Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Judy Hopps got off the bus at Warner Bros Studios, ready for the day. She had been hired by the CEO as a stand in for the regular security guard. The usual guard, Ralph, was away on sick leave. So she was the next choice. Bogo had received a letter all the way from the Hollywoods, a big city like Zootopia where movies were filmed and animated. She had never been somewhere like this. Taking a deep breath, Judy walked onto the lot, eager for a day with movie stars and headed for the CEO's office to get her instructions and uniform. Knocking on the large door, she wondered what animal she would meet.

"Come on in," a male voice called.

Judy walked in, ready to say hello and ask the usual questions, but her greeting died in her throat as she stared across the room at an enormous desk at the creature that sat in the chair. She cautiously walked forward, scanning the being as he sat writing on a paper. When he looked up, Judy froze, her nose twitching. The creature sighed.

"You're from Zootopia, right?" he asked.

"Um, yeah," Judy said.

He leaned back in his chair. "Haven't seen anything like me, eh?"

Judy stared at him. He was bigger than her, with strange brown eyes and no fur except on his head, where a round patch sat above his ears. He had no claws, and his teeth weren't sharp like a predator. Still, Judy couldn't help but be cautious, so she answered politely. "No, sir."

"I'm what's called a human. A man, to be specific, and my name is Plotz." The man set aside his pen. "You may call me Mr. Plotz. You'll see several others like me, such as the therapist, Scratchansniff, and his nurse. She is a woman, however, not a man. A female, if you will. Ah well, you'll notice the difference soon enough. Now, you're here to replace Ralph for the day, Ms…?"

"Hopps," Judy said, standing straight. "I'm Judy Hopps, sir, ready and eager to be of service."

Plotz smiled grimly. "Don't be too eager, my dear. You're with the Warners today."

"Who?" Judy asked.

Plotz opened a drawer in his desk and pulled out three files, tossing them on the surface. Judy hopped into the chair in front of it and leaned forward, her nose twitching. She gazed at the three pictures, unsure of just what she was seeing.

"Uh, what are they, sir?"

"The Warner brothers and their sister," Plotz said. Judy opened her mouth to clarify, but Plotz held up his hand. "No use asking what animal they are. Won't do any good. We humans were drawn to be in the primate family."

"Drawn?" Judy asked, her mouth falling open. "Wait, you were drawn?"

Plotz held out his hand and she saw an outline now that he'd mentioned it. "I was drawn to be CEO of Warner Bros Studios. Scratchansniff was drawn to be a therapist to the stars. And on and on." He smirked. "What, you think something like me would exist in your world? Wouldn't make much sense, Ms. Hopps."

"So the Warners?" she asked.

Plotz scowled and slammed his fist on the desk. "They're out of control, and if we don't have somebody watch them, they go crazy. Ralph can usually chase them down, but he's out today. So, Ms. Hopps, that's where you come in. Your job is to chase down the Warner brothers and put them back in the water tower. Your uniform is here," he placed it on the desk beside the files. "Good luck."

With that, Plotz clicked his pen and began to write again. Judy took the files and her uniform and headed to the bathroom to change. Judy slipped into the uniform, which fitted perfectly, and she gazed at herself in the mirror for a moment. She'd heard rumors of artwork coming to life, but nothing to this extent. The Hollywoods were supposed to be a magical place, and she had certainly seen it for herself. A man, she thought, recalling Plotz as she smoothed the fur on her ears. Well, Man was certainly a strange creature, and certainly only one that an incredibly creative mind could come up with.

Judy placed the hat on her head then walked out of the bathroom straight into another one of those humans. He was much taller, and he wore thick glasses. He was scribbling on a clipboard, talking with what had to be the female of the species.

"Mr. Freedmink is doing much better, but remind me to schedule another few sessions. He's beginning to act like God himself again."

"Oh, that's too bad, doctor," the woman replied, tossing thick blonde hair over her shoulder. She stopped. "Hello there. Who are you?"

"Judy Hopps from Zootopia, ma'am," Judy said.

"Heloise Nurz," the woman replied, kneeling down to shake Judy's paw in her slim fingers.

"I am Dr. Otto Scratchansniff," the man said with a thick accent, adjusting his glasses. "I take it you're ze poor soul after the Warners today, ja?"

"Um, yes. Yes I am, sir," Judy said once she'd pieced together what he'd said.

Both humans glanced at each other then back at her. "Our condolences," Dr. Scratchansniff said, his lips twitching.

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Judy asked.

