Before you go, let me tell you one more story.

(Also, I know you may have just read a SAUCY chapter, so sorry about the change of pace.)

I'm going to be rather vulnerable here, so uhhh just bear with me:

I didn't expect anything big when I started this story in 2016. I had written very little beforehand, but this was my first proper story. I just thought maybe a few people would read it, and I'd get some feedback on how to be a better writer. Instead, I saw many people... legitimately... enjoy the story? And want more?

You see, I'm a guy. And I was struggling with the idea that I could write a fluffy dorky fanfiction about falling in love and going on dates with a handsome fox from a Disney movie.

I figured, oh, this must just be an exception. Except, it wasn't. I'd had crushes on male characters before... so...?

Anyway! Back to me writing chapter after chapter. I soon discovered how mentally taxing writing can be, especially when you're striving to make something as good as you can. This eventually led to a burnout, which you can see the scars of this in the chapter: The End, later retitled and edited to be The End (Not Really!)

As I reached burnout, I asked for help from any readers who were also writers in continuing the story. This is how I began working with BrokenHeartedWriter. We collaborated on chapters, and she would write while I edited and posted them. This was good for a while until we both started to lose interest...

The story would then stagnate for a long time after this until I finally picked it back up; I think like two years after starting, I spewed out my first action-based plotline. The one with Mr. Big kidnapping Nick and the reader subsequently rescuing him.

Once I completed this and rounded the story off with a slightly touchy-fluffy finale, I breathed a sigh of relief and figured that was the end of it.

I had learned a lot about writing and how I write as well!

But when the itch to write again came back... I wanted to make my own story! Not just fanfiction.

What I soon discovered, though, is writing from nothing is a LOT harder than having everything already laid out by Disney. Characters people already liked, a setting that was already interesting, etc is much easier.

So I bled over my keyboard for months and months, writing short stories about my new characters, the setting, everything. But I still haven't completed something I'm proud of.

Fast forward to late 2020/early 2021, a resurgence of Nick Wilde content on TikTok and other places has led to a spike in this story. So I figured I would take a break from writing my own fiction and practice again on this one. Enter the epilogue!

The epilogue series follows the reader/protagonist, who interestingly enough, has begun to develop their own personality. Nick also starts to develop different traits. In the movie, he entered a redemption arch due to Judy; however, in this series, he is redeemed through the actions of the protagonist. He realizes that he can't do everything on his own and that making friends is equally as important as making money. To a degree. This leads to his most notable behavior changes while on the river cruise, as well as his noticeable openness with the reader.

However, a GLARING issue for me was that the main conflict of the movie was not yet addressed. Surely the coup against the Mayor and predators can't be just avoided? So I came up with a way for this conflict to be introduced: you and Nick are attacked by a savage-ized predator. And we also follow Judy for a short time.

You and Nick happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time twice. First at a port, and then at a subway station. Luckily, thanks to Judy's suspicions, the cops are brought to the lab for developing the night howler serum and are shut down.

This leaves us with all of the conflicts of the movie addressed! Nick has sort of redemption/realization, and the plans of the Assistant Mayor are thwarted.

That leaves us with a few last send-off chapters for the protagonist and Nick.

Woohoo!

The last saucy chapter was something I debated writing for a good while. I didn't want to write smut, so I went for something akin to a silhouette of love making... if that's possible within writing. I thought it was more romantic and love-y. I also wondered if I should add more, like a real proper... scene. But I eventually decided against it. It took a lot of effort to craft just that much and I was running out of steam. It was also something I was content with; as a giver, that chapter satisfied the intimacy requirements for me. Also, because the protagonist is gender neutral, writing certain scenes would be difficult to appeal to everyone. So in the end, I'm happy with it and I didn't push myself too far to make something just for other people.

Happily ever after!

Often it seems that people who come across this story see it as kinda weird, or have a: I can't believe it actually exists, or an reaction. And that's okay. I know it's silly to write fanfiction about falling in love with an animated fox from Disney. But I've written it for so long; it just feels like another story to me. I just... don't get that reaction personally anymore.

And as strange as it is to admit, writing this has changed a lot in me. It made me a better writer through lots of practice, and gave me hope for the possibility of actually writing something new that people would want to read.

It also helped me realize that I'm bi.

It took so long for me to admit this to myself. I was kind of in denial. Like, I was two separate people and anything I liked, like Nick Wilde, was just an exception. It's still hard to talk about or admit, especially to anyone who's not a close friend.

There are a few things I think I got wrong in this story, however. The biggest one relates directly to Nick. When I started writing the first half of the book, I would constantly look back at the movie to see what he might say or what he might do. Unfortunately, I think I lost this somewhere along the way. I wanted him to be perfect and the relationship to be perfect. I wanted the conflict to come from external sources, not the relationship. And... because of that, I think I changed him into something he wasn't in the film. Or maybe that's just character development? I'm not exactly sure. Live and learn, I guess.

But anyway, here's almost the final thing: I know I've said this plenty of times, and I may be making this something more than it is, but thank you for reading my story. Thank you for your funny comments, your weird comments, and most importantly, your kind and thoughtful comments. They were always fun to read, and I usually read all of them. Seeing a vote for a chapter pop up on my phone gave me the confidence to keep going. Or a lovely comment at the end of a chapter saying they enjoyed it. These are things I really do treasure and look back on.

Is the story properly over then?

Yes, basically.

I won't lie, writing this is a lot of fun, so I can't guarantee I won't come back and slap on a few new chapters or adventures at some point in the future, like a Halloween special or something. I frickin love Halloween. ANYWAY...

SO, I think that's all I wanted to talk about. I do a lot of art, and I plan to write original stories in the future; however, I'm not sure if I want to reveal my real username/handle for fear of association and the removal of my anonymity, but maybe one day.

I appreciate YOU! Cheers!