Twotopia - Chapter 5: Homecoming.
Riding on the train with Nick loaded up with two big suitcases, Judy excitedly watched out the window as they were growing closer and closer to Bunnyburrow.
"I can't wait. I haven't been back since I dropped off the truck."
"Are we really gonna need all this?" Nick questioned, shrugging the suitcases off his arms.
"Just a few clothes and stuff."
"Right, I think I packed about three shirts and three pairs of pants." Nick commented with a smile. "And depending if we get some time alone, I may only need two." Judy playfully shoved him over and flopped back into her seat.
"Down handsome. I don't think we'll have much time for that at home. I'm just glad I'm not nervous about sharing a bed with you." The train let out a few jingles before a voice came on.
"Bunnyburrow. Next stop, Podunk - Deerbrooke County."
"Here we are." Nick smiled, picking up the cases.
"Nick you might wanna-"
"OOF!" He huffed, thrown to the front of the car.
"Wait till we stop." She giggled.
"Har har." With brakes screeching, the train came to a steady halt and the doors flung open. Judy led Nick off the train and quickly swept the platform. Sure enough a bit down the way was her mother and father who hadn't spotted them yet.
"Mom, Dad!!" Judy called out, rushing over.
"Judy!" They both exclaimed as she leapt into their arms.
"Oh it is so good to see you again!"
"It's wonderful to see you too sweetheart." Her mother said, squeezing her tight.
"Glad to see Jude the dude back in the homestead."
"So come on, where's this new friend of yours?" Bonnie insisted, tussling Judy's shoulders.
"Mom." Judy sighed, glancing behind she spotted Nick hefting the bags over. "Mom, Dad, this is Nick Wilde. My boyfriend."
"How it going, pleasure to meet you." Nick greeted extending his hand to Judy's father.
"B-b-b-boyfriend?!" He stammered, nervously shaking his hand.
"Honey, you do know he's a fox right?"
"Mom! You guys are working with Gideon Grey, how could you-"
"No no no, I mean as a boyfriend. Well, gosh it's just a little odd."
"Well, awkward introduction went about exactly as planned." Nick quipped, pulling Judy in beside him.
"Yeah, figured." Judy smiled right back up to him. "Come on mom, we'll talk more at home, but I need a tiny tiny favor?" She asked, leading the way toward the parking lot.
"Yes dear?" Nick couldn't make out exactly what Judy was saying but did manage to catch the word "Suppressors"
"So, boyfriend huh?" Stu spoke up.
"Yeah, I'm a huge fan of your work by the way."
"Thanks! How did you two meet again?"
"Funny you should ask, it's quite a story." Nick replied.
"Well I look forward to hearing it, if there's one thing I love it's a good story."
Judy led Nick into the house. The living room was large with three couches spread out in a semi-circle in front of the TV, sleeping bags rolled up on the floor beneath them. The kitchen was open on the side with the living room with a break in the counters leading into the dining room on the opposite side. It had an island in the middle where the sink and dish drying tray was. The dining room was large, three square tables with several chairs all around them, some plastic, some wood and the wood ones had seen some mileage. The last of the tables was quite small, Nick was safe to assume it was the "Kiddy table" for family dinners. The middle of the house held the stairs, one heading up into the bedrooms from the dining room side and the other to the basement on the living room side. It gave Nick a very "Homestead" feel.
"Here come on, I'll show you my room." Judy insisted, guiding Nick downstairs. He fumbled a little, walking the wood plank stairs into the basement and leaned a bit on the wooden hand rail. Much like the upstairs, the basement was clearly large, but it was split into several small rooms. Judy had lead him into the first one on the right, passing through a pink curtain he stepped inside. She had posters of Zootopia up on the walls, along with one of a police badge like the one she wears. She had a small desk, a single bed and rather large dresser with a lamp resting atop of it. "Sorry about the mess." She begged, kicking a few old magazines under the bed. "Oh! I should remember to do this while I'm here." Judy glanced over to her desk and opened up a small laptop. "I keep forgetting this here, you don't mind if I bring this back home, right?"
