No Bats Allowed
Chapter 1: The Blessing and Curse of Wings
Judy had helped hunt down criminals before, but nothing like this. She was after a band of criminals known simply as the Blood Drinkers, a group that had been responsible for both murder and theft. What was frustrating was that this was a band of criminals that had escaped the ZPD twice already. With increased pressure from the public, the ZPD needed to catch the Blood Drinkers this time.
The plan was simple: Judy and Nick were to sneak into the Blood Drinkers' new hideout from behind. In the past, the gang would spot the larger police officers and escape. This time, Judy and Nick were expected to provide a distraction, going in alone in order to catch them by surprise. The hideout was in Sahara Square in the scorching heat of the district. The air was stifling in the sunlight, but they had to go in during the day. Their targets were nocturnal, and hopefully asleep by now.
"Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde, do you read me?" said Officer McHorn over the radio.
"I read you loud and clear," said Judy as she stood hunched in the bushes behind the building.
"And I can hear you too," said Nick, huddled next to Judy.
"Do you see any movement in the building?" asked McHorn.
Judy's ears were twitching in every direction. "No, it has been still and quiet for a while now. I can't verify if they are in the building."
"Then you have permission to go inside the building. Until I hear from you, I will be silent on my end. Officer McHorn out!"
Judy put her radio away. "Well Nick, are you ready?"
Nick held up the net launcher he held in his paw. "They won't know what hit them."
Judy pulled out her night vision goggles and placed them on her head, stopping for a moment to adjust the straps to make sure they were secure. She slowly approached the building with Nick close behind. The building was built for small sized animals, standing four stories tall, blocking out the sun overhead. The building was empty with a "For Rent" sign on the front. Judy tried the front door, and to her surprise, it was unlocked. She lowered her night vision goggles over her eyes and walked into the dark room. All the curtains were ceiled shut, leaving the building dark and haunting. Although Nick's natural night vision allowed him to see, Judy needed the goggles.
Nick ran is paw along the walls, and in the dim light, he saw the words "Blood Drinkers" written on the wall with tiny cans of spray paint. When Judy noticed the writing, she nodded to him, silently acknowledging she knew they were on the right track. As they crept along, all they could hear was the squeak of the floorboards as they walked. At first, Judy thought maybe the building was empty, but that was before she heard the unmistakable clicks of echolocation. Nick heard it too, looking about for any sign of life. As they entered a large office, the clicks grew louder. Judy could feel the fur on the back of her neck begin to stand up. She looked about frantically, expecting the Blood Drinkers to come out and attack. That was when Nick put his paw on her shoulder and pointed up at the ceiling. Judy looked up, and sure enough, she saw the Blood Drinkers hanging from the ceiling.
"Ah!" shouted Judy as she raised the net launcher upward.
The Blood Drinkers didn't move. They all hung on the ceiling, their prehensile feet clinging to the ceiling tiles. They all wore matching black jackets and pants, although it was hard to see with their wings wrapped around their bodies like that. Through the night vision goggles, their eyes glowed brightly in the dark like phantoms. Many of them let out loud hisses in anger. Their long ears twitched irritably.
Judy felt a twinge of fear since she never faced a bat before. Even through the green haze of her night vision goggles, she was able to pick out their leader. His name was Drake Hemocyte. His left ear was completely torn off and unlike the rest of his gang, he wore a bright red jacket.
"Mr. Hemocyte," said Judy, "you and your gang are under arrest."
Hemocyte grinned, showing off his rows of sharp teeth and his wild stare. "I love the taste of bunny blood."
Nick closed the door to the office. "Well, you're not getting a taste today. You have no escape.
Hemocyte spoke as if he didn't hear them. "I hear you scream, I hear you cry...I will rip your throat and suck you dry."
Judy pulled the trigger on her net launcher gun, but the bats scattered in all directions as the net bounced off the ceiling, missing them. Judy and Nick ducked under a nearby table.
"Officer McHorn," shouted Judy into the radio. "We need back up now. We have the Blood Drinkers contained."
"Roger!" said Officer McHorn.
