"Nick...?"

The fox in question lifted his head after shaking himself relatively dry. He had sought cover under an awning during an intense rainstorm. A sneer exploded onto Nick's face as he saw a very similar-looking fox staring back at him, similarly stepping under the awning for shelter from the storm.

"What do you want, John?" Nick replied bitterly. The well-dressed fox he addressed removed his hat and tried a gentle smile.

"It's ah- it's good to see you," John said earnestly. "You- well, we haven't been in touch. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing, no thanks to you," Nick looked out at the squall, cursing. The stinging rain would be irritating to run through, but it seemed like a better option than having to talk to the older fox.

"Well, forget about me, then," John continued, trying to keep a patient look on his face. "Your mother worries about you terribly."

"She's as bad as you are for taking you back," Nick spat at him, darting a finger out at him. "After what you did to us. You didn't deserve that chance."

"Maybe not," John frowned, "but I've been trying to work to afford it. The way things are looking, Mary will be able to retire in just under a year, then I can take over with taking care for her, just like she did for me."

"I guess you think that makes it all better, then," Nick sneered. "Trying to close your circle, are you? Well you can't still be a good father, that time's over."

"Yh-you're probably right, Nick," John exhaled. "And for that, you have my deepest apologies." He released an uneasy chuckle, pointing guardedly at Nick. "I see you- uh, still wear my ties, though."

Nick tugged at the tie he was wearing. "Yeah, if only to remind myself how much I was stunted by being abandoned by my 'dad' at a young age!"

The older fox sighed, smiling sadly. "I um... well, your mother will be glad to know you're doing okay."

"Tch," Nick sneered, and a short growl escaped him.

He decided to brave the storm.

"Judy? Oh, Judy!"

The small, well-dressed ewe waved at Judy as she came down off the platform.

"Assistant Mayor Bellwether," Judy blinked. "I haven't seen you in a little while." She thought for a moment. "Congratulations, by the way."

"On the new term? Thank you," Bellwether smiled, clapping her hoofed hands. "Mayor Lionheart and I rallied so hard to get that vote, and it feels like everyone loves us!"

"Really? That's good," Judy's voice was undecided, but she decided to politely stand there and listen to the sheep.

"I just love being the assistant mayor," Bellwether giggled. "Mayor Lionheart has put me in front of so many important projects! I just wanted to see how you're doing. The Mammal Inclusion Initiative is starting to really take off. I loved your speech! How important it is for us small mammals to go out there and make a difference!" She energetically pumped her arm.

"Yeah, I'm uh- glad you liked it," the rabbit sounded unconvincing and wore a matching smile, even to the cheerful-looking sheep.

"Is something wrong?" Bellwether tilted her head.

"Well, I uh..." Judy sighed. "I don't feel like I've been making much of a difference myself."

"Oh no?" Bellwether blinked. "But you do, Judy! You absolutely do. You've done such a super job at all of this. Your speeches are so earnest and passionate... I bet you've inspired a lot of mammals!"

"My 'speeches'," Judy huffed, shrugging her shoulders. She tilted her head back, looking at the handsome high-school stage she'd just spoken in. "Well, it's easy enough to give a good speech, whether you believe in it or not. When I was in high-school, I was a drama bunny. Acting was going to be my backup plan."

"You don't believe in what you say...?" The sheep looked very concerned, stepping closer. "But you're the first bunny cop...!"

"I don't do anything important, or meaningful," Judy shrugged. "Chief Bogo sees me as more of a nuisance than a help."

Bellwether frowned, seeing Judy lose more and more of the cheer she'd shown onstage. "I think it's noble what you're doing. Even if you don't think you're making a difference where you are, sometimes you just need to accept what comes your way. Someone could still look at you and be inspired. ...That's why I wanted you on that poster, after all. Mammals of all sizes can do anything they want!"

"Can they really though, Assistant Mayor Bellwether?" Judy sighed. "Because I kind of don't feel like a 'real' cop."

"Hm," Bellwether tilted her head in concern, "I know what might cheer you up! I'm taking a trip this weekend to Bunnyburrow. You're from there, right? There's a special event I'm planning for Zootopia this summer, and I need advice and help from Bunnyburrow to pull it off. While we're there, maybe you could visit your family; maybe we could even arrange to let you give a speech to some impressionable young bunnies!"

Judy reflexively winced at the prospect.

