Poisson.

The skunk wore a dress resembling a Victorian-era evening gown; a pleated skirt reaching down to the floor, long sleeves, and a collar which covered most of her neck. The fabric, which was of a pine green shade, was embroidered with patterns of vines and flowers, and a simple gold necklace set with diamonds hung around the skunk's slender neck. Yet it was not how she was dressed that caught Judy's attention; it was her expression. The look on the skunk's face reminded her of the hyena who was at that moment leaving; not overtly hostile, but none the less commanding – if not demanding – respect. Next to the love seat and a little behind it stood another skunk, this one of the striped species and wearing a much less elaborate green dress with no jewels. Her expression was passive, though the angle of her shoulders suggested just a hint of apprehension as if she wished this whole situation weren't happening.

Olivia gestured to the armchair. "Please, have a seat." Her voice, though soft and low, was as commanding as her expression, and had a touch of French accent to it – though the impression it generated smacked more of Transylvania. Judy had a sneaking suspicion that Olivia was trying to hypnotize her.

Shaking off her paranoia, the rabbit walked to the chair and jumped into it, taking care not to scratch or track on the velvet. Although she didn't think a civilian – even one of Olivia's status – would take issue with a law officer over a chair, she suspected that the article of furniture cost more than she made in a month.

"Do excuse the size," Olivia added, hinting that she seldom conducted such interviews with individuals the size of a footstool. "If I'd had more notice I could have prepared better. Would you care for something to drink?"

"No thanks, I'm fine."

"Very well." Olivia put her hands together, her fingertips raised like a steeple. "Now, I think I know why you have come," she said, opening the discussion. "I can only assume this is something about your recent case, Miss Hopps?"

Judy cleared her throat. "Yes, I came by to ask you a few questions – and by the way, I prefer Officer Hopps."

Olivia looked as if she were thinking about calling Judy "Miss Hopps" again just to irritate her, but she didn't put it into words. "So be it," she agreed, "although I think I know the nature of your questions already. Let me save you some time: yes, my company makes considerable use of nighthowler extract as a key ingredient in many hygenic products. Yes, I know what the extract is capable of in high dosages – and in the hands of fools. However, neither my company nor its products are in any way related to the recent drugging scheme. You wasted your time coming here."

If there was one thing Judy didn't like, it was others acting like they could just read her mind. The fact that Miss Poisson had been exactly right didn't make things the least bit better. Still, she kept her cool. "I'm just doing my job. If the nghthowlers aren't effecting anyone," she asked, "what do you use them for in your products?"

"I didn't say that they did not effect anyone," Olivia answered calmly, as if speaking to a child. "I merely said that they were not causing animals to go savage." An odd look crossed her face. "At least, not the way of which you are thinking. The concentration is far too weak for that, and I have gone to great lengths to keep it that way."

"So what do they do?" Judy wanted to know. "What do you mean, 'not the way I'm thinking of?"

Olivia reached out and picked up a pot of the flowers on a table next to the loveseat. She held the flowers up and studied them. "My father, the founder of Pwasson's Passions, was an expert in the study of these plants. He knew their more dangerous properties, of course; in fact he even helped to create an enhanced version of the then quite lacking antidote for those under their effects." She paused, as if to let Judy consider that this meant her father was to be thanked for the recovery of those same creatures who had recently been druggd. "He also realized, however, that with the proper management, the flowers' extract could also be used for aromas, confidence, and even for... well, romantic purposes."

"You mean you are drugging your customers?" asked Judy, incredulous that the skunk would admit that so readily.

"No more so than someone who sells coffee," Olivia reasoned. "The effects of nighthowlers are a key selling point of Pwasson's Passions; it has been from the start, and the essence is carefully controlled to ensure no negative effects."

Judy scratched out a few notes in her notebook. "What about an overdose?" she asked.

Olivia shrugged. "Water is deadly if you overdose," she reasoned, "and anyway, with how weakend the essence is, the other ingredients combined – of anything we make, mind you – would poison someone long before they got enough nightholwer into them to have any side effects. My father made certain of it; he and Mother personally tested many of his formulas before selling them to the public, and they are still well and active. Equally well and active is the commitment to safety and careful testing. As heiress, I have made it my priority to maintain that."

"Well, it's nice to know you take the public's safety so seriously," Judy answered insincerely. "All the same, I'd like to do a little checking up; I have to, you know, for my report. Could you provide me with a list of your suppliers; intake, output...?"

Miss Poisson folded her arms. "Do you have a warrant?"

Judy bit the inside of her cheek. "Not really. I could get one, but it would probably go a lot better for you if you just cooperated."

The skunk stared cooly at her for a long moment, clearly unimpressed by "it would probably go a lot better for you." "If you must know," she said at last, "barring unforeseen demand, Pwasson's Passion produces its own nighthowlers to ensure the best quality and to eliminate the hassle which comes from inter-company negotiations. We own several farms for that very purpose on the outskirts of Zootopia."

Seeing that the skunk was stonewalling, Judy decided to try a slightly more "good cop" approach. "And is it possible that someone might have made off with some of your crops?"

"Unlikely. Several of the farms are located by residential areas, and no one on earth knows better than I how powerful the flowers can be – except perhaps the unfortunate victims of the recent poisoning." This last she added as an afterthought, her tone conveying neither sympathy nor guilt. "Let me assure you, the farms have the best security money can buy."

Again, her tone was ambiguous; Judy wasn't sure if Miss Poisson was saying that no one would be foolish enough to try to break into the farms, or daring Judy to disprove that. "I see. Well just in case, I'd like copies of the records from your farms – purchasing, yields, sales – for the past couple of months, and a look around them if you don't mind."

The half-closed eyes looking back at her promised nothing – except more blockading. "I will provide you with the papers as a courtesy," she answered calmly. "If you wish to enter the farms, however, or tour any of my facilities, I'll expect your ticket to have a judge's signature."

This one's a tough nut to crack, thought Judy. She's definitely hiding something. "Thank you," she answered, doing her best to look less bothered than she was. "Your help is appreciated."

Olivia clearly didn't believe that for a second. Taking the silence from the skunk as a cue that their conversation was done, Judy got up to leave.

"Officer," Olivia called to her back, "I would like to ask you something."

"What's that?" Judy wanted to know, half-turning.

Olivia regarded her as calmly as ever. "I am not an expert on the police department," she admitted, "but something tells me they don't hire many rabbits. I assume you worked hard to earn your position, and that you were not just hired to fill the Mammal Inclusion Initiative's quotas."

Judy bristled. "For your information, I was valedictorian of my class. Yes, I worked hard."

"I see. Then I can only assume you faced a great deal of species stigma, much as my father did. Perhaps, then, you will understand that I too have worked hard to continue the company he started, and to continue convincing the simpletons of the world that being a skunk does not limit one's options in life. Do you understand my purpose?"

The fact that Olivia had guessed correctly about her background and the trouble she'd gone to to get where she was did little to settle Judy's anger. "Yes, I see what you're getting at."

Olivia put a hand to her chin. "Then I am sure you will also understand that I am willing to go just as far to preserve my father's dreams as you have gone, and as far as you will ever go, to accomplish yours."

Judy's nose twitched. "Yes," she answered. "I do understand." She'd gotten the message, alright; Miss Poisson wasn't going to pull any punches if her corporation was on the line.

Well, she thought, I never did so well at pulling punches either. Then she remembered something else. "One other thing," she said, turning back