The squadcar rolled down the nighttime streets of Savanah Central with the slow stalking pace so common among cops looking for trouble. Inside, famous (to some extent at least) rabbit officer Judy Hopps sat behind the wheel. Her partner, the famous (To a much lesser extent) Nick Wilde, a fox of many talents. It was just one of those late nights on the force, patrolling the town and keeping the peace. Well, that was the intent anyway.

Nick yawned, vulpine muzzle stretching to an almost impossible width. His shoulders rolled, squirming a bit in his seat. Fingers drummed on the armrest, and he sighed "Carrots, when I said I had an idea who had tagged that sign back there, it was with the unspoken intention that we would check it out tomorrow"

Judy, quirked a brow "Hey, we've still got, what, an hour on patrol?" she grinned, a bright little smile, long bunny ears upright as she gave a sly smile "I mean, what else were we going to do?"

The fox yawned again "Mmmm, nap? I've been told foxes are supposed to be nocturnal, but honestly I think the jury out is on that one" He stretched, eyes squeezed shut as he gave out another long, and exaggerated yawn "Don't you turn off for a moment Carrots? Or are you one of those battery powered bunnies I've heard about?"

Judy laughed, reaching over and giving Nick a little punch on the arm "Don't sleep on the job, you dumb fox. I thought they weeded out all that lazy back at the academy"

Nick grinned back, rubbing his arm just a bit "What can I say? I'd hardly be a fox if I didn't look for the easy way out now, would I?"

The rabbit gave him a look, then rolled her eyes "All right, all right, be like that" She chuckled, little lavender eyes peering out into the dark "So, how do you know this guy anyway?"

He shrugged "Well, it's just a hunch. I've run with a few guys, and it looked like his work. Young guy, met him when Finnick was getting his van decaled. I think Flash knows him. Oh, hey, speak of the devil" He trailed off, pointing to a dark alleyway as they prowled closer.

Hopps frowned "Wait, Flash? Flash knows him? No. No no no don't tell me" she groaned as she pulled the squad car into park, opening the door with a shove. The darkened shape shifted, and Judy groaned again.

"Well, now isn't that lucky. I told you, Carrots" Nick Wilde said, laid back and casual, lips in a grin that spoke volumes about the smugness of foxes "I know everybody"

Judy Hopps groaned, lavender eyes rolling and lips pursing for a moment "Yeah, I got that" the diminutive rabbit officer huffed out "But why do they always end up being sloths? Is this just a thing of yours?"

Nick gasped, one hand over his heart "Why, Carrots, you aren't implying that I like wasting your time, are you?" she grinned, all teeth and smug satisfaction "I mean, really, you know I'm past that. I'm a changed fox now, look, I even have a badge" He offered it

Judy smirked, a little laugh on her lips "Hah, well, I think I've seen it before" she chuckled, before gathering herself "But come on, this is taking out all the excitement of a foot chase, you know?"

Nick had to admit, she might have a point. They'd been having this conversation ever since their perp had made a break for it. A very, very slow break for it. To his credit, the teenaged vandal was really giving it his all. He might even be making it past, what, four feet per minute at this rate?

The fox shrugged "Ok, well, I said I know everyone, not really what they are. I thought Tim here had cleaned up. He always seemed like such a go getter"

Judy groaned again, walking after the sloth. It was really quite the sight. He was panting for breath, albeit rather slowly. He might not have even noticed that they were talking about him. Little bunny fingers snapped in front of that fleeing vandal "Officer Hopps here, you're under arrest for vandalism, did you get all that? You have the right to remain silent, anything- "

"You'll…Have…To…Catch…" the sloth droned a defiant expression dawning on his face like a glaciers majestic path over a prehistoric valley

"Yeah, catch your first. I know. You have been caught. I am right here. You see these handcuffs?" The rabbit continued

Tim seemed undeterred "…Me…First…You…"

"Copper, yes, I know. You know what?' Judy huffed, little paws bending the sloths' arms behind him and snapping them into cuffs

Tim continued "…Pigs" seemingly unaware of his new cuffed state, nor the gentle redirection by Judy towards a nearby wall. In agonizing slow motion, the vandal collided with the alley wall. It was really unfair that the policed moved at such an unnatural speed.

