Disclaimer: Zootopia and all Canon characters are owned by Disney. All other characters, product names, trademarks, and copyrights belong to their respective owners.
…..
A/N #1:
As you might guess from this chapter's title, there will be singing involved. Unfortunately, writing someone singing is tough, especially when using copyrighted lyrics in fanfiction is a big no-no. So, to convey the messages I wanted via song, I've included the song titles in the story's text and links or Zoogle keywords in a section at the end of the chapter.
A/N #2:
A shoutout to Biggypappa, a commenter on AO3. Their song suggestion for Nick and Judy back in chapter 15, roughly 4-1/2 years ago as I'm posting this, helped lead us here.
…..
…..
"Good morning, Deputy Wilde," sing-songed a pair of 19-year-old vixens wearing 'I heart cops' t-shirts.
Judy rolled her eyes as one of the vixens winked at Nick as she walked by. "I can't believe you hustled Sheriff Hoofson into making us wear these… uniforms. They can't possibly be regulation."
"Au contraire, my sexy bunny, these breathable yet contour-fit uniforms are all about the regulations. It says so right there on the website where I found them."
Shaking her head, Judy wanted to grumble, but she couldn't because Nick looked really hot in his not too loose black, mid-thigh length shorts and black, form fitting t-shirt with 'Deputy' in block letters down the side of his shorts, and on both the sleeve and the back of his t-shirt.
"Right," said Judy, waving a paw across her equally contoured black t-shirt and shorts, "I'm going to need to see this website and those so-called 'regulations' before I ever let you talk me into wearing a uniform like this again."
"Whoa!" gushed a handsome brown and black mottled buck. "Are you THE Officer Judy Hopps? Wow, can I have your autograph and your phone number?"
A red-furred form slipped between Judy and the amorous buck, and said, "Sorry, none of that. We're on official police business today. Actually, all month, she's very official. All the time."
Judy smirked as Nick ushered the buck away.
Nick then pulled out his phone and tapped something.
"Whatcha doing, Deputy Wilde?"
"Your new burqa-themed uniform will be here later this afternoon."
"Really? I kinda like this one," cooed Judy, wiggling her tail just right. "Maybe I'll talk to Chief Bogo about making this regulation for the ZPD too."
Nick glanced around and, making sure no one was looking their way, leaned down and, in a quick motion, marked Judy's cheek.
Judy did her best not to smile as she said, "Okay, but no more shopping for uniforms on the internet, got it?"
Nick nodded.
"Good," said Judy as she took her own look around before pulling Nick's muzzle down to lightly mark the top of his head.
"Now, if you're done playing, we're supposed to be on duty, which means since we're done with moving hay bales for Lucas, we need to get our tails in gear and keep the road clear of moms marauding around in minivans."
"Yes, ma'am," said Nick, saluting. "I'll take care of the drivers that make it past the PAW patrol checkpoint at the turn-in to the remote parking area, and you keep the traffic flowing here."
"PAW patrol?" asked Judy.
"You bet," said Nick with a smile, "I bought them t-shirts too. I figure with them on duty, us real cops can move into a more supervisory role regarding parking duty. Maybe we call a lid on the work part of our day and grab a bite to eat in… I don't know, an hour?"
"You're incorrigible, you know that."
Nick shrugged, "You say incorrigible, I say police mentorship program."
"The first act isn't scheduled to go on until three."
"I'll be hungry in an hour."
"You're always hungry."
"A snack in forty-five, and we clock out in an hour and a half."
"Lunch in two, and we do foot patrol for the first hour of acts, then we can watch."
"Until it's time for our song."
"We don't have a song, Slick."
"I'll find one."
"Hard to do with broken fingers."
"Says the mean bunny, spoiling all the fox's fun."
"Grrrrr."
"Inbound minivan filled with kits, gotta go."
-/-/-
"Hello, Bunnyburrow and all you wonderful mammals everywhere else. This is BNN Special Correspondent Monica Goodpaws, reporting to you directly from the Hopps family farm, where we're getting ready to join other major entertainment metropolises worldwide by hosting our very own talent showcase, Bunnyburrow's Got Talent.
"But before we talk about that or with our very special guest, Simon Howl, I need you to visit my website for all the latest news, pictures, and videos of Bunnyburrow's most eligible bachelor, Nicholas Wilde. For you girls not here at the Hopps Farm right now, Deputy Wilde has been spotted wearing the most delicious outfit while working his tail off helping set everything up for this fantastic fundraiser. More than one spotter has seen our Burrow Meister lift very heavy objects quite easily, and look spectacular while doing it. So, I'd encourage all of you watching from home to use the website listed on your screen to donate whatever you can afford to the SaveDocStoan fund. And for the rest of you, hurry down for some great food, drink, and desserts to die for with all the vendors pledging their profits to the Doc Stoan fund.
"And now, I'd like to introduce my very special guest, international star and Outback dingo, creator of the 'Got Talent' franchise, and one of the three judges for today's acts, Mister Simon—"
Pulling the microphone back from the dingo while covering her ear so that she could hear her producer better through her earpiece, "I'm sorry, late-breaking news, Nick Wilde was just seen patrolling with his work partner Deputy Hopps and Sheriff Hoofson has said to 'Leave the fox alone while he's working.'
"So, as we investigate this shocking new development from the Sheriff's Office, keep your television tuned to BNN and your computer on my website for constant updates and all the important breaking news as soon as it happens.
"This is Monica Goodpaws reporting from the Hopps Family farm. Thank you."
-/-/-
"You should get off your tail and go take a look at what your kits have done outside. They've done this Warren proud, and you should be out there letting them know it. Besides, sulking in the study while you're supposedly reading some ancient law book isn't good for your blood pressure, and it certainly isn't good for my mood. You need to go outside and get some fresh air."
"I'm not sulking. I'm working," replied Stu to his mate.
Grumbling as he slow-walked along a line of booths and tables opening up for business was Bonnie's response to his argument. As was the finger pinch imprinted on his right ear.
It was a nice day out.
And he did smile after taking a deep sniff of the outdoors.
"Fine," grumbled Stu. "Ten minutes."
The results from yesterday's army of working mammals showed itself in spades. The large, covered stage dominating the far side of the soccer park had been finished last night with enough light left for those kits with artistic abilities, or hopes, to be able to decorate the structure and canopies in painted pawprint murals and psychedelic scenery.
Booths and tables were set up in two areas, one around where the little kit's soccer field typically was to the right side of the open space from the house. The other, the designated area for the cooked food vendors, was located on top of the new basketball court Kristy had gotten her older brothers to put up and not too far from the storage barns and the house, making getting forgotten supplies to the food vendors easier.
"Predator games," grumbled Stu, passing a booth setting up to deep-fry anything and everything, when he caught sight of something that made his eyes go wide.
A few bouncy steps later, Stu was running his paw along a competition-style grill and not grumbling anymore, he whistled before saying, "Wow, this is beautiful. My Uncle would have traded an ear for a grill like this."
"Well, thank you, friend," said a lynx wearing a Marine ball cap, popping his head around the side of the large grill. "She's a beaut, and I placed pretty well with her in the contests I tried once my enlisted days were over. Of course, traveling around on that circuit doesn't pay that well, and the missus likes her kitchen.
