Emerald-Wolf Productions Presents...

THE STRUGGLE TO UNDERSTAND

By SilverWolf and CyberWolf SgtJay

Rated T for violence, swearing, and suggestive Sexual themes.
Please review, and leave your thoughts. To contact us personally, PM SilverWolf or CyberWolf SgtJay, Not Emerald-Wolf Productions

Who am I?

Right, let me start off from the beginning.

My name is Shadex Knyght. I am a veteran officer at ZPD.

Yes, ZPD. The Police department of Zootopia. Yes, the one with Officer Hopps and Wilde. The two that saved the city from a social collapse between Prey and Predator in the night howler case.

I remember starting off back in my hometown of Silverton. It was far north, but it wasn't too bad. We wolves are known for dealing well in the cold.

'Course, that makes it hard for us to deal the heat.

Moving along, They say you can be anything you want to be in Zootopia. Yes. I know what you're thinking. That statement is true, surely, since Judy got to be the police officer she always wanted to be. Must be true if a bunny can be a police officer, right?

Wrong.

You see, you know the entire tale of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. What you don't know, is what limits there are, on love.

Yes, Romance, love, that nice jazz. You never learned anything about that in the story, did you?

Now before you can fire off your angry rants about how Judy loves Nick and all that happily ever after shit, lemme remind you it was never confirmed. It's a popular idea, but not CANON.

SO therefor, no romance is in the story of Judy and Nick. I should know, because I know the limits on love.

You see, Most people, where I'm from, aren't really accepting if you… root for the same team.

Do you understand anything i'm saying? Anything at all? Anything?

No? Yes?

…

I should have known not many can breach the fourth wall. Don't get me wrong, I know i'm as real as daylight, But for ages, I've felt like someone is out there.

Watching us.

Crazy, I know right? I just… There has to be more out there.

Lemme move on before I bore you to death with my stupid beliefs. If you have any questions about what I was ranting about, I'm sure it'll become clearer deeper within the Story we're about to tell you.

Yes, I am not alone.

Vulcan? Are you there?

Ah yes I am here Shadex.

Do you think anyone, anyone at all can hear what i'm saying?

It's possible that there are tons of people listening.

We should get started. Vulcan, do you remember the day I met you?

Clear as the starless night Shadex.

Right. Well, before we begin, I would like to elaborate somethings. These events you are about to hear took place only a month after Nick Wilde Became officer, Seven months after the Night Howler case.

Ah yes I remember the date. July 14th, 2015.

Vulcan.

Yes Shadex? Wrong date?

Yes. March 4, 2016 was the date. Zootopia came to be at that time, more or less.

Oh yeah sorry Shadex. Anyways, it seriously only happened a month after the ZPD got its first Fox officer?

Yes. I remember like it was yesterday.

"Morning Officer Shadex."

Shadex grumbled, clutching his cup of coffee from Snarlbucks, heading towards the 'bullpen'. "Morning, Officer Wilde."

"Heading to roll call?"

"Well you know, Bogo Gets antsy when someone isn't present without a good reason. I'd rather be early than late," Shadex said, sipping his coffee. "Morning Clawhauser. How's the new album from Gazelle?"

"OH! It's fabulous!" The chubby leopard said cheerfully as Nick and Shadex walk past.

"Yeah that is true Officer Knyght. I remember I was late to roll call once. Let me tell you worst day of my life."

"Officer Wilde. If you so vividly remembered that day, you will recall I was sitting NEXT to you." Shadex said.

"Yes you were. When I came in late, Chief Bogo gave me parking duty."

Shadex snickered. "Meter Maid." He chuckled. "Man, that is the worst. Glad i'm not a rookie at least."

Shadex finished his coffee and threw the empty cup away as he and Nick entered the bullpen, the room full of lively conversation. "Say, Officer Wilde, where's Officer Carrots?"

"Actually I don't know what happened to Officer Carrots. Last time I saw her was...shoot i don't know." Nick replied.

The room grew dead quiet when Nick said that.

"Nick. YOu do realize the ENTIRE Team thinks you and Judy are the perfect pair? No one works better than you two together! What is it with that uncaring attitude? YOu think you'd CARE A little more about your partner, geez," Shadex said as he sat down in his spot.

"Sorry I do care about Officer Hopps. It just I haven't seen her lately and it worries me." Nick said as he sat next to Shadex.

Just then, Judy opens the door and walks in, to the relief of everyone. "Hi Everyone! Sorry i'm late, had a little trouble getting over here," she said, sitting next to Nick. "Officer Wilde, good to see you. Good to see you as well Officer Knyght,"

"It's good to see you too Officer Hopps." Nick said.

