Chapter 3: Assignment and New Leads: Part 1
I was taken to a place called Zootopia Police Department where Officer Rabbit kicked the weasel inside who was still stuck in that donut while I was being painfully dragged inside by my ear. Seriously, I didn't know having cat ears would be this tender. As I was brought before the front desk where the weasel now laid, the rabbit cop pronounced proudly, "I popped the weasel! And as a bonus, I got myself a delinquent causing trouble!"
After she yanked my ear, I cried, "Ow! Easy with the yanking!"
"Hopps!" A male voice yelled.
I looked up at the second floor as I could make out a buffalo who was pointing. However, my eyes looked at the rabbit. Was her name really "Hopps", Rabbit Hopps maybe? I would probably laugh at something as silly as that, but I couldn't help it as I snorted and covered my mouth. The rabbit cop named Hopps, looks at me with glaring eyes, then yanks my ear as she takes me with her.
I yelped in pain while I gave her a cat-like growl. Oh, she is so going to pay for this for pulling on my ear.
She kept a good grip on my ear as I was taken upstairs to the second floor. Waiting for us was the same buffalo I saw as he was muscular and had grey fur with beige horns that were curled upwards, and brown eyes. He wore his navy blue short-sleeved buttoned-up police uniform with a high collar that had four gold stars on each side, a golden police badge on his right shoulder, navy blue pants, and a black utility belt. The door was already opened as Officer Rabbit Hopps led me inside his office while I had a glimpse of the door as I saw it said "Chief Bogo". I guess this must be the buffalo's name, and he was the head honcho of this police group.
I was led to a very huge chair as she let go of my ear while remaining behind me. I started climbing up the chair as Officer Rabbit Hopps went around and climbed up the chair as she sat down next to me, due to the chair being so big it could actually fit two small creatures like me and her. With a mischievous grin, Officer Rabbit Hopps didn't notice as I quickly pulled on her ear, causing her to cry, "Ow!" She looks at me with glaring eyes. "Hey!"
"That's what you get for pulling on my ear, jerk!"
I blew raspberries at her face, causing her to flinch in disgust as some of it was on her face. She angrily wipes the side of her face as she says to me with clenched teeth, "Why you…"
"Alright enough!" Chief Bogo as we looked at him. He sat down on the chair of his desk while opening up a file and putting on his glasses, then he looked at us. However, his eyes turned to me first as he said, "You, young lady, are extremely lucky that…" He stopped what he was going to say next.
"What?" I shrugged. "I'm lucky that I'm what?"
I noticed that his eyes were looking at something. I followed his gaze as he was staring at the bag that I had which held the book inside.
He sighs as I look back at him and he points at me saying, "You I'll deal with later." He then points at Officer Rabbit Hopps. "And you, abandoning your post, inciting a scurry, reckless endangerment of rodents which puts you at the same charge as hers. But, to be fair…" He takes off his glasses while closing the file. I watched as he brought out that same bag that weasel had. "Not only did you catch a kid who's been causing trouble, you also stopped a master criminal from stealing two dozen moldy onions."
The bag was opened as I saw what Chief Bogo described inside the weasel's bag. Seriously? I don't mean to criticize, but that's just pathetic for Officer Rabbit Hopps to retrieve from that weasel. I thought it was money or something inside that bag. It seems that she wasted her time for nothing. On the other hand, the weasel was a thief so I guess it wasn't a complete total loss and lucky for her I managed to give her a hand to catch this guy.
"Mmm. Hate to disagree with you, sir, but those aren't onions." Officer Rabbit Hopps said to Chief Bogo. "Those are a crocus varietal called: midnicampum holicithias. They're a Class-C botanical, sir. Well, I grew up in a family where plant husbandry was kind of a thing."
"Shut your tiny mouth now!" Chief Bogo said as he put away the bag.
"Sir, I got the bad guy-"
"Along with me, don't forget," I cut-in.
She looks at me with glaring eyes and says, "You shouldn't interfere with police business, young lady. It's dangerous out there and you could get hurt."
"What, I can't be a good pedestrian and help?"
"No, I'm saying you shouldn't get into other people's business."
"Well, I don't need your advice Officer Rabbit Hopps, I can take care of myself."
"First of all, it's not 'Rabbit Hopps', that is insulting. My name is Judy Hopps, got it?"
I waved her off and turned my back on her while I crossed my arms as I wasn't in the mood and said, "Whatever, Officer Judy Rabbit Hopps."
"Ooo!" I heard her foot thumping. "You are so unbelievable! You are acting like a brat, cat!"
I turned my head and glared at her. "Long ears."
Her eyes widened, then they narrowed. "Ungrateful child!"
I stood up as I slowly walked to her. "Carrot for brains!"
She started to walk towards me. "Stubborn girl!"
