Serendipity's Shadow

Rated T

Chapter 16

Judy smiled with sad eyes at Tia. With a calming breathe she approached Tia reaching her hand out to grab the photo in Tia's hand. Tia was a little resistant to release such an item that spoke more than a thousand words. But she eventually relented once she realized Judy wasn't going to talk without holding that photo first.

"Do you know about me? That is, about me being the first bunny cop…ever?"

Tia simply shook her head in a negative confirmation. She had never cared about what was going on with the world. Her main goal had always been to just survive.

"Well, I was. Thanks to the 'Small Mammal Initiative' set in place by Mayor, well…Ex-Mayor Lionheart. Because of that act, I was able to live out my childhood dream."

"You wanted to be a cop…since you were a kid?" Tia asked not able to relate to Judy's childhood.

"Yep. The family thought I was crazy, but I ignored their words. From my parents, siblings, neighbors, teachers, and fellow students studying to become police officers. I had to ignore all their words and prove them wrong. I…I thought I had succeeded when I graduated and got stationed in Zootopia. But the fight was only just beginning." Judy paused to gently caress the picture. " My biggest obstacle was actually when I arrived in Zootopia. No one wanted to give the cute 'token bunny' a chance. For months, I was a very…disliked meter maid. Until Chief Bogo needed more hands for a special case. I was strictly told that I just needed to gain intel on some missing mammals. But I knew…if I didn't take any initiative, I would just go back to being the adorable meter maid. I dug deeper than I was supposed to and questioned those who were 'off limits' until a big yellow envelope found its way into my mailbox one day. It had some vague hints…someone was trying to lead me in the right direction. A total of four envelopes would show up during my time working on this case. I didn't know who was giving me these helpful hints, but I was thankful. I thought maybe it was a fellow police officer who wanted me to succeed." Judy sat back down on the bed as Tia inched closer.

"It wasn't, was it?" Tia asked.

"Nope. The complete opposite. I was receiving aid by the Shadow, Zootopia's Shadow." Judy paused to allow the words to sink into Tia's mind.

"Why?"

"Because I was useful. And I was actually close to legally solving something that would have been a big problem for not just him…but also all of Zootopia." Judy looked Tia in the eye. "The case I was working...was the Night Howler case."

Tia looked at Judy in alarm. Even though she never cared for the world's problems. This was a big enough problem that even her little brother took notice of it. Tia remembered clear as the day her little brother watching the news. She was going to tell him dinner was ready, but he promptly told her to shush. Her little brother, never being one to skip meals, told her to be quiet so he could watch the news. This raised her curiosity significantly. And she watched as the news reporter stated that the assistant mayor was hatching a scheme using a certain flower that made animals go wild. This was one of the only days Tia was ever thankful for the police system.

"After I solved that case Chief Bogo officially allowed me to perform…other duties. And one by one I began to build up my reputation. So much so, that the Shadow began to take notice too. So one day we received an anonymous tip at some new bar called Shadow's Luck. I was sent to get intel. And all I found was an obnoxious, albeit handsome, annoying fox. What I didn't know was that this fox who kept trying to offer me a drink was Zootopia's Shadow."

"You refused a drink from the Shadow?!" Tia asked alarmed.

"I refused many, many, many drinks on multiple occasions from him, yes." Judy laughed.

"Either you're crazy or… you're crazy."

"Well, to be fair. I didn't know who he was at the time. I thought he was just another rich boy who thought it would be fun to get it on with a cute bunny." Judy laughed again. "And I technically wasn't wrong."

"So how did you go from that…" Tia pointed at the photo in Judy's grasp. "To that?"

"Nick is infamous for favors. You ask him for one and if he accepts, you're basically making a verbal contract that he now owns you. And that one day he will demand repayment." Judy paused remembering that first day they meet officially. "But I had an exception to this rule."

"Why?"

"Because I saved his life."

Judy began to describe in great detail the events that occurred on that day.

"So, what you are saying is…in technical terms. You saved the life of your, or the ZPD's, enemy."

