The new tales from Zootopia

by Vindictive456

This story is a well thought out work of fan-fiction that will cover in moderate pace how Judy came back to the force and convinced Nick to be her partner, Nick's training to become an officer and his days at the academy, a weird new case involving corrupt mammals and a new dangerous drug, all of that sprinkled with the growing love between Zootopia's favorite pair of officers.

15. Episode 15: Graduation

Author's note: Greetings dear readers. It is I, Valiant, and I have returned with a brand new Chapter of my fan-fiction. It feels like an eternity since we last spoken and I would like to start things off by thanking each and every one of you that stuck around. Plenty of crazy stuff has happened since I last published a chapter but things are starting to lighten up as news of the vaccine are spreading and the hopes for the end of this isolation are growing stronger. Before you start reading there are a few more things to get out of the way: This chapter is sort of like a filler episode, just a few things to get out of the way before getting to the real juicy stuff, I had to rewatch Zootopia and reinvent a few things to fit into the story and into the movie lore, nothing too drastic, just a few tweaks to keep the story interesting and rolling. Finally: If you thirst for even more of my stories, worry not, I am working on a new chapter for my Legend of Spyro fan-fiction, the world building is a little more tricky than initially expected and I am doing my research so that there will be no slip-ups during the story.

At any case, ONWARDS! And enjoy.

Episode 15: Graduation

Time passed quickly after Judy's departure, she had returned to Zootopia and to her normal obligations as a police officer once all of her reports had been reviewed, but even though the crucible was a long gone event, every cadet in the academy grounds continued to talk frantically about it. Every training session, every study hour, even a few social interactions were filled with some or other piece of parallel conversation about every strategy each squad employed and what they wished they had done better when the pressure was down on them, Nick and his friends were, in fact, the focus of plenty of those conversations. Nick, Samuel and Alfred continued with their routine lives in the academy grounds for two more weeks until they had to face off against the final written and practical exams for the law enforcing program.

After three uninterrupted days of written questionnaires, every one of the cadets were exhausted, now all that was left to do for everyone was await the results of their last evaluations. There was a lot of tension in the air after the exams, the cadets gathered together on a few occasions to discuss the answers that they had placed on each of their answering papers along with brief comparisons on what they could gather for the written portions and the level of anxiousness was very palpable, Nick, however, didn't appear too worried about any of that. The fox was very confident he had doe well and he spent the time after the final exams with incredible high spirits. Time passed by and Nick simply spent his days as he usually did, reviewing subjects while in the dorm or going though simple and repetitive exercising routines by the training course, there was no rush in his pacing and he felt comfortable having something to do and not just lazily hanging around.

One fine Saturday morning, Nick and Alfred were inside the dorm, relaxing for a while, the wolf didn't feel the need to burry himself on his studies anymore so he just laid on the bed and fiddled on his cellphone while the fox, seated near him, shuffled his deck of cards around like he liked to do. Alfred felt like the silence in the room was getting on his nerves, Samuel had left early to check on a few things and he hadn't come back, so Alfred decided to pull some conversation from Nick in an effort to make time go by a little faster. The two tossed all sorts of subjects to the wind, fictional stories, real life accounts, until the conversation suddenly landed on the exploits Alfred had performed while on his own during the crucible. Nick congratulated his friend as he took charge and devised a plan that took them on the path to victory by the end and he also inquired about the unforeseen chase that ensued while Helen's squad went after him. Alfred showed a smile and said:

- I don't think I'll ever run that much in my life ever again. Helen and her friends were relentless while they went after me and I couldn't get any respite to aim back at them.

Nick showed a side grin when faced with the light hearted tone that Alfred had chosen to talk about that moment. The wolf readjusted his body over the mattress so that his legs would be hanging by the side and he would sit while better facing his friend, he looked over at Nick and gestured with his paws while launching a little joke:

- You know? My father always said that the girls would run after me someday. I guess he was right.

Nick sounded a little chuckle and asked as to give that joke a follow up:

- Was it just like you imagined?

For five seconds Alfred deliberated on the course of that conversation, he looked over at Nick with a paw placed on his chin and answered:

- Yes, a little.

The fox laughed so it would be made clear that the wolf's attempt at humor was well stablished and well executed for that time. A few more minutes passed with the two friends just talking and nothing too remarkable happened while they were waiting, that is, until Samuel barged through the door, appearing excited and scared at the same time and showing that he was clearly short on breath from running all the way back to the dorms. Worried that something serious had happened, Nick raised from the work chair, walked a few steps closer to him and asked:

- Samuel, what happened? Are you alright?

The deer took his time breathing deeply before he released his answer:

- Guys! The results for the final selection exams have come out already. The administration pinned it on the main mural by the front desk.

The two canines swallowed in disquiet and gave their friend a few more seconds to disclose the most exciting piece of news that he was bringing up:

- I got a 75! I never got a 75 in my life. Except at sports.

Alfred raised from his seat over the bed and offered his congratulations to his friend, his curiosity lead him to ask with a bit of a stutter how much was his own score and Samuel admitted with some embarrassment that he hadn't stopped to make a mental note of the final scores belonging to his friends, he only saw his own place on the board and raced to the dorm to let the others know about the final score panel. Samuel placed a paw behind his neck and admitted further to it:

- Sorry you guys. I came here right away, but I'm sure you two did great.

Nick smiled and reassured Samuel saying that there was nothing to apologize for. The fox then gestured with his right paw for Alfred to follow close so they could see first hand the final results of all of their efforts:

- C'mon. Staying here will not change any results. Let's check on our final grades.

The two canines exited the room and walked in the direction of the front desk while seeing a big group of mammal cadets agglomerated in that very location. Plenty of the students walked out of the area with satisfied smiles as they had achieved the grades and positions that they sought for so long to acquire and, while walking near the mural by the front area, Nick and Alfred saw Helen who immediately called to their attention as she was also on her way with her room mates to check the grades posted for all to see. Samuel, satisfied with his grades, broke off from his group and decided to make preparations for a premature celebratory gathering with his friends, he was very sure that all of them would have passed the final exam with flying colors, however, he did not arrive on his destination by the cafeteria as another mammal walking past him caught his eyes.

While on route to the cafeteria and preparing to order a nice dish for himself and the others, Samuel saw Stevens walk by and the aardvark looked to be in much of a hurry as he rushed by while carrying something in his arms that was not the customary clipboard that he always had on him for most of the time. Stevens appeared to be carrying a heavy and thin metal adornment that was, most likely, supposed to be bolted somewhere in the academy grounds but there was no telling what could it be since the aardvark had the most care to cover the object with a large white tarp. Samuel's curiosity got the best of him and he deviated from his originally planed path to follow Stevens and figure out what he was doing, the aardvark knew that he was being followed closely by the cadet and didn't mind it very much, he figured that everyone else would figure out the big news sooner or later.

Back by the area near the front desk, Nick, Alfred and Helen were close to seeing their grading, they waited for a few of the other cadets to see their own scores and open way so the three of them could get a little closer to catch a sight of the mural. Helen couldn't wait any longer after she saw an opening amidst the crowd, she gently opened way so she would have plenty of room to go through and easily found her name and score among the beginning of the list.

- 86.7! I got an 86.7!

She spoke up with loud volume to her voice. Helen was really excited to see that all of her effort had paid off, she was congratulated by her friends and leapt into a warm hug from Alfred. The wolf took a few moments to repay the unexpected embrace and hoped that no one would notice how much his tail was waggling uncontrollably. Alfred was the second to go on and see where he was placed on the grading list, he found his name just after Helen's spot on the list and spoke up with not as much enthusiasm but still glad for his achievement:

- 85.9. Not bad.

The wolf turned to his friends and was also congratulated. Helen approached him and spoke on a bragging tone of voice:

- Congratulations, Alfred. Of course, I still have a significant lead on the final score.

Believing that this was nothing more than a silly gest at him, Alfred smiled and asked of her:

- You are not gonna let me live this one down, are you?

Helen directed her eyes to the ceiling and gestured as if she was thinking for an answer when in fact she already had one at the tip of her tongue:

- I don't see that happening any time soon.

The two of them exchanged a laugh but their moment was interrupted as Nick walked past them to check where he was in the score board. The fox got right in front of the mural and pointed a claw to the list of names positioned by the column marked as approved for ZPD services. His claw descended as his eyes followed the list of names down, name after name crossed his field of vision, but as the grades descended, he became more and more worried because he could not see his name anywhere in that list. The fox's ears lowered over his head and his shoulders dropped as his pointing claw reached the very end of the list and he had still not found his name anywhere. Worried about his friend's lack of action after a while, Alfred came closer and asked:

- Nick, what's wrong?

The fox slowly turned his body around and said:

- My name isn't here. My name isn't anywhere in the score board.