Stu stepped back, "You're a…"
Holding out his paw, the lynx chuckled as he said, "A Marine, yes. On veteran duty and enjoying the good life. Gunnery Sergeant Francis Mulcaty, Gunny to my friends. 'Hey you' to the kits and underfoot to my mate. Nice to meet you."
Stu looked down at the paw and, after an awkward second, shook it while saying, "Stu Hopps, farmer, and usually in trouble with my mate too."
"Are you the same Stu Hopps that owns this gorgeous piece of land? If you are, I'll owe you the thanks of my mate, me, and about everyone in Predville."
Stu took a step closer to the lynx and with his thumbs now in his belt, said, "Yes sir, I'm that Stu Hopps, and thank you. My family's been farming here since before the Accords, and we're quite proud of it."
"Well, thank you then for hosting this charity shindig. Doc Stoan has been all we've had in Predville for a long time. And him having drawn fire the way he did and now needing to upgrade his facilities to stave off a bureaucratic army of unknown size and composition, I'm thinking the good Doc's fight is about to become an expensive logistical battle. A battle well worth fighting, and with the help you've given today, one I'm sure he'll win."
Stu nodded, "Thank you again, but I wasn't the one that did all this. It was my son, Lucas, who offered up our Warren's support. He and my daughter Judy. I heard they were both there when someone from the Town Council and an East Coast lawyer tried to shut down your friend's clinic."
"I heard some of that," replied Gunny. "Lucas is good people. He's been good for Miss Andie, too. Poor doe, a pretty little thing with a voice sweeter than an angel's but with a past haunted by the demons of bad choices."
Stu nodded, "The one who injured her ear."
"Yes, that's her, except the ear's all healed up now, thanks to Doc Stoan. If it weren't for him, she'd still be an outcast amongst you rabbits.
"No offense intended," added Mulcaty.
"Not intended, but probably deserved," replied Stu. "Some rabbit tenets are as foolish as they are cruel."
"Like the ones that don't think rabbits should be cops?"
Stu nodded.
"You know, your daughter Judy is good people too. Tough as nails and a heart as big as all outdoors. Predators in and out of Zootopia owe her a big thanks. If she hadn't found those kitnapped predators and exposed Bellwether's plot, it would have been the end of freedom for predators across the Commonwealth."
Catching a red-furred mammal helping Judy move around hay bales out of the corner of his eye, Stu thoughtlessly said, "She said she had help."
Mulcaty smiled a toothless smile and said, "Yes, Officer Wilde. An interesting mammal with a checkered past trying to help his partner and very good friend make the world a better place. From what I hear, that is.
"Have you ever served?"
Stu shook his head, "In the military? No, never."
"Service is broader than just the military. Charities, aid organizations, even betterment projects, helping your fellow mammal is service to the community."
Stu went silent for a few moments and then laughed. "Back when I was a young buck, my Uncle and I convinced the Town Council to add the population counter to the Bunnyburrow sign. The only condition was that we had to raise all the money for the renovation. He was a baker who knew his way around a grill, so we held a bake sale to raise funds. He handled the baked goods, and I grilled vegetables. We raised the money in no time."
"A bake sale with a grill to raise money for the funniest thing going on in this town," said Mulcaty, chuckling, "Your uncle must have been quite the character."
"Yes, he sure was. You know I still have that grill. I haven't used it in a lot of years."
Gunny nodded toward the open space next to his competition grill and said, "I'm not much for grilling vegetables, so it'd be a big favor to all of us if you wanted to break out that old grill and help us all out."
Stu smiled big, "Yeah, I think I'd like that.
"Save me that spot. The grill is in the back of my storage barn. I'll move my truck out of the way and have it down here in a jiffy."
-/-/-
"Come on, Dalton," said Janae. "What does having a broken arm have to do with singing?"
"A whole lot when you can't sing. You, on the other paw, have a beautiful voice. So how about I sit right here and cheer and one-paw clap for you."
"Daaaaaalton."
"The pain in my arm," replied Dalton, "I can't make it. You go, leave me behind, and know that to the last, you were my one true love."
Sunni whistled.
Susan clapped.
As did Sasha.
Steven yawned.
Scotty and Spencer played a game on their Game Bucks.
Janae shook her head, "You've been talking to Nick, haven't you?"
Dalton shrugged as he took a bite of his deep-fried Twinkie.
"Fine," said Janae, then looking at Sunni and her litter, "Come on, you guys, let's show Dalton how it's done."
A few groans from the boys and a round of costume changes later, the small group was looking out from behind the stage left wing at the large audience.
"Janae…" said Sasha.
"Don't worry. We're singing your most favorite song from Harecules. You guys know the backup singer's parts by heart. It'll be great."
"And now a big round of applause for Janae Hopps and her siblings Sunni, Sasha, Susan, Steven, and Scotty."
"Don't forget me," yelled Spencer, almost tripping on his toga costume as he ran out on the stage with everyone else.
"And Spencer Hopps."
Janae stepped forward, letting the kits form a chorus line behind her.
"What will you and your siblings be singing for us today, Miss Hopps?" asked Simon Howl from his seat between Judge Beans and Mayor Ackerbunn.
"I Won't Say I'm in Love," replied Janae, sticking her tongue out at Dalton, who just smiled.
"Okay then, go ahead."
Janae cleared her throat, and with a last look at her sibling chorus as the music came up, she sang out,
'If there's an award for bad judgment
I'm sure I've already got that
No bun is worth the exasperation
That's age-old history, been—'
Dalton sat up and gave Janae a thumbs up. She was good. And the kits…
'He's the fields and stars to you—''
The crowd loved it, and so did Dalton, who jumped to his feet for the last stanza and almost hurt his arm trying to clap.
And they didn't get buzzed off the stage, a total win for the Hopps Family singers.
Hercules – "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)"
-/-/-
Sharla nudged Gideon with her elbow and said, "There's Nick. I'll distract Judy, and you go talk to him."
"Right now?" said Gideon, emptying his cooler bag of its last pie and setting it on his now sparsely filled table.
Cody had given Gideon and Sharla a great spot on the opposite side of the food area from where Gunny Mulcaty's barbeque rig was and down the way from the Leapwell's booth of pasta dishes at the end of a row of dessert-oriented booths. From Gideon's table, at the end, went a shaved ice stand with a syrup station out front, then a funnel-cake booth sandwiched in between a deep-fried everything stand and Cody and Colton's Pawpsicle booth. Except they'd expanded the brand, and it now included Hoofsicles, and tri-flavored Hornsicles.
Each of which, Nick and Judy were sharing as they sat on a hay bale to watch the next act get judged.
"Yes," said Sharla, nodding toward the stage, "There aren't that many acts left, and we'll be closing pretty soon. Judy's said they're leaving after Carrot Days, so it's now or never."
"Yes, ma'am."
Sighing, Sharla stepped closer to Gideon and rubbed his back, "Nick's a good guy. What happened between you and Judy… it happened a long time ago, and a lot has changed since then. I think you're taking some of your Fox Community stuff too seriously. He'll probably be a little upset, but it all happened so long ago, no way does he go all alpha-vulpine on you and blacklist you or whatever foxes do when they get upset."
