-trebor1982: I know, this last chapter was a long time in the making. I've considered releasing shorter (5000 words) instalments to update more frequently, but I'm not entirely sold on that option. Also, your description of Gazelle's actions as a "priceless gift" to her sister is lovely. I couldn't agree more. Trust that there will be new and unexpected challenges now that NickZelle is public!
-Guest: Great to see you again! Yes, last chapter brought the heartbreak inevitable to this flashback. But I see you speculating about whether Gazelle and her family will reconnect? How curious! I can't say at this point, but I love the implication regarding a certain sneaky fox. They've both shouldered the weight of dark pasts, after all. Now, together, they can begin to heal (Once the pawparazzi have been dealt with XD). Thank you so much for this wonderful review.
-imjustagurl: As my beta reader, you're complicit in this crime.
-Guest (2): Thank you so much.
-Cerberusx: A flashback about Nick may or may not be in the works. For now, the news will do what the news does best. Good to see you again, thanks for the review.
-Spirallira17: Yeah, sorry about that. I'm pleased Nick's consolation moved you, though. He knows a thing or two about trauma himself, after all. Great to see you here again.
-zaeva: A storm indeed, but one Gazelle should know how to weather. Nick on the other hand? Maybe not so much. Thank you for the comment.
*Special thanks to imjustagurl and iguana1500 for beta reading this chapter*
As always, please enjoy, and I'll see you on the next one! -Wilde
Chapter XV
~A Normal Life~
It wasn't an exaggeration. From the moment Nick flicked on the singer's television, the magnitude of the news spectacle had his whole body rooted where he stood.
Gazelle was quite the opposite, pacing around the room with long, embittered strides. Nick could hear her speaking with Andrés at a flying clip, their words colliding in an exchange the fox wouldn't bother to understand. He just watched her hooves as she signaled for him to gather his belongings. The vacation was over.
The pair retreated from the villa with little more than ragged breaths and muttered profanity. At the helipad they boarded the waiting jaguar's aircraft and took to the skies once more.
Andrés sped down the mountain, weaving through narrow crags like a skier on diamond slopes. Gazelle couldn't be bothered by such daring maneuvers. She pored over her phone, looking more and more livid with each swipe of her finger.
"Zootopia's Hottest Romance!—Popstar and ZPD Initiate Sighted Together at Tundratown Locale!"
"Fox On the Run!—Gazelle's Heart Stolen by ZPD Officer?"
"Gazelle Gone Rogue!—Rumors Swirl Around Relationship with Fox Officer!"
This level of media sensationalism was precisely what she had hoped to avoid. All she could think about was the cautionary phrase, "Give the tabloids an inch, and they'll take a mile."
She kept scrolling, gaining speed and fury all the while. Nick knew if he didn't break the tension soon, the singer would probably break her screen instead.
"Y'know, this could be good for us…" he remarked with a tentative grin.
Gazelle's face contorted, as if the fox had cracked a particularly crude joke. "Good how?" she raised her eyebrows at him.
"Like a blessing in disguise," he clarified. "The cat's out of the bag now. It simplifies things."
The sharp look she gave him instantly made Nick's throat run dry.
"How does being put on blast simplify things, Nick?"
"It's an out," he replied, his tone placating. "Come on, this whole 'secret lovers' thing was fun while it lasted, but it's not sustainable. Not to mention how clichéd it is!"
His attempt at humor elicited little more than an eye roll from the singer. She slung her phone into her purse and crossed her arms.
"I admire your optimism, zorro, I do. But you fail to understand what this 'out' means for you."
"What, the press?" he scoffed. "I can handle myself. Answer their questions with my own question and then answer that question. Rinse and repeat."
"It's more than that, Nicholas. You're in the spotlight now. From this moment forward, everything you do belongs to the public discourse. It is like a press conference without end. Are you really prepared to live your life in that way?"
"Yes. So long as it keeps me with you."
It was an answer so calm and assured, that in spite of all the stress bearing down on her, Gazelle's heart fluttered. She could feel his tail caressing her legs, his eyes sincere as the day they'd met.
"Are you having second thoughts?"
Gazelle shook her head diligently and sighed.
"No. Never. I just… I don't like having my cards played for me."