Helen and Alfred were shocked after hearing that, plenty of the other cadets had already seen their grades and left but Nick and his two friends remained as they frantically searched for the fox's name on the paper. Alas, nothing. Nick was truly nowhere to be found in the score board and that upset him greatly, he said no words, he simply leaned against a wall nearby and, seeing that, Helen walked in closer to speak to him:

- Maybe there was some sort of mix up. Maybe the computer just… didn't print out your name.

The white tigress placed her heavy paw gently over Nick's left shoulder to try and console him further while Alfred kept his eyes open and searched the list on the mural again and again for any sign that could point to the whereabouts of Nick's score. The wolf, disillusioned in face of the fruitless search, walked two steps back and spoke up while gesturing to the wall with his right paw:

- I do not understand. There must be a reason why your name is not accounted on this list.

Nick also believed that, but before any word could leave his mouth, before he even finished taking a breath to speak, he heard the voice of Samuel coming from outside as the deer yelled out:

- GUYS!

Helen and Alfred turned towards the front door of the main academy building, Nick's ear merely twitched in the general direction of the familiar voice and his eyes turned upwards just in time to see as the deer rushed into the building with such momentum on his dash that he nearly slipped and tripped over the smooth floor tiles beneath him when he tried to slow down. Once again bearing news that were too epic to be put in mere words, Samuel pointed outside to the way he had just come in and said:

- You guys have to see this!

In no time, Nick, Alfred and Helen followed Samuel as he guided them to the spot that they had visited before, the wall filled with plaques with the names of the best cadets from each academy class course. Samuel walked with a hurried pace to a spot near the far end of the wall and pointed to a shiny new plaque that had been bolted to the wall, a few other cadets were also there to watch and behold the newest names that were to be immortalized in the history of the ZPA. Nick, followed by all of his academy friends, stepped closer and saw the five names engraved on the metallic plaque:

1: Susane T. Silmore

2: Andersen M. Snoutfanger

3: Dilan Dousandale

4: Sandra D. Markinponce

5: Nicholas P. Wilde

Nick's jaw dropped, Helen gasped with excitement and Alfred was ultimately relieved, if not a little bit jealous, that his friend had achieved such high honors to have his name placed on the wall. Nick walked a few steps in front of the metal engraving and gestured over it with both of his paws while he tried and figure out what to say in that moment:

- I'm… I don't… I don't even…

Seeing that his comrade was unable to spill off the precise words for that instant, Samuel jumped in and placed an arm around him before saying out loud what they were all seeing:

- Dude, you're on the wall! You got your name on the wall!

Nick didn't mind being pulled into an uncomfortable embrace by his friend too much. As his head was being pressed between the muscles of Samuel's arm, he spoke up with not much volume but plenty of happiness to his voice:

- I can see that. I'm still working on believing it.

Seconds after saying that, Nick was surprised to see another voice insert itself in the conversation:

- I can see you are as surprised as I am, mister Wilde.

Nick and all the other cadets turned around and found major Grover and his assistant calmly walking in their direction, Samuel let Nick go from his hug and the fox stood straight to hear what the dog in charge was about to convey:

- With an outstanding '92.5' in the final score, I am proud to announce that you have earned your spot on the wall of fame of this academy. Believing it or not you have left your mark on this place. You all have.

The major walked a single step forward as he spoke that last part and he launched a scanning look to all the mammals there as he did so. Nick wished to pay his respects for the canine that yelled at them and pushed them forward during the course training, so he stepped closer to him and spoke up while gesturing with his left paw:

- Thank you sir.

- Do not thank me, Wilde. As you do recall what officer Hopps said, just because you have all the training and preparation that I could provide for you it does not mean you will be completely ready for what is yet to come. You may be a top of the line cadet inside these wall, but the challenges waiting for you just outside will not give a damn about it. Luckily, I trust that none of you shall toss what you have learned to the wind and drop into action without proper back-up. When you face off against the world none of you will be alone.

Major Grover showed one last look that revealed how proud he truly was of every single one of his students, he showed to everyone his stance before placing the finishing touches on his speech:

- I should also tell you that the ceremony for the awarding of your badges will take place in beautiful Okami square, Savana Central. You will all attend and receive the designation of your precincts by then.

Finally he showed them all a heart salute and said:

- To all of you I say: Congratulations and good luck.

He turned around and went on to make his exit as he signaled his assistant with his right paw and spoke up:

- Mr. Stevens. We go.

With that, the dog in charge delivered his final goodbyes to his students with great expectations in his mind for their future success in the force, he turned the corner while being followed by his loyal assistant who stopped and turn to silently congratulate everyone before hastily going on his way. Nick and his friend pumped their fists in the air and shouted with great fervor before they all went on to celebrate and every student in the academy could hardly wait for the ceremony that would make of them all fully fledged officers of the ZPD. From the combat trained cadets that entered the crucible to the scientifically endowed minds that entered the forensics program of the investigation units, every mammal was satisfied with getting their recognition for their respective efforts but there were still a few minor things left to do.

Two more days rolled by and all of the recently formed cadets were preparing to leave for Zootopia, plenty were planning to move along by train to arrive early but most of them acquired a ride with friends or family to transport them to the center of Zootopia. Every cadet had a special fitting to have unique ceremonial uniforms outfitted specifically for each of them, Nick took almost half an hour to get ready, most of the time spent making sure that every seam of his brand new attire was in place. The fox admired himself in the mirror of his dormitory before gathering his belongings and leaving the room behind, soon that place would house another group of cadets and he hoped their experience would be as memorable as his own.

---

Walking along the edges of the training field, Nick was making his way to the front gates of the academy and thinking about his most efficient route before he left to the train station, he thought about catching a cab as soon as he got to Zootopia so that he could reach the center savanna with plenty of time for the ceremony. Nick had taken the time on the days before to sent out text messages to his mother and to Judy as to tell them both about the great news, Maria replied to his message saying that she would near the front row of chairs to watch her son and Judy merely reply with the comment that she didn't doubt him for a single second. After what felt like a lifetime of preparation, Nick left the academy grounds and made his way back to the city saving each great time he had deeply in his heart.

Still inside the academy grounds, Samuel and Alfred were fully dressed and anxiously awaiting for their rides to arrive so that they could go to Zootopia, Samuel had a huge smile on his face that he could not dismiss after he heard that he would be waiting for his elder brother Douglas to come by the gate to pick him up. Alfred was not so excited to leave as his friend as he heard that a private driver contracted by his father would arrive to pick him up, the wolf was, however looking forward to be heading back to Zootopia and reaffirming his great achievement to his father.

Alfred was walking in the direction of the front gates when he looked slightly to the left and saw Helen as she chatted with a few of her friends that hadn't left yet, she was dressed in a flawless blue uniform and her figure was very well accentuated by the cloth of her shirt which was tucked away by the base and being pressed slightly over her torso thanks to the well-adjusted belt around her waist. Alfred halted over his steps and looked at her smile from a distance, he soon directed his eyes to the ground right in front of him as his mind figured that there was no better time to talk to her than at that very second. The wolf adjusted the luggage he was carrying with him over his back and walked with simple but decisive steps in her direction, Helen's friends waved her goodbye and said that they would meet her at the site of the ceremony, as soon as she turned her head she found Alfred walking towards her and waved her right paw to cumpriment him:

- Alfred! Hey!

She smiled and spoke up excitedly as the wolf smiled back and continued to walk near her. He smiled and answered with a simple wave of his left paw as he said:

- Hey, Hellen. You look… great. How did your fitting for the uniform go?

The tigress gave a little twirl as she took another feel of her uniform, as she had done about twelve times since that morning, before she answered him:

- It took such a long time but it was so worth it. I never thought I could find myself in a ZPD uniform and that it would feel so good. Although, I am still having a hard time moving my tail in these pants, I think the tailor made the hind side larger than it needed to be.

Alfred did his best to maintain a stoic expression as he talked to her and as he wondered in silence:

"How can anyone be THIS adorable?!"

The wolf made a sound like he was clearing his throat and approached her with another step, he extended his right paw to her and spoke up trying to keep a calm tonality in his voice:

- I've actually been meaning to talk to you in private, Helen. There is something really important that I must tell you.

Catching the hint of somberness in the wolf's voice and believing that something bad must have happened, Helen's ears fluffed up and twitched to the sides as her little blue eyes were placed solely over him. She decided to hear him out to whatever seemed to be bothering him, she nodded her head and said:

- What is it? Did something happen?

Alfred opened his mouth to speak, however, two seconds went by and no sound escaped his throat. He closed his mouth, pressed his lips between his frontal fangs and looked around to make sure that there was nothing that could disrupt that moment. That intriguing set of actions only caused Helen's chest to be filled with more worry leading her to believe that there was some dreadful piece of information that her friend wished to tell her but just could not find the words to do so. Helen was freaking out a little bit from the inside and made a few wild speculations on what she could be about to hear, maybe some delay on the badge ceremony or an error that might cause the two of them to remain behind while everyone else went on their ways, the tension was too much for her and Alfred noticed that once he closed his mouth and saw her eyes trembling and her breath become a little shallow.