Judy and Nick sat back to back, awaiting the Blood Drinkers to swoop in. Although they could hear the loud flutter of the bats flying overhead, none of them tried to attack them. As the sound of the fluttering wings began to die down, Judy poked her head out from under the table, and that was when she noticed that one of the ceiling tiles was missing, and the bats were flying through the gaping hole.
"Nick, give me a boost." Judy sprinted out from behind the table, reloading her gun with another cartridge. Nick got up against the wall and cupped his paws. Judy leaped up into Nick's paws, and he tossed her into the ceiling. With her powerful hind legs and Nick's help, Judy easily grabbed onto the edge of the hole and pulled herself up and into the ceiling. Using her night vision goggles and her sharp hearing, she was able to chase down the bats. She hopped along on all fours, running along the tiles and into an air vent. However, the vents went straight up. She could see the bats flying up the vents toward a hole where sunlight spilled in. She aimed her net gun and fired, but it was too late. The bats flew through the hole, causing the net to land back into Judy's possession. Judy cursed under her breath.
"Judy, are you all right?" asked Officer McHorn.
Judy picked up the radio and brought it to her ear. "They got away."
"We have the building surrounded."
"We'll be outside as soon as possible." Judy hung up the radio and ran back to the open ceiling where she leaped down to the floor.
"What happened?" asked Nick.
"They're outside," shouted Judy. "We need to hurry."
They ran out of the building and through the front door. Nick blinked as he was blinded by the bright sunlight. Several ZPD cop cars were gathered outside of the building where several officers were looking up to the sky with net launcher guns in hand. High above was the sound of a ZPD helicopter as its propeller blades spun loudly overhead.
Judy ripped off her night vision goggles as she ran up to Officer McHorn. The huge rhino dwarfed Judy as he stood there with a stern look on his face.
"Well?" asked Judy.
"I'm sorry, but the Blood Drinkers got away," said McHorn. "They were too high up for our net."
"What about the helicopter?"
"The pilot is trying to track them down, but they're too small and fast for the helicopter. It can't keep up with them." McHorn looked down at Judy, forlorn. "I'm so sorry, Officer Hopps."
Judy let out a long sigh of irritation. "Who's going to tell Chief Bogo?"
#
Bogo paced back and forth in his office, looking noticeably irritable. Judy, Nick, and several other officers stood nearby, nervously watching as Bogo growled under his breath. "Three times in three weeks. We've been after the Blood Drinkers for so long, and we're still no closer to catching them."
The other officers stood quietly, unsure as to what to say.
"It's my fault," said Judy, finding the courage to speak. "I wasn't fast enough."
"No, it's my fault," said McHorn. "I was the one who was in charge of the operation, and I was the one who didn't think to check for any places they could have escaped."
"I don't care who is at fault," said Bogo. "All I care about is how this reflects on the ZPD. We're in the middle of an election, and hostilities toward the bats are growing. If we don't subdue this tension soon, there's no telling what the public will do."
"I'm sorry, sir," said McHorn. "We just don't have the resources necessary to fix this problem."
Bogo finally plopped down in his seat, putting a hoof to his head. "Just go!"
The officers left the office without another word.
"Hopps, Wilde..."
Judy and Nick froze at the door, trailing behind the other officers.
"There's a political debate going on today, and the officers there are understaffed."
"Sure thing, sir," said Judy. "We can help."
Bogo leaned back in his chair and put on his glasses. "I just need you there to maintain order. The debate is happening in the presentation room of Town Hall."
"No problem," said Nick.
The two headed down the stairs to the exit, passed Clawhauser's desk, out the door, and toward the Town Hall next door. On the other side of the building, there was an auditorium. As they walked into the auditorium, they found the room packed with animals of all sizes and shapes. They worked their way through the crowds as they all cheered and booed the candidates.
As Judy and Nick got close to the stage, they saw the two candidates up on podiums. On the left podium was a golden colored lioness. She wore a formal black dress with a white shirt and red tie partially covered under a black jacket.