Her hooves swirled at her temples. After everything he'd learned about her past, Nick could understand why the singer was none too keen on giving up control in her life. He watched her settle into her seat, an apologetic glint in her gaze as she relented,
"I'm sorry for laying my frustration onto you. It wasn't my intention to sow doubt."
"It's okay, I get it," Nick reassured. "I know the path forward won't be easy. But I trust you, Gacela. I trust in what we have."
His attentive use of her name sent a great warmth blossoming through every inch of her body. It was proof that he, unlike many others, saw the popstar for who she was beneath her celebrity lifestyle—that he would not only accept, but also cherish that part of her.
"I trust you too, Nick," Gazelle said. "I wouldn't wish to take this journey with anyone else…"
"Better find yourselves a new pilot, then."
"Ay sí. And hire someone who knows when to keep out of a conversation!"
The sound of Andrés' cackles filled their headsets, and even the fox couldn't help but chuckle alongside him.
Before long, the skyscrapers of downtown Zootopia were filling their windows. Billboards dazzled and danced all around them. The streets wriggled with speed and vibrance far below. For Nick, this was a welcome change of pace. In fact, he was quite happy to return to his daily comforts for once: cheap coffee, office work, and plenty of backchat with his colleagues.
Of course, he would always make time for the insanity—for Gazelle. Because the past days were among the best he'd had. Fate had seen it right to put them together, and the fox was determined to keep it that way.
With a dip, the helicopter passed beyond the climate wall. Their arrival in Sahara Square was, as expected, met with soaring temperatures and massive crowds.
Wait.
The fox jerked his head, blinking rapidly as he melded into the window. Did his eyes deceive him? His answer came when the popstar gasped into her hoof.
"Hooo boy. You two really kicked the hornet's nest!"
A vast mosaic of fans and reporters dotted the sandy landscape below. Nick could see them funneling in from Agave Street Station and past the Palm's security checkpoints in a steady line. More troubling still was the sight of a furious caprine waiting impatiently atop the helipad.
Andrés put the aircraft down. The engines throttled back, and in that moment, the cabin door was pried open by two boars in tactical gear.
"All units be advised; Nocturne Package is secure, over!" the first called out.
The second offered no words, only a surly noise as he snatched Nick by his collar and yanked him clear from the aircraft.
"Woah, what the f—?!"
"Hey!" Gazelle erupted from her seat, challenging the assailant at eye level. "Touch him like that again, and you'll have hell to pay for it!"
The guard snorted, goading the singer to make good on those words. Aneska, however, had no intention of watching her prized client go hoof to hoof with a mammal twice her size.
"Major, call off your hounds, please."
As Nick steadied himself, he could see the caprine flanked not by Commander Raiona, but a warthog he didn't recognize. This beast was a burly mishmash of wirelike hair and pure muscle. Two ivory tusks curled from the top of his lip towards the bridge of his nose, which bore countless scars.
"You heard the lady! Fall in!" his timbre sounded across the Palm.
Gazelle didn't wait for his cronies to heed the order. She shouldered through them, concern etched across her features as she found Nick's side.
"Are you okay, love?"
The fox huffed and straightened his shirt. He could see Aneska frothing at the mouth in his periphery, her eyes latched upon him like a viper in waiting. He immediately remembered yesterday's warning from her, "Keep away from Gazelle… Or you would force my hand".
Nick wasn't about to let this goat have the last laugh. He took Gazelle's hoof in his paw, and replied with a conceited grin, "Never better, sweetheart."
"Sweetheart?!" the caprine squawked, on the verge of short circuiting. Gazelle was quick to dispense with her manager's disbelief.
"What is the meaning of this mess, Aneska? Where is Commander Raiona?"
The warthog, chief of the trio, chuffed at the lioness' mention.
"Raiona's been relieved of her command. We're running this ship now."
"What? On whose authority?!"
"On my authority!" Aneska hissed. "An incompetent fury, that feline is! I should've had the mind to replace her when she allowed this profligate to invade our circle!"
"Profligate? That's a new one." Nick smiled mirthlessly.
"Muzzle yourself, fox. You've left it to me to rectify this PR disaster you've gone and caused. I assure you, it will be the last time. Consider yourself expelled!"
"Enough of this!" Gazelle stamped her foot, her voice lasing through the commotion. "Officer Wilde will retain his post for as long as I say so!"