We got into each other's faces as our noses touched one another. "Cabbage breath!"
She leans forward at me. "Stupid kid!"
I leaned forward at her. "Fluffy buns!"
"Enough!" Chief Bogo shouted as he slammed a hoof on his desk as both me and Judy separated and looked at him.
The intercom of his phone beeped as we heard a male voice say, "Chief, uh, Mrs. Otterton's here to see you again."
Chief Bogo hits the answering button and says, "Not now."
"Okay, I just didn't know if you'd want to take it this time. She seems really-"
He was cut off as Chief Bogo stood up from his chair and hit the answering button a bit harder this time as he said with a hard tone, "Not now!"
"Sir," Judy said as Chief Bogo looked at her. "I don't wanna be a meter maid, I wanna be a real cop."
"Do you think the mayor asked what I wanted when he assigned you to me?" Chief Bogo fumed.
"But, sir, if-"
"Life isn't some cartoon musical where you sing a little song and your insipid dreams magically come true." He leans forward. "So let. It. Go."
The door opens as I see a female otter who had brown fur and tan on her muzzle, pink nose, and green eyes, and was wearing a pink sweater coat and light-purple shirt while having a yellow purse hanging on her arm. "Chief Bogo, please," she said as she begged him. "Five minutes of your time, please."
Panting exhaustingly behind her who arrived at the door was an obese male cheetah. His police uniform was different to both Judy's and Chief Bogo's as he wore a long-sleeve dark-blue shirt and pants, a black necktie with a golden pin on it, and had the same golden police badge on his right shoulder and black utility belt. Then, he said in a recognizable voice from the intercom tiredly while trying to catch his breath, "I'm sorry, sir. I tried to stop her, she is super-slippery. I gotta go sit down."
As the male cheetah walked away, I watched as Mrs. Otterton pulled out a photograph from out of her purse. My eyes squint as I see an adult male otter and two other male otters who were kids. "Ma'am," Chief Bogo said to her as I looked and saw him standing up off the chair as he walked to her. "As I've told you, we're everything we can."
"My husband has been missing for ten days. His name is Emmitt Otterton."
"Yes, I know."
"He's a florist. W-We have two beautiful children. He would never just disappear."
I dangled my legs while looking at Judy, who looked sympathetic for poor Mrs. Otterton. I guess I can't blame her. Still, I got a weird feeling that she's not going to just stand there and do nothing. After all, the book did say that she was the one who had the heart of a hero. But I wonder how far she'll go?
"Ma'am, our detectives are very busy."
"Please, there's got to be somebody to find my Emmitt."
"Mrs. Otterton-"
"I will find him," Judy cuts in as she hops off the chair while I watch.
Mrs. Otterton seemed overjoyed as she said with happiness, "Oh! Thank you!" She went over and hugged Judy, surprising her a bit before she hugged her back. "Bless you, bless you, little bunny!"
I looked at Chief Bogo who growled irritatedly while having an unamused face. Looking back at both Judy and Mrs. Otterton, the female otter gives her the picture while saying, "Take this. Find my Emmitt. Bring him home to me and my babies, please."
Judy nods her head as I hop off the chair. I was going to say something to Mrs. Otterton, but Chief Bogo clears his throat and says, "Mrs. Otterton, please wait out here."
"Of course," Mrs. Otterton walks out the door. "Oh, thank you both so much."
As Mrs. Otterton was out, Chief Bogo's voice sounded nice as he said to her, "One second." After he closed the door, I could almost sense the tension rising from him as he looked at Judy with an angry look. "You're fired."
"What!" Me and Judy said in unison while we looked at one another. Seriously, I was just as surprised as she was.
Judy nods her head and looks back at Chief Bogo while putting the photo in her utility belt. "Why?"
"Insubordination!"
My mouth dropped, then I had an angry look of my own as both of my paws clenched tightly.
"Now, I'm going to open this door and you're going to tell that otter you're a former meter maid with delusions of grandeur who will not be taking the case."
Alright, that's it! I don't care if he was the chief of police or even an adult for all I care, I am seriously going to talk some sense into that buffalo. Even if it means I have to go catty on him! No pun intended on that.
However, I never got the chance when he opened the door and right next to Mrs. Otterton was a female diminutive sheep. The wool on her head was styled into a pom-pom shape and she had green eyes with glasses over them that were red and orange patterned. She wore a blue coat with a small golden flower pin attached to it, a golden necklace with a bell attached to it that was around her neck, an orange bracelet on her wrist, and had a grey shirt and skirt with black lines that formed a plaid pattern. Her hooves were on Mrs. Otterton's paws while she looked at Chief Bogo and said, "I just heard Officer Hopps is taking the case."
"Assistant Mayor Bellwether." Chief Bogo said, a little surprised and smiling nervously.