"We need a stronger economy and better protection," said the lioness. On the podium was the name Emily Panthera written in bold, black letters.
"No, we need better protections and support to the animals," said the other candidate. On the podium nearby, was a significantly smaller candidate, so small in fact that a TV projector had to be set up behind her so that the crowd could more easily see her. She was a tiny bat, dressed in a green blouse shaped around her wings and tail. She stood on the podium with a tiny microphone in front of her. The name Gloria Nightshade was written in black on her podium. Judy and Nick had stepped in while the two candidates argued over what was more important for Zootopia. They sat there, listening to the debates as they droned on.
Although the debates were mostly kept on boring logistics of running Zootopia, it soon became personal for Judy and Nick when a reporter went up to the candidates and asked, "How do you plan on handling the crisis with the Blood Drinkers and other bat gangs?"
"The bats are a major problem for Zootopia," said Panthera. "The citizens of Zootopia should not have to live in fear of bats. If elected mayor, my first priority would be to enforce registration for all bats who want to fly in Zootopia. Much like how we license mammals to drive, we will license bats to fly."
The crowd cheered with approval on Panthera's side of the auditorium.
"What Panthera proposes is ridiculous," shouted Nightshade. "Forcing bats to register will not stop criminals. Such laws will only impact law abiding bats." There were some boos in the audience, but Nightshade spoke on. "Forcing bats to register just to fly will turn actual honest bats into criminals."
"Are you suggesting that we let bats use their wings to exploit and hurt animals?" asked Panthera, condescendingly.
"You're just speaking as if all bats are criminals," countered Nightshade. "Much like aquatic mammals have a right to swim and tree dwelling animals have a right to climb, bats have a right to fly. What good is security if we are denied our right to be animals?"
Nightshade's followers cheered in a deafening cacophony.
"Bats don't represent the whole of Zootopia," said Panthera after waiting for the cheering to die down. "Bats have special advantages that other mammals don'r have."
"The same holds true for all mammals," said Nightshade.
"If bats have to be restrained to protect the remaining animals of Zootopia, then so be it."
The crowd cheered, chanting Panthera over and over again.
"That is ridiculous," shouted Nightshade over the megaphone. "Not only would your plan not stop criminals, but it could pave the way for similar laws to oppress mammals. I tell you bats do more good for Zootopia than harm, and I say we do more to work with the bats rather than criminalize them."
There were more chants and cheers from the Nightshade supporters.
Judy and Nick sat in the back, watching, enduring the intense noise from the cheering crowds.
"How much longer is this debate?" shouted Judy.
"About another 10 minutes," shouted Nick, looking at his watch. "By then, our shift will be over."
"Good," said Judy. "I think I've had enough of bats for one day."
#
By the next morning as the sun came up, it was a usual day for Judy. She would wake up to see the greasy walls of her tiny apartment. She would get up out of her rickety bed, shower, and head out into the world in her casual clothes. She skipped merrily through the halls, clutching a motorcycle helmet in her paw.
"Good morning, Judy," said a kangaroo. "Off to work?"
"Nope," said Judy. "This time, I'm headed to some place special."
"Oh, like what?"
"Hopefully a new apartment," cried out Judy as she entered the parking garage. Parked near the entrance was her red bunny-sized motorcycle. She put on her motorcycle helmet, hopped onto the seat, and sped off down the streets, headed toward Nick.
#
Nick lived not too far away, sharing an apartment with Finnick. The studio they lived in was tiny, barely large enough for even the small foxes living there. As always, Finnick, who slept on the bottom part of the bunk bed, kicked under Nick's bed above him.
"Wake up," said Finnick as he kicked the bed.
"Oh, five more minutes," said Nick. Finnick kicked the bed so hard, he knocked Nick out of bed, hitting the floor with a thud. Dressed in only is boxers, the floor felt cold against Nick's body.
"For such a little guy, you sure are strong?" said Nick.
"It's your turn to make breakfast," said Finnick, also dressed in his boxers.
After getting dressed and ready for the day, Nick caught a glimpse of Judy on her motorcycle through the kitchen window, waving at him.