"Course." Nick smiled. "And now the moment, I've all been waiting for." Nick announced, dropping the suitcases to either side of him. "Ahhhhh" He sighed flopping onto Judy's bed. "Much, better."
"Hey, who is that?!" A voice called out. Revealing himself from behind the curtain, he blew a smile across his face as it met Judy's. "Sis! Welcome back!"
"Adam!" She exclaimed, leaping up into his arms for a hug. "How's it going big bro?"
"Oh you know, the usual, helping dad with the faaaa-" He gawked, turning to Nick on her bed. "Judy... You have a fox in your bed." Judy laughed and picked Nick up by the hand.
"Adam, I want you to meet my boyfriend, Nick. Nick this is-"
"Adam Hopps, sir." He greeted, snatching up Nick's hand.
"Nick Wilde, nice to meet ya."
"Boy, you gave me a real scare. How did Dad take the news?"
"I think we'll find out as soon as he stops rambling in the car." She joked.
"Haha, sounds about right. Well Nick, if you're ok by Judy you're ok by me. You just holler if you need something, right?"
"Thanks, appreciate it." Nick praised. Adam gave Nick's arm a quick tap and left to go upstairs. "I like him, I'll eat him last."
"Hilarious." Judy gave him a quick hug, even bounding up to his lips for a kiss. "They're just a bit nervous. But don't worry, they see us together and how great you are, they'll ease up."
"I was kind of prepared for it."
"Mmm." Judy moaned into his chest.
"Hey, how many other rooms are down here anyway?"
"Down here? About eight single ones. Dad put in the walls himself and mom did the decorating."
"Singles?"
"Well yeah, single rooms for the older kids down here and upstairs, well. You gotta see it." Judy insisted, rushing him up the stairs. Leading him into an C shaped hall, there had to have been at least three bathrooms and nine bedrooms. Peeking inside, Nick spotted several bunk beds in each room hugging the walls. Some rooms littered with toys, while others with a few games or a TV.
"Wow."
"Well, we are good at multiplying." Judy threw in.
"Safe to say your folks have a happy marriage." Nick joked. Judy groaned and laughed, leading him back downstairs.
"Thanks, haven't heard that one before."
"No problem."
"Hey Nick, Judy?" Bonnie called out from the kitchen.
"Yeah mom!?"
"Why don't you help me get some snacks going? The kids will be in from their chores any minute."
"Come on, Nick. Food!"
"Now we're talking." He smiled.
"So now, here we were trying to track down this jaguar named Manches in the Rainforest District." Nick began, set down at the table. The whole family had gathered up for dinner with Stu at the head of the table and Nick just to his left and Judy set across from him. "We ring the bell and ask him what happened with Otterton and he comes out with these scratches on his eye and nose. He tells us that he kept going on about the night howlers so, I tell him you know, good good, you know about the night howlers cause that's what we are here to talk about. Judy of course, she picks it up right away and tells him, if you tell us what you know, we'll tell you what we know."
"Clever fox." She complimented once again. Nick gave her a wink before returning to her father.
"Get this though, next thing we know he's grunting and growling inside his own house, turns out he's going savage! He chases us right across the bridge; we had to jump off to avoid him. He's hot on our tails, trying to hide from him, crawling through logs, till we finally end up at the tram station. Judy slipped and almost fell off the platform."
"I did not!" She perked up with a smile, setting down her fork. "I dodged that jaguar by spinning the lamppost while you were running for the tram." She corrected.
"Right, so after her little spin she ends up dangling from the bridge. I wouldn't leave without her so, there I was staring down this angry jaguar. He's about to make me a meal, when Judy snaps her cuffs on him and ties him to a light pole."
"Yep." Judy agreed. "When Nick tried to come back around, Mr. Manches had swatted him into me, and we were left swinging from a vine. You should have seen him it was so cute, "Whatever you do rabbit do not let go!"" She laughed.
"She of course, let's go."
"To swing us into a cluster of vines that catch us."
"Which we fall through anyway and end up dangling in front of the chief."
