"Nicholas Wilde, you're under arrest!" barked Officer Kaplan.
"Whoa whoa whoa what'd I do?!" asked the slender fox. "You've got nothing on me, puss! NOTHING!"
"You know damn well selling catnip is a class-3 felony, Wilde," Officer Catsby said, holding up the baggie of packed nip.
"That's circumstantial evidence! I know my rights!"
"Oh? And what about this?" Officer Kaplan grabbed Nick's tie and yanked him forward roughly. The fox cycled his arms as he tried to regain his balance. Kaplan felt along the length of the tie then, and worked loose the catnip joint that he'd hidden in the inner seam. "You wanna talk circumstantial? I'd say it's a pretty shitty set of circumstances you've placed yourself in eh, Wilde?"
"That... I was just... holding that for a friend..." he said lamely.
"Ooh maybe this'd be the first time that excuse worked!" Catsby snorted.
"Come on, Kaplan, please... we're buddies, right? You can let me off the hook on this one... for old time's sake?"
"Bullshit, Nick. I know your history as a con man, and I always fucking knew you were a dirty cop," said Officer Kaplan. "Now you're gonna talk... where is the goddamn den you were gonna offload this on? Huh?"
"Want me to take him out back?" Officer Catsby asked, tapping the nightstick against his paw. "Soften him up a little?"
"Cool it, man. Nick's reasonable, and I know he happens to like breathing without the aid of a tube," said Kaplan.
"Oh please, stow the good tiger, bad tiger routine you two." Despite the situation Nick was in, he rolled his eyes. "I've been hustlin' since I was twelve, I know the game better than either of you."
"Hrmph. You know what? You're right, Kaplan. Might as well leave his tailhole nice and tight for Greasy Carl in Cell Block Six," Catsby chuckled. "You ever hear of him, Nick? Tiny little stoat, just about nine inches long. Smuggles cooking oil outta the prison kitchen, and he slathers himself up from nose to tail. Then once he's lubed up he'll crawl all the way up inside your-"
"Whoa no no no!" at the mention of the stoat's predilections the fox fell to his knees, paws clasped in front of him, begging. His eyes were wide and filled with terror. Tears began to spill down his long, narrow muzzle. It would've been heartbreaking if it weren't for his betrayal. Dirty cops were the fucking worst. "Please, guys! I- I don't know anything! I swear! PLEASE don't give me over to Greasy Carl!"
"He's lying. He's fucking lying..." Catsby snarled, plucking the nip joint from Kaplan's paw. Putting it to his mouth he withdrew a lighter. A flick and a huff, and he blew a sweet little puff of smoke in the tod's face. "I hate liars."
Kaplan sighed. "You know, I was trying to help you Nick. I was seriously trying to save you, because I know this is gonna break Hopps' heart. But you leave me no choice..."
"NO!"
The fox tried to dart past, but Kaplan caught him by the hem of his Pawaiian shirt and pinned his paws behind his back. Nick grunted as he was slammed into the floor. Catsby took the coil of rope out of the canvas bag they kept for occasions such as this.
"No! No no no please no!" Nick whimpered, but broke down sobbing as they stripped off his pants and tied him up. His wrists were bound behind him, his ankles strapped to the backs of his naked haunches. The little dude weighed only eighty pounds, but with his squirming it was tough to hang him dangling from the metal frame. He swayed back and forth, whimpering.
"P-Please, man... please... for Judy's sake don't do this..."
"You had your chance..." Kaplan said. With him standing in front of the fox, and Catsby behind, the two uniformed officers undid their belts and unzipped his pants...
"WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS?!" someone snarled from the front door.
"Oh shit."
"Why the fuck does it smell like nip in here?! Wh- NICK?! Holy shit what the fuck are you doing to him?!" Benjy roared as he stormed in, tossing his gym bag onto the floor. He marched forward, knocking his twin aside. "You've pulled some real insane shit in the past but this is the last fucking straw! I'm fucking gonna have to arrest my own brother! My OWN BROTHER!"
