Judy arrived tired at home after the humiliation of the last day … her boss didn't even care about what she did or didn't, as long as she had more than her quota of parking tickets, Chief Bogo didn't care …
Judy went home with her feet still dirty because of the cement … that fox voice playing on her head … ‘No one gives a shit’ … and Judy couldn't find it in herself to disagree …
***
Arriving at her shoebox of an apartment, Judy tried to microwave a TV Dinner but of course the frozen meal she bought on discount already went bad …
Feeling like her day couldn't get any worse and with a sudden bout of homesickness, Judy absentmindedly pawed her smartphone, thinking about calling her parents …
Judy closed her eyes, her paws closing around the phone as she tried to rouse herself up and keep pushing it … Judy dropped her phone, glaring at the hastily scribbled note she made in the Academy that helped her keep going …
It was her angry penmanship almost scratching through the paper, in it, simple words … Suck it up …
Judy took a deep breath …
[Judy] - Yeah … just suck it up … you did it before, you do it again … -
Judy felt the tension leaving her body as she controlled her breath, when her phone suddenly lit up … she accidentally video called her mother, and her mother answered …
Judy grunted slightly trying to put a smile on her face as her mother's voice filled the tiny apartment.
[Bonnie] - Hey, that's my girl … I told you she would call … How is the big city bun-bun ? -
[Judy] - Hey mom … is good, many things to see …
Judy tried to keep a happy face but a single look of her mother was enough for her to see through it …
[Bonnie] - What's wrong ? Your ears are dropping honey … -
Judy kept most of her frustrations to herself, but her first day of work really did get to her …
*** *** ***
Judy closed her eyes as she stepped once more into the precinct …
Her conversation with her parents was still fresh in her mind … they were worried for her, they weren't exactly enthusiastic with her life choices … but they had her back, they were proud of what she did and what she achieved … Someone did care …
Judy Hopps passed through some of her coworkers and tried waving at them, receiving mixed results just as before …
Only officer Clawhauser ever gave her the time of the day, and Judy was sure he did it because that was just how the chubby cheetah was … the rest of her coworkers looked like they wanted nothing to do with her, many basically deciding to ignore her …
Roll call went about the same, parking duty once more as all other officers got stretched thin to complete the current cases …
Judy just resigned herself to another day of nothing …
*** *** ***
Another half day issuing parking tickets … hearing entitled mammals scream at her for doing her job, thinking they were in the right when the parking meter said otherwise …
Judy was now just finishing her lunch break inside her jokemobile … bashing her head against the steering wheel muttering ‘encouragements’ to herself … trying to rouse herself for the rest of her shift …
[Judy] - I am a real cop … I am a real cop … -
A noise of commotion arrived at her ears …
[Florist Pig] - THIEF, THIEF … -
Judy looked around, a florist pig approached her car yelling …
[Florist Pig] - That weasel just robbed me !! Aren't you a cop ?! Do something !! -
Judy's ears perked up.
[Judy] - Right, I'm a real cop … -
Judy jumped out of the car, looking in the direction the pig pointed and quickly trying to find the radio she was just issued to announce the proceedings …
[Judy] - Officer Judy Hopps in pursuit, 10-64 at Le á-venu-ê street going towards Little Rodentia … -
Judy released the button of the radio before loudly commemorating as she ran towards the weasel carrying a duffle bag …
[Judy] - YES, first crime uhuuuul … -
***
Judy was gaining on the criminal, but the weasel tossed the bag above the fence separating Little Rodentia from the rest of Zootopia before diving towards an entrance that he barely fit through, almost harming a few civilians on his way …
Judy saw another officer approaching, a Rhyno, clearly too big to ever go into Little Rodentia …
[Machorn] - Officer Machorn confirming 10-64 going to Little Rodentia, weasel wearing a white white wife beater with black sport shorts carrying an orange duffle bag almost his size … requesting sized backup … -
Machorn gave a small pause as a grey blur ran past him …
[Judy] - Officer Judy Hopps in pursuit … -
Judy yelled at her coworker as she went past him … barely hearing what he said back to her …
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
[Machorn] - Hopps, you're supposed to wait for a sized cop !! -
But the only thing Judy heard was that she needed to wait for a real cop … and she just ground her teeth and ran faster … she would catch her thief and they would see … her first arrest …
Judy slid through the entrance, barely slowing down, gaining a few more passes on the weasel …
[Judy] - YOU, FREEZE ! -
But the weasel obviously kept running.
*** *** ***
Hodari Bogo, Police Commissioner and Chief of the central police department nursed a headache that his newest officer just gave him …
The bunny ignored procedure and basically invaded Little Rodentia during her pursuit of a thief … the consequences of said pursuit were minor but the complaints were numerous, some were threatening to sue …
And Bogo couldn't even dismiss them … countless civilians were put at risk, some almost lost their lives and despite the minor damages to the infrastructure, a dozen buildings would have to have the pipes re-worked … an inconvenience that only added weight to the almost class action lawsuit brewing against his department … all of it because the bunny cop tried to play the hero against a petty thief …
And now she was restless at her seat, daring to look like she was ready to complain …
[Bogo] - You were supposed to put tickets on parked cars … -
Bogo bashed his table when the bunny almost got up and opened her mouth to complain.
