Everyone had a good laugh when Wilde sent Body Cam footage of Clawhauser singing along to the latest Gazelle single to Zootopia's Got Talent!, but as he gawked at the television screen three months later, the fox couldn't help but wonder if the portly cheetah was in need of an agent.
"What even the hell?!" Nick exclaimed, gesturing at the screen in disbelief. "Benji can actually sing?!"
"He really can." Judy agreed, smiling. "And you'd have known that if you ever came out to karaoke night."
Nick didn't respond, captivated by the sight of the outgoing cheetah ending his performance to a standing ovation, grinning and waving to the audience. Even the judges - David Hasselhog, Sharon Osboarne and Simon Cowbell – were blown away, joining the audience in their adulation.
"Look at it this way. You might get to be one of those mammals that say 'I knew him before he was famous'." His girlfriend quipped, elbowing him playfully. "C'mon – a bunch of us are meeting him for dinner after the show."
ooooo
Ben Clawhauser wandered into the small restaurant, grinning happily at the group of boisterous officers waving to him from the corner. Still slightly overwhelmed by the incredibly positive response he'd received, he didn't notice the well-dressed ocelot until he was practically on top of him.
"Tom Scratchowitz." The smaller feline grasped Ben's paw and shook it firmly. "I'm a producer with Wildlyfe Records. We're the agency behind Zootopia's Got Talent."
Ben blinked in surprise. "Uh...nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I saw your performance, Mr. Clawhauser, and I have to say I'm impressed."
"Oh, thank you." Ben smiled a little bashfully – he was still getting used to all the attention.
"If you don't have representation yet, you should give my office a call." He pressed a business card into Ben's paw. "I think we'll have a lot to talk about."
"I don't... I mean, I'm not..."
Scratchowitz held up a paw. "I've been in this business a long time, Ben...sorry, is Ben alright?"
The cheetah nodded silently.
Scratchowitz continued, smiling. "Even if you weren't planning to pursue a career in music, it's always a good idea to consider your options."
"Err...thanks, but I'm meeting some friends..."
"Say no more." He moved smoothly out of the way. "Have a nice evening, Ben."
"You too." Ben replied absentmindedly as he continued on his way, shaking his head slightly.
"What was that all about?" Wolford asked as Ben sat down.
"He said he was a record producer." The cheetah responded, tossing the ocelot's business card on the table. "He seemed like a nice mammal, actually."
The table's other occupants looked at one another uncertainly.
"Well..." Fangmeyer dragged the word out. "Just remember to be careful, Ben."
"Yeah, buddy." Wolford nodded in agreement. "There're a lot of mammals out there trying to make a quick buck."
"And make sure you have someone look over any papers before you sign them." Nick added through a mouthful of shrimp poppers.
"Come on, you guys," Ben grumbled, rolling his eyes as he suppressed a flicker of annoyance. "I'm not some helpless cub."
"Of course not! That's not what we're saying at all." Judy quickly assured him, placing a paw on his arm. "It's just, y'know..."
He pulled his arm away, narrowing his gaze. "It's just what?"
Judy glanced at the others and took a deep breath. "It's just...you can sometimes be a little...y'know...trusting. We just don't want you falling in with the type of mammals who might try to take advantage of you."
He shook his head in disbelief. "Judy, I'm a ZPD officer, just the same as you."
"I know that." She assured him. "We just want to make sure you make the right decision."
The flickering feeling of annoyance grew into a flame. "What?"
"I..."
"Let's try that again, Officer Hopps." He snapped, jabbing a claw in her direction. "I'm a ZPD Desk Sergeant who joined the force when you were still in high school!"
Judy's ears fell as she flinched away from him, and Ben felt an instant surge of guilt. "Oh, Judy...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I know we're friends and that you mean well, but..."
He stood, shrugging his coat on. "Look, I think I'm just gonna go home. Sorry I ruined dinner."
He was halfway to the door before any of them could respond.
"Hey, Carrots." She turned to find Nick giving her a concerned look. "Remember how you asked me to tell you when you started using the 'patronizing bunny' voice?"
