Work Text
Practically Poor
Chapter 1: Strays
A chilling, whispy wind blew by the two bunnies huddled together and padding their way down the cleared path on the sidewalk. Stuffed suitcases trailing them, their breaths, ragged from the long walk and misty from the bite of winter, were only mitigated by what little scraps they could call scarves; barely more than a pair of old dish towels for larger mammals, to be honest.Despite this being apparent, it didn't stop them, nor did they allow it to humiliate them for their current status in life. It was, after all, their first day in the big city. It was cause for celebration.Well, it would have been, if it weren't so cold. That made it cause to hustle.So cold it was, in fact, that Judy had long since felt the warmth in her ears fade to numbness and the residual heat from those emergency heat packs had finally run out. She began to have second thoughts about leaving the burrows so early despite it being the end of winter, even with all the preparations they made. She could have sworn that the news channel said it'd be at least mildly sunny by this time of day.Yet, when she peered up beyond her tattered scarf, all that she could see were darkening, grey clouds and the little speckles of snow falling from the sky.That's what made their situation urgent.If we don't find shelter soon... Her cold paws quivered, she couldn't finish the thought. Instead, she clutched her backpack tighter, forcing herself to focus. She hadn't come all this way to quit. They had to find a place to stay.Going over all she learned from the city afar, there weren't many options for shelter, not ones that they could afford, anyway. Actual shelters were few and far between, most places weren't open 24/7, and even the cheapest motels were a bit too costly when you had roughly twenty dollars left between two mammals, bunnies or not.Worry gripped her.As worried as she was for her own safety, she was equally worried about Jack. Even though he was usually quiet and reserved, he'd still at least make conversation with her, if nobody else. She turned back to see how he was fairing and was met with his glossy, golden eyes staring out listlessly from beneath his warming beanie."Jack... you okay?" she said in a soft whisper, her voice echoing in the icy wind.A puff of mist rose from his scarf. "It wasn't that bad back home," he muttered.Hearing his words, her heart nearly broke. They'd come too far to quit like this. Too far from bad blood, too far from old anger, too far from a broken home to want to return to that mess.Judy placed her paws on his shoulders, staring him down. "We can't go back to that, Jack," Judy pleaded, trying to talk sense into him. "They... they weren't our family anymore. They didn't want to be," her little voice trailed off, "they made that clear."Momentarily lost and seeing his own reflection in her glossy eyes, he turned away and nodded silently.Relieved, if only just then, Judy let go and tried to focus on where they could go. They were going to freeze at this rate, there had to be somewhere close by, even if only for the night.Her attention landed on the iron bars of the fence on the street across them. If that was a park, then there would have to be shelter of some kind. A recreational area, playground, heck, even a table to huddle under would be nice if they could huddle together for warmth."Let's try this park," she insisted, turning to look both ways for any traffic before crossing. "There's gotta be a bridge or something."As she padded her way across, she chuckled at the thought. How did her aunt put it? Living in squalor under a bridge in a box? Something like that, she cringed.Her suitcase's roller hitting the curb and bouncing, she caught it before it spilled over, she couldn't afford mistakes; not in the cold, and certainly not when she couldn't replace anything currently, it was too valuable.Jack closely behind her, she followed the pathway to hopefully find the entrance before long. She would have attempted jumping, but the sharp spikes adorning the fence, and all her luggage prevented her from making a rash decision. Though from what she could see from this side looked promising: several picnicking spots and what looked to be the beginnings of a small ravine.Rounding the way to the main gates and spotting a sign reading "Happytown Wharf", Judy was elated. She may not have known what a 'wharf' was, but from the sheer space, it was as good of a place as any to stay the night.Pressing her way and hearing the click of their luggage, Judy and Jack walked side by side in silence. She did often try to gauge how he was fairing as they were inseparable friends since childhood, and for now, he, much like her, was content just to be free from their mess in the burrows.Though, after a solid minute of ever chilling cold and the crunch of ice under their hind paws, contentment lost its value and made way for despair.I can't believe this. Judy griped, not a single place in this entire park? What are wharves for anyway?Grumbling, she looked ahead to a hill, feeling her shoulders drop from the sheer height of it. Had they come here for nothing? Would they just freeze out here? Gritting her teeth, she did as she told herself to do for years: not know when to quit.Not risking a glance back, she marched on, her lungs beginning to sting from the frigid air all while the frozen ground made it difficult for her to traverse the path with her suitcase in tow.Though, when she did finally reach the top of the hill after slipping a few times and reserving herself to practically crawling up the last few feet, she was greeted with a pleasant sight."A bridge!" she nearly cried into the mist, elated until her eyes trailed the path further until her heart fluttered.It wasn't what she was expecting, but she'd dare say it was far better. Just ahead of them and across the little bridge was a warehouse of sorts, and a factory-like building to boot.Deciding on the two, she weighed their choices.Factories meant cold metal, harder navigation and a much more difficult time in finding adequate space to set up camp. The warehouse, however, seemed a better fit for what they'd need: a place to rest and shield them from the elements. Both seemed abandoned, but the warehouse looked easier to get into.She shrugged. "Jack, I think we found our place for the night," Judy announced, turning to him with a wide berth of a smile.The buck stood there, astonished at the discovery. He didn't move a muscle despite the temperature, save for a slowly forming smile.This was it. A place to stay to weather the storm - longer if they needed. If it was abandoned, they'd get a few days from it, at least. Weeks? Months perhaps? It didn't really matter, it was a roof over their heads.In tandem, they began racing, feeling the slick, slippery cobblestone of the bridge beneath them give way to a dampened dirt path. The massive, looming door before them made them feel even smaller in comparison. Had Judy guessed, it was a space meant for elephants, at least.When they reached the solid wooden structure, they weren't disappointed as the oversized door had a small patch to it. With nearly a tear in her eye, Judy pushed at and squirmed her way through, taking her luggage with her before Jack did the same.Now inside, the air was slightly warmer, two or three degrees at most. That alone was comforting and allowed Judy to breathe deeply, knowing that the deeper they went in this place, it'd be a bit more insulated. All they had to do was look for an office or something.Beneath the broken windows and seeing a little light cascade in, they got a better view of the place they'd be staying. It was no hotel like they had hoped to splurge on if they had the money or some homeless shelter that they desperately searched for months ago when they began planning, but it wasn't too bad.Sturdy looking wooden pillars ran from the ground all the way up, the main two doors were latched shut from the inside, a pile of old debris layout in the middle of the area and beyond that were what looked like the offices and breakrooms and such.Judy was thrilled by the find. "I'm gonna check out the rooms. See if there's anything there we can use," she informed, leaving her suitcase propped against one of the pillars and turning to Jack to see what he wanted to do. Though they were a team, she was usually the more exploratory one of the two while he was definitely the analytical kind.He looked at the debris. "I'll check this stuff and see where we can set up."Judy nodded and unshouldered her backpack. Rummaging through it, she found one of the few survival tools that she knew she needed for this kind of darkened place: a flashlight-lantern.Clicking it on, she grasped it jubilantly in her paws before heading off. She could still hear Jack trying to move small bits of wood in the pile before