Benjamin Clawhauser happily drummed his fingers on the desk of the ZPD lobby. He was in a particularly good mood that morning; it seemed like everything was going well. No major crimes to worry about, his sister doing well in college, and his brother was even functioning in a "normal" high school. Benjamin was so pleased that he even forgot to bring an "emergency" stash of donuts to keep him peppy throughout the day.
The chubby cheetah let out a terse mew of curiosity as he heard his phone buzz. A text from Barbara lit up the screen.
[OMG B, you won't believe what I found] his sister's text read.
[What do you mean? Good or bad?] Benjamin responded.
[I finally got into Terry's phone and I found some strange pictures :/]
[Barb! OMGoodness! You can't just break into his phone! D:] Clawhauser's brow and jaw fell at the intrusion.
[Well, I was worried! And look at this!] Barbara sent a couple of pictures of their younger brother Terrence hanging out with a gray wolf. Benjamin scratched at one of his cheeks. He didn't see anything wrong with the pictures; the wolf looked friendly enough. Maybe a touch stern? Definitely handsome for a teenage wolf, with those pale yellow eyes and even face.
[Uh, what's wrong with that? Looks like he's got a friend!] Benjamin was smiling as he texted.
[OR, he's got some bully that's forcing him to be social, or worse! You know how Terry is!] Barbara quickly responded. She added: [How come we've never heard about this guy? Huh? Maybe he's doing something to him that Terry doesn't want us to know about!] Benjamin started to text a reply, but Barbara added yet another message: [Can't you do anything at the police station!?]
[Calm down, Barb!] Benjamin started to text, but before he sent it he heard a deep cough. Benjamin looked up to see the even, slightly judgemental face of Chief Bogo looking down at him.
"Clawhauser, I've discussed this with you at least a dozen times," Bogo said firmly. "Please refrain from using your smartphone so overtly at the front desk?"
"Sorry sir," Benjamin winced in apology, and wiggled his phone in his hand, "it's just some family stuff. My sister's freaking out about-"
"Oh, your family?" Bogo interrupted, his brow raising and voice softening. The buffalo slightly leaned in. "Nothing's gone wrong, has it?"
"I dunno, sir, I don't think so," Benjamin forced a smile. He was beginning to wish he'd brought along some donuts after all. Maybe an iced coffee, too.
"Clawhauser, you know that if there's anything having to do with your family that you need, you have but to ask," Bogo said gently, placing his hands on Benjamin's desk.
"Lemme think..." Benjamin searched the ceiling for an idea. "I think there might be something I could ask for."
"Let's hear it," Chief Bogo nodded.
Benjamin deleted "Calm down, Barb!" in his texting app, and instead wrote: [I'll take care of it, Barbara.]
A brownish middle-aged pony with a blonde mane looked over some documents in front of her. She was seated at the desk of a principal's office. The pony huffed and stared evenly with her blue eyes at the two police officers near her desk.
"All right, I've read Chief Bogo's request, and I'll clear you two to patrol our halls for this week only," the pony decisively stamped a seal on a paper and moved it away. "I'm sure other schools would be ecstatic to have the 'great' Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde at our school, but here at Zootopia Central High, we do not play favorites."
"Of course not, Principal Sternicker," Judy smiled. She saluted. "We're here to make your school a better place!"
"Yes, well, you can go do that," Mrs. Sternicker said, gesturing outward with her hoof. "I've got other things to attend to."
Nick gave out his signature lazy smile as the two officers went out onto the commons together.
"Ah, high school," the fox chuckled. "This takes me back."
"I'm sure you have fond memories of getting called into the principal's office," Judy shot back with a smirk.
"Of course not, Madam," Nick closed his eyes and delicately placed his paws on his chest. "I was an honor student, I'll have you know."
"Right," Judy rolled her eyes. "You told me you were hustling since you were twelve, buster."
"Yes, well, did you know that foxes have nine souls?" Nick said with faux seriousness. He started to count on his fingers. "I have the soul of a scout, hustler, honor student, loving son-"
"Good thing you didn't use up all those souls before you got to 'police officer'," Judy smiled. She chuckled to herself as Nick wiggled his eyebrows, then shook her head. Her expression shifted to one of curiosity and she tilted her head. "You know, I don't think I've ever actually met either of Clawhauser's siblings before?"
"Me either," Nick rubbed his paws together. "If they're anything like their brother, though, we should be in for a treat. Specifically a glazed, baked treat."
"'Do not' make that donut joke," Judy scolded playfully. Then she became a bit more serious. "Feels a little weird though; having a mission to go spy on Terry."
"It sure does," Nick nodded. "Because you and I have never used our position or connections to extort favors from others."
"Touche, dummy," Judy smirked with her brow furrowed, nudging Nick with her elbow.
