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"...Brother?""What is it?"Silence."...No, we aren't finished yet.""But I'm B-O-R-E-D!"The hand sighed, turning to face the other. In the light of the sun, he could see that his counterpart had taken to fiddling with the hologram of the various universes. Not that there was much else to do - at least until everyone showed up for the "family" dinner. Final Destination was not the most exciting of places outside of battle, and he had already made preparations in Smashville for the night - or so he hoped. While both Villager and Isabelle had given him smiles of approval, Villager exuded his usual unnerving aura...Master Hand shuddered at the thought. He turned his attention back to Crazy Hand, who was in the process of watching Zootopia for the tenth time that week.(Which did not include the four viewings that his brother dragged him to three days ago, on a Saturday morning)His thoughts were interrupted by Crazy Hand, who suddenly became a sobbing mess on the floor. He knew exactly which scene this was - Judy had just compromised her relationship with Nick. While he was slightly annoyed by Crazy's marathon reruns of the film, it did keep the hyperactive hand occupied, and averted many of the headaches caused by his usual antics.
But there are a new set of problems now...well, at least they're not as bad as-
A shrill alarm brought the hand's attention back to his monitor, who fell out of his chair as he did so. The startled hand confusedly double-checked the time. They're here already? They couldn't have arrived an hour early...Scanning the screen again, a large, screen-wide warning popped up, accompanied by brightly flashing rainbow lights."WARNING: Unverified Universe Approaching. 27 Universes converging in 4 minutes."Shocked, Master Hand glanced outside. Final Destination was indeed racing towards an Earth, burning up in the atmosphere. The sun became hidden behind the clouds, a city of lights and animals coming into view.Zootopia.
"CRAZY HAND!"
--------------------------------"...Carrots?""What is it?"Silence."...No, we aren't finished yet.""But I'm bored!"The bunny sighed, turning to face the fox. Behind the stacks of paper, she could see that he had taken to throwing paper aiplanes around the room. Not that there was much else to do - at least until her report was completed. They had caught a few criminals that day, but they hadn't recieved as major a case from the Chief since the Night Howler incident.Judy sullenly focused her attention onto her report. She was just as restless as Nick to have a new case, but they couldn't do anything about it. There had been a few controversial outcries following the discovery of Bellwether's plot, but they had been quickly resolved, leaving both officers to the endless boredom of paperwork following every minor case. Even a few of the criminals they had tailed immediately surrendered after seeing the "heroes" of the city - or tried to fake them out, with little success.A paper airplane flew by her face, snapping her back to reality. Judy gave a playful glare at Nick. She couldn't blame him with the silly grin plastered on his face, although it would have been helpful if he actually assisted in completing the reports instead of folding them up into...
Wait a minute.
"NICK!" Judy screeched, snatching the stack of papers before he could fold any more. "We have to give those reports to Chief Bogo tomorrow morning!"Nick gave her a questioning look. "...You sure about that, Carrots?"Judy stared at him confusedly, looking down at the stack in her hands. She gasped, staring at the badly drawn doodles of what appeared to be Nick and herself on the numerous sheets. Whirling around, she saw that she had already completed the other reports, their folders stacked in a neat pile on her desk. "Oh..." she mumbled, as she placed the last folder at the top of the stack. "Well then, we're finally done for today!" Judy said, hopping up from her seat. "And it's only..." Judy quickly glanced out the window and gasped. "Wait - IT'S NIGHT?!" Her eyes darted around the room, finding the glaring red numbers of the clock: 10:00 PM."Carrots, our shift ended three hours ago," Nick said, laughing. "Even Chief Bogo came in and asked us to lock up for the night."Judy's eyes widened. "Oh...I-I'm so sorry, Nick! You didn't have to wait for me..."Nick smiled. "Don't worry about it, Carrots. I know how you get when you're focused on work. And if I didn't have my hardworking bunny partner, I don't know if I'd survive the paperwork everyday." He reached for Judy's paw. "Now let's go home - we won't know if there's a new case if we stand here all night!"Judy stared at him incredulously, before smiling back. "You're right," she said, accepting his gesture. "Thanks, Nick."Shutting off the office lights, they headed towards the door together."By the way, I call shotgun!""...Didn't you call permanent shotgun last time?""You remembered? I'm flattered.""Of course I did - otherwise, we'd be stuck in the meter maid cart, or worse. And the daily coffee you owe me isn't a bad trade off, either."Nick smirked. "Sly bunny.""Dumb fox."