"And there's my ride," said Nick.
"Off to get an apartment?" asked Finnick as he took a sip of coffee.
"Yes, I'm finally going to get out of this dump," said Nick. "Not that I'm eager to get away from you."
"Aw that's okay," said Finnick. "Maybe I'll move out too, and find a hot vixen to share an apartment with."
"Sounds like a plan," said Nick as he went out the door.
Judy happily waved to Nick, handing him a fox-sized helmet for him to put on.
"You get the fancy racing helmet and I get this plastic bowl?" asked Nick, looking at the helmet. "Do you want me to die in a car accident?"
"Maybe you can buy a better helmet for yourself later," said Judy, "and besides, you'll need all the money we have to pay our first rent."
They drove downtown to a large apartment complex known simply as the Oasis Apartments. It was a large building with hundreds of apartments of various sizes and living accommodations, all stacked high up two 10 stories tall. The apartments were divided into three identical buildings, all of which built around a residential area where playgrounds, patios, picnic tables, and grassy areas were located, and residents were allowed to come and go as they please. Parking was provided outside of this circle, again with various parking lots for different sized animals.
After parking outside the building, Judy and Nick approached the complex to find the place surrounded by parents and their children of various species. They walked down to the main office of the apartment complex, located on the bottom floor in full view of the parking lot.
Judy knocked on the door. "Mr. Knit, are you in there?"
"Come in," said a voice from inside.
Judy opened the door to see a tiny office (tiny for the large ram who sat at the desk) with the walls covered in various souvenirs from all around the world. Mr. Knit sat at his desk, staring at the papers before him. His massive curled horns hugged the sides of his cheeks. His slit-shaped ram eyes turned to Judy, a scowl frozen on his face.
"You must be Miss Hopps?" he said in a low and stern voice. "Your here for the apartment?"
"Oh yes, we would like to see it right away," said Judy.
"We?" asked Mr. Knit, his slit pupils glaring at her.
"Remember? I told you that I was going to have a roommate in the apartment."
Mr. Knit continued to glare at her, his eyebrow furrowing into a suspicious look. "Who is your roommate?"
"Well, I am," said Nick, holding out his paw and offering a paw shake. "Nicholas Wilde."
"Hmph! If I had known you were going to move in with a fox, I would have said 'no.'"
Judy scoffed irritably. "What?"
"You expect me to allow a fox and rabbit to live together?" asked Mr. Knit, indignantly.
"And what's so wrong about that?" asked Judy, feeling irritated.
"It's only a one bedroom apartment," said Mr. Knit.
"So?" demanded Judy. "We can share a bedroom just fine."
"It's not natural for a fox and a rabbit to share a home together," said Mr. Knit, firmly.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" demanded Judy, her temper rising.
Nick put a paw to her shoulder. "Let me handle this, Carrots."
He walked up to Mr. Knit, smiling widely. "Mr. Knit, I can assure you that we are just best friends and partners at work who want to move into a better apartment. It's just a matter of convenience and to arrange for better living conditions for ourselves."
"Are you sure you're not going to ravish her in the night?" asked Mr. Knit.
Judy bit her lower lip in anger, struggling desperately not to shout out loud.
Nick, staying calm and collected, said, "I can assure you, sir, that my relationship with Judy is strictly platonic. I won't be doing anything inappropriate with her."
"Like I can believe the word of a dishonest fox and a horny bunny."
Judy leaped up onto the desk with a single bound and stood up to eye level with Mr. Knit.
"You listen here, buddy. What we do in our spare time is none of your business. Besides, we are honest and decent mammals who are willing and able to pay rent for you. What do you have to lose by letting us live in your apartment?"
"Look, I'm not comfortable seeing a fox and rabbit living together under one roof," admitted Mr. Knit. "Now if you don't mind, I have work to do."
"You can't just kick us out just because you're uncomfortable with us," said Judy.
Mr. Knit picked up a plastic sign, held up by a metal wire, and placed it on his desk. The sign read in bright red letters "WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE." Upon seeing the sign, Judy let out a defeated huff. She wiped the angry tear from her eye before jumping off of the desk and storming out the door, Nick following close behind.