He bent forward and started to undo the knots. "Don't worry Nick I'm gonna get you outta this, I'm gonna..."
Benjy paused as he looked the fox in the face. "You're not Nick."
"Heh... you're... you're home early..." Danny grinned sheepishly, rubbing his knuckles together the way he did when he was in trouble. Luke straightened and tried to hide the nightstick he held behind his back.
Benjy planted his face in his paws. "Please someone tell me what the fuck is going on. I just had a really shitty day. And if the two of you don't get out of my spare uniforms right now I'm gonna drag you both down to the station for impersonating an officer."
The fox smiled up at Benjy. "Hi, I'm Chester!" He seemed oddly comfortable still trussed up and dangling from the bondage frame, half-dressed in his Nick Wilde ensemble.
"Kid, are you even legal?" Benjy sighed, leveling a flat stare at the vulpine.
"I'm twenty-one thank you very much! Wallet's on the table if you wanna check my ID."
Danny and Luke in the meantime were shedding their policeman's blues as fast as they could. It was pretty easy in fact, since buff as he was Benjy was sized a bit bigger than either of them and the uniforms were a tad loose.
This wasn't the first time Danny had engaged in a little kinky roleplay using his brother's gear, though of course Benjy didn't know it. The former Mayor Lionheart definitely had a soft spot for 'Officer Kaplan,' especially when he wore his tight sequined shorts under the uniform. Classy lion... Danny was gonna miss those nights. He'd always reserved a special lapdance just for the guy, and after he finished swirling on Lionheart's thighs he'd be bent over the Mayor's desk, the smell of cigar smoke in the air and a glass of red wine rattling on the mahogany surface.
"Oh come on bro," sighed Danny, peeling off Benjy's shirt. "You must've thought Nick was totally sexy the other night. Those green eyes, that smug grin, that cocky swagger of his. I mean unf city!"
Luke had tossed the shirt he was wearing onto the couch and was just beginning to pull off his pants. "So... you know, we just ran into this little dude at the club, took him down to Bearberry to get him dressed up... not quite the same article, but still. Pretty foxy little twink."
"And a twinky little fox," Danny added, now naked and holding his brother's uniform in a rolled-up bundle.
"Thanks!" Chester chirped.
"The guy is my coworker. Holy shit this is all kinds of wrong," Benjy groaned. "And I'm confiscating the catnip!"
"You can't!" Danny protested, "Luke needs it to treat his ADD! Why do you think he watches so many cartoons?"
"I think I saw a squirrel on the balcony," said Luke, glancing out the window. "Did you see a squirrel? Squirrels are awesome."
"You show me a cat who doesn't have ADD!" Benjy growled.
"I'm serious, bro! Luke's got a prescription and everything!"
Benjy rubbed his temples as if trying to ease out a headache. "You know I'm gonna need to see that."
"They were in my pants," said Luke with a shrug, "I tossed them out the window in a fit of passion."
"And you still haven't explained why you're back right now," said Danny as he folded up the uniforms. Benjy was pretty uptight, but he was also a bit of a slob. Usually Danny was the one who had to clean things up around here. "Doesn't your shift end at 8:00?"
"I'm on mandatory leave," Benjy sighed, flopping into the sofa. "They had me talk to a shrink and everything."
Danny already had a few nice one-shots lined up. Benjy, you're too uptight to be crazy. Or Benjy, if you needed a doctor you should've had him start by extracting the stick from your ass. But he was perfectly aware of why a psychologist was foisted upon him today, so he held off on the snark for now.
"Hey, you'll be all right, bro," said Danny, sitting down and putting an arm around his twin. "Sorry you had to walk in on this."
"Yeah well a sex swing in the middle of the living room is far from the worst I've seen outta you," Benjy said as he rifled through the fox's wallet. Somehow he seemed disappointed that the ID was legit.
"Bondage rack," Luke corrected.
"Wait, are you paying him?" Benjy looked down at the fox, "You didn't just bring some rentkit in here did you?"