"Gazelle, that is out of the ques—"
"And Aneska," the singer snarled, "if you ever insult Nick to my face again, I will not say the same for you."
Nick's eyes swelled. Rarely had he experienced the artist at the end of her rope. From the way her breaths surged against her ribs, he knew the threat was fatal.
"Are we absolutely clear?"
In a pitiful attempt at concealing her disdain, the caprine locked her jaw. She must've known that to skirmish with Gazelle here and now was a fool's errand. It didn't stop her from slashing into Nick with her eyes; avowal that this fight was far from over.
"My sweet angel, I—I don't mean to test your patience…" Aneska sweetened, her hardness just as suddenly replaced by exhaustion and woe. "I've been worried sick. Your disappearance, these cantankerous headlines, it takes its toll on this old goat's heart and mind! You must understand."
Total whiplash. Gazelle, unconvinced, brought her hooves to her hips.
"And that gives you the right to sic these stooges on us? What would Chief Bogo say to this sort of blatant misconduct?"
"We don't work fer' Bogo, popstar," one of the boars sneered. "We be Razorbacks,"
Gazelle scoffed. "I don't even know what that means."
"Private security, toots! Best a' the best. Ain't nuffin' the ZPD can hold a candle to."
"Academy washouts," Nick muttered.
"Yes, yes, it's unacceptable behavior!" Aneska chimed in, gesturing to the warthog beside her. "Major, going forward, I want you and your colleagues to treat this fox with the grace and respect he deserves."
"Grace and respect. Roger that, ma'am."
Nick scoffed. It didn't take a genius to know he would receive nothing of the sort from them.
"Estoy rodeato de idiotas…" Gazelle swiped the fox's paw, her tail lashing as she spoke brusquely, "Now, if you'll excuse us, Officer Wilde and I need to be going—"
But before she could take a step, the guards had them boxed in.
"That's a negative, popstar," Major snorted. "By my estimates, you've got a date with the press in," he checked his wristwatch, "twenty minutes!"
"Excuse me?"
Aneska quickly waved the trio off, sensing yet another confrontation approaching.
"You know this situation only gets worse if we don't nip it in the bud, Gazelle," she cooed. "Forgive me, but I had to schedule an interview."
"An interview? You couldn't have waited to check in with me first?"
"We tried. No one could reach you. But don't fret, all the questions are preselected, and you'll have time to review them. No curveballs!"
Nick jolted when two hooves thwacked upon his shoulders. One from each boar beside him.
"In the meantime," Major smirked, "we'll be glad to escort the fox—Er… Officer Wilde, off the premises in your stead."
Nick's ears pinned at that precarious offer. It was ironic how, after having dreaded every interaction with Commander Raiona, he almost missed the lioness. She was a hostile creature, sure, but at least she wasn't so involved…
"Fellas, as much as I appreciate the gesture, I know my way out," he said, freeing himself from their grip.
"Belay that." Major intervened, meeting the fox with a large slap to the back. "It's a maelstrom out there. We wouldn't want you getting swept away by the crowd now, would we?"
Nick silenced a growl at the warthog's show of force. Noticing his discontent, Gazelle called his attention back to her.
"Nick, be honest. What do you think?"
As tempting as it was to spill his every doubt to her, Nick bit his tongue. He couldn't bring himself to saddle the singer with additional misgivings, not when she had Aneska and the pawparazzi breathing down her neck.
"Everything will be fine," he said eventually, donning his signature composure. "Just remember what I said, okay? Remember what we have."
Gazelle looked slightly less high-strung after her fox's assurance, though her arms remained tightly folded. Clearly it wasn't the answer he wanted to give, but she trusted that Nick, cunning as he was, knew what he was doing. After some moments she nodded, her voice tender as she spoke.
"I could never forget, zorro. We will find each other very soon. I promise this."
His ears fluttered as the singer planted a kiss upon his nose. "I'll be counting on it."
Aneska grumbled and ushered the popstar away just as soon as she could.
"Oh, and Gazelle, my darling," the caprine muttered in a voice not-so-secret. "You have something on your neck."
With a blush and a nervous bleat, Gazelle yanked her collar up and scrambled for the stairs. Aneska followed smugly behind, the guards snorted, and Nick rolled his eyes.
