Chapter Text

Chief Bogo sighed from the screen of Nick's phone, which was now casually propped up on the dance studio's coffee table. "Let me get this straight, you want me to illegally steal a class A substance from the evidence locker and smuggle it out of police custody so that Hopps can get strapped to a table and ingest it so she'll fly into a frothing rage that will burn out all her 'magic testosterone' while she can't hurt anyone?"

Nick Scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah... That's about the sum of it chief. We might just use a locked room, though come to think of it there's a lot of bondage gear in this safe house." He put his paw to his chin thoughtfully.

Bogo buried his head in his hooves. "You're all just lucky my drug test came back negative."

Fangmeyer tilted his head. "You took a drug test sir?"

The buffalo snorted. "I'm surprised you didn't. Look, I understand you're all worried, but frankly you're losing sight of a very important detail."

Francine, looming behind all of us while I idly rested my gangly wolf body on her leg, squinted at the screen. "What's that Sir?"

Bogo took off his glasses and pointed at me. "That your source of information is completely untrustworthy."

The crowd deflated at that. I could hardly argue-

#

I leapt to my feet and knelt down before the tiny, magic communication box. "Honored Chieftain, I swear on Jarl Fair-Furred's grave and Odin's eye, I mean no harm to you and your people."

I did my best to meet the Chieftain's gaze, "In truth I am no proper raider, merely a Skald far from home. I have no quarrel and seek no gold..." I felt my heart sink saying that aloud. After all, what use had I anymore for golden armbands?

I put that thought aside. "I am merely a lost bitch misplaced from my world..." Suddenly my manners returned to me. I reached to my belt and found it bereft of coin pouches. I blushed. Okay, perhaps gold would have come in handy.

I bowed deeper. It was okay, I was good with words. I could spin this. "Um... I would have brought a gift, but I fear my voyage to your time has been... tumultuous, and... weird."

I cringed internally. I was just such a poet wasn't I?

The motley warriors surrounding me blinked. The elephant pulled her massive leg back. Everyone else leaned away.

I then felt a sensation that I can only describe as my brain being rammed out of my skull by a particularly indignant, rancid halibut.

#

I wrestled control of my body back and snapped at the air. "What the Hell was that! I thought you were asleep or something!"

I was just trying to be polite! Astrid is tending you're inner fires too, so I-

"So you thought you'd fucking dangle me around like a puppet?" I cried.

I- I'm sorry Judy, I-

I growled. "Oh no, you have not earned the right to-"

I stopped. I was practically seething with rage, but the rational part of my mind, the part that was always trying to piece together the puzzles around me, was telling me something I hadn't even considered yet.

Maybe yelling at her was... wrong.

Oh, don't get me wrong, grabbing a hold of my body was pretty messed up, but it was at least understandable considering she didn't have a body. And if Wolford was wrong, then she'd never intended on stealing mine, she just didn't know what she was doing.

I felt sick to my stomach. If Wolford was wrong, if the spirit inside me wasn't running some truly elaborate hustle....

Then Sigrid wasn't a criminal.

She was a victim.

I bit my tongue. It hurt a lot more than usual with my new teeth, but it helped me focus long enough to put my words together. "Look, Sigrid, I get it. You're scared. You want to help, but you don't know what's going on and you don't know what's happened to you, at least not the whole story... But right now I need you to not go dancing around in my shoes okay? I..." I considered my words carefully. "Long term I want you to have some space of your own, but until I can focus better, until I can get us somewhere stable. I have to be me. Do you understand?"

The voice in my head was silent.

"Well?"

I... I understand... Gods above this is just so bizzare. I'm supposed to be in a member of family, not some random thump- er, a Southerner. I'm supposed to be a gift, not a curse... Sweet Odin, I wish I knew what was happening to me.

I let out a long, sharp breath. "You and me both..." A thought occurred to me. "Wait, if you're awake, and we're at least on speaking terms now, would you be able to make me me again?"

I don't know how I could tell, but she didn't seem happy about that request. It would take a lot of energy and focus...

"And it would be a gesture of goodwill that would help me trust you. Please." I held out a paw and extended my sharp, wicked claws. "I don't feel like me when I'm like this."

There was a long pause.

Finally she spoke up.

Alright, I suppose you should put your legs in your shirt. You know, aside from garouing, these clothing problems were always a lot less troubling when it was just one wolf turning into another.

"I can imagine." I tucked my legs into my shirt, "Ready when you are."

The pain was still there when the shift came, but it wasn't anywhere near as brutal as before. The world grew larger around me, and I found myself once again sitting in an oversized shirt...

