Hey everyone, Pirate Captain Flapjack here! I've been taking habitual visits to this side of Fanfiction for a while, and I figured I should take a shot at writing something. So, let's get to it. Here're a couple of things you need to know about this fic. 1: This is an AU and the story is completely mine. 1.5: Judy knows Clawhauser beforehand. This is so she at least knows one person beforehand. 2: The size differences in this story aren't nearly as drastic as the movie's (for the sake of some of the characters you'll meet in the story). 3: There will be OCs, but you'll see a lot of the original characters, too. 4: There will be a lot of Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Relient K, Shakira, and more, so brush up on your music, kiddos.
Disclaimer: Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. Zootopia is Disney's and all that.
Okay, here we go!
CHAPTER 01: HIGH HOPES AND INSUFFERABLE INDIVIDUALS
After the train to Zootopia pulled into the station and opened its doors, its passengers spilled into the already crowded floors of the station. Amidst the chaos, a lone bunny, carrying nothing but a suitcase and a guitar bag slung over her shoulder, stepped onto the platform and looked around. She stared in wonder at the number of flashing signs and the diverse collection of mammals rushing here and there. Being from the rural town of Bunnyburrow, she was used to crowded spaces, but the variety if the city, though was expected, was surprising nonetheless.
In the corner of her eye, she saw a dog in a green beanie and a blue sweater playing guitar as people tossed coins into his case. And for just a moment, a hint of fear flashed over her face, but she quickly shook it off. She proceeded out to the front of the station and looked around for a minute until-
"Judy! Over here!" The bunny turned her head around to see a plump cheetah in a police uniform waving frantically, a goofy smile plastered onto his face. Judy laughed and ran over to him as fast as her suitcase allowed her to. She Jumped up and wrapped her arms as far she could around him.
"It's good to see you again, Benji!" The Cheetah, Benjamin Clawhauser, was a dispatch officer in Zootopia, and he had met Judy during his time at the ZPD training academy. The academy wasn't too far away from Bunnyburrow, so a lot of the officers in training would often come and walk around the town.
"It's so good to see you too!" They let go of each other, Ben grabbed Judy's suitcase and they began walking towards the parking lot. "So, you came after all!"
"Well, yeah! I figured a year of thinking about it was long enough."
While Ben was there, he got a chance to see Judy's abilities firsthand, and he had suggested that she come to Zootopia to get a shot at making it in the big times.
"Well, I'm glad you came." He stopped at a ZPD squad car and opened the back door, placing the suitcase and the guitar bag inside. "After all," He said as he closed the door and opened the passenger door. "This is the city where anything is possible."
It was 9 o'clock and the red fox sleeping in his bed could do no more to avoid the light that was now piercing through his eyelids. He sat up in his bed and went to stretch his arms upward, but then yelped at the stabbing pain in his right shoulder. He rubbed the spot and winced at the pain it caused.
Opting out of changing, he got up and headed out of his room. When he made it to the main room, the first thing he saw was a fennec fox sitting at the kitchen counter, scrolling through his phone. He looked up at him, then went back to scrolling.
"You look like crap." He stated nonchalantly. The red fox looked down at his disheveled fur and boxers and couldn't help but smirk.
"Good morning to you too, buddy." He walked over to the cupboard, opened it, and pulled out a mug labeled 'Nick's'. "So where are-
"They went out to grab some stuff for tonight." The fennec looked up and saw Nick rubbing his right shoulder. "Will you be good to play? You overdid it last time."
Nick turned around, feigning doe eyes at him.
"Awwwww. Is wittle old Finnick worried about me?"
Finnick scoffed. "Not even close. I need the money that we'll get from playing tonight so I can fix my kick. So, are. You. Good. To. Play?" He inquired as he slid a pack of guitar strings across the table.
Nick poured some coffee into the mug, then placed a hand on the strings, stopping them.
"Yeah, I'll be good to play. I'll drop by CVS and grab some pain meds on my way to Dom's."