Judy nodded slowly, eyes wide with apprehension.
"Guess what?"
Groaning, she lowered her head onto the table, long ears falling over her face. "Oh sweet cheese and crackers, what is wrong with me?"
"Letting your mouth run away from you when you feel cornered?" Wolford suggested, idly chewing on a straw.
The rest of the table winced at the blunt comment, and Judy lifted her head just enough to glare at the wolf.
"What?" He shrugged, unrepentant. "Not all the time."
ooooo
"Ben!" He turned to see the ocelot from earlier rushing across the parking lot. "I couldn't help but overhear. You okay?"
"I'm fine..." Ben trailed off, trying to recall the ocelot's name.
"Tom." The small predator reminded him. "Your friends didn't sound too supportive."
"They mean well."
Tom shrugged. "In my experience, every artist has a couple of friends that try to pull them back down. Might be because they're afraid of someone moving out of their lives; might just be that they're jealous."
Ben looked down at him skeptically. "They're just trying to look out for me."
"Fair enough." Tom conceded. "Look, I don't want you to think this is some sales pitch. It's pretty clear that I've put them off somehow and you shouldn't work with someone you're not comfortable with. If you like, I'd be happy to recommend another producer to you."
"You would?"
"Of course. It sucks, but I figure that creating something great means being willing to give something up."
Ben paused uncertainly for a moment. "You really think I could be a success?"
"Why not? You're already a star." Tom laughed. "I just want to see you shine as bright as you deserve."
"Wow." Ben muttered. "A star..."
"You know it, big guy." Tom extended his paw. "What do you say?"
Grinning, Ben firmly grasped the ocelot's paw.
ooooo
One Month Later
"This isn't my song."
"Darn right it isn't!" Tom agreed. "It's better. Trust me, this baby is gonna fly off the shelves!"
"Yeah, but it isn't my song." Ben insisted. "I mean...it is a little. But was all the editing and auto-tuning really necessary?"
"Look, do you want it to be a hit or not?" The producer scowled. "Because of you do, it means compromising from time to time. You think Katy Purry got to where she is by refusing to work with her producer? Or Gazelle, for that matter?"
"No..."
"Of course she didn't, and I've actually worked with her before. She's a real professional, and frankly I'm not getting the same impression about you." Tom punctuated his statement with a sharp poke to Ben's chest.
"I...sorry." The cheetah slouched, defeated.
"Don't sweat it." Tom gestured for the studio technicians to begin wrapping things up. "I think we're done for today, anyway. Howzabout you head to the green room and grab something to drink. I'll have a car waiting out front to drive you home, and we can start fresh on Monday."
"Okay."
Shuffling down the hall, Ben couldn't believe how exhausted he felt. Before the last couple of weeks, he'd never have believed that a mammal could get so worn out just by singing. He was in that studio every day – sometimes for hours on end - recording take after take. He'd lost count of how many times Tom had cut him off mid-take to tell him he'd done something wrong, and wouldn't be surprised if he'd begun muttering the phrase 'take it from the top' in his sleep by now.
Letting out a tremendous yawn as he pushed open the door to the green room, he made a beeline for the small refrigerator, failing to notice the other mammal in the room.
"It's the great equalizer, no?" He jumped at the unexpected voice behind him, nearly dropping his soda when he saw Gazelle smiling at him from a nearby sofa.
"I..." He trailed off.
"Studio time, I mean." She explained. "It seems like someone is always waiting on somebody else."
"I didn't know you were waiting..." Ben stammered.
"Oh, no." She waved a hoof at him, laughing. "I was only joking. I'm not booked for another hour."
"O-oh."
As his brain caught up with him, he realized that not so long ago he might've fled the room in embarrassment when faced with his idol. But for some reason, she wasn't nearly as intimidating wearing jeans and a faded t-shirt, a pencil behind one ear and a pair of glasses perched on her nose.
"Taking a break?" She ventured.
"Producer said we're done for the day."
