This story is also posted on my AO3 account. Just so you know.

Chapter 1: Not Judy

"And do you have fresh underwear? Heaven knows how quickly you went through those as a kit. And what about your deo—"

"Mom! I think I have everything and then some! My bag isn't getting any lighter, you know!"

At the train platform stood the infamous parents of famous ZPD rabbit officer Judy Hopps. Stu and Bonnie Hopps fretted over their son, twenty-one year old Rudy Hopps. Rudy was tall and young, not much different appearance-wise from his parents—gray fur, slightly lean frame that could still shed another pound or two, large feet—and bearing the brilliant violet eyes of his famous older sister.

He had been six when Judy had died. Rudy, daring as ever, had decided to be a police officer in her honor when he grew up. Training had been difficult on the bunny but his determination, just like his late older sister's, had refused to be smothered. He came out near the top of his class and had been assigned to Zootopia on "special recommendation", though whose recommendation, Rudy had no idea.

His name appeared to carry a lot of weight back in the academy, which had both pleased and frustrated Rudy. The drill sergeant, a wildebeest, had been keener to shout advice at him than shut his efforts down. Rudy remembered the horror stories that Judy had told him when she had returned from officer training school. While that level of difficulty was still present, it was almost as though the instructors were more merciful toward them now. There weren't any insults tossed around or any problems using the toilet. Instructors and classmates alike seemed less inclined to rag on him than they would anyone else.

Not to mention the expectation of success. It was like they saw him as Judy and expected nothing less than top of his class. While he was ranked third, he could tell that his instructor was not as thrilled as Rudy was. It was annoying. He wasn't Judy!

Even ranked third, he was still picked for ZPD. Rudy honestly wondered if it was rigged by this "special recommendation" person. He hoped not. He wanted to achieve this with his own skills and effort, not because it was handed to him by people who knew Judy and wanted to see her brother be her. That would be unfair to everyone else in the academy.

Today was his day to leave Bunnyburrow and its forever-growing community numbers far behind him. All he had to do now was step on the train.

At this rate, he was starting to think he was getting sabotaged. His bag had not been this heavy when he left the house.

"Oh yes! Gideon and Jackson and Hansel and Heidi Grey brought some pies for you to eat on the way," his mother Bonnie continued on. "Can't have you going hungry. It's such a long trip to Zootopia from here."

Rudy couldn't help but smile when he heard that. Gideon Grey was such a close friend of the family. Where other bunnies saw foxes as sly, evil predators, the Greys were rather lax and kind for foxes. He'd heard stories from his parents and Judy about how awful foxes used to be. He remembered seeing the scars beneath Judy's cheek fur from a bad encounter with Gideon when they were children. It was hard to believe that such a bully was now the same fox that brought pies over every few days to sell.

Gideon had gone on to find a lovely vixen to marry. They had three equally lovely children now—Jackson and the twins Hansel and Heidi. Jackson was thirteen now while the twins were just under a year younger. The red fox cubs were a frequent sight on the farm, wrestling and playing with the baby bunnies. Jackson and Rudy were like brothers, they were so close.

Jackson had said his goodbyes last night when he and Rudy spent their last night together in the hayloft of the Hopps barn. They lounged in the hay, watching the stars. Rudy was going to miss that most of all about Bunnyburrow. You apparently couldn't see the stars very well in the city.

"Promise you'll come back and visit?"

"Of course, Jackson. You're like my little brother. I'll always come back."

"…Don't die, okay?"

"Die? Where'd that come from?"

"Dad says all the predators in the big cities are going crazy. 'Savage', he said. He thinks you're gonna get hurt."

"What?"

"He was talking to your dad. I don't think they want you to go."

"Of course they don't. If mom and dad had it their way, none of us Hopps would ever leave Bunnyburrow. We'd all stay here and farm carrots forever. That's not the life for me and it wasn't for Judy either."

"But she—"

"Died. I know…but she died doing what she loved."