Nick took a sip from the mug and left the room to get changed.
"Okay, so where are we right now?" Judy pulled out her iCarrot phone and opened up an app which loaded a to-do list. "Meet up with Benji, check. Rent out an apartment, Check." She looked around at the apartment Clawhauser helped her get. It wasn't lavish or anything, but it was better than the Pangolin Arms Hotel she was going to bunk at. It had a bedroom, a bathroom, a living room and a kitchen, which was all she needed. On top of that, it was right across from Clawhauser's room. Originally, he said that she could stay at his, but she didn't want too much charity from anyone.
"Okay, so I guess the next thing is to check up on my pa-" As if on cue, her phone started buzzing. The contact number read 'Mom & Dad'. She smiled and swiped it to answer.
"Hey, it's my parents!" She exclaimed. Her parents, Bonnie and Stuart Hopps, appeared on the screen, a mix of worry and pride on their faces.
"Hey there Jude the dude! How's it going in the big city so far?" Stu asked.
"It's going pretty good so far. Clawhauser helped me get an apartment." She rotated the phone to give her parents a view of the apartment.
"It's very nice dear. How is Clawhauser, by the way?" Bonnie chimed.
"He's doing well, he's as jolly as always." Clawhauser had helped around the farm during his break sessions at the academy, and though Judy's parents were uneasy around predators like most of Bunnyburrow's population, they grew to like Clawhauser. "He's gonna take me on a tour around the central city in a couple of hours."
A flash of worry could be seen on her parent's faces after hearing that tidbit of information, but they tried their best to hide it.
"That's… great, Judy, but remember to steer clear of too many predators, okay?"
"Oh Stu, stop."
"Especially foxes."
"… Actually, your father is right about that."
"Do you still have that fox spray we gave you?"
Judy rolled her eyes and grabbed a small bottle out of her bag. The bottle was pink and read "Fox-Spray"
"Yes, I have the spray dad, but I wouldn't worry too much about predators. So far, they seem pretty nice."
"Okay Jude, just be careful."
"I will. I promise. I'll talk to you guys later."
"Okay sweetie, we love you."
"Love you too." She closed out the conversation and rested her head on the table. She DID love her parents deeply, but she couldn't understand why they were so deeply afraid of predators. I mean, the primitive ages ended long ago! She thought. But, as if it were trying to save her from more frustration, her stomach began to rumble.
I should probably go get something to eat. She got up, changed into a pair of jeans and her favorite pink plaid shirt and started to head out the door, but not before looking at the can of fox spray, then pocketing it. Just in case.
After she got down to the first floor and out the front door, she looked around, and then slapped her forehead. I don't know where anything is! God, I should have asked Clawhauser where to eat! She was about to call him when she saw a red fox in a Hawaiian shirt waiting for a green light to walk. At first, she hesitated, then shook her head and walked over to him.
"Excuse me, sir?" The fox turned his head towards her and pulled his aviators off and pocketed them.
"Hmm?"
"Sorry, I'm new here and I don't really know where anything is. I'm trying to find a place to eat. Do you know where I could go?"
"Actually, I know a small place not far from here. I'm heading there now. If you want, you can join me."
Judy smiled. Though the fox's sense of style was repulsive, he WAS charming. "Sure, I'd like that." He smirked and nodded his head, gesturing for her to follow him. "My name's Judy, by the way."
"Giving away personal information to a stranger? You weren't kidding about not being from here, huh?"
"Well, you won't be a stranger if you tell me your name." He looked at her with a sense of confusion and wonder.
He stuck his paw out to her. "Nick Wilde." She smiled and shook his hand as they kept walking. "So… you're new here, huh? Where you from originally? If you don't my asking."
"Not at all. I'm from Bunnyburrow. It's a rural town a little outside Zootopia."
"So why'd you come here?"
She blushed in embarrassment. "You'd think it's silly."
