Chapter 1: Bunny Scarf Experiment
Nick and Ziva had been practicing for this shopping trip for over a week. Ziva would sit on his back, and they would see how long it took for someone to see her. She had to hold on to his neck using only her ears. It took some practice for Ziva to become comfortable.
There was no one around in the parking lot much to his relief.
"Ready?" Nick said.
"Just don't give us away." Ziva hopped onto Nick's back and leaned against his back. "This is so much easier now." She effortlessly wrapped her ears around Nick's neck.
They were going on a shopping spree ā they would continue until someone noticed Ziva on Nick's back. Ziva was hardly hidden, anyone should be able to see her if they looked at Nick's back. Their first stop was the plushie shop.
Nick went and picked out plushies based around the show, one of them was a giant rabbit even larger than himself. He was a fox pushing around a cart full of rabbit plushies.
"Nick?"
He turned around to see Judy shopping with her younger siblings. "What are you doing here?" He sounded like he saw a ghost. "This isn't what it looks like."
"Aww, I think this is cute."
Nick's heart pounded erratically since he expected Judy to notice Ziva somehow. He wanted to get away without Judy noticing anything amiss. "It's not for me."
Judy snapped a picture of him and his shopping cart.
"Is it for me then?" Waverly said.
"I'm already taking you shopping."
"But I'm not getting that many. It's not fair."
"He has thirteen already," Veda said. "Why do we only get one?"
"See you around, Nick," Judy said, in an attempt to control the situation.
"Good luck, Carrots," Nick said as he went to look for the rest of the plushies.
Nick was thankful Judy took the initiative to leave. It was as if they beat a boss battle. He got past her without her noticing.
"We did it!" Ziva exclaimed once Judy was far enough away.
"We're still shopping," Nick whispered. He didn't want this to end just yet. This disguise if it could be called one managed to fool Judy.
By some miracle, the outburst by Ziva caught no one's attention.
They finished collecting a plushie of every rabbit in the show. His heart pounded erratically as he placed the plushies on the counter.
"There's no need to be ashamed," the rabbit said.
Nick couldn't turn his back without increasing the chance someone would find him. He paid for the items and walked out. He placed the items in the trunk and set Ziva down from his back.
"This worked like I knew it would," Ziva said.
"How was it?"
"It wasn't too comfortable for my ears."
"I didn't think we'd get past the first store. Maybe it's not that unrealistic after all."
After Ziva felt like she rested her ears enough, they resumed shopping. They went to another store nearby for a gigantic wolf plushie. It was another character from the show.
No one noticed Ziva again.
Nick was beginning to think the animals around him were blind. Surely, someone got to look at his back and see Ziva there.
Nick had to drive them to a different place for the third store. Ziva had a chance to rest her ears again.
He picked up one game console along with a game this time.
"I believe there's something wrong with this one," the rabbit said. "Can you try another?"
"Sure." Nick walked backward, hoping to avoid giving the cashier a look at his back. He changed out the items and went back to the register.
"Something's wrong again. Can you try buying something else instead?"
Nick went to pick out something else to buy.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you know you have a rabbit on your back?"
Nick turned around to see a sheep in a police uniform. "Why are you here?"
"The cashier was concerned that there might be some child abuse."
"Drat," Ziva said. "So, they did notice."
"What is your relationship with him?" the sheep asked.
"My sister is his friend. We were going to buy this until you ruined it."
Nick said, "Technically, the cashier saw you first. I'm surprised it took this long. We'll be going now."
"We're already here. Come on, we might as well buy it."
"You know what the deal was."
"Fine, but you're carrying me." Ziva perched on Nick's back.
Nick walked out of the store without buying anything.
Nick drove them back to the farm.
It took several trips back to the car to haul everything they bought inside to Ziva's room.
"Oh, so she's the lucky rabbit," Judy said. "What's the occasion?"
Nick laughed. "You never noticed. Let me see that picture that you took."
He pointed out Ziva's ears in the photo.
"I don't believe it." Judy tried to assume the same position herself. Judy was an adult rabbit so it was no surprise that they both crashed to the floor.
"Carrots, have you forgotten that she's several times smaller than you?" Nick got up from the floor.
"There's just no way you had one of my sisters on your back without anyone noticing."
"Someone did, and they called the police."
"Are you okay?" Judy asked out of concern. "It's not because you're a fox, is it?"
"Of course, it's because I'm a fox. The cashier suspected child abuse. Nothing happened."
"I still don't know how the cashier saw me," Ziva said.
"You aren't exactly hidden," Judy said. "How did I miss you?"
"It worked for two stores."
"That's what I was saying," Nick said. "I'm surprised you didn't notice."
"I can do this too." Waverly hopped on his back and tried to take Ziva's spot. "Buy stuff for me. If that'sā"
Waverly lost her grip and fell to the floor. "Ow."
"Not interested."
"Ziva, can I play with your plushies?"
"Wash your paws first," Ziva said.
Judy said, "I doubt that's going to be the last of them now that you have a reputation as the fox that buys gifts."
"What's the worst that can happen? They're kids," Nick said.
A/N: Inspired by Shangri-la Frontier