On the third day of their doing rounds at ZCH, Judy was beginning to get a little discouraged. The two hadn't managed to uncover anything interesting or decisive.
"So Terry seems pretty shy and reserved," Judy tapped her chin with a finger. "Wonder why."
"Some people are just like that," Nick shrugged. "I've barely seen this wolf we're supposed to keep a watch out for, either. Have you caught his name yet?" Judy shook her head. Nick looked around as the bell rang, signalling the transition of another period. "Heh. High school. I still feel like a runt compared to half of the kids here."
"My school was mostly bunnies, of course," Judy hummed in amusement. "I guess it would make sense for a high school in the heart of Zootopia to be so diverse." She looked up in wonderment at the very high ceilings and the clean architecture of the building.
From quite some distance away near some lockers, a stocky male hippo teenager accosted Terry Clawhauser.
"Hey kitten," the hippo grunted.
"Uh, hey Rock," Terry flinched as he quickly shut his locker.
"You're still gonna tutor me in chemistry, right?" Rock asked sternly. "Gotta pass this next test."
"I- I dunno... I dunno Rock," Terry's breathing quickened and he steadied his glasses. "I'm nh-not that great at teaching people things..."
"C'mon, kitten, you're a straight-A kid, everyone knows that," Rock chuckled, but then his voice got serious. "Gimme a cheat sheet for the test or somethin'."
"Mh- I dh-don't really know if I can do that..." Terry mumbled. He rubbed at his long-sleeved shirt and cowered from the large hippo.
"I said, if you know what's good for you..." Rock began to tower over the cheetah.
"HEY!" a loud voice barked from across the hall. A gray wolf quickly got in between Terry and Rock. "Back off of the cheetah, Rock."
Judy's ear perked up and moved slightly in the direction of the commotion. "I heard 'cheetah', Nick. Let's go check it out." Nick nodded and followed Judy's lead.
"Oh look, it's the little pup Cyrus," Rock frowned. "What's up, dog?"
"Stay away from Terrence," Cyrus warned, his upper lip raising. "I'm sick of you meatheads trying to take advantage of him."
"How noble," Rock mocked. "What're you gonna do about it, puppy?" Rock laughed boisterously. "You seen what I can do to a watermelon?" He slapped his jowls together. "You think some little baby pred is gonna keep me from what I want?"
"I know what you want is to keep playing pawball," Cyrus snarled, baring his fangs as Terrence moved behind Cyrus. "So unless you use what passes for a brain in that fat head of yours and study, looks like a piece of paper's gonna keep you from getting what you want!"
"Screw you, dog!" Rock shouted, and Terrence gasped and moved away as Rock balled a fist. "I'm gonna pluck those pointed teeth out of your trap!" Cyrus adopted a growling, hunched position, his hackles rising.
"Hey, hey, HEY!" Judy rushed over and waved her arms. "Back off, you two. I'm warning you...!"
"Yeah, let's take it down a notch," Nick said seriously.
Judy snapped her fingers and pointed at the hippo. "You. 'Rock'. You're coming with me to Principal Sternicker."
The hippo scoffed in disbelief. "This a joke? When'd we get a bunny hall monitor anyway?"
"Aaaactually, I'm a police officer," Judy flipped out her badge, then pointed at a large pair of cuffs on her hip. "Stop talking and march, mister. If you don't, you're not going to find what happens next very 'funny'."
Rock sucked at his teeth and begrudgingly complied. Terrence was shivering a little and Cyrus started to calm a bit as Judy walked away with Rock.
"Uh, thanks officer," Cyrus rubbed behind his head, looking down at Nick. "Y'see, those jocks're always..."
"Now hold on there," Nick held up his paw. "You bared your fangs at that hippo. I'm gonna have to ask you a few questions."
"Wh-are you serious?" Cyrus' anger reignited. "C'mon, you're a canid! You know sometimes you just gotta snarl and stand your ground, right?" He scoffed, looking the officer over. "Or has that badge made you self-righteous, fox!?"
"Okay, I'm gonna let that slide, but only if you chill out right now," Nick said with a cool seriousness. He leaned over to look at Terrence. "You should probably run along, cheetah."
"Um, Cyrus...?" Terrence looked cautiously at Cyrus.
"Just do what the officer says, Terry," Cyrus grumbled.
"But I don't- I mean I-" Terrence stammered, looking between the two.
"Get to your next class, okay Terry?" Cyrus asked in a slightly softer voice. "I'll be okay."
"Okay..." Terrence backed away slowly, then turned and walked away, checking over his shoulder.
"What do you want, Officer...?" Cyrus asked.
"Wilde, Officer Wilde," Nick folded his arms. "I think we've gotten off on the wrong footpad here. I'd like to know why you were getting in between that hippo and cheetah?"
