Hello once again, dear readers! As promised previously, this chapter is going to be totally "Eli-Centric"! As I have stated many times before, and shall continue to do so, please enjoy! And of course, be sure to leave a review!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Door (Chapter 11)

by

Elite Shade

 

 

 

 

 

"How are your waffles sweetie?" Judy asked Eli as she set down with her own stack, as well as one for Nick which she passed to him. Eli had already eaten two thirds of his plate.

"They're the best waffles I've ever had! Thanks for making them for me, Judy," Eli said happily.

"It really was my pleasure!" Judy said happily.

"And getting to eat some free food is always my pleasure," Nick said as he started to cut into his waffles. Eli smiled as he ate, feeling a warmth in his chest. They made pleasant small talk throughout breakfast, until Judy paused as she was lifting a bite to her mouth. She slowly set her fork down on the plate with the still uneaten chunk of syrupy waffle on the end of it. Eli noticed that Judy had gone silent, and turned to see if anything was wrong. Then he noticed that she was staring at his bare feet, and he immediately blushed, thinking that he was supposed to at least have socks on at the table.

"Oh, sorry Judy," he said, quickly tucking his legs back a little so that his feet were hidden a little under the chair. Judy looked at Eli curiously as he did that.

"Sorry? Why are you sorry sweetheart?" she asked.

"Um... aren't I supposed to be wearing socks or shoes at the table?"

Once more, Judy was chastising herself, before smiling.

"Oh no sweetie. That's not why I was staring. It's just that when I saw your feet, I realized that we completely forgot to get you some new shoes! I hardly wear anything on my feet, so I don't think about it that often."

"Oh," Eli said, relieved that he wasn't being rude. "That's okay though Judy. You've already spent a lot on me, and I really don't need any new..." Eli trailed off as he saw Judy sigh and cross her arms. She didn't look mad, yet Eli was still afraid that he had said something wrong.

"Eli, of course you need new shoes. The pair you had on yesterday looked really well worn," she said.

"That's one way to put it. I would've said that they looked like they were about to fall apart," Nick said smugly. Judy's gaze quickly turned onto him.

"And yet you didn't think to maybe mention it when we were already out shopping?"

Nick froze, suddenly realizing his mistake and tried to smile at Judy.

"I, w-well, what I mean to say is... uh," he absentmindedly tugged on the collar of his shirt while he thought of what he could say. "I didn't notice until after we were pulling up into the driveway?" Nick said, crossing his arms and smiling smugly at having diffused the situation. Judy sighed.

"So shoes, hmm..." Nick said as he looked at Eli's feet now.

"What are you thinking Nick?" Judy asked.

"Well, it's not like there's a long line of mammals with feet that are shaped like Eli's," he said as he began stroking his chin. Judy's ears fell back onto her head.

"Sweet cheese and crackers, you're right. Where can we go to buy them."

Eli frowned as he tried to think of a solution to this little problem while different types of animal feet were now going through his mind. He and Judy both suddenly looked up when Nick snapped his fingers.

"It just so happens that--"

"I have a buddy," Judy finished for him, much to the fox's mild annoyance and much to Eli's slight amusement, as he let out a small chuckle.

"Yes carrots, yes I do. He's a shoemaker."

"... What, in this day and age?"

"Yup. Some people just prefer the paw-crafted touch."

"And others really enjoy possible money laundering, or fronts for other less than legal businesses, huh?"

"Carrots, c'mon now. That hurts," Nick said, feigning a pain in his chest over his heart. Judy smiled, and giggled along with Eli.

"Okay, okay, so where can we find this friend of yours?"

"Freddy has a shop in Little Rodentia."

"... You have got to be kidding me," Judy said.

"What's wrong with Little Rodentia?" Eli asked.

"Yeah carrots. What is wrong with Little Rodentia?" Nick asked smugly before finishing off the last of his waffles.

 

Forty minutes of light traffic later...

 

"Ooooooohhhh," Eli said as it suddenly dawned on him why Judy had groaned earlier. Nick and Judy were relative giants in comparison with the buildings and inhabitants of Little Rodentia, making Eli seem gargantuan as he stood next to a three story house that could have easily passed for a dollhouse back on his world. They all received stares from the various assorted rodents passing them by, especially Eli.
"Hey now, I promise you that Freddy is an artist when it comes to footwear. No matter what the size!" Nick said cheerfully while Judy quirked her eyebrow at him before reaching up to gently take Eli by the hand as they followed the fox. As they walked down the sidewalk, Judy's ears picked up a few comments along the way.

"What the heck is that thing?"

"I think that I've been hearing about those on the news!"

