#i love green so therefore i love wind archer

[sealedchasm]

is this bedbuge?

[lobster-tales]

Falling Back in Love With You

Chapter 3 Summary:  Link and Mipha travel to Rito House, intending to pick up their representative from the archery club. Revali, however, proves to be a problem.

This work is available here on AO3. Chapter 1  Chapter 2 

Link switched on the radio, not to disrupt the comfortable silence between Mipha and him, but to enhance it. Rhoam always left a blues album in the CD player. The van rolled past empty halls and dormitories, vacant fields and courts. Very few students stayed at the university through the weekend.

When they reached the edge of campus, Mipha asked, “Did you have fun last night?”

Link shrugged, casting her a clueless look.

“You don’t know?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, you don’t remember?”

He shook his head.

Concern entered Mipha’s voice. “I didn’t realize you drank that much… Do you even remember when I was there?”

Link pinched his fingers together, a small gap between.

“How much? Do you remember that game we played? With the cards?”

He nodded.

“Do you remember…” She let out a slight chuckle. “When we got the card where everyone has to drink while holding hands?”

Link smiled to himself, recalling the group’s laughter, someone spilling soda on their shirt.

“And… After everyone else put their hands down, you still held my hand?”

His blood froze. Link kept his eyes forward, tracing the details in his mind. He hoped to find something else, something easier to explain. Now that she mentioned it, though, he did remember. Mipha’s hands were small and cold, and he was warm from the punch.

She sensed the change and bit back her disappointment. Mipha gazed out the window instead, watching the neighborhood pass by. The van turned into Rito Street, and she knew she was running out of private time.

“I know… I’m not sure…” Mipha tried to put her feelings into words. “I just wanted you to know that I… I liked it. I liked holding your hand. Whatever it meant, or even if it meant nothing at all.”

Link tried not to react, but he knew his uncertainty was on full display.

Mipha steeled herself. “I guess… if it’s not too much, I wanted to ask you something?”

His curiosity got the better of him, and Link glanced her way.

“I’ve… wanted to ask you for a while now.”

The navigation app beeped on Link’s phone, alerting that they were at their destination. He pulled alongside a blue house, putting the van in park. The action startled Mipha.

“Oh, we’re here.” She straightened in her seat, reminded of the task at hand. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up now. I’ll wait until after the budget proposal.” Her thin red lips pulled into a smile. “Come on; let’s go find Revali.”

A broad-shouldered man perched on the front step of the blue house. His intimidating presence was offset by the accordion in his hands, his bright blue mohawk, and the easy look he gave the two of them. “Hey Link, hey Mipha,” he said, the instrument sighing between his fingers.

Before Link could wonder if this was Revali, Mipha said, “Good morning, Kass. How was your show last night?”

“It was great, thanks for asking. Blew the roof off of ole Rito House.” He indicated the blue building behind him.

Link felt memories flicker. He remembered how the building’s facade looked at night. The front door was opened only for performers, while the rest of the crowd gathered in the backyard.

Kass’s heavy eyeliner crinkled as he smiled. “What can I do for you?”.

“We’re looking for Revali,” Mipha said. “It’s a sports club thing.”

“On a Saturday?” Kass lifted his chin towards Link. “Aren’t you hungover?”

Link nodded bashfully, then pointed his index and middle fingers forward. He pivoted them up and down towards Kass.

“And you’re in a rush?” Kass shook his head. “What a day. Well, come on. I doubt he’s awake. Hang out while I check his room.”

Footprints from the night before were still visible on the ancient wooden floor, tacky where drinks had spilled. Link’s gaze traveled over the furniture, decorated by stains and red plastic cups.

“He’s not in his bed,” Kass said, reappearing at a hallway’s entrance.

“What?” Mipha asked, frowning. “Like he’s not here?”

“Well, not in the house,” said Kass, unbothered. He made for the back door, waving them through.

The backyard was similarly dirty. In one corner of the yard, an abandoned workshed sat with rusty tools inside. The other corner held an unused child’s playset, the wood just beginning to rot. The structure had a plastic yellow slide, two low swings, and a ladder that led to the covered platform in the center. Inside the playset, a body slept soundly, obscured from view by a pile of blankets.