Not wanting to look like a crazy mammal and just seeking to get the confession of his feelings over with, Alfred spoke up:

- Could you just… follow me. I think it would be easier to speak if we go to somewhere a little more private.

Helen's tail twitched upwards near its base showing that she was definitely not ready for what Alfred was about to say to her, even if she was not sure what that exactly was. Alfred guided her until they were at the same corner spot that she had pulled him to talk during the day before the crucible. The sight and feeling of that familiar spot made Helen calm herself down a little as she leaned her back against the wall and Alfred positioned himself near her to speak his mind. He began with a concise and direct manner of speaking by saying:

- Helen.

She looked at him as he positioned himself in a straight stance, clenched his right paw into a fist beside him and said:

- The reason why I called you here is because I have the need to tell how I truly feel about you.

Helen didn't change her posture or the expression in her face but her line of thought changed directions unexpectedly as she wondered:

"How he truly feels about me?"

Alfred continued after taking a short breath:

- Ever since the very start of the academy course, when I heard about you and of how you were selected to take part in the academy, I have felt a great deal of admiration for you. I always wished to talk to you but I never could figure out how, always thinking you might find me too weird or silly. When Nick invited you to join us in our studies I was happy beyond words, I thought it would've been a great chance to approach you.

Helen was with him so far and she felt a soothing mixture of relief and appreciation for the wolf's words and that caused her mouth to display a sweet smile while her tail calmly swished from side to side near the wall right behind her, Alfred wasn't done yet, however. The wolf took another dash of air into his chest for extra courage and continued:

- The matter of the fact is that… Helen…

She leaned her body a little closer and that is when he finally said it:

- I think I have a crush on you.

Helen's tail stopped moving around and her smile disappeared as her mouth hanged half opened, her eyes remained stationary over Alfred as she saw him lowering his head while breathing heavily through his nose, that bit of information was not expected by her in the least and she wished to make sure to not misinterpret it in any way. Helen distanced herself from the wall and gave a single short step forward as she asked for absolute clarification while placing great emphasis on each of her words:

- You have a crush… on me?

Alfred directed his sight back at her and gestured with his paws while trying to remedy the moment by explaining it better:

- Maybe these are not the precise words to say. The thing is: I admire everything that you do, everything that you say. I adore to see you smile and I enjoy all the time we spent together, not just studying and training but hanging out as well. At first I thought that these feelings were just an inconsequent fabrication on my part, but the more time I spent with you the more it became apparent to me that this was more than a silly crush. I like you Helen. A lot.

The tigress placed the palm of her right paw over her chest, seeing the wolf directing his determined although unsure eyes at her and placing all of his feelings out in the open gave her heart a sudden palpitation that she hadn't experienced before. The few seconds of silence that were shared after he finished speaking were enough to tell that she was clearly not up for answering to his emotional repute on the spot so he decided to give her some space to process that. He pointed to a random direction that he was thinking on following and take his leave as he said:

- I… can tell that you don't think that this is appropriate, so I'm just gonna give some space.

Helen did not wish for him to leave just like that, she extended her right arm over to him and gave a little stepping hop forward to reach him more easily and said:

- Alfred. Hold on!

The wolf turned around and heard what she had to say, expecting it to be her voice letting him down easily but in fact it was something else:

- That is not fair, you know?

Alfred looked at her and his ears twitched to the sides in confusion, he leaned closer and asked:

- W… what?

- You call me and ask me to follow you here, you bear your soul out in the open and it causes me to be nearly breathless with worry that something bad may have happened, you drop a bomb like that in front of me and give me no time to give an answer before deciding to leave. That is just not fair.

Alfred leaned his head back when faced with the irrefutable logic that his harshness and incongruent rush to get an immediate answer out of her was not coming on as an endearing trait for that scenario. He lowered his head and placed his paws together as he apologized to her:

- I'm… sorry.

- It's alright. By my guess this is relatively new for the both of us.

Alfred's embarrassment was well above any of his acceptable parameters, Helen thought that it was really sweet of him to be stumbling so much during all of that. She walked a step back while swishing her tail to the side and spoke her mind to him:

- Truth be told, this is very new to me. No tiger, no mammal, has ever spoken to me like that. I never had someone confessing to me before.

Alfred appeared surprise to hear that, he looked over to Helen once more before asking with a touch of disbelief in his voice:

- You… hadn't?

- No. I thought about it a few times but I never had someone that would confess to wanting to be my boyfriend. I always imagined it would be a little bit like this. It's kind of exhilarating… and confusing.

Helen realized that it would be for the best to place a real explanation for that moment so she cleared her throat and answered to Alfred's confession in kind:

- Alfred, I think you're a really swell guy, I do mean it. You're cool and smart and I also have great appreciation for everything that you helped me do during these past months, but is as I said before, I never had a boyfriend so don't blame yourself if this situation does seem a little awkward, it's mostly my fault. I guess I don't really know how to have a boyfriend.

Alfred placed his right paw behind his head to assume a more defensive position in the conversation. He directed his eyes to the sides and spoke up:

- I get what you mean. This situation is a little awkward for me, but I am not really worried. Frankly, I'm just relieved that you don't think I'm a total weirdo for confessing to you like this.

- I don't think you're a weirdo of any kind, Alfred. I do hope that you'll understand that I was just not prepared for this.

The two mammals shared a smile as they took the time in silence to understand each other. They merely exchanged looks for a few seconds as there was no certainty what to say next, even so, Helen made an effort as she inquired of Alfred:

- So… what should we do now? Where do we go from here?

The wolf shrugged that off by raising and lowering both his shoulders and answering:

- I don't know. My plan only went as far as the confession. I didn't think that far ahead.

- So you did have a plan.

That part was not a shred of information that Alfred wished to get out in the open, the wolf rubbed his paws together nervously and spoke up with a slow pace and awkward tone in his voice:

- Possibly?

Helen placed a paw in front of her mouth to hide away her cheery smile and muffle her giggle, she walked a step closer to speak of her feelings to him, she placed her right paw over his chest and said:

- If we're both being honest, then I must admit something of my own, I really enjoyed the time we spent together as well. I should have realized that there was more than just a regular friendship in there somewhere. When it comes to flat out romance I can be a little dense. But I would have no reservations if there truly is a romantic involvement between us, I think it can be really intriguing.

Alfred didn't say anything after that, he just smiled and appreciated the gentle pressure that Helen was placing over his chest wanting to have more than that, he decided to seize the chance and raised his arms to give her a proper hug. The tigress wished to stretch that moment forever and her wish was partially granted once she felt as Alfred placed his arms around her and pulled her entire body into one solid and cozy embrace. Helen released a quiet gasp after feeling as she was pulled like that but she also felt very at ease as the shock subsided and she leaned the left side of her head over his torso. Helen directed her eyes up as she glanced over the wolf and his sweet expression while he did his best to keep that embrace going for as long as possible, he eased the hold over her and Helen slowly pushed herself further away from him until she could look in his eyes and at the subtle green glimmer within them. Helen slowly placed herself on the tip of her toes and got her mouth closer to his, her body was acting on instinct and it clamored for the delight of a kiss at that moment, she needed it more than anything. Alfred's head retreated for a short second after seeing that but the rise of his own desire to remain closer to her spoke louder as he gently lowered his head, closed his eyes and slightly opened his mouth to deliver a kiss of his own. In just a few seconds their mouths were pressing together and Helen was melting away in a warm kiss that was gladly provided by Alfred.

The two mammals stayed with their lips gently pressing together for at least ten seconds but it felt like almost a whole day had passed for them, neither of them knew precisely how that kiss would go but they were both glad it happened. They slowly separated from the kiss, that instance felt so unbelievably good for Alfred, his shoulders faintly raised as he took a deep breath and got a scent for that moment, that short period of seconds when they were so close together, and he only opened his eyes after making absolutely sure he wasn't dreaming. Helen felt similar but somewhat different, her fur sparked up during the kiss and she felt a jolt that traveled along her spine, from the back of her neck to the very tip of her tail, the pleasant scent that Alfred was radiating had engraved itself in her mind and, even after their mouths had separated, she could still feel the subtle pressing over her lips and a sense of weightlessness as she opened her eyes as well and saw him looking over her.

- Wow!

Alfred whispered as such once the sensation of bliss in his head subsided for a bit. Helen smiled as she laid eyes over him once more and was satisfied to learn that she was an even better kisser than she thought. The tigress passed her paws over his chest and said:

- That was really good.

The sweet tone in her voice and the soft gesture of her paws moving up and down over his upper torso, lead Alfred to smile fondly and answer to her:

- It really was.

It felt great for Helen to be able to get so close and personal with Alfred like that, she had no idea if what she was doing was to be considered proper etiquette for relationships, all she knew is that it felt right and she wished to experiment more with that feeling. The tigress gave a short step back to get a better look over Alfred and joked to him:

- Glad to know you enjoyed it. So, that is how wolves kiss.