Assistant Mayor Bellwether takes out her smartphone and starts tapping away at her screen. "The Mammal Inclusion Initiative is really starting to pay-off." She chuckles as she adds, "Mayor Lionheart is just gonna be so jazzed!"
"No, no, let's not tell the mayor just yet."
She finished tapping her smartphone, then said, "And I've sent it and it is done, so I did do that." She puts away her smartphone and steps inside the office as Chief Bogo places a hoof on his face while I give out a soft chuckle. "All right," Assistant Mayor Bellwether says as he places her hooves on Judy's paws. "Well, I'd say the case is in good hands. Us little guys really need to stick together, right?"
"Like glue," Judy said.
I couldn't help but laugh slightly at how cute that sounded. Assistant Mayor Bellwether even laughed a little as she said, "Good one." Her eyes then turned to me. "Oh, hello there." She offered her hoof as I took it. "You must be new here?"
"Yeah, I just got here," I answered.
"Well, it's good to see new…" She stopped what she was going to say as her eyes widened.
"Are you okay?" I asked her.
I noticed the same gaze Chief Bogo gave when he saw this bag, she too was looking at it, then she looked at me and back at the bag again. Pulling my paw away, she immediately whipped out her smartphone again and started tapping away.
"Bellwether, are you okay?" Judy asked.
She didn't seem to hear what Judy said. "Oh, Mayor Lionheart is going to be even more jazzed to know about her!"
"Wait, I don't think the mayor should-"
Chief Bogo was cut off as Assistant Mayor Bellwether finished tapping her smartphone. "And that part is done."
Chief Bogo sighs with annoyance while Judy tries to ask her by saying, "Bellwether, what's going-"
"Hold that thought, I need to answer this next text."
She starts tapping away for a second, then stops. Everything seemed quiet for the moment until her smartphone rang. "Close the door, Chief Bogo," she ordered him. Chief Bogo sighed as he closed the door while she said to Mrs. Otterton, "Be back with you in the moment, just need to handle something private."
Last thing I saw from Mrs. Otterton was her confused look. Guess I can't blame her, I'm just as confused as she is. What is going on around here?
Assistant Mayor Bellwether answers her smartphone, "Hello, sir." She gasped as she nearly dropped her smartphone while my ears could barely make-out words that were yelling at her. Clearing her throat, she offers me her smartphone. "Uh, for you."
I slowly took her smartphone while I remained confused. Bringing it to my ear, I answered slowly, "Um...hello?"
"When did you arrive here?" A male voice asked me which I assumed must be Mayor Lionheart.
"About a few hours ago, I think," I answered oddly.
"You mean you didn't take the private train to get here?"
Now I was even more confused while answering, "No, I don't know what that is."
"I see. Has Chief Bogo briefed you on anything?"
I looked at Chief Bogo while answering Mayor Lionheart, "No, he hasn't told me anything about what's going on."
"Alright, hold on a moment."
There was smooth music and I was about to talk to Chief Bogo, but I was cut off as the phone on his desk rang. He went over to it and picked it up, then he answered, "Mayor Lionheart...Yes, I'm aware..." He sighs. "I'll be sure to handle it once I'm done with something."
He hangs up the phone as I place the smartphone back on my ear as Mayor Lionheart said to me, "Anyway, I'm Mayor Lionheart, welcome to Zootopia. I hope you enjoy your stay and I'm even glad you're here, we need all the help we can get."
My confusion reached newer heights. "Wait, what's that supposed to mean?" He didn't answer me as he hung up. My eyes widened with shock as I looked at Judy, who was just as confused as me. "He hung up on me."
The smartphone was snatched out of my paw as Assistant Mayor Bellwether took my paw and quickly shook it while saying, "As Mayor Lionheart probably said on the phone, welcome to Zootopia." She quickly wrapped her arm around my waist while she brought her smartphone in front of our faces. "Smile for the camera! Mayor's gonna need to know who you look like." She probably smiled while I had a perplexed and still confused look on my face. There was a brief flash as it was over, then she took her arm off my waist and put away her smartphone. She looks at both me and Judy as she says, "Now, if you two need anything just call me, okay? You've always got either a friend or an ally at City Hall." She walks towards the door as Chief Bogo opens it. "Alright, bye-bye."
"Thank you, ma'am," Judy said as she waved.
"Yeah, same here," I gave Assistant Mayor Bellwether a small wave as Chief Bogo shut the door.
Okay, that was...weird. I'm still completely clueless of what just transpired. It looked like the mayor was expecting me or something. Not to mention, not only has Assistant Mayor Bellwether noticed this bag I was carrying, but so has Chief Bogo. Do any of them know that I have this book? No, that'll be crazy, there's no way they know about this.
My thoughts were put on hold for now as Chief Bogo sighed, then Judy said to him, "Chief Bogo, what is going on here?"
