pulled in the parking lot. The wolf watched with fascination as the porcupine pulled out a carry bag, checked for pens, a notebook, and a tablet, all with a stiff, dour expression.

She only acknowledged his presence the moment she stopped to stand in front of him.

'Are you the guard on duty?'

'That I am,' Alex said guardedly. 'State your business.'

'I want to go inside. The ZNN still does not have a crucial piece of the predator-prey pregnancy puzzle, and I presume as a security guard, you would at least be privy to the goings on in the city.'

'… I suppose I might. However, I can't just let anyone in.' He scanned her outfit, as well as her bag. 'Do you have any proof that you're with the ZNN? As well as some other form of identification?'

The porcupine swiftly produced the appropriate badge and driver's licence.

'Before I consider letting you inside – how exactly do you plan to gather the information you require?'

'I wish to simply ask any mammals involved in the matter to tell me their side of the story.' She squinted through her square glasses as she looked the wolf up and down. 'That would include you, by the way. I have little interest in conducting interviews at the moment, just accounts.'

Alex huffed irritably. 'If it'll come to that, I'd rather you save me 'till last. Security comes first.' He took out his radio, and connected to a receiver upstairs. After a few seconds, Madge responded from the other end.

'Madge here.'

'I've got a ZNN reporter here to gather information. Muriel Quilda – you know, the porcupine.'

'Of course I know her.' The honey badger paused. 'Fine, let her in. Tell her I'll meet her just inside the entrance.'

'Good. Now I can get her out of my fur.'

The wolf put the radio away, pushing open the door and tipped his head inside.

Quilda paused to scowl up at the pale wolf before entering.

'You know, I think I will leave you until last.'

The porcupine gathered her information from basically every member of the Meadowland gang – which she was all too happy to go along with – wrote nearly everything down in her notebook, and entered further notes on her tablet. She asked clean questions, almost as if she were a detective herself.

When it was Nick and Judy's turn, the tod was understandably reluctant, but as Judy began to talk, she found it easier and easier to speak as they went along. Nick didn't have much to say by the end, but he couldn't help but be impressed by his wife's recollection of the detail she was giving out. The porcupine took note of each doctor that Judy named. They both inwardly hoped it would lead to some specific doctors being called into question, just like Dr. Zander.

After some convincing from Claire under the assurance that doing so would make Judy happier, Gabby reluctantly shared some facts relating to the council. She also vehemently opposed Quilda posting any exposés on the Zootopian Council until after Judy's ordeal was over. The porcupine agreed surprisingly quickly, as waiting until then would ensure the full story could be covered in one package. The porcupine also provided her personal contact details should they wish to conduct any interviews after the birth.

With all that on the table, Madge, Claire and Gabby had her sign a contract to not share anything directly related to the medical side of things in the interest of Judy's health. However, after discussing the matter with Alex and the wolves, they decided that the porcupine was free to share anything to do with the Razorbacks and the car chase leading up to their current position.

The porcupine left after only a couple of hours, though she let slip that she would likely be back in a few weeks. She also issued a quick "good luck" to Nick and Judy before sliding carefully into her padded car seat and driving down the road.

They all mostly put the porcupine out of their minds for the remainder of the day, but as they tuned into the news that evening, some of Quilda's security-focused information was provided in a ZNN report. There was also coverage of several city demonstrations held in the city square, mainly calling the mayor to step down, and to raise awareness of the Council's efforts to hide the truth. However, the ZPD was doing a good job of keeping the peace, and most of them were able to focus on their normal evening routine.

That night, Bonnie and Stu called Judy after dinner, detailing how they intended to visit. Judy double-checked with the wolves, and the rabbit pair was all clear. Daniel had evidently coordinated with the Nightstalkers, albeit unofficially, to make sure they wouldn't have any setbacks.

While Judy was expecting some degree of embarrassment, she was not expecting the boxes of gifts her parents had brought her, with Daniel carrying the majority through the front door.

'Mom! Dad!'

Judy ran up to them and hugged the pair around the neck, though they all held back a bit on account of her growing belly. When Bonnie leaned back to examine her, the older doe couldn't help but tear up and cover her mouth.

'You really are pregnant…'

Stu studied his wife sheepishly. 'After all the ruckus raised by those pigs and all that, that's a darn odd thing to say.'

Bonnie scoffed and lightly slapped her husband's arm. 'You know what I mean.' She studied Judy and teared right back up. 'I know I've seen this in my other daughters, and yet it gets me every time…'

Judy tipped her head as she shifted nervously. 'That's one reason I wanted to see you guys. I've never asked, but Mom?' Bonnie's ears perked up. 'How much experience do you have with… pregnant does?'