"Maybe, maybe not. Why don't you tell me and I'll let you know what I think?"
She took a second to think it over but then decided, "Okay. I want to be… a professional musician."
Shit. He thought. "Well… It's a goal." He could see the annoyance starting to grow on her face.
"What do you mean?"
"No offense, Carrots," She winced at the demeaning nickname, "but that's not that realistic of a goal." By now, he could see that he was about to get an earful from her.
"Oh yeah? And what exactly do you do with YOUR life?"
Play it cool, Nick. Play it cool. "I'm a musician."
"And you're telling ME to give up!?" She was now at full-on anger now.
"Okay, I'll make it easier for you to understand. Tell me if this story sounds familiar. Naive little hick with good grades and big ideas decides, 'Hey, look at me, I'm gonna move to Zootopia, where predators and prey live in harmony and sing Kumbaya!'… Only to find, whoopsie, we don't all get along. And that dream of becoming a big city musician? Double whoopsie! She's stuck playing in bars. And whoopsie number three-sie, no one cares about her or her dreams. And soon enough those dreams die and our bunny sinks into emotional and literal squalor, living in a box under a bridge. Till, finally, she has no choice but to go back home with that cute fuzzy-wuzzy tail between her legs to become... You're from Bunnyburrow, you said? So how about a carrot farmer? Does that sound about right?" Nick continues walking, noticing that Judy has stopped, dumbfounded.
"Hey, hey!" Judy ran to catch up to him and stopped in front of him."NO ONE tells me what I can or can't be! Especially not some jerk who never had the guts to try and be anything more than whatever the hell he is!"
Nick leaned down so that he could be at eye-level with her. Smooth Emerald eyes met fiery Amethyst. "All right, look, everyone comes to Zootopia thinking they can be anything they want. Well, you can't. You can only be what you are. Sly fox." he pointed to himself, then to her. "Dumb bunny."
Judy clenched her paws into fists "I'm not a dumb bunny."
Nick stood back up. "Sure you're not." He then gestured down the pathway. "You still hungry?"
"I've lost my appetite."
Nick shrugged his shoulders, "Fair enough." and started walking away. "See ya around carrots."
He walked in silence all the way to Dominic's and entered the pub. Dominic's was spacious enough that a good crowd could fit inside. The walls were lined with old family pictures and vinyl records. Tables were set here and there. And the back of the pub was a stage. It wasn't much, but it could fit a full set of instruments and the sound system was pretty good. He walked over to Dominic, the owner of the pub and the son of Nick's 'friend', Mr. Big. Dominic was cleaning the counter at the bar when Nick walked up.
"Hey, Nicky, how ya been?" He said as he tossed the towel over his shoulder. The shrew was shorter than nick by about a foot, so he was standing on a stool, but he was a heavy-set shrew, and could handle himself in a scrap.
"I think I just ruined someone's dreams, Dom." He said and a glass filled with a frothy brew was slid towards him.
"Why'd you go and do that?" Dominic watched as Nick took a swig from the glass.
"I just don't want her to be as crushed as I was when people shut their doors to her."
Judy slammed the door behind her and fell facedown into her bed. She pulled the pillow over her face and screamed into it. Not long after, she heard the door open.
"Judy, you ok?" It was Clawhauser. Wearing a pair of jeans and a button up shirt. She sat up and smiled genuinely at him. Clawhauser always knew how to light up her day.
"I'm fine Benji. I just met someone unsavory is all."
"Wanna talk about it?"
"Not really."
"Alright." Clawhauser tossed some sunglasses over to her. "Well, if you want, I'm off duty, so I can take you on that tour that I promised you." Judy's ears shot up and she hopped off the bed.
"Sure!" She followed Clawhauser out the door, forgetting all about the stuck-up fox she met a couple minutes earlier.
Clawhauser had treated her to the total package. He showed her all of the clothing stores, the best instrument shops, and even the central park. Judy was having a blast, and then Clawhauser's phone buzzed in his pocket. He opened it up, read the message, and typed something up. When a second message came through, he squealed in delight.