He looks at her with narrowed eyes and answers, "That is none of your concern, Hopps. This is classified information."
"Classified information? What do you-"
"It means drop it Hopps. There are some things in this world you don't need to know about. This is one of them."
Okay I think I had enough of this as it was time to step in. My eyes narrowed as I said to him, "Alright, I think that's enough from you, Bogo brain!"
That seemed to get his attention. "What did you just say?"
"Look," I sighed. "I didn't come here to argue with you, but I think you're being unfair right now." He was going to say something to me, but I cut him off by saying while holding up a paw, "Ah, shut up! I don't want to hear another word from you until you hear me out. It's already bad enough that both me and Judy are completely clueless of what's really going on and about this 'classified information' thing you're holding out on. If you don't want to tell us, then that's fine. Sooner or later, either me or her is going to find out about this eventually. And as much as I wanna sit back and watch you yell at her." I quickly pointed a finger at Judy without looking as I knew she would probably say something. "Be quiet. You're not giving her a chance to prove herself. Over what, her being a rabbit! That right there is an insult! Just for your information, I've seen what she did and she's got what it takes to be a hero. If you don't think she deserves to be a hero or even wear that badge, then prove it or fire her! But if you choose the latter, Mayor Lionheart will find out about this and you're going to be in deep doo-doo, mister." I place my paws on my waists. "So what's it gonna be, buddy?"
I hear Judy chuckle a little while Chief Bogo looks at her as she quickly stops. He sighs as my words start to seep in, then I could tell the look on his face as he relented and said to Judy, "I will give you forty-eight hours."
"Yes!" Judy cheered as she whooped in the air.
"That's two days to find Emmitt Otterton."
"Okay."
"But," Chief said sharply as he pointed at her. "You strike out...you resign."
"Oh, uh…"
Okay now Chief Bogo is being unfair again. On the other hand, this does prove to be an advantage as this should put her to the test to see if she had what it takes to wear that badge. I pst at her as her eyes looked at me as I mouthed, "Do it!"
She looks back at Chief Bogo. "Okay. Deal."
"Splendid," Chief Bogo smiled as he opened the door. "Clawhauser will give you the complete case file."
She starts walking out the door. Right before the door closed, she looked at me as I gave her a thumbs-up.
Looking at Chief Bogo, he tilts his head towards the chair. I immediately went back to the chair as I climbed up and sat down. While I sat there as Chief Bogo was coming towards me, I said to him, "Look, if you're still a little sore about me calling you 'Bogo brain'. Can you just put it behind and-Hey!" He takes the bag that I had off my shoulder. "Wait, that's-"
I didn't finish what I said as I watched in complete shock as there was stardust surrounding the bag, then it enlarged as Chief Bogo was carrying it to his desk and laid it there. I nodded my head and rubbed my eyes, hoping I wasn't seeing things, but the bag remained the same size. Chief Bogo sat down and said to me, "Your name and rank?"
I was confused. "What?"
"I said, what is your name and rank?"
I still remained confused by that last part, but I answered him, "Uh, um, Tracy. My name is Tracy Kaden. And I, uh, I don't have a rank."
"Really?" He smiled at me as if he didn't believe me. "Well, we'll just have to see then." He opens the bag and digs through it, then pulls out what looked like a smartphone but it looked way different than that. It was smooth from the front and back and looked like it was made from crystal while the color of it was black. Chief Bogo looks at it with surprise before looking at me, seeing that I was telling the truth. Setting whatever that was aside, he digs through the bag and pulls out the book. His eyes widened, then they narrowed as he turned the book and showed me the front cover, and pointed at it saying, "This is King Mickey's grimoire! Where did you get this?"
King...Mickey? I thought while I was surprised about that book. At least I know it was called a grimoire. But still, who's King Mickey?
Chief Bogo slams his hoof on the desk, bringing me out of my thoughts while I jump as he yells, "Answer the question!"
"U-Uh, a man let me have it."
"What did he look like?"
"An old man with a long grey beard and he had a very serious look on his face."
Chief Bogo seemed to soften up when I described that man who gave me that grimoire. He sighs and puts the grimoire on his desk, then stands up as he goes towards the window. Everything seemed quiet for a few seconds until he slammed his hoof on the window, causing me to jump again while he said, "I can't believe this! Sending an unranked Guardian with no grimoire but has to use the king's grimoire!" He grunts as he slams his forehead on the window, making it rattle yet lucky enough it didn't crack. "Why couldn't it be someone of higher rank or maybe someone older other than a kid!"
Okay, this was not only a little awkward, but also confusing. Did he just say "Guardian"? Was he referring to me? "Um, Chief," I said as he looked at me. "What're you saying?"
