Chapter Text
Gary watched as Pawbert drifted off into sleep as they drove. He knew deep inside that Pawbert was going to limp for the rest of his life because of the fall. He wondered how different things would have been if he had grabbed Pawbert when he was falling. But he was a completely different mammal when that happened. If he had grabbed Pawbert what would have stopped him from killing them all? It was interesting that all of this only happened about thirty six hours ago.
When was the last time I slept?
The last time he could remember was after the Zootenial Gala when they retreated from the place. But that was only for three or four hours. The adrenaline had been keeping him going for about forty eight hours straight.
When we get to the oasis I will rest.
He glanced over at Nick who was sitting next to him, he was typing away on his ‘Phone’ as Pawbert had described it to him. He then glanced over at Judy, she was watching the city go by through the window. The wolf that was driving was too focused on the road in front of them.
Gary sighed and pulled out the Patent paper and studied it closely.
“Soon,” Gary whispered. “Soon everyone can come home…”
Pawbert helped Gary into the robe thing that they decided to use. It was way too big for him to wear.
“It’s so that it's harder for people to figure out that you are a snake, besides the last thing we need is a full blown panic before you take the Journal.” It made sense to Gary so he decided not to argue with Pawbert about it.
They were in the back of a van, it was the same kind of van that Gary woke up in. Only difference, there wasn’t a Rabbit and an Anteater causing a big ruckus in the front. He helped Pawbert into his Green Jacket for the night.
“This is it…” Gary said. His heart has never beaten so fast before from the stress, the anticipation, the fear of failure.
“Before I forgret…” Pawbert said. He bent down and started digging around his back pack that was in the van. He pulled out two devices. “Earpieces, so that we can talk to each other long distance…” Pawbert helped put it on his head and explained how to use the earpiece.
“It will pick up anything you say, so be careful with what you say…” Pawbert said. It seemed like he was more of reminding himself that too.
“You ready?” Pawbert asked him. Gary nodded. Pawbert opened the back door to the van and they were off.
They went in through the side door, to attract less attention to themselves. Gary was shocked about how big the room was, it was one of the largest rooms he had ever been in.
“I am going to go inspect the Journal, you know what to do?” Pawbert asked.
“Yes,” Gary said. He slid under the table and slowly made his way to where he needed to be. There were many different animals, animals that he would never have seen before. There were elephants, giraffes, tigers, wolves, and so many other varieties of animal.
“How many different kinds of animals are there!?” Gary exclaimed. He heard Pawbert chuckle over the coms.
“There are many different kinds of animals in Zootopia, the only groups missing are the Reptiles, and the Avians.” Gary was about to ask about why there weren't any Avians in Zootopia, but came across some sort of interference. He heard the words: Carrot’s, and the word lookout that came from a male voice.
“Gary? Are you ok? I just picked up some interference?” Pawbert chirped over the earpiece.
“I am fine Paw, there must be something happening.” Gary said.
“Do not call each other by our names, we might be being listened to right now, we go by the name Partner for now…” Pawbert said urgently. Gary nodded to no one in particular, it really did sound like Pawbert was right next to him. He eventually made it to where he needed to be. A large decoration piece was hung down from the ceiling to the floor. Gary quickly slithered over to it and began to climb.
“Ok Partner, I am in place,” Pawbert said. Gary was about to say something to him when a commotion erupted over the earpiece.
“Oh Uh, No, No, No, I'm sorry, no no it's my fault.” Gary shot his head towards the stage in fear and saw Pawbert wipe off his Jacket with someone’s tail, then realize what he did, and apologize once more to the lion.
Clumsy much? Gary thought and kept climbing.
“Paw!” Pawbert said over the earpiece awkwardly. “Uh, I mean, I’m Pawbert!” Gary then took another glance at the stage to see who he was talking to. There was a rabbit in a yellow dress on the stage talking to Pawbert. It took a second for Gary to recognize the rabbit and he gasped.
“Partner! That’s the rabbit that was hijacking the van that I woke up in!” Gary exclaimed.
“May I ask what your name is?” Pawbert asked in a gentleman’s voice. “Wait THE Judy Hopps? The one from the Nighthowler case?”
Guess that kind of answers my question of who that rabbit is. Gary with one last hurtle made it to the rafters on the ceiling. A new voice came on over the earpiece, the same one from before.
“Carrots? I think I found something…” That was all the voice said. Gary quickly climbed across the rafters to above the stage, he looked down and saw three Lynxes walking towards Pawbert.
“Partner! Behind you!” Gary whispered. Pawbert was pushed out of the way by one of them who made a snotty comment to him. The other one seemed to also make a comment as well. The third one did nothing to address Pawbert and just walked right by without a word.
Pawberts Family. Gary realized. Pawbert, who seemed to be heartbroken, turned around and got off the stage and disappeared into the crowd of people.
“I am in place, is it time for stage two?” Gary asked. There was a pause.
“Just…wait for him to start speaking…” Pawbert said, sounding depressed. Gary felt bad for Pawbert inside.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Gary asked.
“Later, focus on the task at hand.” Was all Pawbert said. Then Milton began to speak to the crowd below him.