"Thanks for the opportunity, but..." Judy chuckled, jerking her thumb behind her. "Those meters aren't going to maid themselves."

"Well, okay, if you're sure," Bellwether's brow furrowed, a look of concern on her face. "But trust me, this summer is gonna be a blast!"

"Heh, if you say so," Judy smiled weakly.

"Just- just tell me if you need anything, okay Judy?" Bellwether smiled, touching her shoulder. "You always have a friend in City Hall."

"Larry! LARRY! NO!"

Judy's ears perked up and she turned her head in time to catch a young squirrel running into the street after a soccer ball. Sparing not even a second to think, Judy dropped her ticket writer and leaped into the street, grasping the squirrel.

Looking left a few degrees, she saw a looming large-mammal car that wouldn't even see her before it was too late, and there was no time to run away.

So, she jumped.

The crouch she performed as she scooped up the squirrel supplied enough energy to her legs to let her attempt a jump. She jumped as high as she could, then continued wiggling her legs at high speed to run up the windshield. She nearly tripped as the little squirrel screamed in terror, but managed to jump off the hood of the car and onto the sidewalk.

Sighing in relief, Judy placed the squirrel down on the sidewalk, where an adult squirrel rushed over and let lose a panicked yelp.

"Are you okay, little guy?" Judy asked the squirrel, smiling kindly.

"Um! Uh huh...!" He looked younger than ten, and he was breathing rapidly in terror.

"Great Celestials, you saved my son's life!" The male squirrel breathed out, a hand on his chest. "Officer, I can't thank you enough!"

"It's just- that's what we do at the ZPD," Judy huffed, adrenaline coursing through her. Her paw trembled from her effort as the squirrel desperately shook her paw.

"Thank you, thank you so much," the squirrel looked almost tearful. "My son- he's all I have left of my dear wife. I don't know what I would have done if..." He released an unsteady squeak.

"Nothing to worry about, sir," Judy smiled, flush with warm feelings.

The older squirrel drew Larry close to him, hugging him tightly. "Now Larry... promise me you won't run off like that again! I know the clothing store is boring, but I have to talk to my boss for a little bit today, okay?"

"Hh-okay," the scared little squirrel replied.

Judy waved at them demurely as they headed off into the store. Sighing in delight, she squinted her eyes shut and barked out a little noise of exultation, pumping both arms. She'd finally made some sort of difference to-

"Pretty brave, what you did," a vaguely-familiar voice interrupted her thought. Opening her eyes and looking up, she found a familiar fox leaning on the clothing shop, under its awning.

"Oh...!" Judy blinked. "Nick, right?"

"You were at the right place at the right time," Nick smiled faintly, his arms folded. "And you just dashed into oncoming traffic without a second thought. Brave. ...Or stupid or desperate."

"Maybe all three," Judy smiled, rubbing behind her ears. "What are you doing around these parts, bartender?"

Nick jerked his thumb behind him, indicating the clothing shop the squirrels had gone into. "This is my dad's shop." He flapped his tie. "I think he still even sells this tie."

"Oh, that's neat," Judy's brow furrowed as the fox's mood seemed to deflate.

"Officer, do you think..." Nick turned his head halfway, not looking at her. "You think people deserve second chances?"

"I mean, you're the all-wise bartender," Judy shrugged with an adrenaline-fueled giggle.

"That's right, that's me," Nick huffed. "Got all the answers. 'Cept what to do about my dad."

"What's wrong?" Judy blinked.

"Dad's been a literal turncoat," Nick sneered, looking into the window for him with one hand close to his forehead and the other in his pocket. "He walked out on me n' mom when I was young, but he came back after I'd hit the- well, after I'd left home. Mom took him back, but I've never forgiven him."

"Heck, I probably wouldn't forgive him either," Judy frowned, "leaving mom alone with over three hundred babies..."

Nick's eyes widened. "Ah, bunny. Right." He sighed. "I dunno if I'm just weak, but I feel like- I feel like I should talk to him. Maybe see if we can still work it out."

"Well, you have nothing to lose, and a friend to gain," Judy smiled.

"He left mom to follow a dream," Nick sucked at his teeth. "I tried to follow my own dream once, and it was crushed. And you... you tried to follow your dream and just got stuck in a quagmire." Nick clicked his tongue. "Dreams suck. They aren't real."

