An Easter Tail

An Easter Tail

Chapter 1: Spring Has Sprung

After a long—yet eventful—winter in the city, ZPD's top officer, Judy Hopps, was more than ready to embrace the comforts of home. But her partner and BFFF (that's 'best fox friend forever', per said canid's insistence) felt differently.

“Look, Carrots—I'm cool with visiting your family. I get that Easter is a big deal in Bunnyburrow, and I respect that. But I draw the line at playing dress-up. Contrary to popular belief--” he cast an accusatory glance at her-- “I am not an overgrown kit.”

“It's not dress-up, Nick. It's a...”

“You're stalling. That means your trying to cover your tail. Which means it's dress-up.”

“I'm not stalling, Nick, I'm thinking aloud. As I was saying,” Judy added pointedly, “it's a medieval-era re-enactment fair.” Nick face-pawed.

“All that talk, and where do we end up? Same place—dress-up.”

“No—it has a historical basis.”

“Oh, I beg your pardon, Officer...Ye Olde dress-up,” Nick taunted, bowing dramatically.

“There's games, shows, food...” She was losing ground here. She needed to think fast; luckily, that was her specialty. “Sweet cheese and crackers!” Suddenly, it came to her. She'd almost forgotten the one thing she knew would hook him. “Every year, a local farm sponsors a produce-eating contest of their best crop. This year, it's Hopps Family Farm with...”

“No carrots, Carrots.”

“Not carrots.” She waited a beat, fixing him with her dazzling amethyst eyes. “Blueberries.” Nick's answering sigh was equal parts resignation and anticipation. “You got me there, Carrots. I'm sold.”

Judy couldn't have been more excited...but she knew when to play it cool. “Good—because I already arranged for my time off in observance of Easter, and because you're my partner and I love you, I convinced Bogo to give you the same vacation.” Nick had to laugh; it was just like her to think of everything.

“Sly bunny.”

“Dumb fox.”

Chapter 2: 'We Went to the Renaissance Fair...'

Nick had decided to use his 'reluctant fox' card to his advantage. He persuaded Judy that they should go to the Bunnyburrow Renaissance Faire dressed as the power couple of fox lore—Robin Hood and Maid Marian. She admitted that Nick would make a great Robin Hood—which did wonders for his ego—but she was more than a little self-conscious about appearing as an influential vixen heroine. Despite Nick's assurances that she was “one foxy bunny” (said with laughter in his voice and undisguised male appreciation in his eyes)--Judy remained certain that she couldn't possibly do the look justice.

So it was that all through the day's events—which Nick found himself unexpectedly enjoying—that Judy, preoccupied with self-doubt, was missing out on one of her favorite events of the year. Nick felt terrible. He'd only suggested the costumes in fun; he couldn't have predicted that she would agree, nor that his normally boisterous bunny would be displeased by a challenge, even one as daunting as representing another species. After all, he knew that if anyone could pull it off, it was her.

He decided to broach the subject over lunch at one of the many picnic tables peppered across the grounds. “What's with you, Carrots? And don't say nothing. Tell your strikingly handsome, swoon-worthy fox all about it.” That alone got her to smile a little, which was a big bonus in his book.

Judy shrugged, then spoke, her tone thoughtful. “I wish I knew, Nick. I thought this would be easy...I mean, I've done things a lot harder than this...”

“Darn right you have. You are one tough bunny. High paw!” She obliged—and smiled again.

“Thanks, Nick. I just...I really care about you, and I don't want to let you down.” Nick's ears twitched, and his heart kicked into overdrive. He didn't think he would ever get used to hearing her say such things. Still, he had to set her straight.

“You listen to me, Fluff. You have never let me down.” He leaned across the table, intent on making his point clear.

“But, Nick—you're talking about work. This, here--” she encompassed the fairgrounds with a sweep of her paw-- “is something else. Robin Hood and Maid Marian are important to your culture—to you—so I can't just...” Her voice trailed off, and she looked defeated. But, this time, Nick smiled.

“Once again, you're making some major mistakes here. Whoopsie number onesie, don't tell me what I'm talking about; only I know for sure. Whoopsie number twosie, when I said you've never let me down, I meant ever.” Mid pep-talk, he suddenly spotted a commotion in his peripheral vision—one that was going to play out rather nicely in his favor. “And—wait for it—Whoopsie number threesie, if you won't take my word for it, at least don't call it a day until you hear what your hometown heroine has to say about it.”

“Huh?” Judy looked at him blankly, but he only smirked, and, with a gentle nudge, directed her gaze beyond a sea of bunnies whose heads were also turned, taking in the sight of a diminutive doe dressed as a queen...rightfully, as she was royalty around these parts. “Sam!” Her lunch forgotten, Judy jumped up from her seat and dashed across the grass.