"Well he gets to keep the clothes, but aside from that no," Danny leaned forward and tussled the fox's headfur. "He just has the pleasure of getting spitroasted by a pair of Gazelle's glitter tiggers."
"This whole conversation is kind of a mood killer though," said Chester, still dangling from his bonds.
"Danny," Benjy said slowly, looking his brother in the eye, "Tell me the truth. Have you tried it?"
Danny stared back at his brother for a long, confused moment. He looked at the fox, who gave a little shrug, then at Luke who was puffing away on the joint again, then back at Benjy.
"You're gonna have to be way, way more specific asking about the shit I've tried."
"Blue."
"Hell no!" Danny said, slightly offended. "I mean I've been curious sure... they say that when you're on Blue the sex is insane, but... no man. It's too fucked up, even for me."
"Aw," said Chester, laying his ears flat in disappointment.
"The whole Night Howler fiasco last year was the worst thing Gazelle's ever had to deal with, man," Luke said, blowing out a smoke ring. "If she knew her boys were experimenting with Blue it'd break her heart."
"We'd never do that to her," Danny said, wrapping his arms around Benjy again. "Or to you."
Danny could feel his brother relaxing in his arms, and Benjy wrapped his twin in a big, burly hug.
"Thanks, little bro. I seriously needed to hear that from you."
"Tell you what," Danny grinned, swirling a finger through the little wedge of bare chest fur revealed by Benjy's v-neck. "How about you join us right now? We'll even let you get first pass at this twinky little fox here."
Benjy looked down at the Chester, who was smiling back, his bushy tail lifted. "Uh speaking of that... you are aware of the size difference, aren't ya, kiddo? I'm pretty sure I can fuck you in half."
Chester leveled a flat stare at the tiger. "You don't know much about foxes, do you? We're pretty stretchy."
"Can you change into your uniform first?" Luke asked with a goofy little grin. He was getting seriously high. They were supposed to share that nip, but Danny wasn't about to do that with Benjy around.
"You two and your fetishes," Benjy grumbled, pulling his shirt over his head and grabbing one of the folded-up uniforms next to him.
"By the way," Chester smiled, "my safeword is 'FoRep.'"
.
.
Judy sat in the plush, bunny-sized seat as Dr. Isaac Mohegan Conall busied himself at the counter. Dr. Conall had an assortment of chairs of different sizes lined up against the wall, for clients of different species. He himself was a slim, almost lanky wolf with jet-black fur and sharp golden eyes. Despite her best intentions Judy had shivered the moment he greeted her at the door. Those yellow eyes were hard and piercing, and his smile didn't seem to touch his gaze.
"I always make tea for my patients," he said in a crisp accent, enunciating every syllable. "I find it helps them relax, particularly when we first meet. I realize I don't have the most gentle of countenances."
The porcelain tea set had a soft pattern of pink roses, more suitable for an old grandmother's home than an office of a black wolf in his mid-40s. Judy took her cup and blew on it, the floral aroma of Earl Gray filled her nose. She took a sip. The tea was still a bit hot, but it was perfectly brewed. Not too strong, not too weak.
"Would you like milk or sugar?" he asked gently. "I have both real milk and soy."
"Soy milk, please, and just a little sugar I guess." He really was quite good when it came to his little tea ceremony. She could already feel herself relaxing in his presence.
Dr. Conall poured a splash of soy milk into her cup and added a small spoonful of sugar. There was an expert grace in how he handled the tiny bunny-sized spoon, his paws delicate as he stirred. It was almost a performance in itself.
He then lifted the cover from a small dish, revealing small pink cubes, each dusted with powdered sugar.
"Tigrian delights," he said, "I get them from a confectioner in Tundratown. It's another little habit of mine: I like to guess what flavors best suit my patients." The black wolf smiled then, and this time his eyes did seem to warm up. "I suspected you may like the traditional recipe: rosewater, with chopped pistachio nuts."
Judy tried one. It was chewy like a gumdrop, and intensely sweet at first. But with a sip of tea to wash it down the flavor of roses and Earl Gray played together on her tongue. The crunch of chopped pistachios added a fun texture too.