"…I don't want you to die."

"Jackson, I'm not gonna die. I'm gonna do what Judy couldn't. I'm gonna fix this 'savage predator' problem."

"…What if you can't?"

"You never know until you try, right?"

"…Just don't die."

"I promise I won't die."

"Mom, really! Stop putting stuff in my bag! I won't be able to carry it soon!" Rudy complained.

"But you need this!" Bonnie exclaimed.

"Dad!"

"Let your mother do what she does best, Rudy."

"You're sabotaging me!" Rudy childishly accused. "You're making it so I can't get on the train and go to Zootopia!"

Stu and Bonnie shuffled awkwardly. Hit the nail on the head. Rudy swallowed his anger and took a deep breath.

"Look…I get it. You don't want me to end up like Judy. I can't promise I won't…but you've gotta let me try. I… I can't stay here forever."

"Well, why not? We have," Stu pointed out.

"That's you! You gave up your dreams to have all of us! But I'm not ready to give up my dreams yet!" Rudy protested. "At least let me try before convincing me to give up!"

"Honey, we… We just want you to be safe," Bonnie said softly.

The mom guilt trip. Rudy hated that. His ears lowered before he moved in and hugged her. "I know. I do too. But I need to do this. It's what I want. You… You let Judy go. Why can't you let me?"

Neither parent responded. Rudy freed one arm and beckoned his dad over. The trio hugged. In the distance, a train whistle sounded.

"I'll call every night, every other if not. You'll always know I'm okay," Rudy promised, pulling away from his parents. "I won't lie. I won't hide secrets. You'll get the truth every time. I promise."

Bonnie sniffled before beginning to cry. Stu gathered his wife up, stroking her gray fur. The train pulled up with a billow of smoke and a grinding of wheels on tracks. Rudy pulled away.

"Time to go," he admitted.

"Oh! One more thing!" Bonnie cried.

"Mom, if you add anything else, I won't be able to lift my ba—"

Bonnie pressed a kiss to his cheek. Rudy blushed, face hot. He touched the spot before smiling.

"I think that's the lightest thing you've given me today, mom."

"Every night, okay? If you don't call me at least every other night, I'm marching into Zootopia and bringing you home," Bonnie promised.

"Got it," Rudy nodded.

He hauled his duffel bag onto his shoulder. It had gained at least five or six pounds since he'd left the house that morning. Good thing he's taken that heavy-lifting class back in officer training school. Turning to the train, he dashed inside.

"Get to the front-top view! Judy said it was amazing there!" Bonnie called.

"Got it!" Rudy called back before the medium mammal door closed behind him.

Rudy raced down the car and up the stairs that led to the glass-encased top of the train in front of the smokestack. He was relieved to finally put his bag down, wondering how pies and underwear and other so-called necessities could weigh so much compared to what he had already packed. His shoulders ached from the trek.

He hopped onto the seats of the empty top-view compartment and looked out onto the platform. With a sharp jerk, the train started to move. Stu and Bonnie were there, waving at him when they saw him through the glass. His five hundred brothers and sisters waved and cried and cheered as the train slowly pulled away from Bunnyburrow.

At the end of the platform, detached from the Hopps family, were five red foxes. Gideon and his wife, the twins bickering over a stuffed doll…and Jackson. Rudy waved, catching the young fox's attention.

Jackson began to run, ignoring a shout from his father. The thirteen year old tore along the grass, trying to keep pace with the train. His green eyes locked with Rudy's and he smiled, mouth moving.

"Don't forget about me, okay?"

Rudy smiled before mouthing his own message.

"I wouldn't dare."

The young fox slowed down, coming to a stop by a thick tree. The twins caught up to him, chattering loudly and pointing at the train. Rudy waved again but the twins didn't see him. Jackson waved wildly. His parents caught up, Gideon doubled over and panting, his wife rubbing his broad back.

