Chapter 22

One week after their camping trip the couple were walking through the park having a conversation. The fox seemed ok, but the bunny was getting somewhat irritated.

"Judy I'm telling you this could be a huge help when it comes to our police work. Just imagine how much better we would be with magic on our side." Nick said hoping she would see sense.

Judy glared at her todd getting slightly angry for a moment. "Nick you have no way to learn about these powers, and therefore no way to control them. What would happen if they hurt someone?" She asked with a concerned look.

Nick's ears fell to his head as he thought about what would happen if he tried to do something good and accidentally hurt Judy. "I guess you're right carrots. Maybe I should look for some books in the Library or something. You never know maybe I can learn some ways to work with my powers. Till then, no magic." He said crossing his heart.

Judy smiled up at him, grateful he would be safe for now. She pointed ahead to the library and said, "Why don't you start now, and I'll see you for dinner."

They shared a kiss and went their separate ways for the time being. Nick thought about what he might find in the library as he headed to the doors. Upon entering he was looking at the ornately carved building. It all seemed to be one big piece of wood carved out into the shape of a building. It had beautiful murals carved out of some of the walls and Had a few statues that seemed to grow up from the floor.

He had just begun down the line of what seemed to be busts of all the previous library owners, when suddenly he thought he saw movement from the corner of his eye. He turned his head only to jump back clutching his chest as he came face to face with a pure white elderly looking polar bear.

"Hello" She said in a voice so high even mice couldn't match it. "My name is Lydia, May I help you find something today?" she asked, smiling thinly at him.

Nick took a deep breath to steady his heart before slowly relaxing back into his relaxed posture. He looked up at her again and said in a polite voice, "Hello madam, my name is Nick. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm looking for something that may not even exist. I'm searching for some old books that teach about druids. Preferably an old tome or something that seems very realistic." He paused at the concerned look on her face and hastily added "We are doing a project in class about the possibility that beings of immense power may have walked the earth so long ago that now they seem like fairy tales."

She looked him over with a strange face before motioning for him to follow her. "Are you particularly interested in druids?" She asked him as they walked. She seemed to continue trying to look at him from the corners of her eye.

"Well I would say I have a mild fascination" Nick said slyly. They continued through the library until they came to a room that was locked. She opened the door and let him in.

"I'm afraid all these books must remain in the library, however you're welcome to peruse them or make photocopies anytime you like. I'll leave you to your studies and if you need anything at all I'll be at the front desk." She said politely before leaving the room. Nick thought she was strange but chalked it up to being a librarian in a world dominated by technology. What he didn't see was the older women using the phone at her desk while watching

The fox on security cameras.

"Yes sir, you wanted to be informed if anyone were seeking the ancient tomes you donated to this library. A fox by the name of Nick wanted as realistic as he could get on druids." She listened to the line before saying, "Understood. I'll keep you up to date on any information I can get." She hung up the phone and continued her paperwork while keeping an eye on the fox.

Judy walked to her room so she could try to get some privacy with her mom. With all her siblings who were bound to be there she didn't need mammals here to overhear her conversation too. Dialing the number as she sat on the bed, she waited patiently for her mom to pick up.

"Hey Judy sweetie, how are you?" Bonnie said while juggling her phone and a kit.

"Hey mom you got a minute?" Judy asked.

"Sure, honey do I need to go to the quiet room?" Bonnie asked with a slightly concerned voice.

Judy bit her lip, "That would probably be better. Less ears to hear."

"Ok just a sec." Judy heard her mom hand the kit over to one of her siblings and after a few moments heard a door shut. "Sooo what's going on?" her mom asked.

She thought for a moment before just deciding to come out with it. "Look mom I want to know if there is any way of getting out of the marriage agreement." She said breathily.

Her mom went silent. After what felt like a long time and just when Judy was about to ask if she was still there her mom said, "so who is he?"

Blushing furiously and thankful this wasn't a video call for once she responded, "what do you mean?" She hoped her voice didn't give her away.

"Judy the only conceivable reason I can think of for you not wanting to marry someone who would most likely be nothing but a trophy husband and let you do whatever is if you found someone you really like. Now stop being coy and tell me who he is." Her mother said calmly.

Judy nearly bit through her lip. Oh well, guess it's time to bite the bullet. "Well I am seeing someone, but I will only answer three questions for now. After that you answer my question. Deal?"

"ok dear I can live with that for now, but we will need to have a longer chat later. So where did you two meet?" Bonnie said with a smile.