I was under dressed, but I was me.

I broke out in a grin. "Nice work Sigrid!"

Her response was strained. Glad I could... ugh, help.

My ears fell. That did not sound good. "Sigrid, are you okay?"

I'm fine! That, well... it took a bit out of me. We're going to need to be... Ugh... Just take it easy with the riastarthe burning for now will you? Every time I pull some, the fire gets taller, and we have to work harder and harder to keep it in check.

I nodded "Okay... Got it. How do I know if I'm burning riastarthe?"

Just don't do anything magical okay? I need some rest...

"Okay, you rest... Thanks."

She was silent.

I looked around, everyone was staring, obviously.

I was getting used to it... Though there was a new twist. Katya, having just walked in, dropped her teacup to the ground. "Eto piz`dets..." she whispered.

"Okey dokey then!" Nick interjected, clapping his hands together. "I actually have to hand it to you Carrots, that was pretty impressive, but I think we should get back on track here."

Bogo cleared his throat. "Yes, quite. I suppose that's enough for a test run. Once you have transport, signal me and we'll get you an ampule of the night howler serum and a few dart gun clips of its antidote. There's a parking garage by the off-site records office that should be perfect to make the hand off."

Fangmeyer didn't look happy. "Chief, you leaving the office isn't a good move. Right now this... Sheathed Talon, I think Wolford called them? Anyway, they don't know we're in contact with you and they have moles in the department. If the chief of police makes an unscheduled pit-stop it's going to raise suspicions."

The cape buffalo frowned. "I hate it when you're right... But sending a squad car with a couple of officers down to records would hardly be suspicious."

Nick perked up. His old hustling smirk curled on his lips. "Oh, I get ya! You stash the stuff in the wheel well, and then when they're gone we-"

"Wilde, will you stop thinking like a criminal for five seconds!" The chief snapped. He sighed. "They're just going to give it to you. It's long past time we started bringing in the more trustworthy officers on this investigation." The buffalo snorted. "Frankly, I should have thought of that before I signed up Fangmeyer to interrogate our ever so beloved ex-mayors."

The white wolf's ears rose at that. "You got me on the schedule, sir?"

The chief nodded. "I had to call in a favor or two, but yes, you're on for two o'clock in the South Zootopia medium security correctional facility." He leaned in close to the camera. "Make sure to get something out of them, so far they're our only sources that aren't either part of this bizzare cult, or a literal ghost."

The white wolf snapped into a salute. "I won't let you down, chief."

"Good, now get that CI of yours with the ridiculous van on the phone and let's hammer out the details."

#

Finick's van was packed to the brim with bodies, though to be fair most of it was Francine lying sideways.

Speaking of Francine, she seemed oddly nervous."I never thanked you by the way," She said suddenly.

I blinked at her. "Huh?"

She looked away. "You know, for the pudding cup."

Okay that was the last thing I'd expected to hear. "What?"

The elephant blinked. "You remember right? Two weeks ago you accidentally got a hippo size pudding cup at the corner store. It was nice of you to give it to me." Her trunk pawed vaguely at the floor. "I just, I never said thanks you know?"

I tilted my head. "Uh... You're welcome?" I had no idea what had brought this on.

She rolled over, shaking the whole van. "Uh, yeah... Good talk." She let out a sigh. "Literally crazy." she mumbled.

I probably wouldn't have heard those last two words without my newfound abilities.

Now if only I could find another ancient wolf spirit to give me super context.

I turned my attention elsewhere. Fangmeyer had called shotgun, on account of being the largest mammal that would fit. Finnick, of course, had absolutely refused to cede the driver's seat.

That left me, Nick, Francine, and the still bound Wolford crouching in the back, waiting for the handoff. Nick was furiously texting, saying something about setting up an escape plan. Wolford was staring at me.

I raised an eyebrow. I admit I wasn't sure what to make of the grey wolf anymore, and I still had his knife in my belt, tucked right under under Fangmeyer's uniform jacket (The white wolf had parted with it so I'd have something to wear if I ended up changing again... and to strut how tight his muscles showed through his undershirt).

"Something you want to say?" I asked the chained wolf.

He shook his head. "Just thinking."

It seemed like there was more to it than that, but I sensed I wasn't going to get more out of him at the moment.

I hear the faint sounds of an engine drawing closer. "They're in the garage. It'll just be a couple minutes."

Nick pulled out his pistol. Finnick started the engine

Fangmeyer's ears flattened. "Nick, do you really think you'll need that?"

The fox just stared out the window. "Buffalo Butt's not exactly the best judge of people. Besides, I'd rather be safe than sorry."