"You're lucky." She gestured to her laptop. "I have a lot of work to do tonight. My last session was a little off-pitch, so I'm going to be re-recording a couple of tracks."
He gave her a confused look. "You're not just going to let the sound editors take care of it?"
"I could." She conceded with a shrug. "Goodness knows my producer would love that, but I try to avoid tuners and edits wherever I can."
"Oh! I'm sorry if I..."
"Please, don't apologize!" She laughed again. "You're probably right. I'm just being a perfectionist."
"No!" Ben practically shouted, startling her as he temporarily forgot his nervousness. "I mean, maybe being a perfectionist is what makes your music so beautiful and honest."
As far as Ben was concerned, her smile lit up the entire room. "You're Benjamin Clawhauser, aren't you? The Zootopia's Got Talent winner?"
Ben struggled for a response, momentarily stunned that - of all mammals - Gazelle already knew his name. "Err...yeah, that's me."
"Nice to meet you, Benjamin." Gazelle motioned to the chair across from her. "Have a seat, please."
Clawhauser sat down, anxiously fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
"You seem a little nervous." She eyed him for a moment. "Would I be safe in assuming you're a fan of mine?"
He nodded. "Heh...Am I that obvious?"
"Just a little." She chuckled. "Well, I know just the trick."
He cocked his head to the side, curious.
"I'm going to tell you three true stories, and then you won't be nervous anymore." Her eyes sparkled playfully. "Ready?"
Nodding enthusiastically, Ben gave her his full and undivided attention.
"Number one." She began. "When I was a fawn I was completely terrified of microwaves. I was certain that if I was in the same room while one was turned on I would melt into a puddle, and just the sound of the buttons would send me running. My father thought this was hilariously funny, of course, and often used it to his advantage when it was time for me to go to bed.
"Two." She continued. "For my sixteenth birthday, my best friend Louisa mixed up baking powder and baking soda while trying to make me a cake. We got into a huge fight after I threw it in the garbage, and didn't speak for days. Finally, I turned up at her door with a store-bought cake, crying and begging for a do-over. She gave me a big hug and told me she couldn't bear to see me so upset, partly because I was such an ugly crier."
He giggled slightly as she pretended to be insulted.
"And last but not least, number three. A couple of years ago I was having dinner with a very handsome actor who shall remain nameless." She winked impishly. "I thought the evening was going wonderfully until I happened to catch a glimpse of my reflection on the dessert cart's polished lid..."
Ben leaned forward, captivated.
"There was a giant piece of spinach in my teeth, and I mean giant! It covered an entire tooth!" She revealed, wincing.
The cheetah gasped. "No!"
"Yes!" She assured him. "Then...oh goodness, I was so embarrassed...then I let out this little screech that scared the waiter enough to knock over a peach flambé and set the tablecloth on fire!"
He burst into laughter, and when he wiped the tears away he discovered the strangest thing. His idol, the greatest singer of all time, the Angel With Horns, had vanished. Instead, he found himself sitting across from Gazelle - a normal, if charming, mammal not so different from himself.
"So, how's that nervousness?" She asked with a knowing smile.
"It's...actually gone." He shook his head. "Weird."
"Works every time." She assured him. "You should think of some stories about yourself, too. It'll make your life much easier as a performer."
He turned quiet as the smile slipped from his face. Sensing the shift in his mood, Gazelle decided to take a shot in the dark. "I hope you'll pardon me for saying, but you don't seem to be enjoying your time in the spotlight."
He gave a noncommittal shrug. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
"Those don't sound like your words." She observed. "Your producer?"
"Yeah. He reminds me of that when I start slacking." Ben confirmed. A flicker of...something...danced across Gazelle's face. "Oh, that's right! He said you two have worked together before. His name is Tom Scratchowitz?"
"We have." She answered politely. "He's...very driven."
He fell back in his seat with a loud sigh. "You're not wrong there."
She sighed, taking off her glasses and looking at him seriously.
