"The best training is to play by ear: Trial by fire." - John Legend
4:08 P.M
Turns out that Judy's worst fear wasn't getting eaten by a savage predator. Nope. The mere idea of losing her job caused her skin to crawl more than any jaguar ever could.
Having built her whole career and reputation on the labor of her interests since childhood, Judy cared more about her job than just about anything else in the world, except for family and friends, of course. They always came first, no matter what. But still; the weight of her current predicament sagged heavy in her heart and mind: Chief Latran was really pushing the limits of Judy's anxiety, what with threatening to have her and Nick's jobs at the ZPD suspended, even after all that they had been through together.
Some mammals were just way too far set in their personal beliefs and agendas for Judy's comfort. It was quite clear to her, now more than ever, that this condescending coyote was one of them. Being strict enough on his own, when Chief Latran heard about Nick and Judy's incident in The Canyonlands, he must have really struck a nerve.
Unfortunately, that meant nothing but trouble for the two tiny officers.
Ever since the meeting began, that coyote had been setting the stakes up against them, as though he had some sort of ulterior motive. Though Nick and Judy believed Bogo's assurances to trust Chief Latran, neither of the could help feeling a sense of suspicion towards his actions. The recent incident in The Canyonlands appeared to be his driving motivation. Maybe they were simply overthinking it, but whatever the case, they both refused to let their guards down. However, when the coyote had taken things one step further, and suggested that the council hold a vote to consider the act of relieving Nick and Judy of their duties as officers of the law, the two of them were shook to the core.
Judy, who had spent her whole life building up her career, and Nick, who hadn't been a part of the Zootopia workforce in years, and desperately sought to keep his job, both had their own personal reasons for wishing to remain at the ZPD, but the moment that the topic of being fired was brought up, the both of them immediately thought of the other. Nick, who knew how important Judy's job was to her; And Judy, who wanted to keep Nick from winding up on the streets again. Their twin minds raced with a variety of thoughts, swirling about as they weighed their options and registered just what this apparent council vote meant for them both, and their futures at the ZPD, respectively.
Meanwhile, Chief Bogo himself was starting to get agitated. He had worked with this council for years, and although he always knew that Jesse was a stubborn mammal, he never could have imagined that he'd go this far. The water-buffalo quickly gathered his thoughts: He understood that their council couldn't be governed too much by one specific power, and so, the chiefs had the right to vote in order to settle disputes, that was, before the result of said vote was taken into account by a higher council in the city government. With so many differing opinions at play, such occurrences were far from rare, and despite the arguments, stable conclusions were often reached effectively.
However, Chief Latran seemed to be pushing his own agenda a bit too much, and that worried Bogo: Zootopia already had enough political corruption and mishaps to suffer through, what with the scars of Mayor Lionheart, Bellwether, and Lyncoln still healing. The water-buffalo was determined to keep his prized officers under his employment, and out of Latran's field of influence: This wasn't the first time that the coyote had asserted his dominance upon the council, but never before had Bogo witnessed his desert counterpart strive so strictly over something so simple. Sure, Bogo himself wasn't exactly the most laid-back chief around, but the way that Jesse pushed his beliefs seemed far too compulsive for even his tastes. In the past, the coyote's advances stood as a good way of encouraging innovation among the council, but this obsession was madness.
Chief Bogo needed to halt his advances now, before it was too late.
The coyote spoke out his ideas. "A raise of hands, then, to settle the matter. All in favor of-" He began, but was promptly cut off by Bogo;
"Enough, Jesse! No more of this... This adducing toward my officers! Our power may be equal on this council, but you're taking this obsession of yours too far!"
Latran sneered, though his dark-yellow eyes flitted nervously to his left and right, as if he were worried that the other council members would call him out.
"These two riff-raffs are in need of retribution for their recklessness. Can't you see that?" The coyote growled, pointing toward Nick and Judy with one of his clawed fingertips.
Just as he was about to continue with his rant, Chief Bogo himself raised one of his sturdy hoofs in a gesture of silence before sternly expressing his thoughts;
"Jesse, please keep in mind that even though we precinct heads have the ability to vote on dividing matters that deal directly with our line of work, a decision such as firing them goes against the city's civil policies, and would need to be passed through a higher office first. We may be but a single branch of the city-council, but our impressions matter. Letting personal vendettas get in the way of our work is unacceptable, and not appropriate in these governing halls. You have always been the strongest card in our arsenal here at the ZPD, but you cannot keep this up. I implore you to compose yourself, Chief Latran, lest we take your abrupt behavior into judgment of a higher council."
