Waters of Atlantea - Epilogue

Author's Notes: A few weeks ago we wrapped up the bulk of the action, but left a lot of loose ends unresolved, including what happens next. In the epilogue, we conclude those, but leave much of Nick and Judy's future to all you wonderful Zootopia fans' vivid imaginations. I'll be back at the end for a few more comments. Enjoy!

…One week later. Bunny Burrow. Hopps Family farm. 4:30 am…

All was quiet in the pre-dawn with faint oranges and purples of the coming sunrise glowing on the eastern horizon. Judy was draped over her husband Nick's chest wearing nothing but her gray and white fur against his red, white, and black fur, still damp from the intensity of their lovemaking bliss late last night after a triumphal arrival home. One of her rabbit paws was wrapped loosely around his neck. Two powerful fox paws enveloped her protectively. Their breathing was synchronized even while asleep.

Nick stirred, raised an eyebrow and smiled, discovering his bride sleeping in a familiar place. He hesitated to disturb his spouse, but felt an urge, and whispered in her ear softly, "Carrots… Sorry… I gotta pee."

She groggily awoke, grinned, pecked his nose, and teased, "Oh Nick, you're always so romantic."

Nick snorted in amusement. She reluctantly rolled off him, snuggled against his side for a moment as he urgently moved to the bathroom, holding himself where her paws had been only hours before.

Judy sat on the edge of the bed, dangled her lower paws, and announced, "While you're doing that, I need to check on Michael."

Nick cautioned, "Don't disturb him. He was with his parents last time I saw him."

Judy answered, "Of course not. I know how exhausted he was."

Nick observed, "Well I'd be stressed too - meeting parents I didn't know existed for over two decades."

She knew how hard that was to say - given that Nick's father abandoned him early in life and his mother died while he as a pup.

Judy threw Nick's wrinkled tee shirt on to make herself presentable, and was amused that the garment extended nearly to her ankles like a night gown. It smelled deliciously of him to her and she took a deep breath of his scent. In the waning darkness, the rabbit wandered past all the familiar rooms and hallways of her parents' spacious farmhouse built to house her 275 siblings.

Judy peeked into wide open guest bedroom door reserved for Michael, and mumbled, "Hmmm. He's not there."

Nor, she discovered, were Michael's parents in the guest room adjoining his.

Judy fretted, pursed her lips, and scanned around nervously, fearing their abduction by surviving Movement operatives, but dismissed that unlikely situation. Instead, she wondered where the reunited family could be in the big farmhouse. She peered into all the rooms filled with bunks full of sleeping siblings where she'd slept when she was a much younger bunny. She marveled at her enormous family and caught herself oddly thinking what manner of family Nick and she would create. She realized that was becoming a pervasive thought. The lagomorph gave her belly a maternal caress without realizing it.

But Judy dismissed those thoughts and concentrated on the matter at hand. She crept silently and gazed from top of the second-floor stair to the main floor.

She smiled at what she saw in the huge family room at the foot of the stair below. Three figures were alone on the giant sofa wide enough to hold fox-sized mammals. Michael was laying belly down across his mother Sandra and father Melvin's laps like a toddler, contentedly sleeping, still fully dressed in the non-descript ZSDF fatigues he wore from their surprise helicopter-borne arrival at dinner time last night. They all were sleeping soundly together. Both parents' paws were gently placed on his back. As a result of last night's tender reunion moments, obviously none of them wanted to separate.

An unwatched TV droned on in front of them with the whiny noise of a weasel pitching some kind of very late-night tele-marketing campaign for some cheap product they didn't need or want. Weasels were always the smarmiest of salesmen and Judy's nose wrinkled in disgust.

Remembering the emotions from Sandra and Melvin's joyous and teary embrace with Michael last night, Judy smiled at the rejoined trio and whispered to herself, "Nature bless you all!"

But immediately, she was startled by a female voice right next to her, "Judy?"