"Let's get this over with…" he grimaced, plodding towards the maintenance elevator.
The lift moved slothfully, plugging along on little more than hopes and prayers. The precinct's meter maid carts probably had more drive to them.
100… 99… 98…
Nick watched that number tick down. The time he had until these brutes used up all the oxygen, he reckoned. Whatever… He had more pressing issues to dwell on: Gazelle's sudden interview. An imminent chewing-out from Chief Bogo. His partner, Judy.
Judy. Over twenty-four hours had passed since the Rainforest District, a stretch that felt like years to him. Surely, she had heard the reports of his actions. Proof he hadn't been forthcoming about his involvement with the singer. His stomach twisted at the thought. What could she be feeling now, aside from hurt and anger? Would she even want to serve by his side after learning the truth?
He hated that he hadn't found his voice sooner. He hated that this revelation hadn't come from him. He could only hope Judy would give him a chance to make amends, as he had done with her so long ago.
"That Gazelle's a real pinup, isn't she?" Major quipped, breaking the silence.
A shallow attempt to bait the fox. Nick paid the warthog no mind. Just kept himself entrenched where he stood.
"I mean, sure, anyone with eyes and a heartbeat can see that," the pig driveled on. "But her personality? Damn! I've never met a gal with such force of will. 'Bout smacked Nap upside the head to show for it!"
Nap, the boar who'd shunted the fox sideways across the helipad, smiled boorishly.
"Extnay imetay ouyay ouldshay etlay erhay, heheh…"
And Nick thought wolves were insufferable. It certainly didn't help that this jailcell had only passed the eightieth floor.
"Tell ya what, though," the third joined in. "I'd give my left tusk to get me a taste of that piece. Really makes ya wonder jus' what this feller did to bag a prize like 'er. 'Specially against them tigers she rides with."
"Like you'd fare better," Major laughed. "Hell's bells, Snow. Idunno the last time YOU nattered with a member of the fairer sex!"
A round of chuckles. Nick stayed tense and motionless.
"I'm not knockin' him, boss. Honest," said Snow. "All's I'm sayin' is, it's impressive. Mighty impressive she actually took a liking to 'em. Got's to be his finest hustle yet."
The fox nearly startled at that word. His fur bristled, and a swift silence fell upon them. He could feel their eyes fixing into him, waiting to see how he'd react. If he might react at all.
Growing impatient, Major broke out, "We had halfa mind to vet you before we steered out here, Nick Wilde. Gotta say, Some of the things we heard about you, tch… Really concerning stuff for someone in your position."
Nick gave in. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Means we know what kind of mammal you are. Means that some of us, naturally, are concerned about what you're trying to gain outta this whole debacle."
Nick gave pause while he registered the implication of those words. Then he replied plainly, "I'm not the same fox I was back then."
"Well, you know what they say. Old habits die hard. Tell me, does Gazelle know about your checkered past?"
Nick fought the urge to lash around. "I'm not hiding my missteps from anyone, porkchop. Not from Gazelle, and most definitely not from Mutt and Jeff behind me."
"Are you so certain?" Major continued to press his advantage. "I suspect the dame'd be quite wildered if she understood your… Deceptive predilection. She might reconsider putting all her faith and love into someone who oft swindled those closest to him."
"She's wearied many a' heartbreak, y'know," Snow added into the fox's ear. "It be common knowledge. Doesn' really need sayin', but if 'er trust was betrayed again, it'd destroy 'er."
Nick knew where this conversation was leading. He could feel his lips pulling back, his ears slipping along his nape with disgust. No longer did he feel obliged to blunt his words.
"But you can prevent that, Wilde," said Major. "You've already had your fun with the gal. What says you cut your losses and let her go?"
"Let her go?" Nick spat.
"Affirmative. For Gazelle's sake, it would be wise."
The fox jerked around, balanced and poised. Then he nearly snarled, "For my sake, you should take your wisdom and shove it clear up your—"
CRACK!
Next thing he knew, he was bowled over and sliding down the wall. Nick couldn't even say which one of them had hit him. He grappled at his sides. Tears shot down his cheeks. His breaths came through gritted teeth, hissed, like air drawn into a stirring straw.
"Get him up."
At the order, Nick was yanked to standing—or stooping, rather. Major peered into him, unimpressed.
