Hello, fellow fanfiction readers!
I thought it would be appropriate for me to introduce myself a little before you dive into this Zootopia fanfiction I've created (which is, as of June 10th, 2016, a work-in-progress). For starters, I've absolutely fallen in love with the story the people at Disney have created. So much so, in fact, that I've actually become somewhat addicted to reading other Zootopia fanfictions. I suppose you could say that they have inspired me to create my own story for this amazing movie.
But, please know, this is my first fanfiction. I've written other little stories here and there, but I've never published them before. So, if you are willing, help me out here a little. If I make any mistakes that should be addressed, please notify me and I will do my best to refrain from making the same mistakes again in future chapters. I want this story to be the best it can be.
And I want this story to be a part of you as well. If you have any suggestions, criticisms, anything, feel free to express them to me. I promise, I will put much consideration into whatever you have to say.
Well, that's all I really have to say. I really hope you will enjoy the first chapter and I promise I will try to update it frequently. I actually plan to update on at least a weekly basis, if I can. And, most importantly, thank you for giving this little story a chance!
Note: There may be a few minor differences between this and the movie. Oh, and I am also writing on a phone.
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Zootopia. It belongs to Disney as they are the amazing creators of this amazing movie. I do not claim to own any part of the movie. This is merely a fanfiction of an already great story.
...
Six months. A hard six months awaits any who feel they are good enough to become a police officer. Each day becomes a grueling grind, a training session that threatens to push you over the limit. This way, they weed out the ones who are just there for the glory, the recognition. Only the ones who are there for good reasons find it in their hearts to endure.
It also weeds mammals through discrimination. According to them, the smaller, weaker animals would never make the cut. Especially a little bunny. 'You're just a small bunny,' they'd say, 'you won't last a week.' Then she did. She lasted a week. Then a month. And then a quarter of a year, until, finally, she made it through the full six months. That little bunny had the power, the will, to overcome the stereotypes that people always thought of when they saw their species; Little. Weak. Ill-willed. Cowardly. Not suited for jobs that demanded strength and courage. Well, she had plenty of strength and courage, perhaps even more so than most of the officers who were already in the ZPD. She shown this by, despite being a rabbit, out-performing every other trainee and setting records at the Academy. It was amazing.
The fox knew of that very bunny. He just so happened to be her best friend. Together, they stopped Bellwether, a psychotic sheep who wanted to get rid of all the predators inside of Zootopia. They became an example for others. An inspiration, if you will.
She changed something inside of him. He went from conning animals to becoming a police officer. Without her, he probably would be in jail, or worse. He owed her just about everything.
These were his thoughts while he listened to his instructor.
"I should not be doing this," began the old wolf, "considering the amount of rules and regulations this very meeting is breaking, but, I owe you an apology. I.. When you first came here to the Academy, I honestly did not expect much from you." He turned to look up into the night sky, remembering his thoughts on the first fox to ever come to his Academy. "As a fox, I thought you would half-ass every drill, push other trainees around, and then turn around expecting a gold medal. Your species isn't exactly popular."
"And here I thought I was the cover species for what it meant to be a good citizen. You don't need to remind me of what others always think about me when they first see me. I'm used to not being given a chance." The fox walked to the bench and sat down, far away from his instructor. "You know, my parents had the day after I was born recorded. They thought it would be nice to show me it after I became a teenager. Instead, I only saw it once while I was alone at home. The tape began with my parents smiling at me, playing with me…. The door opened a few seconds later with a goat coming in. He was my mother's doctor at the time. Apparently, I was in good health. But, the doctor, being the good mammal that he was, had to state his personal opinion about my family and who I was going to be when I finally grown up. His enlightening speech ended when he walked away, muttering to himself and asking what the world has come to, letting more foxes come into this world and further ruin today's great society. Needless to say, I threw that tape in the trash after bashing it with a hammer." Nick sighed and looked at down at the cold pavement. "So, like I said, I'm used to it. I knew I would get the same treatment here."