"Oh geez, that was so embarrassing." Judy shied away. "But when the chief didn't believe me about Manches, Nick did about the sweetest thing anyone in town had done for me."
"What did he do?" One of the kids asked.
"Well. The Chief gave me the assignment on the condition I crack it in the first 48 hours. Since we were getting close to that time, he was asking me to turn in my badge."
"And I said, "No, she will not be giving you that badge."" Nick imitated the tone he took that day. "He gave her, a clown vest and a three wheeled joke mobile and two days to solve a case, they couldn't figure out in two weeks." Nick shook his head. "I've lived in that city a long time, seen my fair share of creep moves but that was a big one. Wasn't about to have it, especially after Carrots here saved my life."
"You keep calling her Carrots." Bonnie noted, from a bit further down.
"It's ok mom. I kind of like it, I get away with calling him Dumb Fox now and then." Judy chuckled.
"Well that's amazing, and horrifying, but amazing!" Stu complimented.
"Things have calmed down now, dad. Don't worry." Judy insisted. "Aside from the more recent things going on."
"Recent things?" He asked.
"Long story, good for another dinner night though." Nick commented, stuffing down the last of his meal. Bonnie had made up mashed potatoes with steamed vegetables. She also had lined up on the counter a massive array of blueberry muffins. "Wow am I stuffed. Even the veggies were really good."
"Oh thank you." Bonnie giggled waving her hand. "I season them with a little garlic salt and add a little kick with some chili pepper. But just a dash or two."
"Thank you, it was an amazing dinner." Nick restated.
"You're welcome, Nick."
"Hey Jude, I kinda like this fox. Seems like every one you meet ends up being a decent fella." Stu chuckled.
"Oh, another fox?" Nick raised his brow.
"Gideon Grey. He was a bully back when we were kids but now, he's a pastry chef, working with my mom and dad." She explained.
"Those muffins on the counter are from him, too." He proudly touted, holding his suspenders. "We can't stuff ourselves too silly tomorrow though; we have the ol Hopps Harvest Hoe down coming up."
"Oh gosh." Judy blushed, hiding her face.
"Oh come on, Jude the dude, you love those!" He insisted. Nick was reveling a little in her embarrassment and decided to throw in.
"Yeah, come on Jude, what's wrong with a little dancing?"
"That's the spirit!" Judy winced and grumbled a little, as her mother sat up to start clearing plates.
"Adam, Ian, Brian, Ronnie and Tony, can you help me clear the plates?"
"Sure mom!" they all agreed, bounding up.
"I'll help, Mrs. Hopps." Nick offered.
"Oh no you don't." She giggled, rushing over and pressing on his shoulders. "You just relax and enjoy a little Bunnyburrow hospitality! But the thought is appreciated sweetheart."
After dinner, a good portion of the family had settled in on the couch along with Nick and Judy. A few were upstairs playing video games, while most of the older kids were downstairs on their laptops and phones.
"Honey, maybe you left it over at Robert's place?" Bonnie spoke up while her husband frantically searched through his movie cupboard.
"I know it's here, where did it go?"
"Maybe it's not such a bad thing we're missing a few home videos." Judy giggled, cuddling in a little closer to Nick.
"I wasn't looking for that, I was looking for Talladega Mice."
"Very good thing he can't find it." Nick whispered. Judy giggled along with a few of her brothers and sisters while Nick took control of the remote. "Well, we can watch the news till you find it."
"-Tonight as a bank robbery goes awry."
"That's right, a masked cheetah, impala and racoon hit the Furs National Bank branch in Sahara Square. Two security guards were incapacitated and left in critical condition, after the trio robbed the tellers at gunpoint."
"The thieves got away with just over $5000, although the vault was breeched they weren't able to get away with the funds inside."
"Chief Bogo had this to say." The moose said, cutting away to the chief.
"I have spoken with my colleagues in other precincts along with the chief in the city of Predaton, and can say with certainty that these criminals will be brought to justice soon."
"Huh, I don't like this."
"Oh boy." Nick sighed. "Here, let's watch something else."