Once they were out of earshot from the office, Nick said, "I'm sorry. A lot of mammals don't trust foxes with a lot of things, especially with rent."
"It's not just that," said Judy. "He hated the idea of us being together. I mean it's not like we're a couple or anything."
"No, but they think it could happen one day," said Nick.
Judy hesitated to comment.
"Officer Hopps!"
Judy turned around, facing the parking lot, and that was when she noticed the Otterton family gathered around their car. It was Mr. Otterton who was at the car with his wife and sons climbing into the seats.
"Is something wrong?" asked Mr. Otterton.
"Oh, it's nothing," said Judy, approaching Mr. Otterton, Nick following close behind. "It's just that Mr. Knit won't let us move in together because we're a fox and a rabbit."
"That's awful," said Mr. Otterton, buckling his son into his child booster seat.
"I can't believe he brushed us off like that," said Judy. "That can't be allowed."
"Well, technically it is," said Mr. Otterton. "According to Zootopia's laws, a business can deny an animal service."
"Maybe you can talk to him," asked Judy.
"What can I say?" asked Mr. Otterton. "He's clearly made up his mind. I'm sorry but you'll have to try elsewhere. Isn't there anywhere else you can move to?"
"This is the best apartment we can find," said Judy, "and I really was looking forward to moving here. Every other small sized apartment we can find in Savannah Central is either over priced or not what we need. We could try looking outside of Savannah Central, but then the commute to work would be a hassle. I don't know what else I can do."
Mr. Otterton let out a long sigh.
"Emmitt," said Mrs. Otterton, "Perhaps you could arrange them a studio with your brother."
"Justin can't do anything for them," said Mr. Otterton. "He doesn't have that kind of authority."
"You know, it's all right," said Judy. "We'll just keep trying. There's got to be some good housing somewhere,"
Emmit gave her a forlorn look. "Good luck, Officer Hopps." He climbed into the family car and drove off.
"What are we going to do now?" asked Judy, watching the Otterton's leave.
"If only there was someone who can help us," said Nick. At that moment, his cell phone beeped. He picked it up and turned on the screen. On it was a text message that read "Meet me at the Nocturnal District. Bring Officer Hopps. I live in the Nocturnal District, Stalagmite Block, house # 348. Signed Nightshade."
"Well that's weird," said Nick.
"What is it?"
"I got a text message from Gloria Nightshade."
"Nightshade? What does she want from us and how'd she get your phone number?"
"She says we should visit her in the Nocturnal District, and I guess she got my number from Bogo."
Judy put a paw to her chin. "That's strange. Why would she ask us to visit her in the Nocturnal District?"
"Perhaps she knows of an apartment that allows interspecies couples.
"I'm serious. It's unusual for a political candidate to talk to the police like this. We met her a few times, but I don't think we've talked much, so why us specifically?"
"We could visit her. I assume she wants to show us something important. Let's head over there and find out."
Judy looked up at the Oasis Apartments with dismay.
"Hey," said Nick putting a comforting paw to Judy's cheek. "It's going to be all right. Just keep a stiff upper lip."
Judy smiled.
"Now there's the happy little bunny I love to see. Now let's find out what Nightshade wants."
#
They hopped on board Judy's motorcycle. He kept one paw on her shoulder and another on her hip, trying not to fall off as they drove down the streets of Zootopia.
"Carrots, what're you doing?" asked Nick, holding onto Judy for dear life. "I feel like I'm going to fall off this thing."
"Relax, slick Nick," said Judy. "I know where I'm going."
"I'm not talking about directions," said Nick. "I mean can't you drive a little more slowly. I catch the wind like a kite out here, and you're exceeding the speed limit."
"I know the speed limit," said Judy, "and I'm sure you won't fall off."
"Even so, I think you should at least slow down."
"Sorry, but this bunny likes to go fast." As Judy neared the highway, she gunned her motorcycle, speeding along the streets and effortlessly merging with the flow of the traffic.
