Chapter Text

Francine knocked, and a bespectacled skunk with a clip board opened the door to the old studio, eyeing us up and down.

She nodded, speaking with a curt Purrusian accent. "Good to see you already in costume. Except for you girl," She said pointing her pen at me.

I blinked, clutching my oversized hoodie to my chest in the cold night air. "Huh?"

The skunk rolled her eyes. "We don't start rehearsal naked. That is the whole point. Now, come inside and I'll give you a spare costume, but you need to hurry up in the dressing room! I swear girl, if you want to be on stage you have to learn to-"

Her eyes widened.

But she wasn't looking at me anymore. Her eyes were locked on Nick.

Nick's ears flattened. He forced a smile. "K-Katya! Hi... Funny bumping into you here huh?"

"OH HELL NO!!!" The skunk cried, face contorted in rage. She marched right up the fox and shoved a finger to his chest. "You think you can just show up here after six years and pick up right where things left off? I don't care how much money you owe! I am not giving you a job, end of discussion!"

I blinked, lost and slightly entertained by the scene in front of me.

The others were just as lost. Fangmeyer raised a paw. "Uh... Nick? What is she talking about?"

The fox tugged at his collar. "Heh. Well, you see..." He turned to the van behind us with a murderous glare. "Finnick, you call this a safe house?!"

The fennec fox at the wheel shook his head. "You've been putting this off way too long Nicky, two birds, one stone."

That said, he threw on his shades and pulled out of the parking lot, blasting metal and leaving us all behind.

I was very, very lost.

The skunk was twitching. "Leave." She said simply.

"Nick!" Came a voice from behind her.

A somewhat chunky Badger burst out from behind the skunk and wrapped Nick in a hug. "You're really here! I have so much to tell you about the sheep controlled werewolf conspiracy!"

There was a long, long pause.

Fangmeyer, still clutching Wolford by the handcuffs, cleared his throat. "I vote we talk this out inside. All in favor?"

#

So, about five minutes later (after the badger found me a pair of old sweat pants) we were all sitting around a hastily thrown up card table in a worn down, but clearly well loved dance studio. The studio had the advantage of being big enough to fit our favorite elephant, even if we couldn't find her a chair.

Said officer put her hands together and let out a breath. "Okay, first there's something we have to clear up. Nick," She turned to my partner with a frankly evil smirk. "You were a stripper?"

Katya shot her a look that could melt steel. "Do you have a problem with performers?"

The elephant's ears flattened. "What? N... No! I just." Francine groaned. "Look it's been a long day. Can't I just make fun of Nick a little? I need some levity."

The skunk stirred at her tea. "For working the pole? No. This is my house and you will respect my profession while you're in it." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "But, if you wanted to mock Nicky Dickie for his choice of stage name..."

The fox gulped. Francine grinned. "We are going to be such good friends."

Nick groaned. "Katya, seriously? Is that how it's going to be?"

She turned her death glare on right on the fox. "What? You expect me to be civil about this Nicky? You show up on my doorstep with half the ZPD and a sob story and expect me to just roll over and do whatever you want?" She turned back to the table at large. "I have rights you know! This is a legal business and while I have invited you into a public area that does not give you the right to tromp through all of-"

Fangmeyer held up his paw and gave her an apologetic look. "Ma'am, we are very sorry to intrude. We had an informant who said you could provide us with safe harbor. This isn't a raid."

Katya snorted, "Pardon me for not having much faith in a group of fascists who showed up with the world's biggest asshole in tow."

Nick planted his head on the table. "I swear, I'm not the world's biggest asshole! I can explain!"

The skunk twitched. "Really Nick? You can explain?" You seduced me, then shaved my ass and vanished into the night!" She slammed her fist into the table for emphasis. "Seriously! What the hell was that!?"

Several pieces of the puzzle fell into place. I smiled at the realization. "That makes so much sense!"

Katya stared at me. "How? How does that make any sense at all?"

Nick whimpered. "Katya I swear, I had a good reason... Plus you totally consented to the butt shaving thing."

"I thought you were being kinky!" She snapped.

Nick rubbed at his temples. "Look... I'm not going to pretend I wasn't an idiot, or that I didn't mislead you, but I had a damn good reason."

The Skunk's claws dug into the table. "Nick..." She let out a breath and shook her head. "I know about your little weaving project... It was the stupidest plan I've ever heard and it just made things worse."