Determined to keep that time with her going and willing to be more daring now that his feelings were out in the open, Alfred spoke up:

- No, that is how I kiss. Do you want to know how wolves kiss?

The fur at the back of Helen's neck sparked up once more after hearing that interesting prospect. She nodded her head twice and answered:

- Yes.

Alfred leaned his body slightly down so that he would come closer to Helen's height, he leaned his head a tad to the right and directed the tip of his muzzle to the side of her neck. Helen wasn't sure how to respond after she realized how he was about to proceed with that action, but there was little time for her to even get a word out as she felt his warm breath brush against her fur. Alfred got ever so closer to delivering his second kiss, he opened his mouth and touched the side of Helen's neck, some point near its middle area causing her to release a little yelp of surprise and delight. Helen felt that gentle touch and a sudden wave of a sensation she could not pinpoint at the time which rushed over her body, that feeling immobilized her and she perceived the urge to hold on to something so that her body would remain stationary and balanced during the experience.

The tigress extended her arms ahead and both of her paws landed on Alfred's back, the wolf repaid the gesture by gently sliding his paws over her body until they were placed over her shoulders. With a gentle press of his muzzle, Alfred put his kissing motion in full action and Helen felt avidly as the wolf moved his mouth over her throat, he would open and close his mouth in controlled intervals to deliver one kiss after another, sometimes he released a warm breath from his mouth as soon as it opened just to absorb a long whiff of air from his nose, taking in her scent and engraving her with his own in the process. It was a natural and intimate process for wolves to do as such and neither her nor him could get enough of it.

Helen closed her eyes and moved her paws over Alfred's back with enticing fervor, as the wolf intensified his kissing, she too intensified her movements. Helen's paws moved up and down over the fabric of Alfred's uniform shirt and the wolf only saw that as an invitation to keep at it, he did so as he pressed his muzzle and his body a little bit more over her and that nearly too all of Helen's breath away. Helen closed her paws over the fabric and sounded off a loud gasp as her paws clutched into fists and she gathered enough air to whisper and ask Alfred to hold off for an instant:

- Wait! Wait! Hold on.

She said so and the wolf got the signal loud and clear. He quickly separated his muzzle from her throat and retreated a step back as he witnessed the tigress taking long breaths while still having her eyes closed and her tail swishing around slowly as the massive wave of bliss washing over her receded and she could think straight. Alfred gestured with both of his paws and asked of her:

- Are you alright? Was that too forward?! Did I do something wrong?

- No.

She said so and walked a single step ahead as she raised her arms and placed her paws over his cheeks. Helen made a soft and reassuring circular motion with her fingers, feeling the soft and smooth contact of her paw pads over his fur, while she answered to him once more, placing great emphasis on her initial answer:

- No. No. No. You didn't do anything wrong. It felt so good! The thing is: I believe we should head out so we can make it to the ceremony with enough time to hang out more later.

Alfred smiled as he understood the reason why Helen asked of him to stop and as he felt her paws gently caressing the sides of his face. Helen held out on the motion of her paws and, even after she distanced herself, he could still feel the vestiges of her touch on his skin and the remainders of her scent in his nostrils. The two mammals stared at one another for a while and it was nice for them to have that half a minute of silence and inaction, however, once Helen took a look over herself, she noticed that her well-maintained and recently made uniform had quite the number of wrinkles on its fabric, the same thing could be said for Alfred's uniform. Helen started to pass her paws over the fabric to straighten it out and Alfred did the same once he understood why she was doing that.

After the two were done uncurling the wrinkles on the fabric, Alfred and Helen walked away from the wall were they were positioned to what started out as a simple conversation but evolved into so much more. Helen placed her paws together and asked:

- Do you got yourself a ride to make it back to Zootopia?

Not wanting to brag about something that to him seemed so menial, Alfred pointed with a thumb over his shoulder ad said:

- A friend of my father is going to swing by to pick me up and get me to the city with plenty of time, he should be arriving any second now. How about you?

- I was thinking about just taking the train back. It might take longer but I don't have any other mode of transportation available at the moment.

Alfred directed his eyes off into the distance as he thought of that as a chance to ask for more time with her. He gestured with his paw as he asked:

- Would you like me to give you a lift? We could sit together and talk during the ride back.

The tigress had her eyes opened wide and sparking up with surprise with the proposition. She walked near the wolf with her paws still pressing together and asked with half closed eyes and a suggestive tone:

- Sit together and just… 'talk'?

Alfred's tail waggled uncontrollably after hearing that and, for the first time in a long while, Helen noticed it. He was very nervous after hearing the way she sounded and opened his mouth to answer as he stumbled for a bit to convey a complete sentence:

- Well… I mean, I don't… we could…

Helen busted out in laughter and tapped the palm of both her paws over his chest as she admitted to just be messing with him:

- Relax, Alfred. I'm only teasing you. We've already kissed why are you still so nervous?

Alfred placed his left paw behind his neck and answered her question:

- It is still a little hard to believe that this is really happening. I wanted to be with you like this for the longest time and I took to thinking that you would think I'm weird because… I'm a wolf and you're…

- I'm a tiger?

Helen completed his initial idea with her question and Alfred, dispelling nothing but silence, all but confirmed to her question. The tigress gave a single step closer and bumped his side with her left elbow, she called to his attention and said with a confident side smirk that she probably tried her best to copy right out of Nick:

- Did I really seem that shallow to you at first sight?

Alfred turned to her, still not saying a word. Helen looked straight into his eyes and said:

- I don't care if we're not the same species. I only care that you're the coolest guy I have ever hung around with. I like you for who you are, Alfred Lupus.

The wolf bit on his lower lip and directed his face down as he tried his absolute best to hold back his tears. He was ready to crumble away after hearing those words from her. With that tender moment between the two concluded, they went ahead to the front gates of the academy and awaited for the driver designated by Alfred's father to arrive. They didn't have to wait too long to see as a short furred lion driving a luxurious black car stopped by the gates and took them to the desired location.

As such, every mammal who had graduated as a police officer went on to Zootopia to have their final congratulations and have their instructions to be dispatched into service. It was a great day and all of them felt prepared for it.

---

Plenty of mammals were already gathering by the park where the badging ceremony was to take place. There were a few passers by located at the outskirts of the square to watch the whole service from afar, there were plenty of regular citizens and officials entering the square to occupy the seats closest to the main stage where a microphone outfitted podium had already been set and there were also a few reporters and photographers set to document the entire affair, there were, after all, whispers that there would be a fox graduating for the first time ever as a ZPD officer. The entire square was a buzz and everyone was getting excited specially the cadets who were just arriving at the location.

Nick was one of the last cadets to reach the square and get in line for the event. He had stopped along the way to the park after disembarking the train at the station to get himself a nice cup of coffee, he always complained that the coffee that was served back at the academy cafeteria tasted half done when compared with any of the other items in the menu so he was satisfied to replenish his energies for the day with one of the bests doses of caffeine he had tasted in a long time. The fox exited the snarlbucks joint with a very satisfied smile on his muzzle, not even caring for the many eyes directed at him along the way belonging to the multitude of mammals that were wondering why was he dressed like that.

Nick made his way to the park and saw the stage off in the distance as a few stage paws moved frantically over it and made absolutely sure that everything was secure and stable for the ceremonial assembly. Nick took his aviator glasses out of his left pocket and put them over his muzzle before he walked around, slowly pacing and taking one small sip after the other from his coffee as he looked around in order to find a good spot to wait, that is when he started to notice a few important details about the stage and about the whole event in general.

Compared to any other public gathering that attracted the eyes and ears of every mammal that wished to learn more about it, this ceremony had the makings of a very modest gathering. There were no big adornments over the stage and only a single microphone device was installed over the podium. The scenery was rather nice, having a nice grassy ground with plenty of chairs symmetrically placed over it so that other mammals could sit down and watch while having a large and dense foliage in the back ground of the main stage. It was all very nice. Unfortunately for Nick, there was little time to admire it all. As the crowd of different mammals gathered around and took their seats in front of the main stage, the fox looked around and understood it as a sign that the ceremony was about to start. The checking crew for the stage had dispersed, the reporters had grouped to place their cameras and microphones at a nice expanse by the left side of the field and a group of cadets that he had recognized from a distance were already gathering and placing themselves with straight stances right in front of the stage.

Nick had to hurry otherwise he might miss on a good spot to stand, he moved away from behind the stage, passed near a table where some of the teachers form the academy were seated and went in the direction of the group of cadets, he was halfway there when he noticed that he still had the plastic cup with some coffee left in his paw, he thought that just finishing the hot beverage in a hurry wouldn't be smart and he decided to just go on to the front row of cadets to wait with the cup still in his paw and look for a trash can to toss it out later. The fox passed his free paw over his outfit and his fur to assure himself that everything was in place and proceeded to look around to the other cadets, he saw his friends positioned further down on the line-up and they exchanged a few friendly waves towards each other, he quickly returned their sights to the stage as the ceremony officially began.

