Well everyone this will be my first time ever posting a story so I hope you all will like it! Leave any comments and I give all the credit to Zootopia for giving me the idea to write this story.

A whole new life

'This couldn't be happening,' I thought to myself as I walked towards the pearly gates of heaven. As I approached, they slowly opened to a man sitting in a chair made from the clouds. He was dressed in a white robe and had long white hair and a beard that went to the bottom of his chest. He moved his gaze towards me and said "right on time," as he stood up from his chair. "Am I… dead?" I ask as I step closer to him, and he nodded to me and said "yes my son, but do not worry you'll be alive and kicking soon enough,". "What do you mean?" I ask as I was trying to understand what was going on. "My son I'm giving you another chance to live a life that will be completely new to you, you will be born into a different dimension than this one and you will make history!" he says as he comes closer. "So where am I going? Who am I going to be? What am I going to be?" I ask as the man takes one final step towards me. He leans in and says "do you remember that movie Zootopia?" he asks as a puzzled look comes across my face. "um… yes, I do, but why does that mat… wait a minute that's where I'm going?!" I scream as I start to freak out. "Well what animal am I going to become? Do I get a choice?" I ask as I take a step closer. "You are the son of Leodore Lionheart who is a lion, your past is a mystery and your future is unpredictable. You will figure out the rest when you arrive, but now I must say goodbye my son and enjoy your new life!" he says as he touches my forehead and everything goes black.

As I woke up I noticed that I was in a room that looked exactly like my old room, though several things had changed. The 2 Chainz poster on my wall now bared a Siberian tiger with gold fangs who was now named 2 Fangz. I got up out of bed and cautiously went to look in the mirror at my new appearance. I gasped at the image of a 20-year-old lion with a reddish mane for hair and little brown dots on my face that resembled the freckles I had when I was a human. "Man I hope nothing else is going to surprise me today". Just then the alarm clock on my night stand came to life and started blaring the morning news, a females' voice came on "Good morning my fellow mammals, today on ZNN were reminding everyone that today marks the six-month anniversary of Judy Hopps joining the ZPD and taking down former mayor Lionheart and former mayor Bellwether after the night howler incidents a few months ago…" I didn't want to hear anymore as I shut off the radio. "I can't believe it," I say as I sit down on my bed. "My father is in jail and I'm only five minutes into my new life," I say as I put my new paws to my face. Then I looked over to my nightstand and noticed an application form to the ZPD already filled out with my name and everything. So Tanner Lionheart is my new name huh, I thought to myself as I stood up, well I know now what I have to do. I'm going to join the ZPD and bring back my family's name from infamy! I thought to myself as I grabbed the handle to my room and threw it open, ready to see the new world that lied ahead.

As I walked down the stairs of the house I noticed that no one was home. I then realized that there was a note on the door from who I presumed to be my new mom. The note read, "Tanner, I've gone to run some errands today so I'll be gone for a little while. Make sure to take the trash to the street and to wash your car. Love you, mom".' Wait a minute' I thought to myself… I have a car? I walked outside and my jaw instantly dropped, it was an early model Shelby GT Mustang, complete with a metallic dark blue paintjob, racing stripes, several obvious racing accessories, and a convertible top… this was my grandfather's car back in my old life. Without hesitation I quickly took out the trash and washed the car in under an hour, after that I hopped into the driver seat and turned the key. As the engine started it made a low rumbling sound as it roared to life, I pressed a button and the top folded into the storage compartment as I peeled out of the driveway heading towards the ZPD to turn in my application.

When I finally made it to the ZPD, I got to the front door of the precinct grabbed the handle and suddenly froze. What if everyone in this precinct knows who my father is? What if they won't let me even join the force? But then I remembered something my mother told me a week ago because the man did tell me I would have all my memories. I remember her saying "Tanner, I know that our family is having a tough time but don't let what happened to your father stop you from pursuing your dreams. I believe that you will become the best officer ever and I love you very much". I then tightened my grip on the door handle and pushed the door open as I walked into the precinct. As I walked to the front desk, I looked around and noticed that a lot of the officers were staring me down as I walked to the desk where a chubby leopard sat with headphones in his ears and dancing along to the music even though it was silent throughout the precinct because the son of Leodore Lionheart walked through the door. As I approached the desk the leopard caught sight of me and paused the music on his phone and took out his ear buds as he said "yes sir can I help you?" He asked in a cheerful voice. I looked down and saw the plaque on the leopard's desk said Clawhauser, "well I came today to turn in my application for the police academy". I said as I handed the piece of paper to him. "okey dokey" the leopard said "lemme just..." he paused and suddenly realized who he was talking to and reached for the phone and pressed number one and speed dialed someone I couldn't tell who. That's when all of a sudden I heard a phone ringing around the third floor. After about 25 seconds someone picked up the phone and answered with a low gruff voice, "yes Clawhauser?" the voice asked through the intercom. "Uh yes sir there is a mammal here who turned in an application to the police academy and I think you better take a look at it." Clawhauser said as he fed the paper into a fax machine. A few seconds later the gruff voice came back over the intercom, "send him to my office Clawhauser, and get Wilde and Hopps to escort him." Oh boy what have I gotten myself into.