--------------------Isabelle frowned as she reviewed the finishing touches to the party. The Nooklings were running about, setting up various sparkling ornaments for the tables. The Mayor had gone to the train station to pick up a last minute order of fireworks, adding to the hundreds already in position around town. Even Tom Nook was meticulously inspecting the stage decor, checking every piece of DJ K.K.'s equipment. Everything was perfectly in place.Yet something felt off - and Isabelle didn't dare doubt the notion this time around.The last time she had felt this sensation was three weeks before, when Crazy Hand had been at the peak of what everyone dubbed the "Zootopia phase". He would throw out phrases in the halls, reenact scenes, and savagely chase anyone unfortunate enough to disturb him while he was watching. There wasn't a day without someone being hit with a blueberry pellet or an elephant tranquilizer, followed by a statement of "It's called a hustle, sweetheart!" or "Ewe fell for it!" that echoed throughout every Smash universe. In those days, Isabelle had learned to ignore the unusual feeling that came whenever Crazy Hand was up to something.She had only realized her mistake when-"Are there any problems, Isabelle?"Isabelle jumped at the sudden question. She whirled around, eyes meeting the face of the Mayor's sister, the Home Designer. She recalled the Mayor mentioning that an expert designer would be visiting from the Cliffside Area to help with the setup, but she hadn't seen the girl all day. Although, I should have expected this, Isabelle thought. We never finish an hour early, even when all the villagers pitch in. Thank goodness for her endless inventory...The Home Designer's smile dropped slightly at the silence. "If anything isn't up to standard, I can edit it now," she said, holding up her clipboard.Isabelle gave her a worried smile. "No, it's fine - everything's perfect. I'm just...worried that something's going to completely throw us off course, like...one of Crazy Hand's antics."The Home Designer sighed. "I remember you mentioning three weeks ago that the best way to deal with Crazy Hand was to ignore him. What changed your mind?"Isabelle's face darkened at the comment. "I ended up in another world," she admitted, voice barely above a whisper.The Home Designer gasped. "...Judging by your reaction...you didn't report the incident, did you?" she asked, staring into Isabelle's dull eyes. No answer. "Couldn't that cause timeline instability? That could be disastrous!""Well, I couldn't just leave and ruin his life even further!" Isabelle shot back, flinching in realization as she did so. Seeing the Home Designer's confused face, she turned away. "I...said too much. I'm sorry."Well, there goes that secret, she thought. I'm terrible at keeping my mouth shut these days...The Home Designer stared in bewilderment as Isabelle became lost in her thoughts once again. From the few previous instances she had interacted with Isabelle, she had known her as the cheerful, upbeat secretary of "Mr. Mayor". Even during the Smash tournament, Isabelle always seemed to be positive, assisting everyone with a smile as she chucked fruit at their faces.
What could've caused her to become so...withdrawn?
The Home Designer shook her head. That isn't something I should be concerned about now, she thought, looking towards the horizon. The party's starting in half an hour, and there's a tower in the middle of the ocean...She did a double take. A tower...in the ocean?Glancing at the water again, she confirmed that there was indeed a tower floating along in the waves. She caught sight of the shabby exterior, containing a small, worn medical symbol that was barely visible, even with her "designer insight", as Isabelle had dubbed it. She worriedly glanced at Isabelle - who still hadn't snapped out of her stupor - as the building (abandoned hospital?) seemed to advance towards the buoy line, which was beginning to distort in a hazy fog."...Isabelle?""What is it?"The Home Designer shuddered at the souless, cold tone of the response. It reminded her of her brother..."Well...Is that blurry tower over there-""Cliffside Asylum" Isabelle said, interupting the Home Designer's question.The Home Designer stared at her, befuddled. "...I'm sorry?"Isabelle turned to face her again, eyes returning to normal. "The blurring only occurs when the town is being moved, though..." she stated, neglecting to explain her initial statement. "But, that means-"Isabelle whirled around, colliding with the Home Designer as she tried to move towards the distraught secretary. The pink-haired girl dropped her clipboard, managing to catch herself before any harm was done. At that point, she was absolutely baffled."Hey, Isabelle..." she shouted, standing upright. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"Her question was met with silence.The Home Designer looked up, only to find Isabelle nowhere in sight, a new note stuck onto her clipboard. Plucking it off of the wooden material, she scanned the hastily written text."Please inform the Mayor that there is a top priority emergency. Any remaining citizens who are not Smashers should be evacuated immediately. Don't worry about the party, since it'll most likely be indefinitely postponed or ruined by the collision.P.S. Please prepare the hospital for patients. I estimate that there will be many, many bodies in need of...assistance. -Isabelle"The Home Designer gaped at the note, the message glaring at her with silent intensity. She flipped the note around, noticing a photograph of a familiar fox clipped to the paper. Under the image, scribbled in jet black ink, were two words: "The First"Maintaining her business facade, the Home Designer ran towards Town Hall to make the calls, her mind attempting to process the recent revelations.