He sighed as he went back to his desk and sat down. "Nevermind that, I'll just cut to the chase. We have fourteen missing mammals with Emmitt Otterton being number fourteen and each and every last one of them are predators."
I cocked my eyebrow and shrugged, "Okay, so what does this have to do with me?"
"That part you don't need to be concerned with. Let the police handle that. However, there is one other thing that no one in this department except me knows about, and that is where it concerns you."
"What is it?"
"A relic has been stolen from City Hall, long before the missing mammals took place. And I think there could be a connection between this and what's happening now."
"So who stole it?"
"I don't know. Not even the mammals at City Hall gave me that answer. Your job is to find this relic and the perpetrator behind this. Under no circumstances you too reveal that mission to anyone as this is classified information."
I was shocked. So this was the "classified information" Chief Bogo was talking about, and it was only meant for me. But why only me? Why couldn't anyone else in this city find this relic? However, something crossed my mind as I asked him, "What does this relic look like?"
"A very special looking key." He shortens down his hooves on his right to simplify his explanation. "About a yay big that's different from the rest."
A key? I thought...then my eyes widened as I remembered something. "Hold on. Does this key have a cylinder shape with no head at the top and have a star symbol with a paw at the center right at the bottom?"
It was Chief Bogo's turn to have his eyes widen. "How did you know that?"
"It's in the book. The image of it is still there."
Chief Bogo opens the book and flips through the pages while I get up and get a little closer to his desk. When he finds the image of where I saw that key, his eyes once again widened as he showed me the page and pointed at it saying, "This is The World Key. Why is this in there?"
I shrugged and answered, "I don't know, maybe it has to do with this 'King Mickey' guy you mentioned."
He looks back at the page. "Maybe you're right." He gives a small chuckle and adds, "Mickey, you've always been a step-ahead of things." He looks back at me. "Was there anything else that appeared in this grimoire?"
"Well, yeah, but it's gonna sound a little crazy."
He closes the book. "Try me."
I sighed as I placed an elbow on the desk and laid my head on my paw. "Okay, there were some words that appeared in the form of a riddle. The first one said to seek out the rabbit who is clever and has the heart of a hero, and it led me to Judy, who matches the description who is supposed to help me find The World Key."
Chief Bogo gives me an unamused look. "You must be joking?"
I sighed again while I placed my paw at my eyes and nodded. "I wish I was, but I'm not." Moving my paw away from my eyes, I continued, "The second one said that I have to find a creature who is soft and innocent but has a heart filled with darkness. That's all that I know."
Chief Bogo didn't say anything for a second, then he quickly put down the grimoire as he was pulling a drawer somewhere in his desk and was digging through it.
"Chief?" I said with confusion.
Chief Bogo pulls out a notepad while closing the drawer, then gets a pen off his desk as he says, "Say that again?"
I was a little confused, but I answered, "Um, find a creature who is soft and innocent but has a heart filled with darkness."
He scribbles down everything that I said. Then with a smile, he said, "Finally, now we're getting somewhere." Putting away the notepad, he turns his attention back to me. "Good work, Tracy. With your help we should be able to find the perpetrator easier now. However, that still doesn't excuse the charges that you have."
"Charges?" I said with confusion.
"Yes. Interfering with police work, putting your claws on a superior officer, trespassing on rodent grounds, stealing rodent vehicles, and reckless endangerment of rodents. But, as I was trying to say before, you're extremely lucky that no charges are pressed against you since you're still young. And if things would've been different if you didn't have this bag. I would've sent you to the juvenile detention hall in a heartbeat. However, I'll overlook this for now. Just so we're clear with each other, I don't like troublemakers causing trouble here in this city. If you start causing trouble again while you're doing your job in finding The World Key. I don't care if you're a Guardian or not. I will literally take you by the scruff of your neck, find the smallest holding cell I could find to stuff you in there, and keep you there until you learn to respect the law of our world." He leans forward to me. "Now is that clear, young lady?"
"Yes sir," I nodded as he leaned back to his chair. "But there is one thing I want."
"That is?"
"I want to be with Officer Hopps. I won't interfere with police work." Chief Bogo didn't notice that I crossed my fingers behind my back as I wasn't going to keep my word on that. "So I'll just be a spectator while I get to view more of the city until she finishes this case and then helps me with my job. That's if she succeeds before her time runs out and gives up her badge."
Chief Bogo sighed, then said, "Very well then." He puts both the grimoire and that odd-looking smartphone back inside the bag and hands it to me as I take it and stardust surrounds it as it shrunk back to normal size, then he stands up off his chair and walks away from his desk. "Follow me and I'll take you straight to Officer Hopps."
Nodding, I hop off the chair while shouldering the bag as Chief Bogo leads me out the door so he could take me to Officer Hopps.