There was a rushing sound behind them, and Heloise clutched at her skirt as a huge blast of air rushed by them, along with black, blurry blobs. Before Judy could register anything, she heard a sharp wolf whistle.

"Hellooooooo Nurse!" a male voice said, and she turned to see one of the Warners.

His tongue was literally on the ground and his eyes were glazed and shining as he stared at Heloise with unmistakable interest. Heliose huffed and tugged her skirt down. Dr. Scratchansniff brushed papers off of his head.

"Hello, Yakko," he said. "Vhere are your siblings?"

Yakko reached out and rolled his tongue back up into his mouth then straightened as his eyes became small black dots in his white face. The only colorful things about him was his bright red nose and his tan pants. The rest of him was inked in black and white.

"Around and about, Doc," he said, grinning. Then he caught sight of Judy. "Hey there, toots," he said. "What are you doing here? Seeing the head doctor?"

Judy was speechless. "Uh…"

"I'm a better one, I promise," Yakko said. "See here. I have proof!" He pulled the waistband of his pants out and reached in to grab something. Judy was too bewildered to look away as he pulled out the shrunken head of a boar. "See! And if you don't like boar, I've got other heads!"

"Cheese and crackers!" Judy yelped, jumping back.

"Be nice to her, Yakko," Heloise said. "She's on-duty already."

Yakko then seemed to notice her outfit. He dropped the head back into his pants and released the waistband so that it snapped back in place against his thin body. He squinted at her.

"Are you, by any chance, filling in for Ralph?" he asked, almost too-sweetly.

"Yes," Judy said, straightening up. "And I'm supposed to get you back in the water tower. So if you'll come with me."

Yakko spun around once, and in that blur of movement, he gained a monocle, a coat and a curved pipe, which blew bubbles when he smoked it. "I see you don't understand the name of the game, what, what," Yakko said with a posh accent, puffing on the bubble pipe.

"Game?" Judy asked, wrinkling her nose. "What game?"

"Why, the daily chase that ends with us back home in the tower," Yakko explained, his eyes bright.

"Why can't you just get in the tower?" Judy asked.

Yakko spun around once again, and the coat, monocle, and pipe were gone. "Eh, they locked us in there for fifty years," he said, shrugging. "That does things to your mind and makes you realize the value of a little fun."

"Not even for me?" Judy asked, lowering her ears and making her eyes big.

Yakko leaned down close, hearts appearing in his eyes. "Aww! How cute! Dot has some competition!" He patted her head then stepped back. A rope appeared beside him, and he grabbed it and grinned. Dr. Scratchansniff and Heloise began backing away.

"Wait, where are you going?" Judy asked, raising her ears.

"Good luck!" Dr. Scratchansniff called.

"You'll need it!" Heloise said, then they both turned and ran.

"Let the chase… BEGIN!" Yakko cried, and he pulled the rope.

Judy's eyes followed the rope to a bucket over her head just as it tilted and spilled water down on her. Though the bucket was small, the water filled the hallway and washed her away from Yakko. She was swept down the halls in a raging torrent of water, struggling to keep her head above the surface. After what felt like an eternity but was only a minute, the water burst through a set of doors and poured out onto the grass. Judy tumbled gratefully on the green sward, gasping and soaked to the skin. She got on all fours then shook hard, water wicking off her nose and tail and ears. She stood up and began to wring out her uniform.

Two hippos walked by and stared at her. "Oh darling, look," the female said.

"Trying to catch the Warners?" the male asked sympathetically.

Judy nodded. "Seen them?"

"I saw Dot in the flower meadows set," the female said.

"And Wakko has got to be near the food," the male added.

"And Yakko?" Judy asked.

A rush of wind swirled around Judy, spinning her in several circles before she settled in a heap. The hippos had been knocked off their feet, and they both struggled to get to their feet. Yakko stood off to the side, grinning. He spun once and gained a hat and a tommy gun, his eyes squinting at her.

"Who's askin' for Yakko, doll?" he asked gruffly. "Better be careful or you'll be blown away!"

He pulled the trigger and a sign popped out the end with BANG! written on it. Judy got to her feet and realized that she was completely dry. She marched up to Yakko as he laughed at his own jokes.

"Look here, you need to come with me," Judy said, grabbing Yakko's hand. Yakko stepped back and his arm stayed in her grip. She screamed and dropped it. It was a fake!

"Catch me if you can, coppers!" Yakko cried, and in a whirling rush of wind, he was gone.