"Wow it's delicious!" Judy said, tapping her foot happily. She took another.
"I'm glad you approve," Dr. Conall said, leaning back. "Now, I just want to clarify that this is simply an evaluation. We're here to see if recent events have affected you to the point that you may need further psychological treatment. While I am perfectly happy to offer my services as a therapist, the important thing is for you to have a therapist that best suits you. Most of my patients are predators, and I would understand if you aren't completely comfortable with me acting in this capacity."
Judy felt slightly abashed now. "Well... I don't... don't want you to think I'm uncomfortable around predators. Not at all! I mean, my best friend is..." Judy paused, suddenly remembering her first encounter with Nick, and how she'd almost pulled out the fox repellent on him. "Well, me and Nick had to get to know one another, but I wouldn't have anyone else as my partner. I don't have any problem with a predator as my doctor."
Dr. Conall's tone was gentle when he spoke. "Well, if you do require counseling, be sure you select a counselor that would be best for you. I would be doing a disservice if I took you on as a patient simply because you wanted to spare my feelings."
"All right," said Judy. While it was true that a bunny psychologist, or even a prey psychologist in general like Dr. Whitetail would've understood her better in some ways, Judy was beginning to really like Dr. Conall. Besides, working past one's biases was a constant process and broadening the company she kept was part of it.
"Now tell me Judy, how have you been sleeping lately?"
"Not... not really well," Judy hesitated. "Though it's not so much because of what happened at the club!"
"Go on."
"I'd rather not talk about it," she said, blushing. She could still remember Nick's tie weaving through her fingers as she undid it, the feel of his chestfur against her paw... long and wiry compared to her own fluffy coat. His muzzle was so pointed, his teeth sharp, but he was so gentle when he kissed her back. And he did kiss her back.
When he kept brushing her off for the rest of that weekend though, she'd started to panic. The stress of it had left her lying awake deep into the night, and she would rouse late in the afternoon. A dramatic change for an early riser.
"It's... kind of personal," she finished. "And really it has nothing to do with the Lone Digger."
Dr. Conall nodded. "All right then. If that's the case, could you please describe for me what happened at the club?"
"Well, me and Nick- Officer Wilde that is... it started when I first heard a commotion next door. Officer Wilde and I had been having dinner at Giraffa's Grille on Jungle Row with Officer Kaplan, his brother, and his brother's boyfriend. We immediately entered the Lone Digger from the front entrance, and saw the four perpetrators-"
She stopped when Dr. Conall put up a paw. "Ah, my apologies, Judy. I'm actually not looking for a police report. I'm more interested in knowing what was going through your mind during those events. What did you feel in response to what you witnessed there? Perhaps tell it to me as a story, like how you would tell it to a friend."
"Oh, um..." Judy had to mentally take a step back. She was so used to being the bunny cop that she'd slipped into the role immediately. "Well... when me and Nick ran in... I knew Nick was close behind, so I knew he'd help protect me. At first I was excited... ready to prove myself. I mean, back at the Academy I was able to take down a rhino in the boxing ring, so I knew I could handle a large criminal. I'd just never been able to prove it in the field.
"So... it was kind of neat to get the chance. People still kind of underestimate me, y'know? But then we raced through those doors, and... and I saw the bodies. The blood. My nose isn't as sensitive as Nick's, but I could smell the blood. And there was the way the panthers and the wolves were snarling at each other..."
Judy shivered. She'd done her best to forget the sight of that poor buffalo torn open, his insides spilling onto the dance floor. "The moment I realized what was going on I... I kind of went on autopilot. When I think back on what happened I'm not sure how I was able to do what I did. I just charged in, thinking that I had to help stop it. A part of me was scared too, and for a minute I was so scared I just froze on the spot. But then I saw the two wolves attacking Benjy, and I knew that if we didn't do anything they'd tear him apart. He's a great fighter but... but those wolves had gone almost completely savage. And that's when my body kind of took over again, and I did what I had to."