Nick suddenly looked very, very old. "I had to do something." He said weakly.

Katya shook her head. "That's your problem Nicky. You think like a knight and you fight like... a con artist."

She got up and turned away. "I don't turn out people who need help. And I know you didn't come here to tear off old scabs... You can sleep here tonight. We'll talk about the rest tomorrow."

The badger got up, putting a paw on her shoulder. "Kat..."

The skunk turned to the badger with a tired smile on her face. "Stay with your idiot friends Med. Right now your Kat needs to be alone."

That said, she gave the badger a peck on the lips and walked out of the studio.

Or started to. At the last moment she turned back. "I loved her too Nick."

Then she was gone.

#

Francine's back hit the floor hard enough to send a ripple through the dance mats. "I don't know about all of you, but I am flat up out of juice."

It was about half an hour later, blankets had been retrieved and Nick and Honey (Our host's lover) were having long conversations in the corner. It apparently involved quite a lot of folklore and speculation on what I'd become.

I knew I should have been listening, maybe providing support or helpful anecdotes, but... Honestly I was with Francine. I was dead on my feet.

Wolford had been bedded down and chained to a rail. He hadn't objected. In fact, he hadn't said anything at all since his one sided conversation with the chief.

As for Fangmeyer, he was keeping watch, the gears clearly grinding away in his head as he tried to make sense of all this.

I struggled to get comfortable on the mats. Francine raised an eyebrow. "You want a heated seat? I wouldn't object to company after a day this crazy."

I blinked at the elephant, suddenly feeling more exposed than when I was naked. "Uhh..."

The elephant rolled her eyes. "Judy, you are a hot, tough girl, but at our size difference hitting on you would literally be crazy."

I blushed even harder. "So you do like girls."

Francine groaned. "Yes, I like girls, any jokes about how butch I am and I'll kick your ass."

I snorted. "If it makes you feel any better, I experimented plenty in college."

"Huh." The elephant returned. "What were the results?"

I shrugged. "I'm about a 1.5 on the Kinsey scale?"

She snorted. "Way to say your bicurious in the most nerdy way possible." She lowered her hoof, putting it at an angle that was easy to climb. "C'mon you fair weather rug muncher, let me show you the incredibly sexy speck of dust on an ocean liner position."

I climbed on top of her. She was indeed warm, and softer than the floor.

And there were stargazing hills in Bunnyburrow smaller than her. Life in Zootopia was weird.

A massive finger stroked my ear. "It's gonna be okay, we're the ZPD, the good guys... Plus our chaperone will ensure your chastity."

Fangmeyer snorted, still watching the windows. "Don't you forget it."

The elephant snickered, switching to a much too loud whisper. "Don't worry, we'll ditch him later, girls night out and 200 rounds on the shooting range when this is all over. My treat."

I yawned. "Sounds great." And then, finally, I felt safe enough to sleep.

#

I woke up around midnight. The warm elephant beneath me was so massive and I was so tiny she didn't even notice when I stirred.

I slid down, woozy, uncertain on my feet. They felt different... Of course they did.

The white wolf shot me a questioning glance, but I held up a paw. I had someone else to find.

He was off in a far corner of the massive room, dozing in his bedroll. I shook his shoulder, not certain how hard he'd be to wake.

The red fox blinked at me. "What's wrong?"

I snorted. "Nothing, I just..." I let out a breath, sitting down against the wall. "Okay, that's a lie. Things have been a bit mad recently. I need someone to talk to. Do you mind?"

He shook his head, "Of course not." He gripped my paw. "You know I'm always here for you."

I smiled. I even felt a little flutter in my heart. I think I understood it now.

I shook my head, looking away. "I don't know what's happening to me. I feel drained, but pissed. Strong, but weak... And..." I felt a shiver run down my spine. "My thoughts are muddled. My memories... This isn't how it's supposed to work."

I gulped. "I'm scared Nick. I'm really, really scared."

He blinked at me, recognition slowly dawning. "You're not Judy are you?"

I shook my head, feeling tears building up in my bizarre rabbit eyes. "No... I wish I was though. She has wonderful friends." I bit my lip. "I think all of mine are dead."

I hugged my legs to my chest, suppressing a shiver. "I think I might be too."