Judy nearly leaped through the hallway ceiling in surprise. It was her next oldest sister, Meredith, nervously wringing her paws. Her sister appeared from out of nowhere from the oldest siblings' nearby bunk room. Judy chided herself for not noticing Meredith's approach, knowing a mistake like that in the Laboratory or the Nautilus would have resulted in her death. But this wasn't the Lab or the Nautilus, and Judy and Nick were home. The rabbit and her brave husband were finally safe, the danger was eliminated, and knew she needed to dial back her intensely heightened defensive instincts that had been on edge since their escape from the bungalow.

Without showing her shock and her racing heart, Judy snickered and replied softly, "I thought I was the only one awake, Meredith."

Meredith shrugged and replied using her favorite nickname for her eldest sister with an embarrassed grin, "Sorry I surprised you, 'Judes'. I couldn't sleep. I missed you terribly and was so worried about you."

"It's OK," Judy answered.

Meredith asked, "Why are you out here, sis? You should be sleeping. You must be exhausted from your ordeal."

Judy shrugged off her concern and replied, "Well... yeah, I am, but you know, Meredith, it's hard to settle down from everything that happened. Besides, Nick had to pee and that woke me up."

Both female rabbits snickered.

Judy was more curious about her sister's early morning wakefulness, and inquired, "I might ask you the same thing. We were all up late celebrating. Are you OK, Meredith?"

Meredith replied enthusiastically, "Oh yes, Judy. Everyone is so excited you guys are alive and we're so proud that you defeated those awful mammals who wanted to kill you and us and the hybrids and Michael's parents."

"We're glad to be alive too, sis," Judy kidded. Meredith's one run-on sentence just about completely summed up the situation.

The lagomorph kinfolk shared another nervous giggle between them and hugged. It felt really good. Judy realized just how much she missed her sister-to-sister late night chats and the many secrets shared between them.

Meredith added, "We just never knew after that horrible bungalow fire whether you were alive or dead. Mom and Dad assured us every day that you were fine. They had faith in you. Mom had one of her 'feelings'."

"Mom always has those 'feelings'," scoffed Judy.

"'Guess that's one of her 'Mom things'," Meredith mused.

The pair laughed and embraced again.

Judy observed, "Mom and Dad always keep the faith for the family. I hope Nick and I can do the same when we have to for our family."

The term 'our family' had a deeper meaning than ever before to Judy but she was not sure why. There was an awkward silent pause between them. Judy could see her sister's eyes fixate on Michael's sleeping form on the sofa.

"So why are you awake?" Judy asked with intense curiosity and a wry grin unseen in the dark, noting Meredith's admiring stare for the sleeping rabbit/fox' slumbering form.

Judy's sister didn't let her eyes move from Michael, and confessed, "Uhh… well… Have you seen Michael?"

Judy gave her sibling a dubious look with a raised eyebrow, "Of course, silly. We've been with him for days."

Meredith looked directly into Judy's eyes, and gushed, "Isn't he a dreamboat?"

Judy was pleasantly taken aback at her sister's obvious attraction to the hybrid and fumbled a reply, "Well… uh… yeah… I guess he is, but I'm married and not supposed to notice things like that. Besides… we were kinda busy with other things."

Meredith anxiously begged, "Judes, could you pleeease introduce me to Michael at breakfast? There wasn't time to meet him in person last night."

Judy grinned and promised, "Of course, sis."

Judy could see Meredith was smitten by the handsome snow-white fox/rabbit hybrid. Her sibling's eyes were gleaming just thinking about him, and the elder sister wondered if Michael was ready for a girlfriend. Especially her vivacious younger sister. Not to mention the further implications of a rabbit/fox hybrid dating a pure-bred rabbit. But the policemammal stifled that thought and knew that this situation was exactly what Nick and Judy's extraordinary mission had been all about: for any mammal to be free to choose to be with any mammal species they wanted, even species that never existed before.

The conversation was clearly concluded. Both yawned and giggled, hugged a final time, and Meredith admitted, "Well… this isn't getting us any more sleep. We better get back to bed… at least a little while. Breakfast will be soon."

