A/N: Yes, I went there. Comet criticism wanted!
The Fox Who Wanted More
Happytown ironically named, no one who lived here was happy, at least that's what he liked to believe. Abandoned by the city long ago, lawlessness was all that remained. He held on to a vain hope that something might change. Two years ago, a fox and a rabbit solved the nighthowler conspiracy and restored peace in Zootopia.
Redd Fawkestail knew about the covert violence that occurred within the district. No one cared. For two years he collected everything that featured Nick and Judy, animals that confirmed his belief that foxes could aspire to something more. He found contraband of Nick and Judy within the district sometimes, he treasured those a lot and eventually learned how to restore them to proper condition. Hidden and kept secret in his house because the mere presence of them was taboo.
He looked around his house if it could be called as such, the only thing that he was able to keep proper was his collection of Nick and Judy memorabilia. The rooms were messy just like the streets, unwilling to throw away anything if it could be slightly potentially useful.
It wasn't as if he could purchase anything, everything was controlled and distributed by gangs, ones he refused to join thus everything remained precious to him. He heard tales and rumors of how foxes and raccoons were despised in the city and that remaining here would be safer for them all.
Always reminded of the suffering that occurred within the district when he lounged around for scraps. The mob bosses were intentionally cruel and at times cut off all the supply of food that came into the district, during those times he learned how to find food amongst the refuse. It was necessary for survival.
Everything was treasured, he collected anything that could be deemed as potentially useful because supplies were scarce. Tomorrow is another day, stay hidden stay alive, that was his only goal. One day at a time and nothing was taken for granted.
A miracle happened, he managed to scavenge enough supplies to attempt something artistic for once. He drew what he wished to see, perhaps if they got together foxes would be seen in a more positive light giving him an opportunity to escape the district.
He practiced with the supplies he found. He drew on the floor, on the worn-out furniture before he decided to draw on a blank white shirt. An extremely rare item within the district. He only had one chance and he wanted to make it count.
After days of painstaking labor, his creation was finished, a shirt depicting Nick and Judy kissing. He was so proud of his creation he forgot that the mere presence of these two was taboo. He wore it publicly by the end of the day, it was taken from him and destroyed.
This attracted the rulers of Happytown they weren't happy with his contraband items and they decided it would be best if all of them were destroyed at as well. He caught the ire of them directly, now he was no longer scraping by, they made sure he suffered for his beliefs.
A cruel game they decided to play, he must destroy all the contraband found within the district. He never dared to run away because what awaited outside the district for them was far worse.
Nick and Judy had been working for the ZPD for two years now with multiple cases under their belt. The media caught them by surprise, all of a sudden, they featured an article depicting multiple mammals wearing shirts of them kissing.
They were friends and that was it. Where had this idea even come from? They decided it would be worthwhile to find the source of this article. Bogo knew better than to try to stop them whenever they were focused upon a task they would complete it regardless of his inclinations. He learned that it was better to stay out of the way and pray they didn't cause too much havoc in the process.
Their pursuit for the origin of the article led them to question the owner of ZNN which led them to a sub-district of Savannah Central. That too wasn't the original source. They received the original article which depicted a red fox with white tips on his ears and tail wearing a shirt that depicted of them kissing. The original source came from a relatively obscure district of Happytown, somewhere that even Nick didn't know.
Arriving at Happytown they looked around and noticed how decrepit it was, compared to everything else in Zootopia. "The original source came from this place?" Judy asked, completely unwilling to believe it.
"Something feels off here," Nick said. His instincts were telling him that something was extremely wrong with this area. Still, nothing confronted them.
Judy gasped, a fox wearing worn out clothing rummaged through a garbage can took something out and began to eat it. "This shouldn't be happening."
They continued onwards towards their destination. The Happytown Sun, the original source of the rumor. A fox greeted them, this one actually looked well-nourished compared to everyone else. "What can I do for you two?" Fear flashed in the fox's eyes as he said that. His fur bristled as if expecting trouble. His voice was quivering.
Nick was startled by the reception. "We were wondering if you knew the origin of this article?" Nick gave the newspaper article that originally set them on this search.
"That was before the crackdown on contraband. That fox lives on Happylane Street. It was written six months ago."
They moved towards Happylane Street. They knocked on the door and waited for a response. Upon sight, the fox raised his sword and tried to slash them as he had been trained. Nick was quick to react and tranquilized the fox. They disarmed the malnourished fox wearing tattered clothing which partially hid his scars.
Upon entering the room, they noticed tons of decapitated plushies of both of them. "How could this possibly be the source of the article?" Nick asked, trying to make sense of it all.
"I don't know. I want answers," Judy said.
They searched around the house noting that it was filled with expired food. "How can anyone live here? Not just here, this entire district."
Judy called Bogo, "Sir, have you ever heard of the district of Happytown? I would like to know how it was possible for anyone to live here."
"No, I haven't," Bogo replied, that didn't really give her any confidence.
They used items found within the house and tied the fox to a chair and waited for him to wake up. There was nothing in the house for them to enjoy. No games or anything. They noticed on the walls there were crude images featuring them kissing all the while surrounded by disfigured plushies of them both.
The only one who could explain this to them was the one that lived here and so they waited until the fox finally awoke. The fox displayed clear attempts of aggression towards them both.
"Could you explain this house and this district? It would help a lot," Nick said.
Upon hearing Nick's voice, the fox calmed down immediately. "It is you, it really is you." The fox blinked. "Both of you actually came."
Judy asked, "Could you possibly tell us your name?" Maybe, that would give them a hint of what they're dealing with here.
"I am Redd Fawkestail and this is my story…"
They learned that Happytown was abandoned by the city proper and lawlessness was allowed to fester. Covert murders and other acts freely occurred because no one cared. The district itself was barraged by propaganda making sure they wouldn't leave.
Redd began collecting everything he could that featured Nick and Judy until he made a fatal error that led to him being discovered. His masterpiece that depicted them kissing was destroyed but not before it caught the attention of the Happytown Sun all without his knowledge. That eventually spread and caught the attention of them both. He was sentenced to destroying all contraband found within the district as evidenced by things within his home. They forced him to keep all of it a reminder of what was forbidden and what he had done to ensure that he would never lapse ever again.
Through Redd's tale, they learned how much they cared for one another. All those one-off moments vividly recounted by another and written off as just something the media does. They truly learned how many of them there were. They kissed each other at the end of his tale which caused him to faint. They thought he was docile and set him free and waited for him to wake up. Upon waking he flew into a murderous rage and tried to kill them both. With quick reflexes, they subdued him once again. "That's going to be a problem," Nick said.
"We'll help him through it and fix the district," Judy said, for he opened their eyes, they would open his. The same animal that brought them together was also the same one that was trying to tear them apart.
They introduced him to actual Zootopia where he learned that all he knew was a lie. Foxes weren't that badly treated after all. Months of operant conditioning don't wear off immediately, thus he alternated between extreme reverence for Nick and Judy and a murderous rage. They had to be wary around him but they supported him.
It wasn't immediate it took several months before he was able to suppress his training completely and readjust to life. Through his expertise and knowledge, they cleaned up Happytown.
Happytown became known for its name because it's where true happiness thrived. All of it was inadvertently set in motion by the passion of a fox that wanted to be something more.
A/N: Send all the comets, especially Halley's.
Redd Fawkestail suggested by judithwildehopps.