Judy tried to keep her feet quiet as she stood waiting in the vehicular traffic department for the plate number she got by tossing away her shame, to run through the aging system … paper and computer working together to create a mess that only a mammal with infinite patience could ever sort … and Sloths were those mammals …
***
Sloths weren't the fastest mammals around, but the jokes about their speed were enormously exaggerated, if they were as slow as their ancestors they wouldn't have a place in the modern world …
Sloths weren't really slow … they were just absurdly patient … they measured everything they did with a minutiae that was hard to believe … it was what made them the perfect mammals to do messy paperwork … sure, they weren't fast but they were definitely thorough … and they were also extremely resistant to being pressured … a Sloth in charge of customer service would make any Karen cry before they give an inch …
That's why Judy couldn't help but grind her teeth as Nick kept talking with his friend at a pace that made Judy restless and an ever increasing annoyance.
… Judy hated the hurry up and wait part of the job …
And if she complained like the other civilians were doing all around her … nothing would change because the Sloths didn't ‘hurry up’ …
*** *** ***
Hours, it took hours … The system crashed midway through and it took HOURS for the I.T department to solve the problem and the system be booted back … which made her search have to start all over again … this time with the constant noise of civilians complaining about lateness …
But they got their information … A Black Limousine from Big Incorporated Limo Service …
***
Nick narrowed his eyes at the information they received … they were now going back towards Tundratown in the late afternoon …
Nick released a sigh … two years since he and Fabiano had their estrangement over his mother's burial … Nick knew Fabiano wanted to see him again, but Nick was also hurt … but maybe two years were enough time, it didn't sting as much anymore …
Nick looked around again and indirectly tried to warn the bunny cop …
[Nick] - I don't think we should be here carrots, and I know for sure you don't have a mandate, how about we leave ? And I already helped you case why don't you erase that record or something and we both are done ? … tomorrow you can come back with a proper warrant -
Nick tried … but apparently the bunny only heard what she wanted to hear …
[Judy] - Stop, stop, you … I know you wasted my day on purpose, does seeing me fail make your sad miserable life better ? -
Nick rolled his eyes and huffed, he got her directly to what she needed, now she is blaming him for the delay ?
[Nick] - Yes one hundred percent … -
Nick rolled his eyes, the bunny was bathing in desperation and it wasn't amusing anymore. Nick was done with her for the day, as soon as the bunny left he would talk with Fabiano himself …
[Judy] - Fine, we are done, he is your pen … Do you want it ? Then get it ! -
Nick saw Judy toss the pen over the fence and his claws almost unsheathed to teach …
… Catch …
Nick breathed out …
[Nick] - First of all, you throw like a bunny And second, you are a very sore loser … I wish I could help more but … -
Nick climbed the fence to take the pen and go talk with Fabiano when the bunny left but instead …
Nick watched incredulously at the bunny … she dug the snow below the fence, invaded the property and caught the pen …
[Judy] - I don't need a warrant if you have probable cause, and I'm sure I saw a shifty lowlife climbing the fence … so you're helping plenty, come on … -
Nick narrowed his eyes …This bunny would die today and Nick wasn't sure he wanted to save her from herself … some mammals were just too stupid for their own good …
***
Judy desperately scrambled around the Limousine while the fox stood around with a sour look on his face … and he said she was the sore loser …
Judy looked inside the car, collecting pieces of fur and looking for evidence …
[Nick] - Oh my god … -
Judy turned startled.
[Judy] - What ?! -
[Nick] - AB-CD full album collection on CDs … who still uses CDs ? … -
Judy ground her teeth together … her ears rising in anger and desperation …
Nick also pointed at the back of the vehicle …
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[Nick] - And there are a lot of claw marks here, if your Otter was here, he was having a very bad day … probably hangry -
Judy ignored his joke and went through the window to look closer … finding a wallet there in the ground …
[Judy] - This is his wallet … so he was definitely here … -
Judy said, happiness and relief flooding her, she had a lead, a solid lead … she could do it, she really could …
[Nick] - Nice, very nice now how about we finally go our ways ? I really think you should go, right about now … -
But her happiness died and annoyance was born in its place.
