Chapter 2: Settling In

I settled into my new apartment in Zootopia and after I took a shower from a very long flight, I came out of my new room with just a white tank top and dark blue briefs on and just went to the kitchen to get a little snack and after I got a few cookies, I went to my new room to just sit down and just reflect on what's gonna happen tomorrow and what I can do to help in this new community. The thing about being new to the force is that you have to earn their respect before they respect you, which is gonna be a huge hurdle for me. There may be moments of self-doubt because I'm still holding onto being responsible for my sister's murder because if I had stopped this myself, she would still be alive today.

I picked up a picture of myself when I was a young baby black panther cub holding my little sister for the first time and that was when I was in my most happiest moment that I was gonna protect her and just be a good big brother to her. If only I went back in time and relived that moment again and stay true to that promise, I guarantee you that I would not be have this guilty feeling I have now.

I blinked my eyes for a few minutes and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Beck. I am so, so, so sorry. I failed you as a big brother."

My eyes were getting misty-eyed at that point in time and it's just a really heavy moment to live through and hugged that picture tighter like I could never let it go. Just then, I heard my phone ring and I quickly picked it up and saw that it was Gilbert calling in via FaceTime and just hearing from him and seeing his face on my phone would help lighten me up a little, so I pressed it and he said, "Hey, Vince!"

Just face to face chat on my phone helps out a lot and he said, "Hey, Gil. How goes?"

"Pretty good. Have you settled into Zootopia?" asked Gilbert.

I had only been at Zootopia for several hours and it hasn't completely sunk in yet because I need to be familiar with the area before I do any sorts of police work and I said, "It's growing on me somewhat."

"Okay. Wow...cool room you got here." Gilbert said, looking at the setting of my new room.

"Yep. It's pretty quiet here...a little too quiet." I replied, with a chuckle.

"What does your new pad look like?" asked Gilbert.

I held the phone in my paw and showed Gilbert my room as well as the rest of my new pad from the living room, kitchen, bathroom and most of my furniture and a few moving boxes that were half full and Gilbert seemed completely amazed by my new place and I asked, "What do you think?"

"I could imagine moving in with you one day." Gilbert replied.

I smiled at that comment and I walked back to my room and kept talking with him a little and Gilbert could tell on the look in my face that I was almost crying and he asked, "You doing okay?"

"I've been better." I answered back.

"Are you sure? You still thinking about your sister?" asked Gilbert.

Once Gilbert asked me about my sister, it's like he could see right through my soul that I'm still broken inside and there was no hiding it and said, "There's not a day that goes by that I don't think of her."

"Listen...I understand that you're having a hard time recovering from this, but would she want you to see you suffering or would she want you to keep going?" asked Gilbert.

Once that question came to light, I know that she would not want to see her big brother depressed and defeated over something that I couldn't prevent what had happened. She would want me to go forward and push through the emotional scars that I had carried since that night that son of a beast killed my little sister right in front of me and the rest of the officers back in Bunga Town and I know that this memory will never disappear overnight, but I have to put it to the side when I'm in the zone.

So I looked at Gilbert and I said, "She would want me to keep going."

"And why would she?" asked Gilbert.

I took a deep sigh and just rubbed my temples a little bit and replied, "Because she wants to see her brother succeed?"

"Of course she would. Even when she's gone, she will always be in your heart. That's the part of her that will always be alive." Gilbert responded.

Always one to help me out what advice and comfort me when things don't go right or if I'm down on myself for some reason, Gilbert would always be that rock for me to keep me strong and keep me going and it made me smile a little bit and I said, "You're the reason why you're the best boyfriend ever."

"And you're the best boyfriend/officer ever." Gilbert added.

I responded with a little giggle and said, "Thanks, sweetie."

"If this phone could transport me out of here and take me to here with you, I would snuggle with you in a heartbeat." Gilbert stated.

That made me laugh with him and he started laughing too with that and Gilbert chuckled and just looked at me for a while and he asked, "You wear the same thing like you always do back in Bunga Town?"

"Just my tank top and underwear." I answered.

Gilbert purred in response to that and he said, "I know that I'm gonna dream about you when I go to sleep tonight."

"And I'll dream the same about you, Gil." I answered.

"All right. I know you got a big day ahead of you tomorrow, so I'll let you get some sleep." Gilbert answered.

I nodded at that and said, "Yeah, I'm gonna need it."

"Remember what made you become a police officer. In spite of your coming out, never let who you love get in the way of your passion of protecting and serving. You're still a shining example of being the first police officer at Bunga Town to be out of the closet. Hopefully, the same will go well for you in Zootopia." Gilbert added.

"You're right on that. Thanks." I said, with a smile.

"Anytime." Gilbert added, with a kiss on the screen.

I kissed back as well and we got off for a while and I set my phone down and just got on my bed, turned off the lights, put my sleeping mask on my eyes and went to sleep, wondering what tomorrow will come for me, but I know that I will give more than my best to get to know this city well.