Once Chief Bogo's tirade was effectively concluded, he then cleared his throat audibly before carefully seating himself back in his chair. All eyes were now on Chief Latran.
The coyote's jaw hung agape ever so slightly. He made no sounds nor sudden movements, that was, before letting out a loose breath of pent up air that he had held in his lungs. Jesse's expression was that of frustration at first, but soon morphed into what seemed like a steady realization of his own errors. He sighed lowly as he seated himself.
Silence to the count of seven, until finally, Chief Latran exhaled wearily for the third time. His ears were lowered in embarrassment, though he still wore a hard expression.
"I... Apologize." He muttered, though it didn't sound very sincere. "Perhaps I've been a bit too... Obsessed, since the incident in The Canyonlands took place."
"Have you been getting enough sleep, Jesse?" Chief Koobor asked gently, not as a fellow workplace associate, but as a helping friend. Her smile was warm and reassuring.
Chief Latran actually chuckled a single time; His brief moment of emotion surprising Nick and Judy. "Not with the paperwork that I've been getting lately." He muttered.
"Why have you been so upfront with Officers Hopps and Wilde? They are both fine young mammals." The koala pried.
Jesse hesitated, almost as though he didn't want to answer. After a few brief seconds of formulating his thoughts, the coyote finally spilled his point of view to the others;
"It's just that I've been working as the chief of police in Sahara-Square for years, yet I've never come across a pair of officers more defiant of the rules than these two. Precinct Three prides itself on withholding the law, all the while strictly following ZPD protocol. I've fired officers for things these two do on a weekly basis. Discipline and authority is our masterstroke! To see these two running around in my jurisdiction of influence as though they up and owned the darn place really put a stuck up my craw."
"Your devotion to the law is truly admirable, but sometimes, mercy can bear richer fruits than strict justice, you know." The anteater claimed in that soothing accent of his.
The coyote nodded, seemingly agreeing with Chief Myreme's advice. He then turned towards Nick and Judy, looking them directly in the eyes. From there, he spoke out;
"It seems I've been a bit too forthright in my beliefs. Officers Hopps, Wilde; I don't like you or your methods of enforcement, but for the moment, I'm willing to subside my complaints. You've done reckless and foolhardy things, but you've also brought much prosperity to the city of Zootopia. If anything, I suppose that should lessen the load."
"Thank you, sir." Judy gratefully stated, uttering the first sentence that she and her husband had been able to convey since Chief Latran suggested that they be fired.
Chief Latran held a molecular hint of a smile. "But don't let me catch you running around in The Canyonlands, doing my officer's jobs, again. Consider yourselves warned."
"Duly noted." Nick claimed, to which the coyote nodded in seeming approval.
"Good. Don't be forgettin' that anytime soon." He finalized.
At that, Chief Latran leaned back in his seat and relaxed, his feud with the two tiny officers subsided, for now. The two of them could only hope that they wouldn't find themselves facing his wrath once more in the future. Until then, they'd have to try their best to stay on his good side, though they had no desire of winning his approval: They weren't doing this for him. They were doing it for themselves, and for Chief Bogo, and all of the other police chiefs who supported them. In the end, they would have to manage their jobs to the best of their abilities, regardless of the situation, and who liked them or not. As police officers of the ZPD, they would do whatever it took to serve.
That's who they were: Not criminals, or vandals, or hooligans: Police officers of the ZPD. They only hoped that Latran wouldn't seize any opportunities to advance his will.
With the matter subsided for the moment, Chief Koobor of Outback-Island took the time to insert her own thoughts regarding a new statement of conversational discussion;
"All of this bickering and disagreement over these two fine officers. They have much to work on, as we've so vehemently debated, but they are without a doubt the greatest cops that this city has seen, even despite their misgivings, though, I'm right sure that they intend on better following the standard ZPD engagement protocols from now on..."
The koala then looked to Judy with one bushy eyebrow raised, as if to say, Don't prove me wrong, kid.
"Affirmative!" The rabbit claimed with a steadfast salute before glancing to Nick, who was examining his nails. She elbowed the fox, causing him to hastily sit up straight.
"Uh, yes, definitely!" He agreed, mimicking his partner's pose.