Judy waits patiently for Clawhauser to return with the complete case file of Emmitt Otterton. While she was sitting down on Clawhauser's chair, her mind was wandering about something else. Something seemed a little...off for some strange reason. Ever since she brought that kid here, she noticed that Chief Bogo's eyes were looking at her, but not at her face. Not to mention, she even noticed Bellwether looking at that bag she had, and the kid literally spoke with the mayor on the phone. Something weird was going on here and it concerned that kid. What was even weirder was about this "classified information" that she heard. What was so special about that kid and the bag that she had? Better yet, who was she exactly?
Her thoughts were put on hold when Clawhauser returned with a case file in one paw along with a glass of soda in the other paw. Laying it down on the desk in front of her, he said, "Here you go, one missing otter."
Judy opens the file, and much to her shock, there was only a picture of the last known sighting of Emmitt Otterton along with his picture that was attached to a paperclip. "That's it?"
Clawhauser was about to take a bite out of a chocolate and sprinkled donut he got out of the box, but when he noticed that file, he said, "Yikes! That is the smallest case file I've ever seen. Leads: none. Witnesses: none. And you're not in the computer system yet, so resources: none!" He laughs a little while flicking his donut, dumping some candy sprinkles on the desk and file, saying, "Oh, I hope you didn't stake your career on cracking this one."
Clawhauser never realized that she just staked her career cracking this case, and she had only forty-eight hours to do it before Chief Bogo took her badge away. Despite these odds stacked against her, she would have to work what she's got. So, dusting away the candy sprinkles, she looks a little closer at the picture while saying, "Okay. Last known sighting." She was having a hard time trying to see the small images without a magnifying glass. However, her luck turned around when her keen ears heard the slurping of Clawhauser finishing his soda. An idea forms in her head as she could use that as a magnifying glass. "Can I just borrow…" She takes the glass bottle away from him. "Thank you." Looking from the inside of the glass bottle with one eye, she managed to get a better look at the image of Emmitt Otterton, who had a popsicle in his paw. "Popsicle?" She brought the glass bottle closer to that image as a look of familiarity struck her.
Clawhauser took the straw out of his mouth after Judy took the bottle from him. "The murder weapon."
Her one eye lowered away from the glass bottle. "Get your popsicle." She remembered those words from a certain fox she ran into the other day as he said those exact words.
"Yeah, 'cause that...what does that mean?"
"It means…" She looked back inside the glass bottle and looked at a different image, this time a certain fox by the name of Nicholas Wilde who was there before Emmitt Otterton went missing. "I have a lead."
"Hopps!"
Judy yelped in surprise while accidentally tossing the glass bottle behind her, causing both her and Clawhauser to wince as it shattered. Chief Bogo stood before them as he said to her, "If you're done here, I have an extra assignment for you."
Judy had an odd look while Chief Bogo bent down, then brought up the kid to the desk.
"Your assignment is to-"
"Oh!" Clawhauser interrupted him as he cooed when he saw Tracy. "What a cute little kitty cat!"
He started petting her head while Tracy said, "Um, hi, it's nice to-Oh…" Clawhauser strokes her neck as she couldn't help but fall on all fours and stretch her neck out as she purrs.
"Oh, she's purring at me!" He picks her up and cradles her at his chest, then pets her back as Tracy continues to purr and nuzzle at his chest. "You're such a cutesy-wootsy little adorable thing." Clawhauser cooed a baby voice. "Aren't you now?"
"Clawhauser!" Chief Bogo spoke sharply at him as he stopped petting Tracy and she stopped purring and nuzzling at Clawhauser. "If you're done here…" He points to the candy sprinkles close to the file where Judy had it on the desk.
"Oh! Oh! Right, sorry." Clawhauser puts Tracy down on the desk, then wipes the candy sprinkles on his paw and eats them.
Tracy scratches at the side of her neck with her claws, then proceeds to lick the back of her paw. However, the moment she did that, she started spitting slightly and patted her tongue. She brought both paws to each side of her head and lightly tapped both sides while she muttered, "Get a grip with yourself."
She didn't realize that Judy's keen ears heard her say that. Why was she acting like that? Wasn't it completely normal for cats to lick themselves? The way she was acting was a little...off for some strange reason. Putting that out of her head for now, Chief Bogo said, "Now, your extra assignment is to watch over this girl." She gave him a look that said "You can't be serious". "Show her around the city while you handle your case, but don't let her out of your sight."
Judy climbed on the desk and said, "Sir, with all due respect-"
"You're dismissed, Officer Hopps," Chief Bogo cuts her off. He smiles at her and adds, "Unless, of course, you want to call it quits now and hand me your badge?"
She didn't answer him, but she did sigh.
"I didn't think so. You have your orders and I suggest you get started before your forty-eight hours are up." He looks at Tracy. "Have fun with her till it lasts."