“There he is!” Kass was the first to step forward, clearing his throat. “Revali?” He took hold of one of Revali’s legs, sticking out over the edge of the wood.

Like a snail, Revali withdrew the limb, curling into the fetal position as he growled, “Go away.”

Kass shook his head fondly. “Your friends are here to pick you up.”

Mipha asked, “Did you get Zelda’s texts?”

“Her what?” he grumbled, still hidden from view.

“We have to go to the school.”

“But it’s Saturday.”

“Yes, I know,” Mipha said patiently. “But Ganon changed the meeting. We have to go today.”

Revali rolled over to face them, his dramatic eyebrows and angular nose visible beneath the blanket. “And that’s my problem?”

At the sight of Revali’s features, memories flooded back to Link.

Link and Zelda joined the throng of students in the backyard of Rito House. They lingered on the outskirts of the group, apprehensive. Link’s mind was still fuzzy from the punch at the lifeguard apartment, and Zelda felt out of her comfort zone amongst the partygoers. A few people waved and some even approached her to talk. Link discovered that several were in the student council under Zelda’s leadership, and others knew her from classes or from the sports clubs.

“Princess, welcome!”

Zelda winced and turned to face a student wearing a light blue scarf, his navy hair wind blown on top and gathered into short braids at the nape of his neck. “Please don’t call me that, Revali,” she said.

Revali cocked an eyebrow. “My apologies, but you are the student council president, not to mention the daughter of the dean, therefore-”

“Ex-dean,” Zelda corrected sharply, her fists clenching.

Sensing he had gone too far, Revali backed off. “Very well, then I shall stick to ‘my lady’.” His green eyes settled on Link, mouth curling. “And I see you brought your bodyguard.”

“Link is my friend,” Zelda said. “You remember him from the fencing club?”

“Of course,” Revali said, circling them with one hand on his chin. “You know, some would argue that fencers are the natural rivals of archers such as myself.”

“What?” Zelda asked, exasperated. “Who would argue that?”

“Like I said, my lady,” Revali took his place in front of them, peering over his shoulder. He lifted his arms to each side, showing off his muscles beneath his sleeveless turtleneck. “Some.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “We’re all part of the sports club program, Revali. None of us are rivals.”

“Indeed,” he sighed. “However, it’s no secret that anyone can swing a little sword around. But it takes true skill and precision to fire an arrow, to pierce a target directly in the center.”

Link huffed, insulted by Revali’s coarse description of fencing. Zelda saw his expression change and said, “Fencing takes skill and precision too.”

“Oh please,” Revali scoffed. “Fencing is a brutish and violent sport. All of their members just want an excuse to beat on each other with weapons for hours at a time.” He raised his head high. “But archery is only for those with a refined taste, my lady. In fact, I wouldn’t debase it so much as to call it a sport; it’s more of an art.” He smirked at Zelda. “You know, my lady, we could use an elegant palette such as yours among our ranks.”

Zelda’s annoyance melted away, and she smirked at Revali. “Actually, I’m already a member of a club.”

Revali froze, looking between the two of them. “Oh? Perhaps volleyball, with Lady Urbosa?”

“Nope.” Zelda crossed her arms, triumphant. “Something more brutish and violent.”

Link stifled a laugh, but Revali was unamused. He pursed his lips, bowing his head in surrender. “Well perhaps… not every fencer is…”

A voice interrupted from the back porch, saving Revali from further embarrassment. “Kass is on in five!”

Zelda took Link’s hand and led him towards the back door, calling back to Revali, “See you after the show!”

They entered the crowded living room, one side of which had been cleared out to make space for the stage. Once they had picked a spot along the wall, Zelda collapsed into giggles. “Oh, that was priceless! What a-” She stopped, and found more tactful words. “I mean… Don’t get me wrong, he can be cool, but he’s just so... eccentric.”

Link grinned. He knew her well enough to understand her real meaning, and he agreed. Zelda stifled another laugh and said, “I’m going to find a restroom. Wait here for me?”

He nodded, and she disappeared into the crowd. Link stood alone against the edge of the room, watching Kass tune his accordion through the wall of bodies.

A voice hissed in Link’s ear. “You think you’re so clever, swordsman.”