A lone blue ZPD cruiser pulled up and parked a few spaces away.

Nick tensed. Francine rolled into a crouch and readied her massive weapon.

Fangmeyer grabbed hold of Wolford's leash.

And then Clawhauser popped out of the car and the van breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Nick practically leapt out of his seat and engulfed (well attached himself to, there was a lot of cheetah to engulf) Clawhauser in a hug. "Spots! God damn is it good to see you!"

The cheetah's nervous smile was replaced by a coo of joy at the rare feeling of a touchy feely Nick.

I was jealous.

Clawhauser's partner quickly joined him, a medium sized male sheep named Ramsey. He barely managed a wave before Fangmeyer scooped him up in an affectionate embrace of his own. "You're our cavalry? Awesome!" The white wolf then paused, placing the sheep down. "Um, sorry."

Ramsey just smirked and hugged him back. "Good to see you too Fangsey... Wait, where's your Jacket?"

Francine appeared behind them and rolled her eyes. "Never misses an opportunity to strut, now does he? How's it going you two?"

I popped out of the car and tilted my head at the white wolf and sheep. "Wait, you two hang out? Since when?"

Fangmeyer snorted, leaning against the patrol car with a grin worthy of Nick. "Gotta spend more time with your fellow officers Hopps. Rams and I grew up together. He makes the best damn Miso soup in the city."

The sheep looked away, embarassed. "Could never figure out why a... Well, you know, someone like you wanted to hang out with a nerdy sheep like me." He turned to me, nervous. "Hey Hopps... How are you feeling?"

His heart was pounding a bit fast. I guess Bogo had briefed them. I let out a breath and steadied myself to reassure the Ram. "I'm fine. And I'll be even better once I get that night howler."

Ramsey's heart beat stayed pretty fast, but he managed a smile, pulling a bulletproof case out of the cruiser's trunk. "Heh, almost feel like I'm on the other side you know?"

Nick smirked. "Trust me Ramsey, if we were doing this the gangster way, we'd have six dead drops between us and we'd all be clutching our guns anyway."

The sheep shrugged and proffered the case, but Clawhauser waved him away, "Forget that, I've got the super spy method right here!" He pulled out a case of donuts.

Francine smiled. "Oh hell yes! I haven't-" She yanked her hand back. "You put night howlers in them didn't you?"

He nodded. "Pretty sneaky huh? The night howler pods are in the bismarks, and the antidote darts are in the jellies."

Ramsey stared at his partner in disbelief. "Dude!" He threw out his hooves. "I almost ate one of those!"

"I told you not to! Besides, I thought you didn't like donuts."

The ram raised an eyebrow. "Okay, A) there's like six identical boxes in the cruiser at any given time. And B) sometimes I skip breakfast and greasy food is better than no food."

"*Gasp* You've been sneaking my donuts? How could you?"

While this very deep conversation was going on, Fangmeyer plucked the very unappetizing pastries out of Clawhauser's hands and passed them to me. "Does Sigrid think this will work?"

To be honest, I've never seen sweet rolls like this, but if they contain the flower and some monkshood to counteract it, then they should do the trick.

I nodded. "We're good. Now we just need to find an armored room and somewhere to stash Wolford while I take my medicine." To be fair I already knew of one sure fire place that could keep me secret and contained, but I'd rather leave it for a last resort.

"Hi." The bound wolf called faintly from the van.

Clawhauser frowned, eyeing the wolf with wide eyes.

I felt an unpleasant surge of empathy... Clawhauser was friends with everyone in the ZPD.

I walked over and wrapped his leg in a hug. "Don't worry Claws... It's complicated, but we'll sort this all out. He was..." I bit my lip. It was long past time I admitted it. "He was just doing what he thought was right."

And then... Something very funny happened.

Ramsey's heartbeat slowed, almost in an instant. "Wolford's here."

Francine raised an eyebrow. "Uh, yeah? We ain't splitting up, and it's not like we could leave him alone at the safehouse."

Ramsey sighed. "I'm sorry."

That said, he pulled a jewel hilted knife out of his sleeve and slashed it into his own arm.

I don't know how it happened, I don't know why, but time seemed to slow as our entire squad screamed in white hot pain. We fell to the ground, writhing in agony. The whole garage rumbled as Francine's bulk smashed into the pavement.

I couldn't move...I couldn't think. My arm burned like it had been shoved into a blast furnace, what was happening?

In the final moments before I passed out, I saw the deep red blood dripping into Ramsey's wool. Dyeing it red as he pulled his blade back.

"Don't worry Judy..." the sheep said, raising the knife over me. "I'm going to get you out of there."