Gideon grimaced, "It's called shunning. It's what my Pap said happens to those that break the faith with another fox by doing something unforgivable."
"Judy's not a fox," replied Sharla.
"She might as well be, and they're practically mates, which makes what I did even worse."
Sharla glanced around and, not seeing any eyes on them, pulled Gideon to her and gave him a quick kiss. "I forgave you a long time ago," and taking Gideon's paw and putting it on her stomach, she whispered, "and anyone who can help create this is in no way, shape, or form unforgivable."
Gideon smiled, "You always know what to say."
"That's why you love me so much, right?"
Gently marking his mate, Gideon said, "That and how you cook when we're at home."
"Wha…" said Sharla with a quizzical look on her muzzle, "but you do all the cooking at…"
Sharla somehow managed enough of a full-body blush through her thick black wool that Gideon laughed as he watched his mate nearly stumble as she grabbed the empty cooler bag to distract Judy with.
-/-/-
Turning the ear bangle over in her paw, Amy sighed as she thought, 'Snap your fingers, and almost any guy in town is yours for a night. Almost.
'Yeah, not the good ones. The ones you wish would last longer… like maybe a lifetime.'
Reaching out to rehang the ear bangle on its display hook, Amy's paw suddenly cramped up, causing her to hiss and drop the bangle on the ground.
Trying to stop the cramping by forcing her fingers open with her good paw, Amy groaned, "Arghhhhh! Stupid pull-ups."
"Are you okay?" said a doe's voice from next to Amy, followed by the voice's owner picking up the ear bangle, brushing it off, and holding it out for Amy. "Here you go."
Amy shook out her paw and then shook her head, "Thanks, but no thanks. I don't have anyone to give it to."
Looking over the bangle, the straw-colored, green-eyed doe said, "I do, not that I want to, but the colors are right."
Chuckling, Amy asked, "So how does that work? Or not work if that's what you're talking about."
Putting the bangle back on a display hook, the doe said, "Henry Edwards. He's disgusting, and our mating ceremony is tomorrow night in Conclave Park. The whole town's invited."
Amy put a paw to her muzzle, "You're Courtney Hayes. I'm so sorry. Wait," looking over Courtney, Amy's muzzle scrunched a bit as she said, "You don't look like the stuck-up bitch everyone's been talking about. I mean, nice job on the claw polish, but your makeup's not quite bitch-level, and your fur dye is waaay too wholesome looking. Sorry, I'm not buying it."
Courtney huffed as she waved a paw up and down her front while saying, "Well, I'm not selling anything today. This fur color is 100% au natural, nothing artificial except a little tail touch-up, but that doesn't count. And yeah, my makeup sucks today because I had to lie to my mom before she'd let me come see the show."
"And the bitch part?"
Courtney shrugged, "Yeah, that part's true. But I'm giving it up, it didn't work out so well." Then nodding toward the ear bangle, she asked, "How about you? How's being the town slut been going for you?"
Amy glared at Courtney, then sighed, "Same. Being a slut isn't what it's all cracked up to be."
"So, what are you going to do if you're not being slutty?"
"I want to do something that'll make the world a better place, something I can be proud of that will make me a better person, you know, just in case I meet someone who might be in it for the long haul.
"What about you giving up on being a bitch?"
"I'd really like to not go to the mating ceremony tomorrow night, especially if any of the Edwards creeps are going to be there. After that, nothing to do with guys. At least for a while. I figure, if I can't stand being around me, how can I expect anyone else to."
"Yeah," nodded Amy. "Good luck on not having to put out."
"Thanks," said Courtney. "You too."
…..
"Welcome to the show, dear. What's your name?"
"Hi. Thank you. What did you ask?"
"Your name."
"Oh, yeah. I'm Amy."
"Well, Amy, what will you be doing for us today?"
"Singing."
"Very nice. And what's the name of the song you'll be singing?"
"Oh, that. Yes, sir, Mr. Howl. One of my favorites, 'Ever Ever After.' "
A sound technician jogged out from the stage left wing and, taking the microphone out of Amy's paw, clamped it to a stand he'd just set down in front of her.
Amy waited until she was alone again on stage before clearing her throat and giving The Howling Wolf Tavern's band a thumbs-up to start playing.
"Storybook endings…"
Enchanted – Carrie Underwood – Ever Ever After (Disney Music)
-/-/-
"Did you see those two vixens skulking about over by the water station?" asked Sharla, sitting next to Judy in the open side door space of her delivery van.
"You mean the one with the perfectly styled fur and manicured claws who could be a swimsuit model and her friend with the fur extensions and boob job? Nope, I didn't see either one of them."
"Yeah, me neither," said Sharla. "Except two girls like you described stopped by the bakery yesterday asking about any foxes living in town. I told them there weren't any eligible foxes in town, and they could take their disgustingly fluffy tails and amazingly perfect pouty lips out of my shop."
Judy raised a brow.
"Okay, I didn't say that last part, but it didn't make any difference. They both said no tod has ever turned them down, and they had the selfies to prove it."
Judy cracked her knuckles.
Every now and then, Gideon lets some fox relationship stuff slip, you know, stuff about his parents and their stories about what they were like before they had kits. A few weeks ago, he told me that foxes start the relationship ball rolling with something they call a courting meal."
"Yeah, I might have heard something like that too, from a vixen friend of mine in the City," said Judy, petting her ear.
"A vixen friend?"
"Uh-huh, someone I met when I was patrolling. Her name is Toni, and she's been explaining some, you know, fox stuff to me. She's mated to a pretty cool guy, and they have a couple of boys, Aiden, ten, and Tyler, eleven."
Sharla brushed at a fruit pie stain on her shirt and asked, "Did she ever mention anything about Claiming?"
"Yeah, I suppose, maybe a little."
"Gid said that in the olden days, when his mom and dad got mated, it was a big deal."
Judy shrugged, "Yeah, Toni said not all fox couples do Claiming anymore, but she and her mate did it, and they aren't much older than we are."
Sharla nodded, "Kind of permanent, I guess," and, making sure her blouse hadn't slipped open, said, "Could you imagine getting bit like that and having to bite your mate back?"
Judy's breathing hitched as a warm feeling passed over her at the thought of exchanging claiming bites with her fox. "Uh, well, I heard it's not that bad. From my friend, Toni, I guess."
"Uh-huh. She didn't say anything about her mate getting tired of her after she had kits and wanting to leave, did she?"
"Leave?" asked Judy.
"Yeah, you know, if the girl, I mean, the vixen gets all fat and bloaty and is moody all the time… tods don't… just leave, do they?"
Judy looked down at herself and then thought about the two vixens that had given Nick an eyeful this morning.
'Jealous much, Jude the Dude?'
'It's not jealousy, it's a fact. You're not a vixen.'
'You mark each other every night.'
'Marking's not the same as Claiming, and we Musk Mask ourselves every morning.'
Sighing, Judy said, "My friend's mate, Walter, is a doting father. Actually, I've heard foxes, especially red foxes, do something called imprinting after they're mated. It's kind of like bunny bonding except a lot more intense. So… Once a fox imprints and Claims their mate, they'll never leave."