Link jolted and met Revali’s piercing gaze. The archer narrowed his eyes. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed how you strut about, acting like you’re better than me. You may have Lady Zelda fooled, but I see right through you.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “So, what do you say we settle this? Once and for all? I have a bottle of rum in the cabinet; I can secure us some shot glasses from the house owners.” Revali stuck out his hand. “How about it, swordsman? Do you accept my challenge?”

Link paused. He had never competed in a drinking contest before, and was unsure of how much alcohol he could handle. The other, and perhaps the most pressing concern, was how Zelda would react once she found out.

Revali sneered at his indecision. “Ah, so you are a coward. I figured as much.”

Then again, Revali had relentlessly insulted his passion, and Link found that he couldn’t turn down an opportunity to put him in his place. Just as Kass began the first song, Link grasped Revali’s hand.

“Yes, Revali, because it affects your club,” Mipha said.

Link blinked back the thoughts, focusing on their exchange.

“Just like it affects the fencing club,” she said, indicating Link. “And the swimming club,” she pointed to herself. “And all of us. If Zelda doesn’t have any sport club members there, then the budget proposal gets rejected. That means no new bows, arrows, gear, anything. The practice gyms-”

“The archery club doesn’t use the practice gyms,” Revali scoffed. “We have to go off campus. Our gear still works, and if anyone wants something new, they can buy it themselves.”

Mipha’s mouth curled into a rare sneer. “Revali, this is important. Just come with us.”

“Nope.” Revali rolled over once more, pulling the blanket tight around his body.

Link, Mipha, and Kass exchanged glances. Kass shrugged helplessly. “Maybe you can ask someone from a different club?”

“On such short notice?” Mipha’s shoulders lowered in defeat, and she pulled out her cellphone. “I could ask my friend from the sailing club… If she left now, then maybe she’d make it on time.”

Time. Link removed his own phone to check. 11:20.

Whoa. How did that happen? He glanced at Mipha, who was still scrolling through her contacts. We don’t have time for this.

Link examined the playset. He nudged Kass, pointing to the slide. A grin spread across Kass’s features and he nodded in approval. He moved into position as Link climbed onto the playset, standing over Revali.

Still wrapped in blankets, Revali glared up at Link. “What do you think you’re- Aahh!”

Link shoved Revali’s body through the opening that led to the slide. Unable to stop his descent, Revali fell into Kass’s arms. Kass hoisted him over his shoulder, shooting Link a thumbs up with his free hand.

Revali protested loudly and without dignity. Kass hauled him through the fence gate, then tossed him into the backseat of the van. Suppressing a chuckle, Kass winked at Link and Mipha. “Just bring him back here when you’re done. My kids are at a sleepover, so I’ll still be around.” He moved back to his position on the front porch step, picking up his accordion once more as he called, “Oh, and good luck!”

[randomwoohoo]

Judy: Previously on Zoomorphia

Nick: Judy survived the bull Savage attack. Hooray!! Thank Mr. Big for his kind help~

Judy: Luckily, he is one of a few mammals who know the truth of Hybrid.

Nick: Not to mention he’s a mafia boss with more than enough personal medical supplies. That’s icing on the cake!

Judy: But that Bolt the silver wolf then showed up and played havoc. He wanted our MidniDrivers for some reasons.

Nick: What would happen next? Let’s find out in this chapter, chapter 16!

Judy: Actually, it’s chapter 17, Nick.

Nick: Wait? Did I miss one whole chapter?

Judy: No, it’s just that the last chapter was a flashback-

Nick: Or we have like a secret chapter that is too ‘spicy’ to be published publicly?

Judy: There’s no such thing!

Nick: Yet

Judy: Nick!!

Fanfiction.net

.-.. . - .----. ... / -.-. --- -. - .. -. ..- .

A penumbral lunar eclipse cast a light upon a snow covered front yard of a luxurious house in the icy Easternmost district.

“Judy… We should use my body to transform...” Nick suggested while he together with Judy as Hybrid Police form was at a disadvantage fighting against Bolt the silver wolf.

After she reminisced about the night she and her partner first transformed into the armored hybrid mammal, “No! It’s too risky.” she objected to the idea.