Rudy felt his heart twinge when Bunnyburrow and the Grey family slipped from view. He was leaving his old life behind to follow a dream that his older sister had spawned. His sister had died trying to fulfill that dream.

"…Don't die, okay?"

Jackson's tiny voice echoed in his head as the rabbit settled onto the seat, hands folded on his stomach, eyes sliding closed. It would be 200 miles until they reached Zootopia's welcome sign. A nap would be a good start to his adventure.

So Rudy Hopps drifted off, train rattling around him as it made its slow journey toward Zootopia.

.o.o.o.o.

"Mayor Dawn Bellwether has been pushing for submission to the Muzzle and Shock Collar law after two tigers from Gazelle's show went savage and attacked several fans during a concert. Gazelle has declared that nothing was wrong with her coworkers prior to the show and promises that no harmful intent was meant. She still refuses to fire her predatory coworkers in favor of prey coworkers, as encouraged by many of her agents."

"I'm starting to think that all of these guys are blind to the color blue."

"It works in our favor regardless," Bellwether said, turning off the TV that began to show a replay of her push to remain mayor for the coming election. "Still no trouble?"

"Nothing. The whole operation's working smoothly," the tall sheep, Doug, replied. "Though, in case anyone does notice the blue eventually, I'm working on making it colorless. It's taking a lot more time to manufacture that way, though."

"And distribution?"

"Sent six full shipments last night to cities across the country. There was even an overseas shipment in there. This stuff is spreading fast. Soon predators all over will be under prey control. In my opinion, this is a mission success."

"Success means that there is no chance of failure," Bellwether argued. "Until every city and every predator has submitted to my agenda, it is not a success."

"How can it not be a success?" Doug asked, annoyed. "You've got Zootopia as a whole under your hoof, the underground crime rings are running scared, every predator has been collared and most are muzzled, the ZPD isn't questioning you, and the bunny hero is long gone."

"And until every city and town in the world is like this, it is not a success," Bellwether declared firmly.

"We'll get there. Relax," Doug reassured.

"Speaking of Judy, how is our dear guest holding up? It is the fifteenth anniversary, after all," Bellwether asked sweetly. "You've told him, right?"

"He's watching the live feed of the celebratory parade right now. He's…enjoying it," Doug grinned. "He'll watch it until the end, as he has every year. Not like he has a choice."

"Any word on the individuals that still need to be submitted to the law?"

"You mean Big and all those underground? No word yet. Every time we catch a polar bear or arctic fox or shrew, they off themselves with poison before we can interrogate them. The poison they're carrying has a near instant effect. Pretty potent stuff that old Big is passing around."

Bellwether frowned, hoofs clenched. "No matter. Tell me about the new recruit. He's on his way today, yes?"

"Yep. Wondering why you endorsed him, though," Doug noted.

"Because it'd look bad if I didn't," Bellwether replied, accepting a cup of tea from a coati that entered the room. "After all, he is a Hopps. One of Judy's little brothers, actually. Since it's the fifteenth anniversary of her death, it's only right that I endorse him and have him assigned here in her honor. It'll make me look better as mayor for the election, placing the second rabbit officer to graduate from the academy into ZPD's ranks."

"Sounds more like you may be shooting yourself in the hoof, if you ask me," Doug admitted.

"Doug, you worry too much. Judy was no issue when she was here. Neither will Rudy when he gets here," Bellwether stated, sipping her tea.

"And what if he gets nosy?"

"About what? The law? There's nothing fishy about the story I made because almost all of it is true," Bellwether replied. "Nick Wilde did go savage. He did attack and kill Judy. He was captured and imprisoned by the ZPD. He remains imprisoned to this day."

Doug shrugged, accepting that. "You think Big might make a move? Word on the street was that Hopps had it in with him and the underground."

"We'll just have to keep a close eye on Rudy then. Maybe he'll even wind up leading us to them," Bellwether suggested, smiling deviously. "Wouldn't that be quite a victory? Big moves in to secure a valuable asset…and his whole operation gets apprehended because of it. Oh, I think I might do that."