Chief Koobor smiled, as though that proved her point flawlessly. "See? We can trust them. However, I do reckon that some form of appeasement is needed..."
The other district chiefs grumbled lowly, nodding their heads and muttering beneath their breath. Some looked to one another with confusion, as though they didn't follow.
"Appeasement?" Nick repeated curiously.
"Precisely. Something to help show those that are..." She hesitated. "Skeptical, of your abilities, just how productive you can be, even when not dealing with criminal cases."
Chief Bogo leaned forward on the smooth surface of the table in front of him. "Just what are you suggesting, Chief Koobor?" He asked with a rather cautious tone to his voice.
The koala smiled proudly. She continued her explanation with gusto;
"A show of faith to Chief Latran, and those that share his grievances, of course. It's quite crystal-clear that not all of us agree with officers Hopps and Wilde's particular ways of interpreting the policies of engagement, and whatever acts of rule-breaking that they are accused of. This council needs unity, now more than ever: All of the most recent events that have been taking place around the city of Zootopia, from the capturing of the crime-lords, to the arson attack on Precinct One, proves that times are changing."
Louise then took a brief moment to let that previous statement of hers sink in before resuming.
"We need to all be in this together, because I have a feeling that there are more threats on the horizon. These two police officers before us all have accomplished some truly extraordinary feats, but their work isn't done yet, and neither is ours. Their outing in the Deciduous-District was certainly promising, but I believe that something else must be done to hit the final nail into the coffin; Something that simultaneously proves to Chief Latran and company of officer Hopps and Wilde's devotion to the law, allows us higher-ups to further and freely discuss the possibilities of the future regarding what's to come and what to do, and last but not least, to give our two officers here some breathing room, and to show us their talents in action! To answer your question, Chief Bogo, I suggest that we, as a council, negotiate to appease both sides of this quarrel."
"And just how would we do that?" Judy herself interjected, to which the koala simply smiled warmly.
"I suggest that we send officers Hopps and Wilde back to the Zootopian Police Academy, to temporarily serve as instructors for the next generation of ZPD recruits."
The council immediately exploded into commotion: Half a dozen different chiefs got to their feet and started arguing amongst eachother. Some declared the idea an outrage of tradition, while others claimed it to be an innovative step in the right direction. Chief Koobor quickly worked with Chief Bogo to calm everyone down, and soon enough, all of the council members were seated back in their chairs, though some still grumbled defiantly beneath their breath; Muttering to themselves over the koala's big suggestion.
"Now, I know what you're all thinking, everyone, but just hear me out for a second." The koala pleaded.
Taking a moment to register her words, the council stilled itself in order to further listen in on her suggestion. Chief Koobor continued;
"This idea, if played out correctly, could cover all of the bases that we've addressed, and subdue all of the topics that we've been arguing about for the past half-hour. As I said earlier, it appeases both sides; Allowing Officers Hopps and Wilde to keep their jobs, yet also allowing for further reconciliation over their recent breaches of protocol."
"You make it sound like some sort of extended training plan." Chief Tarrak from Tundra-Town added.
"To an extent, it is. Tell me: What do we do with DUI offenders? We enlist them in an aid program not because we think that they don't know how to drive, but in order to dissuade them from driving under the influence in the future. The city still trusts them with their license after it deems them fit to pass the class, but they're sent to the class in the first place because the city seeks to verify its trust in the offender. This suggestion of mine is just like that: We don't send officers Hopps and Wilde back to the ZPA just because we think that they need more basic training in police work, but to help remind them that rules are in place for a reason, and that upholding them is important."
"But was that not what their entire endeavor to my precinct was about?" Chief Urzo piped up.
The koala nodded. "There, they were sent for extended training, but here, they'll be sent to train others."
Chief Latran smiled mischievously, all the while stroking his scruffy jawline. "I see now... While they're teaching, maybe they'll pick up a thing or two about respect, too!"
"Exactly." Chief Koobor confirmed. "What better way to drill into their minds the policies that we uphold here at the ZPD than by having them teach those very policies?"
"Hmm..." The sea-lion chief of police from The Docks, grumbled. "That might work." He stated simply.
"This is a plan to please both sides of this ongoing argument, as I mentioned earlier." Chief Koobor emphasized. "Unity is needed, and this is the way to achieve it."