"Oh, dear," the male hippo said.

"You're in for a rough day, bun bun," the female said.

"But don't worry, darling," the male said, linking arms with his mate. "That means they like you!"

"What happens if they don't like you?" Judy asked.

The hippos glanced at each other then shook their heads. Turning and strolling away, they waved and wished her good luck. Judy took a deep breath and looked around. Yakko had gone south deeper into the movie lot. She didn't want to follow him, but she wasn't going to go back to Zootopia without trying. If there was one thing she had learned during her first year as a cop, it was to keep trying. Somehow, in some way, she would have to catch the Warners and get them in their tower. Well, that was okay. She had been the fastest animal in her group during police training. She would just have to be faster and stronger than the Warners. That should be easy.

Right?

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Judy peered down at the two creatures below her, leaning forward as she tried to hear what they were saying. With a creak then a clang, the screws holding the vent cover on snapped and, before Judy had time to think, she tumbled down to land on the floor right beside the Warner sister and the beautiful mink. Both of them screamed in surprise, jumping away from the rabbit as she landed in a heap on the floor. Judy gasped and groaned, shaking her head to try and clear it.

"Oh, you poor dear," the mink said. "Come here, sweetie. What's going on? What's your name?"

"Bad day," Judy muttered, gratefully accepting the mink's kindness. Then she added, "Judy Hopps. I'm working here for the day."

Dot hadn't moved, taking in her uniform, soaked in gazpacho, and putting together what was going on. Unseen by the other two, a grin spread over her face before she skipped over to the door and locked it. Neither of the others noticed, so Dot skipped over and jumped on the chair Judy was sitting in, leaning close and peering at her.

"You know something, sweetie?" Dot crooned. "You're cute. Too cute for that icky uniform. Time for a makeover."

Judy sat up straight, panic in her face. "No, no, that's not why I'm here. I'm here to get you back in the water tower. I think. You're Dot right?"

"You know it, honey," Dot said. "And I'm not going back until I make you over."

Judy bolted for the door, but it was locked.

Dot looked at Minerva Mink, "You're gonna help me, or I'll let your little secret crush out of the bag."

Minerva's eyes went wide, then she sighed and nodded. She knew better than to try and refuse. Dot meant what she said, so Minerva stood up and walked over to Judy as Dot skipped over and took one arm. Minerva took the other, and together, they lifted the rabbit up and carried her over to a chair.

"It won't be so bad, sweetie," Minerva said, trying to cheer Judy up. "And really, that uniform needs a good soaking and a wash. We'll put you in something much better."

Judy tried to hop out of the chair, but Dot caught her and began a tornado spin. Judy found her clothes flying off of her, and she was deposited back on the chair without a stitch on. She cried out and covered herself, but Dot handed Minerva a small towel.

"Get her washed, Minnie dear."

Minerva smiled apologetically and carried Judy into a small bathroom off to one side of the room. "Surely, you want to wash? You smell like soup."

Judy was about to protest before she remembered that Wakko had tried to eat her, or maybe just her clothes, but either way, she didn't want a repeat of the performance. So she consented to a wash, and Minerva quickly gathered up a plethora of soaps to choose from. Judy could tell these products were expensive; they were all brand names that she recognized but couldn't afford to use. Minerva helped her select a nice, floral scent of soap then helped her lather up. Judy glanced up at the mink several times before she spoke.

"I've never met a mink so tall before," she said.

"I'm just drawn this way," Minerva said, her voice so sweet and clear.

"You're animated? Like that man, what's his name, Plotz?"

"Oh yes. Some animals here are drawn, others are real like you. Don't worry, you'll soon know the difference. Now, rinse yourself off and we'll get you dried."

Judy rinsed the lather off in the hot water then stepped away as Minerva turned it off. She held out a huge towel, and Judy nodded, so Minerva picked her up and began to scrub her dry. When she popped her head out of the towel, she found herself back in the main room. Dot stood there with a carpet bag at her feet.

"Ooh, where'd you get that?" Minerva asked.

Dot smirked. "Oh, I'm borrowing it from Mari Poppins, that lovely sweet leopard who did the movie last week. It really is fantastic for storage, especially for a toon! Now Judy, my dear, sit here and we shall begin your transformation."

Judy tensed then bounded out of Minerva's arms, but Dot was ready for her. She caught her in a catcher's mitt then picked her up by her scruff. "Ah ah ah, Judy. We haven't even started yet! Are you sure you want to make things difficult?"