"We actually met on the train to college. We have been dating for a while now, and even went on a camping trip together." She gushed. She didn't realize how badly she wanted to talk to someone, anyone about her handsome todd.

"Well it sounds like you're enjoying his company. Are you being safe?" She decided to throw her daughter a curve ball and get her flustered for the fun of it. She trusted her daughter.

"MOM!" Judy shouted blushing harder than ever, "WE ARE NOWHERE NEAR THAT YET!" she felt incredibly humiliated that that was the second of her mom's 3 questions. Her sex life was not what she imagined her mom asking about.

"I understand dear," the Hopps matriarch said with a sweet smile on her face. " I'll keep my last question tame. Does he make you happy?" she asked looking at the many pictures on the wall around her and focusing in on the ones that showed her and her husband enjoying many happy times together.

Judy thought about this for a moment, so she got her words straight in her head. After thinking about how she wanted to answer she just gushed again. "yes, mom he is amazing. He is always making sure I'm ok and making sure I'm comfortable. He even offered to be a cop with me so we can try to be partners!"

That's nice dear. I'm glad you found someone who you can love. Now to answer your question, there is one loophole. If you or he finds love and chooses to marry before you graduate college, then the contract will be treated as null and void. At that point a new agreement would need to be made. Seeing as his parents have passed though we would have to deal with him directly. I'd hate to see your father's response to that one. He always hated foxes. Anyways I must go sweetheart. Sounds like they need me in the kitchen. Love you!" and with that she hung up.

Judy dropped the phone. A FOX! Whose parents had died recently? What are the odds that she could be dating the very mammal she is engaged to? She wished her parents would be a little more forthcoming with information. Maybe she was seeing things that weren't there... "I mean the odds of meeting the one mammal I don't want to marry are outrageous. It can't be him." She said before banishing the thought from her mind. For now, she would focus on the loophole and see if there is anything, she can do besides taking a chance of ruining her and Nick's relationship by getting married too early. She picked up her phone and went to her desk to work on some school papers.

Nick was enjoying himself immensely. The books he had been shown to were obviously very old. One he was able to see was real because he knew a couple of battle spells already. He decided to ask the librarian to let him borrow a few to read in his free time. Maybe he could even find a safe place to practice a few spells. He selected a few of the more basic ones and put the rest back on the shelf before heading to the front.

"Excuse me ma'am but if I can I'd like to check these out." He said with a smile

She looked him over as though she were worried but then typed a few things into the computer. "you will need a library card, and because of the age of those books I'm not supposed to lend them…"

"Well I live here on campus, I'd give you an exact location for where they will be, and if anything happens to them, I'll gladly pay the library a hefty sum in reparation." Nick said hoping she would make an exception.

She thought for a moment and then reached for the phone. "it's me again. Would you mind someone borrowing a few of the tomes? He seems ok, and says he lives on campus… I see... yes... ok will do. Thank you for your time." She hung up and turned back to nick. "We wouldn't normally, but if you will agree to meet with the one who lent them to the library in the morning at 9 then we will make an exception."

Nick fought the urge to leap into the air. "That would actually be very cool." Nick said.

She slipped a paper into the front of the book and handed it to him. "just be very careful please. Those books cannot be replaced." She said with a slight look of concern. Nick nodded and left.

A few hours later Nick felt like he had mastered one spell and wanted to try it. He texted Judy and asked her to meet him outside of their dorm on the side with all the bushes. She quickly agreed and soon they were standing side by side.

"Thank you for coming Judy... I want to show you something." He said as he began giving her a hug. He turned to the bushes and raised his paws. He began chanting a spell.

Judy was a little worried but watched anyway and tried to be quiet and let him focus. The air seemed to shimmer around him for a moment and as she watched a stem began growing from the ground. To her astonishment it became a single white rose. Nick stopped his chanting and picked it before handing it to Judy.

"wow Nick. Nice work." She said smiling at him.

"see fluff I can learn to control it." He leaned in to kiss her and feeling mischievous she deepened the kiss into a very passionate one. After a few moments of enjoying it however she noticed a heat in her hands. She broke the kiss and realized the rose was heating up. She was about to set it down when it burst into flames.

Nick waved his hand trying to put it out, but the bushes they were surrounded by burst into flames instead. Judy, thinking quickly, grabbed Nick and jumped at the building. Just before they hit, she twisted her body and used it as a springboard and pulled Nick with her as she pushed with all her might to get them both to safety. When she was sure they were safe, she yelled for someone to call 911.

