A/N: This was briefly posted earlier mostly unchanged as part of another story. I thought it would be better off on its own.
Chapter 1: With or Without You
With the stroke of a pen, PERIL became law of the land. Many mammals expressed anger due to the law's passing. Some marched into the streets waving around signs with little gain. One bunny harassed defenseless pandas because her job allowed her to do so.
Judy sat beside Nick on a bench overlooking the enclosure again. She lost a bet against him, and that was his prize for the last five times. They were watching pandas who couldn't leave. The pandas couldn't leave. Zootopia wanted more pandas in existence and wasn't afraid of using force to achieve such goals. Every step was logical at the time.
"Would you free them?" Nick asked.
"Why does that matter? I can't even change stuff that I care about," Judy said. "My job is to enforce laws and nothing else." The ZPD needed all paws on deck as protests waxed and waned.
"You didn't answer. Would you do something to free them?"
"What can I do?"
"What are you willing to do?"
Judy reflected on the unpopular cause. She wasn't even a panda. "Nothing." Sure, it was a travesty, but it also wasn't something that she could stop. Some things were just the way they were.
"Just like me."
"Do you enjoy watching them?" Judy asked. The nude pandas were obviously unhappy and suffering as they emulated what was best described as the ancient past. They had shock collars to prevent the illusion from breaking. None of them had the right to speak. Every so often, someone would scream when they tried. The enclosure resorted to that to pay the bills and the rest was history.
"What do you think?"
Every so often, Zootopia allowed a panda to leave the preserve, and rejoin society. That was offset by the arrested pandas that joined the preserve. Some she even delivered herself and felt glad. The irredeemable parents could give birth to innocent children.
A limousine pulled up. Koslov stepped out. "The boss wants to see you."
Mr. Big came to fetch her for some unknown reason.
"What did you do?" Nick's fur bristled. "He sent Koslov!"
"Nothing," Judy said.
"You did something! Think, Carrots, think! Beg for forgiveness."
"I didn't do anything, Nick."
"Can I tag along?" Nick got on his knees and begged.
The polar bear tossed the fox roughly inside.
Nick didn't protest the rough treatment. "Did you ever borrow money?"
"No."
"Did you ever anger Fru-Fru?"
"Not that I know of. Let me check." Judy quickly dialed Fru-Fru. "Hi, your daddy wants to see me. Did I make you angry at some point?"
Fru-Fru replied, "I'll give him a piece of my mind! Don't worry, Judy."
"Sell him anything?"
"Nick, I'm not stupid enough to sell him a skunk butt rug."
"But did you sell him anything?"
"No, I did not."
Mr. Big was always an option even if she preferred not to use his services. Their safety wouldn't be in jeopardy, but that didn't mean his requests were harmless. Thus far, he had never initiated contact first, and she had no outstanding favors that he could call on which made this visit unusual.
They didn't seem to be directly going to Mr. Big either.
"You know, the mansion is that way," Judy said.
"Don't make him angry," Nick said.
Koslov didn't reply and continued driving as he pleased.
As with every divisive law, there were protests related to its passing. The crowds were far less numerous compared to just a week ago. A sign caught Judy's eye. "Bunnies are sluts." That was a unique one, although the rest were centered around the law itself.
"Quite the scenic route," Nick said. "There's certainly a lot of anger and unhappiness. Why don't you just tell us what he wants?'
Koslov remained silent, paying them no mind.
They finally arrived at the mansion.
Koslov allowed them to disembark normally. He guided them into the newly redecorated mansion.
The walls had multiple stories from current events. There were also images of hospitals overflowing with rabbits. Given how ugly it was, it had to be just for her visit alone. It was very likely that he would remove it as soon as she left.
"Did anything on the wall catch your eye?" Mr. Big said.
"What do you want? You went out of your way to redecorate it just for me."
"Tundratown has a rabbit problem. My subjects are growing unhappy."
"I saw. You weren't exactly subtle. You can thank Mayor Lionheart for putting us all in peril."
"I want those rabbits gone."
"But you even helped my family receive priority access." Judy scratched her head. If Mr. Big was against rabbits, he wouldn't be helping her family. "It's not like I can do anything to help." The rabbits weren't breaking the law, and she doubted she could convince them not to visit Tundratown for what they needed.
"Lionheart expended his political capital for this feline paradise of six hundred years ago. He used all his influence to pass PERIL. An election is within six months."
"And?"
"Join my bid for mayor as assistant mayor or augment my army for a revolution. Tundratown has a bloody past. That's why we have the exemption."
"Revolution?" Judy echoed. Mr. Big admitted that he had an army already.
"If violence displeases you, my child, we can try this peacefully."
Judy couldn't picture herself in that role. It wasn't likely they would win anyway. "Who would elect a shrew and a mafia don? It wouldn't work." Not to mention his current position as head of the mafia, and all the complications that would cause. That would expose their unholy alliance as well.
"The only reason I make this offer is because of you. Do not mistake my generosity. You are family."
"She wouldn't cut it for a politician," Nick said. "I'll take that spot. Shrew and fox, what's one more thing stacked against us? Come on, work your magic, and get us elected!"
"Imagine a fox championing the causes of a rabbit. It wouldn't work. I'm not a fool."
"Use one of her sisters."
"They have no name recognition beyond the family name."
"Use a rabbit living in Zootopia."
"They are still nobody. Either she joins me or faces exile when I win."
"Come again?" Judy thought she missed something. Nick was desperate to support Mr. Big.
"Either I run against PERIL or against rabbits," Mr. Big said. "With or without you, I will solve the rabbit problem."
"There's no way that you can win. Zootopia wouldn't stand for that."
"We shall see. I'll give you one week to reconsider."
