Nick: Previously on Zoomorphia!
Judy: Zootopia, a modern civilized city populated by all kinds of mammals, is threatened by mysterious mammal-like monsters, Savage; therefore, Savage Control Unit or SCU was formed in order to exterminate those monsters, still... the team alone isn't enough if you ask me.
Nick: When wild Savages appeared, we changed into Hybrid to save the day. Last time, we even got a chance to use Police form which has a pistol to shoot down the monsters and a vehicle for chasing.
Judy: Currently, there are new missing mammal cases and night howler cases. Oh! Besides, it seems we're lucky that we weren't punished anymore.
Nick: If you called a light duty a punishment, I would be glad to receive it.
Judy: Don't be down in the dumps, Nick. You look cool when you're in action.
Nick: If so, I don't mind get some action, Carrots.
Judy: That's a spirit! Wait, what!?
Nick: Now the Chapter 3!
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"-You're under arrest for Midnicampum holicithias trafficking." In the night, Senior officer Judy Hopps locked a gray fox tod's arm behind his back, pressing him against a wall of alley. "You should dub it 'Night howler', Carrots. It'd save us time." Her partner, Senior officer Nick Wilde, advised. They were capturing an illicit night howler dealer.
The criminal fox in denim clothes was alarmed by a smaller mammal. He could not escape bunny cop's grasp no matter how hard he struggled. "How can you betray your own kind? Aren't you a fox too?" He asked the fox cop. "And a real handsome one" Nick, smirking, self praised. The trafficker's face flamed with anger as he insulted the red fox. "You filthy son of a-Ouch!"
"Don't you dare address my partner like that!" Doe squeezed the speckled coated fox's wrist. Nick stuck his tongue out at the grey tod.
The partner thought this week would be simple, just handling illegal night howler trade which occurred sporadically. However, they were wrong...
"Now… not only mammals in nearby towns went missing but also citizens of Zootopia..." Chief Bogo the Cape buffalo informed sternly at the podium. He pointed at a push pin-pocked Zootopia map that was covered in photos of missing mammals. "There're 8 missing mammal cases so far. This must be some gangs' doing, yet nothing can be concluded. Today, we have victims' family or associates here in ZPD. They're willing to give us info which can be useful for cases. I will arrange interviews. Meanwhile, whoever doesn't have an urgent matter, look up the overall cases." He exited the bullpen.
Every officer seemed serious in equal manner. Some left the room to perform their tasks. Fox and rabbit cops got off a chair, walking up to the map. "This moose… have I met him before?" Judy was staring at a picture of a dark brown slim bull. "Yeah! I definitely have seen him before! At the diner in Savanna Central!" She remembered the moose she saw few days ago when she had a lunch with Clawhauser, Fangmeyer and Nick. "Civilian has gone missing right under our noses… scary..." Tod remarked.
The other officer came to scrutinize the map. "Can it be…?" The male bengal tiger scowled. His expression concerned doe. "What's wrong, Jackson?" She inquired. "Na- na- Nothing-" Jackson Rajah, the bengal tiger ZPD officer, stuttered. "By the way, how is Fangmeyer?" He changed the subject, talking about Jasmine Fangmeyer the bengal tigress transferred to special unit, SCU. "Jasmine? Little bit tired from Savage hunt but she's fine. She's just visited ZPD recently. Didn't you meet her?" Bunny's question caused tiger speechless. He mumbled something and before she could catch anything-
"Hopps, Wilde, follow me. One of the victims' family is ready for interview." Bogo opened a door and called for the duo. "Let's go, Carrots." Said Nick, buttoning his uniform collar for neatness. "See ya later, Jackson." Judy bid farewell. "Take care." Rajah waved his paw goodbye. The partner walked out the room.
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"Tadashi Hamada, 21-year old raccoon dog, a student at Zootopia Institute of Technology, has been missing for a week. Last time you saw him, he was working on his project at his campus, correct, Ms. Hamada?" Nick, holding a report, reviewed the case to two tanukis sitting opposite to the duo in an interview room.
"Yes" Cass Hamada, tanuki in mid-thirties, dressing in a short sleeved v-neck and a pair of capris, topped off with a silver-turquoise necklace, confirmed. "Please officers… My nephew is a good kit, an honor student. He would never just disappear." Her voice quavered a moment.
"Tadashi's bike was left nearby his lab! He absolutely didn't run away!" Hiro Hamada, a 14-year old tanuki, wearing casual clothes and blue hoodie, spoke up.
"We believe you, Hiro." Judy ambled towards civilians. "We will find him. I promise." She clasped both tanukis' one paw. Nick, pursing his lips, knew well… Again... She didn't make a promise just to soothe the family but she genuinely believed they will find Tadashi and bring him home. In the past three years, notwithstanding how remarkable the doe is, the tod had witnessed she got hurt because she believed too much… The moment one's hope crumbles is undeniably painful…
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A wolf security guard was stationed at the gate of Cliffside Asylum, being on the lookout. Ever since a group of juveniles annoyed the canine and Savage appeared there, the place had been peaceful and calm.