"Carrots, where are you going?" asked Nick. "The entrance to the Nocturnal District is the other way."
"I know of a short cut." Before Nick could ask what she meant by that, Judy sped off the ramp onto the main streets heading straight for the local pubs in the area. She sped down the road and turned a corner, cutting through several blocks before reaching a cave entrance. It was mammal made, but it was cut into the side of a mountain, and designed to resemble a natural cave aside from the paved road on the floor. Judy turned on her headlights as she rocketed down into the tunnel and into the darkness. Judy's ears twitched and turned as she drove down into the darkness, wondering where pedestrians could be. The cave was dark, too dark for a rabbit to normally see in. She listened, hoping to hear the sounds of any mammals. Sure enough, she could hear the sounds of fluttering wings as she drove down the cave, her ears perked and listening intently. A swarm of bats flew down the tunnel, able to outrun Judy's motorcycle as she drove deep into the caves. She looked about, seeing the bats as they flew high overheard.
"See, we're in the Nocturnal District," said Judy. "Got here early, just like I thought we would."
"That's great and all," said Nick, "but how are we going to find Nightshade's home. Remember, the Nocturnal District is just one large series of caves. We can't find a house when it's this dark and twisty."
"You forget that I've been studying the road maps of Zootopia," said Judy. "I know what I'm doing."
Sure enough, she managed to find herself in one of the main hollows of the Nocturnal District. Unlike most biomes in Zootopia, which normally have miles of open land or stuck in cramped buildings spread out over miles, the Nocturnal District consisted of mini sectors where nocturnal animals live in. The mini sectors were full of various homes that were carved into the ground itself as well as bat houses hanging on the ceiling.
"Let's see, we should see the house marked 348 located somewhere in this sector," said Judy. In the dim light of her headlights, the Nocturnal District looked like an expanse of darkness. There were some dim lights hanging overhead to replicate the intensity of the moon, but the Nocturnal District was mostly dark and foreboding, a perfect home for those who can see in dim light. Because of the bad lighting, Judy couldn't see the signs very well let alone make out the addresses of houses. It was only with Nick's night vision did they manage to find the sign 348 hanging under a large bat house. The bat house looked larger than most. In fact, it resembled a fancy dollhouse, supported by a wooden beam that held up the house up against the side of the cave. Judy and Nick stopped in front of the house, dismounting from the bike and looking up at it.
"So, how do we get up there?" asked Nick. "I don't see any ladders nearby."
"Maybe you can put me on your shoulders," suggested Judy.
"That won't be necessary."
Nick and Judy looked up to see Nightshade clinging to the roof of the cave. She was hanging upside down with a cell phone clutched in her wing. She was looking at the images on her phone, seemingly distracted.
"Gloria Nightshade?" said Judy. "What are you doing up there?"
"I was just waiting for you."
"Then why did you bring us here?"
"I'll tell you in a minute. But first, I want you both to meet my family."
Nightshade slid the phone back into her pocket and dove down to Judy. She held up her paws so Nightshade could land there. Once Judy got a closer look at Nightshade, she saw that Nightshade's large eyes were like black pearls. Her long ears were twitching around like a rabbit's ears. Nightshade looked up at the two and smiled with her fangs showing. She was just a tiny fruit bat, no bigger than an average mouse, yet she stood tall and straight as if she was giving a speech.
Judy's ears twitched as she heard the sounds of something flying through the caves. From out of nowhere, a swarm of bats appeared, fluttering around Judy and Nick before clinging to the walls and the ceiling or landing on the floor.
"What are they doing here?" asked Judy.
"I just want you to see what the bats of Zootopia do for our communities. First of all, you should meet my cousins who help pollinate the flowers of Zootopia."
A dozen bats flew up to the Judy and landed before her on the ground. Each one wore black vests that had pollen stuck to them.
"We are the plant patrols," said one of the bats. "It is our job to pollinate the plants of Zootopia."
"How long does that take?" asked Judy.
"All day, even with a full time staff."
