Another AU where the laws against interspecies mates are strong and brutal. Only here, unlike in Preparing Ahead of Time, our intrepid couple have some options and take advantage of those, causing more than a little consternation for the city, state, and federal governments, and forcing society to take a look at themselves.

As with much, this is AU to my main stories as well, and taps into a few of the themes and concepts I have developed there.

I do not own and can therefore make no claim to Zootopia and its characters. I claim only my own OCs.

Hope you enjoy it. On with the show. Also, yes. This one is posted in the NSFW section, for a reason. :)

xxxxXXXXxxxx

Judy and Nick entered from the garage, a cuffed and muzzled wolf ahead of them. The wolf glanced back nervously at the two smaller mammals as they entered the ZPD precinct One lobby. The rabbit and fox laughed lightly.

"I'm serious, Nick. I walked out on him. Stood up and walked away after telling him off. I just… I just couldn't."

Nick shook his head. "Good Gods, Carrots. What in Karma's name could he have done to make you do that? That's a major ego shattering move right there, Fluff. I took you as more level headed than that." Glancing up at Clawhauser. "Hey, Ben! Can you summon us someone from holding and sergeant Mike Wolfrod-Fangmeyer?"

Ben grinned down at the pair. "Sure, guys." Quickly buzzing the holding officer and sending Mike a chat. "So what were you guys talking about?"

Nick chuckled and indicated Judy with a paw. "Judy had a hot date last night. Been talking the guy up for two weeks. Or rather, she's been complaining, non-stop, about her sisters talking the guy up like he's some kind of gods gift to rabbit kind."

Judy groaned and rolled her eyes. Hard. "Seriously. They made him out to be some sort of rabbit demi-god. Rich. Tall and strong. Long ears. Extra fluffy tail. The works. Like he was the lagomorph version of Tony Stalker. Literally going about him being all that and more. We chatted a few times leading up to last night, and I admit… he was easy on the eyes, though not to the level my sisters went on about him. He was easy to talk to by text. But by Karma and Saren… In person he acted like he was that mammal from Fifty Shades of Wool. Yeah, he's got money, but oh my gods! He believed the hype. I seriously got the vibe from him that I'd end up in a shallow grave if I let him try and take me to his place and then put him off. Hell, I even sent his information to sex crimes to look into."

Judy huffed and crossed her arms. "I was actually looking forward to the date, too. Picked me up in a brand new Bently, so seriously laying on the fact he's got money, thick. Don't get me wrong. It was a damn nice car, but… It was also a rental. Had the rental companies plates and plate surround. I mean, come on. If you are going to rent a high end car, make it interesting. Get a Shetlan Cobra or something, and take the plate personalization from the rental place off. Then again, I'm a cop. I know a rental plate when I see one.

But okay, I can look past that. And he is clearly trying to impress me. I get it. The Bentley was over the top, but whatever. Planned to take me to a play, which I don't have a problem with. Except… I'd already seen Wicked, and I had told him that. You took me for my birthday. I suggested something like Death Becomes Her. It's based on that old movie. I think that would be fun." Seeing Nick's ears perk, she smirked. "Maybe for your birthday, Slick. Anyway. He took me to Greethas and a nice secluded table for two at Greethas. Okay, a point in his favor, that he quickly burned and put himself in the negative column. Pulling into Greethas I was prepared to modify my expectations on the night.

Sadly, it was clear, again, that he had no clue, had never listened to me, and had no interest in what I had to actually say. He picked WIcked because I had mentioned it. I mentioned it because I had seen it, and when he suggested a play. I told him that sounded like fun, as long as it was not! Wicked, because I had seen it." Judy glared to one side with her foot tapping rapidly in irritation. The wolf looking at her nervously.

Ben coo'd. "Oh, wow! I can only imagine how much that set him back."

Judy shook her head. "Sure, but he had clearly never been there. First, we were in the Bertolia room."

Nick flinched. "Yikes." Ben gave them a confused look.

With a nod, Judy sighed. "Yeah. Red flag city right there. And now that I look back on it, number, like, fifty. He tried to order." Putting her face in her paw with a shake of her head. "The idiot tried to order and got belligerent before I calmed him down. Started making a scene and actually demanded a manager before I managed to calm him down. I had to explain how Greethas works. I bet even Ben knows how Greethas works."

Ben nodded with a smile. "Oh yeah. If only. You don't order at Greethas. The chef meets you and then cooks something based on their impressions of you. What's the Bertolia room?"

Judy nodded with a smile up at the cheetah. "Exactly right, Ben. The Bertolia room is the room you get if you have never been there before, or you make reservations. Though as you said, it still works the same even there." Giving another sigh as Mike and the officer from holding walked up. "In hindsight, I should have seen it coming. All our text exchanges were about him. I'm so used to the usual buck fan-boying and wanting to know about me, the fact it was all about him was different. It was however mundane in comparison to the date. All the calls and texts were about his schooling, friends, business deals and stories about that. The one or two stories I got in, he listened to and asked smart questions. I guess he used up all his couth, in those.

Once we got past the weirdness of ordering, the chef came out." Judy's ears fell to her back and she deflated for a second. "The chef was Ernest."