"Maybe so," Judy brushed her paws against each other. "But... I guess if you stick with them, eventually something good could happen. Y'know, just randomly." She giggled. "I got to save a squirrel today! Definitely gonna be riding high off of that one for awhile."

Nick smiled faintly, then looked back at the store. He chuckled and smirked, his voice taking a self-deprecating edge. "Heh, a fox my age with daddy issues. No wonder I'm single."

"Talk to him, Nick," Judy smiled. "If you need some sort of encouragement to take the plunge then I'll give it: just do it. Like I say in all of my dumb speeches, 'I implore you, try'. You'll never know what can be accomplished until you try everything you can."

"Try everything?" Nick blinked. "Wasn't that a chart-topper a few years ago?"

"Ugh," Judy laughed, rolling her eyes and starting to walk off. "I've grown to hate that song."

"Chief Bogo? You wanted to see me?"

Judy meekly entered the office of the massive buffalo. The police chief of the ZPD looked stony-faced, as usual.

"Sit," Bogo said, indicating a chair that was far too big for her. Struggling upwards, she complied. "Little sore, are you?"

"A little!" Judy smiled nervously. "Wh-what's going on, sir?"

Bogo straightened up and turned his monitor around. It was traffic-cam footage of Judy's heroic feat just hours earlier. Judy blinked at it. She didn't remember jumping that high. With the decent frames-per-second on the footage, it would have looked like some sort of parkour video, if it wasn't for the wide angle.

"What's this?" Bogo snorted.

"Ah, there was a squirrel who ran out into traffic, sir," Judy said nervously. "I just... I did the first thing that came to my head."

Bogo leaned forward, his arms and eyes open wide. "Where's your report? You're supposed to make a report when something like this happens!"

"I- uh," Judy stammered, "something like this hasn't happened to me before. Sorry...?"

Bogo sighed, slapping his forehead. "Cripes, Hopps. This could have made the evening news if you reported it quickly enough. 'First bunny officer saves lives'. Whatever dross they want to put. It'd be good publicity. You were just a hero, Hopps."

"I, um, thank you, sir," Judy smiled.

"Also... Assistant Mayor Bellwether got in touch with me," Bogo commandeered his computer, looking for some files. "She said she paid a visit to your high school."

"Eastburrow? Why?" Judy blinked.

"This, I'm guessing," Bogo snorted in amusement, showing a video of Judy suffering and dying in a play. "A little over-dramatic, but not terrible."

"I uh..." Judy huffed, feeling her ears warm up. "Yeah, I was in drama, I don't see how that's... relevant...?"

Bogo narrowed his brow. "I need you for an assignment, Hopps. Ever get your fur dyed before?"

"What? Um, no?" The bunny took in a shallow gasp. "What do you need, sir?"

"Mezzo Park is going to be host to a traditional bunny event this summer," Bogo looked at a report with his glasses on, squinting at his monitor. "Serendipitous, Serendipitily... Serend- ... Serendipi-something."

"Oh, Serendipiday," Judy nodded. "It's a fun little festival."

"And it involves fireworks," Bogo glowered. "We have strict regulations in Zootopia, especially in Downtown, about what sort of fireworks are permissible."

"Is that a problem?" The gray bunny tilted her head.

"Every time fireworks go on sale, we have trouble," Bogo snorted. "The Anihonese make cheap fireworks, and they sell them in bulk. Most of them are far above the legal grade for this city."

"What can I do, sir?" Judy blinked.

"Well, let me spell it out for you, then," Bogo huffed. "From this video I'd say you have passable acting talent. With a few coaches we could get you undercover as an Anihonese hare. You'd just need to dye your fur brown. You can keep the dark ear tips, they have those. We need to place you strategically where you could be seen as a young hare looking for work unloading some of those fireworks as they come into port. There's only one police bunny after all; they'd never suspect you were a-"

"Sting agent?" Judy lit up. "I get to do a sting operation!?"

"If you feel capable enough," Bogo grunted with a small smile.

"Yes!" Judy pumped her fist, which seemed to carry her into the air. "I'd love to! I mean, yes sir!" She hastily saluted.

"All right," Bogo chuckled. "We'll go over the details of your assignment tomorrow. Don't be late."

Judy rushed out of the office with a smile stapled onto her face. She couldn't wait to tell-

Oh right, it was an undercover operation.

Judy felt an enormous giggle in her throat.