Sharla let out a breath. And after another, and relaxing her busy hooves, Sharla said, "Has Nick Claimed anyone yet?
"No."
"But he has a girlfriend?"
"Yeah."
"It'd be a shame if some vixen came along and stole him away before they Claimed each other."
"Yeah, well, his girlfriend has a few issues she's working through."
"Like what?"
"Her Dad's kind of weird about her hanging out with… mammals outside her sub-species,"
"Oh. Yeah, I've heard some mammals can be kind of judgy that way."
"And she's worried about community blowback if she decides to take him as a mate."
"Yeah," said Sharla, and then, in a much quieter voice, "Or if they want to have kits together."
"Uh-huh."
"After our play, I got laughed at for saying I wanted to be an astronaut. Nobody around here took me seriously. I was always real proud of you becoming a cop, it made me believe anyone could be anything again."
"Is that why you decided to write research papers on outer space? Kind of rub the old-timer's muzzles in it?"
Sharla chuckled, "Mostly the motion sickness, but yeah, poking the bear now and then is kind of fun. Drives Gideon nuts, but, you know, a girl's gotta find her fun where she can.
"And grab her dreams before they get away."
"So…" said Judy, "doing a bakery with Gideon is your new dream?"
"That's only part of it," said Sharla, still smiling, "But yeah, it really is." Then nudging Judy with her shoulder, Sharla added, "And I pissed off a lot of the old-timers in town fronting for Gideon so he could get his bakery. I laughed for a month after we pulled that off."
Judy hugged her friend as they both laughed and came up with more nefarious pranks to pull on the Bunnyburrow citizenry when, just as Sharla, figuring she'd distracted Judy long enough, grabbed the last of the baked goods they'd brought for the fundraiser and—
Judy's phone rang.
Looking at the caller ID and not recognizing the number, Judy hit the accept button and said, "Hello?"
-/-/-
"So, what's your name, and what will you be doing for us today?"
"Courtney Hayes, I'm Border Warren."
"Really? I've never heard of that before. What does it mean to be Border Warren?"
Courtney started to reply but then stopped and looked over the crowd, which was made up of every type of mammal living in Bunnyburrow. Prey, predators, rabbits, and so many other mammals all laughing, eating, sitting on blankets, lined up outside the port-a-potties, chasing their kits, and a few making out. Everybody was having a good time being who they were, and no one cared if someone else happened to be a little different.
"Courtney?"
"I know what it used to mean to be Border Warren, a calling to protect the community and to help others in need. But today, I don't know. For me, being Border Warren feels more like… a promise I'm not sure I should keep or maybe a snare I'm caught in."
"Wha—"
"Today I'm singing 'Touch the Sky.' "
Looking over at the band, Courtney wiped a tear out of her eye just before she nodded, and then as the music flowed, she turned to the crowd, probably for the last time as her own doe, and sang…
"When the chill…"
Brave – "Touch the Sky" – Disney Sing-Along (Disney)
-/-/-
Mating contract in paw, Hayes took a last look at his and Edwards' signatures and shook his head. "Stubborn bastard."
Hayes ran his finger over the embossed stamp Furston pressed into the plain white paper to mark his photocopied version of Edwards' original as a certified copy. He'd asked to keep the original parchment version, but Edwards wasn't having anything to do with that. Good money spent meant that what that academic wrote up for him was his.
Sighing as he got out of his car, Hayes hoped that the old buck didn't take too close of a look at what he had. Courtney's change should pass muster even though the pen tip wasn't an exact match for the one used to write Edwards' bought and paid-for document. He'd bide his time, press Courtney to efficiently birth the required litters, and then when the time was right, he'd make his move. Maybe ease Edwards out; maybe an accident. Either way, Emmett Hayes was close.
Only one vile creature stood in his way.
Stepping up onto his porch, Hayes grumbled to himself, "That damned fox." Smiling briefly at maybe two accidents being needed, he brushed that thought away. He wasn't a fool. Going after the fox that way would only turn him into a martyr and make it easier for the Mayor to enshrine the pelt's actions and edicts into policy and law.
Still, a buck can dream of Righteousness lending a clawed paw…
No, hoping for an accident isn't a plan, which was why he'd spent the rest of his day plying the majority of the Town Council with his vision of the future. A future that didn't involve a fox pretending to be the arbiter of the law, but a future that shined with Emmett Hayes out in front as the voice of decency for Bunnyburrow. Of course, those fools were more concerned with the growing popularity of the Mayor and them losing their privileged status than what he needed to combat the evil embodied by a certain fox.
Even the knowledge that the pelt would soon be gone wasn't enough. The Town Council refused to move against the Mayor's policies until they knew the fox had been firmly put in his place, and they sure as hell weren't going to back Hayes' vision until he was well on his way to being the power amongst the Border Warrens that he'd promised he soon would be.
Pushing open the front door to his Warren house, Hayes heard his mate yelling.
"It's Courtney. She's on that charity program happening at the Hopps farm."
Rushing into the living room where his mate was watching TV, Hayes watched then raged when his daughter was done, "What in the hell is a daughter of mine doing being a part of a fundraiser for that skunk who keeps calling himself a doctor?"
"Courtney wanted to go into town and get her head fur and claws done, so I told her she could go. I wish I'd known she was going to stop by the Hopps farm and sing, I would have gone with her. She has a lovely voice, and she's been moping around here for some reason ever since Deputy Buckstein was by the other day."
"I grounded her, that's why. And after she said what I just heard her say, she's double-grounded as soon as she gets home. I want her locked in her room safe and sound until she's officially mated off after the Carrot Days festival is done."
Martha harrumphed and said, "You didn't listen to a thing Courtney said, and you most certainly didn't listen to her sing. After all you've said and done to that poor girl this last week, I'd be more worried about her ever coming back home than I would be about what you're going to do to her if she does."
-/-/-
"Wesley said you were hollering after me. Is it about that Hayes girl you want me to take as a mate being all uppity singing on that TV show?" asked Henry.
"No," said Edwards, "I don't care about that. The mating contract is signed and I know you'll put her in her place once she's legally yours after tomorrow night's ceremony. What I need is for you to go find us another pred. A disposable animal no one will miss and I need it by tomorrow.
"Where are your brothers?"
"Right here, Dad," said Ethan, closing the door as he and Dylan stepped into their dad's office. "Heard what you said. Is that why you sent Wesley after us?"
"Yes. I want all you boys to mix in with the Carrot Days crowd tomorrow and pick me out a bum or a drifter that will work for us."
…..
"Dylan, Ethan, Dad wants to talk to you right now!"
"Why?" said Ethan.
"Don't know," said Wesley, pushing his brothers toward their dad's office. Then, when they were moving in the right direction, Wesley hurried to the kit's playroom.
An empty kit's playroom.
Glad Price and Becca were outside playing, Wesley quickly and silently moved the toy bin out of the way, opened the hidden vent, and broke his promise to Miss Courtney.
"Got it," said Ethan, "I say we finish giving that fox deputy, Wilde—"
Edwards spat some chaw into a spittoon and growled out, "Don't you never speak that damned pelt's name in my presence again if'n you don't want me using my belt to teach you a lesson."
