[Quick note from the author: thank you everyone who has come to read, fave, or review my little fic here. I haven't replied to reviews because I feel like if I start replying to one I have to reply to all of them so people aren't wondering 'why didn't mine get a reply?' but I really do appreciate all the words and the love and I'm glad to be sharing this with all of you. And if you have an urgent question, I will reply to PMs.
Also: the editor seems to be taking out spaces between e-mails and messing up the e-mail addresses, or maybe I just noticed that now? Working on getting around that.]
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From: jhopps
To: nwilde
Subject: Re: Finally
Dear "Blueberries,"
You look—strange. But good. I really like that picture, and I can't wait to see you in your actual uniform.
And your story was great too. You're thinking like a real cop. Don't make that face at me, you are. That's the point of all this, right? Don't worry about Wolferson and Fangovic. Some of the guys and gals in my class went after each other, too. I just stayed out of the way. They wouldn't have listened to me anyway.
Annie and Bogo and Paddington. Okay, those are three separate stories. I hope you're sitting down.
Paddington first. You have NOTHING to worry about in the me becoming attached department. He has gone from being useless to being annoying over the last couple days. I've tried to explain to him that we're attempting to build up goodwill in this neighborhood, and he keeps telling me that there's a Happytown precinct that's supposed to take care of it. Which they are, sort of, but they're part of our department, not one of the local police forces that have their own stations. It feels like he's afraid to go there. Nick, how can I remind him that he is a predator? And he doesn't even understand what we're doing. He says we should bring in Annie and "make her talk," that that's how his partner used to do it. I said he's supposed to be learning from me and he says okay, but then he doesn't want to do the things I'm asking him to and he won't just leave me alone. It's making everything take twice as long and you know how I am with patience.
I've asked Bogo to change partners and he said, "Well, if you can't handle Paddington, I can find someone who moves a little faster. But go through too many partners and you'll find yourself working solo." I started explaining my problems to him and he said—you're probably way ahead of me on this—"I don't care." I asked if he had any other cases I could take on and he said, "You want to take on another case in addition to the Goldmane one?" Then I felt like he was asking me if I wanted to quit and like I told you, I can't quit.
Annie is the most hopeful part. After a day talking to the Happytown precinct, I finally got them to send me over the blotter for the last month. It turns out that the crime most reported by residents is vandalism—broken glass on the sidewalk, graffiti on the buildings. I guess some residents really do care about their neighborhood. So I'm looking at seeing if I can get the mayor's office to clean up the sidewalks more often, and maybe I'll do some night patrols with Paddington to prevent the vandalism. What do you think?
Can't wait to hear how the ice wall goes!
Love,
Judy
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From: nwilde
To: jhopps
Subject: Re: Finally
First, the Happytown stuff. You should know that vandalism gets reported not because people care about it so much but because they want to get their neighbors in trouble. Everyone "marks" at some point in their life. If you get caught doing it, people laugh at you, but that's all. Doing some night patrols might earn you some goodwill, buuut I would suggest maybe looking at some of the less common crimes on the blotter. Things have to be pretty bad before they'll report something to the police. The only time I ever saw folks in Happytown say nice things about the cops was when they caught that guy who was robbing people's stores at night. Do a lot of what you do best: go talk to people, get that big smile up in their faces. You'll have it done by the time I'm out of here, right?
The ice wall tricks got mixed results. The rhinos aren't much better at helping each other over than they are at helping themselves. But the forks worked great for me. But that meant the rhinos all suspected me of playing them just to get the forks, so I had to sit with them and go over the technique on the side of the building for an hour after dinner. After several explanations, and demonstrations with a bag stuffed with dirt (because I can't lift a rhino), I think they're getting the hang of it. Shaggy came by and sounded interested, and it turns out that buffalo have a lot more upper body strength than I'd thought.
Alas, on the intellectual front, there is less progress. I tried to get them to study the manual. Not just the rhinos; I told Tusker and Shaggy that they really needed to know this stuff backwards and forwards, and offered to help anyone who wanted my help. I meant it, too, Carrots. Studying with someone else helps you learn faster. But nobody wanted to study with the fox. Their loss.
Wish I could help you with Bogo. If I were there I'd say to his face, "Hey, chief, you want me to solve this case, unclamp the six hundred pound deadweight from my ankle." But you're too nice to say that. I bet you put your paw to your mouth to cover a laugh or a gasp as you read that. You're one of the most persuasive people I know (after a certain Mr. B) so I'm sure you'll be able to win him over. Just use the ol' Hopps charm.
"Blueberries"
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From: jhopps
To: nwilde
Subject: Re: Finally
Dear Nick,
The more I find out about Happytown, the more I'm glad you got out of there. Your parents still live there, though, don't they? I found a couple crimes that might fit what you were talking about. I'll check with that precinct and see what they've come up with, and maybe I can crack one of the cases. I like your idea for Chief Bogo (and it made me laugh, not gasp), but I'm trying to stay out of his way these days because I'm doing a lot of outside work and I don't know how he'd feel about that. And I'm handling Paddington as best I can. Every day is getting a little better. So I think, what, three more months? Should be enough for me to put this one to bed, as we say in the ZPD.
It feels like things are getting better for you too. You're doing the best you can, and that's what's important in the Academy. Bearester recognizes that even if she doesn't always show it.
Love,
Judy
