Three thousand and forty five.
There are three thousand and forty five small holes lining her bright safety vest.
It was official, July was bored.
Wait, bored isn't the right word. If she was bored she could figure out something interesting to do to help relieve the boredom. No this period was so mind-numbing she thought that taking off her vest to count the holes would be productive.
It's been three weeks since beginning the exercise in frustration that was meter maid. Don't get her wrong though she was doing the best she could with the circumstances but being a meter maid was a job where the better you are at it the more people hate you for it.
"What a hero you are" sneered a shrew as he pulled a ticket from the windshield she had placed moments prior.
It's not her fault that the timer expired! They should have been more aware of how long they were gone for after all.
Still it was having an impact on her sanity and caused her brain to desperately seek some sort of stimulation and she began to find the most minute things fascinating. Things like how the engine of her little mobile would click prompted her to research the vehicles history after hours and found out about engine problems it's had in the past. Or how the city would use a special non-slip material for the roads which she unfortunately found out after slipping and scraping her side on a few days ago.
Casein and her became fast friends and it was typical for the pair to spend some time together out and about after work. She had nothing else better to do in the hovel she called an apartment at home while Casein typically spent the better part of her day watching reruns and writing in her journal. She found out that the she initially joined the ZPD force because she didn't know what else to do, her father was the previous chief and it seemed as though she had an aptitude to the work. The biggest limit to her was her overall complacency with how her life is which is why she was at the front desk rather than on the beat.
Not that there was anything wrong with that, thought July, but it was just not the life for her. Unsure it was the bunny nature in her or just something she had to do but she always wanted to improve where she was and that's why being a meter maid was hitting her so hard.
The other officers treated her generally nicely and there wasn't much to really report on in that regard, there was a bit of teasing from the others such as Nangi who had started to call her small fry but minor ribbing never hurt anyone.
The Chief was the biggest paradox to her though. Whenever he would start a meeting the room rapidly quieted down, which was a big feat to accomplish from some of the more boisterous individuals in the department. Anytime he'd talk everyone would listen intently and whenever they'd need to put in their input the Chief would do the same in kind and weigh it with his decisions.
He was always there too, that's something she began to notice. He would always be at the office before she was there and would be out of the office after her. She would question if he ever actually went home if his uniform wasn't always well pressed and his grooming wasn't impeccable.
In her limited exposures to him after their first meeting he seemed fine enough as he just gave her the facts and didn't seem to be overtly mean – just seemingly indifferent. Which was such a difference from their first meeting that she assumed he was just having a bad day or something.
There was something off about him though, she couldn't place what exactly it was but the way she would find him working on files only to quickly store them when he suspected he was being observed. Or how even on slow days he would always seem high strung as if he recently got out of a fight and was ready for another one. Or how whenever the mayors name was mentioned on the news he would stiffen and all his attention was focused on it.
Chalking it just up to quirks of being a chief as Casein had said that her father had similar quarks, except instead of files it was Gazelle.
"Annnnnnd that would be 100" she happily chirped out to no one as she placed the final ticket for the day. Clock striking 1700 she started to walk back to her little maid-mobile that Caterby called it before she was bowled over by a large timber wolf sprinting past.
Pushing herself up she was still dazed from the sudden impact as she watched the Wolf speed off and didn't know whether she should just ignore it or not.
Suddenly she found herself faced by a frantic looking porcupine who looked shaken "You're a cop right?" She asked.
Dumbly nodding in response the lady continued "He just stole my purse, aren't you going to do anything about it?"
Blinking once, twice then three times her faculties came back to her and a sudden wide toothed smile broke out on her face 'This is what I've been waiting my whole life to do!' she thought.
"Don't worry m'am, I'll get that crook and return your purse to you" she said before immediately sprinting in the direction of the suspect.
Although the wolf was obviously larger and had a significant head start the combination of her athleticism and the excitement rushing through her allowed her to very quickly close the ground and he was then in sight of her. Nearly forgetting about calling it in, she pulled out her radio in the midst of the chase to report in her actions.
"ZPD, this is Officer Hopps on ground pursuit in Savanna Central - I am currently chasing a large Timber Wolf with short white fur wearing a black checkered shirt. He stole a purse and requesting backup."
The radio soon crackled with acknowledgement and a response, she could barely make out the "Roger" and "Stop pursuit and wait for backup" from the radio. Rationally she should have stopped her chase then but she was so close to stopping the guy she didn't entertain the thought very long.
"Negative ZPD, I see the suspect and if I stop and wait he will be long gone." she replied before holstering her radio.
The wolf looked briefly over his shoulder at the sound of talking and pattering feet and saw a small rabbit chasing him, wearing a bright safety vest and a cap labeled ZPD on it. Cursing his luck and realizing he was exhausted from all the running he turned a corner into a nearby alleyway.
Chasing into the alleyway she almost couldn't stop in time to avoid smacking into a brick wall signaling the end of the alley.
Her ears flicked around as she no longer could see where the suspect was and thought she could hear where he may have escape to heard the clicking of clawed feet behind her.
"Looks like you got yourself trapped with the big bad wolf" growled the man "You should have just let me go but I don't have any other choice since you wouldn't let me go" as he advanced on her.
It was quite the site to see a rabbit a fraction of the height of the wolf suddenly jump high into the air and strike the wolf with a kick that soundly sent him on his ass before he could even realize what happened. She was no token bunny after all and was able to knock out mammals bigger than him.
Gripping the side of his face that was kicked hard he sat there shocked and was feeling for broken bones but didn't feel the telltale sign of it. Shaking himself out of his stupor he began to stand up, reaching into his pocket as he did so.
July's training kicked in and she realized she had to act fast if she wanted to keep him from doing whatever it was he was doing. Jumping into action she first slammed the canines side with an open paw smack which sent painful shocks through the wolf - pausing him. Jumping over his now crouching form she grabbed both arms at the crux of the armpit and with her downward momentum managed to fling him over her head, sprawling him on the ground. Pulling out a pair of handcuffs that every officer was mandated to carry she jumped on his back, removed his hand from his pocket which later revealed he was pulling out an illegal switchblade he had, and cuffed the man behind his back and then stood on top of him to make it difficult for him to stand back up.
July panted and waited a moment to let her rapidly fluttering heart settle before pulling out her radio and calling it in "This is Officer Hopps, I'm located on the corner of 5th and Louis in Savannah Central and have apprehended the suspect. Calling for pickup."
The radio buzzed a moment later "Roger, individuals on the way will come to pickup. ETA five minutes."
July's spirit was soaring, she was an actual cop! Not some stupid meter maid! She even managed to get the crook all by herself with no collateral damage or issues. Her mood was sky high and she contemplated on doing a little dance but refrained since she was still on the man's back before she heard the tell-tale crackling of the radio again.
What she heard next crushed her spirits faster than anything should have possibly had the right to do.
Through the static of the radio came the rough voice of Chief.
"Hopps, I want you in my office. Immediately."
Let me know what you think of the story thus far. Otherwise hope everyone's enjoying it.