Judy glared at Dot as she neatly set her in the chair. With a glint in her eyes, the toon slapped the chair so that it spun rapidly before she stopped it with one finger. Judy felt sick from the speed and slumped back. Dot looked pleased and skipped over to pull out a rack of clothes.

"What do you think, Minnie?"

Minerva shrugged. "I don't know. We need a whole outfit."

"A robe to start out with would be nice," Judy muttered, huddled in the chair with her knees to her chest as she tried to gather some sense of modesty.

"While we decide, I think a robe would be good," Minerva said. "Dot, do you have any nice, rabbit-sized robes?"

Dot turned to the rack of clothes and scanned the options. "Not here. Probably in my bag. Hang on." Pulling out a huge carpet bag, Dot bent over it and began digging out clothes. She tossed the rejects over her shoulders, muttering negative statements under her breath. Finally she exclaimed, "Aha!" and pulled out a forest green robe the exact size to fit Judy. "Put this on, doll. I've got to think on what to put you in. Minnie, help me."

"It's Minerva," the mink muttered under her breath then walked over to help Dot pull a huge makeup case out of the depths of the bag. Judy couldn't take the strangeness as she quickly pulled on the robe and tied it shut. It had to be a toon thing. And to think, she'd believed toons were something on television. Who knew they were real?

Judy sat and watched Dot and Minerva talk to each other. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't leave—all she was wearing was a silky robe, without even underwear! But she really, really didn't want a makeover. Some of her older sisters had treated her like a doll when she was younger, and she didn't want a repeat of the experience. As Dot turned back to her, a green dress in her hands, Judy realized that she couldn't get out of this.

"Come on, Judy, is it?" Dot asked, leaning close and fluttering her eyelashes. "Time for a makeover."

Judy did the only thing she could think of. She made her eyes really big and slicked back her ears then twitched her nose. It was the sad bunny face, and it had always worked on her father. Hearts appeared in Dot's eyes again, and she clasped her hands together. "Aw! How cute!"

Judy congratulated herself, but then she found herself picked up and swirled around in a tornado of movement. Her robe went flying off and when she stopped spinning, she found herself dressed in the green gown that Dot had been holding. Dot smirked at her and leaned in again.

"You may be cute, but you can't out-cute me, sweetie," Dot said, then she scanned Judy up and down. "No, I don't think so. Next!"

Minerva handed Dot a yellow dress, and Judy tried to flee. It didn't matter. Dot swept her up into another whirlwind and the green dress went flying off. When she settled again, she was in a bright yellow sun dress. Minerva made a noise of disapproval.

"Not her color."

"Agreed," Dot said, snapping her fingers and holding out her hand for another dress.

Again and again, Dot swirled her in a tornado to change her clothes, which helped with the modesty, but not the dizziness. They seemed to go through every color imaginable before Dot swirled her into a beautiful, sparkly red dress. It bared Judy's shoulders and had a split sleeve on one side. There was also a slit in the dress that went part way up Judy's leg, which meant that her lower limbs weren't as restricted as they had been in some of the other dresses.

"Ooh, that's the one," Minerva said.

"I think you're right, Minnie," Dot said. "So that's the dress. Now for a bit of makeup. Sit down, Judy."

Dot flung Judy into the chair and appeared in front of her. "So we need a bit of eyeliner." The toon stretched Judy's eye open and in two quick swipes had her left eye perfectly outlined with the eyeliner. She repeated the process with Judy's right eye then tossed aside the eyeliner and turned to the case. She flung out several bottles and other items before she straightened with a palette of eyeshadow. She put her thumb out and closed one eye as she seemed to measure Judy's whole outfit before she swiped the brush over a rich purple eyeshadow. Judy closed her eyes as the brush dashed toward her and with one upward swipe on each eyelid, Dot colored the fur with the fine purple dust. Judy blinked her eyes open and Dot grinned.

"What do you think, Minnie?" Dot asked.

"Some mascara on those beautiful lashes," Minerva said, tapping her chin. "And maybe a touch of color on those lips."

"Mascara first!" Dot said. She tossed several more tubes and small compacts out of the huge makeup case. She turned back with a tube of mascara, and she untwisted the cap and pumped it several times. Dot then grasped Judy's face with one hand and swiped the mascara at her eyelashes. Judy tried to flinch back, but the toon was surprisingly strong. Another swipe, and Dot stood back and tossed the tube away.

"How about some of this?" Minerva asked, pulling out a tube of Flirtatious Rose Red lipstick.