Just what in the world have I gotten myself into?
-------------------"Clawhauser?"Silence."...Clawhauser?""Don't worry, Chief, I'm almost finished!"Bogo sighed, tiredly gazing at the cheetah. When he left the station, he hadn't expected Clawhauser to pounce on him, frantically spouting incomprehensible information in his face. Once he had calmed Clawhauser to a reasonable level, they sat in a Snarlbucks across the street to discuss what Clawhauser dubbed "an emergency Gazelle fanclub meeting". That had been three hours ago.He knew Clawhauser had a motor mouth when it came to Gazelle, but the cape buffalo didn't know what to expect when the cheetah had announced that he would be entering a singing contest. His bewildered expression was quickly erased, though, as Clawhauser explained that Gazelle's music label was looking for another talented star. A public singing competition was announced to be in two days' time, apparently due to the popularity of the idea. Clawhauser excitedly informed him that he had immediately signed up, but didn't have a song in mind to perform. Which had been the cause of his current dilemna: finding the perfect song to impress the pop star with.Typical Clawhauser, Bogo thought. At least I didn't sign up, or I couldn't face the rest of the force..."Oh, I forgot to tell you, Chief, but I also signed you up for an audition!" Clawhauser said happily, as if he had read his thoughts."...WHAT?!" Bogo shouted, ignoring the look he got from the cashier. Clawhauser didn't seem notice, still immersed in his numerous sheets of song lyrics.Bogo sank back into his seat, a mortified expression forming on his face. Well, there goes my dignity. And knowing Wilde and Hopps, they're going to use this as blackmail material somehow...As Clawhauser continued to enthusiastically scribble ideas into his Gazelle handbook, Bogo's eyes wandered to the window, in an attempt to clear his thoughts of the fox's smug face. He followed the fiery trails of meteors, which illuminated the night sky with shades of scarlet. The stars seemed to shine as bright as the morning sun, a light violet tint streaking across the horizon.
This is quite a picturesque scene for a date-
Bogo blushed furiously, burying his face into a few of Clawhauser's papers.
Where did THAT idea come from?
Attempting to compose himself (and bury the incriminating images of his mind's eye beneath a pile of paperwork), Bogo redirected his gaze onto Clawhauser, who stared back at him with wide eyes."O. M. Goodness! Chief, that song is absolutely perfect!" Clawhauser squealed, bouncing in his seat.Worried by Clawhauser's excitement, Bogo looked at the song in his hands. He sighed.
Why did it always have to be Floatzen? ...Well, at least I already know the song, like everyone in existence does.
"You found your song so quickly, Chief...I'd better pick up the pace, then!" Clawhauser said, digging through his papers once again.Bogo let out an exasperated sigh. At this rate, we won't even get to work tomorrow, he pondered, calculating Clawhauser's snail-like pace. For the first time in...well, forever, please let him find a song-Bogo paused, realization dawning upon him as he quoted the movie yet again.
Maybe Floatzen is useful after all.