"I know how you feel, Nick. Wolves do not have the best of reputations, either. It's a sad city we live in when it is supposed to mean true equality and harmony between all species, predator and prey alike, and yet, just like many other places in today's world, awful stereotypes linger in the atmosphere, clouding minds. It seems we cannot get away from it, and perhaps I am part of the problem. I hated your guts the moment I saw you."
"Heh, thanks, Evan. Just how is this an apology?" the red fox inquired.
"If you let me speak…" he growled. "Look... in the six months you've been here, you've repeatedly surprised me with your skill, determination, and, most importantly, character. It was similar to the experience I had when I trained Officer Judy Hopps. You remind me of her, actually. Heh, you surprised me each time you tied her records, came close to them, or beaten them. You two are practically neck and neck when it comes to skill. I never expected a fox to achieve this, even after training that bunny. You shown the opposite of what I thought all of your species were, just like Judy. You are a complete contrast to the beliefs that circle your species, and I was wrong to assume the worst of you before giving you a chance."
Nick Wilde's ears perked up as he heard this. It was a rare thing to hear; an apology directed towards the fox.
The fox turned to see Morris looking into the distance with an unmoving gaze. For a moment, he let the wolf have his peace. Nick's emerald eyes took in the sights of the Academy Grounds in the meantime. Obstacle courses over there, barracks over here, a shooting range, and more. You name it, it was there.
In a lot of ways, it bears many similarities to a training camp intended for military personnel. Sure, it was only an Academy meant to train officers, but, trying to keep law and order in a civilization full of different species is a very difficult task and demands tougher, more formidable police departments.
Evan, taking a moment to himself, remembered the second day of training for Nick as it played out like an old recording in his mind. The training exercise consisted of a mile-long track of obstacles ranging from hurdles to climbing walls. The fox started off very sluggishly, complaining about his ankle due to an injury the day prior. Typical, the wolf originally thought. All of a sudden, though, the fox bolted and quickly got ahead of the competition in a matter of seconds.
With every obstacle behind him, and all forty-four other trainees also behind, he finished first without even breaking a sweat. Evan wasn't even able to keep up and he didn't have to deal with the obstacles, being his trainer and all.
At first, he didn't know what to think. This fox had just beaten every other trainee, even after giving them a good thirty second head start while he complained about a fake injury. It wasn't until much later that he realized what the fox was doing; he was showing Evan what he believed a fox would do, and then surprised him with the very opposite of what he expected from his species. He shown Evan the stereotype, and then shot it down with his actions.
Morris' gave shifted slightly as he then recalled the hatred and stereotypes over the predator population that nearly divided and decimated Zootopia, a gleaming city of supposed equal opportunity and harmony for both predator and prey. Bellwether, a sheep with considerable power, had almost destroyed what Zootopia was, planning to eradicate the entire predator population within the city. It was a common belief that they were all savages on the inside, that they could and would attack at any moment. The sheep used that belief to her advantage and created a serum that forced predators back into their feral state. She nearly achieved what she imagined a perfect civilization was, but then, a certain fox and bunny came and put her where she belonged; behind bars.
Being a wolf, Evan was a target for that crazed sheep. He was stereotyped for what he was and was almost killed for it. Even then, he still judged a fellow predator and expected nothing good from him, and that predator is the very same trainee that sat before him in the cool breeze. It seemed that he was just like Bellwether and her ignorant supporters. Until he realized just what he was thinking, that is. It was after that second day of training that he vowed to never stoop so low again.
"Mr. Morris?" Nick's words shook the bright grey wolf out of his thoughts.
"Hm? Oh! Right!" He jumped back and returned his attention to his star recruit. "Sorry, just going through some old memories." The instructor motioned his trainee over to him. "I'm a flawed wolf, Nick. We all have cracks under the surface, and mine just so happen to be borne from prejudices. I'm trying to set them aside and die without these thoughts swirling around in my head. Thanks for opening my eyes."
"And here I thought your heart had frozen over with age. No problem, Mr. Morris."
"Seems I was right about the sarcasm, though..." growled Evan. Nick tried his best to hide his smile.
"And… Evan?" The instructor looked his way. "Thank you, really."