"It's been a long time since we shared secrets, Meredith. That was nice. 'Love you," Judy confessed.

As they got up to depart, they hugged, and Meredith agreed, "'Love you too, Judes!"

Hearing the slight click of her sibling's bedroom door behind her, Judy smiled as she remembered she had one more task to do before returning to her bed, so after carefully latching and locking her bedroom door, she used the bathroom. Exiting after a few minutes, Judy emerged with a very big smile and noticed Nick's sprawled nude form in his half-sleep that nearly took up every square centimeter of her bed.

His revealed masculinity was too tempting.

Judy slipped into the bed, smothered Nick with kisses while concentrating on exciting him. Surprised happily, the fox readily accepted her attention and began another quiet but intense intimate session. As a younger rabbit, Judy sometimes imagined making love to a future husband in her rare private bedroom reserved only for the oldest of the 275 Hopps siblings. Now surrounded by memories of her youth hanging on her bedroom walls and shelves, she was happily living her dream, and enjoyed every second of Nick's loving touch and the warming satisfaction that accompanied the apex of their intimacy. Both were very careful not to disturb anyone else in the house.

In their afterglow, Judy whispered to her husband, "Just a few more minutes of cuddling, Nick, then we need to put on some pajamas to go downstairs. I can smell breakfast cooking."

Nick noted, "Yeah, I know, Carrots, but I'd rather stay in this bed all day with you."

"You know I would too, but I'm not sure how we'd explain that to my youngest brothers and sisters," she rationalized.

"Right!" he answered.

…Hopps Farm Dining hall…

The vast Hopps farmhouse kitchen and dining area was lined with dozens of long wooden tables and benches where all the family was seated. Breakfast was being cooked and served by the older siblings, and as usual, mother Bonnie was hopping about like crazy helping the young cooks and many other siblings feed their hungry little brothers and sisters.

But this morning there was a new wrinkle to the routine madness at the Hopps homestead. Many curious rabbits crowded around Nick who towered above everyone at the table and peppered him with questions, interrupting every bite of his first delicious homecooked breakfast on the farm. Meredith was seated right next to him, after Judy introduced her to him, and to Meredith's pleasure, Michael invited her to sit next to him. His parents sat nearby but didn't interrupt all the adulation being showered upon their rescued son.

Judy and Nick, seated further down the same table as Michael, were quite amused by his embarrassment from the Hopps' family's attention, but were also very proud of his kindness and patience while answering every trivial question from the tiniest of Judy's siblings to the oldest.

Between the din of the conversations and the morning meal activities, a pre-teen male bunny jumped up on a bench, shouted, and rang the dinner bell normally only used to call the family to meals, "Quick! Everyone be quiet! Look at the TV!"

The image on the monitor zoomed in on the Institute's familiar grounds and froze Nick and Judy to their bench.

"Omigosh! It's from Atlantea!" Judy exclaimed and displayed such a serious look that the entire family noticed.

In response, silence fell over the entire Hopps family, and every rabbit's eye was riveted on the Zootopia News Network broadcast that was displayed on several TV monitors in the dining hall. Several rabbits pegged the volume controls. Bonnie stood at the kitchen doorways and rung her paws on her apron, while glancing at Nick and Judy with concern. Judy mouthed the words to her mother 'It's OK'' while Stu left from his seat and steadied his wife with his paw on her shoulder.

Michael had the same concerned look as Nick and Judy. His mother joined him and sat down on the other side of Judy's sister, and grabbed her only son's paw, but he gave her a slight smile, patted the top of her paw and assured her, "It'll be all right, Mom."

It was taking a little bit of time for Michael to get used to saying the term 'Mom', but it felt good to him.

"If you say so, Michael," the arctic hare fretted.

"Is everything OK, Michael?" Meredith asked with compassion.

"I'm good, Meredith, but thank you for asking," he replied kindly.

Michael heard the worry in this beautiful twentysomething lagomorph's voice and realized this was the first female - other than his mother - he'd ever met that showed true concern for his wellbeing. After this was over, Michael decided he needed a walk with Meredith. Alone.