Nick groaned. "Oh, hell. I can guess where this is going. I assumed it was the usual, quit your job cause he'll take care of you so you can care for the kits."

Judy laughed darkly. "You're getting ahead of the story, Slick. No, he started with a freak out about a pred cooking his food."

Nick frowned. "But it was Ernest? He never works Bertolia. He had to recognize you and volunteered."

Judy nodded with a frown. "Yeah, exactly that. Was even going to comp it, but the moron just went full Karen about a pred polluting his food or some other stupidity, so we got moved. At that point I'm pissed and on guard. But now we have Bennet, and you know how much I love his cooking. So okay. A conversation was going to need to be had, but maybe the date itself could be salvaged. I was trying to be charitable because I know how most rabbits are. We chatted about the decor. Then the appetizer shows up, and it's a shared one. Bennet clearly recognizing that it's a date. He's really good for things like that. I try to get a bite and he gets all offended. I again have to explain Greethas. I get, maybe, a bite, and that under protest.

Then he starts talking about how great it is that he's so interested in me. I won't have to work in such a dangerous job anymore. How, now that I was his girlfriend, if I felt like working, I could do something like daycare so I'd be ready to care for our kits. Or maybe work for him as his assistant, that way I'd be there whenever he, or I… he added me like an afterthought… were in the mood. It really was as if he realized he was being a bit sexist. But I'd be there if either of us had the need. Claimed the couch in his office was very comfortable."

Judy growled deeply which made the wolf they'd brought in flinch at a rabbit making such a noise. "The gall to assume I was his girlfriend less than forty five minutes into our first date. He was already planning our sex life, for Saren's sake! You know he had plans for me to be pregnant at essentially all times. Gods what a piece of work!"

Mike laughed. "Damn. Date gone wrong."

Judy nodded with a bitter laugh. "Understatement. I got up. Told him I would never be with a bigot like him. An entitled piece of rotten cabbage unworthy of being composted because he'd poison the batch.

Told him how he disgusted me, how he did not impress, as we were in the wannabes section. Told him if he ever contacted me again, I'd have him up on charges of harassment. I then, making sure he could hear, asked Gerry to see me to a better table with better company and to apologize to Ernest on my behalf, as well as to Bennet. Oh, the look on his face when Gerry happily agreed. Worth it."

Nick just shook his head. "What is it with these real pieces of work your sisters keep finding? Do they not check these guys out at all?"

Judy have a deep, resigned sigh. "No. They don't think beyond if he's good looking and able to provide, because that's what they want. Because the ones setting me up are the does that are still looking, because they can't see that every buck that checks off their boxes, are a gigantic dung heap. Which is why even they never get past one or two dates, but just cannot seem to understand that the issue is the guys they are seeking out to begin with."

Mike shook his head. "Okay. That has to suck. Now what'd you guys need me for." Looking over their prisoner. "Which I assume has to do with my cousin here."

Judy nodded with a grin. "Yup. Your cousin, here, is the leader of the Bark Boys, and linked to a few dozen robberies."

Mike rolled his eyes with an exasperated shake of his head. "The Bark Boys? Seriously Alexander?" Mike took off his badge and slipped it into his shirt pocket, having noticed Nick do exactly that as he'd walked up. "As Designate, and witnessed by my first. You, Alexander Wolford are hereby placed on probation within the pack. Should you be found guilty for the crimes you are accused of, and barring sufficient extenuating justification, recommendation of exile will be presented to the Alphas. Do you have anything to say for yourself? An explanation for your actions and association with such a group?"

Alexander glared at Mike. "Rutt off you disgusting pervert. I do not recognize you as anything but the deviant you are."

Mike nodded, put his badge back on, then turned to the officer from holding. "Officer Devais, Please process the suspect."

Devais, a large stallion, nodded, taking Alexander by the shoulder. "Come on. Let's get you into the system so you don't miss dinner." Guiding Alexander away who graced Mike, Judy, and Nick a look of utter disgust.

Ben turned back to Nick and Judy as Nick was re-affixing his badge. "Gods, every time you guys talk about a date, it's a train wreck. Entertainment for us sure, but… I kinda wish I knew more foxes or rabbits."

Mike nodded. "Yeah. We've all tried."

Nick chuckled. "Well, tonight is my turn. I'm trying, Mates. Got what, according to the app, is a strong match. Though the last two were less than real. One ghosted me, and the other wasn't a fox. Wasn't a canine at all, and while species doesn't matter to me, honesty is kinda a biggy."

Judy grinned. "Gotta be Stella."

Nick smiled. "Yeah. Stella is just her handle. If the pics are to be believed, she is a cross fox with this beautiful smooth black and crimson coloring. We seem to have a lot in common, and I'm… hopeful."

Judy nodded. "Well. So am I then. Where are you taking her, or is she starting?"

Nick chuckled and mussed Judy's ears, causing her to bat away his paws. "I'm up first. I'm totally abusing Finn and have Therus to just ourselves."