"So that's what happens when you cross a fox and a bunny? Wow, you really do learn something new every day."

Judy looked up to see if Eli's feelings appeared hurt, but from the way he was looking around in amazement, Judy assumed that he simply hadn't heard any of them. She smiled as he noticed her looking up at him, and gently squeezed his hand with her paw. After a few more minutes of walking around, Nick finally stopped them in front of a shop that read Freddy's Footwear on the front window, and then proceeded to bend down slightly to softly tap the front door.

"It's open!" They heard yelled from a voice inside. Nick smiled and resumed gently tapping.

"What part of "It's open" don't you understa--" a small middle-aged mouse in a white shirt, jeans, and what appeared to be a leather apron said in a frustrated tone as he poked his head out the door, before trailing off at the site of the three.

"Nick! You shoulda called! I coulda had my sons prepare a seat for you and your... eh... associates."

"Heh, sorry about that Freddy, but we were hoping that you could help us with a little bit of a shoe dilemma," Nick said as he started to lean up against the side of the shop.

"Oh, and just what kind of a dilemma do you mean?" Freddy asked, his eyes already gleaming at the thought of a challenge.

"Eli, show the good mammal," Nick said.

Eli blushed a bit as he used his left foot to help him kick off his right sneaker. Immediately, Freddy's attention snapped to the socked foot.

"Ohohoho! Well now there's a paw shape that you don't see everyday," Freddy said as he quickly darted back inside. After a few curt shouts, he returned, with several other mice holding up a large Brannock Device.

"Alright, Eli, if you could gently place your foot here on the measurer, but please try to avoid crushing my sons," Freddy joked, causing several of the other mice to look up worriedly. Eli was very careful as he placed his foot on the metal measuring tool, while Freddy quickly made his way, making adjustments and writing down what he saw.

"Alright, now for the other foot." Freddy's sons groaned at that, due to the fact that despite Eli's efforts to be as gentle as possible, it had still been a strain for the mice.

"Maybe Nick would like to help?" Judy suggested in an effort to be helpful.

"Why me?" he asked indignantly.

"Because this was all your idea."

"Nonsense! My boys are all strong! Not to mention, this is the family trade! They need all the experience that they can get!" Freddy was running around Eli's left foot, taking further measurements.

"And we're done!" Freddy said, his sons all groaning with relief as Eli took his foot off the tool, which they wasted no time in carrying back inside and putting down.

"Oh my back!" One voice called out.

"Marco, quit your whining and fire up the machines! The rest of you, start gathering up all of these materials!" Freddy said as he handed one of his sons a list, before hurrying off along with five other mice. Freddy smiled and turned back to Nick, Judy, and Eli, who was now putting his shoes back on.

"We're going to put a hold on all of our other orders and get started on your new footwear right away!" Freddy said with a smile.

"Oh, but shouldn't we discuss what kind of shoes that Eli would like?" Judy asked. This made Freddy turn to her and chuckle.

"Oh nonononononononono! Miss, I promise you, I design each pair of shoes I craft with the person I'm making them for at the forefront of my mind. We will have a selection of shoes to chose from when we are finished, and you are all going to want them all," he said confidently.

"Like I said carrots, Freddy's an artist," Nick said.

"Thank you Nick, I certainly try my best!"

Judy still didn't look entirely convinced, but decided to push the subject for now.

"Alright then. How long should we wait for?" Judy asked.

"Oh, I would give it around a half an hour, an hour at most," Freddy said.

"Righto! So until then, how's about we go kill some time?" Nick asked, flashing his usual sly smirk.

"Well... I suppose that we could find something to do for a little while," Judy said, once more taking Eli's hand in her paw.

"That's the spirit!" Freddy said as he turned to heads back into the shop.

"It just so happens that I know--"

"Someone who could help us find something to do," Judy finished again, making Nick look annoyed and Eli smile.

"Well yes, several, but what I was going to suggest is a mini-golf course not too far from here."

"Oh," Judy said, now blushing a little.

 

A short walk later...

 

"So you really have never played mini-golf before?" Judy asked Eli, who just shook his head.

"Well then we're just going to have to remedy that!" Judy was chock full of her usual enthusiasm and excitement, making Eli smile. Nick was certainly enjoying seeing Judy and Eli excited. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a skunk staring straight at Eli. Turning his head slightly, he saw that the skunk was murmuring with a squirrel and a chipmunk. After a few murmurs, the trio all pointed and laughed at Eli. Eli heard the laughter and saw the three pointing right at him. He blushed and started to look down. Before Judy could say a word to the three, Nick was already standing before them.