"I dunno..." Chief Condy muttered skeptically. His fleshy nose trembled. "This plan of yours sounds like a real play-by-ear kind of scenario. Are you sure it will actually work?"
The koala shrugged. "It's just a suggestion. In the end, it's all on Chief Bogo to decide what he does with his two best officers." She stated.
All eyes turned to Chief Bogo, who sat silently at the far side of the table. His hazel-colored eyes darted quickly around the big room, as though he were trying to register the expressions and thoughts of all of his associates, if only to help influence and direct his own thinking. After a short pause, the buffalo cleared his throat before speaking out;
"Chief Condy has a point. That idea seems far easier said than done. It would take time to schedule such an endeavor, but with some effort, it could be set in motion."
"Now hold up there, Chief," Nick interjected. "We just got back from the Deciduous-District a few months ago, and now you wanna ship us off again?"
Judy nodded. "Yeah, it seems a bit... Rash..." She muttered.
The water-buffalo furrowed his brow and lowered his gaze. He finalized;
"If it covers all of the points that Chief Koobor brought up, I see no reason why not to try and go through with it."
To prove her point, the koala nodded in agreement.
"Well said." She stated. "Though, that's not to say that there aren't risks with this idea... Anything that happens to the recruits befalls on officers Hopps and Wilde."
"So you're suggesting that we place the responsibility on them? It seems a bit too early for my liking to have them teaching police classes." Chief Condy rumbled.
"They are seasoned officers with years of service beneath them, and an arsenal of talents that have taken down entire criminal empires." Koobor refuted. "They're perfectly-"
Seizing the opportunity to add his own statement to the mix, Chief Latran cleared his throat audibly, effectively interrupting his koala counterpart, before speaking aloud;
"Our dear Chief Bogo surely recognizes the risks of such an idea. Yet for good or ill, it is only fitting for these two officers to prove their truest worth to us. Sure, they may have taken down multiple high-profile criminals in the span of half a year, but their unorthodox tactics, of which should make us question the consequences of their methods, are in need of reevaluating: In need of explanation. Of retribution. If they can prove themselves as true followers of ZPD protocol, then I see no reason to hold any quarrel."
The coyote's grin seemed to grow more conniving by the second. "I'm certain that Chief Bogo and his prized officers won't disappoint us." He finalized.
Nick himself had to withhold the urge to growl under his breath. In that sudden moment, he finally understood just how much of a good speaker Chief Latran truly was. He had been swaying the crowd against he and Judy from the beginning, but now, he actually sounded convincing and supportive, rather than obsessive and over-determined.
Now, the coyote was carefully crafting his words so as to put all of the responsibility for this idea on Chief Bogo's shoulders.
This wasn't his idea, but if he knows what's good for him, he'll give us a show of faith, Chief Latran seemed to say.
If Nick and Judy's excursion at the ZPA went wrong: If anything bad were to happen, Bogo would be the one to blame. The coyote managed to convey all of that without actually saying it, simultaneously calming the council and sympathizing with them at the exact same time. For the first time, Nick realized that this scrawny old coyote might actually be an enemy far more dangerous for them than any crime-lord that they have faced thus far, even if he was still on their side. With the way that he weaved his words, Latran was quite underhanded. He had made an exceptionally convincing suggestion to the council, and already, other precinct chiefs were mumbling in agreement.
Jesse agreed to this idea not only because it served his ideologies, but also because it put weight on Bogo and his two best officers. That made Nick mad.
Chief Bogo must have recognized this too, as a brief look of irritation passed over his face as he registered the coyote's previous words.
"I'm certain that my officers won't disappoint as well." He claimed with a strong and confident tone. For a second, Nick could have sworn he had true pride in his expression.
Whatever feelings that Chief Bogo had must not have been enough for his desert counterpart, however.
The coyote simply smiled, as though he doubted the claim, and pitied Chief Bogo for having such hope in Nick and Judy. "We shall see." He finalized with a wave of his paw.
"I guess it's settled, then." Chief Koobor finalized before turning to Nick and Judy. "Best of luck, you two. I hope that you can make us all proud."
4:45 P.M
With resolutions having been made, there was nothing to look forward to but what those resolutions produced.
The council meeting was over. Nick, Judy, and Chief Bogo made their way back to Precinct One. It was a short walk, as the ZPD head-quarters and city-hall were both just a few blocks away from one another. Progress had been made at the meeting, and much had been learned, but still, concerns laced through the minds of the trio of mammals.