"You must work really hard," said Nick. "I can't imagine pollinating every flower in Zootopia. How many flowers are there in this city anyways?"
"Approximately 10,000,000."
Nick let out a long whistle. "Impressive!"
"That's not all," said Nightshade. "I want you to meet the emergency squad," She fanned out her wing to show off a group of bats who were all dressed in orange vests and beige pants.
"We are the ones responsible for giving air support for emergency crews," said the bat amongst the orange vest group. "Whenever there's an accident, a fire, a medical emergency, or even when there's just bad traffic, it is our job to provide air support and a bird's eye view of Zootopia itself. We are also smaller and faster that any helicopter, making us ideal for any midair surveillance."
"And of course, I can't forget the delivery crew," said Nightshade. With her wing, she pointed to a group of bats dressed in blue post office uniforms who clung to the ceiling above Judy.
"We deliver small mail quickly throughout Zootopia," said one of the bats above. "We can send cards, letters, and small items very quickly to any mammal in Zootopia."
"That is amazing, but I don't understand something," said Judy. "If you all do so much good for Zootopia, then why does so many mammals despise bats?"
"Alas," said Nightshade with a sigh. "These wings of ours are both a blessing and a curse. Even though bats can and do so many good things for Zootopia, they can also do bad things. Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight. As such, they can get away with so many crimes. Some of the more common crimes for bats to commit include theft, trespassing, voyeurism, and vandalism, practically in high up and hard to reach places. They can get away with these crimes because they can fly out of reach of any mammal, including the ZPD. To make matters worse, bats are also the most widespread of any mammal. They are commonly found in 11 of the 12 ecosystems in Zootopia with the lone exception being Tundra Town. As such, they can cause trouble from nearly anywhere. The Blood Drinkers are only the latest gang of bats to harass the citizens of Zootopia. Bat gangs have been a problem for years, and thanks to the prejudices brought on by the night howler incident, there has been even more aggression, especially among predatory bats. However, other mammals don't realize and/or don't care about the good bats do for Zootopia, and want to see bats restricted. If I lose the election, it could mean that many bats could suffer greatly by the loss of their freedoms."
"That's awful," said Judy. "But what does—"
Her ears could pick up the sound of footfalls as a group approached from behind.
"Officer Hopps," shouted an excitable female voice.
Judy turned around to see a fox approach her. There were five of them in fact, all of them brown or reddish brown fur. Each one wore causal clothes including gowns, dresses, and pants.
"Welcome to the Nocturnal District," said a female fox as she hugged Judy. The fox was very plump, causing Judy to imagine Gideon Gray if he was a vixen. Judy held Nightshade to the side with one paw, keeping her close as she was hugged. The fox smelled like peaches from her perfume, and her fur was a lovely shade of autumn orange. The fox let go of Judy and had a wide friendly smile.
"Who are you?" asked Judy.
"This is my mother," said Nightshade.
"You're mother...?"
"That's right," said the fox. "My name is Amy Tenderpaw, and these are the rest of my family, my three kits from a previous marriage, Bobby, Olivia, and Louise."
A bat flew down from the ceiling and landed onto Mrs. Tenderpaw's shoulder.
"Hello, my name is Stuart Nightshade, and I am Gloria Nightshade's father."
Judy and Nick stared at the animals before them in shock.
"You were raised by an interspecies couple?" asked Judy.
"That's right," said Nightshade. "I was born to a biologic father. When my parents fell in love, we moved in together and they raised us all as one big family."
"That must have been hard for you," said Nick.
"What makes you say that?" asked Judy.
"Zootopia doesn't legally recognize interspecies marriage, so they can't get married."
"That is true," said Nightshade. "Not only that, but there are no laws to protect interspecies couples, meaning we were frequently denied jobs and were often bullied at school because of our family."
"That's horrible," said Judy.
"Yes, but there is some hope, though," said Nightshade. "I want to make Zootopia not only a better place for bats, but a better place for interspecies couples as well. I intend on not only legalizing interspecies marriage, but I will be making new laws to protect them and the bats."
"That's nice and all," said Nick, "but what does that have to do with us?"