"Clawhauser~," he sang, uncharacteristically leaning over the table with excitement. "I have a wonderful idea for our audition..."--------------High above the clouds, a starry observatory slowly drifted towards the city. Rosalina stared at the approaching metropolis with curiosity. It was quite evident that they hadn't landed in Smashville as planned, and it was also fairly obvious as to where they had landed - Crazy Hand had attempted to raid the library three times that past week, frantically searching for more Zootopia content to read. She'd tolerated his search until he attempted to paint the floor, intending to depict a map of Zootopia. He'd left after weeping about the beautiful scenery of Zootopia, but Rosalina suspected that they would somehow be forced into Zootopia, whether they liked it or not. Crazy Hand always does this, she mused, eying the F-Zero "Miss Galaxy" trophy on the shelf.Rosalina closed her eyes, trying to drown out the noises eminating from the central area. She wasn't concerned about adapting to Zootopia, since the Smashers had all experienced each other's worlds. What concerned her was-"Catch the falcons!""We're ROBINS! Leave us alone! Thoron - Dammit, I dropped the tome again...""You fried my tail! Meow~""Sorry, Cat Peach! Or do you still prefer Princess Peach? Anyways, these Koopas are - STOP PULLING MY FEATHERS!""You'll never defeat me!""We'll see about that, butterfly!"-how they would take their new forms.Rosalina sighed. When she'd agreed to carry a few other Smashers due to the size of the Observatory, she was fully prepared to deal with any problems they caused. While she could usually calm them in their regular forms, she couldn't prevent them from making the Observatory a jungle, chasing each other like wild animals - quite literally. Master Hand had even dropped by, but did nothing to alieviate the problem; instead, he'd frantically searched for Dr. Mario, grabbing the poor tanuki as soon as he came into sight. When Rosalina attempted to question him about his conduct, the hand spoke at such a speedy pace that she almost missed the comment entirely."Because of all places we could have crashed Final Destination...," he explained, "we crashed it on HIM."He'd teleported away after that, but Rosalina knew who exactly the hand was referring to. The fact that he personally took Dr. Mario proved the severity of the issue.
This won't sit well for Judy, she thought. Knowing Master Hand, he's somehow going to lead her to-
The Observatory suddenly tremored, causing a few Lumas to tumble into the Bedroom, squeaking as they crashed into the canopy bed. Rosalina became alert, rushing out towards the central hub. She felt the power of the Stars depleting, the Obseratory quickly losing altitude."Rosalina! What's happening?" a voice echoed behind her.Rosalina turned.Bowser.
If it wasn't Bowser who took them-
"Wario must've stolen the Power Stars..." she deduced, glancing at the Garage to confirm her theory. True to her words, Wario's bike was missing from the pile of vehicles. He most likely stole a Smash Ball as well, or he'd be a trophy before he landed..."Everyone!" Rosalina said, spreading the telepathic network throughout the Observatory. "Please evacuate the ship using the nearest Launch Star, and pair up with the nearest Smasher to ensure your safety in the city.""Hey Star Lady, why are you so calm about this? Your ship's gonna go BOOM!""Shut up, Junior! At least she warned us! Mario always knocks us off our airships like we're fodder!""Well that's what you are!""WHAT DID YOU SAY?""Rosalina! We're stuck in the Library with no Launch Star! I can't believe this - a good tactician has nothing to fear...""Rosalina, who do I pair up with?""Pair up with us!""...You guys are polar bears.""...And?""I don't want to live in Tundratown! Won't that be suspicious?""We knew it! You did watch the movie! Why didn't you tell us when we asked?""...Please help me...""Star Lady, can we take some of these Lumas? They're good decoys!""Miss Galaxy, can I slap my brothers for being idiots?...Actually, why am I even asking? Come back here, Junior!""Rosalina, I'm stuck in the Launch Star!""Rosalina!""Rosalina! Help!""Rosalina!"Rosalina sighed, exhausted by the constant banter. Gathering the Lumas, she began the attempt to stabilize the Observatory, but not before sending a final message to everyone."If anyone finds Wario, tell him that he's paying for everything - with the money from his own pocket." In the midst of a dark alley, a burly skunk shuddered.-----------------Nick smiled as Judy waved to him, maintaining his façade until he was sure that the retreating vehicle was out of sight, far from his "apartment".He wondered how he'd been able to keep Judy from figuring out his housing situation. With her persistency, he'd been worried that she would be onto him for blatantly lying to her face for months.But this wasn't a fairytale.Nick's ears flattened as he moved towards his abode, manuvering his way through the garbage bins and trash that littered the ground.1955 Cypress Grove Lane, Rainforest District.Slipping through a narrow alley, Nick growled as he reached his destination.Home. An empty, moldy dugout.Nick simply stared at the space he resided in.He wanted to leave the grimy, damp place, never to return.He wanted to see Finnick's smile again, the one the fennec fox secretly made whenever he stayed over in the van.He wanted to punch the landlord in the face for treating him like nothing.How characteristic of a fox. A voice echoed.Nick trembled, his legs locked in place. "Remember - if you dare enter the building or spill one word about me, and you're outta here. Got it, fox?"
Never let them see that they get to you...Never let them see that they get to you...Never let them see that they get to you...