In just a couple of minutes, a tall zebra, sharply dressed in a dark maroon suit positioned himself behind the podium and adjusted the microphone right in front of him before letting out a few words to get it all started. He took one quick look at the time on his watch before beginning:

- Good morning citizens. I am mayor Zeinhanart and I wish welcome all of you to this very special graduation ceremony.

There was the brief sound of applause from the crowd after the mayor was done with the initial pleasantries, Nick raised a brow over his stylish aviators after he saw the new mayor for the first time and imagined that he looked rather young and cheerful for a major government official. The zebra on stage adjusted his suit before continuing:

- Plenty of progress was made as the mammals of our beautiful city moved on and made several strides to make it great once again. The return of peace and prosperity is shown more and more with every passing day and a great deal of that is thanks to the dedicated public officials and the brave officers from our intrepid police force. Today we add to the ranks of hard earned guardians and peacekeepers of our fair city by awarding badges to one of the finest selections of cadets ever recorded by the police academy of Gloversville.

The mayor said so as he gestured towards the line-up of mammals, all of them well positioned and neatly dressed for the occasion. Most of them stood their ground and smiled while others pumped up their chests proudly with the fact that they were all being recognized for their efforts, except for Nick. The fox was already well and satisfied with everything that he and his friends had done so he just stood in the same posture that he had arrived and took another look at his cup of coffee before swigging down another gulp of the warm drink believing that the mayor was just going to drag the entire affair on and on with generic words meant to keep the expecting crowd on their seats for as long as possible. The mayor did another gesture with his right paw as he pointed to the left side of the stage, subtly turning his upper body to give the cue to his special guest:

- And now, to present the badges and gift us with her captivating words, please welcome Zootopia's star officer. Straight from precinct one, officer Judy Hopps!

Nick was halfway through a gulp of his coffee when he heard that. He stored some of the drink that he was having in his cheeks and turned his sight forward as he saw the bunny calmly walking in the direction of the podium before rashly swallowing the coffee and releasing a little cough after doing so. Mayor Zeinhanart walked away from the stage, giving Judy plenty of room to speak, she positioned herself over a platform that would help her reach the microphones and adjusted the apparatus right in front of her so that her words would be well heard. The sight of the bunny appearing and placing herself on the stage caused a wild wave of applause to appear from the crowd of mammals, she showed a little paw wave and thanked everyone for the warm welcome:

- Thanks mayor. And thank you all for coming today.

Judy placed her paws over the podium and gently rubbed them twice over the smooth wooden surface, she needed a little more time to herself before looking over at the crowd and letting her words out, even with plenty of time to prepare herself she was still a little nervous and that was understandable, the crowd in front of her at the time was much bigger then the gathering of reporters she had to contend with from a while ago. The bunny directed her little purple eyes to the audience, took a breath and spoke up to the microphone:

- It feels great to see so many new mammals fully forming themselves as the newest addition to defend and serve the citizens of this amazing city. Before I call to the names of the top five graduates that will receive their badges, I ask you all to indulge in a little speech that I have prepared especially for this momentous occasion.

Judy looked around for a bit and got her chance to speak up a little more, placing her paws over the podium once more and speaking to the microphone. Nick leaned a little bit forward, his eyes opened wide under his shades and his ears perked up to hear as she began talking:

- When I was a kid, I thought Zootopia was this perfect place. Where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. It turns out that real life is a little more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker.

It felt like Judy placed that last line in the middle of her speech as a little joke that was meant to break the ice. It may have been a little pressed through the words when she said it but, nevertheless, there were quite a few smiles in the audience as she said so. She continued shortly:

- Real life… is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means: Hey, glass half full, we have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try.

Judy gestured with both of her paws as she continued and put the last details on her speech:

- So no matter who we are, from the biggest elephant, to our first fox.

She said so and all of the eyes landed over Nick. Placed in front of the cadet line-up, the fox, with the glasses on his face and the plastic cup in his paw, knew that those words were meant to show the appreciation for his dedication and for his unwavering determination, from that moment on he was going down in history. He raised the lenses form his stylish sunglasses and directed a wink to the bunny, she nodded her head subtly to show that she got his gesture and continued shortly:

- So I implore of you, try. Try to make the word a better place. Look inside yourself and recognize that change starts with you… it starts with me… it starts with all of us.

The bunny received a rowdy wave of applause from the audience and from every cadet in the line-up, she then proceeded to call the top five cadets to have their badges awarded first and everyone cheered after she pinned the badge on Nick's chest showing without a shadow of a doubt that Zootopia was entering a brand new age when everyone, no matter how large or small, independent of status or species, could really become anything. After the awarding ceremony was concluded, Judy was called by a crew of reporters to give a few additional comments and Nick returned to his group to talk to them before going to talk to his friend as he initially planned on doing. He found Alfred and Samuel in the middle of the park, enjoying the feeling of their brand new badges and decided to approach and talk to them:

- Hey there guys.

The fox said so to call the attention of his friends. Samuel and Alfred turned around and saluted the fox both with a wave and a smile to them. The trio exchanged looks between each other and Samuel was the first one to drop the word:

- Well… this is it.

He said so as he tapped his paw twice over the metal frame of the badge now pinned to his left lapel. Nick looked over to his two friends and asked:

- Have you two already got your dispatch instructions?

Alfred was the first to speak up to that and give his answer with a proud tone of voice:

- Yes. I was assigned to precinct number nine. The guys over there got themselves an amazing crime lab and I cannot wait to see it.

Samuel gestured with his left paw and answered as well but with less gusto:

- I got assigned to precinct five. I heard that there aren't any special perks on working there but it is still plenty busy on a daily basis and it is plenty close to my home.

Nick crossed his arms and spoke up:

- I'm glad we got to land feet first on ideal positions as police officers. It's just too bad we won't be able to hang out as much since our districts will be so far apart.

Samuel and Alfred exchanged a look as Nick said that, he was right. The trio spent almost six months studying, training and living together and they had a true connection as friends, now that the three of them were about to head out to their regular lives outside the academy they weren't going to see each other as much. Samuel's ears lowered and the look in his eyes already said it all about how disappointed he was but Nick remedied that situation as he said:

- Hey there is no need to be down like that. We can still stay in contact and meet up from time to time, plus we are all cops now, enough time goes by I'm betting we will meet again down the line of work.

Alfred shook his head slowly and laughed once before saying:

- You know? Maybe it is best if we stay separated during work hours. If we stick together odds are we would be messing around too much to get any job done.

Samuel bumped his friend's right shoulder with a soft punch and said:

- Hey, I'm all for it. Even when we're messing around we get shit done.

The trio shared a little laugh after that. Nick was tempted to ask his friends if they wanted to go for a quick hang out before saying their farewells to one another, even if he really wanted to go see Judy, he decided to call his two friends to see check if they wanted to go somewhere to just talk and reminisce for a bit. He pointed with his right paw to a general spot outside the park and asked:

- So, you guys want to get around for a bit? I know some pretty nice places nearby where we can get some food and drinks.

Samuel politely dismissed Nick's offer as he made a gesture with his paws and said:

- Would love to, but I can't. My family is waiting back home to celebrate my graduation. I was actually thinking of inviting you two to come over.

Samuel turned over to Alfred and asked while pointing in his direction:

- What do you say wolf boy? Care to come by? If you're dad is nearby he can come by too. I can ask my mom to put more places at the table.

Alfred shrugged that off and answered:

- My dad… didn't come for the graduation. He obviously have some other important stuff in his agenda for today, but I'm used to it by now. Wouldn't surprise me if he was off and about somewhere just so I wouldn't rub off on his face that I actually graduated without any of his help.

Nick and Samuel exchanged a look of discomfort after hearing that, apparently Alfred's relation with his father was more rocky than initially conveyed. The wolf looked off into the distance but his silent and short meandering was interrupted as Nick asked:

- Would you? Rub it off in his face, I mean.

Alfred looked over to the fox and said with a short and concise answer:

- No.

After a brief moment of deliberation however, he turned over to them and complemented to his previous answer while showing tow of his fingers making a pinching motion in mid-air:

- Maybe just a little.

Nick and Samuel released a laughter and Alfred continued to speak after their laughs died down:

- I'm actually going to take Helen on a little tour across the Savanna. She hasn't seen some of the spots in the inner city for quite some time and asked me to guide her before she has to run home and tell her folks the big news.

Nick nodded and simply said:

- Nice. Are you finally gonna come clean to her and tell how you feel?

- Well…

The wolf tried to find the words to that moment but Samuel could not wait any longer and found the words for him as he pulled his friend beside him into a head lock and said:

- He already did back at the academy. I bet it they were smooching it during the entire ride back here.