"Let me rephrase, fox," he snorted. "You're well beyond your depth. You know it, I know it, every mammal with a nip' a sense knows it. So in good faith, I'm gonna throw you one more lifeline, and you're gonna take it."
With a firm shove, the warthog put the fox into the wall and held him there.
"Back. The fuck. Off. Commander Raiona might've been content to let you woo the popstar out from under her, but I'm not gonna stand idly by while you do what you do best. Gazelle wants to keep you around? That's her business. As head of security, it's my business to keep her safe from bad actors. So I urge you, do the honorable thing. You'll save yourself a world of trouble."
"Anday everalsay okenbray onesbay…" Nap muttered in agreement.
"Look at me, Wilde. Do we have an understanding?"
Nick's hackles bristled. But without much of a voice, he could only manage a curt, "Go to hell."
For a moment, Major looked ready to dispense the fox with a second dose of grace and respect. But he sighed when, from the operating panel, a pleasant ring sounded into the lift.
"Saved by the bell... Have it your way."
He released the fox just as the elevator shuddered to a stop. Confusion seized Nick's expression. The floor numbers were gone. The screen illuminated with a single word:
LOBBY
"Smile," Major said, emulating a posey grin. "You're on camera!"
The doors slid open. And with a great shove, the warthog hurtled Nick into the waiting crowd.
There was no time for the fox to catch his breath, let alone his bearings as he pinballed into several bodies. He had to duck between a camel's legs just to avoid clotheslining himself, and even then, he nearly trampled over a pack of gerbils. When he finally came to rest against the reception desk, all eyes were on him. The calm before the storm.
Random camera flashes quickly spiraled into a blinding curtain of light. Questions, barked, yowled, and trumpeted from every direction, filled the air.
"Nick, is it true you're dating Gazelle?"
"Nick, tell us about where you and Gazelle disappeared to!"
It was an uncanny thing, hearing these strangers mewl his name. He was supposed to know everybody. In that order. Not the other way around. Now he had microphones, notepads, and cameras dangling all around him.
"Nick, any special plans for the future between you and Gazelle?"
"Nick, what do you say to rumors that Gazelle is using you for publicity?"
"Nick!"
"Nick!"
The fox threw up his paw, shielding himself from another barrage of flashes. Was this truly how the singer lived? Ducking from venue to venue for fear of these gulls swooping in on her? Nick cringed. No wonder she jumped at the chance for normalcy when he had offered it to her.
Now he had to find a way out. He kept searching. Searching, until finally, the tiniest gap appeared. He dove into it, scurrying through the masses and into the desert sun. If only Major Friedkin could see him now, dashing, skidding, outflanking every obstacle in his path! He could practically hear the polar bear drilling him, "Evade! Evade! A steady target's a dead target, fox-butt! Move that tail!"
And he did, all the way to safety. An unmarked police cruiser which he promptly flung himself into. He searched it through high and low, at last coming across a pair of keys stowed in the sun visor. He banged them into the ignition just as the crowd—and the rightful owners of the vehicle, came running after him. The wheels screeched. Sand and dust and smoke slingshot away. And with an incredible lurch, Nick was speeding off to Savanna Central.
When Nick pulled into the ZPD's parking garage, he was panting. Actually panting. He killed the engine and drooped over the steering wheel, too exhausted to care about the horn blaring beneath him.
He stayed just like that for a while. Gathering himself. Thinking over every little thing that had happened to bring him to here and now. He thought about what those Razorbacks had asked of him before they jumped him. The assured grins on their faces, as if his exile was a forgone conclusion. Their insistence on dredging up his past wasn't an encouraging thought either.
"What a mess…"
Nick rubbed his fingers into his temples and sat up. He tilted the rear view mirror so that his reflection was glaring back at him. "Never let them see that they get to you," was what he wanted to say. But through the tousled fur and contracted smile, he just couldn't bring himself to live up to that mantra. He felt frightened. Cornered. And it showed.
The garage echoed as he exited the cruiser. He needed to find Judy. Even in her anger with the fox, she would know what to do…
The first thing Nick noticed when he entered the ZPD headquarters was the ominous quiet. Normally, the place was abuzz with conversation, laughter, and tongue-in-cheek banter. Today, the fox was accompanied by little more than the sound of his own footsteps.