Tracy gives him a circle and raises her fingers. As he left, she went right next to Judy and said to her while wrapping her arm around the rabbit's waist, "Looks like we're gonna be stuck together like glue."
Judy didn't look at her as her eyes narrowed irritatedly and growled. She couldn't believe she was stuck with babysitting this kid, knowing full well that this could get dangerous. Clawhauser puts his paws on both sides of his cheeks and leans forward as he cooes, "Oh, you guys are so adorable together."
Judy growls again as her foot thumps fast.
(Tracy)
Me and Officer Hopps didn't say a word while she drove through the city in the small car we were in. My eyes kept looking here and there across the city as I couldn't help but be amazed at this big city called Zootopia. I never actually went to a big city at all, not ever in my life. Still, I'm starting to like this world more.
As I was done sightseeing for now, something crossed my mind. I opened the bag and pulled out that odd-looking smartphone. Looking at it closely, I wondered what this thing was. This wasn't like an ordinary smartphone as they possess a camera lens, but this one didn't. Not to mention, there was no power switch. So how could I turn this thing on? Getting a little curious, I tapped the screen. Immediately, the screen seemed to come to life as it said No Rank. Seriously, was this all it was going to do?
However, I noticed a small yellow arrow pointing to the right as it gave off a small beep every time it bounced on the side by it's arrow tip. Turning it around, I find a circle right at the middle of the screen with words on the top as it says Place Your Thumb Here. Playing along, I gave a small shrug and was about to place my thumb on that circle so I could see what would happen next, but it was snatched out of my paw with Officer Hopps saying, "Thank you."
"Hey, that's mine!"
I watched as Officer Hopps gave me a smug grin while placing her thumb on the circle as it started to scan and saying, "Good, maybe I could use this so I could call-Ow!" She drops the smartphone as it lands on the seat and waves her paw to get rid of the odd pain. I looked at it as my ears heard the small sounds of wee-oo and a red background blinking as it had a large exclamation point with the words in front of it saying Unauthorized Thumbprint Scan: Access Denied. "What kind of a phone is that?" she asked me as I looked at her.
I gave her a shrug and picked up the smartphone while answering, "Honestly, I don't know. Your guess is as good as-" I stopped myself as my eyes looked and sharply added, "Officer!"
The brakes were slammed as tires screeched and I was jerked forward. Right in front of us stood a doe who held a hoof out and a pedestrian sign while wearing a blue shirt over an orange vest and a white skirt. She didn't look like she worked with the police and was possibly a volunteer as many different mammal children were crossing. When we stopped she yelled, "Hey, watch it! Watch it! There are children trying to cross here!"
"Sorry!" Officer Hopps apologized. "Sorry about that!"
I sighed and nodded. Honestly, couldn't she at least pay attention to what's in front of her instead of just me and this thing? Still, turning my attention back to this smartphone, I tapped the screen as the noise stopped and returned back to the thumbprint scanner. After the children left, the female doe signaled to pass as Officer Hopps passed by while waving to her and the kids. As we were moving again, my mind wandered about this thing. Since it somehow painfully hurt Officer Hopps' paw as it didn't seem to take her thumbprint. I wondered, would it happen to me too? Wanting to test the waters and hopefully didn't regret it, I was about to place my thumb on the scanner if Officer Hopps didn't say to me, "Alright, tell me where you live."
I looked at her and said, "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, tell me where you live."
I see where this was going, Officer Hopps was trying to take me home, but she doesn't know I'm not from here or even from this world. "Hold on. Chief Bogo said that you need to watch over me and not to let me out of your sight."
"True," she looks at me with that smug grin of hers again. "But he never said I could take you home." She turns her attention back to the road. "Besides, your mom and dad are probably worried sick about you."
When she mentioned my mother, I sighed as I leaned back on the seat and said, "I don't have a mom, she died ever since I was born."
This was something I never told anybody or brought up the subject. I never had the chance to know my mother, but my dad showed me pictures of her so I could at least know her face. Dad was right about what he said to me before. I was like the splitting image of my mom, except her blonde hair had a dirtier shade and her eyes were green. However, Officer Hopps could be right about one thing, my dad is probably worried sick about me, and school is probably closed today. He's probably worrying his butt off since I haven't gotten home today.
"Oh I…" Officer Hopps sounded sympathetic after I told her. "I'm sorry, I didn't-"
"It's okay, you didn't know."
"So, uh...mind telling me where your dad is so I could take you home."
I cringed at this. How was I going to explain this to her? "Yeah, about that. You see, he's uh...he's not from here and neither am I."
That seemed to confuse her as she looked at me. "What do you mean by that?" I cringed again while scratching the back of my head, then her eyes widened as she sighed and said, "Oh, sufferin succotash, don't tell me you ran away."
