Zootopia: Tower 1
Chapter 1: "Spots"
There is a calmness in the sea, no past and no future. Life goes on as it has done for generations. In those generations, my family has made a living fishing it's bounty, and selling it at the markets. My name is Molly Fischer, and welcome to the village of Harbortown. I am thinking you know what I am. That's right, buddy, I'm a harbor seal.
I have two-tone grey fur and covered in beautiful spots and marbling all over my body except for the area around my cheeks and eyes, and around the middle of my chest and belly. I even have spots and marbling covering my butt. The thing is we seals have no tails. Our tails evolved into feet. That's why the tips of our toes are dark-bluish grey
Whenever I go to the farmer's market with my mother and father, I look around at the sounds of the city. It was when I was a little girl that I realized what I wanted to be. I heard the siren and the roar of the flames of a burning building. I watched as the ladders went up, and so did my hopes, "Dad, I wanna be a firefighter," I told my father.
"Honey, our family has been fishing the seas for generations, there's great work in the fishing business," said my dad, "heck our family name is Fischer,"
"Dad, I don't wanna be what people or my family want me to be, this is what I want to be, Dad, and nothing is going to stop me," I vowed to my mom and dad,
My dad laughed as I was just a kid, but now I've grown up. I kept my spots and marbling and I held onto my dream, "Welcome to the Zootopia Fire Academy, here the lives of the city are in your paws, it's your duty to go into danger when everybody else is running out," lectured the instructor, "well, well, long way from the sea, eh fish sticks?"
"Uh...I'm a mammal, not a fish, just like you," I said to the pine marten instructor
"Did I ask for your opinion, blubber-for-brains?!" She blasted at me, getting all up in my face,
"No, ma'am" I said, and she turned to face the others in the class. I am 5'6 and 1/2 and 142lbs, I am not exactly winning any height contests, but still I pushed onward amid a barrage of insults that I have unfortunately taken to memory along with my attempts at the obstacle course and equipment training: shark bait, fish and chips, bear snack.
I wouldn't give up. I will not give up, or give in. It took time, but I got passed the obstacle course, the smokehouse, and learned all the equipment. I graduated at the top of my class to become an official firefighter, "I swear she gets that inner drive from you," my dad told mom as photos were taken and refreshments were eaten after graduating
"Kyle, I have to agree, but there will always be that one member that strays away from the pack," said my mom Evelyn, "look you be safe out there, and be sure to share our family recipes with the fire station, they will love it," she said as she hugged me for a job well done, "the first firefighter in the Fischer Family, if you need anything, just call,"
I am glad my family is supporting me. Some families are so ingrained by tradition that something like this is like throwing mud on their names, "Thanks mom, thanks dad,"
Leaving my family was the biggest challenge I ever had to faced, now it was my turn to see the greatness that is Zootopia. I was assigned to Fire Station 14, home of Tower Company 1 and Engine Company 3. I was ready in my uniform, starched and pressed for me to present myself to the captain. This fire station happened to be short on staff.
I went in first thing in the morning. The garage doors were all open, and I could see the trucks. They were E-One Quests. One is a quint unit, that means it is a hybrid of a pumper and a ladder truck, with an 135ft ladder. The other was a custom pumper-tanker unit. I soon saw one of the firefighters, a leopard, shining the old brass sliding pole.
"You lookin' for the captain?" he asked, I nodded 'yes', "inside, it's the second door on the right," said the leopard, everyone at the station was going through stationary and equipment check while I was just a rookie coming in for the first day on the job. This is said to be one of the busiest stations in the entire city. This is a very big honor for me.
The badger in the office is Captain Charles Whitetail. He looked up at me, "It's 7:30, I told you to be here by 7:15, I expect those that work under me to be punctual,"
He turned his attention back to his paperwork, "Er, I'm sorry sir," I said holding my duffle bag in front of me. I tilted my head lightly in interest at the captain of the station. Captain Whitetail looked like he had seen a lot of action over the years. He looked like he had been in the fire service since before I was born. He looked at me, and groaned.
"You're the first of your kind to become a firefighter, I was hoping you would start your shift on a better note, but I'll let it slide, don't worry about it," said the Captain, and soon the firefighters came to the office to meet me, "I'm sorry if I came off on a bad note, I do that to the rookies all the time, Captain Whitetail, welcome to Fire Station 14,"
I received handshakes and greetings from the other firefighters. I maybe the only harbor seal in the fire service, but I am not the only lady. There were two others at the station, a black fox named Vicky and a Euro-Badger named Marlene. You'll never meet such a happy bunch of guys at a police station meeting. I think I'm going to like it here.