"Terry's my friend," Cyrus responded quickly, narrowing his brow. "What, don't you ever stand up for your friends?"
Nick chuckled. "Easy on the attitude, Cyrus."
"Ugh, my bad," Cyrus huffed. He rubbed his temples. "I'm just so sick of people bullyin' Terry. I gotta stand up for him. He's a really anxious guy."
"Cheetahs are the most likely predator to have anxiety problems," Nick nodded. "Did you know that?" Judy walked over, her ear perking at this factoid as she returned to her partner.
"Yeah, but it's more than just that," Cyrus held his paws out. "Terry's been through a lot of bad stuff early on in his life."
"Like...?" Nick led.
"I'm not gonna tell you!" Cyrus snapped, then he winced at seeing Judy fold her arms and narrow her eyes. "Uh, sorry. It's just... it's personal, okay?" Judy looked over to Nick, and the fox shrugged. "And don't- I don't want you to ask him either. He gets really upset. Like really upset."
"Here's another little fact I know," Nick smiled. "Wolves are among the most loyal predators. In fact," Nick pointed at Judy, "did you know that psychologists recommend cheetahs with anxiety problems to get a canine as a friend?"
"I'd never heard that," Judy blinked.
"What're you just psychoanalyzing me n' Terry?" Cyrus frowned. "He needed a friend and I wanted to step up to the plate, all right?" Cyrus paused, then added a shrug. "Don't gotta be a species thing..."
"Alright, well, you do you then," Nick pointed at Cyrus. "But try to keep the violence level down to a minimum. You can bark, but you can't bite, got it?"
"Yes officer," Cyrus grumbled. "But unless you guys can stop every bully from thinkin' they can get something from Terry, I don't think I'll be able to quit 'barking'."
"Well, we can certainly try to keep them off Terry for now," Nick shrugged. "But Judy and I only have a couple of days left here before we're reassigned."
"Is that a challenge I detect?" Judy narrowed her eyes and cracked her knuckles. "If any kid thinks they can bully that cheetah in the couple of days we have left, I'll put the fear of bunny in them."
Cyrus looked at Nick skeptically.
"Trust me, don't mess with her," Nick grinned.
Benjamin was all smiles as he got in from work one day. Barbara looked up from her homework laid out in the form of paperwork, books, and her iPawpad on the table.
"Well...?" Barbara looked up at Benjamin. "How's this scheme of yours working out, Ben?"
"Just great!" Benjamin smiled. "Terry has his own little guardian wolf."
"What?" Barbara blinked. She slowly half-smiled. "So the wolf really is just his friend?"
"A good friend! Great friend" Benjamin smiled. "Just the kinda person Terry needs to help him make it through school, I'd wager."
"Well that's good news," Barbara deflated. "I haven't felt this relieved since I was able to get mom's sweater away from him."
"It's okay, Barb," Benjamin chuckled. "I don't think he actually tells anyone whose sweater that is."
"I wish he'd just fully wean himself off of it," Barbara muttered. "It's been a long time..."
"Don't stress out over it too much, Barbara," Benjamin pat her on the shoulder. "You know what they say about cheetahs and stress."
"Yeah, yeah..." Barbara grumbled.
Terrence came home and briefly looked at his siblings before heading toward his room.
"Hi, Terry!" Barbara chirped at him. "Hey um, make any friends at school?"
"No," Terry mumbled and headed to his room, shutting the door.
"Wha-" Barbara looked incredulously between Benjamin and the door as it closed. Her voice narrowed to a harsh whisper. "Ben, he just lied to us. We know he's got this wolf pal...!"
"Well he is a teenager," Benjamin shrugged. "I guess he doesn't want us to pry into his personal life. I mean, we're not his parents or anything."
"We might as well be...!" Babara hissed softly.
"But we're not," Benjamin shook his head. "And poor Terr's had a hard life."
"So have you and I!" Barbara shot back. "It's not like-"
"But we weren't in the car when it happened, Barbara..." Benjamin held out a paw. "It's got to be so much different for him..."
"Ugh, I just-" Barbara covered half of her face with one hand. Her breath started to catch as she hesitated. "Just wish we could be a normal family again..."
"C'mere, Barbie," Benjamin pat his chest and hugged her. She hugged on firmly. Benjamin's own eyes were getting glassy, but he stayed strong as he pet her back.
"Am I awful?" Barbara hiccuped. "Should I just give up on college and stay here till we're sure Terry is okay?"
"You've put your life on hold long enough, Barb," Benjamin said, giving her a gentle squeeze. "I think Terry's getting better, I really do. And he's got that wolf now; ...he'll tell us about him when he's ready."
"I hope so, Ben," Barbara shakily sighed. "Hope so..."