The ZNN newsmammal announced, "And now, we have breaking news from Atlantea, the aquatic mammal city to the south."

The massive image of Dr. Joshua Sweet, the Institute's Director, filled the screen. He was propped up against the auditorium's podium, specifically built to accommodate the huge whale's physique. He was big - even among the rest of the blue whales. The bulk of the largest mammal species in the world dwarfed everyone in the audience, even the elephant researchers seated in the front row.

In the impossibly low bass tones of the Director – so low and difficult to hear that ZNN subtitled the speech - Sweet addressed the live auditorium, primarily composed of Institute researchers, and the TV audience broadcast to every mammal city-state across the planet, "Thank you all for gathering here on such short notice. As you all know, The Institute has been known worldwide for decades for its important scientific discoveries. My fellow scientists usually quietly publish their research in papers and books and present their findings after months and years of careful study at international scientific symposiums. But a recent discovery of historic magnitude compelled us to share the information with the world immediately."

Nick snickered, "Kida is right. Sweet's ego is as big as he is."

"Shut up, Nick," Judy admonished him, but couldn't stifle her own snicker.

Sweet continued, "First, I'd like to apologize to the great cities of Atlantea and Cetacea for the power outages over the past few days for which we are totally responsible. We know there have been many inconveniences for so many citizens, but we can assure you that the unexpected failure of our fusion reactor has been safely contained. I'm proud to announce to you that it has been replaced by naturally renewable power sources - solar, wind, tidal, plasma, and gravitational power."

Another camera inset panned the waters of Atlantea a few klicks offshore from the Institute that were lined with banks of environmentally friendly energy generators.

Judy was shocked and asked Nick, "How did they do that? That was all open ocean on the beach just a few days ago after our rescue by the Colonel."

Nick speculated, "All those things were probably hidden below the surface and deployed when reactor failed. Sweet planned years for this. You and I both knew he didn't want to be blackmailed any more by the Movement."

Judy nodded and agreed, "That has to be it, Nick. Glad you know all that technical stuff."

He just grinned and winked at his bride. She pecked his cheek.

The scene on the TV switched back to the auditorium. The camera zoomed in to show Sweet's enormous baleen mouth and his head dominated the camera.

He continued, "But that's not why we wanted to speak to all the mammals of the world at one time today. A few days ago, a remarkable occurrence happened in the annals of science. Our oceanographers and marine biologists were performing routine studies with our research ship 'Discovery' when we made an amazing biological finding. On the ocean floor offshore from Atlantea, nearly 400 meters down on the edge of the deepest ocean trench in the world, we found something. That 'something' was not just a new species of fish, or a crustacean, nor was it some kind of vast underwater resource."

The Director paused for maximum dramatic effect, then resumed his monologue, "We discovered mammals. Mammals unlike any other species ever encountered before in history. All of them were living in an extremely technologically advanced underwater habitat that was hidden for years from the prying eyes of the world. They built their habitat to cloister themselves away from normal mammal societies. Why? Because they are mammals like no other – they are all hybrid mammals. These hybrid mammals came from all over the world – hiding together in their ocean refuge where they could be safe from the prejudice or violence that existed against mixed species everywhere in the world. Recently, the hybrid community made a momentous decision to make their presence known to us and to contact the Institute directly. Again, we ask: why? The answer: they feel that they can live among traditional mammal species now, thanks to the actions brave Zootopia policemammals Nick and Judy Hopps, who are true champions for the cause of mammal equality no matter what species you are. Both of them were in Atlantea recently to celebrate their marriage and honeymoon."

There were inset surveillance videos of the pair vacationing on the Institute grounds with their guides just a few weeks ago.

Judy asked Nick in complete surprise, "Did you know they were taking pictures of us? I thought we were jamming surveillance cameras."

Nick agreed but explained, "C'mon Carrots, you're a detective. You know better. Institute technology is superior to Zootopia's tech. Even Sheldon's genius."

She sighed, "It's a miracle for us they were the good guys."

