Switched - A Zootopian Tale

Chapter Three | A Unique Bond

"Bellwether? How? and Why?" Those were the two questions Nick had in his mind, reminding him of that time how she manipulated Judy and almost tried to kill them.

"Nick...." Bellwether began. "I know what your going to say. That I shouldn't be trusted anymore and..."

Just then when Dawn wasn't finished, someone knocked on the door, "Bellwether?"

"Yes?" Dawn said as the mammal spoke up and answered.
"I have what you needed ma'am. For the supplies you asked for."
"Ok then. Come in." Dawn replied as the mammal opened the door.

Nick couldn't believe his eyes. It was Clawhauser! What on earth was he doing here? Nick thought he would be with Judy.

"I guess I'll just leave this here-" Clawhauser said as he looked at the guest.

Nick still standing and not saying anything, quietly whispered, "I don't know what to say."

Bellwether could see that Nick wouldn't be able to trust her right away, so she whispered to Clawhauser to take Nick to the waiting room.

Nick saw Clawhauser, a face he had seen everyday in his old world but was this the same one?

Before trying to grasp everything for a few min, Nick saw Gazelle come in to the waiting room. He didn't know what to think. His anxiety had calmed down because of her. To see a friendly face, Nick didn't know what made him calm because of Gazelle, but it could've been because he had seen her every time he went to a concert with Judy. But how did Gazelle and Bellwether keep in intact of their memories and why not anyone else? He had so many questions and the answers he was looking for some how seemed closer than he thought.

Gazelle sat by Nick thinking of a way to situate the scenario. She had delivered some food when she had found Nick. It wasn't random though, it felt like she sensed it and at the same time Bellwether had provided her the coordinates for Nick's arrival.

Gazelle didn't know what to think of the situation. She didn't think Nick would all of a sudden appear. Was it time travel? Was it teleportation? or was it superstition itself? Whatever the case was, Gazelle was sure Dawn would tell her and Nick once she got him to trust Bellwether once he assessed the case.

"Nick... I." Gazelle began. "I know this might be tough to take in, but you'll have to go along with what Dawn says. She's better now than she was before. Give her a chance, you might learn her side of how she came to be."

"What if you're wrong? Nick asked still unsure.

"If I'm wrong, then there's nothing we can do to save the Zootopia we all know and love. I guess you could do what you do best and team up with Judy, but I don't even know in the slightest of where she could be. Bellwether is your only chance." Gazelle finished as she put her hoof (hand) on Nick's shoulder.

For a moment, Nick thought he saw Judy in Gazelle and he rubbed his eyes as he tearfully hugged her, and Gazelle gave in to the hug.

After Nick finished talking with Gazelle and she had tend to her duties. He knocked on Bellwether's office door.
"Yes?" Dawn said as Nick slowly turned the doorknob.
"It's me, Nick." Nick said as he finally entered the door. Nick sat in the chair next to her office table.

"Nick...". Bellwether began. "I know we've been through some hardships, but I am going to put the work in forward even if it takes infinity or the end of the world and we might even become friends."

Nick took Dawn's hand and shook it showing that he understood and then sat back down.

"Since that is now settled, I am sure you are wondering how Zootopia looks now or rather what universe are we in? I think it's better if you come with me to the roof". Dawn said as she told Clawhauser to watch her office.

Dawn opened the door of the main center of the ZPD to the roof. When they had arrived, Nick saw how Zootopia had changed..Sitting by the edge of the roof, Nick looked at the stars in the night.

Dawn, sitting by his side, comforted him. She knew how Nick was feeling. She felt like Nick too. In the beginning, she was hesitated too. Why was she chosen to lead the resistance? She had made Zootopia worse and she knew she wasn't in the right mind to be a leader. She was accepted by the old resistance leader, and she didn't know what to expect. She didn't even know the leader's identity. By the time Dawn had settled in, no one really knew of her as some mammals had forgotten and the others were different versions of the mammals in her world.

A few months had passed and the resistance leader had one day disappeared leaving a letter saying that they gone in a new direction and would come back. From that day, the leader never came back and so Dawn had assumed the leadership roles. She knew what had to be done. What she didn't expect is that she would get a lead to find Nick. The lead had came out of no where like it was whispered among the resistance, but she knew someone had to be a insider mammal. She couldn't focus on that, she had to find where Nick was and Gazelle had finally found him.

She didn't think talking to Nick would make difference, but by speaking directly at him. Something had started to tingle in her, she felt like Nick could save her, free her of her darkness.

With the sky being clear, Nick put his paw around Dawn's shoulder as they looked at the glowing streets of New Zootopia. He knew somewhere in his heart that Bellwether had changed and that it was finally time to accept her as his equal, slowly but steady he would trust her with all his heart and maybe Judy would too.