she opened the door that lead deeper. Met with darkness, she was glad to have a little light with her as bunnies didn't have great night vision.Opting to leave the door open behind her, she carefully padded inward. Empty fluorescent lighting fixtures ran across the ceiling while old paper scraps adorned the floor. It was a bit shabby, probably hadn't been used in a decade - which was good for them as the fewer mammals knew of their new spot, the better.Down the dozen or so dusty, decrepit rooms where she figured were used as small offices no bigger than the rooms at her former home, she was glad to see nothing of significant value, but sad that they weren't 'room ready', so they'd have to sleep near the pile out front. The last room, however, was a break room with its door open a bit and... a dim light coming from it?Immediately, Judy became a bit more cautious. Why's a light on? she wondered, muttering under her shallow breaths. Does that mean someone else is-"You did patch that door, right?" a worrying voice whispered, causing the doe to cringe."Nicky... of course I patched it. Now where's dinner?" another called back.Judy quivered. This place was supposed to be abandoned: nobody there but them. But now there were at least two other mammals there? This wasn't good.She heard the first sigh along with clank of metal. "All right... if you patched it then we should be fine for the night. Now I just need something to open this can with so we-h-hey! Skye, that's for both of us!"Before Judy could back away any further, the door to the break room burst open. By the time she cut off her flashlight, a flash of fur came running by.The doe pressed herself against the wall as the other kept running, unaware of her presence. For a second, Judy was relieved. That was until she realized two things. One: that mammal would be heading towards Jack. And two: there was another mammal as she only heard one set of footsteps.Trembling from this and not wanting any trouble, she cut the light back on, nearly dropping it when she saw red fur at the end of the hallway.She flashed her light up, causing the mammal to bark and shield his eyes with his paw and what looked like a soup can.Judy took a step back, however, when she saw that it was a fox that she had nearly blinded. And foxes, as she learned early, were bad news. Her natural predator, they scratched and bit, the list went on. So when this fox had gained his bearings and adjusted to the little light, Judy made her way to the door.She had to get to Jack. As this was a fox, the odds that the other mammal that ran by her was a fox as well were too high. Two foxes meant nothing good for two bunnies.Racing out and shutting the door behind her, she screamed his name. "JACK!" But what she saw ahead left her both confused and shocked.Jack had taken to the pile of rubbish with gusto. Flashlight lantern out and sifting through to find anything they could use, he was content with his current state.Despite it being dark and cold, he found renewed strength just from a little task. Though he found nothing of use or value - a few cardboard pieces, tattered plastic, and splintered wood - it was something to take his mind off of the early parts of the day.It was hectic, to say the least. Waking up at nearly midnight, gathering their hidden belongings, quietly leaving the house with what little they could call their own, taking the only train that ran at two in the morning, and finally setting foot in the city.In a way, it was a miracle that they escaped undetected.Now, he was quietly reflecting on the few happy memories he had from the home he left behind, humming to himself and absentmindedly moving a piece of plywood.At least we're together, Jack thought, thankful for the only mammal on earth that he could call his friend.Shoving some of the debris aside, his ears perked up from the click of paws running towards him."Judy?" he questioned, breaking away from the pile and hopping down.He expected her to be there, excitably relaying what she found, but instead, he was greeted with a completely different sight.A tall figure came barreling towards him, flailing its limbs and alternating between trying to run on all fours and stand upright to shake their head.He thought that he and Judy were the only ones there, but he was sadly mistaken. Startled as any would be, he stepped back, tripping as he tried to gain distance; his flashlight fell to the ground beside him as the figure began to take form.Caught in the light, the dingy white fur of the mammal glistened with the few snowflakes falling through the window. They continued to stumble about, seemingly attempting to fight off an invisible creature from the way they moved.It was then that Jack, still fearful, glanced at what was really going on and he raised a brow.Whatever they were, they had a jar stuck on their head.In their plight, they tripped, falling just at his feet and continuing their struggle with the offending piece.He had to wonder what they were, but from the way they seemed to be out of breath, it couldn't be good to keep the container on - suffocating and all.So, in his haste to remedy the situation as he never did like seeing anyone hurt, he placed his paws over the jar and tugged without a second thought.A few twists later and an audible 'pop', Jack huffed in relief before his pupils contracted. He wasn't prepared for what he saw."A fox," Jack whispered, stunned at seeing her crystal blue eyes stare back at him.He held her gaze as she huffed, smiling.The buck trembled, but she gasped. "Wait! There's a little bit more in there!"Quicker than he could react, the vixen grasped the jar and stuffed her muzzle back into it. Her smushed face seemed happy behind the plastic container while she greedily lapped up the remains of whatever leftover foodstuff she could.With her back at it, Jack's jaw dropped. "Uh... what?" was all he could muster as foxes were never friendly, never. They and bunnies were enemies since time immemorial, the natural predator to their prey species.He stared at her, enjoying her meal when he heard his name being called.Looking up, he caught sight of Judy dashing to him, worry in all her features while a dark figure trailed behind, slowly.When she reached him, Judy was stunned to see the fox struggling on the ground, flailing as they tried to get a jar off of their face. The other, however, stood at a distance between them, eyeing the flopping vulpine with both sympathy and frustration.After a bit of a workout of attempting to get the jar off her head again, the vixen finally stopped. Her face still slightly visible through the plastic shield, she pleadingly tapped the jar for any kind of assistance.Judy didn't know what to think, but when she saw Jack lean over and help her remove the jar from her head, she had more than a few questions."Thank you." the blue-eyed vixen said between breaths.Letting her stand to her feet, the four mammals fell into a small silence. Foxes staring at rabbits and rabbits gazing at foxes. It was a standoff of sorts, one that should have been met with more hostility, but from the way the vixen smiled and the todd just looked annoyed, along with the confused features on the bunnies, all was not as it seemed.The red fox spoke first. "I thought you said you patched the hole, Skye."His accusatory tone was met with her peering around the bunnies. "But Nick I-I did? Well, at least I thought I did..."Judy cringed. This is their shelter? "We... uh, may have... moved it?" she admitted, shyly.The different responses of the foxes was telling. One shrugged and the other, well, if looks alone could kill.It didn't take the tod long to cross his arms. "What do you want, rabbits?"To be honest, they wanted a lot of things. But for right now, a place to sleep would suffice. And to be alive in the morning was a bonus.Clutching her flashlight, Judy sought to reason with the foxes. Sure, they were mortal enemies, but the odds were that they wouldn't be eaten. Predators didn't do that anymore, right? They could be civil, even in a place like this, right?Judy hoped. "We just want a place to stay. For the night at least."Jack beside her nodded, wordlessly.If they could just stay there, they could find an unoccupied place in the morning. However, the tod shook his head just as a squeal from the vixen halted his words."Nicky! They have a blanket!" Skye announced, interrupting the tense moment and holding up the old blanket that Judy had meticulously packed away.The triumphant fox with clothes torn and ragged just like her own, the doe wondered how the vixen snuck past her without knowing. Not only that, how she managed to get the blanket out without a sound.Still, Judy wasn't having any of it. "Hey," she jumped into action, grabbing a corner piece of the sheet and pointing at the rest in the vixen's paws. "That's ours!"Though she