Judy smiled. "Nice move. Okay. You know how to signal me for a rescue. Now, let's get all the paperwork done so we can get you cleaned up, presentable, and to your date on time."

xxxxXXXXxxxx

The next morning, a day off for both Nick and Judy, Judy woke at her usual time, went for her morning run, took her shower, and then dressed in her jeans and pink gingham shirt. Apron on, she was cooking a large omelet when she heard Nick stir. She quickly poured his mug of coffee, setting it on the breakfast bar and returned to the stove.

Nick appeared, looking his usual morning ragged self. Giving her an acknowledging fox grumble bark that Judy had learned to see as astonishingly endearing. Nick was always controlled. Always aware of who he was around and how he acted. He never let out a growl, a bark, a yip, or gekker, or spoke a single work, no matter how mad, tired, even exhausted to the point of falling asleep standing up. Not without some deep calculation to it. Yet there, in their apartment when it was just them. Nick would let all his walls down completely, including allowing himself to just be a fox. She truly felt special that he allowed her to see him like that.

"So….." Folding the omelet. "You got home earlier last night than a good date would dictate, and you look like your normal morning self. So I'm gonna guess the date was a flop and I won't be needing to make another omelet."

Nick grunted again, taking a long pull on his coffee, then laid his muzzle on the counter and looked at her through barely open eyes. "It should be illegal to be so damn chipper this early."

Judy laughed as she parted the omelet. "Nick, it's almost 10 in the morning. I've been up for hours and you know it. You also say that every morning. Date went that bad?" She only got a grumbling yip bark groan in response. Flinching slightly. "Oh. Sorry Nick. She seemed like a real winner, based on what you'd been saying. Then again, so did Richard. So how bad we talking? Jennifer? Henrieta? Jack?"

Nick sighed from his position, bottom jaw flat to the counter. Giving a frustrated huff, he grumbled again, sitting up to make room for his portion of the omelet. "Worse. This will be the new Gereth."

Judy froze a moment before setting her plate down and passing Nick the pitcher of dark berry protein smoothie so he could pour himself a portion. "Oh no. Nick?"

Finishing his bite of omelet. "Out done yourself, Fluff! Shrimp?"

"Yup. Leftovers from my dinner last night. Benefits of living with a fox. Delivery guy doesn't blink when the rabbit accepts an order of shrimp scampi. If they ask, I can just say I wasn't feeling Italian, or that I have a wrap here at the apartment. They don't need to know it's a grilled shrimp wrap." Looking him over. "Need to vent?"

Nick sighed heavily. "After breakfast, a run, etc… I just want to chill today. Maybe get a bucket of chocolate chunk and give in for the day."

Judy nodded. "That sounds divine, Nick. You do your morning stuff. I needed to do a market run today anyway. I'll grab us both a pint, and we'll find some horrific, D rated sci fi flick to ignore."

Nick managed to smile. "You're the best, Judy."

Nick dug into his breakfast with enthusiasm as did Judy.

xxxxXXXXxxxx

Judy went about cleaning up while Nick got ready and headed out for his morning run. While he was gone, Judy made a trip to the corner market, stocking up on the usual meal prep items, and adding two medium mammal tubs of ice cream. Triple chocolate fudge for Nick, canine safe, and Mint chip for her. Nick was an absolute addict when it came to chocolate, and while he had some resistance, if he got to much of the good stuff, as he would call it, the non-canine safe kind, he'd be tied to the toilet for the night. So Judy carefully regulated his chocolate intake to make sure he could enjoy it, without stuffing for his addiction.

They had taken to pre-preparing meals ahead of time. They didn't bother with preparing food for lunch when they were on-duty. For that they relied on protein and granola bars and fast-food. Patrolling and things that came up just made it too volatile. They had tried and had it end up going bad or uneaten far more often then they got to eat it. They were looking at a new cooler that was battery powered and they could plug into the cruiser. It also had some tech that let it heat the food in a few minutes, making it self contained. It wasn't cheap, so they hadn't made the leap yet.

They did make sure to prepare dinners ahead of time though. It meant less fast food overall in their diet, was healthier, and if Nick was to be believed, tasted better. Even after an exhausting day, they could just toss their meal in the microwave or oven, depending, while they stripped, showered, and got ready to crash. Come out, their meals were hot and ready. Letting them eat, and either hit the couch, or their beds. Sometimes the couch was the bed. No one needed to know Judy's meals had as much chicken and shrimp as Nick's.

The store owner knew them, so didn't flinch when Judy would buy proteins like chicken, fish, and shrimp along with the veggies. Seeing the ice cream he chuckled. "Uh oh. Which one of ya had the breakup this time?"

Judy shook her head as she scanned her card. "No breakups, just a string of epically bad dates for both of us. So we're having a night."

The shop keeper nodded. "Ah! Well, hopefully you'll both have better luck next time. I'd suggest the two of ya should try, were it not illegal."

Judy laughed. "Me and Nick‽ Oh, that's too funny. A rabbit and a fox. That'd sure set off those hateful mammals that push such laws." Taking her bags. "We're just friends. Thanks mister Bentillis. For the food, and the laugh."