She turned and looked for help and felt panicky as she realized they were alone. Then just when she was going to run for help, all the fire that had built up suddenly blinked out as though someone had flipped a switch. Confused, she looked at Nick, and then decided it didn't matter.

"Nick, that was dangerous. You nearly killed us both! You need to gain some control and until you do, I want you doing no magic on campus…. Or near me…" she said before storming off. "I'll call you later,'' she said before she was out of earshot. "I just need some time."

Nick watched helplessly as she ran off too scared and confused to do anything. Who had put out the fire? He looked at the bushes. They didn't even look damaged. He walked away deep in thought with his tail dragging. How am I going to learn without hurting anyone or anything? As he pondered this he wandered aimlessly. He looked up after nearly walking into a building and turned to walk away when his phone went off.

Come upstairs. We need to have a little discussion -D

Frowning slightly, he looked up and saw the building with a garden upstairs. He shrugged and headed upstairs wondering what Donnie could possibly want at the moment. He opted to take the stairs in favor of having more time to think. As he approached the roof access, he tried to cast his thoughts away for later. He pressed into the garden and began searching for Donnie.

He was wandering aimlessly and decided to head for the tree in the center of the garden. As he approached, he heard chanting and began circling the tree. What he saw made his jaw drop open. There in front of him was Donnie, levitating 3 feet off the ground and chanting with his wings spread wide to his sides. He finished his chant and sank to the ground before looking at Nick.

"I've waited a long time to meet someone else who has access to the ancient magic. I saw what you did, and if you will let me, I would like to teach you all I know. There are so few druids left and those that are must hide as I have. If you commit yourself to me, I will teach you how to control and channel the power of the earth." He said staring at Nick.

Nick thought for a moment before asking "why would you want to help me? You hardly know me. Not to sound rude but what's in it for you?"

Donnie walked up to Nick and looked into his eyes. "I knew from the moment we met you were special. I've been watching you since hoping you had the gift. The only thing in it for me is the chance to pass on my knowledge and help you protect the ones you love. I do however have one catch you may not like. I know you strive to be a cop, but before you do that you will need to commit yourself to my teaching. Meaning it will be a few years before you can join your partner on the force."

Nick looked shocked. "you want me to postpone being a cop with Judy? I can't make that decision on the spot!" he said trying to think of something else he could do to learn without putting his career on hold.

Donnie closed his eyes and began to rise again. "I do not ask this lightly, and I will not expect an answer right away. Go and speak with your love. Think things over and tell me your answer when you're ready." With no other words he returned to his chanting, leaving Nick to ponder more than he thought he would ever have to deal with.

How can I even think about not joining Judy in her dream? I just told her I would do it. But if I do join her, I'll be risking everyone's lives trying to control my powers alone. I have to at least consider the idea. Maybe Judy will talk to me again soon and I can ask what she thinks. I just hope she isn't too upset over my accident. He headed back to his dorm pondering.

Judy was swimming laps in the pool thinking about Nick. She knew she didn't want to force him into marriage, but she didn't want to marry someone she didn't love either. Maybe there was another way. And then there are nicks new powers. He really needs to get them under control and fast. Hopefully the tomes would help, but now that she thought about it, she needed to be more supportive and try helping him. She needed to find him and apologize for snapping at him.

She dried off and headed for the changing room. Then she texted Nick. Hey nick. Can we get together and talk soon? I don't have any more classes today, and I feel like we should have a talk. She hoped that didn't sound like a breakup text.

She got a response rather quickly. I hope that doesn't mean what it sounds like, but yes, I have time… I need to talk to you about something anyways. Meet at our tree.

She smiled thinking about seeing him again very soon and headed toward their tree. She started to climb when a paw grabbed her arms and hoisted her up to the branch. She squeaked and blushed rapidly. "don't do that!" she berated the fox.

He looked at her sheepishly and set her on the branch. "sorry I was just trying to help."

"the help is appreciated, but the shock of you beating me here was too much." She said grinning at him. "mind if I go first?" she asked him. He nodded. She thought about what she had to say before opening her mouth. "I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. I was freaked out and took it out on you. I know you don't have full control yet, but I'm going to try getting better. I'll help however I can. I want us to work, and that means we help each other no matter what."

He looked at her slightly shocked before mentally shaking and remembering it was his turn. He started with a kiss keeping it light.

"Ok, so I have good news, but it comes with a little bad news. I found a teacher. He says that he will train me everything he knows. There's a little caveat though. I have been told it will take a few years to master it enough so that I can join you on the force." Nick said with a smile that faded as he spoke. The only thing on his mind being how long he would have to be away from her.