The Fire Triangle, A Zootopia Fanfiction -- Part One

The Fire Triangle, A Zootopia Fanfiction -- Part One: Fuel - 103

Disclaimer: Zootopia stories, characters, settings, and properties belong to the Walt Disney Co. This story is written under Fair Use Copyright laws.

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The Fire Triangle—A Zootopia Fanfiction

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Part One:

Fuel

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Chapter 12 –The Best Laid Plans
(Continued...Pt. 4)

"Set us UP? Are you out of your... *Cuhf!*"

Judy's words ended in a choking cough as she frantically grabbed for a napkin. It turned out to be an unnecessary gesture; the lemonade retreated before it reached her nostrils.

Well, maybe so, but still...

Swallowing hard, she leaned across the table, staring into Nick's face—while down below, her right foot beat a tattoo against the ground, "What the heck do you mean, 'set us up?'"

They were seated at a picnic table in Food Cart Village, an enclave located in a small green-space, a block behind City Hall and two blocks to the right.

All around them stood a garland of brightly-painted food stalls, while overhead, an off-white awning tent rippled in the breeze. You could get eats from practically any ethnicity and/or species you could imagine here. And anyone who doubted it needed only to inhale and sample the myriad of food aromas wafting through the air.

Not in the mood for culinary adventure, Judy had settled on her old standby, a mixed veggie bento plate from the Usagi Grill. Nick, meanwhile, had opted for a food item that was rapidly becoming the rage among Zootopia's predator community, an Opossumble Burger.

Although made entirely out of vegetable products, Opposumble Meats supposedly looked, smelled, and—most importantly—tasted like the real thing. Judging by the way Nick had devoured most of his burger, (almost like a savage fox,) the resemblance was more than just passing.

Of course, neither he, nor any other living predator had any idea of what 'real meat' tasted like; at least Judy hoped they didn't.

But then, two bites from finishing, he'd looked up and said, "Pretty nasty trick, huh Carrots? Sending us into that park; I'd love to know who was really behind it."

Judy had felt an ear go up...along with a red flag.

"Trick? ...Behind it? I don't...Ewww, don't lick your chops at the table, Nick; you know I hate it when you do that." That was when she'd realized just how off his mood was, (and why not, after what they'd both witnessed in the bullpen less than an hour ago.)

"Sorry...Mom." The fox had replied acerbically, reaching for a napkin instead, "but come on, you don't really think we ended up in the middle of THOSE kids by accident, do you?"

Judy had felt another flag go up and set down her fork, very carefully.

"Nick, I don't know exactly what it is you're trying to say here, but I'm not sure I like it." Her throat had felt suddenly parched right then and she'd reached for her strawberry lemonade.