"Good afternoon~ How're ya doing?" A jolly male voice broke the silence. The guard's jaw dropped once seeing who was the voice owner. "O-O-Officer N-Ni-Nick Wilde!?" Wolf stammered from excitement of meeting a semi-celebrity, Nick Wilde, the first and only one ZPD officer.
"Am I bothering you?" Fox approached the other canine. "No! O-Of course not, sir! Wh-What brings you here?" The guard was still nervous. "I just happen to be around here, so I pay a visit." Nick behaved friendly in order to put the wolf at ease. Nonetheless, his words increased the wolf's agitation. "You… come to see me?" Stunned, wolf wondered.
"Thanks for cooperation last week~ Y'know, contacting SCU when Savage showed up~" The fox gesticulated, attempting to elucidate his appreciation. "My great pleasure to help, sir." Wolf smiled slightly. "Sorry that you had to experience a mess." Tod expressed sympathy. "It's okay, sir. Actually, nothing has happened much around here, so a little bit excitement is kinda nice." Guard giggled.
As wolf's guard was lowered down, a raccoon ran past the gate. "What?" Wolf took time to register what had just passed the gate. "Oh no! Halt!" Wolf guard snapped out, about to follow the intruder. "I'll chase him. You stay here." Fox officer touched wolf's elbow softly to detain the guard then he dashed off. "You're sure? I gonna call reinforcement!" Wolf held a phone, pressing the number. Tod about-turned, ran backward and yelled. "No! Stay there! Don't let anyone else come in! And better not tell anybody cuz if they learn how you let a lad passing through, you'll be in trouble!" He made the guard realize that the intruder was able to pass through the gate because the wolf solely focused on the fox celebrity, thereby neglecting guard's duty. Wolf guard nodded, putting down the phone. Nick gave the thumbs up then turned back, speeding up towards a building.
Inside the Cliffside Asylum building, Jim Tuck the teenage raccoon in black jacket and yellow t-shirt began to explore a ruined story, sneaking around mutely not to draw anything's attention to himself. However, something patted his shoulder, startling the raccoon. He stepped away hastily.
"Cool down kid~ Don't start treasure hunting without me." Nick raised both paws, gesturing he meant no harm. "Geez… Do you really have to tail along?" Jim's heart still beat fast. He was losing patience with the fox police officer's waggishness.
"I thought we've approved this plan. If you leave here alone, guard will at the very least try to capture you. I guarantee it won't end pretty~" Nick emphasized on the 'at the very least' part. He continued explaining. "But if you walk out with me, pretending you get caught by police..." Tod quieted down, wanting Jim to say how situation would play out. "I will obtain flash drive and simply get away. Okay, fine, argh." The raccoon grunted. "Exactly~ Let's roll~" Fox clapped his paws.
Since the only legit entrance of Cliffside Asylum is through the front gate, Nick had done his homework, studying each guard's behavior and their shifts; thus, he came up with the plan to enter the building during a shift of one particular guard who is a wolf and a sucker for bigwigs. Fox plotted to distract the guard while Jim trespassing on property and then Nick would go after. When the raccoon achieved the goal, the fox would lead him out and lie to the guard that he arrested the teen and took him to ZPD but actually would drop Jim off somewhere else. This is the plan Nick and Jim agreed upon.
Whilst Jim flashed the light in left paw and rifled through a crumbled laboratory, desk to desk, Nick investigated deftly in a dim area owing to his night vision. He came across the wreckage of devices scattering all over the floor, broken black metal pieces , maroon handle-like sticks, sliver syringes and purple half spheres. He immediately recognized the parts… MidniDriver… but in various sizes, from large enough for bear to small enough for tiny otter. Furthermore, he discovered a burnt paper sheet, picking it up to read.
MidniDriver project It seemed to be a hard copy about MidniDriver. Nick skimmed through it. The main idea was...
Binary bridge system is developed for connecting two users' belts. MidniDriver requires apperception, instinct and blood of predators but the main body must be preys. MidniDriver application purely on predators can cause critical side-effects because the core of device is-
This was as far as tod can read. The rest was gone. He interpreted that basically MidniDriver places the predator's software in the prey's hardware, yet Nick pondered. But back then... Carrots and I transformed into- His recall was interfered when Jim appealed for assistance.
"Wilde. Little help here." The raccoon strove to pull out a jammed desk drawer. Fox folded the paper and kept it in his pocket. He neared Jim, assisting him. "On the count of three. One, two, three!" They tugged the drawer open together under Nick's signal. Fox slipped, bumping his button against the floor full of concrete fragments. "Ow~" He, gazing down, touched his bum gently.