[Bogo] - Shut your tiny mouth, I'm not finished … -
Bogo glared at the bunny until she sat back down.
[Bogo] - You disregarded your orders, you disregarded procedure, you caused the city damages and endangered dozens of civilians … and for what ? Your heroic pursuit of a thief of moldy onions ?? -
[Judy] - Sir I got the bad guy, this is my job … -
Bogo almost popped a vein as the bunny blatantly disregarded WHY she was being reprimanded … But before he could lay into the rookie cop what her job was, his intercom beeped, dispatch Clawhauser …
[Bogo] - Not now Clawhauser … -
[Clawhauser] - Sir, I don't think … -
Bogo almost smashed the comms button.
[Bogo] - NOT NOW … -
Someone knocked at his office door, not even waiting before entering … Clawhauser’s voice coming out of breath behind her …
[Clawhauser] - Miss Otterson you … you can't … -
The chubby cheetah stood against the entrance trying to regain his breath while the female Otter went straight for the Chief …
[Ms Otterson] - Chief Bogo if I can have only a minute of your time … my husband has been missing for ten days, his name is Emmet Otterson … -
She picked up a photo and showed it.
Judy's ears perked up at the case right in front of her … especially when Chief Bogo said in a tender voice that was a sharp contrast with his previous angry yelling …
[Bogo] - … We are doing everything we can miss, we are stretched thin at the moment, but as soon as I have an office to spare I'll put them on your husband's case, I promise … -
Seeing the opportunity be given to her on a silver plate, Judy couldn't help but say.
[Judy] - I will do it ! I'll find your husband … -
The small otter basically coiled around Judy in a big hug thanking her profusely before being escorted out of the office …
Leaving Judy back with an even more furious Bogo …
***
Hodari Bogo took a deep breath through his nose, political backlash or not, he would not have a rogue cop on his precinct …
Bogo slowly turned towards the bunny before saying in a cold voice …
[Bogo] - You're fired … -
***
.. You're fired …
Those words hang on Judy's head … her heart threatened to jump out of her chest and Judy couldn't contain the indignation that flared up.
[Judy] - FOR WHAT ?! -
Her question was less of a question and more of a demand …
[Bogo] - Insubordination for starters, the rest you will read on your dismissal letter with your compensation, now put your badge on the table … -
Judy's paw hovered above her badge, her heart beating wildly in her chest … her second day of work and she was fired ? For doing her job and catching a thief ?! …
The words from that fox came back to haunt her mind … no, she wasn't a quitter …
Judy glared back at her chief, willing her mind to come up with something, anything … but nothing came up … Judy gripped her badge with enough force to dent it as she uncomfortably stretched the moment her dream died …
Only for the office door to open once more …
[Bogo] - Assistant Mayor Bellweather … -
Bogo said in an even voice.
[Bellweather] - … I just spoke with Miss Otterson, I can't believe the Mammal Inclusion Initiative is already succeeding, it's all over social media now … you go girl … Lionheart is ecstatic about it, this year’s fundraiser is looking good, I'll definitely put the good word to have your central district the budget it needs for the Inclusion Initiative Chief Bogo … -
Bogo almost couldn't talk before the sheep was already somewhere else, leaving Bogo no option but to leave the bunny on the case …
[Bogo] - Great … -
Bogo grunted as now he couldn't even fire one of his own cops …
[Bogo] - … You have 48 hours, after that, you're done … Impress me and I'll forget today's recklessness, don't and I want your resignation letter on my table … go get your case file with Clawhauser and get out of my sight … -
Judy grimly nodded. Her face was the picture of determination as she dashed away to get her first case …
*** *** ***
Judy held the slim case file with only a single photo for clues … Emmet Otterson, florist, married and a spotless record, the definition of a good middle citizen …
Judy had almost nothing to even start figuring out how the Otter disappeared … and ten days is a lot of time …
She wasn't even on the system yet … her third day at the job and she already wagged her career … Why ? Why !? Why couldn't she just SUCK IT UP ?!
Judy bashed her head against the steering wheel of her jokemobile, she was already two hours into her shift just roaming around the city looking for a particular fox … her only actual clue in that case as the last known location of Emmet Otterson was a traffic camera that caught him and the fox on the same frame …
Judy picked up the form she filled on one ‘Nicholas Wilde’ … Tax evasion was the only thing she could make up in the short time she had, it was flimsy at best and from the way he dressed her down the other day, it surely wasn't going to fool him … but Judy had to try, she didn't have anything else …
Judy stopped bashing her head, closed her eyes and took a deep breath …
[Judy] - Come on … suck it up, you can do it … -
And when she opened her eyes back, the serenipendy blessed her with a stroke of luck … Just turning the street, the fox she was looking for and a stroller …
[Judy] - … Alright, show time … -
Judy took the tax forms she printed and ran up to one Nicholas P. Wilde junior …
***
Nick smiled at the familiar sight that greeted him …
[Judy] - Hi Hello, it's me again -
Nick heard the bunny ask, stopping her joke car besides him, trying to sound optimistic with a happy face …
… Desperate …
Nick could smell the desperation waffing of the bunny, Nick had to admit, she could put on a tough face but she was far from being any good at acting …
[Nick] - Look if it isn't Officer Tooth Tooth … I see that you still don't have a body cam, you didn't learn anything the other day ? What happened to your meter maid uniform ? -
Nick asked, also stopping and lounging on the stroller … he could see how Bunny's hands trembled at his words, the paper in her paw crumpling slightly under the pressure before she eased it with a sigh.