Nick raised a brow and congratulated his friend as he spoke up with an impressed tone in his voice:

- Wow! That was fast.

Alfred pushed Samuel aside to get out of the head lock and adjusted his uniform while saying:

- You said you were gonna keep it on the down low.

To which the deer replied:

- Dude, this is me. This is as 'down low' as you're gonna get from me.

Alfred smiled as he was faced with his companion signature silliness and his eyes caught sight of Helen far off and isolated from the crowd, she signaled towards him from a far with a gesture of her left paw that she was ready and waiting for him to come and show her around. Alfred waved at her letting her know that he was on his way, the wolf turned over to his friends and said:

- Helen and I are gonna take off for now. I'll be seeing you two later.

Nick extended his right paw and wished good trails for each one of his friends. Samuel shook Nick's paw and said:

- I'm sure gonna miss you guys. Hope next time we see each other we won't have to worry too much about work or other such stuff.

Alfred nodded affirmatively and said:

- Agreed. We should always remember to stay in touch. Maybe we can get together for another game of cards, or maybe just some light drinks.

Nick smiled and spoke for last as he made an appreciative gesture with both of his paws directed at his friends:

- Gentle-mammals, you two are the tops. See you guys around.

The fox slowly turned his back and his two friends did the same, the unstoppable trio of cadets were now fully graduated and going on their separate ways for the time being. Nick walked a few meters before getting just behind the main stage, he found Judy there surrounded by a swarm of reporters wishing to get a few additional words from her. The bunny answered each of the questions presented to her and thanked every single one of the mammals that showed up to record that moment, most of the questions were directed at her about the new advancements of the law enforcing in Zootopia but her intel in regards to that was limited and she suggested referring to the mayor or to chief Bogo about that for more information.

Nick waited for the reporters to move on and leave her alone before making his entrance to her. The fox leaned his back against one suspension beam by the lower edge of the stage and waited for her to direct her eyes at him, a couple of seconds after he assumed that position he was seen by Judy who smiled sweetly at him and gave him the chance to approach her by a few more steps and say:

- You can say it: I look damn good in this.

Nick spoke as he walked in her direction and gestured with the palm of his paws passing over the fabric of his newly acquired uniform. Judy crossed her arms and walked a single step in his way as she studied him from head to toe, her smile gave off an air of certainty and also the sureness that she did not want to stroke any of Nick's ego, still, she had to recognize that he looked rather dashing in his new attire. She nodded his head to him without taking her eyes away and said:

- You're now dressed in the official ZPD blues, slick. Of course you look good in it.

With a paw over his chest and a subtle bow, Nick looked at her with a full smirk and said:

- Oh, I know that. I just wanted to hear you saying it.

Judy released a single laughter and, even though she did not want to admit to it out loud, she really missed Nick's unique way of throwing humor into a situation. Judy pointed to the stage beam where Nick was leaning just a few seconds before and asked of him:

- Were you waiting there for too long time to talk to me?

Nick made a dismissive gesture with one of his paws and said:

- No. I just got here and decided to wait my turn with a one-on-one talk with "Zootopia's star officer".

The bunny released a sigh and passed the palm of her paws over her head causing her ears to flop back and forth as she said:

- I asked the mayor to not call me that. It's not like I'm the only police officer watching over the city.

The fox quickly got a little more serious after that and leaned in a little closer to give his friend a compliment that was not intended as a joke not even a little bit:

- You are pretty amazing on your own. You do know that right?

Judy leaned her head to the right as she thought of a clever way to respond to that very appreciated compliment. She placed a finger near her mouth, looked over at Nick and asked rhetorically:

- Do I know that?

Nick was sure that he know what she was about to say next. Surely enough, the bunny undid her very serious stance that she had taken just before and complemented to her previous idea:

- Yes. I do know that.

Nick leaned closer to her once again and cumprimented her properly by reaching his right paw over her shoulder:

- It is great to see you again, carrots. That was quite the remarkable speech you let out up there. Did you write it down yourself.

The bunny confirmed that by answering with a bashful tone:

- Yeah. Once the mayor called me to come with him to present the badges to the new officers, I thought about coming prepared, so I wrote that on my spare time.

Nick smiled after hearing that and was glad to know that his friend had become more confident when it came to public speeches. The fox looked around as he took heed of Judy's previous words to heart, he saw all of the different mammals walking and talking, prey and predator alike, and he figured that the city was changing faster than even he could keep up. He looked back to Judy and decided to mark that occasion with a picture as he asked of her:

- Hey, fluff. How about we get into another picture together?

Judy's eyes turned over to him and she smiled after thinking that it was a great idea. The bunny picked her cellphone and the duo quickly got themselves on a nice pose for a picture, Nick adjusted his uniform once more and readjusted the patch of fur right over his head as Judy simply waited patiently for him to be ready. The fox didn't have to pull the bunny closer to him for that photo, Judy got her self closer to him and the fox simply placed his left paw over her shoulder as his right paw pressed over the screen to snap the picture. The image turned up great and the bunny promptly saved it in the phone's memory card.

After that nice moment, Judy stored her phone back inside her pocket and Nick called to her attention again as he asked:

- So, did anything remarkable happened since we last saw each other?

Judy thought for a little bit before delivering a summarization of the last few weeks as she readied herself to receive Nick as her partner in the force:

- Not too much except a few work related things. We received a hefty load of paper work to go through concerning a few new work orders concerning new research and deployment equipment. The vehicle request I submitted finally came through as well, I cannot wait to see it. Oh, another thig as well. My neighbor, Ms. Delilah, just had kids.

Nick's ears darted up and he asked curiously:

- Really?

Judy nodded as she answered:

- Uhm-hum. Real nice husky lady that lives right above my apartment. I always see her going to work right at morning and we also go shopping on the same super market. She gave birth to twins, one boy and one girl.

Nick directed his eyes to the sky and said:

- Wow! She is gonna have her paws full from now on.

Judy smiled as she recalled the little faces of the pups as they arrived in her building only a few days prier. The bunny looked around in an attempt to locate Nick's friends and asked out of curiosity:

- Where are your friends? Aren't they around to celebrate with you?

Nick pointed his left claw over his right shoulder as he answered her about the whereabouts of his comrades:

- Samuel and Alfred took off already. Samuel had a family thing and Alfred just went out with Helen. We're alone, carrots. Unless you have any more interviews to give today.

Nick said so intended as a light hearted joke as he turned his head left and right looking for any more reporters that might group up over the bunny to ask her any more questions. Judy made a wide, dismissive gesture with her paws and let Nick know that there were no more reporters around, they were indeed alone.

Nick wanted to take that chance to ask Judy if she had the time to hang out with him, just a casual outing to talk and have fun like they usually did before he went on to the academy. There were no more grueling training drills, no more extended study sessions and he would not have to worry about going to precinct one to start on his duty routine for the rest of the day, his schedule had no pressing matters for him to attend to and all he wanted to do was spend time with his bunny friend. It didn't matter to him where they went or what they would do, it didn't even matter if they were to talk about anything at all, he just wanted to spend some time with her. The fox was just about to open his mouth and extend the invitation for her to join him for a nice mid-day meal when a new voice appeared in the conversation calling to his name from right behind him:

- Nicholas.

Nick turned around and Judy leaned her body a little bit to the right to see who was calling, to both their surprises, it was Nick's mother, Maria. Dressed in a plain floral shirt and having a woolen dark green overcoat, the elderly fox revealed herself and walked slowly in Nick's direction, he thought it was great to see her and he walked a single step in her way and opened his arms to welcome her company with a nice, long hug. The elder fox opened her arms as well and smooshed her cheek against her son's, she eased up her hold on him and gave a single step back to get a good look on him and his new uniform, she could barely contain her excitement as she placed a paw over her mouth and said:

- Nicholas, I can hardly believe it. Look at you.

The fox looked at himself and redirected his eyes back at his mother as he bragged:

- Clean up quite nice, don't I?

Maria smiled ant returned to hugging her son. Judy watched that without saying a single word, far be it from her to step in such a tender moment, she merely smiled and waited for her friend to continue his talk and stood ready just in case she was introduced to the other fox who just entered the fray and she already had a pretty good idea about who could that be. Maria slid her paws over Nicks arms and stopped them as soon as she reached his shoulders before saying:

- You look so handsome. My little scout has grown up so much. It is still so hard for me to grasp it.

Nick was a little embarrassed to be spoken to like that, he tried to tell her to halt on the sappy talk but he didn't have much of a chance to talk. Maria placed the palm of her paws over his head and started to mess with his fur. Nick did not understand what she was trying to do at first but he got the gist of it once she said:

- Oh, Nicholas. Your fur is all over the place. Have you been grooming yourself before going to bed? You know how it gets when you skip grooming.

Nick raised both of his paws to carefully hold his mother's arms and stop her from trying to mess up with his fur any further, he looked at her and spoke in an embarrassed tone:

- Mom, you're embarrassing me in front of my fellow officers.