"Oh yes, that'll do!" Dot said, and she snatched it, then swiped it first across Judy's bottom lip then her top one, somehow making a perfect outline despite the rapidity of her movements. Dot stood back and looked at Judy then smiled.

"Yes," she said. "That's nice."

"Are we done yet?" Judy asked, dazed by how fast everything was happening.

"Not at all! Accessories, shoes, jewelry! There's more to do!" Dot said.

Dot pulled over the carpet bag then began pulling out stacks of boxes of the most beautiful jewelry Judy had ever seen. Minerva began scanning through them, frowning as she tossed some to the side.

"I think gold with that red, right?" Minerva asked.

"I was thinking pearls, like these," Dot said, and pulled out a perfect pearl necklace. "What do you think?"

"Gorgeous," Minerva said. "And what do you think of these, but in gold?" She held up a pair of silver cuff arm bracelets, and Dot nodded enthsiastically.

"I think I have that… somewhere… in… here…" Each time she paused, Dot dug deeper into the bag until Judy was sure she'd tumble in headfirst. She stiffened, ready to spring forward and capture the toon, but before she could, Dot popped out with two beautiful, slim golden cuff bracelets. "Found them!" she said, and she spun Judy in her chair. When Judy came out of it, she was wearing the bracelets and pearl necklace.

"Not enough," Dot said. "She needs some pizazz! Some style! She needs…" Dot raised her hand then waved it and a flash of white fur followed her movement. She had somehow pulled a beautiful white fur boa out of thin air, and she leaned over and daintily draped it over Judy's shoulders. Then she scratched her head and snapped her fingers.

"Gloves for those dainty paws, yes?" she asked Minerva.

"Long ones, maybe black," Minerva replied. "Like those movie stars wear, up to the elbow."

Dot smiled and reached over to stick her fingers in Judy's ears. With a flourish, she pulled out two long silk evening gloves, one from each ear, and with a flourish, she stuck them on Judy's forepaws. She frowned as she stepped back.

"Not quite, not quite," she murmured. She squinted then added, "Almost."

Minerva flipped her hair. "Really Dot, aren't we done? We just need a pair of shoes, and she could knock the socks off anybody."

Dot stared at Minerva and a light bulb appeared over her head. "Got it!" She dug into the bag and tossed out a curling iron, a palette of blush, and three different eyeliners before she pulled back and spun the chair. It went several full rotations, and Judy could tell Dot was doing something to her head. When Dot stopped the spinning, she stepped back and gestured with a flourish.

"What do you think, Minnie?" Dot asked.

Judy peered at herself in the mirror and saw Minerva grin with approval behind her. Then she took in the wig, with long, light blonde hair that matched Minerva's down to a T. Minerva tapped her chin then pulled out a pair of sunglasses and handed them over. Dot placed them on top of Judy's new hairdo, then she stepped back and clapped.

"Are we forgetting anything?" Dot asked.

"She still smells faintly of soup," Minerva said, her nose twitching slightly. "And she needs some shoes."

"You pick out a perfume," Dot said. "I'll pick out some shoes. And then we can present my newest masterpiece to the world."

Dot skipped over to the carpet bag, and despite the items strewn all over the floor, she somehow reached in and pulled out even more. This time, they were boxes of shoes, and she began piling them up.

"Do we want heels or flats?" Minerva asked.

"Heels, to make the chase more interesting," Dot said, and when she looked at Judy, her eyes glittered.

Judy's back straightened. Dot knew exactly what she was doing. It would be impossible to chase the Warners wearing what she was now. She watched Dot dig out a pair of open, golden heels, which she slipped neatly onto Judy's back paws. She admired Judy as Minerva walked over and spritzed a deletable perfume all over Judy's front. Judy sneezed, and both females looked very happy. Dot preened and pulled her over to the mirror.

"Ain't she a knockout, Minnie?" Dot asked fondly.

"She sure is, Dot," Minerva said. "I think even Yakko would go crazy for her."

"Mm. Now that's a thought," Dot said. She straightened and grinned gloatingly at Judy. "I think you look gorgeous. And now you may continue the chase. So allow me to assist you," Dot said.

Then she spun around in a whirlwind and came out wearing an old British fox-hunting garb. Then she blew a trumpet, turned, and went barreling out of the door. She was joined by a pack of dogs that ran after her, howling. Judy stood there, unable to process everything that had just happened. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt like crying.

"What's wrong, Judy?" Minerva asked.