was warned, Skye started to unroll the fabric, fascinated by its silky feel in her paws. "How'd you pack this whole thing in there?" she nearly shouted. "We had to leave a bunch of stuff behind. Right, Nicky?"As Judy listened, her grip became lighter. they had to leave their home too, huh?It wasn't like she wasn't sympathetic, she knew the feeling. But as obtrusive as this one was, it left her to wonder."You guys... don't have a blanket?" At her words, the tod looked away, almost shamefully.His friend, however, unrolled cover and soaked in the little comfort, pouncing on it and rolling to her heart's content. "Nope. Couldn't pack one. And the junkyard's closed."While Judy didn't know much about life in the city, she understood from the look of these two, that they were very likely in the same... financial, and likely holming situation that she and Jack were in. It pained her to say it, and when she came to the city earlier that day, she felt both hopeful and miserable.Being a homeless mammal, technically, wasn't something she was too proud to admit.Lifting her eyes, Judy held the gaze of the tod slowly approaching. His eyes now more lively and green than his faded Pawaiian shirt, he stood next to his vixen friend.As if considering something and switching his focus between the bunnies and the blanket, he swished his tail."Tell you what," the red fox began. "You two can stay the night if we can have the blanket."Both bunnies went slack-jawed at the proposition.It was a hard choice to make for a bunny. Either face certain death outside - they didn't have the resources, warmth, or anywhere planned to run to - or give their blanket to a skulk of foxes for the night and leave in the morning.But then again, assessing the situation, Judy had another idea. They had the upperpaw."Tell you what," she said, mimicking the fox's tone. "We can share what we have, if you share what you have."No sooner had the words left her mouth did Skye raise her paw. "I vote yes!"The tod, however, went slackjawed this time. He crossed his arms defiantly, making him seem more imposing. "And what makes you think we'll share the space with rabbits."It was a bluff at best, and a minor inconvenience at worst. With the blanket on the table and a place to sleep, Judy just had to have enough leverage to win them over.And remembering the fox's words earlier, she had a plan. Judy set her bag down and quickly went through its content. When she grasped what she wanted, she smiled. "Need a can-opener?" she singsonged, waving the tool at the red fox's paw.Skye practically danced hopefully, but Nick wasn't having any of it."No thanks," he defended, nibbling on the can. "ah-cn-opnit-wif-mah-eef."After a few tries, nearly biting his tongue, and a whimper from the vixen, Nick gave up. He cast a glare at the white-furred fox. "You just had to abandon your tools..."She scoffed, padding her way to the back room. "I wasn't abandoning Mushy..."Breathing deeply and letting loose a frustrated sigh, Nick huffed. The two bunnies standing there watched the red fox trail his eyes everywhere but at them. "I can't believe this, our kingdom for a can-opener..." he mumbled, shaking his head before finally staring dead center at Judy.One sad look of the can in his paws and he shrugged, walking to the back. "Fine."Heaving a sigh of relief, Judy was glad that she and Jack had a place for a while. Though the thought of having to stay with foxes scared her, they seemed... okay, despite the stereotypes of their species.They'd still need to be cautious.Setting her bag down as a makeshift cushion for her back and turning her flashlight to its lantern mode, Judy made herself comfortable, finally able to relax in the chaos of the day. The inside of the warehouse was dark and a bit cold, sure, but the sliver of moonlight cascading down onto the rubble made it hauntingly beautiful.Jack had taken refuge next to her, admiring the scenery as well until the white fox had returned in a flash, a few water bottles toddling in her arms while she tried to balance a stuffed mammal atop her head. Though, failing miserably at both and dropping it all before the bunnies, she giggled like it was nothing."Here you go," she offered, handing each of them a small water bottle each and sitting next to them as if they weren't predator and prey. Idly, she held the stuffed doll tightly in her paws.Before long, the tod returned, a few more cans balanced in his paw. He sat next to them and held out his paw. "Can-opener, please."Nodding, Judy handed it to him, hoping that he'd keep his end of the deal and was glad that he started wrenching the cans off, albeit a bit hesitantly.Not waiting, Skye took one, licking her lips and greedily stuffing her muzzle into the can, splashing a bit of potato soup everywhere.Both Jack and Judy tried to stifle a laugh while the tod continued to pry the lids off. "I'm Nick, by the way," he informed, handing another can Judy's way before passing one to Jack. He waved off his friend when she tried to take the last can for herself. "And you've already met the bottomless pit known as Skye."While a bit frustrated and hungry with all eyes on her, Skye did what she did best and held up her favourite possession, waving its arm. "And this is Mushy."It was a rag doll of sorts. Disproportioned with buttons for eyes and odd deely-bobbers on its head.Wiping her muzzle with the back of her paw and savoring the cream of mushroom soup, she waved back. "I'm Judy, and this is Jack."The buck went wide-eyed a bit before meekly saying a hello.They fell into a silence, making short work of their dinners; the tension in the atmosphere dissolving more than any of them had anticipated.And while Judy never did imagine that she and Jack would be eating cold soup with the company homeless foxes, she couldn't say that it was all that bad. In fact, it reminded her of what her family used to be like.She smiled. It felt a little like home.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter 2: Discounted
Judy didn't get a wink of sleep.It was apparent in every feature and movement of her small frame. The sluggish actions, the dry mouth, and certainly red eyes. And thought that's what she saw of herself in the broken, full-body mirror of the rundown bathroom in the abandoned warehouse that she now called home, it wasn't the only figure that was competing for a look at how life was currently treating them.In fact, the reason for her current look was currently smiling and making – trying to, at least – funny faces in the mirror as though it were a funhouse. "Ou sha-ry is, Juyyy." said Skye, currently attempting to see her own tonsils in the dim light. The doe only smiled in return.More annoyed than scared by being next to the fox, Judy considered what she had gone through last night and why she was so tired.It wasn't because of the cold air, cold ground, or the fact that she was homeless – both former and recent dwellings were about the same – well, not much anyways, but that was a large part of it. It also wasn't because she was huddled next to foxes last night. They took some time getting used to, but were decent folks from what she could tell so far.None of that bothered her. She wouldn't let it. With a working toilet and faucet, who could be?It was, however, because Skye was such a wild sleeper!The snoring, the rolling, the twitching and kicking, the tail swishing. Skye was a worse sleeper than any of the bunnies she had to room with in a cramped house before. Judy was surprised she hadn't gone crazy and the whole ordeal left her wondering if Nick was some kind of fox with the patience of a saint.Though, last night when the silly little thought of Saint Nick came to her mind, she chuckled at it a bit. It wasn't funny, however, when she was almost punted onto a plywood pile; Skye peacefully mumbling and cradling her doll in blissful REM sleep. Stretching and rubbing her sore shoulder from the kick, she returned her focus to her form and that of the vixen's.Despite both of them having ruffled fur and ragged, hand-me-down clothes – Skye's came with last night's soup stains as well – Judy wouldn't say that they looked bad. Rough around the edges, yes, but certainly not... well, like the poor mammals that they were.While mulling over this, there was a knock on the door, tearing them away from their routine."You two almost done in there?" came the voice of Nick, hurried as it was calm.Thankful that neither Skye nor Nick seemed to adhere to their stereotypes. This left the doe feeling a bit better about leaving Jack alone with the tod. He was still a bit shy, of course, but not exactly timid. "Just a sec," she called back.Just as she went to grab her lantern, Skye had taken to bending the tips of her floppy, bunny ears, giggling and fascinated by how they worked.Startled and pulling away as her ears were sensitive, Judy raised