[Judy] - It's actually Officer Hopps and I'm here to ask you about a case … -
[Nick] - What happened ? Someone stole a traffic cone ? Well, it wasn't me -
Nick smiled showing a bit of fang, seeing her nose twitch slightly before he stood back up and resumed walking.
… Desperate, Determined …
Nick felt it, the bunny wasn't going to let go … Nick licked his fangs slightly, hearing the sound of her joke car accelerating and a warning siren played out before she cut him with her car on the sidewalk …
[Nick] - Come on carrots, you're gonna wake the baby, I’m working here -
[Judy] - No, this is important sir and I think you ten dollars worth of ice treats can wait … -
[Nick] - Not the right day of the week for that one, but ten dollars ? Really ? I'll have you know, I make at least two hundred a day since I was twelve -
Nick smirked looking at Judy's paws holding a carrot pen and a few papers with a resigned but determined look on her face …
[Judy] - Please just look at the picture, you sold a popsicle to Mr Otterson the other week, do you know him ? -
Nick stopped, briefly looking at the picture.
[Nick] “ Emmet ? … Why the hell are the fuzz after you ? … I'll figure it out myself, let's get rid of this bunny … “
Nick blinked and put on a smile.
[Nick] - I know everybody, and I also know that somewhere in the city, a store got its stuffed animals stolen, so why don't you hop along ? -
… Desperate …
There it was again, the bunny would do something …
[Judy] - Fine, we will do this the hard way … -
Nick saw her pull up a form … a tax form …
[Judy] - Mr Wilde, you are under arrest … -
Nick blinked his eyes, slightly confused but curious.
[Nick] - For what ? Hurting your feelings ? -
[Judy] - No … felony tax evasion -
Nick held his incredulous laugh, his face contorting slightly, a sight that the bunny took as a victory with the way she smiled …
[Judy] - I got your tax forms here and based on what you just told me, two hundred a day, three hundred sixty five days in a year for about two decades and you have approximately … one point four six million in undeclared taxes, I'm just a bunny but we are good at multiplying … and I think we all know that lying on a federal form is a punishable offence … About five years I think … -
The bunny pointed at the tax form filled with zeros like it was supposed to scare him … Nick did his best to put on a surprised expression instead of laughing out loud … the smirk on her face was just too good …
[Nick] - This … Hmm … it's your word against mine carrots -
The bunny smiled back at him, pressing her carrot pen that Nick now noticed was actually a recording device playing back his voice bragging about how much he made … like bragging was proof … she didn't even have a mandate yet … it was just funny her obvious desperation …
[Judy] - It's actually your word against your word … and if you want this record deleted, you will help me with my case … -
Nick shook his head, trying to keep a smirk from showing on his face, the bunny was as green as they came, but Nick liked the spice … So he poked Fin’s back through the stroller signaling that today was a bust … he would follow the bunny around …
Not a moment later a baritone laugh sounded from the stroller.
[Fin] - Ha Ha ha ha ha … She really got you Red, she got you good … here … -
Finnick took the badge sticker Judy had given him the other day and placed it on Nick's shirt.
[Fin] - You’ll need it more than me, Ha Ha Ha … -
Finnick then turned and walked away.
[Fin] - … Red following a cop tail now, this just made my day, pepper spray and tazed, now this will be a good one, crazy fox looking for even crazier tail… -
Nick rolled his eyes at his friend but kept his expression neutral to the bunny.
[Judy] - What was that about ? … Nevermind, now, the Otter, Mr Otterson, what do you know about him … -
Nick looked at the bunny cop up and down before smirking.
[Nick] - Well, I know a place he usually goes to do yoga … -
Judy's smile was almost radiant … Nick couldn't wait to see all that minus the uniform …
*** *** ***
Judy looked mortified at the place they were in … Mystic Spring Oasys … a nudist club … a straight up nudist club … and she had to go inside …
Judy watched, her ears burning up as a very naked fox stood waiting for her to drop her last bit of shame …
[Nick] - Come on, officer carrots, show some fur … I thought bunnies were good at multiplying, and to my knowledge, that generally involves getting naked … -
Judy fumed internally at the fox … but her willingness to solve the case and keep her career was louder than her shame … Judy dropped her last bit of clothing and went inside to talk with Emmet’s yoga instructor …
*** *** ***