[Judy] - I know you don't care about me, but this is important, this Otter disappeared ten days ago and I only have two days to find him … -
Judy released a sigh …
[Judy] - … Just, I am close, I can feel it, can't you just for one moment try being helpful instead of a lowlife ?! This is a crime scene, we can't just leave !! -
Judy raised her voice slightly as her annoyance at the fox flared … she was this close to …
[Nick] - Alright, and it will be an even bigger crime scene now … I tried … Reymond, Kevin, long time no see … -
Nick shrugged and Judy blinked confused before the limo door was abruptly opened and she was lifted from the ground by a paw gripping her neck, and Nick just about the same …
The polar bears that grabbed them just took the limo and drove it far inside Tundratown …
*** *** ***
Judy stood in front of a table, inside an office on a mansion, surrounded by well dressed polar bears … waiting for one Mr Big …
Her conversation with Nick during the trip was short … All she could get from him was that Mr Big was the kingpin of Tundratown and there was some bad blood between Nick and him over a Skunk Rug … anything else Nick just ignored her …
Now Judy waited for Mr Big to appear …
***
Fabiano Sorici Bigbby looked at the bunny at the cop that Nicky had with him … Nicky did the subtle gestures taught to him to signal reconciliation …
[Nick] - Mister Big, this is a simple … -
Fabiano controlled his expression and extended his paw, waiting, Nick gently kissed the ring … they both knew what that meant …
[Nick] - … a simple misunderstanding … -
Nick said with a small nod of his head, but giving a quick look towards the bunny and shaking his head … not an ally …
Fabiano gave another almost unnoticeable nod back to Nicky … a play then …
[Fabiano] - You come here unannounced on the day my daughter is to be married … -
[Nick] - Well I was brought here against my will … -
Fabiano narrowed his eyes.
[Fabiano] “ Nicky … not even for your sister ? … I really stranded you, didn't I ? … -
Nick caught the look and looked down to the ground.
Fabiano smiled slightly.
[Fabiano] “We are both too stubborn … but age gives a mammal time to swallow his grief and pride …”
[Nick] - I didn't know about your daughter's wedding … -
Nick said in a small voice, looking guilty, Fabiano just shook his head before turning slightly to the bunny …
They would talk more later … he would just get rid of the cop, Nicky just said the bunny didn't have to stay alive …
[Fabiano] - I trusted you Nick, you were welcomed into my home, we broke bread together, you dined with my Nana and she even made you cannolis … and how do you repay my generosity ? … With a rug … made from the butt of a skunk … a skunk-butt rug … you disrespected me, you disrespected my Nana, that we buried in that rug … I told you to never come back yet here you are … with a … what are you, a performer ? -
***
Judy looked at the tiny mammal that just insulted her … feeling her temper and desperation rising, Judy decided to confront the issue …
[Judy] - Sir, I'm a cop … -
***
… Help …
Nick blinked his eyes as his mouth opened before he even thought about it …
[Nick] - She is a mime, and mimes don't talk … -
Nick tried to close Judy's mouth, once more throwing a lifeline at the bunny … but as always …
***
Judy slapped the Fox’s hand away … and approached the Shrew …
[Judy] - No, I'm a cop, and I'm on the Emmet Otterson’s disappearance case, and my evidence puts him in your car … you can intimidate me all you want but I'll find what happened to him even if it's the last thing I do … -
***
Nick saw Judy approaching Fabiano and his claws immediately unsheathed, he took a step closer but Fabiano gave him a side glance and shook his hand …
Fabiano would dirty his paw this time …
… Help …
Nick ground his teeth to his instincts and nodded to Fabiano before pointing at himself … one last chance to the bunny, as Nick knew how and where to swim on the frigid water he would be dunked into … if the bunny didn't go into shock due to the cold, she could maybe follow him underwater and survive … but this was it, the last lifeline he would give her …
***
Fabiano watched amused as Nick changed his mind time and time again for the bunny … the Nicky he knew would have slit her throat as soon as she approached … but maybe the bunny had something special to her, at least Nicky thought so … if she survived being iced maybe Fabiano would see …
[Fabiano] - … Hmm then I have only one request … say hello to my Nana … -
Fabiano said before pointing at the both of them, his bears reacting immediately …
[Fabiano] - … ice them … -
***
Judy looked at the pit full of icy water she would get dunked into … that was it ? That was really it ? …
Judy turned to look at Nick, but he just looked like a mess that tried to struggle and then didn't …
Judy thought, her mind going back to the academy training and the many times she had to swim in icy waters due to the ice wall challenges … and she prepared breathing in …
***
Fabiano watched as Nicky fought with himself over what to do … Fabiano saw his Fox looking halfway ready to tear tear bears apart and save the bunny and halfway ready to abandon the bunny to her fate …
Apparently Nicky found a playmate and he didn't want to let go of her just yet … but if she was a playmate of his, she would survive, Nicky himself said it …
But before both of them were dunked into the waters … Fru-Fru came running through the tube in his office …
[Fru-Fru] - Daddy, it's time for our dance, what … -
Fru-Fru stopped and looked around … she spotted Nicky and her heart almost did a flip in her chest, he came to her wedding …
[Fru-Fru] - Daddy … no icing on my wedding, you promised … -
[Fabiano] - I'm sorry, but daddy has to … -
Fru-Fru crossed her arms … and decided to glare at Nicky too for taking soo long to come back … and now he would have to go wet and COLD …
But Nicky just shook his head slightly at her and Fru-Fru almost gasped … she would have, if not for the other company that looked very familiar …
Fru-Fru eyes widened.