The wolf just smiled with a shake of his head. It was as obvious to him as anyone, but he understood. Promising himself that, if they every gave in to what everyone else could see, he'd be in their corner.

xxxxXXXXxxxx

Judy carried her shopping bags back to the apartment, two in one paw and dragging the rest in a small cart, a look of concentration on her muzzle. She barely registered getting back to the apartment. Finally, standing in the entryway, she shook off the weird funk that seemed to have dragged her thoughts into a mire she couldn't make sense of. She put away everything as she heard Nick exit the shower. Very odd, risque, and shockingly focused thoughts of the fox catching her off guard. Trying to distract herself, Judy popped them a medium mammal popcorn, and set up for a movie marathon. A small cooler and Blue-Ice block to keep their drinks cold on the floor under the coffee table. The popcorn in it's bowl directly above the cooler. Once everything was ready she headed to her room to get herself ready as Nick exited his room in just his fur.

Judy smiled as she stripped, letting the thoughts about Nick run a bit wild in her mind. They'd gone back to the Mystic Springs a few times. It had helped her get past some of her hangups. That didn't stop her ears from feeling like they were on fire. There would always be an internal prude, as Nick put it, that was just mortified by the whole naked in public thing. Judy otherwise wasn't embarrassed or even phased by it. Though catching someone having sex… well, that was a different thing.

Because of all that, and after more than one full week plus where no laundry was able to be done, they ended up having to go with just their fur while the laundry finally got done. As such, they went clothes free at their apartment unless they had company or were dating someone. Giving a frown as she removed her panties, her thoughts focusing on a specific part of Nick's anatomy that she was quite familiar with. She shook it off again, trying to get her brain on the mindless entertainment planned for the evening. They rarely wore clothes anymore when it was just them. Maybe three or four weeks total in the past six months, and a good two of those were because her parents were visiting.

Shaking off the weird feeling, and less than decent thoughts trying to take root, Judy exited her room to see her quart of ice cream on the coffee table with a spoon sticking out of it. Smiling warmly. She snatched it up and got comfortable in her corner, Nick already propped and wedged into his.

"Okay, Fluff. I have Maximum Overdrive for us."

Judy grinned. "Perfect! You always find the perfect, mindless, low brow, movie when we need it. Though you truly out did yourself with that Space Truckers flick. My gods, that was something epic."

Nick laughed around a spoon full of his ice cream. "Yeah. I saw that and just knew I needed to save that for one of our veg out nights. I'd do Space Hunter, but we did that a few weeks ago after the Skunk incident, and as much as we both love it, we've watched Buckeroo Bonzai like a dozen times."

Judy nodded and savored the extra strong mint in her ice cream. "Yeah. So. Start this ball of cheese so it can wash away the last few weeks of paperwork, moron criminals, and bad dates."

"They wish is my command." Nick reached over and hit play on the remote, setting it aside and shifting back into his corner of the sofa.

xxxxXXXXxxxx

The movie started and they dug into their ice cream, both just enjoying the company, the decadent, sweet treat, and what was essentially a massive cheat day. After finishing half his ice cream, Nick sighed heavily. Getting up, Judy gladly gave him hers to put back in the freezer, about half done with hers as well.

Once back in place, Nick stared at the TV without actually seeing it for a few minutes. Judy had noticed his, I'm in my head, look and knew he would be soon asking her something or making statements, so she watched him and waited.

After several minutes while the goblin truck running down another mammal on the screen went ignored, Nick focused his attention on Judy. To Judy, Nick looked sad, hurt even, and her heart went out to him, as his voice reflected the same. "Judy. What's wrong with me? Why does every vixen, todd, or other mammal I try to get with end up… I don't know." Letting out a defeated sigh. "I mean, I know I have your scent on me, but we live in the same apartment, we exist in the cruiser eight, even ten plus hours a day, five days a week. It would take months of not being anywhere near each other for either of us to fully loose the scent of the other.

I even had you stop with the hugging and punching and all that. We sit in separate chairs. I explain this up front, before I even meet these mammals. I have a partner on the force. She is a rabbit and my roommate. I am gonna smell like her, but there is nothing to it other than constant proximity. Yet… They all comment on it. Then there is the fact that they are right, I don't react to them beyond the most basic physical level. Am I just broken?" His eyes unfocused as he looked inside, clearly trying to find an answer to his question. "I want to be intimate. I want more. But I guess…" Looking down, the hurt clear in every line of his being. "I guess I haven't earned that yet. Karma has gifted me some, but not everything, I long for. I have a lot to atone for."

Judy managed to keep herself from crying as her heart broke for him, while also breaking for herself. "I… I was gonna ask you the same thing, Nick. No matter who I see. Who I go out with. Who sets it up. Once we get past, at most, a few dates. There is nothing there. They want something I don't seem able to give them. It doesn't help that most expect a roll in the sack after one date."

Nick nodded. "Well, at least you get to have sex. Harder thing with a fox, as you know."

Judy nodded as she stood and walked down the couch to him. "You know. Mister Bentillis said something interesting today."

"The wolf that owns the bodega?"

"Yeah. He suggested that you and I should be together, were it not for the laws."

Nick chuckled with a sad smile. "Yeah. He's made that comment to me as well. I mean, I get it. You're perfect, Fluff. I really do not understand why those morons don't see it."

Judy blushed. "I'm far from perfect. Gods know how many times I have hurt you." Putting a paw on his cheek and rubbing lightly with her thumb.