a brow at the smiling fox. "What are you doing?"She rocked on her heels, going back to staring at the mirror. "Bunnies don't let us get this close." Judy could understand why. With their own run-in with a fox years ago, she and Jack tried to avoid them as much as possible. But here they were."Oh! And Jack's ears are bendier." Skye added, mimicking the motion by curling her ears over with her paws. How (and why) she came to this knowledge was far beyond anything the bunny could think of.Seeing enough, Judy padded her way out of the room, the vixen following shortly after.Making their way to the breakroom, Judy soaked in the aesthetic of their new home. It was a junk heap of a rundown warehouse, sure, but it felt warm and cozy. In retrospect, where they came from felt like a junk heap but appeared warm and welcoming. So much for burrow laws.Opening the door, the doe was greeted with a rather unusual sight: Jack patiently sitting at a rickety old folding table and talking to a fox - Nick, rather.After waking up, Nick told her and Jack that he'd have food ready for them soon. She was a bit reserved as Jack didn't take well to being near strangers, or on his own. However, he seemed anywhere from neutral to lively here, waving for Judy to pad her way to a folding chair.The setup was okay. She noticed how the whole thing was propped up using a few stray pieces of plywood and newspapers. As she took her seat next to Jack, Skye swooped in, her doll by her side as she eagerly awaited what they'd have today."Breakfast's up," Nick called, having taken to the counter opposite them. On it were a few items: water bottles, their can opener, and a stack of paper plates and napkins. Done with making each plate, he walked over, serving them each with an unreadable expression before seating himself.Both the bunnies' excitement had quickly died down to horrid astonishment. They didn't expect much, but this was below the bottom line.A few yards below, in fact.It was a couple of jaggedly cut apple and orange slices, a half piece of bread, and a little peanut butter.A far cry from the meals they used try to have at home, but with considerably less confrontation when either she or Jack sat down to eat. At least here, they weren't being nearly chased away.Still, it was something. Judy dove in with about the same reserved voracity as Jack. Taking little nibbles, savouring the somewhat bland flavour while trying their best not to think of more food.Skye and Nick, however, had already finished their plates, the latter already up and making his way into the hall.The vixen, however, appeared distraught, as if there was something completely wrong with the world. She raced over to the counter, scrambling to find any leftovers all while her stomach grumbled. Finding none, she turned to the two rabbits, eyeing their plates carefully. With a pained whine and Mushy held close, she rushed out, following Nick, presumably. The sour look on her muzzle made Judy wonder what was going on with her – aside from hunger. She seemed so cheerful earlier. It didn't take long for them to hear the ensuing conversation. Bunny ears heard everything. "Is this all we had left?" Judy could hear her voice, pleading and desperate. And from the swivel of Jack's ears, he could hear it too.It was followed closely by a huff. "Well, we would have had more if someone patched the wall and not eaten the last bit of jelly."Biting down on her last apple slice, Judy felt a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach. Thing was, she and Jack were rabbits. They took up less space and were easier to feed, but that didn't account for two foxes. Those extra cans of soup last night and their breakfast now would have kept them sated a bit more had the bunnies not broke in.Casting a lowly glance down on their empty plates was proof enough of how they were both blessed by finding the place and imposing on other mammals by being there.Neither was happy about that, they had to do something.After finishing their meals and putting the plates where Nick had stacked them, the two rabbits made their way back to the commons area of the warehouse. Nick busied himself with rummaging through a few papers while Skye bobbed her head and hummed in anticipation."We're out of food," said the tod, smoothing his paw over a binder. With his back turned to Skye and the unseen duo, he opened and read from it, a soft smile growing on his lips. "Good thing we have bunnies.""What?" Judy whispered, taking a step back.Was this all a ruse? A way of catching them off-guard? She didn't want to believe it, but the signs could point it out to be true; they were homeless and in the middle of nowhere, after all. By the time she had thought over this, both foxes turned to them – their presence finally known.Seeing their horrified expressions, Nick facepawed. "Ugh for the love of- We don't eat rabbits, rabbits!" he all but shouted, walking towards the pile, waving his arms in reserved frustration. "I mean, Skye'd eat just about anything covered in raspberries or ketchup, but this isn't the dark ages."Nodding and wagging her tail in agreement, Skye followed through. "Yeah! The last folks we stayed with took our food and we had to leave."Again, it felt like a punch to the gut. Judy had to apologize. "T-that's not what we were-""Save it. It doesn't really matter." Nick interrupted, closing his binder and letting his shoulders fall in disappointment. "We need you to help us with some grocery shopping.""Grocery shopping?" the doe repeated. She hadn't done that in a while, even when part of the old household. They'd usually have to resort to grabbing what they could and storing it in places for later, but with the proposition of actually shopping, it came with both a sense of freedom and a bit of despair.With the little they had, they couldn't afford much. As if hearing her thoughts, Nick fished through his pockets, a small smile forming when he found a few bucks. Counting them, he asked, "We have twenty bucks. You got any to add?"Again, she tensed. If they were out of food, then Nick and Skye really had shared half of what they had with them.
He kept his word.
With him doing so, Judy had no choice but to do so as well. She was an honest doe, she refused to lie. Not when she had a goal for the future, and honour to uphold.It didn't stop her from despairingly making her way to her stuff. In one of the pockets of her backpack, she kept all the money they scraped and scrounged for months. Loose pennies, couch quarters, hiding it in places where no family would find it.Taking a deep breath, she pulled out the small matchbox that it was in and held it out to him."Twenty," she nearly cried, clutching onto it as the fox went wide-eyed. "Sorry, we don't have much."She didn't know what to say, really. Even less when Nick trotted over and eased it out of her paw, gawking and grinning.He went to work, counting it all out along with his money and, with a smirk that she didn't expect on his shaggy muzzle, he chuckled, "Looks like we have enough to get us through the week."Skye cheered, Jack tilted his head, and Judy stared at him like he had grown a second head.Without a follow-up explanation on how he figured out how to get food for four mammals for a week so cheaply, he made his way to the hole in the front door.Behind him, like his own shadow, was Skye. She set her beloved doll down by Jack's bag and followed the tod out.Eyeing the two, Judy gave Jack a shrug and trailed behind them. The buck not too far behind.The city was a lot different from what they had experienced yesterday. Busier as well.Cracking sidewalks in repair, the honks of cars trying to alert each other and pedestrians, and the overall flow of foot traffic were the calming ambiance.Judy didn't know what it was that made her feel so estranged yesterday, but she felt like part of it may have had to do with being so protective of their luggage. Today, however, it was a bit more relaxing. Though tired and not knowing where they were going, she felt more at ease.Cool, crisp breezes brushed against her fur, while the warm sunlight encompassed them. It was almost electric in the feel, one she had long since abandoned due to strife.And from the rise in temperature, she had taken off her jacket, opting to tie it around her waist if she needed it for later. Though the foxes ahead seemed to be faring better with denser coats. Jack must've been feeling it too. He smiled as he walked beside her, yellow eyes curiously trailing everywhere around them like they used to do in the countryside. Judy didn't know it, but she was smiling wider.They had walked a bit away from their new home, and it felt good to say that, but caused a bit of anxiety as well. More so of if their stuff would be there or if they'd come back.With Nick leading them and Skye bounding every which way, they were a bit of an