“My work here is done,” said a satisfied Nick to himself, and settled in to finish his lunch.

It took her awhile to get there, but at length, Judy had secured an audience with Her Majesty. “So, I know you must be busy, but...Can I talk to you about something?”

“Judy, I'm never too busy for you! What's on your mind?”

“Well...” The whole kits and kaboodle, about Nick's hesitation to come, the compromise on costumes, the conversation over lunch—came spilling out. “What do you think?”

“I think it's sweet that you're concerned, Judy, but it doesn't seem to bother Nick, so you shouldn't let it bother you, either. Whether we like it or not, everyone is their own worst critic. That's the way it is. The key is to not worry about it is much. As long as you act out of love—romantic or platonic, it doesn't matter—then you're on the right track.”

Judy considered this for a moment, nodded in understanding, and turned to leave. “Thanks, Sam. I'd better go talk to Ni...Wait a minute!” She whirled around again. “You wouldn't come to this alone, would you?” It was more of a statement than a question. Sam smiled.

“I was wondering when you'd bring that up. No, I wouldn't dream of it. For me, this is a vacation, but for my plus-one, it's more of a business trip. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I was so excited that you sought me out and asked me for advice that it slipped my mind. If only I had stayed off my high horse…!”

Both does burst out laughing at the silly, if timely, pun. Just then, Judy felt a paw on her shoulder and heard Nick's voice behind her. “Really, Sam? I'm the one who makes all the wisecracks around here.”

Before either doe could form a reply, another voice chimed in. “My dear, you are many things—witty, charming, and beautiful among them—but you aren't conceited in the least.”

The three friends turned, and there stood Herb, looking unquestionably regal in a king's crown and robe that complimented his wife's attire perfectly. Judy surveyed the pair in awe. “You guys look…!” Nick shook his head in amusement at Judy's wordless wonder and said,

“I think what Carrots here is trying to say is that you look imperial in the best way possible. Like two peas in a pod.” Judy nodded eagerly.

“Is this your first time here, Herb? How do you like it?”

“Believe it or not, my friend, it is in fact my first time here. Given my passion for community and cultural activities—and, of course, my current office—it seemed like the perfect time to tag along. I am truly enjoying it.” So saying, he proceeded to study both Nick and Judy's outfits with interest. “May I say that you two are certainly dressed for the occasion; excellent choices.” By now Nick wasn't surprised to see Judy blush at the compliment, but it did surprise him to note that said reaction no longer fazed him. Relieved that Sam's earlier guidance had stuck, he couldn't help but smile.

“Thanks! They were Nick's idea.” She beamed proudly at Nick, and his heart picked up speed again. “I'm doing my best to live up to it.” Appearing disconcerted by Judy's choice of words, Herb sought to soothe her.

“Judy—if a humble horse--”

“And a dumb fox,” Nick added, following Herb's lead,

“--can make their own ways in a maze full of rabbits, you, the great Officer Hopps, can certainly channel your inner vixen.” Left tongue-tied—generally untypical of her unless she was in Herb's presence—Judy promptly left Nick's side to give Herb a heartfelt hug.

“You bunnies,” Nick observed with a smirk, “so emotional.”

Chapter 3: The stakes are set

“Speaking of outfits,” Sam put in, “have either of you considered entering the archery competition? After all, not only do you look the part, but I'm sure that with your training, you'd be fabulous!” Nick grinned.

“That's nice of you to say, Sam, but Carrots would be miserable when I beat her.” Judy was beside him in an instant, challenge in her eyes.

“Oh, yeah? You're on, Wilde.”

“In that case,” Sam said, laughing, “we'll get out of your way, but let us know how it goes, okay?”

“Hold on, you guys. Nick, let's make it interesting. If I win, we go see Dr. Doalot's exhibit. If you win, I buy you a carob smoothie.” Nick gave a low whistle.

“Nice one, Carrots—you know my weakness.”

“There's more where that came from.” Nick's raised eyebrows denoted surprise, amusement, and appreciation. “What's this? The goody-two-paws wants to smack talk—and in front of her friends, too?” Judy backed down considerably at the reminder that Herb and Sam were watching, and turned to them.

“With you as witnesses—let's shake on it, Slick.” Nick put out his paw, grasping Judy's outstretched one.

“Deal.”

“Well then,” Herb remarked, with a smile for each, “may the best mammal win.”

Chapter 4: Victory, thy name is…

“I can't believe you beat me!”

“Well, start believing, pal!”

“Fine—but only because I let you win.”

Judy laughed and snuggled into Nick's side. “Okay, if you say so. You know why? Because I love you, you dumb fox.”