He was perplexed to find the lobby nearly abandoned and the office spaces completely deserted. Even Officer Clawhauser had vanished from his post at the reception desk.
Then, a distant howl. Coming from the bullpen.
"Shhh! Put a sock in it, Snarlov! It's starting!"
Unmistakably belonging to Officer Wolford.
Nick crept towards the source of it, along the doorway that led into the briefing area. He could hear many voices now. Whispers and murmurs mingling like rain on a city sidewalk. He held his breath and peered through the opening. Here stood the entire precinct, huddled before a live ZNN broadcast via the room's projector.
A cougar in a maroon two-piece suit sat cross-legged in the center of the screen. She beamed widely and shifted some notecards between her paws.
"…Good afternoon, everyone! My name is Kitty Cowlick, here with a ZNN exclusive interview featuring Zootopia's one and only pop sensation, Gazelle! She's a multi-award winning artist with millions of records sold, a devoted social activist, and an inspiration for mammals the world over. Gazelle, thank you for joining us today and on such short notice. We know how demanding your schedule can be."
The camera moved to Gazelle. She wore a zebra print dress with golden hoop earrings. She tipped her horns, smiling tenderly as she replied, "It's a pleasure to be here, Kitty. Thank you for having me."
"Should be criminal to be that friggin' beautiful…," mouthed Officer Delgato. The rest of the room rustled in agreement.
"Gazelle, you're a cultural icon—dare I say, the single most emblematic personality in Zootopia to date," the reporter explained. "You are also, however, no stranger to controversy. Before we delve into the drama hot on everyone's minds, can you tell us how you tackle such criticism from day to day?"
Gazelle laughed inwardly and folded her hooves at her lap. She was in her element. Master and commander over her mannerisms and composure. She feigned a thought and leaned forward, as if to guard a secret between friends.
"It's quite easy, love," the singer said. "I cuddle up, watch telenovelas, and eat chocolate ice cream until the problem goes away."
Kitty chuckled, and so did some of the officers. Loudest among them was Clawhauser, who trilled, "It really is the best form of self-care!"
"No, no…" Gazelle continued, more serious. "When it comes to scrutiny, what else can you do but take it in stride? I think one of the most important lessons I ever learned was this: 'you can't please everyone. All you can do is stay true to yourself'. Does that mean it's always easy for me to shrug off those who would dismiss my music, my appearance, or my values? No, of course not. Lord knows I've had my down days because of it. But I have a lot of good mammals supporting me. I have a great team. When life gets tough, I do my best to focus on them and on the things I believe in."
Kitty nodded along. From the way she kept darting into her notecards though, the felid seemed more invested in the questions on deck.
"Remaining on the topic of your team, whispers of romance between you and a certain member of your security detail have set the entertainment world alight."
"Oh yes, I've seen the reports," Gazelle said. "Perhaps a little more than I would've liked..."
There was a subtle snark in her words that made Nick's tail wag. Such an interview was little more than a choreography to be danced through, and the singer was practiced at keeping light on her feet.
"Tell us, Gazelle. Is there any merit to these rumors? And if so, can you shed some light on the relationship in question?"
"Here it comes..." Officer Pennington peeped from behind the massive curtains that were her ears. Everyone held their breath.
"Heh… I suppose there's truth to them," Gazelle replied simply, and with a furtive grin. "What I can say right now is that we've found something very unique and beautiful between us. Unexpected, sí. But beautiful."
The cougar, angling for juicer details, could hardly contain herself. "Our affiliates at Gnu News have speculated as to the identity of the lucky mammal. They, along with other outlets, speak of a fox employed with the Zootopia Police Department. Gazelle, your fans are dying to know… Who is Nick Wilde?"
When his name left her lips, the entire bullpen burst into a stomping, clomping, roar. Many mammals gasped and bellowed. Others cheered and drummed on the desks. Copy paper twirled through the air like confetti as officers, despite a few envious murmurs among them, celebrated the newfound notoriety of their friend.
On-screen, Gazelle looked less enthused. Almost saddened that the fox's identity had been so hastily retrieved. Truly, privacy had never been the cards for them. She regained her smile so as not to reveal her real feelings, then appeared to think again.
"My, my. This is a question I myself have strived to answer…"
She glanced into the camera for a moment, and Nick quietly wondered if she knew he was looking back at her.