odd-looking group. Not that anyone on the sidewalks or streets paid them any attention. Even less so for the larger mammals that they had to weave and bob away from as they barely came up to heel height for a rhino.Before long, they crossed a street to a nearby parking lot and shopping mall. Ahead of them, a store sign came into view, countless mammals pouring in and out of the storefront."Well, here we are," Nick announced, slowing his pace and turning to walk backward in dramatic flair as if he were showcasing the whole store.Not expecting this to be the place, Judy raised a brow. "Wallabymart?"Nick hummed, making his way over to a shopping cart and pulling out one just over his size. "I can't think of a better place to go shopping with our spending limit of forty bucks, bunny."The tod was right. They had money, they just needed to spend it wisely. This wasn't the supermarket back at the burrows. But how the fox expected to stretch forty bucks was still bugging her. And Wallabymart, though with good prices, wasn't going to allow them to spend outside their limits.Skye's enthusiasm seemed to disagree. "I'm gonna try all the samples!" she shouted gleefully. Taking the cart from Nick's paws, she raced back to Jack and Judy. When just beside them, she picked up the startled buck, placing him in the cart without either warning or apology.”Skye, don’t forget this.” Nick stopped her, only for a moment. He passed her a sheet of paper with items and numbers neatly written on it. She was thrilled just looking at it before she pocketed it and smiled."C'mon Jack! They serve crackers early in the morning!" And off she went like lightning, Jack hanging on for dear life in the basket of the shopping cart.Taken aback by the vixen's antics, Judy made a mental note to keep her guard up. It would only be a matter of time before Skye tried to use her as a crash test bunny.She glanced up at Nick, but he raised his paws in defense. "Before you ask, bunny. Yes. She's always like that."He gave her a smirk and twirled around to view the aisles. "Now come on. We have a few things to pick up."Making their way into the store gave Judy a chilling sense of accomplishment. She hadn't been to any store in quite a while. So the hustle and bustle of customers zipping by was refreshing. Though their cart was off somewhere near samples of various foodstuffs, it was just nice to be seen in public without everybody already knowing who you were. Knowing what you were.Shaking it off as she'd likely appear to be just some mammal out for a day of shopping, Judy followed behind Nick, easing into a steady pace of her own as she scanned the store for later visits.It was as wide and spacious as she had seen on the many commercials at home. Full of anxious mammals getting food, clothing, electronics, and toys of all kinds. She had to strafe here and there, hugging the aisles and displays whenever a much larger mammal made their way by.A shame it would be if she were to make a mistake that could cost her what she didn't have.As Nick hummed and turned down the cereal aisle, Judy's tail twitched a little. A little pep in her step, she raced after him, coming to a halt when she bumped into him.He flinched a little. A worried, slightly annoyed smirk tugged on his muzzle. "You okay there, bunny?"Dazed and trying to shake off her embarrassment, Judy tried to sound apologetic in her excuse as to why she ran, but, just out of the corner of her eye, the whole 'talking' thing just died."Carro's!" she shouted, bouncing over to a box of cereal about her height on a shelf.She couldn't believe it. It was her favourite cereal brand, one that tasted like the food it was named after, albeit crispier. Even the little carrot-shaped puffs being pulled out of the ground by a cartoon bunny made the whole thing seem surreal. And it was the last box to boot!The small joy was disrupted by a low whistle. Nick, standing beside her, hiked a thumb towards the shelf. "That's a hefty penny for a small box," he informed, the doe trailing towards the tag as well. It was nearly five dollars. Five dollars that they all had to stretch. So, with a disappointed sigh, Judy reshelved it, taking a sour glance below, dreading the thing that she'd likely have to choose.She gulped. "You... mean..."Nick hummed his answer, a morose tone, even for him. It was one of those bags. The off, off-brand thing at the bottom of the shelf that was as cheap in price as it probably was in flavor. The bunny on its plastic display was as crudely drawn as the carrot flying away from its paws.Reluctantly, Judy grabbed it. It was still cereal. Nick grabbed a bag as well, something 'berrylicious', much to her wonder.Cereal obtained, Nick slung his bag over his shoulder, making his way to the produce section. The rows of green veggies and ripened fruits were a slice of home and heaven to Judy's senses. Watching Nick wander, she did the same; meandering through as if drawn by an invisible force. She stopped when she came to an orange pile, gawking at the beauty of the vegetable she loved. Baby ones in bags, huge ones as big as her, there were dozens of them. The rich colour, the crunchy texture... the taste! She had to have a bunch, she just had to- How much does it cost? After a quick check of three dollars a pound, she relented.-make due with what she had... she opted for a small mixed bag of carrots and parsnips – Jack's favourite – tagged at just over a dollar.Taking her prizes in paw, she toddled over to see what Nick was up to. He was currently looming over the bins of berries, inspecting a mixed container in his paw. Setting her stuff down, he finally noticed her, a brow raised. "Carrots?" Was all he said, but that was enough for her to glare at him."Don't call me that," she warned.Nick only chucked, "Fine. I won't call you that, Carrots."Shaking her head under the sound of his laughter, she should have seen it coming. It wasn't demeaning, perse, but a bit annoying. Bunnies being called carrot farmers and all. But eh, what could she really say? They were getting along, shopping, and trying to find bargains. Laugh dying down, Nick held out the mixed berries cheerfully. "We're almost done here. Just a few more things and we're good to go." Judy nodded, watching the fox's eyes dance over the little container of blueberries and raspberries. An odd combination for sure. But when she took a closer look at the berry box, she cringed, a chill running down her spine while memories rushed and surged back.It had 'Hopps Family Farm' on the label. She could feel embers kindling in the pit of her stomach. She twitched, "You sure you want that brand?"The question was so sudden, so unlike her to ask or throw out when it should have been 'that's the best one there is'. Well, it should have been... would have been.Scoffing, Nick held the box closer, right at her snout. "They're pretty good. Cheap, too."He was right. Theirs was the cheapest you could find around. However, Judy was adamant. Scouring the berry bushels for mixed packets, she went over the names she knew. Leveret, Lopton, Thumper... Skippy's! Taking the slightly pricier - ten cents made a lot of a difference - box and giving it to the fox, she told him, "Try these."A bit skeptical at first, Nick did as Judy informed. He picked a blueberry, ripe and glistening, and slowly chewed it as if some connoisseur. Twitching her nose at his verdict, Judy hoped she was right. The Skipps were nice folks. His reaction was a bit delayed, but definitely not sour. "Mmm... these are really good," he stated, placing the Hopps' box back and checking his book with an affirming nod. "You eat these often?"Judy shrugged. "You could say that."As she said this, a blur of white and silver came into view along with a chirping yelp. She had to hop back as a cart came zooming by, the fox steering it trying to stop it with both paws and skidding to a crash into one of the nearby produce shelves.Thankfully, the cart didn't tip over, just some of the items and the terrified bunny that flipped over the children's seat and landed with a crunch into a bag of rice.Not missing a beat, the vixen hopped from behind the handlebars, saluting with a pawful of crackers. "We're back!"Nick gave her a thumbs up, eyeing the haul that they got. "Perfect timing,"When Judy took a look at all the groceries they brought along with them, it was like looking at a food mountain – so similar to the harvests back home.There were canned goods, packs of instant noodles, small bags of chips, a styrofoam cooler, matches, juice boxes, and snack crackers.The amount of food they had should have been reason to practically binky right in the middle of the store, however, her worry got the best of her. "How are we gonna pay for all of this?" she asked, taking a step back to question the true motive of the foxes.
We are gonna pay for all of this, right?