More images and videos flashed on the screen of the pair having fun with their Institute personal guides. Their family was both happy to see them enjoying themselves but knew this was right before the trouble began.

"There's our 15 minutes of fame, Carrots," Nick teased.

"Shhh," she warned her husband, "Just listen!"

Sweet narrated further, "Many of our friends in Zootopia believe that Nick and Judy were recently killed in an unfortunate accidental explosion at an Atlantean resort only a few short days after these pictures were taken. Well, mammal friends of Zootopia, I can assure you that your Officers Nick and Judy are alive and well!"

There were sounds of loud applause and enthusiastic cheers from the auditorium audience.

The Institute Director elaborated, "After that terrible accident, everyone thought they were gone, but our veterinarians found Nick and Judy wandering around in the tropical forest just outside of our Institute. The doctors concluded that the concussions they suffered from the explosion gave them temporary amnesia that caused them to become lost and confused for days. Fortunately, after we discovered them, we treated them using state-of-the-art concussion therapy and medications at our world-renowned veterinary clinic. We're proud to say they have been safely returned to Zootopia by Atlantea security. If they are watching, we wish them well!"

The TV showed images of Nick and Judy lifting off in a helicopter with Atlantea Security markings, waving at the medical staff at the Institute veterinary clinic, but this scene wasn't from Sweet's fabricated story about amnesia. The footage had actually been taken right after they'd been rescued from their final escape from the Nautilus and checked out by the clinic. Nick raised an eyebrow, knowing that the vehicle was the Colonel's ZSDF chameleon helo disguised as Atlantea Security copter to take them home.

But no one - other than a precious few - needed to know that part of the story.

Nick whispered to Judy, "He did better with telling that big lie than I suspected."

Judy agreed, "A big lie for a big mammal. Besides, you wrote that script for him while we were at Orcandor and the Institute creating this cover story with our friends. I gotta admit, Sweet's a better liar than you ever were when I first met you, fox!"

"Who? Little old me?" Nick grinned clearly belying the well-worn phrase: 'sly as a fox'.

Michael heard his cousin's snarky comment and bit back his laughter.

The Hopps family also knew the true story from Nick and Judy's storytelling of their ordeal last night, but continued to watch Dr. Sweet.

The Director concluded with 'the big reveal', "So then, mammals of the world, it is my great pleasure to present to you: the hybrid mammals!"

A huge curtain of the main stage pulled back revealing the amazing never-seen-before hybrid mammals that were imprisoned in the Movement Laboratory or protected in the Orcandor Sanctuary. The hybrids looked relieved to finally meet the world. The two sets of hybrids had bonded fast once they were introduced to one another nearly a week ago - at Nick and Judy's insistence to Dr. Sweet and Kida - and all of them stood paw-in-paw or hoof-in-hoof together.

The cameras panned back showed every researcher giving the hybrids a loud standing ovation.

Both Nick and Judy looked at each other knowingly, and she whispered, "We did it, Nick! Look how much they like each other!"

"You always know the right thing to do, Carrots," Nick praised his bride, admitting he was at first as reluctant to combine the hybrid groups as Kida and Sweet were.

Sweet smiled an enormous smile and invited, "We ask all the mammals of the world to warmly welcome all our new brothers and sisters that represent the next stage of Nature's plan for mammalkind. We'll let them stay at the Institute awhile before they migrate to the cities of the world best suited for their assimilation into civilization. Thank you all for watching and good day to you from the Institute!"

While the cameras were still rolling after Sweet's speech, the Institute researchers got up from their seats and started to mingle and talk with the hybrids on stage to show their acceptance of the incredible variety of new mixed species.

The ZNN reporters had a truly stunned look and one stammered while unsuccessfully trying to remain calm, "Uhhh…. Well… We'll break for commercial and come back for a complete in-depth analysis of this… truly startling new development."

The commentators had the looks of absolutely not knowing what to say next about this revelation.

Just before the network switched to the commercial, Nick and Judy heard someone on ZNN accidently keep their microphone on and demand to another colleague in the studio, "Dammit! Find Nick and Judy now and get me a frickin' interview!"