Nick nodded and glanced up at her, leaning slightly into the touch. With her standing on the couch, and him sitting, it put her just slightly taller than him. "Yeah, but you keep trying, and you actually apologize. You get better and at this point you've learned to recognize when you are in a spot where your learned internal bias is gonna kick in. You ask questions when you are unsure. You think through things, especially your gut reactions. You still jump before you know where your feet are going to land sometimes, but it is a lot less often."

Judy groaned with a roll of her eyes. "I should never have left you and my dad alone."

Nick chuckled. "Hey, it was the only way I was going to convince him that I wasn't the big bad fox out to get you like he thought. Plus, we got that old tractor working."

"You did at that, and he couldn't stop talking about it for a month. Nearly drove mom crazy about how great a mammal you were. Even stopped calling you, that fox."

"Yep. I basically have to hustle your family into liking me. But with you. You work hard, knowing you have those biases and do everything you can to address them, work around them, or address them head on. You have mastered the cultural sensitivity training to the point that you are the one that gives it at this point."

"All that is proof of my lack of perfection."

Nick sighed again as he reached up and cupped her cheek in return. "Judy, perfect doesn't mean, perfect. It means perfect as you are. And who you are is a strong, intelligent, witty, beautiful mammal inside and out. That they cannot see that, and only seem to care to see your job. Well, that's on them. If you were a vixen, I'd have tried to lock this down right after we met." Finishing with a smarmy smile.

Judy felt a blush run up her ears, but didn't bother hiding it. "Well, that may be so, but that isn't what most… Well any buck, in my experience, wants. I'm sure there are a few out there, but I seriously doubt they're someone I'll ever run into. Just like you. If we are using that definition of perfect, then you, Nick Wilde, are perfect. You're strong, funny, possibly the smartest mammal I have ever met, and you make me better. I wish you were a buck. I'd have locked you down so fast."

Nick nodded and brushed his thumb over her cheek, feeling the ridges of her scar. "Yeah. We know how good we are together, in all other ways. As far as relationships go, we have the strongest base one could hope for. Too bad we aren't rich and could buy ourselves an exception."

Nick chuckled darkly, but Judy froze, her eyes going unfocused. Nick looked her over and got a worried look. "Judy?" It took her several moments for her to come back and as she did, a grin came over her face. A grin that morphed into a knowing, sultry smile. Nick pulled back warily. "Judy?"

Judy grabbed his muzzle and turned it towards her, pulling him to her and pressing her lips to his in a passionate kiss. Nick's eyes went wide and his nose flaring at the sensation, eyes closing as his senses were overloaded with her scent and the fireworks the kiss set off in his brain. Their muzzles parted and with both giving a slight head tilt, their muzzled meshed. He groaned as she explored his teeth. She moaned into his mouth as his stronger, longer tongue overpowered hers and explored every millimeter of her mouth, tasting her as deeply as she sought to taste him.

When they finally pulled apart, they found Nick's paws holding Judy up, thumbs holding her waist and fingers cupping her ass. Judy, having stepped over him, hind-paws on either side of his legs, grinned. Both of them were almost gasping for air to replenish themselves, each finding their senses nearly overwhelmed by the scent the other was giving off. The fire in both their eyes nearly singed the fur off the other with its intensity.

Nick found his tail wagging next to him in excitement, his brain trying to catch up to what was happening. "Judy… What are we doing?"

Judy smiled. "Giving in to something that has been festering between us for a long time."

Nick looked pained. "But we can't. The law?"

Judy shifted her weight, allowing her to give Nick a shove that caused him to slide down the back of their wolf sized couch to lay along the length of the couch. "Can't we? No one needs to know, and we both need this. It isn't as if you can knock me up. We know it works."

Nick groaned. "Yeah, and I'll never stop apologizing for that."

This made Judy frown. "Nick, there is nothing to apologize for. It was the middle of winter. I was in an artificially strong heat too, if you remember, and well. We used each other. We needed each other then to scratch that itch. It isn't winter now. I'm not in heat. You're way out of season. Yet, I can smell how turned on you are." Looking down and seeing him already partially out of his sheath. "Just one kiss, and look at you. You smell so amazing. I'm sure you can tell how hot I am, and while yeah, rabbits are horny year round, you also know I am not like that."

Instead of letting him answer or otherwise respond, Judy leaned down as she pulled him up and into another kiss. Their paws began to explore each other's bodies. Claws raking through fur, both moaning into the other's mouth.

xxxxXXXXxxxx

Sorry, y'all. But, FFN gets finiky when it comes to things that get more graphic, so... If you want the rest, you will need to hop over to AO3. Find me as BlkPhoenix7, or hunt down the one of the other stories here to find me there, as it's all cross posted. And yeah, that means there is a big chunk right here that you are missing. ;D

xxxxXXXXxxxx

As they were exiting the elevator that had been repaired in the past year, they ran into Bucky and Pronk. The antelopes both grinning at Nick and Judy with a sniff. Judy looked up at them. "Thanks guys. We owe you."

Pronk nodded, pulling Bucky to him. "Just get somewhere safe."