As I walked up the flight of stairs being escorted by officer Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde who put my father and Bellwether away I knew that I was in trouble. 'What did I do to deserve this,' I thought to myself as we made it to the third floor. "You know carrots, I bet this guy did something wrong and he's turning himself in to chief buffalo butt because he felt guilty." Nick said as we rounded the corner heading to the chief's office. Judy just shook her head and looked up at me and said "don't worry about him, you seem like a pretty nice guy so I don't think anything bad is going to happen." "I hope so, I think it's because of who my father is." I say as we near the door. Nick stopped and looked up at me and said "who's your dad?" and with all the courage I could muster in my body I proudly said "Leodore Lionheart." As soon as my father's name came out of my mouth Nick and Judy shared glances and then looked back at me with concern and what looked like sorrow on their faces as Judy finally broke the silence by asking me "You're Tanner Lionheart the son of former mayor Lionheart?" "yep, that's me. The son of a father who betrayed the law and landed himself in prison." As I finished my sentence we made it to the chief's office as I grabbed the handle I felt a paw grab mine and I looked down and noticed it was Judy. She said "Tanner… I'm sorry about what happened to your father." as she let go of my hand and took her place by the door. Confused by what Judy meant, I grabbed the handle and pushed the door open to find a water buffalo sitting behind the desk. His name was chief Bogo, and on his desk his name was inscribed on the plaque that sat at the front of his desk. "Ah you must be Tanner, please do come in." chief Bogo said as the door shut behind me.

I sit down in the chair facing Bogo as he looked over my application. "Is there a problem with my application sir?" I asked as the chief took off his reading glasses and sighed as he looked up at me "Tanner, first off I just want to say I'm sorry for what happened to your father." I looked at him and asked, "what happened to him." I said with seriousness. "In the prison where your father is being held, someone tried to take his life." chief Bogo said with sorrow behind his voice. "Is my father ok?! Did you find the guy who did it?!" I asked almost bursting into tears in front of the chief of police. "he's fine, he's being held in a protective environment, just in case someone tries to attempt something." Bogo said with confidence. "Now let me be clear about something. Because of what happened with your father, a lot of people are not going to be happy when his son joins the police force. But on the other hand you're a good guy Tanner, straight A's through school, when your father let you tour here when you were 15, I took you to the shooting range and you shot a perfect score, and was placed as number one on the leaderboard so I'm going to stick my neck out for you and allow you to go to the academy but on one condition, Officer Hopps! Officer Wilde! In my office!" He yelled as the door opened Judy and Nick walked in and stood beside me "yes chief Bogo?" they both said in unison. "I'm letting Tanner here join the academy to become a police officer but I don't want the drill instructor there to teach him, I want you to train him." Bogo said. "But sir is that allowed?" Judy said as she took a step forward towards Bogo. "Yes it is allowed Miss Hopps, you both will train him under my authority and I don't want to hear a single complaint, is that understood?" chief Bogo said with a little ferocity in his voice. "Yes sir!" Judy and Nick said in unison. "Okay good, now you will leave within the next five hours and you will begin training immediately, dismissed." Chief Bogo said as he opened a case file that was on his desk. As me, Judy and Nick walked out of his office, Nick said with a smirk on his face "well carrots, it looks like you won the bet" as we walked down the stairs back to the lobby of the precinct.

As I walked out the front door to go to my car, Judy walked up beside me and said "hey don't be nervous training with me and Nick will be like taking a walk through the park! You'll be an officer in no time!" she said with excitement. "Thanks Judy, I really appreciate it. So where do I need to meet y'all so we can head to the academy?" I asked as we approached my car. Nicks eyes immediately lit up as he saw the car I was driving and asked "is this your car?!" "Yes, it was my grandfathers but now it belongs to me" I said as I opened the door and climbed into the car. "Gotta say the lion has taste" he said as he smirked, he walked over to the passenger side and opened the door as he hopped in I asked "what're you doing?" "I'm riding with you to your house to inform your mom that you're going to the academy." Nick said as he shut the door "Judy will meet us back here and we will be taking your car there, hey Judy could you go back to the apartment and grab our things while I'm with him?" he asked as he buckled himself in. "Sure Nick ill meet yall back here in two hours." Judy said as she hopped into a patrol car and drove down the road heading to her and Nicks apartment. Nick turned to me and said "alright let's get going buddy." He said as I hooked up my phone and played the song Quiet Riots "cum on feel the noize". "Hey I like this song!" Nick said as I threw the car into reverse and then drove down the road back to my house in Sahara Square.

When we made it back to the house, my mom still wasn't home yet which had me worried because she said she would be home well before I got back. I frantically pulled into the driveway and hopped out of the car running at a full sprint into the house. "Tanner what's wrong?" Nick yelled behind me. I didn't answer as I got to the door I noticed it was ajar and pushed it open that's when I saw her lying on the floor with a pool of blood surrounding her. I quickly ran over and felt for a pulse… there was nothing. My mom… the woman who gave birth to me is now dead in my arms. I began to cry uncontrollably as Nick walked in to find me with my dead mother in my arms "I need an ambulance to the Lionheart residence immediately!" Nick shouted into the radio. "Tanner what happened?" Nick asked as he came closer to me, "I don't know" I said in between sobs as I looked down I noticed she had multiple stab wounds in her abdomen and someone had slashed her throat. In the pool of blood was an envelope addressed to me in a plastic bag. I picked it up and opened the bag upside down, letting the envelope fall into my hand. I opened it and inside was a note made from clippings of a magazine. I began to read it and as I read it I became furious as tears rushed down my face as I slowly stood up, I handed the note to nick who began to read it out loud as I walked upstairs to get all of my stuff packed together. "Tanner, this is for ruining the future I could have had. Sincerely, Anonymous." As Nick finished reading the letter, I walked down stairs with tears streaming down my face and as I stepped down the last step I wiped my eyes and looked at Nick, "Nick I swear to god, when I find out who did this I'm going to rip their throat out with my bare paws." I said as I walked out of the front door of the house.

Had to republish because I had a bunch of grammatical errors that needed to be fixed along with some changes to the story to add some plot, the reviews and comments are a great help! So, I hope you like the story and ill post more tomorrow before I sign off for the weekend. Please send any questions/comments, all are appreciated! Have a great weekend!