"Sorry, I was just thinking, I'd like to finish the beating we started on that pelt, and if what's left after we're done works for you, then we solve two problems with one pickup."
"Yeah," said Henry. "And if the pelt don't work out for what we need, we can put him to use as fertilizer for my future mate's garden."
"Fine, prep the special truck tonight so you can leave at first light. Park it somewhere out of the way, grab the pelt if you can, and hightail it back here before none's the wiser.
Dylan laughed as he slapped Henry on the back and said, "We grab the pelt because we'll need a few pretty flowers around here for my brother's first anniversary celebration."
Hearing the door to his dad's office close, followed by footsteps from down the hall, Wesley quickly closed the vent and pushed the toy bin back into place. He needed a plan if he was going to save Mr. Nick from getting a beating.
-/-/-
Munching down the last of his Hornsicle, Nick licked his lips and enjoyed the remnants of all the berry flavors Colton had mixed into his new treat. Sitting on his newfound hay-bale lounger, Nick relaxed as the show took a short intermission while the next group of acts readied themselves. And, more pertinent to his current bunny-driven schedule, his fox senses told him that his taskmaster would be occupied for a while because a certain ewe looked like she had a serious agenda of girl talk in mind.
Grabbing his phone, Nick figured he'd kill some time cleaning out his email while at the same time checking out what was going on in the real world. Which, as far as he could tell, wasn't much.
Dropping his phone on the bale, Nick took a few deep breaths of the crisp, clean afternoon air. Well, clean except for the remnants of the fertilizer Stu had put down on the next field over.
And the smell of pollen from a cornfield somewhere.
"Aargh," groaned Nick to himself. If Mom could see me now. Yeah, she'd probably laugh, but Dad, he'd… no, he'd laugh too. And then he'd want to move here. Mom too, I think. Not as many drunks around here. They might've had more kits. I could have met Judy a lot sooner. Yup. Woulda, coulda, shoulda, who knows what kind of fox you'd have turned out to be with a little bit more rural blood in your veins.
"Excuse me. Nii— uh, Mister Wilde, sir."
Nick looked up and smiled, "Hey, Gideon. You know we're way past Mister Wilde, not even my dad liked that. Have a seat. I'm just relaxin' until Carrots comes back and tells me what's next on the fox duty agenda."
"I truly appreciate your kind offer, but…"
Gideon licked his lips and then, realizing he'd already messed up, bowed and exposed his neck for a three count before continuing.
"I need to… No, Gid, that's not right. What would your Pa think." Starting again, Gideon said, "You should know something about me and what I done when I was a kit."
Nick straightened up as the relaxed smile on his face faded, "Gideon, I'm just a plain ordinary fox. You don't owe me anything or need to share anything about your kithood with me."
"Respectfully, that's where you're wrong. It's been gnawing at me ever since I heard you and Miss Judy were work partners. And more even, once I realized she was your intended. It's been burning my insides with guilt, you not knowing."
"You're kind of scaring me now, Gideon," replied Nick, "What are you talking about? What happened?"
"You remember we all talked about us knowin' each other in grade school together and the like? Well, that wasn't as friendly a time as we all made out."
"Uh-huh," grunted Nick.
"Growing up, I had a lot of self-doubt, and it manifested itself in the form of, of…" Gideon shook his head, "No excuses, no fancy words. I did what I did."
"Sorry. Growing up, I was a bully. I pushed around the kits smaller than me, which was about all of them. I'd take their toys and threaten them and…"
Breathing faster, Gideon kept on going.
"and, after finishing laughing at Judy during her Carrot Days play about wantin' to be a cop, I followed Sharla and a couple of her friends behind some tents, pushed them around, and stole their game tickets."
"Gideon…"
"I said I was a bully, and I was."
"Judy came rushin' in, told me to give everyone back their tickets and,"
Raising his paws, Gideon let his claws come out and whispered, "I bared my claws. I bared my teeth and threatened to eat her. I pushed her onto the ground, and after she kicked me, I… I…"
Nick's jaw was tight. His own claws creeped out. Rage flowed through him at what he was hearing.
"I clawed her cheek. Scarred her forever. Called her a dumb bunny and left her in the dirt."
Trembling now, Nick asked, "You bared your claws and your teeth? And you attacked her?"
"Yes, I clawed her left cheek. It's hard to see now, but it's there, and I did it."
Time slowed down for Nick, tunnel vision, the blood flowing in his ears sounded like a storm, his Judy and Gideon had clawed her. Thinking hard through the growing cloud of his need to lash out at the fox that hurt his mate, every kiss, every caress of Judy's cheek flashed back in a heartbeat,
Yes, scars. He'd felt them but ignored them.
He shouldn't have.
Judy was a kit. A red fox attacked her. Terrified her. Scarred her.
"Oh god," whispered Nick.
Gideon seeing nothing the last few moments, heard Nick whimper and went onto one knee.
'You fool,' thought Nick. You absolute idiot. After the press conference, you were so angry at what she said, so disappointed, so hurt, so self-centered that it was all about you. You never considered for one second that the toughest rabbit in the world might have been traumatized as a kit.
And then what did you do? The exact same thing a bully did to her. You bared your fangs and claws at the only mammal that had ever given you a fair shake and, and…
"What have I done?" came another whisper, almost a whine of pain.
Gideon cringed.
I don't deserve her, I'm a fool of a pelt to think someone as amazing as Judy Hopps should be wasting their time with a… a pred… a monster like me.
Nick knew what came next. What had to come next. He could already feel it. The inevitable. Ending his dream, so Judy could have hers safe and sound, never having to worry about a fox threatening her again.
"It's okay," whispered Nick.
Gideon looked up, a terrible look of regret and now hope on his face.
"I understand," said Nick in a more even, almost frighteningly normal tone. "I've made mistakes too, and after seeing you guys together at dinner, I'm guessing Judy forgave you a long time ago."
Gideon nodded as he stood back up, "Thank you, Sir. I am truly sorry for all the pain I've caused."
Nick waved a shaky paw as he said, "It's not you that's done the harm. Thank you for telling me, Gideon."
Bowing, Gideon rushed back to his booth, happy that was over and hoping that he never had to do anything like that again.
A tear rolled down Nick's cheek, 'How could he let this happen?' He was always so careful, and now it was over.
Brushing away the tear, Nick spied his phone. What next? Leave was the obvious answer. What about Judy? She'll find someone better, a buck, someone who knows how to properly treat a doe without dredging up horrors and putting them in an emotional tailspin of pain and hurt.
Staring at his phone again, Nick pulled out his wallet and a notecard he thought he'd be able to burn a few days from now.
Nick dialed the number and waited for the inevitable demise of everything he loved and cherished.
"Hello?"
-/-/-
"A heck of a good day if I do say so myself," said Gunny, wiping his brow. "I'm all out of everything. Chicken, turkey sausage, bug patties, veggie burgers, all of it. How are you doing, Stu?"
"I'm out too," said Stu. "And I don't know how many bins of Bonnie's seasoned vegetables I went through, but this cash box is fuller even than I remember from what my Uncle Lewis and I took in for the Welcome sign. Between the both of us, your friend should be well on his way toward a down payment on keeping his clinic open."