"I'm supposed to catch the Warners," she said miserably, but she tried not to cry so she wouldn't ruin her new makeup.

"Yes, somebody's tasked with that every day," Minerva said. "It's their favorite game, but they haven't been as entertained as usual. Ralph is fun, but the temps haven't been well-received. Until you."

"You're telling me this," Judy spread out her arms to indicate her outfit, "is being well-received? You're telling me Wakko trying to eat me is me being well-received? And Yakko's insistence to irritate me and humiliate me, too? That's well-received?"

"For the Warners, very much so," Minerva said.

"Can you help me catch them?" Judy asked.

Minerva didn't automatically refuse. She blew a lock of her long, blonde hair out of her face and eyed Judy. "I think you have a chance at succeeding, unlike the others," she finally replied.

"That's not a no," Judy said, her ears lifting.

"It's not a full yes," Minerva said. She thought about it for several more moments then nodded. "I'll make you a deal. You catch the other two Warners first, and I'll help you with Yakko."

"Why not help with all of them?" Judy asked.

"Wakko and Dot caught me doing something I'd rather not have shared with everybody," Minerva said. "They've been holding it over my head. Yakko, on the other hand, is fair game. So you catch Wakko and Dot by yourself, and I'll help you catch Yakko."

"He's the hardest one to catch," Judy said.

Minerva smirked and curled her thick tail around herself, grinning like the cat that got the cream. "It depends on your approach. And I know the right one. So is it a deal?"

"How do I catch them?" Judy asked.

"Play the game, don't just give up," Minerva said. "They see something worthwhile in you, or they would treat you much worse. They like you. That's a good thing."

Judy thought about it then pointed at the carpet bag. "Can I go through this?"

"Sure," Minerva said. "It's a toon item, so be careful."

"Thanks. I'll get back to you when I've caught Wakko and Dot," Judy promised.

"I'll be waiting, sweetie," Minerva said. "I'll be at the northern most set filming for my cartoon, so meet me there by three pm if you've caught them."

"There's no 'if' about it," Judy said, and she began digging into the toon bag to find what she could use to play the Warners' game. "I don't like losing."

Judy didn't catch Minerva's smirk as she turned away, nor did she catch the mink's words as she strolled out the door. "Yes, and that's what makes it fun for them. You'll do just fine until Ralph gets back."

With that, Judy was left alone, taking stock of what she had available as she formed a plan to catch the younger Warners. She wouldn't go down without a fight, and she already had several ideas. She just had to pick one.

Chapter Text

There had been a lot of interesting and useless items in the bag, but there had been a plethora of useful items, too. Judy put an ACME Lockjaw Padlock in a small clasp purse she'd pulled out of the depths of the toon bag. She knew how to capture Wakko, and that was as good a place to start as any. So she girded herself and tottered out of the room in her heels. It had been so long since she'd worn any, but she eventually remembered her sister Jessica telling her to keep her eyes in the distance, and she finally got the hang of it.

Judy made her way to the cafeteria again. She had a feeling it was about time for some lunch, and part of her contract said that she got free lunch from the cafeteria. So she set out, keeping her eyes peeled for any suspicious toon activity. She saw none, and when she got to the cafeteria, she inhaled deeply as her stomach growled. Peering around, she noticed Wakko by the buffet again. She kept a wide berth from him and got her lunch, then went to eat a big salad with yeast rolls.

Once she had eaten a good amount of her salad, she put her plan into work. Plucking up a couple rolls, she slipped the patented ACME device into the middle of one and she headed for Wakko. She stopped beside him to see he was scanning the desserts. Judy took a deep breath then began to dip the plain roll into the chocolate fountain.

"What are you doing?" Wakko asked, stepping over to her.

"Just having a snack," Judy said, and she took a bite of her roll. It did taste heavenly, and she made a big show of enjoying her food. "Mm, this is delightful. You want one?"

"I need a roll," Wakko said.

Judy held the booby-trapped roll to her chest. "Go get your own," she said.

Wakko tilted his head then spun her in a brief tornado. When he placed a finger on top of her head to stop her spinning, he smiled, his tongue sticking out the side of his mouth as he held the roll in one hand. "You're a bit bossy, you know that? And you took all the gazpacho. I wanted some. So I'll have your roll as an apology."

With that, Wakko dunked the whole roll into the chocolate fountain then gobbled it up. There was the sound of a clang and then a click, and Wakko's eyes went wide. His lips pulled back from his teeth to reveal that his jaw was wired shut. The small padlock dangled from one side, and Wakko began grunting, feeling his mouth with both hands. Judy watched him, her ears high and her nose twitching. Wakko looked at her then pointed at her then the padlock.

