The Fox and the Rabbit

Chapter 21 - Mister Fox

"...And here we are," Judy said ending the story filling Sharla in on everything starting from her first days on the force, and the beginning of the missing mammals investigation to their arrival here earlier. She had tried to start with just the last few days, but kept having to go back and explain things so she ended up just starting from that first day.

Sharla shook her head, looking out at the dark landscape. "An' here I thought my life had gotten all interestin'."

Judy let out a little laugh. "Being engaged to Gideon Grey is plenty interesting, I can assure you," she said with amused emphasis.

Sharla snorted. "Please, girl. I'm workin' with my fox at a bakery. Y'all are bonafide heroes!"

Judy rolled her eyes and sighed.

Sharla chuckled. "You roll yer eyes, but s'true! We even have tourists now!"

Judy's eyes went wide. "You're kidding me? Tourists?"

Sharla's chuckle turned into a full giggle, and she nodded. "Uh huh! Not a ton, but I've ran into more'n a few out t'see where the 'famous Judy Hopps' grew up! I know Gid mentioned runnin' inta some at yer folks stand a couple times, too!"

Judy groaned, flopped back down onto the grass, and put her paws over her eyes. "All I wanted was to be a police officer and make the world a better place!" she whined.

Sharla rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Didn't your folks ever tell ya?"

Judy took a big breath and sighed, pulling her paws down her face are staring up at the stars. "No," she said, "But they know I hate that kind of thing... well at least mom does." She thought back to a few MuzzleTime calls where her mother had cut her clearly excited father off just before he was about to say something. Now she had a better idea of what it could have been. Her dad was overflowing with pride when it came to her. They both were. Fear too, but her mom had the sense to keep things like nosy tourists — tourists for crying out loud!, she thought — quiet as she knew how much it grated on her, whereas her dad loved to brag about her to anyone who would listen.

Sure the fame and notoriety were nice, but visiting Bunnyburrow to see where she grew up? That bordered on stalking in her mind's eye. She did have a few borderline stalkers in Zootopia, too, which was more than enough for her. They were all fairly harmless, but some of her so-called fans were prone to fanaticism.

"Well," Sharla started, but before she could finish, a voice called from down below.

"Sharla! J-Judy! Where the heck ya go?"

Judy sat up and looked in the direction of the call. They couldn't really see anything, but it was obviously Gideon.

"Well," Judy said, "I guess we've been up here long enough?"

"I reckon, let's go. I want to talk to this fox of yours!" Sharla said.

"Oh, goodie!" Judy said sarcastically as Sharla called back down.

"Up here, baby!" Sharla called down into the darkness.

There was a long pause before Gideon called out again. "What tha' heck y'all doin' up there!" he called up at them, "Y'all get down from there 'fore y'all break yer necks!"

Both Sharla and Judy burst out laughing.

"Yes, Dad!" Judy called back. That was pretty much exactly what her father used to yell at them when they were kids.

"W-what?" came back the puzzled reply, "I ain't yer dad! It's Gideon!'

This just made both of them laugh even harder as they got to their feet.