Although Hybrid’s form which required Nick’s body was undoubtedly powerful, capable of putting an end to four Savages even when they were inexperienced, it was likely that the duo would lose control and go berserk.

They cannot let anyone fall to the same fate as Professor Woolworth the ram, who was still in a coma after risking his life to detransform them at that night.

However, she was fully aware that they cannot gave in to Bolt either. If they did, the wolf would continued taking justice into his own paws. No one would stop him from going on a killing spree.

Not pressuring Judy to come up with a solution, Nick knew well that Judy was beating her brains out figuring out how to overcome their opponent. Nick himself was thinking hard too.

Both thought back to past fights in order to analyze them. They lost to Bolt even though Hybrid possessed greater strength than him due to the fact that they were unable to catch up with his extraordinary speed.

Judy looked back further, eventually recalling the first time they met the silver wolf. At that time, he came to rescue them from mid-sized macropodine Savages on the downtown elementary school’s courtyard after Hybrid Archer form’s monitor detected something…

The monitor detected… She reflected.

“I’ve got one idea but it’s a long shot.” She said.

Nick somehow could hear her thought loud and clear, thereby being able to guess what idea she had in mind. “Worth trying” He responded.

While the armored mammal in Police form, dropping the pistol in the left paw, was struggling to rise and hold the handle tightly, “Ain’t you giving up yet?” Bolt asked the united duo.

“Sorry… but I dunno when to quit” Judy twisted the handle forth twice. “FORM SHIFT-ARCHER”

MidniDriver and gaps of the suit of armor simultaneously emitted purple fog spreading over Hybrid and the nearby area on the front yard with snow. The thick mist, hiding the armored mammal, obscured Bolt’s view.

Suddenly, an arrow pierced the fog.

“Accel!” Bolt, accelerating his system, dodged the high-speed arrow, fired from lower angle, in the nick of time.

Immediately following that, “ACTIVATE” Bolt heard the robotic voice before the bio-armored mammal in green leather tunic, hood with red feather, and charcoal mark on face that resembles eye mask, Hybrid Archer form, dashed close to the wolf’s side with a bow in the left paw and a gladius sword in the right paw.

“Double accel!” Increasing his acceleration, the silver wolf moved away from the swung blade.

Bolt flashed around, which made the purple thick mist fade away, allowing Mr. Big the old shrew and his polar bear henchmen see the situation clearly again.

They found out that the silver wolf was briskly circling the armored mammal with doe figure and fox characteristics in the hooded tunic.

Afterwards, Hybrid stabbed the sword into the ground, then moved the right paw to grip the maroon handle of MidniDriver before twisting it. “CRITICAL BREAK”

Next, Hybrid, right palm glowing, drew the sword up. When the armored mammal got the paw on the sword’s grip, a glow was transferred to the blade.

The silver wolf later tried seizing the smaller flamingo red animal from behind. Hybrid whose monitor tracked motion of the mechanical mammal spun to swing the glowing sword at him.

He therefore went backwards like lightning to avoid the attack, then ran in curve to backside of the armored mammal.

After that, the monitor of Archer form started to calculate the wolf’s movement while Hybrid was drawing the bow.

Nick turned the armored mammal back before he discharged the glowing sword an arrow at the silver wolf.

It flew like the wind towards Bolt. “Oh scrap! Triple-” Unable to activate the greater acceleration in time, he got penetrated by the sharp blade in one of his thighs. As a result, he, losing his balance, fell on the ground.

Although this Archer form’s finishing move was not the strongest among all of forms’ finishers, it was indeed the fastest the duo had and fortunately, it was fast enough to win this fight.

“Looks like the tables have turned.” Nick said to Bolt as Hybrid’s weapons vanished into thin air, the sword stuck in his leg disappearing.

The armored mammal proceeded towards the lying down silver wolf who had few electric sparks coming out from a damage on his thigh.

“Bolt, if that’s really your name, you’re under arrest for multiple murders.” Judy stated in stern tone.

“Bolt!” Mittens bawled to him on their private wireless communication. “Your leg received too much damage! Retreat! Right now!”

“Are you sure that laws apply to machine?” He asked Judy in a humorous manner and then disappeared. The mammals in the area were surprised at first. Eventually, the united duo noticed a trail of footprints on the snow.

