"–so you can take your 'constructive criticism' and throw it in the garbage where it belongs! Leave Chief Bogo alone!"

"How dare you speak to a deputy chief that way, rabbit. If he really lets you act like this – in the main lobby of the station, no less – then my concerns about his leadership were all valid. You've done nothing but prove my point."

"If you didn't want to be confronted in the lobby, then you shouldn't've said anything here! Next time, do it in some shadowy corner like the no–good backstabber you are!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Judy!"

"What, Clawhauser?"

"Here comes the chief!"

"What?!"

"Oh, this should be fun..."

"What is the meaning of this?! Hopps, explain yourself this instant!"

"Ch-chief! I, uh – it's just – um–!"

"Bogo, I have to say I'm disappointed. I expected you to have a better grip on your officers. I had heard this rabbit was 'spirited', but that's not the half of it. She needs a muzzle."

"I apologise for Hopps' behaviour, Deputy Wuntch. Believe me, she doesn't speak for me. Are you–"

"I was just leaving, actually. I'll be at Precinct Two. Supervising my officers with the correct level of... oversight."

"Very well. ...Clawhauser, stop gawking. That goes for all of you! Get back to your posts, now!"

"That's, that's a great idea, Chief! I better go too! I actually have a huge stack of paperwork in my office – been ticketing a lot of cars, haha, you know how it is – so I'll just–"

"Hopps!"

"Sir?"

"Meet me upstairs."

It wasn't the first time Judy had been in Bogo's office. It wasn't even the first time she was here to get yelled at. There had been a number of teething problems during her short tenure at Precinct One. Like that time early in her first week when (for a few seconds, at least) she had gotten fired. That had kind of set a precedent.

She was used to Bogo's anger. But as she clambered up onto the chair opposite his desk, she thought she could sense something different in the air. His tone downstairs had been dangerous, barely contained. Now she felt his eyes on her.

She had really screwed up this time.

Too uncomfortable to sit down, simply stood on the chair, paws together and ears low. She readied herself for what was to come.

Bogo wasn't sitting either. He rested his knuckles on the desk, glaring at her icily. He took a deep breath through his nose. Then it began.

"Hopps, it is just too cute how you think I need help–"

Judy winced. "Sir, please don't call me 'cute', it–"

"–but I am not one of your little schoolyard friends in need of defending. You are never to embarrass me, this department, and yourself like that ever again. Do I make myself clear?"

She nodded, reserved but firm. The model student. "Yes, sir. Absolutely. I'm very sorry. It's just that–"

"Spare me. I don't want to hear whatever asinine reasoning you had for showing such utter disrespect to your superior officer!"

Judy frowned. Slightly. "Sir, I appreciate what you're saying, and I apologise. But if we're talking about disrespect, Deputy Chief Wuntch is the one who–"

"Hopps, what did I just say? Don't concern yourself with these things. Wuntch is entitled to her opinions."

Judy's ears rose involuntarily. "'Opinions'? Sir, this was not a matter of opinion. She wasn't critiquing you, she was insulting you. Openly! And I'm sorry I acted unprofessionally, but I wasn't about to let that slide!"

His voice was cold, every word separated. "That's not your decision."

"I know I'm still low on the totem pole, but I don't see how showing respect is the same as, as... being invisible! What was I supposed to do? Just stand there and let her badmouth you in front of the whole precinct?"

"Yes!" snapped Bogo. "Because that is how the chain of command works. Policing this... mess of a city is hard enough without infighting. So perk up those cute little ears and listen to me–"

"Sir, do not call me 'cute', I–"

"–in a situation like that, you are to keep your mouth shut and stay in your lane."

Judy's brow was twitching. "Right. Of course. My lane. And that would be ticketing parked cars, right, sir?"

"Hopps, watch your tone."

Hopps did not watch her tone. "My talents are being wasted! The ZPD – and the city – needs me on the beat! But even after I stopped Bellwether, with no help from anyone here, you still have me in this clown vest! Why won't you let me handle real cases?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you!" said Bogo, jabbing a finger at her. "I will assign you whatever work I think is best. And that's not going to change no matter how many times you stomp your little feet and claim I'm being unfair."

