Chapter 4: Old Tricksters
Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde were immediately called to the scene after reports of a disturbance in Zootopia central. There were reports of a cake being stolen from a bakery, a crazy rabbit running across the road which caused a car crash, and a fox attempting to eat a mouse.
'What are these crazy reports? do you think it had anything to do with those three hicks we met earlier?' said Nick to Judy.
'I have no idea. I got a bad feeling about those three. But then again, I did see something in them, something which reminded me of ourselves' She replied.
Nick exchanged a look at Judy in agreement. They arrived at the scene to interview the bakery assistant who lost her carrot cake to the hungry rabbit. She gave a description of the rabbit, and Judy said immediately
'That's him'.
Whilst Nick was busy talking to bystanders about the incident, Judy started her search for Brer rabbit. She thought 'If I was a county rabbit, which I am, where would I hide?' She started her search by looking down an alley which the bakery assistant said she ran past.
After 10 minutes of searching, she was about to give up when she heard a voice.
'Howdy sheriff, you lookin' for me?'
Judy looked up to find Brer Rabbit staring down at her. He was sitting on the fire escape staircase just above her head.
'Yes, yes I am! We need to talk. Please come down here.' She exclaimed
'Oh, only if you promise not to arrest me'. He replied in an almost playful manner.
Judy 'promised' with her fingers crossed behind her back, and Brer Rabbit hopped down the stairway.
'Look do you realise how much trouble you caused? You need to pay for that cake!' She asserted. She couldn't be too mad at him, as he had an innocence about him, like a lost child.
'If you can't afford to pay for that cake, we have no choice but to put you in a cell for the night. What is your name?' She asserted again, whilst reaching for a pair of rabbit-sized hand cuffs from her pocket. This immediately got Brer Rabbits attention.
'Brer Rabbit…..' he said in a quiet voice.
'Nice joke. What is your real name'
'Brer rabbit….' He said again.
'You mean like the legendary trickster rabbit? Like in those stories my Dad used to tell me? Nice try' she said whilst rolling her eyes.
'Wait I am legendary? Boasted Brer Rabbit. His mood instantly improving.
'You are not joking are you?...' Judy's eye fell to the floor as she started to believe him.
'And I am only the best trickster in the world hunny.' He laughed as he reached to pull down her cap playfully.
'Don't call me hunny!' she retaliated as she grabbed his arm. 'Now please come with me back to the station for further questions.' She stressed, as she pulled out the handcuffs.
'You have to catch me first sweet pea' Brer Rabbit immediately shook free from Judy and took off. She quickly followed. He was only slightly faster than Judy. He jumped over some garbage cans out of sight. Judy, although slightly slower, jumped over the cans and saw Brer Rabbit in the centre of the pavement, just standing there, as still as anything.
'I got you now.' she grabbed the rabbit's arm only to find to her shock it wasn't Brer Rabbit at all, in fact it was a old plush toy… a decoy!
She looked up to find Brer Rabbit's silhouette staring back at her at the entrance of the alley, who quickly disappeared.
Judy looked at the plush rabbit doll, on closer inspection it was in fact a 'Thumper' doll, like the character from a movie she watched!
She threw the doll to the floor and screamed in frustration.