“He escaped huh?” Nick assumed that Bolt used his extraordinary speed to run away.

“That’d the case.” Judy replied.

The bow gradually disappearing, Hybrid shifted the left paw to pull the syringe in order to detransform. After the armor, discharging purple steam, was gone and Judy changed back to normal, Mr. Big’s henchmen rejoiced at the duo’s victory.

Subsequently, the doe rabbit fell over in the snow, so the polar bears stopped cheering. Some of them rushed to help her.

“Please let me take a little break.” She said tiredly before falling asleep.

Mr. Big the old shrew on the paw of his most trusted henchman sighed relievedly, then turned to the red fox who had just woken up in the bear’s arm. “Incidentally, Nicky, have you put on weight?” He became aware of the fox’s bloated tummy not long ago.

“Your house’s so icy I’d love to hibernate.” He joked wearily, pushing the syringe to inject the blood.

- .-. -.-- / - .. .-.. .-.. / .-- .. -.

The next day, Judy believed headstrongly that she should go to work. However, Clawhauser insisted that both she and Nick had better take another day off. He had got them covered. Besides, Mr. Big’s family was more than glad to have the doe and the tod as guests.

Luckily, there was no Savage terrorizing Zootopia city on that day. Judy accordingly had some proper rest while Nick could have free time to lose excess weight.

The day after,

“Y’know. I wouldn’t mind you being portly.” The doe was ambling across a parking lot.

“Admit it~ I’m irresistible~” The red fox in a neat navy blue police uniform, Senior officer Wilde, was prancing next to the grey European bunny, Senior officer Hopps, on their way to ZPD headquarters. He showed his slender waist off.

“Well, good thing we don’t have to get you a larger-sized uniform.” She responded.

When other officers perceived that both of them made an entrance into the station, they came to tease them. It seemed that Clawhauser reported that Senior officer Hopps was still sick, so Senior officer Wilde took another day off to look after his partner.

Later that day, Jasmine Fangmeyer the bengal tigress SCU agent, dressed in a green V-neck T-shirt with SCU logo, visited her old workplace, the station. She used the opportunity to catch up with some of her old co-workers, Judy, Nick and Jackson Rajah the bengal tiger officer, in a break room.

“By the way, thank you again, Jacky, for your help the other day.” Sitting at the head of the table with a smile on her face, Jasmine thanked Rajah, who took a seat at one side of a rectangle table near the corner.

“N-No problem.” He stammered, getting a little bit embarrassed. “A-And please don’t call me like that again. You haven’t called me ‘Jacky’ since-”

“Since middle school graduation! Time sure flies.” She nudged the turning-pink tiger officer.

“You look quite lively today, Fangmeyer. Did something good happen?” Nick, leaning against a backrest, sat on the same side with Judy opposite to Rajah.

“Nothing gets past you huh?” Jasmine rubbed her flushing neck while the male tiger was observing her body language.

She then started telling a story. “Do you remember the time I went undercover for the investigation and the total stranger saved me from some thugs?”

Nick and judy nodded their heads as a response.

Jasmine therefore continued. “Back then all I knew was that guy name is Al cuz those thugs called him like that but the point is… a few days ago, I chanced on him again and discovered that he’s a hustler.”

“I followed him to find that he gave stolen loaves of bread to poor kits and pups in a slum. That’s why I just gave him a warning and a pass.” She said further.

“Does he happen to be an arabian leopard?” Nick recollected the hustler whose nickname is Al.

“Yes! He is!” Jasmine confirmed.

“You know him?” Judy asked her partner.

“I know everyone~ His name is Allan Bubba.” Nick said the leopard hustler’s name to boastfully prove that he really knew him.

Subsequently, the bunny officer paid attention to the blushing tigress agent bowing her head as if... “Hang on! Do you have a crush on him!?” She unintentionally blurted a question out.

“Don’t judge me!!” Jasmine shouted out of embarrassment. “You even have feelings for an ex-con-artist fox!” She accidentally let what many of their co-workers believed slip.

“What are you talking about?” Judy seriously had no clue what Jasmine meant.

The tigress speedily covered her mouth with both paws, just remembering that the doe had not realized it yet, as the tod brought his right paw to his face.