"Why should I do that?" Judy asked innocently. "You tried to eat me."

Wakko shrugged, grunting and stomping his feet as he jumped up and down.

Judy leaned forward and lowered her voice to bring it home. "Worst of all, you ate my roll."

Wakko moaned and ran over to snatch a whole basket of fresh, steaming rolls from a staff member. He came back to her and held it out, his eyes pleading.

"Ooh, for me?" she asked, lowering her ears and making her eyes big. She took one and nibbled at it. "Mm. Delicious."

Wakko pointed frantically at his mouth again then got down on his hands and knees to beg for mercy. The thought of not being able to eat again was destroying him.

"Oh, I guess I could," Judy said.

Wakko looked thrilled and nodded, grabbing the padlock and holding it out to her.

"Buuuut," she said slowly, and he wilted. "I will unlock your jaw if you go with me to the water tower and promise you're done for the day."

Wakko looked back at the food and gave her puppy dog eyes.

"I don't care if you take a plate back. But I won't give you the key until you're safe and sound in the water tower." Judy tilted her head and fluffed up her wig. "Do we have a deal?" she asked.

Wakko hesitated then nodded, crossing his heart.

"Both hands visible," Judy commanded.

Wakko rolled his eyes and uncrossed his fingers as he promised again.

"Good. Now make your plate and we'll go to the tower. Then, and only then, will I give you the key."

After Wakko had filled a large platter with food, he meekly followed her to the water tower. She followed him up the ladder, forcing herself to not look down. When they got to the top, Wakko opened the logo up to reveal a large room, furnished oddly but nicely. He stepped inside to set the food aside then turned to her and pointed at the padlock.

"Yep," Judy said, and she pulled out the key. She held it up and met Wakko's eyes. "Stay here or I won't unlock it next time."

Wakko nodded feverishly, snagging the key. He clicked open the padlock and there was a soft clink as the padlock unlocked. He gasped with relief then tossed aside the padlock. He eyed Judy as he grabbed some of the food he'd brought with him.

"Well, that's one down," Wakko said before he popped a muffin in his mouth.

"And?" Judy asked suspiciously.

"Oh, nothing. That's just better than anybody else has done," Wakko said, shrugging.

"Well, you stay up here. Next I need to get Dot."

Wakko snorted. "Good luck with that."

"What's her deal?" Judy asked.

"She's the cute one," Wakko said. "Now I'm gonna eat my snack. Have fun with Dot."

Judy nodded then began to climb back down the water tower ladder. When she reached the ground, she let out a shaky breath. Then she looked around and thought about what Wakko had just said. The cute one. Dot was the cute one. And once Judy thought about it, she remembered that Dot had also claimed that she was cuter than Judy. If Judy could win a cuteness contest, maybe she could force Dot to go back to the tower without a fight. But if she was going to out-cute Dot, she had to make a few stops first.

After an hour, Judy found Dot smelling some beautiful flowers. Dot glanced at her and grinned. "Ooh, aren't you the beauty? Look at that dress!"

"Oh, yeah, this is nice. And I'm glad I found you," Judy said.

"Why's that?" Dot asked, leaning away as if to run.

"I wanted to thank you," Judy said.

Dot relaxed and grinned. "Really?"

"Yeah. I've never gotten more compliments than I have wearing this. So again, thanks for the makeover."

"It was no trouble," Dot said, puffing up with pride. "So you've been getting compliments?"

"Oh yeah. They all say I'm the cutest thing they've ever seen."

Dot's smile dropped and she squinted at Judy. "You? Cutest thing ever? Of course not, you look hot, but you don't look cute. That's my thing, you know."

"Oh, is it?" Judy asked, feigning ignorance. "Well, I'm the cute one in my family, so…"

Dot scowled. "I'm cuter than you!" she declared.

"It's your word against mine," Judy said. "So we're at a stalemate. What do you want to do about it?" The rabbit held her breath as she hoped for one answer.

"We'll have a contest," Dot said. "Whoever gets the most votes for cuteness wins."

Judy grinned and held out her paw to shake hands. "Done. Now we just have to find some people to judge us." She looked around and pointed at Dr. Otto Scratchansniff and Heloise Nurse. "How about them? We'll see what they say."

"Easy-peasy," Dot said. "Come on."