"Wait." She pondered for a moment. "Why would they go through all that trouble just to hit a bank for five grand?"
"Maybe it's a test?" Nick suggested.
"Yeah, but you know." Judy winced. "It means that Psych got onto the banks networks."
"Oh no, you're right." Nick took more seriously. "We should totally!!- Cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie." Judy stood slack jawed for a moment. "Come on Carrots, I'm sure the chief knows that. Remember, he mentioned that back at the office? It's only a matter of time before they get on it, well they're on it. I'm sure they're doing everything they can right now."
"Maybe your right."
"HA found it!"
"Sides." Nick said, taking a blanket and wrapping Judy up with him. "We've earned a little break."
"Haha, yeah. Ok slick Nick."
"Someone wanna tell me why, we hit a bank for only $5000!?" Baxter shouted, slamming the backpack of money on the ground. The racoon's anger was shared by most of the crew aside from both Psych and Oshu.
"We can keep it to ourselves if you prefer?" Psych suggested with a smile, giving a quick glance to Oshu.
"You guys are missing the point." He stated strolling out in front of them. "We want them to know we're targeting banks."
"Why, exactly?" Jordan contested.
"We hit the one in Sahara Square today, tomorrow, Rainforest District. We just go for the tellers, I want them thinking we're sloppy."
"What's the point of all that!?" Wolford insisted, taking to the front. "You bring us in promising a big score, not this chump change shit we could have won in a race."
"Just be ready to do your job tomorrow." Oshu retorted, folding his arms across his chest.
"Howitzer's right. What's the point if we're just going after this small stuff?" Baxter joined in.
"Aiden, you've been awful quiet, what's your take on all this?" Jordan questioned.
"I trust Psych." He waved off, leaning on a stone pillar. "He says we're going for a big score, we'll get one."
"What, we gonna rob a Deery Queen next?" Baxter quipped.
"I could go for a sundae." Aiden smiled.
"Ha-ha."
"Listen, Psych and I have a plan, you guys are on a need to know basis and right now, you don't need to know." Oshu fired back. Psych suddenly seemed preoccupied, sniffing the air as he moved closer to one of the vents. Wolford caught it too, moving in alongside him. "We have to be ready to move fast, we go tomorrow at-"
"Oshu shut up." Psych interjected.
"What did you-"
"Shut!" Psych cut off once more. Leaning in a little closer to the vent, he and Wolford caught the scent again, in a panic he folded his ears back and pushed Wolford out of the way. "GET DOWN!" Within seconds, the vents blew out in a plum of sparks and smoke. The emergency lights started spinning inside the bunker. Coughing, Psych picked himself up and brushed out his clothes. "Arctic shrews and C-4. I just caught the scent."
"Get in your cars, now!" Oshu shouted.
"I have to get my tower and laptop; the codes!"
"Baxter, get up front with the RPG, get ready to clear the way. I'll take Psych and his equipment." Oshu instructed. Psych wasted no time, rushing into his little den. Inside he could see the progress on the police data bank download. It was only 80% complete.
"Shit." He fumed, unplugging the tower and ripping out the cables one by one. "My laptop, over on the desk there, grab it. I've been backing up everything onto there as well."
"Why not just take this then?" Oshu questioned.
"Oh please, only a moron goes without a backup." Another explosion rattled the building, once again coming from the vents. Psych fled the den and aimed for Oshu's car. Tossing his tower into the back seat, he kept the laptop on him as Oshu turned the ignition. Leading the way, he spun up the hall, halting a dozen feet shy of the door. Baxter had the RPG on him and was counting down with his fingers. Oshu hit the button and Baxter fired away. The rocket blew out the bottom of a limo, sending it spiraling through the air and into a ditch on the side of the road. Baxter leapt into Aiden's car and shouted.
"Go go go!" Oshu spun out, blowing out the door and into the street where they were met by an array of black luxury cars.
"Fire!" One of the bears shouted, machine guns blasting at their cars as they drove by. Psych snatched up the radio, dialing it to channel seven and spoke.