“Let me guess. You wanna know this ‘Al’ guy better, right?” Nick peeped at Jasmine through gaps between his fingers of the paw covering his face.

“You saw through me, didn’t ya?” She smiled sheepishly.

“Based on you information, I suppose the leopard you’re referring to must be Bubba but I need to at least see a picture of him to be sure.” He moved both paws to over his head.

Rajah, who sat at the table with Jasmine and the duo from the beginning, smiled with sorrow-filled eyes. “I’ve just recalled that I have to do some checking on the missing mammal cases. Later mates.” He made an excuse to leave the room.

“Wait for me!” Judy hopped off the chair and followed Rajah out of the break room.

Once her doe rabbit friend was not there, the tigress used the opportunity to change the subject. “Wilde, be honest with me. Are you really okay with this?”

“What do you mean?” Although Nick vaguely knew what Jasmine was talking about, he would rather beat around the bush.

“I mean this whole Jude not aware of feelings for you thing...” She clarified.

“You two get along so well! And think about how kindly she treats you! Truth be told, despite appearing generous, most of us, including me, were skeptical of you at first. Your partner was the one who convinced us that you are trustworthy.”

“even though I’m a fox.”

Jasmine was taken aback by Nick’s words because he really hit the nail on the head.

“But hey, we live in the world where a bunny can be such an amazing cop. Anything’s possible at this point~” He cracked a joke to light up the mood.

“Yeah…” She laughed awkwardly before she composed herself. “The issue here is… don’t you like like Jude?”

“I... do”

“Are there any downsides of being with her or are you not into interspecies relationship?”

“No”

“Or actually, you’re not into females?”

“That’s not the case.”

“So what’s holding you back from going out with her!? What if somebody decides to ask her out before you do??”

“I think that’ll be all for the best.”

The tigress got shocked by the tod’s reply. After a few moments pause, he explained. “Assuming that we’re in a relationship, I will eventually bring her down… No doubt.”

Nick put on a smile, an empty smile, while Jasmine fell silent, not knowing what to say.

-.-. --- -. ..-. .-.. .. -.-. - .. -. --. / ..-. . . .-.. .. -. --. …

Following that the bengal tiger and the grey rabbit left the break room, she led him to a rooftop of the station to have a private conversation with him.

“I’m gonna be frank with you. You’re in love with Jasmine, aren’t you?” Judy initiated a heart-to-heart talk.

“How did you know?” The surprised tiger responded to a question with another question.

“It’s obvious. Anyway, why don’t you make any moves?”

“Well, Fangmeyer is my friend and I’m indebted to her… I don’t wanna ruin our friendship.”

Despite her curiosity, Judy did not want to go in-depth into the story behind Rajah being in Jasmine’s debt. Consequently, she chose to stick to the main subject.

“You should at the very least tell her how you feel. No need to be flashy, just tell her.”

“But she’s already have a crush-”

“Even so, do you intend to hide your true feelings forever? You know how Jasmine is as a mammal. If it turns out she doesn’t feel the same way after you confess your love to her, she wouldn’t cut you off, right? Keeping bottling up your feelings may lead you to regret it later.”

“Thank you, Hopps. I’ll keep that in mind.” Rajah genuinely appreciated Judy’s benevolent advice; hence, he would like to return the favor. “Anyhow, when are you going to get together with Wilde? Or are you waiting for him to take action first?”

“What!?” Judy exclaimed. “Nick and I are just friends! What makes you jump to that conclusion!?”

“To be honest, it’s quite obvious. You spend an awful lot of time with each other both on and off shift. There’s serious chemistry between you two.” He replied.

“Because Nick and I are such good friends and partners, plus the chemistry thing is just we get along well, that’s all.” She explained earnestly.

“You even do things together at his place.”

“That...” Judy tried to think up an argument.

“Second evidence, you both are beyond close. Third evidence, you clearly care for each other so much. Fourth evidence, you can comfortably be next to one another in silence. Fifth evidence-”

“OK! OK! You proved your point...” She stopped him listing proofs.

