Zootopia Adventures

The Stranger VI: Back to the Farm

"Do we really have to visit them again? I mean, we just did the same thing days ago," Nick complained wryly, seated in his usual spot beside the driver's seat.

It was past their working hour and all he wanted was to be back home so that he could return to his couch to watch the late night TV programs. Nick groaned lazily. Yesterday had been his turn to take the wheel during their daily patrols around the city, so today the cruiser belonged to Judy. They had agreed on sharing the car between even and odd days. Since it was an odd day - and to spice things up, it was a Friday as well; she had decided to make another visit to her family back in Bunny Burrows.

"Come on Nick, don't be such a baby," Judy retorted back, stepping on the gas. "Besides, the kids are so eager for your return!"

Nick massaged his forehead. "Whiskers... you do know how many little brothers and sisters you have, right?"

"Sure do! Two hundred and ninety two!"

"See the problem? I could not possibly handle all of - did the numbers increase?" Nick asked in sudden shock, scratching the back of his ear. "Please tell me I had misheard."

"Nope, it is all true! There are 5 more of them – yet to be named!" Judy answered in excitement. She beamed at him jubilantly. "Actually, that is the reason why I wanted to pay them a quick visit when I come to think of it."

"You bunnies really are good at multiplying," Nick commented in disbelief.

Speaking of handling rabbit kits, he could feel a headache coming just by thinking about babysitting all two hundred and ninety two of her younger siblings again. The previous time was overwhelming and had left him exhausted from playing tag with them. His feet felt like he was walking on hot coal by the time he caught all of them. Even running a marathon was less intimidating. Chasing one or two of them was easy to cope, but multiplying that number by a hundred was deadly. Not to mention that they hopped around so erratically – making sharp turns out of the blue and halting in mid-hop that it was almost impossible to grab them. Nick gradually slid down the seat as he reimagined the scene play through his head.

"Don't worry, I was just messing with you! By the time we reach there, they would all be tucked in bed and sound asleep," Judy reassured Nick when she saw him looking pale.

"Well, Hallelujah," he exclaimed in relief. Nick repositioned himself and sat up straight, resting against the seat's backrest. After making himself comfortable, Nick then whipped out his phone and continued his usual fair of browsing through the web. A rather awkward moment of pure silence enveloped the car as they rode down the highway that led to the outskirts of Zootopia. It remained this way until Nick finally decided to break the stillness in the air.

"Say Carrots, a new restaurant has opened nearby our precinct. And apparently, it is one of those new hybrid catering outlets which serve both prey and predator alike. Care to join me for lunch tomorrow? I will drive," Nick said, switching his phone for the car radio. He did not feel right to stare at his smartphone right after he had promised Judy that he would refrain from doing so during the previous case. As much as he tried to avoid using such technology, all bad habits die hard and he would find himself repeating the same offense time to time.

Judy casted a quick glance at him before focusing back onto traffic ahead. "Sounds pretty good to me, what kind of food do they serve there, though?"

"Not the shadiest of clues – I am eager to find out as well," Nick replied as he gazed down the lengthy road. The highway extended outwards to the horizon, uniformly shrinking in width as it stretched far out. He watched as the luscious scenery of the modern city rushed past the sides of the car. "You know what? Perhaps this hometown of mine is getting closer to being the Utopia which many envisioned it to be."