Taking his pen and paper and writing everything down that he saw in the cart, he tutted, "Relax, Carrots. We can afford all of this without a four-digit discount if that's what you're thinking."Ears standing up, the doe waved her paws in defense. "T-that's not what I meant!"Hearing the laughs of the two vulpines come back, Judy felt her cheeks flush at some joke she obviously missed. Her only solace being Jack who – after recovering and hopping down and fixing his beanie – looked as confused as she did.Satisfied, Nick waved them on, Skye taking the effort to pull the cart away from a falling pile of kiwi's to which all of them had to help; Nick taking the time to push the front wheels while Jack and Judy saved the produce. Everything stable, they all took the cart to the checkout lane, opting to wait in a slightly longer line as Nick thumbed through his binder.Inching closer and closer behind a pack of wolves and their pups – each of them trying to convince their parents that they needed the candy on the shelf – it was finally their turn. Skye took her time in seeing if there was any candy that she needed as well. Unfortunately, Nick shook his head. She pouted.At the register, they all helped in unloading. There was so much there that Judy kept telling herself that it was impossible for them to get it all, that it was a ruse of some kind.It wasn't until the cashier, a melancholy serval, was swiping everything that Nick gave Judy a grin. "So... you wanted to know how we're gonna pay for everything, right?"With the price of a hundred and twenty dollars flashing on the register, it was as if the machinery itself was taunting her. She waited for him to say or do anything. What he did next took her by complete surprise. He leafed through his binder, taking a few pieces of torn magazine paper out, and flashed them at her. Her worries were shot down."Extreme couponing!" he announced, handing nearly the entire clip of trimmings and handing them to the mammal at the counter. She watched in complete shock as the price became lower and lower. 120... 98... 83... 75... 63... 55...The number plummeting from various things like the cereal they purchased to the mixed berries they got made her heart flutter.Once it reached about a dollar over their spending limit, her face contorted. Coming that far only to have to put a few items back was disheartening, but they still had everything they needed. Or so she thought. "Oh, wait... one more!" the tod announced, having found a last little snipping for mixed carrots of all things. Sighing, the cashier told them their new price. "Thirty-nine eighty-five."Judy's jaw dropped as the fox paid the bill with everything they all owned.The frugal fox had ensured that they'd feast for days. They wouldn't starve with the little they had. The little they scraped from that old, broken home. And the best part? It was theirs. Well, half of it, anyway.Food secure, they took effort in wheeling the cart out of the store and moving on back to their home. Walking out of the store with a grin she couldn't contain, Judy tried her best not to binky all the way there. She only got as far as the edge of the parking lot.Nick wondered what she was doing, but Skye joined her in her victory dance.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter 3: It's Quiet Downtown
Nick stared up at the gaudy, pseudo welcoming sign that stretched from one pillar to another far above them. With a little more disbelief than he should have had, he scratched nervously behind his ear. "And this is what you really wanted to do today?" A question for the ages, but one that was well deserved as he turned to the bunnies, glancing between them incredulously. On one side, Jack shrugged, his only indication of enthusiasm was how quickly his amber eyes went from one desk to another behind the sheen of glass that Skye had practically glued herself to; her paws leaving small smudge marks on its almost flawless surface. Judy, however, was her giddy self. Or what he could guess was what she was when excited. He couldn't really tell, knowing them for only three days and all. "Of course, Nick." said the doe in an almost squeaky voice. "I mean, it's not like I had anywhere else to be, and I wanted to check a few things out."To that, he hummed. He didn't have anywhere to be per se. Not today, anyway. But still, this was a bit awkward. "So you figured we'd all go to the library?"She nodded in return, her ears flopping over as she smiled up at him.When they had woken up and gotten a breakfast of oatmeal and mixed fruit, they discussed what they'd do and, much to Nick's amusement, it felt good to talk to someone that wasn't either Skye or that was just after their stuff.Settling on a walk as stagnation wasn't good for them or their food supply – Skye would have tried to eat everything if she was left unwatched – it eventually turned into sightseeing that became a trip to the library.Though he wondered if this was all in her plan all along, it was still an opportunity to check out a few things that he had a mounting suspicion of.He refused to let it show, though, opting to take a few careful steps up to the Zootopia Metro Library instead.
Hopefully it goes better than last time.
"What kind of books are you gonna check out?" he asked in general, walking up to the automatic door of their size and casting a quick glance to the check-out desk to ensure that certain faculty members weren't there."I'ma check out the comics and engine guides!" Skye yipped, dashing past him and bee-lining for the stairs leading up to the second floor. She nearly collided with a meerkat carrying a stack of books.Judy was next. "I don't know just yet," she called back, admiring the interior. Sepia lights complemented the dark, cherrywood stained bookshelves. The multi-leveled building was well kept and staffed. Little if any dust or stray fur floated around due to warmly ventilated air that carried the scent of books both new and old.Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed from the sheer feel of the place, she trotted off to find someone to help her find what she hoped was there. Watching her disappear behind the bookshelves, Nick didn't know what it was about her that made him feel… better about his situation. Beside himself in curiosity as to where this was going, he gave the whole idea a quick chuckle.And though he was left with her counterpart, Jack, it wasn't too bad being around the silent bunny as he had yet to really speak to him. As Nick had seen, he was kind of shy around him – bunny, fox, it was a given – but less so around Skye. It meant that he had to try to figure out a way to know him a little more. Heck, he didn't really know much about either bunny, they just kind of broke into his life. Quite literally, in fact."So, stripes, any books you're interested in?" he asked, heading past the reception desk and enjoying the nip of chilling air. He figured he'd get to know them a bit better as they'd probably be in for a long stay.Soon, he heard the click of Jack's hind claws against the linoleum fade into the plush padding of the carpeted floor. "If they have any mystery books, then I'll read a few of those.""Ah," exclaimed the fox, winding his way around the romance section, squeezing his way by a koala definitely not covering her current read of 'Fifty Sheds of Fur' by squeezing that book in between a thesaurus. Brushing it off and sticking to his plans, he smirked. There was a lot to ask, and he just needed to get his foot in the door. "And what would you do if all the mystery books went missing?"It wasn't until he was down the aisle that he turned back to a confused buck. Yellow eyes stuck somewhere between genuinely confused and pleading. "Why would the mystery books be missing?"Nick blinked. Okay, not quick on the uptake. He turned back to the bunny with a laugh. "I dunno, but wouldn't that be a great case to solve?"As if a light bulb had gone off, the bunny him a look of utter amusement that he didn't expect. "For Sam Hart, maybe?"His voice was a bit more uppity than usual. It let Nick know he was on track. "That's a name I hadn't heard in a long time. So you're into the classics, huh?" he replied, rounding the kiosk nearest the fiction section and making his way down the rows of books he hoped were in Jack's interests. Quickly skimming the selection, Nick found exactly what he was looking for. He grabbed a book off the shelf and held it out, rocking it back and forth in his paws like a kit playing 'keep away'. "I wonder what Ol' Sammy would say about Sherlock Bones."Again, the buck's eyes lit up. He grabbed the book so fast that Nick had to do a double-take only to find the rabbit's stubby nose deep in the pages already."I can't believe they have these!" Jack squeaked, elated from the text he had begun to read, flipping through page after page as he read at lightning speed. His striped ears swiveled a little under his beanie every time he skimmed over a line of text. "They're the best! I haven't read any of his stuff since high-school!"Catching that little phrase, Nick crossed his arms to contemplate what was said. He often tried to get a better read on other mammals to know what to say more. So they're out of school too, hun? It'd been a while since he thought about that, to be honest. But it did give him insight on their actual age which wasn't too far behind him and Skye, he guessed. After a few pages had been read, Jack glanced up from the humorous lines of text to see the wry grin on Nick's muzzle. He turned away immediately. "T-thanks, Nick," he said, voice low but grateful. "I'll be over here for a bit."The fox chuckled, "Anytime, Stripes."Satisfied that one of his crew were okay with their activity, he sought to see what the others were up to before planning on what to do himself. Truth be told, he didn't really want to be in the library, but the fact still stood that it was a place of great opportunity.Taking a few steps away from the section, he wanted to see where Judy and Skye were. More worried about the latter as she would constantly get in trouble, he sighed in advance to what he'd find this time.
She said she'd search comics, right? I really hope that she's not-
Just as he tried to finish his thought, he saw her on the second floor, a stack of comics comically clasped in her paws as she bore a bright smile. She teetered and toddled a bit as the thing was almost as tall as her, but she managed (barely) to hobble the thing to a standing table to which she set them all down with an audible thump. Tail wagging at incredible speeds, she had her whole muzzle encased in one of what he could assume was one of her favourite superhero genres with what looked like a pig in a yellow outfit with red gloves and a white cape.
-Eh, she's fine...