Just then Chief Bogo came in. "ALRIGHT SETTLE DOWN!" He called out. The chatter stopped almost immediately. "Very good. Okay people, nothing major today." He said, and proceeded to hand out patrol duties.

"Officer Hopps, Wilde." He said. "You two will be assigned in tracking down a cat burglar. Clawhauser will hand you the details and file. Officer Shadex, Since you're a veteran, and more suited for the cold, you'll be doing Patrol in Tundratown, Specifically on Snowy Hills to Sleet Street."

"You got it boss, Let's roll Carrots." He said jumping out of his chair, eager to get started.

"Oh my goodness, my first cat burglar! What are they like Nick?" She asked as they left the room.

Shadex sighed as he got up. "Chief Bogo. Please do not tell me I am you're last resort in apprehending Mr. Magic, right?"

Bogo shook his head. "As much as I do not want to admit it, No one has been able to arrest Mr. Jay for Soliciting on that segment of road in TundraTown. And I have a bad feeling that Officers Wilde and Hopps would only add fuel to the fire, since they are a determined pair." He said, remembering their work on the night howler case.

"Fine, I will see to it." Shadex said, taking his Veteran Police cap, adjusting it on his head, and walking out of the bull pen.

"Good luck Shadex!" Clawhauser called out to the grey wolf as he walked out to his cruiser.

"What's Officer Knyght doing?" Judy asked while Clawhauser pulled out the file they needed for the cat burglar.

"You see, some Street Magician is breaking one of the civilian codes in TundraTown, No Soliciting on the road segment between Snowy Hills and Sleet Street. That includes the performances he does, but man! He's pretty good at them. He's also good at getting away, none of our officers, even some of our best Veterans haven't caught him! Officer Knyght is the only one who has yet to try!"

"I'm sure Officer Knyght will be able to catch him." Nick added.

"I hope so, otherwise, Bogo will have to request Rouge Animal Control to apprehend the guy. A visit from RAC is not pretty."

"Sounds pretty rough, Clawhauser" Nick said.

"Sure is, here you two go," He said, handing them the file while munching on a donut.

"Thanks Clawhauser." Judy said looking it over.

Shadex got into his Cruiser. He looked into the Rearview mirror. He saw himself.

'Right, DO my best, forget the rest,' He thought, adjusting his shades onto his eyes, and drove out of the garage, and into the heart of Zootopia downtown.

~MEANWHILE, IN TUNDRATOWN~

A black and white wolf with green eyes and with a lightning bolt scar over his left eye was currently walking around Snowy Hills trying to find people to entertain with his magic tricks. "Come one, come all. Watch me perform my greatest tricks." He said.

HE had walked into a middle of a small shopping plaza, gaining the attention of a small crowd.

"Ah my adoring crowd has come to watch me perform." He said as he performed his first trick.

The Crowd was amazed at his magic tricks. They dropped dollar bills and coins into his hat.

"Alright, who wants to see my next trick?" The wolf asked.

The crowd cheered in approval, eager to see more magic.

The wolf smiled as he started his next trick.

He was interrupted mid-way with the wail of a police siren. "Okay people, break it up! No Soliciting allowed here, move on!"

The Crowd let out groans of disappointment as they returned to their shopping. A black wolf with amethyst eyes in a navy blue police uniform, and a police veteran cap on his head walked up to the magician. "Good evening sir. You are aware Soliciting is not allowed here under code 57 section IV, Correct?"

"Oh I'm so sorry Officer. It seems I was not aware of this 'code' " The black and white wolf said. "I'll best be going now."

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to bring you back to ZPD for further question, Mr. Jay. You've broken this code on several occasions, which counts as a repeated crime."

"Then try to catch me, Copper" The wolf disappeared in smoke.

"Dammit!" The Officer coughed as he waved off the smoke. The Magician was nowhere to be seen. "Shoot," HE said looking around. He groaned as he walked back to his cruiser.

As he got in, he couldn't help but remember the details of the other wolf's face, body, and eyes… those cute Emerald eyes…

Wait. Cute?

"I'm gonna need more coffee," the officer groaned as he started his truck and drove off to find a snarlbucks.

Vulcan, as he ran to his house, couldn't stop thinking about the officer's eyes.'God damn those eyes were cute as hell. No… Chances are the cop wasn't gay. I need to stop thinking about him.'

"Officer Knyght checking in at Rocky Road Kiosk, 10 Sharp," Shadex said, inside the small, but warm ZPD kiosk set up along Rocky Road. HE had a cup of coffee from Snarlbucks again. As great as an officer as he was, He needed a lot of coffee on some days. This, was one of those days.

"Ten-four Officer Knyght," Clawhauser's voice crackled through the police radio. "Have you encountered Mr. Jay yet?"

