Zootopia: Undercover Pursuit

Chapter 28: Mum

Chapter 28: Mum

When Judy and Nick came down to the ground floor they were surprised to see that the street they were heading down was currently empty and there wasn't a single living soul on it. They were rather expecting a group of foxes who would not be one hundred percent friendly towards them. With a sense of security they left the block to get to their car, they had one more flat to visit.

As they walked back to the car, Judy watched the fox's thoughtful, chilling gaze. She knew that look meant anger and displeasure. After briefly observing the fox's thoughtful face, her gaze moved to the leather belt where the policemen kept various items on hand such as a walkie-talkie or a gun when it was time. Instead of a gun, the fox had a white vial in a small compartment, which turned out to be fox spray. She was intensely interested in why he took the spray and why it was humiliating to use it in the fox district.
Her thoughts about it were so intense and strong that she had to ask about it even despite the fact that it might anger the already agitated fox.
"Why is it humiliating to use fox spray here?" Judy asked. Nick, when he heard this question looked at Judy for a moment, which caused her to feel afraid that she had said something stupid again. However, to her surprise, Nick laughed briefly waving his head from side to side letting out a few exhalations from his mouth which turned to steam under the heat.
"You have a childish curiosity, you know?" Asked Nick ironically when he stopped laughing.
"It just makes me curious..." Replied Judy uncertainly. She still wasn't sure if the fox would react angrily to the question. His reaction was surprising in that he gave no clear sign if he didn't want to talk about it. Usually, when Judy ventured into Nick's intimate territory that he didn't want to discuss, the fox would briefly and effectively interrupt the conversation.
"Ah, well I'll tell you," sighed Nick finally, which prompted the rabbit to focus on the fox's statement.
"You see, when a fox uses fox spray it's very awkward...I don't know how to explain it to you, it's just something that shouldn't happen. The fox district works mainly on solidarity between foxes, despite fights and isolated skirmishes we never used spray because it's not right..."
"Yet you did use it," remarked Judy quickly. Again she felt silly for saying something she shouldn't. She knew this, after a heavy sigh from Nick, who in between wiped the drying blood on his nose and mouth area with his sleeve. The blood, even though it was practically no longer flowing, formed a small red trail on the fox's face after a while.
"Yeah,I used it,but I don't live here anymore and you know it doesn't fit here.... not anymore," replied Nick.
"It wasn't anyone you knew?" Judy asked.
"Hm? No, no, I generally have a good relationship with everyone in this town. I haven't had a problem with anyone to be honest. Sophia said why they started chasing us" Nick pointed out.
"I know... I'm sorry" Judy replied with a reproachful succinctness. She was remorseful,over the assault on Nick that could have ended much worse.
"Hey, it's not your fault! I mean...in theory because of you it happened, but we're okay! It can only get better now" Nick replied.
"Haha, but now you've cheered me up" replied Judy ironically, to which Nick now laughed sincerely with positive energy.
"I know, Judy...that's why you love me" replied Nick, a smile combined with slight embarrassment appeared on the rabbit's lips. It was the fox's favourite smile and it made him proud that he was able to embarrass the rabbit.

Soon they reached the car, which was standing intact. Fortunately, none of the bandits who were chasing them had the presence of mind to destroy their car or anything like that. They could continue their mission in peace, they had one last address left to check. When they got into the car, Judy tucked a rather large photo compared to the others into a catalogue (she'd taken the photo out of the frame before this one), and Nick sat thoughtfully with the catalogue.
"This is your house?" Asked Judy seeing the fox's thoughtful face again. I don't think she had ever seen Nick plunge into a state of thoughtfulness overnight before. Usually the fox was on the spot with his thoughts, not flying off too far, this night Nick was flying through the skies in his head, more often than not he was somewhere else in his thoughts than in reality.
"Eventually you'll be where you wanted to be" replied Nick handing the catalogue into the rabbit's tiny paws. Judy accepted the catalogue, then opened it reading the address they were to drive to.
"Sandstreet...is that where you lived through your childhood?" Judy asked.
"Yes...I grew up there" Nick replied. Judy nodded with a movement of her head. After the fox's behavior, she was dumbfounded to ask anything in this situation. She knew that she had already asked him many times that night about his private life in the past, she didn't want to pester him any further. Moreover, she expected him to be slightly stressed about this meeting.
"Are you stressed?" Judy asked.
"Hah, you ask a lot of these questions during this night Judy...let's go, I'm really tired already" replied Nick with a short smile, then started the car engine.