"No, I didn't run away, I was taken out of my home."
She looked at me with a shocked look. "Are you saying you were kidnapped?"
"Well, not exactly, but uh…" She gives me that confused look again. "Look, it's complicated to explain, okay! So let's just not talk about it."
As I took attention away from her, I pressed my thumb on the thumbprint scanner. It started to scan my thumb, then it said Thumbprint Scan To User Approved. The background changes to a blue space with stars and a circle with runes going around it appeared along with a hexagram symbol, and right at the center there was a white dot. However, on the right-side there was an envelope icon with an already opened letter and a small red exclamation point. I didn't know why that was there, but I decided to ignore it for now. While this was transpiring, Officer Hopps said with a sigh, "Fine. I don't know what's going on here, but sooner or later you're going to have to-" She was cut-off after I got a bit more curious and touched the white dot. Immediately, the whole symbol started to glow as bits of light came out. "Hey!"
I watched as all those bits of light started to form until it finished forming into the city of Zootopia right in front of me. "Whoa!"
I jerked forward again as I yelped in surprise while the tires screeched to a stop. Looking at Officer Hopps, her eyes widened with complete shock after what just happened now. I couldn't blame her, because right in front of us was a holographic map that just came right out of that weird smartphone that I had. She looked at both me and the holographic map while saying, "What is...How did you...Huh?" Her jaw drops.
It was a little funny to see that, but I had a big grin while tapping my feet on the floor and saying with excitement, "Oh, my God! This is so cool!" I looked at the holographic map. "I didn't know this thing had a map. Now this makes things so much easier because I don't have to walk around to know the whole city." I giggled slightly.
"Alright," Officer Hopps said. "Who are you and where did you come from?" She points at the holographic map. "Because that right there is not normal."
Guess I can't blame her if this wasn't normal if our roles were reversed. I sighed and said, "Look, I know we got ourselves on the wrong foot. So, how about we start over. The name's Tracy. Tracy Kaden. As for where I came from, I can't tell you as I already told you it's complicated. However, I would like to make a deal with you." She gave me an odd look as I continued, "Since you're on a forty-eight hour time-limit to find Emmitt Otterton and keep your badge, I want to help you complete this case. In return, I want you to help me."
"What is it?"
"That part I can't tell you yet. For one, we need to focus on the case. Second, this information is classified."
She sighs while placing her paw on her forehead and saying, "Again with this 'classified information' thing."
"Don't worry," I said as Officer Hopps looked at me. "Once we deal with this case, I'll tell you everything that I know and what you need to help me with. Cross my heart." I signified what I said as I crossed my chest. "But, to warn you ahead of time, once I start telling you everything this will get shocking. So are you able to handle it?"
I could tell from the look on her face that she looked a little conflicted by what I said, but at the same time I did make valid points for her. So with a determined look, she gives me a nod. "Alrighty then," I thrusted my paw forward. "Do we have a deal then?"
"Yeah," she took my paw and shook it. "It's a deal." Her eyes narrowed at me as she added, "No secrets when this is over, got it?"
I nod my head in agreement while we took our respective paws back.
"By the way," she tilts her head to the holographic map. "I think you might wanna turn this off."
I was confused. "Why?"
She motions her paw as I look around and notice some mammals were staring at us, probably because of the holographic map that was still out in the open. As I was trying to figure out how to turn this off, I reached up with my paw on the holographic map and slid it diagonally as it enlarged. Going the opposite way, it shortened, then I tried moving it downwards. That seemed to get me somewhere as it flattened and I couldn't help but giggle in delight. I slid it again in a downwards angle as it shortened and said while I looked at Officer Hopps, "There, that should draw less attention."
Officer Hopps shrugged and started moving the car again.
"So, where are we going?"
"We're going to find Nicholas Wilde, I have some questions for him."
"Wait a second, 'Nicholas Wilde'? As in the fox, Nicholas Wilde?"
"Yeah," she looks at me. "You know him?"
"Yeah, I sorta bumped into him while I was trying to find you." She raises an eyebrow. "It's a long story, don't ask. But do you know where he could be?"
"No, but I have an idea where he might be."
This felt a little like deja vu. First Nick leads me to where Officer Hopps was. Now Officer Hopps is leading me to where Nick was. Still, I just hope that fox is willing to cooperate as time is of the essence and I also hope he's willing to lead us to a new lead in finding Emmitt Otterton.
Yeah, I had to break this chapter into two-parts because it felt too long and I didn't want it to drag on in one go. Anyway, with the deal set for Judy and a promise made with Tracy. Will Nicholas be able to help them find the missing otter before the deadline? Also, who is this "King Mickey" that Chief Bogo spoked about and how does he know about these so-called "Guardians"? Just who are they? The only way to find out is by reading the story and seeing part 2 of this chapter.