Soon… Soon everyone can come home…
Then Gary leapt from the rafters, and down onto the stage to reveal himself to every mammal inside the building...
They arrived about an hour later to Pawbert’s tent, Gary had to shake Pawbert awake so that they could get them into the wheelchair. The wolf was the one to help Pawbert into the wheelchair this time. He heard the wolf and Pawbert discussing something.
“Whats your name?” The wolf asked Pawbert.
“I’m Pawbert, Pawbert Lynxley.” Pawbert then extended his good arm and shook the wolf's hand.
“I am officer Harold, I have heard a lot about your family over the last few days.” Gary went ahead into the tent while Harold was helping Pawbert into the wheelchair. Gary quickly set up a place for the wheelchair to sit when it wasn’t being used. Eventually they got Pawbert settled into the tent.
“We are going to go back to the ZPD,” Nick said. “To discuss our agreement with Bogo.” Nick, Judy, and Harold began to step towards the tent flap.
“Will you be ok on your own, Gary?” Judy asked. Gary nodded at her.
“And Pawbert, we will bring a crutch for you tomorrow so that you can move easier.” The three of them exited the tent leaving just the two of them together once again.
Ok, I can finally go lay down. Gary slithered over a cot that was on the ground and coiled up on it.
“I am going to sleep for a while.” Gary said, exhaustion taking over him, he quickly fell into a deep sleep.
He woke up in the middle of the night, he heard the sound of a guitar playing in the distance. He looked at where he had left Pawbert and found that he was gone. All that was left was the sling from Pawbert's arm laying on the ground.
Gary jumped up immediately from the cot he rested on.
“Pawbert?” Gary whispered. He wasn’t in the tent at all, the tent flap entrance hung open. Gary slithered towards it and peeked out of the opening. There was Pawbert, sitting in front of a fire, holding a guitar and playing it. He was singing softly as he played a song.
Since when did he play? To be fair Gary didn't know a lot about Pawbert. He has only known him for just under a week, if you don’t count the few weeks he has been writing to him.
Gary slithered over next to him and watched him play.
“Good evening Gary,” Pawbert said. “Did you sleep ok?” Gary blinked in confusion.
“Pawbert, why are you out here? Shouldn’t you be resting?” Gary asked him.
“I needed some fresh air, and besides it's a beautiful night out right now.” Gary sighed. He did have a point, it was a beautiful night. The moon shone dimly and the stars illuminated the night sky.
“Ok, I won't argue with that,” He coiled up next to Pawbert and stared into the night sky. “My mother loves astronomy, she knows each of the constellations with her heart.” Gary said.
“What is your mother like?” Gary thought of his mother. Warm, kind hearted, determined, strong.
If only you were here right now…
“She is amazing, you would love her, why do you ask?” Pawbert looked down at the floor with sadness. He stopped playing and set it on the ground.
“I lost my mother when I was younger, she died when I was eight years old…” Pawbert said. “She was murdered by someone.” Gary’s heart sank.
“I am so sorry Pawbert…” He slithered close to him and placed his tail on his shoulder. “Did they catch the person who did it?” Pawbert shook his head. Then he clenched his paws together tightly.
“They never caught the guy,” Pawbert said angrily. “Because it was my father…” Gary’s eyes widened when he said that.
“How do you know it was him?” Gary asked Pawbert.
“The way he was acting at her before and after she died, before she died, he was god awful to her always yelling at her, after she died he forbade us from speaking about her ever,”
“And he was there, when she was killed, they were on top of the Weatherwall, I am pretty sure it was the same place me and Nick fought, he said that someone shot her and she fell to her death.”
“They never found the body, there was a snowstorm that night, she is buried under all of that snow somewhere…”
Gary was stunned, speechless at all of what Pawbert just said to him. Pawbert planted his head into his paws, and just cried. Gary wrapped himself around Pawbert the best he could trying to avoid his bandages. Pawbert held him against his fur for comfort. They stayed like that for a while, Gary stroking the back of Pawbert's head slowly. Finally Gary decided to speak up.
“Would you like anything, Partner?” Gary asked him. Pawbert shook his head, wiping away the remaining tears.
“Nothing can change what has happened, it is all in the past now, Father is in jail for his crimes, and his charges will keep adding up the more I expose about him.” Pawbert then looked down at Gary.
“My mother would have loved to meet you, she was fond of meeting new animals, getting to know them, she had many, many friends.” Pawbert leaned over and picked up the guitar.
“This guitar, it belonged to my mother, it is one of the few things of hers that I own. She used to play it to me often, usually before I would sleep, she would play it, read a story to me and send me to sleep.” Pawbert chuckled. Then his face became serious.
“Tommorrow begins the day that I can finally avenge my mother, and I intend to do so. My father will remain in that hole for the rest of his life, and I will do everything in my power to cleanse the Lynxley name.” Pawbert then went silent for a while, staring into the fire that burnt in front of him.
“And I will help you succeed, Partner.” Was all Gary said.
“Then we shall succeed.”
They were silent for a long time, the flames danced in front of them. The stars spread endlessly across the sky, the dunes climbed and fell around them. The wind blew between them.
“We shall succeed.” Gary whispered. And my family will come home… Tomorrow we’ll discover what is in store…