"I shouldn't like to betray his privacy by saying too much, but… Nicholas, he's… Well, he's a wonderful mammal. Witty, thoughtful, brave. If it gives any clue to his quality, he helped to depose former Mayor Bellwether at the height of the night howler terror, then broke ground as the ZPD's very first fox officer."
Nick was going to pull a muscle if his tail wagged any harder. He pulled it into his paws and hugged it, smiling sheepishly. It warmed his heart to hear the singer speak so positively of his history… What she knew of the better part, anyway.
"A distinguished record to rival your own?" Kitty teased.
"Far surpasses it, absolutely."
"And how did you two meet?"
"My newest tour, Latidos en Armonía, debuts at the Palm Hotel in less than a week," Gazelle replied. "This is a relatively large venue, and so I'm told Officer Wilde was sent to help secure it. We came across each other in a stroke of luck, one thing led to another, and here we are."
That was a much kinder way of saying Nick had literally crashed into her life.
"A marvelous beginning for the both of you, truly!" Kitty said. "Though, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the vast differences in your lives—you, as a mega popstar, and Nick, a police officer. As someone who has dated almost exclusively in celebrity circles, do you worry about the… Miscibility between you and him?"
"Miscibility?" Gazelle blinked.
"Whether you complement each other, excuse me," the cougar clarified.
"Mm."
It was as though the singer hadn't anticipated the question. Kitty didn't check her notecards either, which Nick guessed, meant this was well off script. Gazelle kept cool, but she did fidget with the bangles at her wrists for some time. When she spoke, her voice was soft. Genuine.
"Nick and I are elegantly matched, toco madera. I choose to believe in this, but it doesn't mean there won't be… Distinctive challenges. I worry for him as I'm sure he worries for me. But communication is key. In this way, Nick and I are just like any other couple, and we hope everyone will respect our privacy as we choose our next steps together."
As she spoke, Nick could sense a bulky presence looming over him. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was.
"Chief."
The water buffalo didn't reply. Didn't even look at the fox. Just took a spot by the door and watched his officers for a long, long while. When Nick turned his nose upward, he was surprised to see the bovid with downcast eyes.
"You. My Office. Right now."
Nick stepped into the fox-sized prints in the carpet where he'd stood countless times before. He could only pray this reaming wouldn't be his last.
Bogo drifted to his place behind the desk. He didn't sit but pressed his palms into the laminate and leaned forward. Nick felt like he was in grade school again, waiting for the teacher to launch into their "never in my 20 years of teaching…" spiel.
The water buffalo's nostrils flared. He opened his mouth to speak, but Nick broke in first.
"Chief, I know this bind of mine has ruffled a few feathers. And believe me, you've got every right to feel ruffled yourself. But you—you of all mammals know better than to blow things out of proportion!"
"Wilde," the bovid attempted to intervene.
Nick waved his paws. "Okay, yes, I marginally stretched the bounds of protocol. Go ahead and lock up half the precinct if that's the crime. But my orders were to watch over Gazelle, and I did exactly that!"
"Wilde…"
"Come on, what kind of escort would I be if I let her strike out on her own? If anything, I'd say I took some initiative by tagging along!"
"Wilde!" Bogo pounded the desk. "Shut your trap!"
The fox shrank back at once. He buttoned his lip and folded his arms behind him. There was quiet in the room again, broken only by the hum of the ceiling fan and the brief shifting of blinds. This, Nick figured, was the part where Bogo would fire him.
But the water buffalo seemed to look through and beyond him. "Your partner is missing," he grunted without ceremony. "No one here has seen or heard from her in 36 hours."
A beat.
"W-whait, what?" Nick rattled, his voice caught between a laugh and a croak.
"Your partner," Bogo's voice was frigid. "Officer Hopps. She's gone."
As those words pierced into him, Nick's expression flattened. His body jerked taught, as if he'd clamped down onto a live wire. In that instant his mind racked with shame. For his thoughts had been bent upon salvaging his career. A career that meant nothing to him without Judy.
"Are you reading me, fox?" Bogo prodded again.
"Judy. Missing… Loud and clear, sir…" His voice was weak after his second gut punch of the day.
The bovid searched the fox with his eyes. "She never requested leave. And she won't take our calls. Would you have any idea as to her whereabouts?"