Both turned to each other and snickered.

Then pandemonium erupted among every member of the Hopps clan as cheers broke out for Michael and their brave sister and brother in law.

They hugged and acknowledged their family's praise. Nick looked down at the display on his personal cell phone and watched while it was flooded with texts from well-wishers, who like everyone else thought Nick and Judy were dead. He smiled seeing the messages from their best friends, including Ed and Cynthia, Clawhauser, Finnick, Charlie and Rachel, Mitch and Sam, Zipporah and Moses, Flash and Priscilla, Ted, Sheldon, Alan and Stephanie, and even Fru Fru.

"Hey Carrots, look at this!" Nick exclaimed and showed her his screen scrolling with dozens of incoming texts.

She smiled, and noted, "Maybe it's time for a house party at our place!"

He smiled and agreed.

A few seats down from the couple, Michael glanced at his brand new cell phone that suddenly chimed, and read with concern his very first and completely unexpected text:

Message from Noocvaeb: Xobar. We have to meet and talk ASAP.

"Uh oh," he muttered, wondering how his old friend and ally got his unlisted number and what the problem could be.

"Michael, what's wrong?" asked Meredith fretfully, seeing his concern, daring to touch his shoulder tenderly with her paw.

He gave her a qualified answer, accepting her touch, "I'm not sure, Meredith, because…"

And then another text appeared:

Message from Noocvaeb: For a beer!

Michael laughed out loud and put his paw around Meredith's shoulder for a hug, thrilling her.

…Orcandor. Milo and Kida's bedroom…

Kida was reclining in their special combination marine and land mammal bed and reflected to Milo lying next to her, "Damn. That went even better than I expected."

"Did you expect Joshua not to perform in front of a TV camera and a big audience?" Milo remarked with a big smirk.

The big female orca chuckled, "You're so right about that. I guess we can go back to not existing anymore."

"True. We'll have a calf to raise anyway. When do you think, dear?" Milo asked.

Kida calmed her equine husband with a gentle touch of her flipper to his flank, "Soon dear. Soon. In fact, things might go faster if you make love to me – maybe you can loosen things up down there!"

"Gladly!" Milo relished any opportunity to have intimacy with his wife.

The pair kissed and entangled.

…Mayor Lionheart's office…

The Mayor turned off the ZNN broadcast and glanced at his advance copy of the city's newspaper that was placed on his desk that would soon dominate every conversation across the city.

The headlines blazed:

"Atlantea Research Institute discovers Hybrid Mammal Ocean Habitat."

The subtitle read:

"Institute Director Dr. Joshua Sweet reveals 100 amazing new hybrid species to the world. Touts rescue of amnesia victims Nick and Judy in Atlantean wilderness."

The rest of the front page was a half-page huge color picture of the hybrids in a group shot.

Seated on the sofa across from the Mayor's wooden desk were his very pregnant wife Adeline, ZPD Chief Bogo, ZPD Chief of Staff Lieutenant Evelyn, and the commanding General of ZSDF.

The Mayor observed, "Sweet did very well. Just as we discussed by telecon with Kida, Sweet, Nick, Judy and Michael right after they wiped out the Movement and… thank Nature… that Nemo guy. What a piece of work he was."

Evelyn replied, "Well, Mr. Mayor sir, it always makes me nervous working with scientists and engineers, and especially organized crime, no matter what city they come from."

The ZPD Police Chief scoffed, "It was all for the greater good, Lieutenant. You know that's the way it had to be to protect The Cetacea 'Family', and Nick and Judy's covert operation with the Colonel's team. All this protects ZPD and keeps ZSDF hidden. They don't exist. No one in Zootopia needs to know that the Movement existed either. Joe Camel's Species Purity Society was enough of a threat to our citizens. Let's keep our dear city calm."

"So that's the end of it," the Mayor declared confidently, leaned back, put his paws behind his mane, crossed his hind paws on top of his desk, and sighed with satisfaction.