With the vixen set to do her own thing, all Nick had to worry about now was Judy. She'd taken off somewhere, but he didn't know exactly where. Not by sight, anyway.He chuckled, tilting his head to the ceiling while taking in a few deep sniffs. Amid the myriad of scents that he singled out – books, musk, his own included... he could use a shower – warm cedar and cherry wood furnishings, and finally, out of them all, their scents.Having grown up with Skye, he was able to pick up hers first. It was an amalgam mix of her favourite raspberry pastries and grease from whatever she had been tinkering with over the past few days out of boredom.While some would find it offending to their olfactory senses, Nick found it comforting. Having seen mammals come and go, it was nice to have one constant amidst the ever-growing struggles of city life. Jack's was next as he had just left the buck to do his various readings; he was a bit more difficult to place. It was far more mellow and laced with those parsnips that he liked.And while he could smell a twinge of fear from the bunny, that wasn't all. Much like him, it was a... reservation. Nick couldn't exactly say that Jack was terrified of him – he was fine at breakfast and Skye liked him as well – but it was more of a hesitation, a testing of the waters between them.Nick glanced over his shoulder, fiddling with a button that he knew needed fixing, Can't blame him. Fox, bunny, it was a given. Nearing the reference section, he sniffed a little more, finally picking up her scent among them. A slow smile crept up on his muzzle as he could smell Judy somewhere nearby.Her scent was different from most mammals that he had known. It was earthy, crisp, faint traces of lavender... carroty? It didn't smell at all of how the city saw them: filthy, less than secondary... tertiary perhaps. While he couldn't place his paw on its familiarity, it wasn't what he expected from a bunny. Pacing briskly around the few shelves of books, he spotted her about midway down the aisle. The bunny moved almost automatedly, certain of what she was looking for. With a few books at her feet and one currently held tightly in her paw as she skimmed and flipped a few pages. She was as organized as Nick had seen her when they came back grocery shopping. He had never seen anyone pack and compact things so efficiently.Content to see her work and having nothing to do himself, he strode closer, slowly swishing his tail with every step. It'd been a long time since he had been to the library and wasn't recognized. Now, he was just happy to share the space with someone new.He hadn't realized that he was practically over her shoulder until the bunny's ears swiveled towards him. She soon turned to gaze at him, smiling when she realized that it was Nick sneaking up behind her. Caught in her sight, Nick caught himself and casually leaned against the table. "Oh, hey Carrots." he jibed, nonchalantly watching everyone around him.She couldn't help but smile. "Hey, Slick."He kept in his snicker, opting instead to raise a brow. "Name-calling now, are we?"Flipping a few pages of her book, she raised her brow back in smug defiance. "Would you rather me call you 'Blueberries'?"He remembered the berries from yesterday. He hated to say it, but the Hopps' were still better.He didn't linger on it, though. "Depends on if any are around."Not missing a beat, the doe hopped down from her chair, one book in her arm and the other akimbo. "Just one," was her jest. "A bit on the green side, though."Nick couldn't help but laugh at that. Seeing him laugh made her smile. He wasn't hard to get along with.Though, she did need a favour."Would you happen to have a library card here?" she asked, gesturing to the row of monitors just a few bookshelves across. "I can't get access to any of the computers without one."He tried to hide the little twitch he gave in response.That stung a little. Contemplating what he should do, when he saw her just idly rocking on her heels, he relented. "Uh... sure, gimme a sec."Making his way over to an open desk, he gazed around for anyone that may have an issue with them being there. Seeing none, he quickly typed in the information as if by second nature instead of reading off numbers.Logged in, he offered the bunny the chair.Her eyes lit up. "Thanks! I'll be really quick."Hopping in the seat, Judy opened Zoogle and searched around while Nick stayed close by. He carefully watched the bunny's face light up in excitement for whatever it was that she was looking for."Perfect!" she squealed, closing the browser and hopping off. "Thanks, Nick! Be right back!" Wide-eyed as she dashed off again, he could only ponder on what Judy was doing. Whatever it was, it couldn't cause too much trouble.Shrugging it off, he stared at the open seat and still logged into computer. For a moment, he just considered logging out and leaving, but, within a few blinks, he sat back down.Paws hovering over the keyboard as the light of the monitor held his gaze, he took a deep breath. He logged into his old Zoogle account, one that hadn't been accessed in months. Unsurprisingly, his account was never full of mail, he didn't expect it to be. Well, save for a few messages that he won the lottery or some all expenses paid cruise or a prize for a downpayment. Nick gave a wearied chuckle. Helena Troy wants to send me on vacation, huh? Just as he was about to open the drive, he froze. It was something that he wanted to see, but didn't really want to do. He wanted a little more time.Claws rapping against the desk, he thought, What to do… what to- His ears stood on end when he mulled over the last few days. The days spent with rabbits. He opened a new tab. Now what was she doing again? Rabbit... dancing? Besides when they left the store, Judy had done that at least two other times. Jack looked like he was about to, but Skye just hopped along with the doe. To her, it was fun.He had no clue as to what it was called, but he'd seen bunnies do that a few times. Soon, his search popped up with one result: Binkying.He clicked around, finally getting it. "Ooohh! That thing."Sure enough, it seemed to fit the bill.Nick couldn't help but laugh. "I can't believe Warren was paid to do that every concert…"Every image gave off the same vibe. Some bunnies cheered, others hopped around. When he looked up the definition, it all made sense and led to one conclusion: she was happy. He gave a forlorn smile. To be happy living like this? His dreary smile betrayed his understanding of this. It was the little things that counted, after all. He shrugged, eyes glancing on the first tab he made. He couldn't click it just yet.While he could have quickly gone to see what he logged in for, there was one last thing on his mind.He started typing: Hopps Family Farm.It wasn't like he didn't notice how distraught she was when shopping the other day. She seemed acutely spiteful of his favourite brand of berry. So, to defend his preferred produce, he wanted to understand why.When the info for the Hopps' came up, Nick wasn't all too surprised at what their site said.Deep heritage, pillar of the community, new management from years back, large family, that down-home 'everybody's family' attitude. It was everything he thought the rabbit family was like, and then some. Nutritional facts about their produce, a puzzle game, word cross, the works.Yet, he couldn't see anything wrong with them.Tapping his foot deep in thought, he questioned what was at the root of this. So, he tried one more place.
Bunnyburrow, News, Hopps Family Farm.
Just as he did, the first thing to pop up for his inquiry was the local news. BUNNYBURROW BEACON, he read, eyeing the columns and seeing all that went on.And, as he thought, it didn't surprise him.Desperate times, power struggles, the elder Hopps' legal battles, sudden and inexplicable illness, a fire a few years ago.He expected this from any company, but he sighed that it had to be his favourite one.Staring at them a bit longer, he shrugged. I hope they're at least working things out. Now left with nothing but the sole tab, he finally decided that he waited long enough.Opening his drive, he went through the few files he had stored long ago. Not many, just a few folders.Eyeing the first one that he had labeled "family", he took a deep breath and – feeling his paw quiver – double-clicked it. It took its sweet time loading as he remembered. Libraries weren't known for top of the line internet.When it was opened, he was welcomed to an album of a dozen photos; memories that he cherished from what felt like ages.It started out with six figures in one picture, and ended with just two. Wearied eyes scanned the first photo, a time he couldn't remember. They all looked like they were having the time of their lives as two little bundles – one red and the other white – were held proudly.Not two frames later, only four figures remained.Tilting his eyes up towards the balcony, Nick watched as Skye continued to read her books in relative silence. He did have to laugh as she had started to build a fort with them.Refocusing on the pictures, he went further down the line. The little red and white dots had grown, but, only a few pictures later, only three faces were left. Out of them all, he really, really stared at the transition. It was then that, with half of the figures were left, that he felt it the most.Huffing and moving forward, he saw the last remaining images. Near the end, it was just down to two, a selfie he took not too long ago. Just me and Skye, he thought a bit more bitterly than he had wanted. Though that was the last photo, he opted to click on the last one just before it was the two of them.In it, two little fox kits – one red and the other white – smiled brightly on either side of a taller, elder red vixen. While still carrying that lovely, hopeful smile, he knew that she only did that for them. The irony was never wasted on him. Every time the little foxes got bigger, there were fewer faces, fewer family… fewer pictures. Funny how things worked out like that, huh? he mused, claws clicking, tail idled, and eyes taking in every detail.He was so fixated in ingraining every detail into his memory, that he didn't feel the little brush on his shoulder followed by a quizzical voice?"Who's that?"He just about jumped out of his fur when he heard Judy next to him. Nick met her puzzled, violet eyes and turned to the screen. His paws moved before he could think. "Nothing." he hastily replied, closing the image and browser with rehearsed speed. With the astonished look on her face, Nick knew he had been caught. He gave her a nervous smile, but, to his amazement, Judy didn't further inquire.He cleared his throat. "You uh… you got what you needed?"Bunny bounding in place-
Ah, binkying.