"And what if he doesn't rise to the bait? The underground isn't stupid," Doug pointed out.

"Then we try and try and try until they slip up. They'll have to one day," Bellwether replied. "Try everything we can, everything we must."

"Okay…" Doug backed away, turning to leave. "Hopps should be here before the day ends. He might even catch the tail end of the parade."

"I have it recorded for him. He'll want to see it," Bellwether nodded. "Judy is famous, after all. What brother wouldn't want to witness that?"

Doug left the room, leaving Bellwether alone with the coati. The raccoon-like mammal filled her tea cup again.

"Lovely tea, Claude," she complimented.

"Of course, ma'am," the coati bowed his head respectively. "We're still having…issues…regarding dear Manny. A lot of people say that, due to his status as a predator, that he should be muzzled and collared."

"They don't seem to be willing to do their research on him then. End of discussion," Bellwether said shortly.

The coati, Claude, obediently fell silent. He glanced discreetly at the door of the office where another mammal stood, far taller than he and the mayor. Nervous brown eyes met his before the mammal slunk away into the hall.

"More tea, ma'am?"

"Thank you, Claude."

.o.o.o.o.

Rudy's heart was racing as the train came to a stop in Savanna Central's train station. Hauling his heavy duffel bag over his shoulder, he darted down to the main cars and ducked around larger mammals. His nap had prevented him from noticing how packed the train had become, his only clue being the children that had joined him in the viewing compartment atop the train when they entered Zootopia.

It was beautiful, just like in all the postcards and magazine articles. Sahara Square, Tundratown, Rainforest District, Little Rodentia, Savanna Central—it was all beautiful and awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping. So many different mammals, too! Half of them, Rudy had never seen before.

Rudy headed for the medium mammal door and exited onto the train platform. The station was bustling with mammals of all shapes and sizes, furry and hairless, big and small, tall and short, thin and fat, etc. It was such a contrast from Bunnyburrow, home of primarily bunnies with a few other mammals around their size. It made Rudy's head spin.

A cardboard sign caught Rudy's attention. The name RUDY HOPPS was written in blocky letters with black marker on it. Carrying the sign was a cape buffalo with long horns and thick black fur. The hair on his snout and head was beginning to turn gray. He wore a blue uniform—police officer.

Rudy made a beeline for him. "Um, sir! I'm Rudy Hopps! Hi!"

The buffalo looked him over. Rudy instantly felt nervous. Was he being too bold? Was he not the guy this police officer was looking for? He'd just seen HOPPS and assumed…

"Yep."

"Huh?" Rudy jolted.

"Come on, Hopps. I'll let you drop your bags off on the way. The mayor wants you publicly badged in front of the city."

"What? Publicly badged?" Rudy asked, grappling with his bag, having nearly dropped it in shock.

The buffalo reached over, picking up the duffel bag with ease. "You heard me. Now hop to it, Hopps. We've got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time to do it in. I need to get you in uniform and on that stage in less than an hour."

"An hour?!" Rudy yelped, stepping on it.

The buffalo hailed a taxi and had it take them to Grand Pangolin Apartments. An old nine-banded armadillo was there waiting for him. Instead of being handed a bunch of paperwork to fill out, all he got was a room key and directions to an upstairs room. She was a kindly old landlady, smiling sweetly at him as he went to drop off his bag.

The apartment was small, far smaller than he imagined. It was probably a good thing that he was a bunny. It looked bigger than his room back home. There was a bed, a desk and chair, a microwave, a mini-fridge, and a tiny bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower.

Rudy tossed his bag on the bed and ran back out to the taxi. The vehicle took them straight to the Zootopia Police Department. The buffalo moved fast once they left the taxi, half-forcing the young bunny to run to keep up with him. Everybody in the station, officer and criminal alike, made way for the buffalo officer and the rabbit trying to keep up with him. Reaching a door, the buffalo walked in and dug through a closet there.