Nevertheless, what Rajah the bengal tiger said got her thinking. Come to think of it, I really don’t spend much free time with other male mammals except Nick. We crash with each other every now and then. What’s more, I don’t mind getting physically close to him…

I enjoy Nick’s company… I wanna be with him… Wait… Why do all of these sound like a relationship? That was the moment Judy realized her feelings for her partner, her friend. “Oh my tod, am I in relationship with Nick without knowing it?”

The realization hit her hard.

“You said ‘my tod’ as an exclamation or a claim for ownership?” Rajah wondered.

“Both” She accidentally answered without thinking before realizing what she had just said. “I mean the latter. I mean as a claim! I mean! As the exclaimation!” She had a rough time regaining her composure, wishing for something or someone to take her out of this awkward situation.

Shortly afterwards, her wish came true. Rajah got a call from Jasmine that there was a report on Savages’ attack in the north-west of Downtown. She accordingly phoned him to let him know that she had to leave the station.

Judy considered contacting Nick in order to go together to deal with the Savages as Hybrid but the only problem was that just thinking about him made her heart skip a beat.

.-.. --- ...- . / ..- -. -.. . .-. / .- - - .- -.-. -.-

After Jasmine left to do her job, Nick pondered whether he should tell Judy about Savages’ attack or not. When he thought back to the previous encounter with the bull Savage, he believed that I would be better to keep her out of this. His phone then rang once, interrupting his , so he brought it out to check the notifications.

“I should see this coming.” He saw a text from Judy. She told him that they would head down to the scene as soon as possible.

When they met up the lobby, “Take me with you guys” Clawhauser showed up.

Judy got concerned. “But this is-”

“Dangerous, I know. In case anything happened, I’ll be there to protect Nick’s unconscious body.” He convinced the duo.

They consequently let the chubby cheetah officer accompany them to the north-western part of Savanna Central.

Meanwhile, SCU agents were handling problems associated with three Savages, a purple caprid, a purple maned lion and a purple wolverine. They would not dare shoot guns in a crowded public place. The risk of civilians getting shot by accident was too high. Accordingly, their priority at that time was to evacuate civilians in the area in the shortest possible time.

“Report the status of an evacuation!” Maximus the white stallion, the SCU team leader, yelled.

However, the horse was confused by the fact that these monsters only either did minor physical harms to mammals or snarled at them. He wondered why they did not charge at the mammals.

Once Nick, Judy and Clawhauser finally reached the scene, the Savages made a move, going towards a commercial area. Hence, the mammals in the area moved away scaredly to let the monsters get through.

A panther, one of the agents, made an attempt to shoot the purple beasts. Unfortunately, they dodged the shots, so the bullets hit a tall lamp post, which greatly startled several civilians.

“Stop freaking firing!” Maximus ordered angrily.

The duo and Clawhauser hurriedly went by an indirect route to catch up with the running monsters.

Judy put MidniDriver, the black morpher, on her waist while rushing through a deserted alleyway. Close behind her, Nick looked at his morpher in his paw hesitantly before wearing it and “DRAW BLOOD” transferring a dose of his blood to the other device.

After “INJECT” She injected his blood into herself, the panting cheetah caught the fainting fox, preventing him from falling to the ground.

Next, she twisted the handle once “IGNITE” to transform. Following the purple mist explosion, the flamingo red armored mammal mixed between a rabbit and a fox, Hybrid Hustler form, charged out of the boiling hot fog.

When the united duo turned around the corner, “It looks like our target took the bait.” they heard a male fruity voice coming from the silver chrome wolf with a black bar over his eyes, solar panels on both chest and shoulders, and two thunderbolt stripes on abdomen.

He was standing relaxedly, surrounded by three Savages in a wide blind alley.

“Good as new” Bolt the silver wolf showed his repaired thigh to the united duo.

Despite the past conflicts between the wolf and them, the duo especially Judy could not sit by and let him be attacked by the monsters. The united duo therefore launched Hybrid with a purpose of saving him.

Without warning, Bolt leapt forward, then threw a left hook at Hybrid. The united duo did not expect the punch, so they almost did not block Bolt’s left glowing fist with the right arm in time.

Consequently, Hybrid flew quickly to the side and landed on the ground with the shaking right arm. It seemed the wolf added some electricity to his attack, messing nerves in the right arm.