Nick, meanwhile, peered up at Tim's handiwork in the pale light of the moon. He nodded, barely paying attention to Judy's daring chase "You know, it's a real shame we caught him like this. He does good work; don't you think? Really catches the spirit of the piece" the fox flashed a grin "I mean, maybe we can let him go and let him finish? I'm a bit curious how he was going to spray the mayor"

"What…The…?" Tim intoned, somewhat confused at the speed the fuzz had caught up with him.

Judy laughed, gently steering their perpetrator to their squadcar. It was a bit of an arduous process; a struggling sloth is even slower than a cooperating one. She shrugged "If you wanted to see it finished, you should have waited, you dumb fox" She spared a wink "Tell you what, next time you take me to see a sloth, I'll let him finish whatever he's doing without interrupting."

The fox spared a grin, eyes twinkling "Oh, speaking of, we should pay Flash another visit"

Judy groaned. Tim struggled like molasses in winter.

And then, a crackle of static, Clawhauser on dispatch from the squadcar "Officer Hopps, we have a, oh dear, we have a real bad situation at the corner of Rhinosdale and 5th, and they are requesting backup. Are you two nearby?"

Nick Started, eyebrows rising as he moved to answer. Judy beat him too it, hopping up onto the seat and responding "Hopps here Clawhauser, we're… uh, about five minutes away. Faster if we need to. What's the situation?"

The fox sighed, shoving his hands in his pockets as Carrots worked furiously. He managed a glance back at Tim, who only just now seemed to notice he wasn't being actively restrained. Nick rolled his eyes, walking over "Ok, Tim?" he started, one arm draped over the little punk "You got real lucky this time, cause I'm going to let you go with a warning. Got it? No don't talk, this one's on the house, and don't let me catch you tagging buildings again, alright? Next time we won't be getting called away. Ok? Good. I'm going to assume you were going to say yes there champ" Dark paws worked as he talked, uncuffing Tim and giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Tim seemed a bit quicker on the uptake this time "You… Have… Changed… Man…" He droned

Nick grinned, smug as ever "I have, and it's for the better." The fox turned, jogging towards the squad car as Judy revered the engine, waving him over with nervous urgency. Nick swung himself in the front seat, calling one last bit of advice at his acquaintance "Remember! Don't let me catch you doing this again buddy, or you'll see how much I really have changed!"

And with that, siren blaring, the two partners tore off into the Zootopia night.

Nick bent double and vomited, retching pathetically as a hot stream of sick splashed against asphalt.

The ZPD had been right to send them as backup. It would take more than McHorn and Francine to keep the crowd out of here, to take statements, to get all the bodies out. The lights of ambulances fought with the neon sign of the club, the Lone Digger. The clash of light and yellow police tape, the murmuring crowd of passerby's peeping out through windows and from the street, it was better than what he had seen inside. He spared a glance at Judy, who sat on the hood of their squadcar, staring into nothing.

Inside the club had been an abattoir, blood spilled and seeping into everything and gleaming in the harsh neon light. Something wrong had gone on in there, something that turned the sleazy strip-club into a tomb with unusually good music. It had been some sort of fight, some sort of animal brawl beyond all rational thought. The smell, oh god the smell! He could feel his stomach lurch again at the thought of it.

Nick gathered himself, the taste of him still clinging to his lips, and pushed himself towards Judy. He swerved past the paramedics, wheeling out more body bags while others tried to keep the maimed still alive. It was a nightmare.

And he pushed himself up, sitting next to Judy. She didn't respond, staring out into the dark, a hundred-yard stare on her. Nick didn't press the issue, and just sat alongside her. The situation was contained, there wasn't anything else they could do. They could take a moment.

"This is wrong" She finally managed, her voice small and subdued.