"Boys, you ok!?"
"Aiden here, I'm good."
"Jordan, I'm good."
"Howitzer, I'm good."
"We need to find a new location." Psych said, watching as another black car began to chase them. "And ditch these rat loving bears."
"I got this." Oshu whispered, swerving into the oncoming lane, he slammed his breaks, the black car spurring on ahead while Oshu took to the rear. In a swift move, he clipped the cars tail entering back into the right lane and sent it spinning onto it's back. "Looks like there's a new Mr. Big boys. Don't be fucking around, looks like we got em mad."
"Right." Aiden replied.
"Got it." Howitzer echoed. Coming out of the Rainforest District and into Savannah Central though was another ambush. Three more cars, solid black were blockading the road. Aiden was able to break through, taking out the bumper on one of them but as they fired into the line of cars, the bullets blew through Jordan's windshield and struck him.
"AH!!" He cried out, reaching for his radio. "Fuck, I'm hit!"
"Hang on!" Aiden shouted into the radio. With his windshield shattered and the bullets in him, he failed to notice the median in the road and clipped it. The hit sent his car sliding on his side before falling upside down in a stream of sparks.
"Jordan!!!" Baxter cried out. The black cars swirled around him as the bears stepped out, taking aim and finishing off Jordan's car. "No, fuck!!! Jordan no!!"
"Easy Bryan, easy come on!" Aiden tried to calm him down, but it was no use.
"Psych, Oshu. Jordan's dead! We need to get the fuck out of here, now!" Howitzer shouted.
"I got an idea." Psych spoke more solemnly into the radio. "I know a place we can hide out. Pretty fortified, it's on the edge of town. Split up, head to maintenance tunnel 6B, acacia ally, fichus underpass."
"Out of town?" Oshu questioned.
"Somewhat, trust me."
Pulling up to the building, the drove across the bridge and around to the back. Psych got out and was able to crack open the gate and let the group inside. Once inside, they circled the cars and stepped out. Bryan slamming the door in the process. It was clear he was upset, the fur around his eyes clumped with tears.
"Everyone ok?" Oshu asked.
"No, we are not ok. We are fucking not ok!" Bryan shouted back.
"I'm sorry about Jordan." Psych said, folding his ears back.
"Don't say you're sorry, I want an answer!" He fired right back.
"Baxter, calm down. It happened, but we have to keep our heads on." Oshu cut in.
"Not to that, I want to know this plan of yours. No more fucking secrets. If we're gonna die for this job, I wanna know why, cause if my best friend died for nothing I'm gonna kill you myself!"
"He's not wrong." Wolford agreed. "Look your asking us to take you on faith here, if we're a crew we need to know what we're doing and how."
"They're right, Psych." Aiden joined in. "This is getting serious, what's this plan?" Oshu and Psych looked to each other and nodded in agreement.
"Here's how it's gonna go down."
Judy and Nick were hard at work along with the rest of the family getting the barn ready for the party. Nick and Stu were up on the ladder, getting a banner in place that read "Hopps Harvest Hoedown" while Judy, her brothers and a sisters were setting up chairs and tables. Bonnie was already wheeling out snacks on carts, mixed fruits and sweets wrapped in plastic. Adam, the eldest brother was pushing in a popcorn machine, much to Nick's delight as he passed under the barn.
"Is that, fresh from the farm, popcorn??"
"You know it!" Stu acknowledged with a snap of his finger. He slid down the ladder and brushed off his hands. "Got lots in for tonight, along with a near gallon of butter. Should be enough to last the night."
"Not if I get a hold of it." Nick winked, brushing his hands on his shirt. Nick was dressed in a white t-shirt today and blue jeans, a bit more relaxed to fit the work he had to do before hand.
"Honey!" Bonnie called from within the barn. "Do you know when Gideon is getting here?"
"Should be here any minute now, he said around three."
"Hey there Mr. H!" A young rabbit called from the field. His fur chocolate brown with a cream colored belly, green eyes and quite long whiskers. Stu turned around with a smile, offering up a jovial wave.