“Then do me a solid and let me win next time.” His heart full, he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Still...why had he let her talk him into this?! Although he'd been having fun so far, now he was in for it. Doctor Doalot was one of those talk show host/psychic/therapist hybrids who had a tremendous following and (in Nick's opinion) a very small brain.

When they reached the tent wherein Doctor Doalot had set up shop, the Doctor himself—not a mammal, but a large, disheveled owl with a crooked beak—greeted them cheerfully. “Who-oo have we here? Young lovers, I see?” Judy blushed, nodded. “Ah. Hold out your paws, if you please.” Nick and Judy presented their paws, face-up, to the Doctor, who proceeded to study them closely. “I see in your future a wedding, a happy home, and a great many kits.” Following the Doctor's pronouncement, Judy went from ecstatic to crestfallen when Nick yanked his paw away as though scalded.

“Thanks,” he said flatly, and stalked over to where the Doctor's companion, a llama-like creature on four legs, stood staring listlessly at passersby. Judy followed, silent.

Upon closer inspection, they noticed that the creature had not one, but two heads, with one on either side of its body. As they drew closer, one of the heads regarded them with equal interest. At length, it spoke—with a polished English accent. “Good day, sir, miss.” Judy and Nick offered half-hearted greetings in return, as both were still shaken by the encounter with the Doctor. “Say—aren't you the fine officers who solved the city's missing mammals case? Hopps and Wilde, isn't it?” Before either of them could answer, it went on in a low tone. “I beg your pardon, Officers, but take my advice and don't pay any mind to Doalot. He means well, certainly, but no matter what he says, someone invariably comes away unhappy. The pair of you are so lovely together; I implore you, don't let our silly Doctor spoil that for you!” By now, Nick and Judy had their full attention on the quadruped, who suddenly seemed embarrassed. “Goodness, where are my manners? Rex Pushmipullyu at your service. And that”--he nodded toward the second head— “is my brother. Tony, say hello to our guests.”

“How do you do? Yeah, don't worry your heads about ol' Doc. He's a bit of a nutter.”

“Hush now, Tony!” Rex chided. “As I was saying...We travel a great deal, but we get ZNN coverage on the telly and follow all your big cases.”

“That we do,” Tony agreed enthusiastically.

It was unusual for both Judy and Nick to be caught off-guard at once, yet that is exactly what happened as they exchanged quizzical glances, then smiles, directing the latter at Rex and Tony.

“Thanks, fellas,” Nick said, and Judy nodded.

“That means a lot to us.”

“Well, it is truly a magnificent day for a fair,” mused Rex, “so we won't keep you.”

“Thanks for your service, officers!” Tony added brightly.

“No problem,” Nick assured them. Judy offered a friendly salute.

“My pleasure!”

As Nick and Judy made their way back through the throng of bunnies, it wasn't hard to spot the only horse in the crowd. Sam wasn't far behind, and soon the four friends gathered around a picnic table to chat. “So much for blending in,” Herb quipped with a shrug. They all laughed.

“So...Who won the archery contest?” Sam asked eagerly. Judy smiled proudly.

“I did.”

“Job well done, Judy,” Herb said. To Nick, he added encouragingly, “There's always next year.”

“Eh.” Nick's tone was indifferent. “It's not so much the contest that bothered me as what happened afterward.” Judy's face fell; Sam offered a paw in comfort, while Herb's concerned gaze rested on Nick.

“Why is that?” Nick avoided Judy's eyes as he said, “That Doctor Doalot guy read our paws. He said we'll have ' a wedding, a happy home, and a great many kits'” He was quiet a moment before he sighed and added, “The thing is, I'll bet he says that to everybody. That's what drove me nuts, because...Judy is special. We'll have all those things, but they'll be the best of them all, because...of her.” With those words, he turned to face Judy. “You're something, Carrots.” His usual composed smirk was back, but his eyes left his emotions on display. Judy looked up at Nick, her wide violet eyes full of tears.

“I'm so sorry, Nick. I didn't mean to...”

“That's okay. I should've said something. I was so angry, I couldn't think straight.”

“At the risk of interrupting, may I add something…?” Both looked over at Herb, and Judy gave him a watery smile.

“You're not interrupting anything, Herb. Go ahead.”

“Yeah, what she said,” Nick added; Herb always knew what he was talking about, which made the fox keen to hear him out.

“I think I understand your dilemma, Nick, and it seems, in part, to stem from this: Only one mammal has the knowledge and experience necessary to tell your story, and that's you. Everyone has a right to tell their own story. So, it's not surprising that you took offense. That said, you can't expect to be able to do so unless you make an effort to be more open to others. Does that make sense?” Nick nodded solemnly. While his pride—of himself, and of Judy—was still wounded by the owl's behavior, Herb's words put his mind at ease.