She thrust her hands out in frustration. "I just want to be taken seriously! I want you to take me seriously! If I didn't prove myself with the Night Howler case, then–"

"What you proved," said Bogo, "is that you are intelligent and driven and liable to get yourself killed. All of which I already knew. What you have failed to prove – consistently, ever since City Hall made you my problem – is that you're able to shut your tiny mouth and follow orders. If you want–"

"Sir, with all due respect," said Judy, clenching her fists to try to keep her voice from wavering, "I follow orders worth following."

Bogo stared. "Excuse me?"

She should have caught the dangerous shift in his tone. But she was too angry, too lost in the concerns and fears she'd been fighting off for weeks. When would she get a chance like this again? She pressed on.

"Sir, you can't pretend this is one–sided! You never wanted me here! You tried to fire me the second I put a paw out of line, and when that didn't work, you tried to exploit my inexperience with a shoddy deal." She tried to stay calm, stay rational, but it was so hard. Her anger was building. "I've done my best in the circumstances I've been forced into. If I haven't been acting like a model officer, well, m–maybe it's because of you!"

"Officer Hopps, you have no idea what you're talking about!"

"I'm just–!"

"Grow up and realize what you are: a junior officer with one lucky break under her belt! You need to learn how to restrain yourself, immediately. Or else it'll be on me when the 'hero of Zootopia' bites off more than she can chew and dies in the line of duty! I'll be the one dealing with the press while your family lowers your cute little coffin–"

"Call me 'cute' one more time!"

Judy's voice echoed in the deathly silence that followed. She stood there, heart pounding, eyes hard.

She had just yelled at Chief Bogo.

But she wasn't going to show her fear.

The enormity of what she just did hovered over her, buzzing at the edges of her mind. If she acknowledged it, she would crack. Crumble in an instant. Her ears would fall and her eyes would widen and she would apologise and apologise and apologise. Beg Bogo not to fire her. She had worked so hard to get here.

But she had worked so hard to be respected, too. And part of her – a visceral part, not the smartest part – thought that showing weakness was a mistake. She had to stand firm. Show him and the world she wasn't a scared little rabbit. So she clutched her anger and rode it, sustaining herself on it, keeping her eyes level and fighting to stop her nose from twitching.

Bogo, for his part, hadn't reacted much either. When Judy had yelled, his eyes widened and his nostrils flared and his mouth tightened. He kept that expression. He was angrier than usual, which was a truly scary prospect. But he was still controlling it. Just about.

After a terrible eternity, he spoke. Voice low. Controlled.

"Hopps. Get out of my office. I'll see you on Monday morning."

Judy blinked. "Sir... today's Tuesday."

"I'm aware of what day it is!" he roared, taking her by surprise. His face contorted as he tried to control himself. "Monday. Morning. Until then you are going to go home and think very hard about your place in this department."

"S–sir –"

"Oh, don't worry, Hopps!" She noticed the way his chest was heaving. It was terrifying. "I know how dedicated you are to your assigned job of writing tickets. Which is why you'll make up for your absence by pulling double shifts next week, and every week into the future, until I'm satisfied you've managed to grasp just how little you mean to me. Understood?"

Judy swallowed. She reminded herself – as she had many times before – that respect was earned, not claimed. "Yes, sir. I understand."

"Get out."

Judy kept her eyes on his desk. "Sir, I'd like to assure you that I–"

"Get. Out!"

Wasting no more time, Judy dropped to the floor and walked out, head and ears held high. She struggled to pull the door open, but she didn't ask for help. She didn't turn around.

She stepped out into the corridor and the door shut behind her. She glanced around, but no-one was in view. The chief's office was too high, too out of the way. People didn't wander by. She was alone.

For a moment she stood there. Then she sank back against the huge door, her gaze unfocusing and her ears plummeting. She'd talk to Clawhauser. She'd find Nick. Good god, she might even call her parents.

But first she needed a second to let herself crumble.

She curled up, nose twitching and ears quivering. She closed her eyes and pressed her fists against her forehead and berated herself, hated herself, for being a stupid, stupid bunny.

Alone in his office, Chief Bogo let out a long, slow breath and buried his head in his hands.