"Found it." Jim whisper-shouted, lifting a thumb-sized flash drive from the drawer. "So this is what you've been searching for." Nick arose then snatched the flash drive from Jim's paw. "Hey! Give it back!" Jim reached to retrieve flash drive but Nick dodged before the raccoon could lay a finger on the object. "Gimme dang thing!" Jim repeatedly attempted to regain possession as Nick could dodge every time. Fox's ears flicked, responding to a noise from the hallway. Jim flashed the light at Nick's face, intending to catch him off guard. Tod threw the flash drive away, which raccoon did not predict. Jim released the grip, going after the thrown object flying to the hallway.
"Nice throw, Slick~" Rabbit police officer caught the flash drive, shocking the raccoon who froze still. "Nice catch, Carrots~" Fox officer strutted past the raccoon. "How can you get in?" He advanced towards his partner. "Well, I deceived a guard that you contacted me for support, so I can enter here, no sweat." Judy answered, tossing the flash drive up and seized it when it fell down. "Sly bunny~" He opined. "Clever fox~" She complimented, inserting the object into trousers' back pocket.
"What's the meaning of this!? Did you trick me!?" Jim bellowed, ignoring the circumstance he might disturb the threats in this place. He connected the dots, comprehending that Fox offered to assist just for learning what he schemed to steal and confiscating it in the process.
The duo's eyes met. Both thereupon laughed. "It's called a hustle, sweetheart." They stated simultaneously, smirking at Jim, making him retort. "You dirty-"
The roar drowned out other noises. Three mammals were able to identify the source of horrendous cry. "Time's up! We must leave now!" Nick told Jim. Although the pair should skedaddle right away, citizen's safety is priority. They had to make sure Jim fled securely. Besides, the raccoon was a minor. It would be too cruel to abandon him. "My flash drive!" The teen persisted in reclaiming. "Beat it!" Judy commanded. Tod dragged raccoon, saving him from an ambush. Couples of orbs glowed in the dark...
-.. . -.-. . .-. - .. - -.
"Are they alright?" The wolf guard worried about two officers who accessed Cliffside Asylum to pursue the criminal. Next, he felt déjà vu, ears perking up to catch the scream from the building, rotating to glance at mammals running. The guard did not even behold what they were escaping from but wolf had scrammed.
Three of them managed to get out of the asylum. Nevertheless, the trio of little Savages kept chasing them. "That way!" Judy directed Jim to the other way. "Noted" This time, he consented to follow her order readily, veering off, departing the place.
"That was rather easy." Nick raised eyebrows. He assumed it should be harder to cast the young raccoon out. The duo slackened their pace to a stop, swiveling to face the monsters, a scurry of purple flying squirrels which possessed 2 compound eyes, insect mandibles for mouth and feet resembling beetle claws. "Ready, partner?" Judy brought out MidniDriver, an arm-sized black morpher with silver syringe on the left and maroon motorcycle handle on the right. "Hang on!" Nick endeavored to draw out the device hidden in his pants. "Quick!" She rushed him. "This thing's so big! How can you carry it with ya like all the time!?" Tod finally drew out the morpher successfully. "I have my own method." Doe replied sincerely.
Bunny and fox put on MidniDriver. He pulled the syringe that was retracted mechanically. "DRAW BLOOD" Blood flowed into his syringe then it teleported into the syringe of Judy's device. She pressed the syringe which sprang out on its own, "INJECT" injecting fox blood to herself. Nick flopped standing up, lying unconsciously on the ground.
"Transform!" Judy sprinted forth, twisting the handle anticlockwise. "IGNITE" Device's handle whirled back after she let it go. MidniDriver released purple steam, followed by the scorching purple mist explosion. A flamingo red bio-armored blend of rabbit and fox, Hybrid, emerged from a haze.
The lustrous metallic doe, added fox's tail and fang pattern on muzzle part of helmet, in Nick's casual clothes color scheme barreled towards the monsters. They leapt, spread their patagia and soared into the air. Hybrid halted, watching out for Savages' next move, seeing that they were gliding around the twosome. Nick and Judy perceived well that they can only combat at close range in a current form, Hustler form. Hence he proposed. "Shall we shoot 'em with a bow?"
"Great idea." Judy was going to grasp the maroon handle. One Savage dove to pounce on Hybrid's right shoulder joint. Slipping, the doe swept a squirrel off. It flew away while others swooped on Hybrid from behind, causing the pair to stumble.
"These little fella are fast!" Tod exclaimed. He swing a fist. However, the monsters took flight before the fist hit them. One ascended, nibbling rabbit ear. Hybrid was not hurt. The ears appear soft and flexible, yet hard and strong like steel. Doe shook the small monster off. The rest of scurry crashed into flamingo occiput. Hybrid almost tumbled.