"Um, sir? I don't think I ever got your name," Rudy hesitantly said.

"Bogo. Chief Bogo."

"Chief?" Rudy squeaked. "You mean…?"

"Chief of District 1. Your chief," the buffalo confirmed, pulling out various blue uniforms, tossing away ones that were too big. "I was also your sister's chief."

"…You were?"

Bogo nodded before sighed, stepping away from the closet. "You're a size bigger than your sister. We'll need to get it fitted but this is the closest that we have on hand." He tossed a small blue uniform at the rabbit. "Go in the room over there and change. Just leave your civilian clothes on the counter. We'll come back for those after the mayor's electoral publicity stunt is over."

"I thought it was a public badging," Rudy recalled, closing the room door behind him and slipping his shirt off.

"It is. The mayor's on the fast track to being reelected and you coming here is her newest ammo of why she should be reelected," Bogo replied, leaning against the desk as he waited. "She endorsed your sister and now she's endorsing you. She seems to have a soft spot for you bunnies."

"Endorsing? Wait!" Rudy pulled the pants on, fumbling with the buttons. "I got a special recommendation to be sent here! Was that her?"

"Most likely, yes," Bogo confirmed. "She's been keeping an eye on your progress. She wouldn't stop talking to me about you when she caught word that a Hopps was in the officer training school."

"Did she…make sure I got sent to you?"

"Mostly likely, yes," Bogo confirmed again.

Rudy felt a bit bitter. So somebody had been pulling strings for him because of his sister. That made his gut burn with anger. None of this was because of his own skill or efforts. This was all because of his sister's success. He wasn't Judy!

"I told her it was a bad idea," Bogo continued. "She seems to think I'm good with you bunnies. I'm not seeing it since your sister died. Sure, she quit and wasn't ZPD when she died…but she was under my command while she was here…and she was one of ours. She was still my responsibility and she died trying to solve a case I gave her."

"…It's what she wanted to do," Rudy muttered, buttoning up his shirt.

"It's not about what you want. It's about what you're capable of," Bogo snorted harshly. "What she wanted…killed her."

Rudy felt his heart frost over. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself.

"…But it got that fox off the streets. I knew he was trouble the instant he got in the way of that case back in Rainforest District. Judy trusted him and he killed her," Bogo grunted.

"What happened to him?" Rudy asked, folding his civilian clothes up.

"He was captured and restrained by my officers and taken to a hospital to be checked out. The mayor went to see him personally. Like the other predators, he'd gone savage and showed no signs of recovering anytime soon, so he was locked up in Cliffside with the rest until further notice. Last I checked, he was still there under Bellwether's orders."

"He never got better?" Rudy asked, setting his clothes on the shelf and opening the door, reentering the office.

Bogo looked at him. "None of them did. The survivors are still there to this day."

.o.o.o.o.

"Welcome to the announcement of our newest member of ZPD's first district!"

Rudy couldn't help but stare. The mayor was a little sheep, not much bigger than him. With her was a coati—some kind of long-faced raccoon animal—and probably the tallest fox he had ever seen. The crowd in front of them was made up of current ZPD officers as well as reporters and important onlookers. Cameras were rolling and microphones were ready.

Rudy couldn't help but feel nervous standing behind the curtain, adjusting the buttons and symmetry of his uniform. It was a bit tight on him, especially around the shoulders and waist, but it was bearable for the day. He wondered if this was Judy's old uniform. If so, her scent had long since faded over the past fifteen years since she'd last worn it.

"I know we've had a whole slew of new recruits, especially regarding species. Since the downgrading of predator officers in order to increase safety over the past fifteen years, we've had trouble with our members keeping up with unruly citizens in our lovely city," Mayor Bellwether said loudly. "This new recruit not only should help solve that…but may even bring hope to our city in a time of such tumultuous change. May I present to you…Rudy Hopps from Bunnyburrow!"