'A lot. And I mean a lot.' The older doe smiled brightly. 'If you need any advice, I'm happy to give it.'

'Yeah, but before that…' Stu looked around. 'Can we sit down for a moment? That Daniel fella was nice enough, but the trip here was still long enough to work up an appetite.'

Bonnie scowled darkly for a moment. 'Especially the nerve of that b–'

Claire then emerged from the living area and put on a bright smile, her customer service skills on display. Stu looked relieved as Bonnie redirected her gaze to the zebra.

'Mr and Mrs. Hopps! We've been expecting you.' She gestured to the doorway she held open. 'There should be plenty of seats inside.'

The two bunnies bowed their heads thankfully as the three went in and sat down, and Claire got them some drinks from the fridge.

'So… where's our fox son-in-law?' Stu said after a long sip of ginger beer. 'I was under the impression he was always at your side throughout this whole... er, ordeal.'

'When he's not working, he is,' Judy explained, 'but right now he's covering that wolf who escorted you here. He should be getting a break any minute now.'

She texted Nick, who was indeed on his way after Daniel returned to cover his patrol area. He hadn't bothered to change, apparently, as he strode through the door still wearing his uniform and his shades. However, as he raised them to reveal his green eyes, he smiled somewhat nervously.

'Well, good morning, Bonnie, Stu. I, uh… well, as you can see, you could be grandparents soon. But I suppose that's nothing new to you two, huh?' He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

Bonnie and Stu exchanged a confused look with each other as the fox stood there almost paralysed. They stood up and took one of his paws each, leading him over to the couch despite his feeble protests. They sat him down next to Judy.

'Why so tense, son?' Stu asked with a concerned frown. 'I thought we'd worked this whole "in-laws" thing out years ago.'

'That's right, Nick,' Bonnie said reassuringly, 'there's no need for stiff tails around us.'

'Well…'

Nick glanced over at his wife, as if pleading for help, and Judy returned his gaze with some encouragement, albeit with a nose wiggle.

The tod was silent as he glanced around at them, but his discomfort remained, especially as he glanced at Judy's belly.

'Yeah, but… we wouldn't be in this position if I wasn't a fox…'

'Now, you listen here, mister,' Bonnie said sternly, and Nick sat up straight, while still tipping his head down to look her in the eye. 'As the mother of 150 daughters, believe me when I say that few bucks would have remained as loyal and supportive as you've been, especially given how you've been treated. And thanks to a certain someone on the way here, I have at least an inkling of what that was like. But, I digress...'

'So... relax. Nick.' Stu said with finality. 'We're here for you, Judy, and the kits too.'

The fox finally relaxed his shoulders and managed a small smile. After a few seconds, Judy cleared her throat and turned to her mother.

'Mom, about that "someone"... can you tell us about it?' Judy asked. 'You were about to use some unexpected profanity, too.'

As the two older bunnies hopping back up to an adjacent couch, and Nick managed a cheeky smile. 'Oh? It's rare for you to unleash your inner savagery, Bonnie –do tell.'

'Well, on the train here, we had quite the load–'

'Which I was mostly stuck with moving,' Stu added.

'–while also being a bit of a worrywart. We, um… may have been a bit too obvious that we were visiting one of our kids, and a doe on the opposite chair came over and asked if we were visiting someone.'

Judy and Nick tightened their muzzles. 'Let me guess… you mentioned my name?'

Bonnie glanced away in embarrassment. 'Well… yes, and looking back I probably should have thought about it more. I mean, she seemed friendly, but the instant she knew you were my daughter, it was like something flipped in her head.'

Nick bowed his head. '… I know how that feels.'

Before Bonnie continued, Stu interrupted her with a paw on her knee. 'Hon, do you think we should tell her? Jude's in a... delicate position, at least compared to our previous daughters. Remember the close call we had with Jackie?'

Bonnie's ears drooped a bit. 'Of course, how could I forget… though I'm not sure we should stress Judy out more...'

'I remember Jackie, Mom, and I did ask,' Judy said calmly, after her ears perked up in recognition. 'So I want to know. Besides, this was after the conference on Monday, so it'd be interesting to hear if things have changed at all.'

Bonnie and Stu shared a thoughtful glance.

'Well, now that you mention it…'

'Pick up where you left off, Bon.'

'Oh, right.' She took a deep breath. 'Well, as soon as I said your name, she said "How does it feel?" When I asked "How does what feel?" she said "Your daughter engaging in such shameful behaviour."'