"Yes, and he got away, much to my displeasure," Shadex replied. "But they day is young. And from what his file says, his illegal operation is his only source of income. Where he may live, that is another subject…" Shadex groaned

"Well keep at it Shadex! The entire team's rooting for you," Clawhauser said in his usual cheery tone.

"Yea, thanks Clawhauser." Shadex said. "Officer Knyght out," He said as he turned his radio off, and sipped his coffee in silence.

Those goddamn emerald eye would not leave his mind.

This, was going to be a loooong day.

Vulcan just happened to be at another coffee shop across the street entertaining patrons.

"HE could be anywhere by now," Shadex mumbled under his breath, looking out the window, AWAY From the direction of the coffee shop across the road, watching the snowflakes fall to the earth.

Vulcan finished his last trick and picked up his hat full of money. "Thank you guys for watching."

"Well, Better get a move on. No good moping around," Shadex said as he got up and left the kiosk. HE got into his Cruiser and started it up.

Vulcan was about to disappear in a puff of smoke when his watch glinted in Shadex's mirror.

The light reflected into Shadex's eyes, who was looking into the mirror as he backed out. "AGH!" He cried out, and in his panic to cover his eyes, floored the gas, and having the truck in reverse, it shot out of the parking space and darted towards Vulcan at an alarming speed.

"STOP!" Vulcan cried.

Shadex, having heard that outcry with his wolf ears, Slammed his paw on the brake. The Cruiser stopped just CENTIMETERS away from Vulcan's body.

Vulcan sighed in relief as the police cruiser stopped.

"I'm so sorry, I got blinded by some light, and-" Shadex said getting out of the truck, but stopped when he recognized those emerald eyes. "YOU!"

"YOU! No no anyone but you Copper." Vulcan said as he went to pull out his smoke but found he had NONE. He gulped.

"Out of magic Magician? IF so, I'd like you to please put your paws behind your head, you are under arrest for repeatedly breaking Civilian code,"Shadex said, grabbing his tranquilizer gun.

"Wait can't we talk about this?"

Shadex found himself, for the first time in his career, hesitating upon seeing the worry in the magician's eyes.

Those eyes.

God damn those eyes!

"N-No! You have broken the law, and I am giving you a chance to surrender yourself peacefully. We can always do this the hard way," Shadex said. HE had a muzzle and restraints for a medium sized wolf in the back of his cruiser.

"You don't give me much of a choice." Vulcan sighed as he slowly put his paws behind his head.

Shadex slowly walked up to the Magician, with handcuffs fit for a wolf, never taking his aim off the culprit. He was trying to say the words he always said to those he arrest, but god damn it, those fucking eyes! What was it about them?

"Cat got your tongue Officer?" Vulcan asked jokingly.

"No. I, have… Nevermind, you are under arrest for breaking Code 57, Section IV multiple times, you have the right to remain silent, anything that you say can and will be used against you in a court of law," Shadex said, handcuffing Vulcan.

Vulcan only looked at Shadex and then looked down to the ground saying nothing.'I never thought i would get caught oh well, it had to happen sometime.' He thought as he was led into the cruiser.

Shadex sighed as he got into the Cruiser, Vulcan all secure in the back. As he started the truck up, again, he looked back and saw Vulcan's eyes for the umptheenth time that day.

Vulcan said nothing and looked away from Shadex and sighed sadly.

Shadex, with some guilty feeling in his heart, began the long drive back to ZPD. "Officer Knyght to dispatch, do you read, over?"

"Ten-Four Officer Knyght," Clawhauser replied.

"I am on my way back to ZPD With Mr. Jay in tow…" Shadex said, observing the figure of the magician while also keeping an eye on the road.

Cheers erupted from the radio. "Oh my goodness! Shadex we knew you could do it!"

"Yea…" Shadex mumbled to himself, or so he thought. "I'll be there in an hour, Officer Knyght out."

'Why did I not fight back? I normally fight back but something about those eyes made me not fight back.' Vulcan thought to himself.

Shadex, not realizing it, wish for some way for Vulcan to escape. TO be honest, those eyes… those eyes…

What, was it about those damn fucking eyes?!

Shadex said nothing, nor thought anymore as he continued down the snowy street…

AH, yes. I remember it so fondly… Mostly that, and the fact that I got tangled in the city's next big crime scheme. Who thought Vulcan would help me so much on cracking that case?

Ah yes I remember that too. Still to this day I never understood WHY I did not escape that day. And yes who would have thought the law breaking magician would end up helping the ZPD? Anyways you might need to remind me of what happened.

We crashed Vulcan. We crashed into a truck full of stolen tech.

Ohhhh yeah. You wanna tell the story about that or wait for the next chapter?

Let us wait. Whoever is watching has heard enough. For now.

Yes I agree. Shadex.