Following his cue, Rudy stepped out from behind the curtain. Applause and shouts of joy met his ears. His cheeks had to be glowing under his fur, he was certain. He crossed the stage until he reached Bellwether. The coati and the tall fox stood off to the side of the stage, just watching.

"As you all know, today is the fifteenth anniversary of the death of our beloved first rabbit officer, Judy Hopps."

Bellwether's voice trembled. She looked ready to cry behind her big glasses. Rudy wanted to hug her, comfort her.

"What a better way to celebrate it, not just with our usual Zootopian fashion, but by bringing another beacon of hope to life within the ZPD. Rudy Hopps has been assigned to District 1 under Chief Bogo and will be expected to follow in the footsteps of both his fellow officers…and his beloved older sister, Judy. Give him a big round of applause!"

Rudy smiled, praying he wasn't crying on camera. He had to guess this was being beamed all over Zootopia, as well as back home in Bunnyburrow. His parents had to be proud.

Bellwether wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I get teary when I think of her." She straightened, clearing her throat. "Rudy Hopps, welcome to the ZPD."

Rudy stayed ramrod straight as she pinned his badge and nameplate to the front of his uniform. He saluted to her afterward. Bellwether smiled. The crowd went wild.

Reporters broke in with questions. "Mayor, do you think this will have any effect on the number of predators going savage?" "Will Hopps be safe out there after what happened to his sister fifteen years ago?" "Has there been any word on a cure for this savage condition?"

Rudy didn't get to hear the rest of the questions or any answers to those questions. He was led off-stage by the tall fox, the coati staying behind to support Bellwether.

"Thanks," Rudy said.

The tall fox smiled, bobbing his head. He made signs with his hands. Rudy blinked in confusion.

"He's saying you're welcome, Hopps."

"Chief Bogo!" Rudy yelped, turning to face the buffalo.

"Manny there can't speak, so he signs instead," Bogo explained.

"How did he end up mute?" Rudy asked.

"Maned wolves generally aren't looked upon kindly based on their appearances," Bogo replied.

Rudy blinked before looking at the tall fox—not a fox at all but some kind of wolf. Maned wolf? He'd never heard of it.

"A lot of protestors are making a big stink about him. I wouldn't pay mind to it. Manny's a good mammal," Bogo stated. "Back to Mayor Bellwether and Claude with you, Manny. Be good."

Manny made a few more signs before waving. Then he darted back upstage and took his place by the coati. Reporters kept calling out questions. The entirety of District 1's ZPD unit rose and left in various squad cars and vehicles. Bogo summoned another taxi to take him and Rudy back to the station.

"You did good," Bogo admitted when the rabbit exited the changing room, back in his street clothes. "I'll have the uniform fitted for you by tomorrow or so. I expect you in bright and early. We have a lot of cases to solve with these savage predators and I need every able-bodied mammal at my disposal."

Rudy saluted. "You can count on me, sir."

"I better be able to," Bogo muttered, turning away to fold up the tiny uniform. "Dismissed. Go home and get situated. Be here by seven tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Rudy nodded.

"And Hopps?"

"Yes, sir?"

"…Get some proper sleep. While you can."

"…Yes, sir."

.o.o.o.o.

"How was your day? You looked so hurried earlier."

"It was good," Rudy replied. "Um… Why didn't I have to fill out any paperwork? Isn't that what you do when you get an apartment? You know, like leases and stuff?"

The old nine-banded armadillo landlady chuckled softly. "That was all handled prior to your arrival by the ZPD. Until you have a steady paycheck and get situated, your rent and such is being handled by them. Don't worry about it, Rudy, you're in good hands. Your sister loved it here."

"Wait! My sister? She lived here?" Rudy asked, shocked.

"Yes," the landlady nodded. "In the same room you are in right now. I thought it only fair. By the way, you have a package here from the mayor. Lucky you!"

She handed Rudy a small box wrapped in plain brown paper. Rudy gave her his thanks and darted upstairs to his room. Loud shouts came from behind the wall by his bed. Noisy neighbors. Wonderful. At least he didn't know them, unlike with his siblings back home.