"Ben, I do what I do because it brings me happiness - the kind of happiness that pushes me to come to a recording studio at seven o'clock on a Friday night so I can finish the song I've been humming all week." She gestured to her laptop and the pages of written notes that surrounded it. "What you do should make you want to leap out of bed, not collapse into it. If being a professional singer doesn't make you feel that way, then you need to figure out what does."
"I don't...I mean, I love singing, but..." He looked up at her hesitantly.
She nodded, waiting patiently for him to continue.
"I want to go back to the ZPD. I want to feel like I'm helping the world – not just entertaining it."
"Well then." She leaned over to place a hoof on his shoulder. "It sounds like you've made your decision."
"Yeah, I guess I have." Ben agreed. "I'll talk to him on Monday, though. No sense rushing."
"That sounds very wise." She smiled warmly. "Good night, Benjamin."
"Good night, er...Gazelle." He responded, a little awkwardly, and left to meet his ride home.
ooooo
Monday
"So I just wanted to thank you for the opportunity Tom, but I'm gonna have to call it quits." Ben's whiskers twitched sadly. "I thought this was my dream come true, but I've realized that my place is with the ZPD."
The ocelot across the desk said nothing, glaring at Ben as the silence grew increasingly awkward.
"I hate to break it to you Benji, but that's not how it works." Tom finally growled. "Contractually, you owe us an album. And even if it never releases, you're still on the hook for whatever money the label spent on you. We're talking studio time, promotional expenses, production costs...the list goes on and on, and that's not even getting into my fees."
Ben gulped as the bottom of his stomach seemed to fall out. "I..."
"Lemme make this simple for you, tubs." The smaller cat sneered. "This album will be finished, mammals will buy it, and you will go on tour to promote it until the mindless hordes move on to the next fad. Then we deduct what you owe us from the profits, cut you a cheque for the difference, and you can go off on your merry way to wherever the hell one-hit-wonders end up."
Stunned, Ben struggled to formulate a response. "But...that isn't...you can't..."
"I can and I will." Tom leaned back, smiling smugly. "It's all in the record contract that you signed."
"Actually," A sharp voice interjected. "It's funny you should mention that."
In the office doorway stood a smartly-dressed beaver, briefcase in paw, ignoring Scratchowitz's flustered assistant.
"Who the hell are you?"
"John Buckland. I'm with Webber, Buckland & Doe." The beaver answered politely. "I'm Mr. Clawhauser's attorney."
Scratchowitz peered at him dubiously. "Oh, is that rig..."
Buckland cut him off, loudly dropping his briefcase on the desk and withdrawing a thick sheaf of papers. "It is, in fact. And this is a cease & desist order regarding the publication or distribution of any and all materials related to Benjamin Clawhauser."
"You're joking, right?" The ocelot sniffed disdainfully, snatching the document from the attorney's paw. "On what possible grounds do you expect this to stick?"
"Your involvement in the possession and distribution of illegally obtained Zootopia Police Department records."
"What?!" Scratchowitz's eyes snapped up. "What in the hell are you talking about?"
"The police body camera footage of Mr. Clawhauser that you've been using in your promotional material." Buckland explained. "Which you obtained without prior authorization or court order."
"He sent us that footage!"
"My client has no knowledge of how that footage came to be sent to the Zootopia's Got Talent offices at WildLyfe Records." Buckland countered. "Not that it's relevant, because as far as you're concerned it doesn't matter where the footage came from. What matters is that you didn't report it to the ZPD the moment you received it, choosing instead to broadcast it on national television."
"This is absurd!" Tom cried. "The internet is full of leaked videos! News programs broadcast them all the time! How the hell is this any different?!"
"Online videos are generally posted anonymously." The attorney pointed out. "And journalists are sheltered under Freedom of the Press, whereas you enjoy no such protection."
With a smile more predatory than anything Ben had ever managed, Buckland went in for the kill.
"Let me make this simple for you, Mr. Scratchowitz." He offered. "This album will be buried, the absurd bills levied against my client will be voided, and after we leave today you will forget that his contract ever existed. The alternative is a long and spectacularly costly legal battle followed by a much longer term in a federal penitentiary."
