hadn't tried it before.

"Very good! You may put those flaming torches down now. Now, my sweet, you will wake up," said the voice in his head. "On the count of three. One…two…three…"

In a second, Nick's eyes focused on Madame Mystique's face. He was back in the tent, on the stage…and there was a tray with pebbles, knives, and torches which had been extinguished just then.

"Huh?" Nick felt confused, but then he heard the audience cheering and applauding.

"Thank you, my sweet," said Madame Mystique. "That was quite breath-taking."

Nick smiled and decided to play along. He bowed for the audience and stepped off the stage.

The show was over. As the audience filed out of the tent, they talked about the amazing juggling act that the fox police officer had done.

Nick stood for a moment outside the tent, dazed and somewhat confused. Did that really happen?

By the looks of it, yes. The fairgoers were amazed, the objects with which he juggled were there…but…

"I don't know how to juggle."

Nick looked back at the tent entrance. Had Madame Mystique really hypnotised him?

His ears were ringing.

Judy saw a familiar face among the fairgoers. An enormous polar bear was carrying a small female shrew in his paws, taking her wherever she wanted to go. The shrew was holding an even smaller shrew, an infant. Judy recognised them immediately.

"Fru Fru!" said Judy happily and waved.

"Judy!" said the tiny shrew, signalling for her bodyguard to lower his paws so Judy could greet her. "Hii! Long time no see!"

"I know, right?" said Judy, giving her friend the gentlest of kisses on her cheeks. "Enjoying the fair, Baby Judy?" she added, smiling at the cute little baby shrew who shared her name.

"Oh yes we are, right honey? Give godmother a kissy."

Fru Fru's baby was named after Judy. The friendship between Judy and Fru Fru had started in the strangest of ways, when Judy had saved Fru Fru from being squashed by a giant doughnut in Little Rodentia. This event earned Judy the love and respect of the entire family, the head of which was Fru Fru's father, the notorious crime boss Mr Big.

"Daddy is having a business meeting with some old friends," said Fru Fru. "So I had Marcel bring me and Baby Judy to the fair."

Judy doubted she wanted to know what kind of business her father, Mr Big, was discussing with his friends.

"That's great!" said Judy. "Would you like to walk with me for a while?"

"Of course, honey," said Fru Fru.

Judy walked beside Marcel the polar bear, who towered over her.

"So, Judy, how are things going with your handsome fox?" asked Fru Fru.

"Oh, well…we're going on a date," said Judy, blushing lightly. "Saturday night."

"Really?! Oh, honey, have you decided what to wear yet?"

"N-no, not yet. Truth be told, I haven't really done this before…it's all so new to me."

"Well, it's settled then. You and I are going shopping this Saturday," said Fru Fru. "We'll doll you up like a princess and your handsome prince will fall to your feet. Marcel, we'll be picking up Judy this Saturday. Call Mr Manchas and make sure to make all the arrangements."

The polar bear nodded in acknowledgement.

Judy smiled and felt glad to have a friend she could count on for such an occasion. Girls' day out, shopping and having fun together…it sounded very exciting and new.

"All units respond, we have a possible 10-11 in the parking lot, Officers Fangmeyer and Delgato may require assistance," said the voice from Judy's radio.

"Copy that. Officer Hopps, I'm on my way," responded Judy. "Sorry to run, Fru Fru, duty calls. I'll give you a call later!"

"Go get 'em, Judy!" said Fru Fru and waved goodbye. "There goes your godmother, Baby Judy," she said to her child. "One day, you're gonna grown up to be just like her."

The night was warm in the city. Judy and Nick walked together along the sidewalk on their way home, watching the few people going about on their late errands. It had been a long day, quiet for the most part, only one incident in the parking lot had required their attention, when two pigs had had an argument over a parking space and almost ended up putting up their trotters and duking it out.

"I couldn't help noticing the pigs flinching when Fangmeyer showed up," said Judy.