"Well, what have we here. Riley! It's certainly been a while!" Nick said while looking as menacing as possible. The squirrel and the chipmunk immediately recoiled in upon themselves, while the skunk was just looking surprised.

"Nick? Oh hey, what are you doing here... and what are you doing with that thing?" he asked, suddenly feeling a bit braver and standing up a little straighter.

"Me and my partner and her boy decided to have ourselves a nice time out today. It's certainly funny seeing you here Riley. Especially considering how many associates of Mr. Big's are around these parts. It would certainly be a shame if any of them were to find out that it was you who supplied the butt fur for the rug he ended burying his dearly departed Grandmama in, wouldn't it?"

Riley just scoffed at him.

"If that ever happened, you would be in just as much hot, or I guess cold, water as me," the skunk said, his voice just oozing self-satisfaction at the idea of having the upper paw on Nick Wilde.

"Yeah, that would've been true about a year and a half ago, right before I met my partner Judy. But Mr. Big and I have reconciled since then. You and him on the other paw, well, you know how he can be."

Riley gulped loudly as the color drained from his fur.

"W-w-w-w-well... ehehehe... would you look at the time! We should probably be going, right guys? Guys?" Riley turned to see some dust clouds settling where his two 'friends' were standing just moments before.

"Yeah, you probably should," Nick said, all casualness from his voice disappearing. Immediately, Riley followed his two companions' example, and bolted for the exit. Nick huffed before smoothing back the fur on his head and turning to flash Judy and Eli his usual grin. He was stopped however, by the tears in Eli's eyes.

"Thanks Nick," he sniffed. "No one... no one's ever stood up for me before... thank you," he said in a small voice, before leaning down and hugging the surprised fox. Nick felt a few drops hit his cheek, and saw a few silent tears making their way down Eli's face. In that moment, he saw what Judy had seen earlier. Despite the clear height difference, Eli just looked so small to him in that moment.

"Hey, don't mention it bud. You got me and carrots here. And we'll both always have your back. Never forget that," he said as he tightly hugged Eli back. Then he felt Judy place her arms, to the best of her extent, around the two of them, and join in the hug! Eli was smiling wide when they finally ended the hug.

"Well, let's play us some mini-golf," Nick said, trying to discreetly sniff a little.

"Awwwww!" Judy said, unable to contain her gush of emotion, much to Nick's embarrassment.

 

Meanwhile...

 

"Alright Sarah. You were very brave for me." Robbie said to the three year old. She giggled at that.

"I's a big girwl!" She said proudly.

"You sure are cutie!" he said, after putting her blood sample on a tray to carry out. Emmitt was currently sitting in a chair in that very examination room. They were currently waiting on the child psychologist, Dr. Snowson, to come and interview little Sarah. There were a few marks on her that suggested that like Eli, she had been beaten in the past, in addition to her left arm now in a pink cast. Emmitt had accompanied her to the hospital, after calling his wife to tell her what had happened, and just didn't have it in him to leave her side when he saw how scared she was. Although he was a bit squeamish when Robbie discreetly told him that he would be needing to get a blood sample from her, he still toughed it out by letting her pet his fur and keeping her talking the entire time.

"So, is the psychologist almost here?" Emmitt asked Robbie.

"Well, we just got a call from him a little while ago. He was with another human who just popped up outta nowhere in Tundra Town. I heard that he's going to be here within the hour. Apparently this other one is also just a kid and was really freaked out." Robbie said as he started to leave the room with the tray.

Sarah yawned a big yawn and stretched her uninjured arm. Emmitt looked up at the clock and smiled.

No matter the species, naptime always comes at around the same time. He thought with a chuckle.

"Hey there Sarah. Are you feeling sleepy?" he asked gently as he got up and walked back over to her. She nodded at first before shaking her head vigorously.

"No, I's nowt a baby. I's nowt sleepy!" she insisted crankily, before loudly yawning again. Emmitt chuckled again to himself.

"Oh no, you're a big girl. But big girls need their rest too little one. So, how about this. Instead of a nap, you just lay back and close your eyes for a little bit? Hmm?"

"Okay, Mistew Emmitt," Sarah said before yawning once more. She did just as he had suggested and laid back on the cushioned examination table and closed her eyes, fully intent on remaining awake. Then, Emmitt began to hum a lullaby that he had always had to hum for his pups back when he had to use this same trick on them to get them to take a nap. Within a matter of minutes, Sarah was out like a light.

"Works just like a charm." Emmitt chuckled softly to himself quietly, so as not to wake Sarah up.

 

 

 

 

Please let me know what you thought, and hopefully you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!