"You truly are a kind mammal, Stu Hopps, and I do hope you understand how much you hosting this event and grilling those delicious vegetables means to the folks in Predville. I'm betting your Uncle Lewis would be proud of you following in his pawprints with your kindness and self-sacrifice."
Stu nodded silently for a moment before asking, "Did you know him?"
"Lewis Grazer, the last posthumous recipient of the Burrow Meister, the one that saved all those kits? No, sir, I never had the pleasure, but I was told some of his story. His heroism. Him going back into that fire a second time to rescue that last kit. He sounded like a Marine at heart, never giving up, never leaving a mammal behind.
"I'm glad I put two and two together after you introduced me to your mate. Otherwise, I'd have gone to my grave without being able to say 'Thank you' to his kin for his service to the corps."
Stu shook his head and said, "I don't know, are you sure you're thinking of the same Lewis Grazer? I don't recall that he ever served in the military, especially not in the Marine Corps."
"You're right about that, Mr. Grazer didn't serve directly, but a jackal named Wyatt Ringtail did."
"The jackal kit he saved? The one he went back in for," whispered Stu.
"Yes, Wyatt was the one he went back in for. Not too many rabbit folk around here would willingly go back into a fire to rescue someone not their kind, especially a predator. No offense intended."
"No," said Stu, turning away from Gunny's kind look. "You're not wrong about that. Uncle Lewis was special in how he cared for everyone more than he did himself."
"I believe it. And so did a young Wyatt. He decided to honor your uncle by joining the corps."
"I didn't know," said Stu. "I never spoke to the boy. Didn't even ask after him. It was a hard time… for my family… and me.
"Whatever happened to him? Wyatt?"
"I think the flames of that fire scarred his soul more than even I could tell. He blamed himself for the loss of your uncle."
Stu licked his lips and went silent. After more than a few moments, shaking his head slowly, he finally said, "He… he was just a kit. Not, not his fault."
Gunny, hearing the pain in Stu's words and seeing him struggle, put a paw on the old bun's shoulder and said, "Wyatt told me that when he'd smelled the smoke coming in under the door, he'd woken up all the other kits and gotten them in the closet as far away from the smoke and heat on the other side of the door as he could, and then tried to open a window. But the window was stuck tight, and he couldn't open it. He tried for as long as he could until the smoke got thicker, and he broke it open by throwing a kit's lamp through the glass.
"Unfortunately for Wyatt, the glass was thick, and too much was left in place for his young paws to break, and with the smoke pouring in, all he had breath left to do was scream once for help and hope someone would see the broken window and send help.
"Poor kit, I heard his mom say once, he would have been the runt of the litter exceptin' he was an only kit."
With a tear rolling down his cheek, Stu blocked out the fog of everyone around him and listened.
"With the fire growing and not wanting his friends in the closet to lose their air, he tried to hide from the smoke and heat by crawling under the bed.
"Not a good choice for getting rescued, but like you said, he was a little kit."
Another tear appeared as Stu trembled, "He was, and I'm ashamed to say I… I…"
"It's okay, son. Anyone would, and I can tell losing your uncle put a hole in your heart that still hasn't healed."
"It'd be a blessing if I could meet Wyatt someday. Maybe I could thank him for helping save his friends. He surely was a hero breaking that glass so my Uncle Lewis would know which room the kits were in."
Now Gunny Mulcaty's voice went quiet as he said, "All through his high school years, I mentored Wyatt, helped him see that what happened to your uncle wasn't his fault. That he did his best, and sometimes a mammal's best isn't enough.
"He joined up the day he graduated. Proudest day of my life. His parents too. Even one of the rabbit does from that night came to see him off with a hug."
Stu nodded.
"The boy made top marks in boot camp, and a few months into his second tour, he got deployed with his team to that dust-up down south a couple of years ago."
"I heard about that on the news, some terror group took a pawful of tourists hostage."
"Yes sir, Wyatt was there. When the balloon went up, he was out in front, making it happen when the whole thing went sideways. His team got to the hostages, but the terrorists pulled one out of a hat and trapped the team."
Stu pulled off his cap and, holding it to his chest, said, "Please, no."
"Lance Corporal Ringtail took two of his squad and cleared the way to the rescue craft. The terrorists learned you don't mess with a marine, but it was a costly lesson. Wyatt was the only one that didn't make it. Holding the rear, there were just too many of those bastards. But he never gave up."
Stu shuddered as tears fell.
"So, Stuart Hopps, kin to Lewis Grazer, it would be to my pleasure to sit for a spell and tell you the good stories I know of a young Wyatt Ringtail in thanks for what your Uncle Lewis did."
Stu wiped his eyes clear and, taking a breath, said, "I'd like that, and if you don't mind, I've got a couple of jars of some premium blueberry Moonshine I'd like to share with you along with the happiest stories I remember about my uncle."
-/-/-
"Randall Bushtail?" said Judy into her phone, "Sorry, but I don't know anyone by that name."
"Maybe from work?" whispered Sharla.
Judy shook her head as she listened.
…
"Nick Wilde said it was okay for you to call me?"
…
"A date? Like a 'you and me going out to dinner to get to know each other,' date? Nick said that?"
…
"You weren't supposed to call until Nick gave his blessing for us to date?"
…
"No, no, it's not your fault. I'm sure Nick is just being a confused fox. I'll find him and straighten him out."
….
"Yeah, no, thanks anyway, but I'm solidly not interested."
…
"Sure. If I think of a doe who likes faux leather and motorcycle rallying, I'll send her your way."
Hanging up, Judy looked at Sharla, stunned, and said, "Sweet cheese and crackers, my fox just tried to fix me up on a blind date with a pharmacist back in Zootopia. Why in the hell would he do that? Did something happen I don't know about?"
Sharla gulped before saying, "I don't know, maybe it's just a fox thing."
Judy stuffed her phone back in her pocket and ran back to where she'd left Nick sitting on a hay bale. "Where is he?"
Sharla, a little out of breath, stopped right behind Judy, "I don't see him anywhere."
Judy jumped up on the hay bale and did a three-sixty, looking for her fox, "What in god's green earth happened?"
Hopping down, Judy pulled out her phone again and called Nick. It went straight to voicemail.
"Great, he's turned his phone off."
Seeing one of her brothers checking on some lights, Judy yelled up at the buck on a ladder, "Hey Grant, do you know where Nick is? He was here just a minute ago."
Grant shook his head, "I saw him talking to Gideon, but I don't know where he is now."
Judy turned to Sharla, "Gideon?"
"I, uh, they're both foxes," replied Sharla.
Judy's eyes narrowed, and with her poking finger ready, she growled out, "What's going on? What did Gideon say to Nick?"
"Well—"
Except, Judy wasn't there anymore. She was standing on Gideon's table, glaring down at him.
"What did you say to Nick that made him disappear?"
Gideon looked up at what was either a dark angel coming to take his soul or… no, it was a dark angel.
"Miss Judy, Hi. What do you mean ran off? He seemed perfectly fine after I explained what happened and apologized."
"What are you talking about, and what were you apologizing for?"
"For baring my claws and teeth, for threatening you, and for clawing you on the cheek all those years ago. I needed to take responsibility for what I did and try and make things right with him."