"Judy, some of the guys at the ZPD are going down to a place called Dominic's for dinner and a couple drinks. I asked if you could join us and they said yes! You wanna come?"
Judy, remembering that she didn't eat lunch, jumped in delight. "Sure!"
"Oh, you'll love it. Dominic's is our go-to place for meet-ups."
"Why's that?"
"They've got live entertainment, and there's this one band called the Sidewalk Citizens that's been playing there for a couple years now, and they're really good!"
"Well, it should be a pretty good night for us then, huh? Come on, Let's go!"
"Clawhauser! Over here!" A cape buffalo in a polo waved over at them, and they walked over to meet them.
"Hey guys, this is Judy Hopps. She just moved here looking for a shot at music." Clawhauser introduced Judy to the group.
"A pleasure Ms. Hopps. I'm Adrian Bogo. I run this lot." He held out his hoof to her and she shook it eagerly.
"Please, just call me Judy."
"That's Fangmeyer, Wolfard, Francine, Mchorn, and Grizzoli." Clawhauser pointed toward the Tiger, Wolf, Elephant, Rhino and Bear all gathered around the table who waved them.
"Well, Judy, if you're looking to get some publicity, this place is as good as any." Bogo explained, but before he could go further, The lights turned on and focused towards the stage. The crowd started clapping as a Fennec, A Siberian Husky, and a Malayan Tiger stepped onto the stage.
"Are those guys the Sidewalk Citizens?" Judy whispered to Clawhauser.
"Yeah, but the lead singer isn't up there." He whispered back. The band members got to their instruments: the fennec to the drum set in the back, the tiger to the bass guitar and the Siberian husky to an electric guitar. They looked at each other and then the fennec started hitting the kick drum. After four timed hits, the tiger plucked a couple notes on his bass. There were a couple of whoo's and yeah's here and there. Suddenly after two measures, the crowd starting singing.
"Na na na na na naa, na naa na na.!" They sang twice, and then what Judy saw next made her eyes pop open.
It was him. That fox from earlier, but it couldn't be. He wasn't wearing that ridiculous shirt anymore. Instead, he was clad in a pair of black pants and a white t-shirt. He was in the crowd when she saw him, and when he lifted the mic to his mouth, what came out was something she didn't expect.
"I'm here to collect your hearts. It's the only reason that I sing! I don't believe a word you're saying but I can't stop listening!" By the time he was at the stage, the room was jamming along to the beat of the song.
"This is the story of how they met.Her picture was on the back of a pack of cigarettes. When she touched him he turned ruby red: A story that they'll never forget, never forget." He caught sight of her, and her eyes made a futile attempt to look away. Once again he taunted her with that smirk of his.
"And all the boys are smoking menthols, girls are getting back rubs.I will drift to you if you make yourself shake fast enough. My old aches become new again. My old friends become exes again. Come on, sing with us!" As if they were in a trance, the crowd in unison sang the next few lines.
"Whoa, where did the party go? We're ending it on the phone. I'm not gonna go home alone. Whoa, where did the party go?" They all screamed.
He looked at her once more with that smirk. Oh God, what have I gotten myself into?
A/N:
Flapjack: Hey guys! Flapjack and Fluff here!
Fluff: So, I know that we already posted this chapter, but we had originally planned to keep these chapters to a 2k word cap.
Flapjack: But for those who were with us the first go-round, the latter chapters did not stay within 2k words, so we decided to just condense some chapters and create a 3k – 4k word cap and keep chapters within that length instead.
Fluff: So, we went and revised several chapters as well as the author's notes AND fixed several spelling and grammar errors, so the chapters should be a little easier to read now.
Flapjack: AND, since we forgot to mention it earlier, creds to anyone who got the Rock Dog reference at the beginning of the chapter.
Fluff: Alright, that's about it. Hope you guys have a good day!