"Hey-hey! Nate! Great to see ya buddy!"
"Is Judy home? I heard she was coming back to town." He asked, clasping his hands together.
"Nate!?" Judy called from the barn. Nathan smiled, folding his ears back and darted inside.
"Judy!! Hahah! Welcome back home!" He shouted, rushing to Judy and picking her up with a hug. Nick wasn't all too pleased with the greeting but let it slide, he did get the heads up he was coming. "How's life treating you in the big city?"
"Uh, so different than here. Blew me away when I got there, I mean. I've never seen so many animals all in one place and working together and gosh."
"Well it's wonderful to see you back in town." He praised, holding her hands.
"Thanks Nate. Oh! Nick! Nick come here!" Judy insisted, waving him over. She could hardly contain her excitement and snatched his hand and cuddled into his side. "Nate, I want you to meet my boyfriend."
"Nick Wilde, heard a lot of good things about you." Nick greeted extending his hand. Nate seemed befuddled at first, but after a moment of hesitation he recomposed himself and shook Nick's hand.
"Oh uh, Nathan Spring. Nice to meet ya."
"I know, kind of a shock and all Nate but Nick's really an amazing person." Judy explained.
"Nick!" Stu called out, stealing away Nick's attention.
"What's up?"
"Could use a hand getting the sound equipment working."
"Sure." Nick hesitantly agreed. "You good?" Judy snickered and offered up her reply in the form of a kiss to his muzzle.
"Go help dad, I wanna catch up with Nate."
"Got it." Nick smiled. He tried to listen to the conversation as he walked out of the barn, but it became muddled by the sounds around the farm too quickly. Stu lead Nick back toward the house and opened up the garage. Tossing off the blankets that were covering the speakers, they waved away a cloud of dust as Nick looked on in disdain. "These things still exist?"
"Yeah, they're a little old fashioned but they sure as shoot work." Stu stated with a chuckle.
"Well let's take a look." Nick gave a soft grunt, shoving one of the speakers on an angle and checking the back. There were quite a few inputs, but they all seemed well enough connected and in fair shape. None of the wires were torn or frayed.
"You know, Nick. I know it's not my place and all but."
"Yeah?" He huffed, pushing the other speaker to the side.
"How close are you and Judy?" Nick immediately stopped and looked back to Stu who seemed like he had just asked to be eaten. Nick offered up an assuring smile.
"We're in love."
"Love, yeah. That's wonderful and believe me, there's nothing I want more than for one of my girls to be happy."
"I'm sensing a but, here." Nick professed, rolling his hand.
"But." Stu pointed out. "This whole interspecies thing. You know, there's a real challenge there."
"Not really, we see it all the time in Zootopia." Nick countered.
"Of course, I'm sure but. How often is it predator and prey?"
"Really? This is your angle? You want me to stop dating your daughter cause I'm a predator?" Nick interrogated, his tone increasingly agitated.
"No no no. Look." Stu sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I may be the over cautious type, I'll admit it. But I also know that predators and prey well, they can't breed." Nick chose to remain silent, glancing away briefly before looking back to Stu. "And hey, I know a good guy when I see one, and that's you for sure."
"Judy didn't tell you much about how she met me did she?" Nick quipped.
"She did, but hear me out here." Stu insisted. "I'm happy for you two if she's happy, but as you get older and things wind down you're gonna want to settle down and have a family. I don't want you two to split up, but it's not an easy road. There's a lot of challenges that way and well, I need to know you're not going to break her heart when it really gets tough."
"Hmm." Nick pondered a moment. "Gotta be honest, I thought you were gonna tell me to stop seeing her."
"Nick." He reaffirmed he stance.
"We've been through a lot already Mr. Hopps. If anything it's brought us closer together. I'm not going anywhere, I'm in this one for the long haul."
"Good, that's what I wanted to hear." Stu breathed a sigh of relief and started out back toward the barn.
"Wait, don't you want the speakers?"
"Oh please, I'll get the kids to grab them." Stu smiled, waving back to Nick. Nick laughed following behind.