Nick and Judy nodded and headed to their car. They passed a boar from a different floor that froze and spun to look at them. "Oh, wow… You two need to run. There is no hiding that."

Nick nodded as he opened the passenger door of his Shetlan Cobra. "That's exactly what we are doing. Wait a day and then you'll know where. You and Betty will be welcome and safe."

The boar nodded and just watched them as Judy drove the car out of the parking garage. As they got to the street, they saw two cruisers, one they recognized and one they did not. The one they recognized was blocking the other. Nick turned to Judy. "Well. Time to drive like you mean it, Fluff."

Judy didn't respond, simply shifting into gear and only just not pulling a burn out. They were doing double the speed limit by the time they hit the intersection and blew past the pair of cruisers. A moment later, Nick's phone rang.

Picking up the line, Nick kept his voice light. "Chief! How's it going?"

"Wilde! What in the hell is going on? I've got officers fighting officers and wolves blocking intersections through half the city! Weirdly, with three exceptions."

"Hendrik, Gherrel, and Swineton."

"Yeah. With those three exceptions, I have P1 officers blocking and interfering with officers from other precincts who are apparently trying to apprehend you and Hopps."

Nick sighed. "Yeah, that would be because it's WildeHopps and HoppsWilde, now. We're going to my warehouse where as of this moment, the ZPD doesn't have jurisdiction. It's that or a run all the way to the burrow, and that's a bit too far."

"I see. I can't help you, but I can wish you good luck. I'll need to stop Ben from clearing the way for you as he has been. After I hit the bathroom. I don't think that salad this morning is sitting well." Bogo then hung up.

Nick chuckled as he dialed his lawyer. "Well, that's something. Heinrick, this is Wilde. I need all that paperwork about the warehouse and associated land. Bring it to the warehouse, and we need you there with it yesterday. Bring the name change docs too. … Yep. … Appreciate it."

Judy got significant air off the bridge, actually crushing the roof lights of a cruiser from the canyon lands. Both she and Nick were very glad they had the car seriously modified or that would have basically destroyed it.

Getting out, now that they were on safe ground, they saw the chief of the Canyon lands get out of his vehicle. He looked at them and nodded grimly. He then opened the back of his cruiser and ushered a young coyote and white tailed deer out and towards them. He gave them a nod and then got back in his cruiser and left. The deer and coyote holding onto each other in terror.

Nick looked down at Judy. "Did we just see that?"

Judy nodded. "I do believe we just saw a father do what was needed to protect his son and his son's mate."

"Well, let's go calm them down. They look terrified."

"I know I would be. Probably confused as hell, too."

After talking to the pair and reassuring them they were safe where they were, the lawyer showed up. Nick and Judy signing and dating the documents on the sides of the bridge as a stand in desk. They sat there on the bridge, watching the collection of cruisers build up, Lizz and MIke driving their respective cruisers into a defensive position near the border, and actually inside the border.

Nick and Judy joined them, Mike stepping out. "Hey, guys. Glad you made it. It's mayhem out there. Mammals are attacking other mammals for even thinking that they might have feelings for another species. It's getting crazy out there. Seriously weird though as it is not along species lines this time. It's along the lines of those who thinks it matters who you love, and those that don't."

Nick nodded and held Judy to him. "Yeah. You two do know that being on this side of the property line means something very specific."

Lizz nodded with a smile. "Yeah, and mom approved it. We're tired of only being able to be together at the house, and only able to do anything at all when we have a long weekend. We've been tested. I can easily carry his pups, but we have to be on control and use condoms, etc… else any pups we create are at risk. Well, here, they won't be. There are a lot of mammals trying to get here, and just as many trying to prevent them. It's crazy out there."

Judy nodded up at her friends. "Well, you are safe here, and we're going to have to hope more can make it here. Once my dad gets here and completes the sale, we can open things up for claims of asylum here and at the burrow. I suspect that the laws are going to change because of things and just how many are impacted."

Nick chuckled. "Well, there is more. The border is going to expand as soon as Heinrick gets that paperwork filed. All that built up money, well most of it. I just finished the purchase of all the surrounding property. That includes the streets and such. They're not actually public streets, but part of the properties. The city maintains them, barely these days, as part of a contract from nearly two centuries ago."

Judy giggled. "Oh, that's gonna make them so mad when we can trespass them off it all. Gives us lots of room to grow if needed."

"It does."

A megafauna cruiser pulled over to one side, extending the barrier created by Lizz and Mike's cruisers. Trunkabee and McHorn stepped out. Opening the back door to allow a dozen small and medium mammals, all clearly couples and one throuple out. McHorn looked down with a nervous smile. "Hey. We just got a report that this area is safe for inter species mates. That true?"

Nick nodded up at him. "It is. Welcome aboard."

McHorn chuckled. "Thanks."

Dozens of cruisers added themselves to the blockade of those seeking to do harm and enforce the laws against interspecies mates. Every one of them piloted by and carrying dozens of them seeking refuge.