"Well, that went well, even though some of those guys were kinda strict." Nick found himself saying.
"There are three precinct heads against you, officer Wilde." Bogo reminded his subordinate. "That's three too many. They are not enemies that you want to have."
"What else is new?" The fox grumbled.
Chief Bogo just shook his head. "You misunderstand. What makes them all especially threatening is that they're supposed to be on your side." He stated.
"So what if they aren't?" Judy asked. "That coyote seemed to back down when you gave him the business. That should count for something, at least."
"Right on." Her partner added.
The water-buffalo sighed. "True, but I worry that their reluctance to trust you will resurface, and impede future workings."
"But hey, we got the majority's support, don't we?" Nick said with rhetorical flare. "That's good enough for me."
Despite Nick's upbeat attitude, Judy herself noticed that Chief Bogo still bore and expression of concern. For a sliver of a moment, the thought that there was something that he wasn't telling the two of them crossed her mind. It left her as soon as it arrived, for her superior's brooding exhalation filled her sensitive ears and rattled her attention.
"I certainly hope that it is." He muttered lowly.
Nick pursed his lips. "I dunno what Chief Cranky Coyote's problem is; Getting all riled up over us, but at least we know that he's on our side, for the most part."
"Even if he still doesn't like us all that much." Judy added.
The water-buffalo nodded. "That much is true. You can trust Jesse, but you must be careful when dealing with him. We all know how steadfast he is in his beliefs, by now."
"That's putting it lightly." The fox grumbled.
At that, the trio of mammals were silent the rest of the way back to Precinct One, the corresponding conscious of each one swarming with the power of a thousand different thoughts. Though in the end, one thing was certain above all else: The only thing that any of them could do was to look to the future, and hope for the best; Whatever came.
Be it the thrill of the chase or a trial by fire, it seemed that there was always something new for Nick and Judy to take on in the city of Zootopia.
Hey everyone!
Okay, first things first, I just want to apologize for how short this chapter is in comparison to others. It has been a rather busy last few weeks, and my writing motivation has been a bit impeded, least to say. Though, I do still have every intention on continuing this story, of course. Just bear with me, and when the next chapter comes around (I'm thinking somewhere around 10,000 words. Sounds good, eh?), you won't be disappointed. Besides, I wanted this latest chapter of ours to be a bit shorter than usual to put some emphasis on the verdict of the chief meeting, to allow the next upcoming chapter some extra breathing room, and of course; To get you all your latest dosage of When Instinct Falls. I hope that you enjoyed what I had to offer this time around!
In the next chapter, you'll learn more about the plan for Nick and Judy's trip to the ZPA. Fun stuff!
Well, glad that we finally got to see things from Chief Latran's point of view, eh? He may be a bit of a hardass, but he's got a reasonable inside, it seems. With peace made between him and Nick and Judy, you'll just have to stay tuned to see how his role, along with all of the other precinct chiefs, is expanded upon. Soon enough, you'll find out, but in the next chapter, you can expect tons of nostalgia, description, fun and ever-so sweet fluff. Stay tuned, everyone!
Indeed, this chapter may have had a lot of OC discussion and dialogue in it, but you can expect TONS of Nick and Judy content right around the corner. You can also expect to be seeing more of Mr, Big, Finnick, Vladzotz and Lucy, and more quite soon!
It's only gonna get better from here on out. The real meat of the 7th arc's plot starts with chapter 93, including everything I mentioned above, alongside new characters and some point of views from the various other chiefs of the ZPD, from Bogo to Latran: Getting in their heads as they sort out their own problems while Nick and Judy are off doing their own thing should be a pretty interesting experience, and like everything else that I have planned, I truly cannot wait to bring it to the table, for all of you to enjoy. Until then, stay patient, and do feel free to leave a nice review. I'd adore knowing your thoughts!
If you haven't already, be sure to follow/favorite this story of ours, if only to help fuel the drive to keep on writing. All new readers are most appreciated!
Lastly, as usual, there's even more fan-art on my Tumblr and DA accounts (Including some awesome interpretations of Chief Latran and Chief Urzo), and also, I would just like to add the fact that if you're an artist thinking of contributing to the likes of the story's artistic gallery, do feel free to let me know.
At that, I am now pretty much out of things to say, for the current moment. Thanks a million for reading, and I'll see you all soon enough.
'Till next time...
Peace!