- Judy picked up the books she had rested against the desk.One by one, she offered the books to the tod. "Yeah, see?"And, one by one, Nick read them off, his tone laced with disbelief. "Law enforcement? Criminal Justice? ZPD guidebook?"When he was done, he carefully looked at her.Her paws smoothed over the binding of the last book. “This may sound dumb, but I… I’ve always wanted to be a cop.”He nearly hissed. A bitter taste filled his mouth with an equally bitter memory.“Hate to break it to you, fluff," he tutted, opting not to look her directly in the eye, but stare out the window, coldly. "but cops aren’t the best."Just before he could delve into why he said that, a half-whisper caught his ear."What are those foxes doing here?"He looked from behind the screen towards the other library patrons. A few of them had begun to stare at him and towards the balcony. It was then that he knew it was time to leave. "If you have what you need, Carrots, then you may want to check out."Not hearing her protest, he logged out and started on his way to the checkout desk.Though he heard more of the whispers, he didn't see that Judy's ears waved to and fro at them as well. "I pay good money for mammals like that to go away." one said, their nose buried in a magazine. It never felt good to listen, but not hearing what they were saying could be worse; he wouldn't have time to plan an escape route."Ugh... they stink. Come along, Jr." Okay, maybe that one was a bit true. It's not like he didn't want to keep clean clothes, but when you only had two sets of them and no real income, it was difficult to keep them always washed. And Skye's soup stain didn't help.Judy couldn't believe what she was hearing. More and more bombarded her ears, and every new word felt like a punch to the stomach. This was supposed to be a library. A place of knowledge and understanding. Not some political debate platform.Just as they broke the line of bookshelves and saw the front desk, Nick froze.His escape plan was to simply leave and wait outside, but with the burly figure in a blue uniform standing next to the attending librarian, he panicked. Not in their line of sight, he thought of any backup plan.He had to get out, but with that officer in the way, he'd have a better chance of that email from "Helena Troy" being an actual sweepstakes win.Just as the towering behemoth of a buffalo looked around, Nick dashed into the nearby bathroom. Heart racing and already envisioning what would happen, he stepped up to the countertop to catch his breath. Thankfully nobody else was there. Splashing water on his muzzle to calm himself down, he took a hard look at the figure staring at him in the mirror.Scraggly, tattered clothes, and alone, the fox in the mirror wasn't who he wanted to be.He had to go back out sometime, confrontation or not. Besides, he couldn't leave Skye with… that.Standing up and fixing his shirt, Nick composed himself. Poised and ready he made his way out, only pausing to sigh and grip the door handle. The moment he left the bathroom, he knew that this wasn't going to go well. It wasn't from the look that Judy gave him, Jack carrying a few novels, or Skye trying to balance a book pile in her paws.No. It was her. "There he is, officer." came a shrill, accusatory voice.The librarian, a woodchuck with a name tag reading "Charlene", marched her way towards him, wagging her finger all while shouting towards the buffalo cop.The bovid huffed. If the dark circles under his eyes were any indication of his state, then annoying him wasn't something that anyone wanted to do.Yet, the look that he gave his query wasn't harsh. Merely upset. "Nicholas." came his gruff voice."Lieutenant Bogo." the fox called back.Strolling by towards the vixen, Nick grabbed a few of her books, earning a quick thanks.The buffalo crossed his arms. "What were you doing?"Trying to ignore him, he looked at the selection of stuff Skye picked out. The one thing that made him grimace was the cookbook.Shrugging at the question, he answered. "Well, you know us. We were just-""You were just leaving, " the woodchuck interrupted. Her glare boring into the two foxes with intense distrust.Lips pursed to say something but thinking it over, Nick relented. He only gripped the books tighter before deflating. "Let's go, Skye."He carried the heavy stack to the counter with her trailing behind."B-but I didn't get to check these out." she complained, never getting Nick to turn around."And you won't." the librarian added with a huff.Paw clenched as he took a step forward, Nick wanted to just get out of there. At least Judy and Jack will be able to come here without being bothered. However, just before he made it past the counter, he stopped when he heard someone shouting in the library."Wait!" Judy commanded, racing between the two foxes and the buffalo. The bunny, now staring down the imposing cop, stood her ground as the buffalo loomed over her.He raised a brow. "And you are?""Judy," the doe stated, adamantly. "Judy Hopps."Just behind her, Judy didn't see Nick tilt his head slightly.Not wavering, the towering bovid hummed in acknowledgment. "An acquaintance of his?"Judy didn't like the tone, but this was an officer. She had to settle this the right way."No," she began, padding her way over to the two vulpines with Jack trailing behind her. Now next to them, she smiled. "They're our friends," she stated matter-of-factly before taking a glance down to the guidebook she carried in her paws. "We were just here to check out a few books and read for the afternoon."Seeming to process the words of the little rabbit, the buffalo stared between her and Nick. He took a long moment to assess the problem, and, when he made his judgment, he sighed."And why are they not allowed to check out the books here?" was his sharp reprimand, his stalwart gaze now boring into the librarian with repressed anger.Charlene, now quickly losing control of the situation, took a step back. She curled her paws in anger. "Well, officer. We only allow mammals with addresses to check out our books!"Nick felt his muzzle twitch. He had to place his paw there to physically stop himself from growling. Not only at the offending mammal, but the buffalo as well.Whether or not he noticed, Nick couldn't tell. But from the sneer that he gave, someone was in trouble. Taken aback at the response, Charlene rebutted. "I-... J-just look at them! They don't belong in the library!"All it took was one look between the group of small mammals and the librarian for the buffalo to pass his judgment. He leaned down, fury in his eyes. "Ma'am. Are you harassing the citizens or making discriminatory actions due to species or livelihood?"It didn't take her long to relent, even with how she stared at them. She sighed, returning to her desk, but, in one last act of defiance, she spat out, "You still need an address, and it's a four book limit per card."Momentarily contemplating what he was being told, the bovid stepped forward. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his wallet, and laid two cards in front of the woodchuck.With a somber tone and plastered smile, he chided her, "I believe that these four have books that they'd like to borrow."As they traveled down the street, fresh books in tow, Judy couldn't believe what just happened. "I got to speak to a lieutenant! And he got us books! " she shouted, joyously carrying the three books in her paws that she really wanted to get. While she protested that Nick should get something, he opted to give his share to split between them. And since Jack only wanted the two novels, Skye was able to keep the cookbook.Her elation there, he just shrugged.Noticing his somber mood, Judy huffed and moved a little closer. Practically at his shoulder, she spoke out. "You shouldn't have to be treated like that. Either of you."He looked down at her, bewildered at what she did earlier.
This bunny...
He sighed. "Yeah, well, it comes with the territory."She stopped in front of him, staring him down despite her smaller size.Jack and skye passed by, enjoying their talk of mystery, cars, and food.Tracing his features, Judy asked him. "Because you're foxes?"He chuckled. She was half right. "Because we're poor, and foxes."Raising a brow, she informed him, "Well, we're technically poor too, Nick."Rolling his eyes, he kept walking. "Yeah, but you're poor bunnies. Therefore you are cu-" He didn't get far when he felt a paw on his side. He turned to see the fury in all the rabbit's features. He quickly relented. "currently... less poor by default."Staring at him a moment longer, Judy smiled. She took off bouncing to catch up to the others.Watching her go made him laugh. One thought lingered in the back of Nick's mind. She's still cute. He shuddered when she looked back at him.