By the time Bonnie and Stu Hopps, and a pair of medium mammal busses full of rabbits appeared, there were several hundred sets of inters on the property. Nick got the call from Heinrick at the same time that the purchase and transfer was completed, as were the name changes, and everything else. All filed and legal as soon as Nick and Judy were in the clear. A quick ceremony on the top of the bridge, broadcast by the dozens of news cameras present, and Nick and Judy were safe from the law and able to move about the city. The others present not having that option still celebrated those that could. Many making phone calls to family to look into using the same laws within their own species. Some finding success, others to be stuck there until the laws were changed.

It even brought the governor and Federal Guard down. Who ended up being conscripted to push the ZPD who sought to enforce the laws and the protesters to the edges of the now expanded property lines. To the shock of many, that was pretty much the entirety of the warehouse district, including many working warehouses. Places that suddenly found many of their workers barred from entry once they loudly voiced their position, and in several cases tried to drag inters over the border where ZPD officers waited to enforce the laws. They also found themselves with a wealth of replacements in the many mammals now stuck there to protect themselves from the laws they would be subject to just beyond the borders.

The governor met with Nick and Judy, as well as the Wolford Pack alphas, the Designate and Regent. The look on the older elk's muzzle was truly priceless when he realized that the Regent was the Tigress.

Shaking his head, his large antlers rocking and exaggerating the movement. "By the ancients. This is untenable. You've created a micro-city-state within the borders of the city. This can't be left stand, but there is also nothing I can do about it. Well, I mean. I could declare martial law and invade with troops. That wouldn't go over well however. We already have more than fifty troops who, upon their mates arrival, have all but defected. They still muster and report, but always from just inside the borders. We'd be fighting ourselves, and the nightmare that would be on the news. Given that you have a constant live stream going of every incursion caused by the protesters.

Because of those laws, we can't charge them with murder, but we sure have no choice but to charge them with criminal trespass and violation of a sovereign state's borders. Which is absolutely insane! So tell me. How do we get past this?"

Judy looked everyone over, then stood and hopped up on the table. "Governor. Have you had anyone on your staff bother to research the laws in question? The ones that so many mammals are coming here trying to get protection from? Do you know where they come from? Who created them? Who enforced them and why? Originally?"

"I've tasked several aides to do that, but they have not gotten back to me yet."

Nick chuckled darkly. "Bet they were sheep or goats."

The Governor glared at Nick. "How can you know that?"

Nick nodded. "Because the laws in question are from the second Lanolin revival and the species purges of the time. These laws were originally used to brand species the lanolin priests deemed unclean as hybrids and therefore subject to summary execution. There are ten species confirmed extinct thus far because of those purges, and it was these laws that were used to do it. They were kept around to keep control and to keep the fear going. To control mammals and keep them from intermingling.

It was these same laws that were used as justifications for the predator relocations and the creation of Happytown here in Zootopia, Predville in Lost Antlers, etc… So yeah, doesn't surprise any of us here, except maybe you, that sending sheep and goats to research these laws wouldn't get you answers, or at least not quick or honest ones."

The Governor pulled out his phone and dialed a number. 'Sherrington. What's the answer on these damned laws. … You seriously can't find anything? How old are they? … I see. Okay, keep looking." Hanging up he called another number. "Belliton. I want Sherrington and Bucks locked out, their desks cleared and both of them out on their tails in five minutes. Yes, they are both fired. They can plead their case when I get back to the capitol."

He then spent a few minutes doing some Zoogle searching on his phone and groaned. Judy sighing. "Didn't take long to find it on the web, did it?"

Looking very angry. "No… No it did not, and with citation and images of law tablets from the time, documentation of the purges and citation of the use of the laws. That's a long, nasty burrow to dig." Slumping in his chair he looked up at the multiple interspecies mates in the room. "This just gets worse and worse. Now it makes sense why most of the ZPD on the borders that we have had to hold back have been bovines and caprids of some form. Mostly sheep and goats. It's like they are bound and determined to make this worse and to bring the reputation of all bovines and sheep specifically, as low as possible."

Judy shook her head. "Hate is a powerful thing, Governor. Especially when it is taught from a young age. Yet, we have many Bovine here seeking safety because their own families would have them murdered. We have entire families seeking protection from their herds because one of their young dared to have feelings for someone not approved. And let's not pretend that it is not murder. It may be sanctioned by law, but it is murder without question.

The issue here is not what we are going to do. We have done, and are doing what we need to do. We have a population that is growing by the hour, we have places for them to work and create businesses. We have land to be farmed, power, water treatment. We have everything we need within the boundaries of this region to do what is needed. We have a council government, which has designated us as their spokes mammals and set Nick as the Prime minister, with me as his deputy. Nick and I, because of the sale you watched on the news, are free of those laws and can operate beyond the borders. There are many who support us, but can only do so in private.

The question, Governor, is what are you going to do. You have options. You can let things go as they are, and we will expand as needed. You can try and come in, break us, murder innocents on camera by your order. Or, you can repeal these laws that are so evil and unjust. Laws whose very existence is from a time that is a stain on mammal kind and a yoke born of the worst hate, hung around the neck of every sheep, goat, and other bovine in the world, whether they support those things or not. So, what are you going to do, Governor? Do you back the hate and bigotry? Do you side with indifference and apathy? Or do you side with what is Right? Do you side with actual justice and the ideals of the constitution?"

xxxxXXXXxxxx

The governor left many hours later with a lot to think about. Realizing that they had already secured land well beyond the existing borders. That the Burrows were ready to sign on and join them. That the entirety of Happytown already had as there was a border on the far side, and was how much of the assistance they had made it into the region. The actual borders of the region were nearly a third of the city proper and expanded well into the unincorporated areas beyond the city proper.