"Technically. But I never saw him as my enemy. I saw him as the lesser of two evils…I guess. I don't really know how to explain it." Judy rubbed her brow in frustration. "But from that day onwards I would try to use up this 'free favor' that I had been given. Only for him to say this doesn't count as a favor."

"What did it count as?" Tia questioned with great curiosity.

"…A gift."

Judy and Nick stood in an alleyway as a police cruiser had just left the scene of a recent arrest.

"Alright." Judy declared happily. "Consider my favor used. Thanks for the help-"

"Nope." Nick interrupted calmly before leaning casually against the brick wall.

"Pardon?"

"You really have no clue what a favor from me means, do you Carrots?"

"I told you it's Officer Judy Hopps." Judy scowled.

"Focus Carrots, I'm trying to tell you something significant here." Nick laughed.

Judy crossed her arms in annoyance before allowing him to continue.

"People get favors from me that can change their lives, their neighbors' lives, the pothead around the corner, his life too. And instead, you just asked me to get you to the location of an active drug seller? No. that is not what you use one of my favors for."

"Then why help me?" Judy asked with a guarded tone.

"Consider it…a gift. For saving my life."

"And no matter what I asked for he delivered. It got to the point I was making arrest like I was making popcorn." Judy frowned. "Which didn't go unnoticed by my peers."

"Chief Bogo, you wanted to see me, sir?"

"Hopps." Chief Bogo gestured for Judy to take a seat. "We need to talk."

Judy swallowing her nerves sat as comfortably as she could in front of her superior.

"I'm speaking to you technically off the books. Nothing I say leaves this room. Is that clear officer."

"Yes, sir." Judy nodded.

Chief Bogo paused before choosing to continue.

"I know you've been receiving some outside help, Hopps. And I just need to warn you about the kind of person you are dealing with."

Chief Bogo went to great lengths to describe Zootopia's Shadow to Judy. And she listened intently to his every word. By the time he had finished Chief Bogo had hoped he had knocked some sense into the rabbit.

"I understand your concern, Chief Bogo. I will proceed with caution. But I will not sever my connections with Nick Wilde."

"Why?"

"Because this way I can keep Zootopia safe a lot easier."

Yes, in the beginning, Nick was nothing more than a helpful tool to Judy. Just as how she had been a tool for him.

"Then we grew closer…not on purpose it just kind of happened. Though I think Mr. Big played some part with inviting me and Nick over for dinner constantly." Judy laughed at the memory. "Then it was late-night walks through Zootopia. Him opening up about his childhood and the underground struggle to keep his throne. Then, I invited him to the fair at my childhood home. Where he left quite the impression on my family. And where I proceeded to accidentally drink some of Gideon Gray's secret moonshine recipe." Judy held up the photo for Tia to see. "I was drunk, Nick was trying to get me back home, Gideon was too busy laughing while trying to take the picture."

"Come on, Carrots." Nick pulled Judy onto his back.

"Wee! Piggyback ride!" Judy had giggled completely hammered.

Gideon was trying to calm down his laughter long enough to take a picture.

"Hold still." Gideon laughed. "I need to document this moment, so I never forget the day Judy drank some of my moonshine."

Nick completely ignored Gideon while trying to keep Judy on his back.

"Judy." Gideon called. "Smile for the picture."

It was at this moment a brilliant idea passed through Judy's drunk head. And so, as Nick looked at Gideon with a mischievous smile Judy leaned over his shoulder and gave the handsome fox a peck on the cheek. And that when Gideon snapped the picture.

"When I woke up, I didn't even remember kissing him and Nick didn't bother to remind me. That is until we got back to Zootopia, Nick found out my birthday was coming up, got me this book I wanted, and slipped this picture into its pages."

Tia had to hold back about gushing how cute this sounded. Instead, she decided to ask something else.

"So, what happened next?"

AN: I'm such a stinker when it comes to cliffhangers, lol. Hope you all have/had a wonderful memorial day weekend.