"'Little pig, little pig, I'll have to take you in'," said Nick, doing his best impression of Fangmeyer. "'Not by the hairs of my chinny-chin-chin!'" he went on, making a pig impression, "'Then I'll huff and I'll cuff and I'll bring you both in!'"

Judy laughed heartily as she held his waist for support. A few passers-by glanced at them, some amused, others amazed. It was still uncommon to see a bunny and a fox chumming so naturally, but they all knew that it would become increasingly less strange in the years to come.

"You'll never guess who I saw today at the fair," said Judy and Nick at the same time, then looked at each other and grinned.

"You first," they said in unison, then laughed together.

"Okay. Scissors, Paper, Rock!" said Nick.

"You're on," said Judy.

They played a round, and Judy won.

"Fru Fru and Baby Judy," said Judy. "With their bodyguard, naturally. And she's taking me shopping on Saturday."

"Sounds like fun," said Nick. "I take it she'll help you pick out a dress for the evening?" he added with relish.

"Maybe," said Judy, playing along. "I guess we'll find out Saturday night, won't we?"

They smiled warmly at each other. Judy hugged his waist a bit tighter and Nick pulled her a little closer. Judy rested her head against his chest as Nick nuzzled the top of her head with his nose.

"Your turn," said Judy. "Who did you meet today at the fair?"

"Madame Mystique," said Nick. "From the county fair, remember?"

"Really?! And did you go inside her tent?"

"Yup, she insisted upon it."

"Did she, now? So, how was the mysteeerious jouuurney into the wooorld of wooonder?" asked Judy, waving her paw theatrically and making Nick chuckle.

"She's pretty good at her act," said Nick. "And so am I, gotta be honest."

"Wait…you volunteered to help with her hypnotising act?" said Judy, snorting with laughter.

"Well…kinda," said Nick.

"I wish I could have seen that!" laughed Judy.

Then something came to Nick's mind. Something that felt like a distant dream. He remembered hearing a voice in his head, far away…

"Carrots?"

"Yes, Mr Magician's Assistant?"

"Can you juggle?"

"Juggle? No, I can't," said Judy. "My brother Peter can, though. He used to freak out mom by juggling utensils in the kitchen. Forks and knives and the like."

Nick was silent.

"Why?" asked Judy. "Can you?"

"No…but I did."

"How is that?"

"Well…at least I think I did. When I was on the stage, Madame Mystique did the whole golden watch thing, and I kinda felt fuzzy and sleepy…and I think I was juggling. By the looks of the audience, it sure felt like it was real."

They walked in silence for a while, thinking about what Nick had said.

"Do you think…I mean…it is possible…that a person can hypnotise other people and make them do things they normally can't?" asked Nick.

"I don't know," said Judy. "I mean, it is possible to make people do things without thinking."

They both remembered the night howler serum and how it had turned the predators in Zootopia violent and uncontrollable.

"But to wave a watch in front of someone and put them in a trance…well, I don't know. My money's on maybe."

Nick nodded. It was strange indeed. But strange things have happened to them, so it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility. And then again, it could just be a simple mind trick that anyone could do with enough practise.

They stopped in front of Grand Pangolin Arms, her apartment building. Nick had gotten an apartment two blocks away from Judy's building. They were within walking distance of each other, so every evening after work they would walk home together.

"Well, it's been a good day," said Judy, standing in front of Nick on the front step of her building so they were face-to-face. "Normal routine tomorrow."

"That it is," said Nick, taking both her paws in his, looking into her eyes.

They stood there for a while, admiring each other, holding paws in silence.

"Well, I'd better get home," said Nick finally. "Gotta make some phone calls, arrangements, before calling it a night."

"Yeah, me too," said Judy. "I promised Fru Fru I'd give her a call."

Neither of them moved, though. They stood there, holding paws, smiling and stalling.

"Oh, who are we kidding?" said Judy. "C'mere, you!"

She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek. Nick hugged her back and kissed her forehead, nuzzling behind her ear with his nose.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sunshine," said Nick once they finally let go of each

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