[Fru-Fru] - Bunny Cop !! Daddy you can't ice her, she is the Officer that saved me yesterday remember ? From the giant donut, remember ? -
***
Fabiano blinked his eyes at the surprise … he saw that even Nicky was left with his mouth hanging open …
[Fabiano] - This bunny ? -
[Fru-Fru] - Yes … Hiii … -
Fru-Fru walked closer to the bunny, deciding to completely ignore Nicky like he ignored her wedding …
[Judy] - Hi … love you dress … -
Judy sheepishly said, her voice almost breaking with how close to death she came …
[Fru-Fru] - Thanks … Daddy ! -
Fabiano just gestured with his hands.
[Fabiano] - Put them down … -
Fabiano waited for his bears to put both mammals down.
[Fabiano] - You have done me a great service, I'll help you find your Otter, I'll take your kindness repay it forwards … -
Fabiano opened his arms for the bunny who understood the assignment and kissed his cheeks …
***
Nick couldn't believe it … How much luck could a rabbit have ? Literal intervention at the last moment ? … And what is it with himself …
… Playmate …
That, that, what it is with THAT ?! He should have killed that bunny as soon as she got close to Fabiano … why didn't he ?!
Nick just shook his head as Judy was taken to another room with Fru-Fru to have a small lunch at the wedding before they both went to find Mr Big driver that day, Manchas …
[Fabiano] - Nicky, a word … -
Nick took a deep breath and went back inside the office, finally free from Judy constant presence.
[Nick] - Sir … -
[Fabiano] - Don't sir me dumb fox … -
[Nick] - Fabian … I’m … -
Nick tried to start but Fabiano just raised his paw.
[Fabiano] - No Nick, I'm sorry, you were just doing my Nana's wish and in my grief I pushed you away … Can you forgive me son ? -
Nick just smiled and lowered his head into Fabiano's tiny paws, receiving a scratch to his ears.
[Nick] - I’m still sorry about that, I could have explained it … -
[Fabiano] - Were family Nicky, my own bears weren't happy with my reaction and Fru-Fru couldn't stop complaining that her older brother wouldn't come to her wedding … -
[Nick] - I didn't know about … -
[Fabiano] - I known Nicky, Nana caught us all by surprise giving you that task … to be burried hugged by her secret lover … I just couldn't believe it, and I took it on you Nicky … two years is too long my boy … -
Nick nodded.
[Fabiano] - Now tell me son, what's up with that bunny ? You don't get like this over nothing, are you smiten ? -
Nick groaned and pulled his ears down … Only family could make you feel this young again …
[Nick] - Can we leave this for later ? … And sir, what happened with Emmet ? Judy isn't here anymore … -
Fabiano shook his head.
[Fabiano] - You … always getting into big trouble … Emmet was trying to contact me about the Night Howlers being bought out from the city underbelly … Emmet himself said someone bought his stock and was asking for more, he was trying to trace where it was all going and he wanted to talk personally before something happened to him, Manchas wasn't clear … You think that Bunny cop will get in the way ? -
Nick shook his head.
[Nick] - She just wants to find him, nothing else … -
[Fabiano] - Above the streets, nothing on the drugs being laced with Howlers all over the poor predator parts of the city ? … -
[Nick] - Just what the news tells, the police isn't going anywhere with it, it has been several weeks yet … -
Fabiano nodded.
[Fabiano] - Keep that girl safe Nicky, you have something for her and you know it, try to give her a bit more kindness … -
Nick just nodded his head.
[Nick] - I'll try sir and thanks for welcoming me back … -
[Fabiano] - Don't sir me mangy Fox … now get out of here, go eat something and make sure to give your sister a gift later … -
Fabiano gestured for Nick to get out, a small smile on his face as a piece of regret lodged in his heart finally came free.
***