What worried the Governor the most was that it was essentially a slow moving, bloodless, on their side, revolution. One that would, if ignored, overtake the entire city and beyond. One that would if ignored, overtake the entire state in truth. One that, if they were to push in, to try and force the laws, would be eviscerated. They had military personnel, police, and everything else they needed. They were ready to fully declare their independence, and they had already secured the needed regions, including waterway access to do so successfully without a full military blockade.

There was no way he could see out that was simple. For the moment, they were waiting. They were holding a line in the sand, and giving him and the government the chance to correct a long standing, millenia old wrong."

xxxxXXXXxxxx

Standing before the podium at City Hall, the Governor looked out over the crowd. There were several hundred interspecies mates there, along with Interhome, as it had come to be called, police ready to defend them. They had been bussed in to watch. "My fellow mammals. Over the past year, we have had an uneasy truce between the city of Zootopia, the state and federal governments, and the mammals of Interhome.

Those mammals have carved out an existence of tolerance and love, of peace within their borders. They have done this to protect themselves from laws seen by them as unjust and evil. Many, especially those that protest daily, on those ever expanding borders, would say that it is these mammals that are the evil ones. Who would seek to enforce the very laws that Interhome came into being to protect its residents from.

As governor, I have to look at both sides and evaluate the situation. I cannot approve of vigilante justice that so many of the protesters have participated in. I find myself also at odds with those of Interhome and the creation of this independent state that it represents. That said, I also find myself, with a clear view of the situation, seeing that these mammals had little choice, given the alternative. An alternative shown by the summary executions, on camera, of mammals dragged against their will out of Interhome.

The laws they seek refuge from, call for their deaths and the deaths of those they love. They call for the deaths of their young. They lay out very specific punishments that can only be described charitably as torture. Given that Interhome is an independent, self sufficient state, we have been forced to create a boundary, that continues to expand, and keep the protesters and the members of law enforcement that seek to enforce these horrific and evil laws. That's what they are. Evil. But those mammals trying to enforce those laws have placed us in the position of possible deadly clashes that, given the situation, could and would be easily justified as self defense.

These laws authorize the police to, as so gently put in those laws, to put down any mammal found to be in violation of said laws. Let's be clear. That is the legally authorized murder of a mammal, their mate, and any young they might have because they dared love someone not approved. Worse yet, the young must be killed first and the parents forced to watch. That is… That is simply … evil. It is wrong. It is unjust. That is not the sort of society I thought we were. Yet, as I have learned over the past months. That is exactly what has been happening. You have seen it. When those protesters manage to get a few of the residents of Interhome beyond the border. The ZPD officers shoot them. Killing them in the street, and then their bodies and strung up on a cross to rot in the street just beyond that border. That is also something called for in those laws.

These laws are barbaric. They are wrong. They are a stain on our society left behind by the Lanolin priests. They are the laws they used to cause the extinction of what is now confirmed to be over a dozen species. It is for that reason that I have signed just this past hour a full review of the laws of our state, this city, and the President has done the same for Federal law. An independent group of mammals selected from both Predators and Prey, as well as those in interspecies relationships and those who are not, will review the laws. Things like traffic laws will likely take a few minutes. Things like these laws will, I expect, find themselves on the list of those laws that need to be repealed.

This is not the end. This is not the conclusion, but this is a start. In the meantime, I am, and with the full support and confirmation of the President. These laws are officially suspended. Anyone attempting to act on them will be held for the crimes, including murder if they kill any mammal in an interspecies relationship. If these laws are overturned, they will then be charged accordingly. If they are upheld, they will be released. This is not a perfect solution, but it is the one we have. So I warn all those who seek to fulfill these laws. Do not. You do not have the right, at this time."

The governor did not take questions, and the Interhome mammals made it back to their borders unmolested. The ZPD officers who had stood at the border and murdered any mammals the protesters managed to drag to them went home. Most in fear, given that their actions were documented. They had all been informed that, if the laws were overturned, they would be summarily terminated. What the governor did not say was that they had acted against orders, but only got away with it because those laws were in place. There was rumor that the laws would be undone backdated into the past and any actions taken under those laws would be reviewed. Meaning, any of them that acted with hate in their heart, which was all those who took up that watch at the border, would likely be subject to murder charges.

At least three of those officers tried to leave the city and were prevented. Several found themselves hiding in their precinct, their homes surrounded by protesters. It was clear which side the general public stood on. Their only hope that the politicians out there would find some way to insulate them for actions taken while the laws were still in effect. Supposedly some of the bovine members of the city council, state assembly, etc… were trying to get such exemptions added to the repeals that were already being written. The review of the laws was really to find any straggler laws that no one thought to use. The ones that had caused the formation of interhome were as good as gone. The question being, how that would take shape, and how the city of Zootopia and Interhome would evolve past the repeal of the laws.