She and Stu flinched tentatively, but Judy and Nick simply nodded.

'Well, I checked my ears. I asked if she even knew you or met you, which she hadn't. Then I asked what right she had to pass judgement on someone she had never met.'

'… I was gettin' right concerned there,' Stu continued, 'but when it looked like the two would go at it, the most curious thing happened. A coyote who was sitting opposite us asked her if she'd been following the news lately. She insisted that she did, and then… he called her a dumb bunny.'

Nick and Judy raised a confused brow, but Stu gave a short laugh.

'Y'know, years ago, I would have found that offensive, but now, it's kinda funny. Well, the lady looked like she was going to blow a gasket, but she lost her nerve as the guy stared her down, and she went to the next car.'

Bonnie gave a short smile. 'It was kind of satisfying, but we just sat in silence. Just as we were getting off, though, the coyote told us he wishes you two the best.'

'…Aww.' Judy smiled up at Nick. 'That's good to hear.'

Nick managed a smile back. 'Maybe things are starting to change.'

They continued to talk for a few minutes, Judy and Nick about adjusting to their new temporary life in the asylum, while Bonnie and Stu talked about how Judy's siblings and family were doing. After Stu had finished his drink, he raised his head to look around again.

'Now, maybe we should see about finding this doctor of yours. I'm surprised she hasn't come to see us.'

'Eheheh…' Nick grimaced. 'If you met her, you wouldn't be. But I can guess where she is right now.'

'I think Mary was in there too,' Judy added. 'I'm guessing she's going ahead with her "renovations".'

The four of them got up and said goodbye to Claire, who was cleaning up in the kitchen, and made their way to the opposite room. Upon opening, they saw Mary putting up some wall decorations – right now she was pinning a calendar to the wall. The vixen smiled brightly as she turned to greet the new visitors.

'Bonnie! Stu! So glad you could make it.'

The three exchanged bright greetings, hugs and shaking of paws, before Mary led them over to the silent gazelle in the corner.

'Hey, Doctor? You've got visitors.'

The gazelle didn't respond, with her eyes glued to the monitor as she pored over data.

'Uhh… doc? Helloooo?'

Again, the gazelle didn't respond.

Bonnie and Stu leaned over towards Judy.

'You sure she's the doctor that's going to get you through this? She seems out of it.'

Judy shrugged, but retained her smile. 'Believe it or not, it's because she's so focused on the job that I feel good about our chances.'

Nick finally squared his shoulders and walked up to the gazelle.

'Hey, Banner! Judy's parents have a medical matter to discuss with you.'

This caused the doctor to move, adjusting her glasses and swiftly turning around in her desk chair.

'Ah. Good. You should be able to assist me with the proper medical preparation. I presume you are well-versed in both hospital and home births, Mrs. Hopps?'

Bonnie looked flattered. 'Well, I don't mean to brag, but–' She then frowned. 'Wait a second! Why are you assuming I'm going to be your assistant or something?'

'Is there some other reason you are bothering me?'

Stu grinned awkwardly as he whispered to Judy. 'She's not exactly a… mammal-mammal, is she?'

'You know I can hear you.'

The buck shut his mouth, and the gazelle folded her legs impatiently.

'Look, I'm a busy mammal. I need to do everything in my power to maximise the chance of your daughter having a successful delivery. Anything secondary to that objective means nothing to me.'

'Oh.' Bonnie nodded respectfully. 'In that case, I am willing to provide you information, but unfortunately we can't stay for too long.'

'Hm?' Mary's ears folded back in slight disappointment. 'And here I was hoping we could organise a Vexxen tournament.'

After a confused pause, Stu spoke up. 'We still have our responsibilities back home. Besides, I'm not so sure we're needed here. I mean,' he gave Mary and Gabby an awkward glance, 'first impressions aside, all of you seem to know what you're doing.'

'Mrs. Hopps,' Gabby began, 'does having family and friends nearby increase the success rate of births?'

'It does… usually,' Bonnie said with a nod, her eyes widening slightly as she processed the words, shifting her gaze to her daughter. 'Are you saying you want us to be here?'

Judy glanced away in slight embarrassment, but nodded. 'I mean, just having Mary around is helping a lot. I know I sometimes complain about how you two worry about me, but for once I actually want you around.'

'Though,' Nick added, 'just sitting around and freaking out wouldn't help. That's what would've happened to me if I didn't sign up for the "gung-ho" military club.'

He shot a cheeky glance at Gabby, but the gazelle paid no attention.