Nick shoved the thoughts out of his head, forcing himself to move towards a clothesline on the wall. He began to peel off his sweaty uniform, hanging it next to his green shirt and slacks. The fox shivered, his bare form exposed to the cool breeze that penetrated the thin walls. The muddy floor clung to his fur as he curled up on the ground, refusing to let any tears fall.
You're pathetic.
Nick growled at the resonating voice in his head.
Go away.
Weak-
Shut up...
"...Nick!"Nick gasped, rolling over at the familiar voice. Judy.Nick's eyes widened as the bunny ran towards him, flinching as she grabbed his paw. His body refused to budge, causing Judy to fall face-first into the mud.
How did she find this place?
"What are you doing, Nick?!" She shouted, her efforts at moving him in vain.
She...saw it all...
"...Carrots...I'm sorry," Nick muttered, turning away from her watchful, mud-soaked eyes.Judy glared at the fox, concerned by his behaviour. "...What's wrong?""...Nothing.""...""...""...Nick, I'm your partner. Something's bothering you."Nick buried his face into his paws. "It's nothi-"Judy tightened her grip on him. "...Your eyes are puffy. It's not nothing, Nick.""Judy, I'm fi-"Judy cut him off again, her stare intensifying. "You called me by my name, Nick. I know something's wrong...why won't you tell me? Aren't we partners?"Nick stared at the aggrivated bunny, words dying in his throat. "I-I..."
You can't even tell your beloved partner-
"SHUT UP!" Nick screamed, unable to restrain his emotions. Judy jumped back in shock, hitting the thin wall behind her."Carrots...I didn't want you to see this place." Nick sobbed, salty tears fusing with the stains of mud. "I didn't want you to see what I've become. A pathetic excuse for an officer. A homeless weakling. A stupid FAILURE." Judy stared, frozen in shock. Nick paused, his eyes now devoid of moisture. "I didn't want to mess things up between us - and yet, after all we've been through, I couldn't even tell you my secrets. I couldn't trust you; I couldn't trust myself. How can I be called your partner when we both know that I can't be trusted? I'm just a lying, conniving FOX! And in the end...that's all I can ever be."Nick gazed at Judy's face, trying to evaluate her stony gaze as he finished. She stared into his green eyes, as if looking directly at his soul. Her eyes began to water slightly."Y-You...dumb fox. Do you think I'd judge you for living here? Did you think that, after all we've been through, that I'd leave you to rot in this mess?" Judy cried, embracing the fox in a hug. Nick trembled as Judy continued. "Everyone at the ZPD has your back. We all trust you, Nick. So don't think that you have to carry this burden alone, because...we're all here for you."Tears fell freely from Nick's eyes as he released his concealed emotions, sobbing quietly on Judy's shoulder. "Carrots...thank you." Nick choked out, releasing his grip on Judy.Judy gave him a small smile. "...You're welcome, Nick," she said sadly, her smile fading. "But...look up."Nick stared at Judy in confusion, but averted his gaze towards the violet sky. His heart sank as he faced the orange light of the meteor, its fiery trail radiating heat on the area below.It was headed straight for the apartment."The fire alarm...or you." Judy whispered solemnly.Nick's mind reeled. His eyes wandered to the fire alarm at the top of the side staircase to the apartment.
If I warn everyone...then I won't be able to escape.
Nick looked back at Judy.
...No...We wouldn't leave all those lives to be lost...
Nick's expression hardened."Let's go, Carrots!"Nick bolted up the stairs, the flames illuminating his red fur. The mud seemed to bake in the arid heat, his legs becoming heavier with each step. Nick panted, the extra weight quickly draining his stamina."Don't give up, Nick!"With a final burst of speed, Nick reached the top of the stairs, pulling the trigger as he collapsed in the mud. He heard the residents scream as they fled the building, the resounding screech filling the air. Nick gasped for air, scrambling to stand in the simmering mud-
Mud?
The confused fox rose to his feet. He was back in his home.
W-What? How did I get down?...Wait, where's-
"...Carrots?" Nick called out worriedly.The bunny had disappeared."Nick Wilde. This will...hurt. Goodbye."Nick didn't have time comprehend the cryptic message as the meteor met its target.--------------
A fiery inferno set the streets ablaze
and within the darkness, smoke, and haze,
A crevice collapsed, the walls no more.
Had there been a soul left to see,
A red fox in the dust, slowly and silently
Slipping from reality;
what would have been heard -
the last
desperate
breaths
of-
h-
-