Adeline soothed her swelled belly, and announced, No Leodore, dear, that's only the beginning of it. My water just broke!"

Mayor Lionheart sat up ramrod straight in his chair and his jaw dropped.

…ZSDF Operations and Detainment Center. Somewhere in the Zootopian Mountains…

"Well I guess that wraps it all up," the Colonel summarized, taking his eyes away from Sweet's concluded press conference and looked at Bartholomew seated anxiously on his bunk in his jail cell. Tiffany was visiting and sat next to her mate.

The grizzled walrus corrected the moose, "Nope, Colonel. Now we quietly go to work on the Movement spies that are still out there and would upset this happy little story. Despite their utter defeat, I can assure you that there are some still hell bent on taking out the Mayor, the fox and rabbit, their friends, and all those hybrids."

"Good point," the moose agreed, and asked, "So… how are you feeling today, Bartholomew?"

The walrus confided, "A lot better now, thanks to you, sir."

He looked a lot different with his brand-new ceramic/metal matrix composite false tusk that completely matched his remaining real tusk and was a hundred times stronger than the old metal one.

The Colonel confided, "You're a good mammal, Bartholomew. All it took was a superior officer to smack a little sense into you to show you who the real enemy was."

"And a girlfriend who wanted something better for her male," Tiffany interjected.

The pinniped warrior smiled gratefully and nodded, replying, "Thanks… to both of you. Let's go, Colonel. We have work to do."

The moose motioned for the sentry to approach with his keys to unlock the cell.

As the barred cell door creaked open, Bartholomew felt like he had purpose again. He waddled forth with confidence, sporting his crisp new ZSDF uniform and matching new gleaming silver Captain's bars.

Tiffany observed, "Honey, you're so handsome in a uniform!"

The Colonel had never seen a walrus blush before, but Bartholomew was deep red all over.

Tiffany applauded in admiration for her reformed boyfriend, took him by the flipper, and headed with the Colonel and the rest of the walrus' new ZSDF teammates to a hastily organized 'war room' to plan their undercover 'op' to root out the remaining few – but still dangerous - Movement spies in Zootopia.

...Adrift kilometers offshore in the waters of Atlantea...

The harem pod bobbed in the rising morning sun. They had survived the night and no one had come to rescue or kill them. The Discovery and its fleet were gone and the only helicopter had disappeared over the horizon. Ketura, along with the rest of Nemo's harem, sat with their muzzles dejectedly buried in their flippers, and most were still in shock and silence. They knew absolutely everything and everyone they knew was gone, the Movement was shattered forever, and Nemo was dead. Several were still sobbing about the loss of Nemo and other loved ones lost in the Lab and on the Nautilus.

Others were glad they were free from fear of Nemo's next wanton smile at them.

One of Ketura's eldest sons approached her and dared ask, "What now, Mother?"

She sighed and looked up at him, "We can do nothing, rot in the hot sun, and die of thirst and hunger, or we can try find a refuge for the rest of our days. We have no place in this world. We will be marked and hunted and disgraced forever because we were Nemo's."

The young elephant seal bull smiled weakly and soothed his despondent mother with his flipper, "I'm for hiding, Mother. We can have a good life away from the rest of the world. Look, I've made a paddle from this pipe, wire, and a clipboard. We can row to a place where we can live in safety. Father always said there were beautiful islands to the south that no one knows about."

He got Ketura's full attention, she stood up over the dejected harem and family, and announced in a shout for all to hear, "See what Zephaniah has done! Everyone who wants to go with us, do the same!"

Every elephant seal aboard and the few other mammals with them were encouraged by her words and her son's resourcefulness, and joined them.

They started paddling south.

…Hopps' Farm Dining Hall…

Judy could see Meredith engaged in lively conversation with Michael. She was seated a little closer to him than normal personal space would allow, but the rabox clearly enjoyed her company.

Following all the applause and chatter about the ZNN news bulletin, Stu walked over to the dinner bell, rang it a couple of times to get everyone's attention, and announced, "OK family, all the excitement is over. Let's get going! It's another beautiful day in Bunny Burrow, and we have lots of work to do today!"