Judy sagged and dropped down onto the ground, "Oh, no. Please don't tell me you told him about us fighting as kits. Please, Gideon, you clawed me, but I kicked you. And I shouldn't have jumped in without at least yelling for an adult. I forgave you, and I thought you forgave me, and there wasn't any reason Nick needed to know what happened."
"But, Miss Judy, us foxes, we have a code. I should have told him the very first moment we met, but I was too ashamed, and from then on, I was scared that you'd tell him, and he'd know I'd failed to take responsibility for what I'd done. I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd shamed my family name by not telling him."
Judy groaned, "I wasn't going to tell him, not now, not ever, if I could get away with it. He's always so worried that he might hurt me, but he won't. He can't. I know it in my heart he can't, but for some stupid fox reason I can't figure out, he doesn't trust himself.
"And now he's gone."
Sharla leaned down and put a hoof on Judy's shoulder, "I'm sorry too. I was the one that pressed Gideon to tell Nick."
Judy nodded.
"He's got to be somewhere around here. I haven't seen any cars leave, and Nick kind of sticks out if he were going to try and hitchhike," said Sharla.
"Speaking of sticking out, there's someone that looks a lot like Nick headed toward your dad's old truck parked next to the barn right over there."
Judy looked up and over, "The storage barn," and in a flash, was gone.
"I done messed up again, haven't I Shar?"
"No. This time, it was both of us."
-/-/-
"And now for the last act of this very special show. Except, for some reason, I wasn't given any notes on this next pair, so welcome to the stage, whoever you are."
As Andie and Lucas made their way onto the stage, everyone in the crowd jumped to their feet and cheered. Of course, Andie blushed as Lucas stepped back and clapped for her. Even the band joined in on welcoming the best singing duo ever to grace their crusty bar.
Taking a quick bow, Andie pulled Lucas close, and they both waved as the crowd quieted.
"Wow, and you guys haven't even done anything yet."
The crowd hooted, hollered, and roared again.
"Well, for me and all those watching on TV, please tell us your names and what you'll be doing tonight."
Andie held her microphone up to her muzzle and said, "My name's Andie, and this buck is my boyfriend, Lucas Hopps."
The crowd exploded with applause again.
Lucas waved and took a quick bow before letting the crowd quiet.
Facing Andie, Lucas raised his microphone and said, "My name is Lucas, and this amazing doe is who I'm hoping will make me the happiest buck in the world and say 'yes' to becoming Andie Hopps, my mate."
Andie almost dropped her mic as she covered her muzzle and nodded 'yes.'
The crowd went wild as all three judges, including a clapping Simon Howl, stood as Judge Beans handed Lucas a long jewelry box. Taking out a rose gold chain link ear bangle with a half dozen small diamond chips mounted in it, Lucas motioned for Andie to face the crowd so he could wrap his new fiancée's vibrating left ear in a sign of his love and commitment.
"Andie," whispered Lucas, "Hold still, I have farmer's fingers, and this clasp is super-tiny."
Andie held still until Lucas finished, barely, before peppering him with kisses.
Once the crowd died down for the umpteenth time…
"Congratulations you two, but we still have a show to finish. So, what will you be singing for us today?"
Andie waggled her ear as she said, "As happy as I am at this moment, without Doc Stoan, Lucas wouldn't have been able to propose the way he did just now. So please, everyone watching, help us help the Predville clinic. Pledge as much as you can because Doc Stoan does more for this community than most of us can imagine."
Lucas stepped up and, putting his arm around his mate-to-be, said, "Andie and I are going to sing 'A Whole New World' with a twist. Because with her 'yes,' Andie's become the dream I've been waiting my whole life to be a part of."
Aladdin (1992) – "A Whole New World" - Brad Kane and Lea Salonga (Note: Lucas sings Jasmine's verses, and Andie sings Aladdin's verses. Replace Princess with Prince for the intended meaning.)
-/-/-
"Freeze right there, fox," spat Judy poking Nick in the back with a stick. "What are you doing around my dad's truck? Trying to steal it?"
Nick nodded without turning around, "I was going to leave it at the train station."
Judy sniffed and, wiping away a tear, said, "Through that open door, fox. And don't try anything."
Nick put up his paws and moved into the storage barn stacked high with boxes, crates, and other stuff that didn't easily fit in the Warren's underground storage room.
Poking him in the back again, Judy said, "Turn around and face me."
Nick turned and put his arms down. "Hi, Carrots."
"Don't you dare call me Carrots," yelled Judy poking Nick in his stomach. "Why are you going to the train station? Why did you tell that buck he could call me for a date?" and sniffling again, "And why are you trying to leave without telling me?"
Gently pushing the tip of Judy's stick away, Nick slowly and carefully approached Judy until he was close enough to touch her.
"Why?"
Nick put his paw on Judy's cheek, and after slowly tracing each of the three scars with his finger, he said, "I'm sorry."
"You didn't claw me, Gideon did."
"I might as well have with how I treated you after the press conference."
"Gideon and I were kits. He was a bully, and I should have called for an adult instead of trying to take him on myself."
Paw still on her cheek, Nick said, "Calling for backup's never really been your thing."
Judy leaned into Nick's touch, "Gideon and I were kits."
"I wasn't when I threatened you."
"I deserved everything you said about me. I hurt so many predators with what I said, especially you."
"It wasn't your fault. What Gideon did, your dad's attitudes… If I'd known…"
"How could you have known? I didn't even know how much my dad and this town had affected me. I let them turn me into a dumb bunny that shot her mouth off and nearly tore the City apart."
"But, I'm a fox, a predator," pulling his paw away from Judy's cheek and slowly extending his claws, said, "a monster that could tear you apart without a thought. You'd be so much safer and happier with a buck than you ever could be with me."
Taking Nick's paw in hers, she guided it to her lips and kissed each claw tip one at a time, and then looking Nick in the eyes, she placed his paw on her heart and said, "You could never hurt me. I know that in my heart, and I need you to know it too. Feel my heart. With every beat, it's telling you that you're not a monster but the kind, loving, amazing mammal that I love.
"Please, no more second-guessing yourself and no more second-guessing us."
Nick nodded.
"Promise me."
"I promise."
"Good," said Judy, taking Nick's paw in both of hers. "Because I'm taking you as my mate. I don't care what anyone else thinks anymore. I want us to be together, now and forever."
"Carrots… Judy, are you sure? I want us to be together too, but there's still a lot that needs to be worked through. This all started because you told me the town would rise up against your family if they found out you were in a relationship with a fox, and I don't think much has changed. I wish it was different, if maybe your dad didn't hate me so much and was willing to give us his blessing, but…"
Nick sighed.
"…right now, I think he'd rather tear his own ears off than let us be together."
Judy nodded as she looked down at her and Nick's intertwined paws. Then, as a tear formed, she took a deep breath and said, "I don't care. I'm going to tell him to his face that I love you and I'm taking you as my mate, and if he says one word against us, I'll… I'll renounce my name, I'll leave and never come back. I'll tell the whole town that Judy Hopps is dead, and they can all go pound sand.