Nick's ears flagged. "I can't say, sir," he said feebly. "It's not like Judy to disappear so suddenly."
"Indeed."
Bogo reached into his desk. With a deliberate slowness, he brought forth a manila folder and laid it before the both of them. "This arrived on my desk last night," he said, gesturing for the fox to inspect it.
Nick swung himself into the elephantine-sized chair next to him. He stood tall, pulled the parchment close, and opened it with care.
MAGISTRATE COURT OF ZOOTOPIA, DISTRICT OF SAVANNA CENTRAL: APPLICATION FOR SEARCH WARRANT
Filed for one peculiar clinic at the intersection of Shady Place & Moss. Nick's stomach dropped. Beneath the title was Judy's name, and a cherry red ensign beside it with the status: 'DENIED'.
"I never approved any such investigation," Bogo huffed. "Officer Hopps was assigned to guard the Palm Hotel in Sahara Square, same as you. Perhaps you would care to explain why she's ferreting about the rainforest district, searching for…" he inspected the document with his reading glasses. "…Cistern trucks?"
"Sir, I—"
"I advise you to choose your words carefully, Wilde," Bogo said severely. "I do not take kindly to insubordination."
Nick quieted a gulp. Yet, in spite of the warning, his mind was already concluded. If the magistrate had thrown out Judy's warrant, there was only one place the bunny could have gone. And he had the location printed right in front of him. The question now was whether to speak truth to Bogo. He still remembered Judy's caution to him.
"You and I know better than most that corruption exists in the highest offices of power. Is it so crazy to think that some mammals in the government, or in the police department might be complicit in something bigger?"
Nick went for his neck, fronting thoughtfulness as he rubbed it. He looked at Bogo and closed the file.
"Sir, to be honest with you, I've been mostly invested in my own duties at the Palm…"
"Playing hooky with Gazelle," the bovid scowled.
"Er—What I mean to say is, your guess is as good as mine. If Judy's making an unauthorized investigation, she hasn't told me anything about it."
Bogo scraped the folder away and threw it back into the desk. "Does it look like I was born yesterday?" he ranted. "The two of you are thick as thieves. You'd really have me believe Hopps mentioned nothing of the sort?"
"Chief, I couldn't have spared a moment for collusion if I wanted to. You want the proof? Turn on the television."
Bogo probably hated that the fox was right. He pinched his nose and went for the window, his other hoof hung upon his duty belt while he waited for his blood pressure to come down.
"…You're positively certain you don't know where she is?" he sighed.
"Could've been called away to Podunk. With a clan as big as hers, I'd bet family emergencies are probably a dime a dozen," Nick suggested. "We'll get everything cleared up after I find her Though. Spick and span like."
"If I don't take your badge…" the bovid grumbled. "It'd be what you deserve after stirring the whole bloody city into a frenzy."
"Duly noted, sir." Nick's eyes flitted to the door behind him. "Should I be on my way?"
Bogo did not move nor answer him. He stayed at the window, and what sunlight curled around his brawn illuminated the dust in the air.
"Look… I know you and I don't often see eye to eye," he said plaintively. "And the way you conduct yourself at times, though within the bounds of legality, is… Absolutely maddening to me. In any case, we would do well to remind ourselves that we play for the same team. To set aside our differences for the good of this city, and for our brothers and sisters in uniform."
In the main square not far below, a small cheer arose from a children's game of zootball. The bovid watched the little mammals scuttering about, how they chased the ball and each other without so much as a care in the world.
"We flirted with catastrophe under Dawn Bellwether," he continued. "Bloody near did away with the social framework holding this crazy ecosystem together. You helped to put her away, and the city commends you." His voice caught. Then he added, "I commend you."
Again, silence fell over the room. The water buffalo's eyes grew hard. His tone, morose.
"But the truth is, you were lucky to get out unscathed. When you've been on the force for as long as I have… You start to realize how chancy the world really is. It can be easy to forget sometimes that the odds are against you."
He shut the blinds, and the light around him went out. He turned back to his desk.
"So… If there should be any reason to believe your partner is in danger, I would expect you to tell me about it, Wilde."
But the fox prints on the carpet were unfilled. Stupefied, Bogo stared past them to where their owner had slipped through the door, which now hung on its hinges just slightly ajar.