For a long time Conall just stared at her, and then he took his teacup. Judy took the chance to have another sip as well. It was warm. Comforting.
"How do you feel about it? Going on autopilot as you say?"
"I... I don't know," Judy said, staring down into the roses painted along the saucer. "I guess... I guess it scares me. I want to keep myself in check. It did protect me in the club, being able to react so quickly when it was such a confusing fight. But thinking about it now..."
She took a moment to gather herself before she spoke. "When I first met Nick I... jumped to conclusions about him. I try to be really open-minded about things, but the moment I saw a fox in the streets I assumed he was up to no good."
Granted, Nick truly had been working a hustle, but it still didn't justify her first impressions. "I had a can of fox repellent in my holster. My parents you know... worried about their little country girl going to the big city. They wanted me to protect myself. I didn't even want to carry it with me that day, but I made a split-second decision to carry it with me when I headed to the station. And there he was, this fox just trying to buy some ice cream at a shop, and I'd almost pulled it out on him."
Judy wasn't able to look up at Conall as she spoke. "I was so stupid in that moment. If something had startled me, if I'd been reacting on instinct, if I'd gone into autopilot... I might've assaulted Nick. I'm just scared that if it comes down to it, in a confrontation with a perp, I might just accidentally hurt someone who's innocent."
The black wolf had been listening quietly, teacup in paw, his yellow eyes fixed on her. As nice as Dr. Conall was, his gaze really was a bit disturbing. Judy hated the fact that she felt that way, but she couldn't deny it.
"I- I'm sorry, I'm just being a dumb bunny aren't I?" Judy tried to laugh, but found that she had to scrub her eyes and sniffle.
"Not at all," Conall said smoothly, sipping his tea. "Your concerns are perfectly legitimate."
Judy blinked.
"That is, your concern that you may be unjustifiably profiling innocent predators. It's all too common for an innocent fox or wolf or weasel get pulled aside and searched simply because he was walking in a rough part of town at night, and fortunately you seem to be well aware of that. But it's important that you don't be too hard on yourself. Despite the progress our society has made, the dream of mammalian coexistence is still a work in progress. The speciesist institutions that existed forty years ago still persist now, just in a much more insidious manner."
"Yeah, the whole Night Howler thing kinda proved that," Judy murmured.
"Oh certainly it exacerbated things. Yet even before the first reports of missing mammals came out institutional speciesism has permeated Zootopia in subtle ways. You think I don't grip my briefcase a bit tighter when I see a pack of wolves in hoodies come onto the same train car? Or that I don't want to walk a faster when another predator is behind me late at night? I know from firstpaw experience how society can have a prejudiced view of wolves, and to be vulnerable to subjecting that same prejudice on others is... painful."
Conall sighed. "That said however, your instincts did serve to protect you that night. You were dropped into a violent, brutal situation and you came out unscathed. If your primary concern for the moment is how those same instincts might be misdirected, what do you think may help you resolve it?"
"In the field you can't second-guess yourself too much," Judy admitted. "But..."
She thought it over for a long moment, running her training days through her head. The answer finally clicked.
"The target range might help..." she said, looking at Conall. "When the Night Howler attacks were getting worse Chief Bogo had us train with live ammunition. I mean, the thought of it scared me, but we had to train in a field with wooden cutouts of savage predators and civilian prey. It always made me uncomfortable, but thinking about it now... maybe I could train more at the range. But with a better mix of armed or savage perps! And more predators need to be portrayed as innocent civilians. I mean, at the very least it would help cops train to evaluate dangers based on other signs rather than on species."
A thin smile spread across Dr. Conall's face then. "An excellent idea. Perhaps you could bring it up with Chief Bogo."
Judy beamed. "Wow! I... I think I will!"
"Now, let's talk about any other anxieties you may have remaining after the Lone Digger..."
Judy nodded, sifting through her thoughts for anything else she might've missed. That was the biggest thing that came to mind though. More importantly, Judy started to feel like Dr. Conall was someone she could really trust.