His ears lowered and his eyes searched around out of reflex to make sure that there was no one else listening in that awkward moment. Maria halted on her previous course of action and apologized to her son, Judy could not resist sounding off a little giggle and Nick's ear twitched to that sound as he thought that was the ideal time to make introductions. He positioned himself right at Maria's side and placed his right paw softly over her arm as he guided her and said:

- Mom, there is someone I would like you to meet.

Maria followed the direction Nick was pointing at and met eyes with the bunny that she had just seen up on the stage. Nick presented them to each other:

- Mom, this is the friend I spoke to you about, Judy Hopps. Judy, this is my mom, Maria Wilde.

Maria extended her paw to cumpriment Judy and speak up, trying to tone down her excitement from meeting what was, in all fairness, a really famous mammal:

- It is such a pleasure to finally meet you. Nicholas told me so much about you.

Judy extended her paw without taking her eyes off the elderly fox right in front of her, she had many similar characteristics to Nick and Judy found her voice so gentle and melodious that she could not help but showing the biggest smile as she said:

- The pleasure is all mine.

After Maria let go of Judy's paw she turned over to Nick as she inquired of him:

- So this is the mammal that you told me about and helped you get into the academy. I didn't expect her to be such an influential figure.

Judy tried to quickly dismiss the notion that Maria had of her by hastily jumping in the conversation and saying:

- I'm not any sort of influential figure. I'm just an officer doing my part. Also, Nick accomplished all that he did by himself.

Nick wasn't about to let Judy sell herself too short at that point, he nudged his head in her direction and called to Maria's attention by saying:

- She is just being modest. Judy here is an amazing police officer and personal trainer. She helped me all the way as I worked myself to the bone before going to the academy and compared to her own efforts I was left in the dust. I bet that there is no officer quite like her in the entire force.

Judy was flattered, of course, but she did not want Nick to just put her on too high of a pedestal like that, she gestured for him to stop that with an exaggerated set of paw signals outside of Maria's field of vision but the fox only found that amusing, to see the bunny in such a professional attire act like a nervous child. Maria turned around to look at Judy once more and the bunny immediately stopped her extravagant paw gestures towards Nick, the elder fox didn't have to look too much to either of them to understand just how great of a bond they shared, it was plain to see that they bickered and jested amongst each other and that they were very much aware of the strides to take in their friendship. She was excited to learn more about Judy and how she came to know Nick, al that she got so far from Nick's side of the story was fairly vague. Maria decided to jump at the chance to talk with Judy a little more so she extended an invitation to the two of them with a singular pretext:

- Well, it is very nice to finally meet you and I'm sure you and my son will work well together. But at any case, Nick, are you hungry? I'm willing to wager that you haven't had a satisfactory meal since this morning.

Nick looked to the left as he thought to himself:

"She's not wrong."

Maria continued speaking as she looked to both of the mammals near her and said:

- How about we take a walk together and head to that diner that you like so much? Would you like to come with us officer Hopps?

Nick delivered a soft protest against that, believing that his mother would only pull a conversation with Judy in order to unintentionally embarrass him. He jumped into the conversation and positioned himself between Maria and Judy before saying:

- I'm sure Judy's got plenty of other obligations that might keep her too busy, mom. I don't think she would have time to join us.

It took a few seconds but Judy picked up on Nick's intentions once he said that, he wasn't trying to ditch his friend or anything merely avoid what could be for him an awkward situation. Judy wished to know a little more about Nick and she wanted to talk to his mother a little more, she did seem like a lovely mammal to hang out with, so the bunny took charge of the moment by assuring to the other two that her schedule was, in fact, wide open:

- Not at all. I could really go for something to eat right about now. I also really need to give mayor Zeinhanart and his crew of reporters the slip. He has been trying to coerce me into making a few announcements on his behalf all week.

Maria was glad to have Judy along and she happily guided the way to a nice dinner that was located only two blocks past the park. The trio entered the diner, chose a free stall to seat near a window and ordered their preferred dishes, Nick was content with a humble turkey sandwich, Maria ordered herself a plate of grilled salmon bits with rice and Judy ordered a full salad that she gorged herself with in almost no time at all. While delighting themselves with the meal, Judy and Maria exchanged plenty of words, the bunny told how training with Nick was exhausting but also plenty of fun as well as their tracks across Zootopia and the interesting facts Nick had disclosed about the city's history making their routine even more interesting, while the elder fox took as many chances as she could to reminisce and speak about Nick's younger years and how it seemed like he could not help but get into trouble. Nick remained with his head lowered and silently eating his sandwich for most of the conversation, his mother continued to talk and make Judy smile with all of the things she said up to that point.

Nick was already done with his meal and Maria only stopped talking once she looked out the window of the diner and realized how late it was, she quickly raised from her seat and apologized for the sudden rush but she had an important meeting to get to and she could not be late. Maria leaned closer to Judy and shook the bunny's paw firmly, asking her to drop by for a spot of tea at any time she wished for, Judy smiled and thanked her for the wonderful time. Maria also leaned a little closer to Nick and snatched a firm hug from him, she eased her hold over Nick before telling him that she would come by his apartment later before excusing herself and darting towards the exit. Judy watched astonished as the female fox made her way out to the sidewalk and went on her way, she turned over to Nick and spoke up:

- Your mother is really amazing.

- She sure is.

The fox agreed with her, he cleared his throat before grabbing a pitcher of water that was set over the table to pour himself a refreshing cup. He drank two swigs to help him clear hs throat and continued to say as such:

- She holds a seat in the local business association committee of my old neighborhood. She usually helps as she can by giving new ideas to raise awareness inside the community or by keeping some of the more heated discussions form spiraling out of control. I thought you two would have hit it off right out the gate in that regard.

Judy's eyes opened wide after hearing that, she spoke up while having a small shred of lettuce on the fork she was using to eat:

- She's like a local hero.

Nick showed a little side smile and boasted:

- That's my mom, alright.

Judy smiled as she ingested the last pieces of her meal, Nick tossed his body over the repost of his seat and let out a satisfied sigh from his nose, he placed both of his paws behind his head, puffed up his chest with a long breath and closed his eyes for a moment before let his entire body relax, with maybe the exception of his ears, the diner was packed with various mammals enjoying their own meals and his audible receptors couldn't help but move around and pick up on every detail. He missed this, the bustling movement of the city, he felt way more comfortable in the middle of it all than back at the academy, and now that he had a good satisfying meal he was more than happy to relax for a bit. Judy leaned over the table and asked of him:

- How are you feeling?

Without letting out of his relaxed pose but also opening his eyes to get a good look on his friend, Nick answered to her question:

- I'm feeling awesome, carrots. I legit thought that my time at the academy would end up being boring, but it all turned out to be really fun.

Judy placed her used fork over the empty plate and spoke up, agreeing with him:

- I know what you mean. It was really great how you found yourself such amazing friends to help you out during your stay at the academy, I wish I had that. Most of the academy stuff I ended up having to figure out on my own.

Nick got out of his relaxed pose and leaned a little bit over the table to talk with Judy a little better, he looked her way and asked:

- Anything else that I need to know before getting up for my new job tomorrow?

Judy hopped out of her seat and on to the floor, she walked a few steps until she was right besides Nick's seat, the fox watched attentively as the bunny moved closer and he caught her voice as she spoke up:

- It will be more than a job, but you don't have to worry yourself too much about it. Tomorrow the new recruits, you included, will be slowly introduced to the precinct routine. You can relax a little more, I still have a tiny bit of work to get out of the way.

Judy reached into her back pocket and grabbed her wallet before leaving a bill over the table, it was the payment for her portion of the meal, the bunny leaned over and placed her paw over Nick's arm before saying:

- See you at work tomorrow, partner.

That felt really good for her to say, as good as it felt for Nick to hear it. Judy was just about to leave when she remembered that there was one last thing to tell Nick:

- Oh! Hang on! I almost forgot.

Judy said so as she gave one step back and returned to Nick's side, the fox looked back over to her and saw as she presented him with a small rectangular box. He opened the small gift and found a picture frame with a very entertaining photo placed inside, the selfie they had taken together on the day he had left for the academy with himself carrying his duffle bag over his left shoulder and the bunny being hugged and smiling while trying to show off a little peace sign. Nick thought that the picture came up very nicely and the adorned plastic frame, which was very simplistic in design, gave the photo even more character. He turned over to his friend with the frame held tightly in his right paw and asked letting a small bit of laughter escape through his voice:

- You framed it? I can't believe it.

Judy tapped her left foot on the floor tile right beneath her and spoke up:

- I thought you might like to keep it with you. You learned so much since the day you left to the academy, but it is no surprise that you are still the same amazing mammal I have come to know. I do hope we can develop a god dynamic as partners.

Nick gestured with his paw as he said cheekily:

- Stop it, carrots. You're gonna make me blush.