“What’s going on here!? What’s with those Savages!?” Judy got dazed.

“I don’t wanna brag but...” Bolt bopped his left palm repeatedly. “Are you impressed in my friend’s works. Mam, she hacked into their control systems and now, they follow every single order- Ow! Keep your voice down pretty please...” He covered his ears although it did not help since Mittens shouted through wireless communication system that is directly connected to him. She told him to focus on the task.

The duo did not notice at the first glance because most mammals could barely recognize the purple creatures but this purple maned lion reminded them of the time they helped Bolt to stop the purple lion before he did something to it.

Control? Nick and Judy doubted.

“Let’s cut to the chase. Give me your drivers or else...” He threatened them.

Both thought that if they did beat him once, they could pull it off again; thus, they moved the left paw to hold the handle, intending to change into Archer form.

Suddenly, the purple caprid crashed into Hybrid, making the armored mammal fall.

“Go get ‘em, boys.” Bolt said.

Right after his simple order, the lion Savage and the wolverine Savage charged at the armored mammal.

The united duo got up hastily. Thanks to rapid healing, Hybrid was able to use both arms to deal with the Savages.

Meanwhile, Bolt merely stood there, observing the fight, as Clawhauser, holding the unconscious fox body in his arms, peeked around the corner.

When the monsters encircled Hybrid, the armored mammal pushed the silver syringe “ACTIVATE” to activate the instantaneous movement ability. The purple beasts collided with each other as Hybrid teleported to a spot that was a few steps far from them.

At that moment, “Accel!!” Bolt, aware of Hybrid’s weakness about becoming vulnerable after teleportation, rushed to kick the armored mammal in the stomach.

The kick sent the united duo flying backward before they in one body hit the ground hard. Once the accelerated mechanical wolf approached the armored mammal lying on the ground in a mere second, he pulled the syringe of MidniDriver on Hybrid, forcing the partners as one to detransform.

The attack took its toll on the doe rabbit. Soon following that Judy turned back to normal, she was knocked out by pain.

“One down, one to go.” Bolt knew that Nick along with Clawhauser was not far away because Mittens told him when she saw them on a hacked CCTV camera. He was about to go after the other morpher.

As a result, “This is bad! This is bad! This is bad!” Clawhauser hastily fled with Nick, who was regaining his consciousness, in his arms.

Nick wanted to tell Clawhauser to leave him and run away. Unfortunately, he was suffering fatigue too much to communicate at that time, so he pushed the syringe to inject the dose of blood into himself in order to cure his extreme tiredness.

Bolt pursued the officers to crooked alleyways, thinking that it would be a piece of cake; thus, he had already deactivated his acceleration. However, by the time he found the panting cheetah officer staying put, the fox officer, Bolt’s another main target, was nowhere to be found. Even Mittens lost him.

“Where is Officer Wilde?” Bolt asked Clawhauser in a friendly tone.

Clawhauser shrugged his shoulders in a response, pretending to be fearless in front of the silver chrome wolf.

“Alright, for the heads up, I don’t have anything against you.” Bolt jumped over Clawhauser and tapped the back of the cheetah’s neck, sending electricity to knock him off.

“Okay~ Officer Wilde, I know you can hear me~” Bolt spoked louder.

As a matter of fact, Nick certainly heard him. He was hiding not far from Bolt but in a spot that cannot be seen by CCTVs. Owing to his past experiences as a con-artist, he knew the blind spots around Zootopia.

So he can observe through CCTVs… or he has an accomplice assisting him… Nick analysed.

“I’m taking your cheetah pal and Ms. Hopps as hostages. If you want me to free them, bring your driver to me at a warehouse row in Rainforest District and don’t be tricky~” The silver wolf picked the senseless chubby cheetah up easily to some extent.

“You have 48 hours- No, that’s too much. How about 24? Rhino, what do you think?” He quieted down for some seconds like he waited for someone to reply. “8 It is. You have 8 hours, Officer Wilde~ See ya~”

Bolt went back to pick Judy up too, then disappeared from the blind alley with his controlled Savages, leaving Nick leaning against the wall alone while pondering.

He took her away… The fox clenched a fist as his emotions rose, so did his… returning abnormal hunger.

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