The dining hall instantly began to empty with a happy buzz and with urgency to perform their daily tasks.

Michael remained close by Judy's sister, and asked, "Meredith, could you show me how you do your chores? I'd like to help you."

"Sure!" she replied with delight.

Michael passed by his parents with a happy wave, walking stride for stride alongside Meredith, and announced, "We'll be back. I'm going to help Meredith with her chores. I gotta earn my keep here, too!"

His parents encouraged them and watched them leave the building.

"Well, now that's interesting!" Melvin mused to his mate.

"You don't think…?" Sandra inferred.

"As a matter of fact, yes I do 'think'. In fact, I have a feeling," Melvin grinned.

"Oh you…!" Sandra blushed.

The old arctic fox squeezed his arctic hare mate's paw and suggested, "Speaking of 'earning our keep', sweetheart, c'mon, let's go see what Stu and Bonnie need us to do today. I think Michael and Meredith might be awhile…"

Sandra corrected her husband of 31 years, "Actually, dear, today we have to figure out a way to tell our other children that 'we're not dead yet!'"

Melvin reacted with a knowing head nod, and quipped, "Well… there's that and then explain why they have a 25 year old hybrid brother…"

The two laughed and hugged and headed toward Stu and Bonnie.

…

Judy and Nick's "official farm task" from her parents were to relax and recuperate a few days, so after giving their dirty dishes to a helpful younger sibling, they went up to Judy's bedroom to shower and dress.

After showering together for the first time since the end of their honeymoon and toweling each other off, Judy's normal post-shower glee suddenly disappeared, her complexion turned a bilious green right through her facial fur, and she desperately hopped to the toilet.

She threw up every bit of her breakfast.

Nick was very concerned and exclaimed, "Oh no! The virus! We need to get a vet!"

"No, dear, it's not the virus," Judy laughed, handed him the pink colored positive EPT strip she hid in the bathroom earlier, and announced with total joy, "I'm suffering something else much more wonderful!"

Seeing the positive test, Nick's eyes went so wide with speechless delight that Judy thought they'd pop right out of his head, and he spontaneously hugged his precious pregnant Judy and spun her high over his head, both laughing.

…THE END…

Author's Final Notes: So my friends, this is the end of the "Waters of Atlantea" storyline. I hope this was a pleasant surprise to read. I could have written a tedious build up of the plans Nick and Judy and their friends and allies had to cover up their real ordeal, but decided to put all the unresolved plot completions in a "time jump" a week after their escape from the Nautilus (except for the fate of the mutated virus 'goo' at the bottom of the trench). With the time jump, it permitted me to give many of the prominent OCs introduced across the two stories I wrote (as well as the Disney canon characters) a chance to make a "curtain call" through references and vignette scenes about them throughout this epilogue, and give you all a hint of closure to the many remaining side plot threads. And finally, the time jump allowed me to contrast the primary characters' greater knowledge of what really happened, allude to their collaboration and plans made together in the prior week, and display their reactions to Dr. Sweet's public statements that were really a massive "cover up" of the real saga to protect everyone! I also wanted to give a big thank you to the actual "Zootopia News Network web fan site" which has - from nearly the beginning - highlighted and featured my story in their fan fic showcase pages. I am truly indebted to them for bringing even more attention and fans to my story, so I made the Institute broadcast feature them! What happens from here? A third story to continue my Zootopia anthology might be a very long time coming. Honestly, I don't have an inspiration for another story yet. And to just give you a fluffy 'Nick and Judy have a kit' wouldn't satisfy you or me – there are plenty of fan fics about that! Besides, I've often had to apologize for long delays between the final chapter due to personal challenges and work, and those challenges still remain and are getting more complicated. So, for now, I'll say 'au revoir!' rather than 'adieu!' It will unfortunately be awhile before we chat and meet again, dear fans and friends. Thank you for your undying and very vocal support over these past couple of years. You've been a truly amazing group of fans!