"I need some extra support if I'm going to beat Panthera in the elections, that's why I want you to be the new face of my campaign."
"What?" said Judy.
"Yeah, imagine how many voters I can attract if I have the support of the two officers who saved Zootopia from Bellwether. You two are a symbol of progression and you can help me win this election."
Judy wanted to say yes. Hearing Nightshade's plans reminded herself of her past and her hopeful optimism. However, her smile of joy turned into a frown of concern as she thought of the implications. She turned to Nick, and judging by the concerned look on his face, she could tell he knew what she was thinking.
"I'm flattered, but we cannot be a spokesperson for your campaign," said Judy.
Nightshade looked shocked. "How could you say that? Do you realize that if Panthera wins, there's no telling what could happen to the bats of Zootopia, and who knows if I will ever get a chance to make Zootopia better place for interspecies couples, including you two."
Judy and Nick glared at her.
"Nightshade, please don't lose your temper like that," said Nick.
"All right, I'm sorry," said Nightshade with a bitter scoff.
"And we're not a couple' said Judy. "We're partners and best friends, that's all. We do support what you're doing. We really do, but we are just officers here to protect the city and the mammals living here. We are not politicians. As such, it wouldn't be appropriate since we're not the ones running. You need to win over the public by your own merits."
"How?" asked Nightshade.
"You need to start appealing to people who support Panthera. Perhaps in addition to your ideas for equality, why not also support laws to do something about the bat criminals."
"Impossible!" said Nightshade with an indignant huff. "The problem is that mammals are placing an unfair bias towards bats. The issue with the bats is not as big of a problem as they claim it is. They're just putting extra emphasis just because bats can fly. They are reactionary and unreasonable, and I can tell they will never change their minds."
"Maybe so, but it won't feel that way to your naysayers," said Nick. "I can assure you that if you just listen to them—"
"Listen to them?" said Nightshade, her temper rising. "Why should I listen to them when they won't listen to me?"
"All we're saying is the public wants someone who will look after their own concerns," said Judy. "Can't you at least try to listen to them? As for your campaign, we can support you. We can vote for you and give the good word for you, but that is all."
"Fine!" said Nightshade, dejected. She flew off of Judy's paw and landed on the port of her home.
"Nightshade," said Judy, looking up at her as the rest of Nightshade's family looked on with concern. "For what it's worth, I do support what you're doing. We do need a better leader after what has happened, and if anyone can help bring harmony to Zootopia, it is you."
Nightshade gave Judy a nervous smile. "I just wish the rest of Zootopia understood that." She went back inside the house without another word.
"Will Nightshade be okay?" asked Nick to Mrs. Tenderpaw.
"She'll be fine," said Mrs. Tenderpaw. "This campaign means everything to Nightshade. She wants so badly to win it."
Nick looked to Judy whose ears were noticeably droopy. "Come on, Carrots. It's getting late. We should head back home."
"Oh...right," said Judy.
The rest of Nightshade's family bid Judy and Nick good-bye. Watching them speed off down the cave tunnels and outside.
#
That night, in the Nocturnal District, the bats were up and about, active as always late at night to go to work, eat, and play. Amongst the halls of the Nocturnal District was Nightshade's brother, Bobby. He was a young fox, only just recently came of age, and was exploiting that at a local bar. He left the building, feeling a little tipsy after one too many bottles.
"Are you sure you can make it home?" asked one of Bobby's opossum friends.
"Of course, I can find my way home," he said with a confident smile. He knew the Nocturnal District well, able to travel the tunnels with ease. This was why he was so inattentive as he was followed. He heard the stranger close behind him, but Bobby didn't pay attention. He sang to himself, not a care in the world, as he walked down the tunnels. He was carefree and happy when the stranger snuck up behind him and covered his mouth with a rag soaked in chloroform. Bobby let out a startled yelp before he suddenly went ridged and collapsed. The stranger dragged Bobby's unconscious body down into a dark corner where a car sat parked. Once Bobby was inside, the stranger sped off, leaving the caves.