Tom's expression grew panicked, mouth agape and eyes wide with fear.
"It's your call, Mr. Scratchowitz." The beaver calmly shut his briefcase. "I'll be in touch."
With that, he led the stunned cheetah out of the record producer's office, guiding him to the elevator. As the doors smoothly closed, Ben spun to face the smaller mammal. "Who the hel..."
"One of my firm's more prominent clients requested that we look into your situation." Buckland coolly interrupted him. "They also asked me to remind you – and I quote- there are too many unhappy musicians in the world, and too few happy police officers."
Ben's eyes widened. "Are you talking about Ga– "
"I'm afraid I'm not at liberty to discuss the details, Mr. Clawhauser." The beaver interrupted again as the elevator opened to the lobby.
"Oh... Well, can you thank them for me?"
"That, I can do." Buckland slid on a pair of sunglasses as they stepped out into the sunshine. "Have a nice day, Mr. Clawhauser."
"Yeah." Ben replied, watching him walk away. "You too..."
ZOOTOPIA GAZZETTE
REALITY STAR ABANDONS RECORD DEAL | Angela Bearnard, Entertainment Contributor
Benjamin Clawhauser, last season's winner on Zootopia's Got Talent, has parted ways with Zootopia-based recording label Wildlyfe Records. Reportedly, his actions were spurred by a desire to return to his former career as a city police officer. Although the label has not yet released an official statement, inside sources report that the company regards his decision as a breach of contract and that their legal team is investigating potential... [more]
MAMMAL WEEKLY
CAPTIVATING CHEETAH CHANGES HIS SPOTS...BACK | Mary-Lou Shearmann, Staff Writer
Ben Clawhauser, the lovable cheetah that took Zootopia's Got Talent by storm, has left the limelight in favor the red and blue lights he's accustomed to. The feline with the golden voice will be returning to duty with the Zootopia Police Department, choosing to serve and protect rather than sing and party.
Wildlyfe Records released a brief statement last week expressing their support for Clawhauser in his decision and wishing him the best in his chosen career. They haven't commented, however, on the firing of Thomas Scratchowitz, Clawhauser's former producer... [more]
THE ZOOTOPIA CHRONICLE
FORMER RECORD PRODUCER UNDER LEGAL SCRUTINY | Devlin Tailford, Associated Press
The Zootopian District Attorney's office released a statement today that they will be pursuing legal action against Thomas Scratchowitz, a former Wildlyfe Records producer accused of the possession and distribution of illegally-obtained police footage. The recently-released evidence indicated that the viral video of former Zootopia's Got Talent winner Benjamin Clawhauser may have been obtained without legal authorization, particularly highlighting the record label's failure to report receiving the footage to the proper authorities.
In response to these allegations, Wildlyfe Records has released a public statement condemning Scratchowitz's actions and declaring their intention to cooperate fully with the DA's investigation.
The evidence was uncovered by Minnie Dormaus, a legal researcher at the law firm of Webber, Buckland & Doe. The firm's senior partners have since made a public statement commending Dormaus's skill and integrity for bringing the evidence to light... [more]
EON MAGAZINE
BENJAMIN CLAWHAUSER: A MAMMAL OF THE PEOPLE | Richard Ramsden, Senior Correspondent
While most mammals crave the trappings and glory of the spotlight, ZPD Sergeant Benjamin Clawhauser walks a much humbler path. Despite receiving a lucrative three-album deal with Zootopian recording label Wildlyfe Records, following his landslide victory on the popular reality television program Zootopia's Got Talent, Clawhauser chose to step out of the spotlight and go back to serving the citizens of Zootopia.
"It's so important to do what makes you happy." The unassuming cheetah insists. "For me, that means putting on that uniform and trying to make the world a better place." [more]
A/N: Whoa...okay. This chapter really got out of hand and ended way longer than anticipated. Well, better for all of you, I guess?
On a side note, I'm having way too much fun thinking up animal-themed names for new characters.