Dot and Judy made their way over to the two toon-humans. Heloise noticed them coming and smiled. "Well, hello there, Judy. What are you doing?"

"Dot and I have a contest," Judy said. "A cuteness contest."

"Oh? And we need to judge I bet," Dr. Scratchansniff said. "Well, make it snappy, ja? We've got some things to do."

Judy turned to Dot. "On three, we strike our cutest poses," she said.

"Agreed," Dot said breezily, full of confidence. "Ready."

"Okay then," Judy said, turning to face the humans. "One, two, three!"

Dot spun in a tornado before she stopped in a pose. Her hands were under her chin, and her eyes glittered and sparkled like Judy had seen in anime. Flowers and hearts burst around her head, and she gazed adoringly up at Heloise and Dr. Scratchansniff. The two humans made soft noises, and Dot grinned until she noticed they weren't looking at her. She turned to see that Judy had her ears slicked back, and she was staring up at them with soulful eyes as her nose twitched adorably.

"Ja, the rabbit wins," Dr. Scratchansniff said.

"Yes, yes, Judy wins," Heloise said. "Oh, I just want to pick you up and cuddle you, darling!"

There was an actual sound of shattering glass as the flowers and hearts burst apart. Fire filled Dot's black eyes for a moment before she took a deep breath.

"We clearly need more judges," she said blandly.

"Is there anybody else?" Judy asked, looking at the doctor and nurse.

"Ja, there's some workers in that studio," Dr. Scratchansniff said, pointing toward a studio.

"Thanks, we'll try them. Come on, Judy," Dot said, tugging Judy along behind her as they headed inside.

The crew all looked at Judy and Dot, and everybody stopped working. The director came over, peering warily at Dot as he spoke to Judy. "What can I help you with, little lady?"

"We're having a contest," Judy said.

"A contest, eh?" the director asked, scratching his head. "What kind of contest?"

"A cuteness contest," Dot said, all business. "We need some judges."

"Oh, that kind of contest. Well, sure, Judy. What are the rules?"

Everybody gathered around, and Dot released Judy's wrist and began primping for the contest as Judy explained. "On the count of three, we strike our cutest poses, and then you vote for which one of us is cuter."

"Sounds easy enough."

"Ready, Dot?"

"Ready to win," Dot said, snapping her compact closed.

"One, two, three!" Judy said.

In another whirl, Dot came out posing as cute as she could. Her eyes glittered and shone as she stood daintily on one foot, the other kicked up behind her, her clothes fluttered in a nonexistent breeze, and her smile would have melted the heart of anybody, as long as they had one.

"Awwwww," the crew sighed. But Dot noticed once again that they weren't looking at her. She spun to see Judy sitting on her hind legs with her ears slicked back. Her eyes were huge, and she was pouting a little as her nose twitched. She had also gone a step further, and she was nibbling at a carrot she'd pulled out of her clutch.

"The rabbit?" the director asked.

Everybody agreed. Dot began to swell with anger, quite literally, then she was forced into the air as steam exploded out of her ears. With that, her anger seemed to be spent, and she slumped down, looking ashamed. Judy reached out and placed her hand on Dot's back.

"Come on. Let's get you home," Judy crooned, leading her out.

She threw a grin over her shoulder, and the director gave her a thumbs up as the rest of the crew began talking again. When they got to the water tower, Dot climbed up slowly, and Judy followed behind. When they got up to the platform, Judy knocked on the logo. Wakko opened up, and his eyes bugged out when he saw Dot.

"You got Dot, too?" he asked in bewilderment. "What did you do?"

"I out-cuted her," Judy said.

"How?" Wakko asked.

Dot had just crawled in when she stopped. "Judy dear," she asked softly. "How did Raoul know your name?"

Judy grinned as she gripped the door. "We had a little chat before I found you. He and the crew were eager for no more setbacks in filming today. And Dr. Scratchansniff and Heloise felt sorry for me."

Dot's eyes flamed and she glared at Judy, but then she perked up. "That means you cheated! I am cuter than you!"

"Naturally," Judy said. "Ta-ta for now!"

With that, she slammed the door on a much happier Dot. Nobody tried to escape, so Judy took a deep breath and looked out over the movie lot. Two down, one to go. But first she was going to find Minerva. Wakko and Dot were easy mode compared to Yakko. Judy would need all the help she could get taking him down. Luckily for her, Minerva Mink was going to help with that. So she began climbing down the ladder, determined to catch the last Warner. She just had no idea how she would do it.