He unwrapped the package until he was staring at a DVD case. There was a letter inside. Rudy set the case on the desk and read through the note.

Dear Rudy Hopps,

Welcome to Zootopia. We are so glad to have you here in time for your sister's fifteenth anniversary. What a gift!

Unless Bogo told you already, I'm the one who special recommended you to be sent to ZPD. With all the chaos happening here, especially in light of a few new laws I put in place to regulate the local predators, ZPD has been having trouble recruiting officers with the necessary skills to maneuver and negotiate around the city in search of criminals and those dodging the law. When I heard that a Hopps was in the officer training school, I just knew I had to have you sent to ZPD.

The disk I've sent you contains a video of the celebratory parade held this afternoon for your sister. In light of all the publicity at your badging, I'm sure you didn't get to see it. It really is a treat, so please watch it as soon as you can!

If you ever need anything, you can reach me at the number below. I'll always answer and help you as best I can.

We here in Zootopia are all very glad you've chosen to follow in your sister Judy's footsteps. We expect great things of you. Good luck.

Dawn Bellwether

Mayor of Zootopia

Rudy smiled softly, folding the letter back up carefully. He'd have to get a corkboard to stick it to as a keepsake. It wasn't everyday that the mayor of your city personally contacted and welcomed you when you moved in.

He unpacked the rest of his belongings quickly. The pies were put in the fridge, his clothes folded on a rack by the wall, and his personal items decorated the desk. He set his laptop on the desk and set it up to the apartment building's internet connection. Once that was through, he stopped to munch on the last of the sliced carrots that his mom had packed for him for the train ride in.

This was the same apartment that his sister had lived in fifteen years ago. She had slept on this bed, walked these halls, sat at this desk. It was frightening, how it was all stacking up.

Judy's job, Judy's chief, Judy's uniform, Judy's apartment…

He wasn't Judy.

So why was he getting everything that used to be hers?

"This is too much," Rudy muttered, flopping back on the bed. "I'm not Judy. I'm Rudy."

"Of course you're not Judy! You're not playing music late at night on your first night in there!"

"Or talking to your parents about getting a job you didn't want!"

Rudy jumped, searching around. The wall behind him rattled. The neighbors?

"How did they hear me?" he wondered.

"Because the walls are paper thin here!" the first loud voice shouted.

"Don't bother complaining about noise!" the second replied just as loudly.

"Oh no," Rudy groaned.

Why did he have to have both loud neighbors and paper-thin apartment walls? This was a disaster. How did Judy deal with this?

"Hey, you're the new guy, right? Rudy Hobbs?"

"It's Hopps! His name is Hopps! Judy's brother!"

"Yeah, we saw you on the news! Sorry about your sister!"

"Don't say that! You'll make him feel bad! He's stuck in her apartment right by us, like she used to be!"

"Wait! You were her neighbors back then?" Rudy demanded.

"Yep! We didn't move out!"

"Why would we? We like it here! If you don't like it, you move out! Don't tell us to!"

"Don't tell him to move out! He just got here, you jerk!"

"Oh, I'm the jerk? Who ate the last of the egg and cricket salad yesterday?"

"You said you didn't want it!"

"I was lying!"

"Then say you wanted it! Don't lie!"

"Hey, hey!" Rudy shouted, banging the wall. "You knew my sister?"

"She was a good neighbor! Not really loud!"

"That's 'cause that's our job! She never complained!"

"She didn't need to! I did it for her!"

"You didn't need to! Complaining is good for you! That's why we do it!"

"Why would you complain? Is this about the toilet again?"

"Don't even get me started on that, you clogger!"

"I did not clog it! That was you!"

The duo kept shouting back and forth between each other for several minutes. Rudy sighed before sliding down the wall. This was going to be a fun lease to live out. Maybe hunting for a different apartment was a good idea.