Judy smiled and shook her head before saying her farewells for the day:

- See you tomorrow, slick.

Nick watched as the bunny exited through the diner door, he stayed over his seat for a few more minutes as he looked over the picture and thought about her words just before she left. She said with so much certainty that he was still the same fox, but he did not felt like that in the slightest, there was something more and he could not wait to find out how he was going to fair in his new role. He could care less if it would pent out to be the most trivial and boresome job in the world, he was happy to do so alongside Judy, besides, she always talked wonders about being a police officer so it could not be that bad. The fox got up from his seat, exited the diner and went back to his home with the portrait he had just received held safely under his right arm, he was looking forward to a relaxing night before heading off to work on the following day, even so, that day was still far from over.

---

Nick had to walk quite a track to arrive back at his home, but he had no gripes with that, the walk gave him plenty of time to be alone with his thought, besides, after six months toiling away in an arduous obstacle track, a leisurely walk across the savanna was no big deal. The fox reached his door, turned the key and entered his apartment, which had been empty for quite a while since his departure to the academy, he felt very at ease as soon as he crossed the threshold of his front door and decided to stretch his arms upwards and take a long breath before walking any more steps into the living room. Without any living being to tend to it for an extended period of time, the apartment looked to have fallen into a clear state of relinquishment, Nick could not help himself but run his nose across the air around him and sniff out a few whiffs of the interior atmosphere, to his disdain his own den didn't even smell like him anymore and the numerous specs of dust that were gathering around bothered his sense of smell.

Nick walked aimlessly at first inside the apartment, trying to get the feel of the place back, he placed the framed photo that Judy had given to him over his drawer, alongside his collection of model vehicles and went to his room to look inside his closet for something more cozy to wear, he grabbed his customary attire composed of a green buttoned shirt, a pair of comfy pants and, to complement the look all too well, a dark colored tie that he felt like wearing at the time even if it was only to stay at home.

Nick took off his uniform, carefully folded it and placed it on a free spot inside his closet, after knowing that his uniform was stored nicely in the closet and making sure his badge was stored safely inside a nearby drawer, he rushed to the bathroom and hopped in the shower took a long warm bath, making sure to wash every inch of his fur. He got out feeling refreshed and got dressed as soon as his fur was completely dry. Nick walked across the apartment, reached for the windows and opened them up all the way so that new air could enter the apartment. He then proceeded to head towards the refrigerator to check if there was something to drink, unfortunately for him the only things occupying the fridge once he swung the door open were two plastic bottles of water by the door and a small plastic container filled with strawberries, he looked to the contents of the refrigerator twice over before he spoke up with a sigh that had some frustration behind it:

- Damn it, Finn. You could've at least left a single beer for me.

There was little choice left for him, Nick would have to go out and buy a few supplies for his fridge at least to last him until the next day. The fox checked inside his wallet before he headed out the door, he wasn't taking a huge sum of money with him, just enough to buy a few things by the convenience store one block away. Nick exited his apartment and walked through the streets one more time but, as soon as he left his apartment building, the fox noticed that there was something amiss. He adjusted the tie around his neck and moved his arms a bit to feel out the fabric of his shirt, he thought he was imagining things at first but his old clothes felt a little restrictive, constricting in a few places. He had to move his joints inside the fabric quite a lot to feel comfortable once more, he imagined that momentary discomfort was because he was unaccustomed with his old clothes but it quickly subsided.

The fox walked inside the store, hearing the friendly sound of a bell right above his head as soon as he opened the door. Mr. Douglas, the pug that worked the counter, watched in silence as Nick moved about, selecting a few items from each aisle to take with him back home. Nick went over to the counter, paid for the items and calmly left the store once he was sure he had all that he need as well as a pack of gum he decided to take with him.

Nick walked back to his apartment while carrying with him one plastic bag that had two boxes with frozen microwave pizza, a can of deodorant, one tube of toothpaste, three cans of beer, one small box of cookies, a pack of potato chips and a pack of gum that he had already opened and taken one tablet to chew along the way. As soon as he got back to his apartment, Nick popped one of the pizza boxes in the microwave and made a quick meal out of it, the fox relaxed on his couch in front of the television while having a filled stomach and sipping from one recently opened bottle of ice cold beer, the only down side to that there was nothing too good on any of the channels that night.

Nick was just about to turn the tv off and go check for any film worth watching on stream when he heard the sound of someone knocking on his door. He raised from the couch and walked towards the front door, he opened it and saw his mother standing waiting right there with a paper bag being held in her paws. His eyes looked straight at her as he spoke up:

- Mom. Hey there.

- Hi, Nicholas. You took your uniform off.

The fox looked at himself and answered to that by saying:

- Didn't want to put any wrinkles on it. I'm already off to precinct one tomorrow morning and I want to look my best. Not that it is too hard of a job to pull off.

That last bit of a cocky commentary made Maria giggle as she recalled that her late husband had the tendency to do the same thing on a few occasions. The elder fox looked back to her son and said:

- I came here to give you something. I'll be out of your hair in no time at all.

Nick opened way to the inside of his apartment by slightly stepping aside and asking of her:

- Are you sure you don't want to just come inside? It won't be a bother to have you over.

Maria slowly shook her head as she politely declined his offer:

- It's alright, Nicholas. I'll be heading home right after this. It has been quite the day and I feel like I have been stepping up and down all day long.

Nick returned to his original stance by the door as he spoke to that:

- I kinda get what you mean. Do you… want me to call you a taxi? You place is quite the walk from here.

- Not at all. I won't take too long.

Maria said as such and proceeded to hand Nick the contents from the paper bag she was carrying with her. She took off a medium sized rectangular box from within the bag and once she gave it to Nick she felt a little relief mostly because the contents of the box were somewhat heavy. Nick grabbed the box firmly in his paws and began to speculate what could be the present, it was too heavy to be a piece of clothing and too big to be any sort of brand new spangled electronic device, he slowly shook the box and discovered what appeared to be the sound of a liquid slushing inside, it was a bottle with what he could only guess was a very expensive drink. The fox's curiosity lead him to open the very top of the box to get a glimpse of its contents, he took a look inside and the very lid of the bottle said it all, he recognized the metallic inlay over the bottle as it was marked with the small indentation of a horseshoe. He closed the box and looked to his mother with a worried look in his eyes as he asked:

- Mom, is this…?

He found himself chocking on his own words, not even able to complete the question. Maria nodded affirmatively and answered:

- It is. And it is yours now.

He held the box tightly in his grip, nearly sticking his claws through the thin layer of carboard and plastic that made the container's outer coating. He looked down at the box as he held it just a few inches away from his own chest, knowing all too well that the bottle within belonged to his father, and said:

- This was his…

- Yes.

Nick's ears came down over his head but they twitched back up as he heard his mother's voice saying that. He tried to give the box back to his mother by extending both of his paws and saying:

- Mom, I can't accept this!

Maria pushed the item back towards hi with a single paw and said:

- You should. Nicholas, your father had great pride on himself and on the things that he set out to accomplish. He was all set to open this bottle and celebrate, but the timing just never felt right to him. I'm hoping you will make far better use of it than me. We both know that if this stays with me I will never even open it.

Nick understood what she was saying and decided to accept the gift, Maria came in closer and gave him a small kiss on his left cheek before giving him one last farewell for the day and wishing him the best of luck for the day to come. Nick reentered his apartment and placed the box with the bottle over his coffee table, unsure if he should even open it. He tried to reach for the box lid once more but his paw retreated and he left the inner contents alone, opting to have a drink at some later time, more preferably with good company to enjoy it alongside him.

Nick stored the box inside a cabinet by the kitchen, alongside a few dishes, cups and utensils that he rarely used on a daily basis and went back to seating on the couch and search for something significant to watch. The was fully gone over the horizon and night had fallen over Zootopia, Nick imagined that a few places had just opened up and quite the number of nocturnal denizens had just waken up to go about their routines, it was quite the beautiful night outside and Nick thought how, in any other occasion, he might have gone out to enjoy himself, but not at that time. He felt really tired and he wanted to turn in earlier so that he could get an earlier start on the following day. The fox turned off the television, raised from the couch, loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt before heading over to his room and tossing his body over the bed.

Laying over his own mattress once more felt really good, he considered having all of his pillows and his cozy sheets far better than the hardened bunk of the academy dorms. Nick turned over the bed, got into a nice position and quickly fell asleep, not even the excitement for his first day on the job was enough to prevent him from dozing off that night. He just let his mind wander into sleep as he awaited for the first rays of the morning sun and the opportunity to show off how much he had learned on the past six months. This was going to be quite the display.

Author's note: Here we are. I'm sorry it took me so long to give you guys some signs of life. I promisse I'll get around to the other chapters once I get a few other things done around here. My days have just been filled with little distractions and it gets a little hard setting off some free time to work on my writting. Anyway, hope you will all stick around for the next chapter in the line-up. See you all next time. Stay safe and stay awesome.