'So long as you two remain composed, you are welcome to stay.' Gabby said matter-of-factly. 'I would go so far to request you two to move into the building a week from now, until the birth. I should also mention that, while we have sufficient supplies on hand, it would be beneficial for us to have close relatives who can donate blood for the sake of Judy's inevitable transfusion needs.'

Bonnie and Stu stared at the gazelle for several seconds.

'Jeez, you don't beat around the bush, do ya?' Mary laughed.

'That could mean weeks,' Bonnie said to herself.

'It's not impossible, though,' Stu responded. 'There are enough responsible bucks and does to hold down the fort for that long. And they would understand.'

Bonnie nodded. 'I know. Especially when considering the blood thing…'

Gabby inclined her head, seemingly done with the conversation. 'All I ask is for you to consider it. Now I must return to my calibrations.'

With that, she turned around and her gaze was once again transfixed on the monitor.

'But I wanted to know–'

Bonnie's protests fell on deaf ears, with Nick and Mary shrugging.

'Best to leave her alone for now,' the tod said. 'I'm sure Claire or Madge can give you medical details. If memory serves, Madge is upstairs doing up your beds.'

'Is this all for us?' Stu asked. 'That's pretty darn considerate.'

'She was that honey badger you mentioned, right?' Bonnie added.

As Judy nodded, Mary spoke up with a grin.

'Oh yeah! Just like that hostage taker you two dealt with not long ago!'

The two older bunnies stared at the vixen in shock, but Nick smacked his forehead.

'Damn it, Mom!'

Bonnie and Stu were only able to stay for a couple of days. During that time, however, they showered Nick and Judy with the gifts they brought, including kit-sized clothes, pacifiers and nappies, though none of them had a rear opening big enough for a baby fox's tail. They spent the two nights watching ZSF together, and while the bunnies were hesitant at first, they both unexpectedly got into it. Stu found himself fascinated by the military procedures and equipment, while Bonnie admitted that she found the wolf protagonist pretty handsome.

The day before they were set to leave, the family group started talking about names, with both sides of the family bringing up notable ancestors they could take inspiration from. After a couple of hours of discussion, they decided to have a break, with Mary roping the two older rabbits into playing a puzzle game called "Muzzle Bubble 4".

Nick and Judy stayed to watch them, still mulling over some names in their heads. They'd both had some ideas of their own, but around now was a good time to start making their decisions.

'So… any takers, Carrots?' Nick kicked things off. 'I mean, we had some clear winners like Maynard and Alfred.'

Judy scoffed and punched his shoulder lightly. 'Dad's just a bit old-fashioned. I do think he's onto something with some of our ancestors, though.'

'Oh? Did you know of a great-grandparent that Bonnie and Stu don't?'

'…Actually, I do. Though not a grandparent per se.' Judy turned to sit as comfortably as she could while cross-legged. 'Did I ever tell you about why I wanted to become a police officer?'

Nick grinned sheepishly. 'To make the world a better place? I mean you spouted that long enough for me to actually believe it myself.'

She rolled her eyes. 'Har-har. But while I definitely still wanted to make the world a better place – there was an ancestor that I looked up to as a kid, after I heard Pop-pop talk about him.'

Her fox husband raised his brow curiously, turning around to face her, also sitting cross-legged. 'Well, your captive audience is waiting for their story, Carrots.'

'… No pressure or anything.' The grey lapine took a short breath. 'Well, one of my great uncles, about five generations ago, had no interest in farming. He spent his whole life working to make the burrows a safer place. He didn't get any official training, but he eventually became the town sheriff. All his siblings thought he was crazy, and in a way, he was.'

'How so?'

'Well, he – admittedly didn't like predators that much, but there were gangs that came through the town and caused trouble. He was brave enough to stand up to them, though… he did end up losing an eye and a finger or two in doing so. When he retired, a lot of the bunnies called him a crazy old hermit. And despite that, he kept the place safe for the rest of the family, even if they didn't appreciate it.'

Nick smiled brightly. 'A crazy trigger-happy hermit, you say? Remind you of anyone, Hopps?'

'Oh, laugh it up, you dumb fox.'

After a brief chuckle, Nick eyed her seriously. 'And what was this hermit's name?'

'… Tobias Hopps.'

The tod raised his brow, his smile falling for a moment as he turned the name over in his head.

'Tobias… Toby… that's… not bad, Carrots. And if he's tough enough to get through this birth, then I see no reason not to give him such a name.' He grinned again. 'And if he's as crazy reckless as you are, even better.'

Judy scoffed and kicked his exposed foot lightly. 'Alright, enough mocking the bunny. It's your turn.'