“Speaking of storytelling—Nick, are you familiar with a Duke Weaselton?” Nick and Judy exchanged glances.

“Erm...” Nick managed. To his and Judy's relief, Herb laughed.

“I thought so. Earlier this week, Phineas held a symposium for members of his genus. He seemed particularly interested in getting to know those who have found themselves on the fringe of society, in hopes that he can help them improve their lives.” Nick's face brightened.

“That's great and all, but...Weaselton's a tough nut to crack.”

“From what Phinn told me, it seems that Weaselton mentioned you, Nick, as well as Judy, and...” He paused, seeming to consider his words. “A rather—lucrative—deal surrounding a documentary about the city, which was then outsourced to another species. Does that ring a bell?” Nick nodded cautiously, and Judy sighed in frustration.

“Unfortunately, yes.”

“Phin is keeping a close eye on Weaselton, in hopes of securing him a more legitimate career in the film industry. While I don't condone Weaselton's actions--”

“Please tell me there's a point to this other than torturing me,” Nick interjected, only half-joking.

“That there is, my friend. Word is that said film just recently won a very prestigious cinematic award. I am, as you know, a storyteller at heart. As such, I was merely setting the scene to congratulate you both—but particularly the film's star, Miss Hopps.” His words were punctuated with the genuine smile that Judy so adored. Between this astoundingly high praise, and the fact that, as she exclaimed to Nick,

“I'm the star?! Why didn't you tell me?!” (to which Nick replied with a smirk,

“You didn't ask,”) Judy could hardly contain herself.

“Thank you so much, Herb. But, really...any attention the movie gets belongs to the city—and to Nick, because I couldn't have solved the case without him.”

Between the sound of his heart pounding in his ears and the jumbled mess that his thoughts suddenly became, Nick couldn't have said for sure what happened next. All he knew was that when he heard the call that the produce-eating contest would begin in a matter of minutes, he was grateful for the distraction.

Chapter 5: Blueberries & Bliss (But Not In That Order)

By now Judy knew that Nick hadn't meant anything by his sudden departure. Still, it helped that Herb and Sam were there. “Predators!” Sam said with a chuckle, throwing her paws up in mock exhasperation. “But, for what it's worth—Nick's making an effort. That's something.” Judy nodded.

“I may be going out on a limb here,” Herb offered, “but perhaps certain predators are prone to be somewhat evasive. I do a lot of research on Zootopian history, as you know, and it would seem that because many predators tend to have alpha personalities, they may avoid situations in which they aren't in control—even if said scenarios are in their favor.”

“So—I should be careful about giving Nick compliments?” Judy asked, puzzled.

“Not necessarily. I don't think it was the compliment that shook him so much as the implications of commitment. Just keep being patient with him; I think that's going a long way toward getting him comfortable with the idea.” Sam nodded in agreement; as much as she wanted to help Nick, she reminded herself for the second time that day that the conversation she'd had with the fox in his kitchen took place in confidence.

'Time flies when you're having fun,' Judy thought as she listened to the announcement of Nick's triumph. In the time it had taken Nick to finish off—ten pounds?!--of blueberries, Herb and Sam had bolstered her spirits. Excusing herself to survey the aftermath, she went in search of her father.

A short time later, she found Nick stretched out atop a picnic table, sunning himself. “Hey, champ. I just talked to Dad. He said that because of you, he almost didn't have enough blueberries to finish out the contest.”

“Whoops.” Nick smirked, then turned serious. “Was he mad?” Judy laughed.

“Mad? Are you kidding me? He thinks you're the smartest predator alive!” Never one to shy away from point-blank observations, Nick replied,

“Because I'd rather eat blueberries than his daughter? I can deal with that.” Judy rolled her eyes.

“Dumb fox. Come on, let's go find Herb and Sam.”

When Herb spotted Judy and Nick approaching, he smiled and waved them over. “There you are! I was just telling Sam that the Zootopia documentary sounds like a good flick; we should double-date and see it one of these days. On that note—until we meet again, my friends.” Sam added,

“Farewell, my loyal subjects,” making Judy laugh.

Hugs were exchanged, and as she and Nick waved fond goodbyes to Zootopia's First Couple, Judy began to sing…

“For he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny!”

Not wanting to be outdone, Nick piped up, calling out,

“Deny this rabbit anything, and she'll make your life a waking nightmare. Take it from me!” The laughter of friends echoed across the grounds, even as Nick rubbed the sore ankle that Judy had kicked in response to his teasing.

Looking up at him, she grinned slyly. Nick, you have blueberry on your...” she stood on tiptoe to trace the outline of his muzzle.

“Want to get that for me?”

“Why not?” So saying, she leaned in and kissed him.