"As soon as I see my dad, I swear I'm going to…"
*sniff*
"Judy…"
Pulling his bunny into a hug, Nick brushed back Judy's ears and gently pet them until she stopped trembling.
"I care. You love your family more than you admit. Your mom would be devastated if you left and never came back. Janae, Sunni, Lucas, everyone would miss you more than you could imagine. And you'd miss them just as much."
Still stroking her ears, Nick said, "I loved my mom and dad.
"If I could turn back time, I'd figure out a way to be a better son so that we could have had more time together before they passed.
"Your family is special—"
Judy huffed.
Nick lifted Judy's chin and said, "Yes, they can be a pain in the tail too, but I don't want you to go through what I did by cutting off your family from your life."
Judy groaned. And then, pounding her head against Nick's chest, said, "I hate you, Nicholas Wilde."
"No, you don't."
"I do a little. So, what are we going to do about… us?"
"I don't know yet. Tomorrow is Carrot Days, and Monday, we outprocess from the Sheriff's office, so let's think about it for a couple of days and see if we can't figure out how to break it to your dad without the whole pitchforks and torches response."
"Okay," said Judy breaking the hug, "But,"
"But what?
"But," said Judy poking Nick in the chest, "you, Nicholas Piberius Wilde, are not leaving this town until I have claimed you as my mate. Got it."
"I don't know, do I get a say in any of this?" asked Nick.
"Nope," said Judy, smiling now. "I called dibs on you way back, and I've already told you how bunny dibs works. Right?"
Giving Judy a quick kiss, Nick took her paw and leading her out of the barn, said, "Yes, yes, you did."
With the barn door open, a pair of ears could still hear the fading banter from behind a double stack of boxes and near a crate filled with jars of moonshine hidden behind a workbench.
"I still haven't heard a 'yes' from you fox," said his daughter's voice.
"Well, you know, we'll have to let all my other girlfriends know that they can't come over. You know, and I got to postpone—
"Ow!"
"You are such a dork. And just for that, I'm taking back everything nice I said about you…"
The ears listened to the fading banter and then the quiet for another minute and then drooped down their owner's back.
Standing upright, said owner, now revealed to be Stu Hopps carrying two jars of his finest moonshine, glared at the open door, took a step toward one solution, and then stopped.
With an unreadable look on his muzzle, Stuart Hopps moved to put the moonshine back in its hiding place, but stopped.
Another look out the still open barn door let him know the show was gearing back up.
A sigh, followed by a whisper and then a door closing.
"Three days."
-/-/-
Judy jumped out onto the stage just as the music finished and the lights dimmed and hugged her brother, "You did it. I can't believe you did that in front of the whole Burrow.
"You are such a dweeb."
"What?" said Lucas, "You told me to. You practically blackmailed me by threatening to tell Andie about Megan Brookstream."
"Yup, join the club," said Nick, giving Lucas a two-fingered salute, "Carrots here pulled the same thing on me when we first met, and now look at where I am."
"And who is this Megan person, and what do I need to be asking her about?" asked Andie, smirking.
"Uhhhh…" stuttered Lucas.
Judy hugged her new soon to be sister-in-law and said, "Congratulations, you've found yourself a good buck. A little goofy sometimes, but a good guy."
"I know," said Andie, hugging Judy back, "But that's what I love about him. And how you and the rest of your family have welcomed me into your lives. You don't know how much having a real family means to me. Thank you."
"You're welcome, but you and Lucas meeting had a lot to do with Nick too. Nick?" Looking around for her fox, Judy suddenly heard—
"You can see I need you."
The stage lights brightened back up enough for Judy to see Nick standing center stage holding a live microphone.
The crowd stopped packing up and looked over at the stage.
Simon Howl reached over to press a big red button. The show was over, after all.
Mayor Ackerbunn intercepted Simon's paw, "Wait."
"You can see I need you."
Judy, alone now on the stage with Nick, rolled her eyes.
Simon motioned for the cameramammal to keep filming. Of course, he'd never stopped.
Speaking without the microphone so no one else could hear, Nick said, "Come on, Carrots. I've heard you singing this song in the shower. You sing it the way I want to believe it. Help me make your version of this song, our song."
Nick waved a paw, and as the band played, he sang out one more time…
The Greatest Showman – "Rewrite the Stars" – Peter Hollens Official Acappella
…..
Gunny chuckled as he watched both Nick and Judy stand and face each other in silence as the band played the last stanza without their vocal accompaniment. And smiled as none of the judges buzzed them off the stage.
"Not too bad for a fox," said Gunny. "And all your kits, including Judy, have beautiful voices."
"But they didn't finish," said Stu. "I like that song, but they skipped the whole last part."
"Yes sir," said Gunny, clapping. "They most surely did, and good on them for doing it too. They made that song theirs with an ending I like a whole lot better for them than the original."
…..
…..
A/N #3:
As I mentioned in the introductory Author's Notes, this chapter has been in the works for a long time. I found a YouTube video for each of the songs song two-ish years ago, but when it came time to post, a couple of them had gone private, so… let me know if another link goes down or there is a better choice of video to use.
The first three songs are standard Disney fare that includes a video snippet from each of their respective movies. The last two videos took a little more searching to find ones that conveyed the messages I was trying to get across.
For "A Whole New World," I found a great video by Shannon & Noel, featuring Bakyaan, that had the singing parts swapped and the word Panda replacing the word Princess because I also found on another site that went private that some Japanese use Panda as a symbol of affection and playfulness. (The reference is gone now and was likely very questionable). So, not being able to reference that video, I found a link to a video of Brad Kane and Lea Salonga singing for the original animated version done in 1992.
The lyrics are the same between the animated and live versions, so feel free to listen to your favorite, but try to imagine the verse swap with the word Princess replaced with Prince to feel how Lucas, a Prince in waiting expected to take over the family farm, wants to share in Andie's world outside of Bunnyburrow.
I started writing this story in mid-2018 and aside from watching too many Howlmark movies for references, I started listening to a bunch of a cappella covers. I was a little hesitant to use "Rewrite the Stars" for Judy and Nick's song because of the final verse. Fortunately, one artist I've enjoyed listening to, Peter Hollens, did a cover with his wife, Evynne, that left off the last verse making it particularly poignant for this story. They also included a lot of family scenes in their video, which added to the sweetness.
So, below is a list of the links I've got as of this posting. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed Bunnyburrow's Got Talent.
~Mikey
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Janae and the kit's song:
Hercules – "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)": https{colon slash slash}youtu{dot}be/DPMjsfJwUow
Amy's song:
Enchanted – Carrie Underwood – "Ever Ever After" (Disney Music): https{colon slash slash}youtu{dot}be/QAniOB1Ts4k
Courtney's song:
Brave – "Touch the Sky" – Disney Sing-Along (Disney): https{colon slash slash}youtu{dot}be/82bVT9Byyuk
Lucas and Andie's song:
Aladdin (1992) – "A Whole New World" – Brad Kane and Lea Salonga: https{colon slash slash}youtu{dot}be/watch?v=A3iK9UIAdKA
Nick and Judy's song:
The Greatest Showman – "Rewrite the Stars" – Peter Hollens Official Acappella: https{colon slash slash}youtu{dot}be/lfA4U0su02A
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