Nick sighed, long and suffering, one paw landing on her shoulder, holding her softly "I… That's just how it is sometimes Carrots. They told me it was going to be rough in the academy, but-"

"No, no I mean, this isn't right, people just… People just don't fight like savages, like, like that. There has to be a reason. This can't…" She trailed off a moment, eyes squeezing shut "Something happened here Nick, this wasn't an accident."

The fox looked down at his partner, lips curling into a frown "Carrots…" he started, and then let out a hiss of breath "You know, you're right. Bogo will put his best officers on the case. It will get solved"

Judy's little bunny paws balled into fists "No, Nick, we're going to find out. We're going to take the case. I mean, I'll take it"

"Carrots, we're not homicide. I've only been on the force for two months"

"And I wasn't missing persons when we found Otterton. I can make Bogo listen to me, he has to give me this. What, don't you think I can do it?"

Nick sighed, and then smiled softly "I think a dumb bunny like you can do anything she puts her mind to. I'll back you up on this Carrots"

Judy smiled. It was a soft, weary smile, the sort of smile made when there wasn't anything left to smile about "Thanks Nick… It means a lot"

The fox chuckled, his back to that tomb of a club "You bunnies, so emotional"

"The case isn't yours, Hopps" Chief Bogo groaned out, terse and more than a little annoyed.

But considering that terse and more than a little annoyed was the chiefs ground state, she decided to press the issue "Chief, we were on the scene, I know something is wrong. You can't just dismiss this without any-"

Bogo snorted, a sharp exhale that spoke volumes "Officer Hopps, I am dismissing nothing. I am not assigning the case to you, bunny, because there is no case. An open and shut brawl, and I do not need to argue with you on this Hopps." The buffalo ground his teeth, jaw jutted out as he stared down at the diminutive rabbit

She couldn't let it go "But-"

Bogo slammed his fist down on his desk "Where do you get off, anyway? Barging into my office at midnight, demanding to be put on a case? For God's sake, bunny, you've only been here for seven months!" his shoulders hunched, muscles tense "This was a brawl that went south fast, and I do not need to assign promising officers outside of their god damn jobs! Do I make myself clear Hopps?"

Promising? Oh, that was nice, he said a good thing about her. He might have only been angry, rather than furious. A bit of an academic distinction, but every little bit counted.

Judy's ears drooped, and she glanced at the floor, little furry fists balled at her sides. A sigh, shoulders slumping as she tapped her foot once "Yes Sir" she said, a bit downtrodden. This was fine. She'd find another way to get in on it. There had to be a way to change his mind.

And then Bogo smiled "Good, good." He rumbled, and then chuckled "But since you did admitt that I don't have" he stressed that last word "-to give you this case, congratulations"

Judy's ears perked, eyes opening in a mix of quizzical incomprehension, which was melting quickly into an annoyed understanding.

Bogo spread his arms wide "You and your partner will be assigned to the…" he glanced at the folder on his desk "The Lone Digger case. Consider it on the job training for homicide, since you seem to be so very interested in getting involved" The buffalo's expression hardened again "With the understanding that I can take you off it if I feel you are making a mess of it, Hopps."

Judy felt torn. On the one hand, well, she did get what she wanted. On the other though, well, she was pretty sure Bogo was having a bit too much fun jerking her around like this. Still, she threw a salute, optimism forcing its way to the fore "Yes sir! Don't worry, me and Nick will make this our top priority"

Bogo snorted "See that you do, Officer. Now, get out of my office, and get some sleep. I want you two on this first thing in the morning. Oh, and Hopps?" He looked down his glasses at her "Remember, it might have just been a brawl. Not everything is like the Nighthowlers"

Judy nodded, maybe a bit too vigorously, her ears nearly flopping over her little face "Of course, sir, thank you sir, I won't let you down"

"Out, Hopps"

"Sir, yes, sir!" Hopps said again, dashing out of the office.

And Bogo sat in his chair, a long suffering sigh escaping him. His life seemed to much more interesting since he had taken that little rabbit on the force. And what a shame that was, he liked things boring. But, he had to admit, she did have a point.

Something felt very, very wrong about this case