Albeit squirrel Savages barely did any damages, their celerity really irritate the duo. Protracting claws, Hybrid gyrated to scratch the monsters. They missed. Judy's eyes locked at one Savage which glided towards insensible fox officer. "Carrots!" Nick alerted. Judy pushed the syringe. "ACTIVATE" Hybrid hared off, overtaking the squirrel. She crouched down over tod's body to protect him. "Eek! Feral bun bun gonna eat me!" Nick imitated girl voice poorly. "Hush!" The doe concentrated on the monsters wheeling around above the pair. Both bid their time patiently.
Savages charged at Hybrid. At that instant they sensed monsters' presence close by, Hybrid bounced up, spinning in mid-air, stretching out to clutch two squirrels with both paws and stab another squirrel with sharp left toenails. Two Savages deceased as soon as the claws impaled them, force crushing their bones. Duo landed on feet next to fox body. Left foot scraped against the floor, injuring the last squirrel monster worse. They all vaporized, ceasing to exist.
"Yet another victory~" Nick announced delightedly but Judy asserted differently. "Not yet… The roar we heard previously doesn't belong to any of these-" The same roar as before interrupted the doe.
Savage, four-eyed purple kangaroo with an extra pair of folded limbs at flanks, came out of the building. It bounded ahead as Hybrid strode over fox's body then approached a huge marsupial determinedly. Judy hopped and kicked the monster whilst it stood on tail to shove its opponent away with feet. Both sides moved back, still Savage moved farther than Hybrid did. The pair backflipped before landing safely. Kangaroo overleapt. Hybrid jumped to the monster, aiming to strike it in mid-air.
However, Savage extended its extra arms, flapping membrane wings. "What!" Fox and bunny cried out. Their punch failed to hit because kangaroo shifted upward. The four-eyed monster drop-kicked Hybrid. The duo descended to the ground.
"Ouchies, I call in sick tomorrow." Nick whined. "It's my body that got attacked, plus this doesn't even hurt. It'll scarcely affect ya." Judy countered. They observed kangaroo beating its wings, rising higher and higher, beyond 6 stories.
"You know what they say. The higher they rise~" Tod uttered "The harder they fall." Doe completed the clause. Hybrid performed a kip-up, stooping down, twisting Midnidriver's handle anticlockwise. "CRITICAL BREAK" Hybrid skied aloft, reaching Savage instantaneously at 75 feet above ground. "Did you know? Rabbits can jump as high as the moon." The united twosome quizzed. Hybrid span from left to right, body in a horizontal position. Leg shin smote the monster. Kangaroo plummeted to earth.
Hybrid plunged to the floor majestically, standing upright, viewing Savage vaporizing. "Mission accomplished!" Nick lifted a closed left paw. "Mission accomplished" Judy tapped the left fist with the right, sort of like Hybrid fist-bumped oneself
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Jim Tuck managed to withdraw from Cliffside Asylum. "I understand! I messed up." He was later arguing with an eurasian brown bear who had a prosthetic right arm. They were surrounded by intimidating mammals in a gloomy room. "Darn right, Jimmy. The flash drive is now in the police paw. Slim chance we gonna acquire it." The bear signaled his underling. Full grown opossum seized raccoon's wrist. "Wait, John!" Jim hollered the bear's name. "It's Mr. Silver to you!" Opossum shouted at raccoon.
"Mr. Silver. Yes, you may be right but I have something you might want more." What Jim said interested John Silver the bear. He waved his paw, telling opossum to unpaw the teen, which opossum did so. Jim rubbed his own wrist, discerning no injury; therefore, he moved on, bringing out something underneath his hoodie jacket. He laid it on nearby table. Other mammals ,including John, goggled at it, a sealed test tube of purple liquid. Jim stole the chemicals secretly from the same drawer before he found the flash drive.
"Deal's done. Let my brothers go." Raccoon demanded. Bear gave his underlings a look. They nodded. A few mammals grabbed hold of raccoon. "Hey! Let go of me!" Jim wriggled, yet it was futile. "The thing is… I'm thinking about extending our contract." John Silver the bear grinned.
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29/01/18: Oh holy guacamole~ This chapter's quite late huh? But better late than never~ I had a bit conflict aside from the job thing I mentioned before. I didn't want Hybrid to look weaker but I also wanna play around the toku hero cliche that heroes tend to be weaker in later episodes. Anyway, I will take a break writing this series for few weeks in order to preparing myself on the upcoming exam but writing this series teach me English more than I expected, so I might be able to work on new chapters sometimes. Until then~ Hope you enjoy reading this fic. Please leave comments and have a magical time~
30/01/18: Sooo I edited this chapter, adding a little detail. It doesn't affect overall story. It just forgot to put it in to clarify the event.