Nick's ears fell as she shifted nervously. When he continued to remain silent, Judy tipped her head with concern.

'Nick? You alright?'

'Uh… this is a bit embarrassing, Carrots, but… I've been thinking of a name for a while.'

Judy flicked her gaze up thoughtfully, and she thought back to the earliest time when Nick started mentioning kids.

'A while… I'm guessing it wasn't long after we started dating?'

'…Yeah.'

She reached out and gently grasped his paw. 'Well, there's no need to be embarrassed. If you've been thinking about it for that long, then it should be a good one.'

Nick nodded as he worked his jaw for a moment.

'Well, just a heads-up, the story behind her isn't exactly the most uplifting.'

Judy nodded. 'I'd still like to hear it.' She smiled. 'It's only fair, after all.'

The tod grinned. 'I guess it would.' He cleared his throat. 'Well, she was my great-grandma. And it's not really a long or complicated story – she just wanted to be a singer. She loved music, and performed in bars and other dives as much as she could. She was a real looker too, like yours truly.'

Judy sighed. 'Don't tell me this is going to be more about you than her.'

'We foxes do have some pride, fluff.' Nick's smile fell. 'She never got any higher than that. No agency was willing to give her a chance, and she lived her life as a waitress. And that's the long and short of it.'

The rabbit's ears fell slightly. 'I'm sorry to hear that.'

'No biggie. It's nothing new for us foxes.' Nick said coolly. 'Besides, it's not like every ancestor of mine has a gut-wrenching sob story. Most, including my late great-grandma, made do with what they had.'

The tod glanced off to the side wistfully for a moment, before adopting a smirk.

'Well, this fox wants just a bit more than that, and possibly his kits too. And I blame it on a certain rabbit that entered his life.'

'Oh, really?' The bunny smirked back. 'Anything you wanted to say to this rabbit?'

'Well… "thank you", I guess.' Nick scratched his snout in embarrassment. 'Too bad such a rabbit isn't sitting right in front of me.'

'…Yeah, too bad.' Judy rolled her eyes fondly, softly tapping his foot again. 'Well, I think we've done enough dancing around, slick. You still haven't told me your great-grandma's name.'

'Oh yeah.' The tod reverted back to his initial nervousness. 'Uh… Sylvia. Sylvia Wilde.'

'Huh.' Judy tapped her chin thoughtfully. 'That sounds… kinda refined. I wasn't expecting that from you, Nick.'

'What do you take me for, fluff?' Nick harrumphed. 'I can be classy if I so choose to.'

'Well, good for us that you're also choosing our daughter's name.' She smiled – just saying "our daughter" set off little butterflies in her stomach. Judy continued to study her husband curiously. 'So, one of the reasons you wanted children…'

'Huh? Are you psychoanalysing me again?'

Under his flirtatious grin, she huffed. 'My point being, you wanted to give more mammals a chance to live their dreams, like we are. Right?'

Nick's eyes widened in that adorably terrified manner she hadn't seen for some time. 'Uh… Dunno what you mean.'

'You know… that is really sweet. And kinda cute.'

Nick grimaced in mild disgust along with a cough. 'You know, I can count on one paw the number of guys who like being called "sweet" or "cute". Definitely not me.'

'In that case, I'll be sure to do it more often.'

Nick scowled in an exaggerated manner and threw up his paws.

'You know what? I take it all back! Ancestor Schmancestor – our kits can name themselves for all I care!'

This earned a concerned look from Bonnie and Stu for a moment, but Mary simply sputtered in laughter long enough for them to smile awkwardly and turn back around.

Judy laughed as well, shifting closer to Nick and took both his paws in hers. 'Well, when the day comes, and we haven't thought of anything better – I'd say we got our names.'

Nick grinned smugly. 'Well, aren't we a pair of geniuses?'

'I'll give credit where it's due.'

The tod gently scooped her up into his lap, earning a delighted squeak, and she reached up to stroke his cheek fur and neck. He nuzzled her ears, and after a heated glance, they leaned in for a kiss. They continued for several seconds, but their mutual instincts were brought to a screeching halt as they simultaneously recalled Gabby's overly embarrassing comment.

They both glanced down towards Judy's belly, and in that moment, they couldn't help but feel a twinge of frustration. As they observed each other's grumpy frowns, they broke into a grin and laughed.

'I, uh… think we need to dial things back a bit, slick,' Judy said sheepishly, 'at least until this is all over.'

'Yeah… the good doctor made that clear.' Nick slumped his shoulders and sighed, but managed a small smile. 'Oh well. Anything for you, fluff… and the kits.'

… I hope.