Friday Morning
Otto, was surprised, 'After yesterdays' talk with Nick and the way it ended, I thought I'd feel…bad, I guess'. But, the old Buck was smiling, and he couldn't exactly tell why.
Nick and Judy both arrived at the same time today, both were looking happy and were holding paws.
"Grandpa!" Judy said, giving Otto a hug and her biggest muzzle-wide smile, "I like calling you Grandpa so much more than Pop Pop, any mammal can be a Pop Pop, you call a Buck you love Grandpa."
Nick just nodded and gave Otto a very low level smirk, it barely qualified as a smirk at all, "You've made Fluff very happy Otto, you gave her something special to call you, something that is 'her name for you,' when she thinks of you when we're back in the city."
"Thanks Nick, for the nice surprise my young todd." Otto said.
Nick, wide-eyed just stared, mouth open…"You speak Vulpin".
"Of course, my long bush tailed Son, I am a Reynard Fox after all, are we not clever?" Otto smirked back.
"Yeah, yeah, Vulpin, big deal, I speak it and Nick speaks Lupin" Judy said, ruining the drama.."Ha! You aren't the only clever one Grandpa, of the short tail Reynards"…Judy did manage a pretty good smirk at the end, her mate laughing at Otto's surprised look at both of them.
"Well, damn grandkit, if we can just teach you to swear, you'll be perfect…'cheese and crackers', what warrior uses snack food to show anger?" He questioned.
Nick looked at Judy…giving her a tiny nod, "show the mammal…let's make sure no kits are nearby."
Otto leaned in to hear her "rough" version of profanity.
One earth-shaking minute later…
Ears back, whiskers singed and the badger coffee rewarmed, Otto had to admit, "Damn darling, you wove Vulpin, Common, Lupin and a few other words I'd never heard before into an amazing tapestry of…sorry, I'm still a bit fuzzy after that…I bow to a master"
Nick gave a true Level III smirk…"Told ya!...Judy knows the words, hell, she's been called most of them when we're arresting mammals. We even have a betting sheet we fill out guessing what we'll be called by the perps in the back of the squad car."
"Grandpa" Judy smiled a little bit, "I know the words, and can use them correctly with the correct pronunciation, but I was raised better and my mate prefers me to be his Lady. Profanity isn't cute, Nick prefers to see me as cute, I try and be the Doe my Fox loves, he's really trying to remain the Fox his rabbit loves…seems to be working out."
"Nick, Dad wanted to know where the dent in his blue truck came from…you and Grandpa know anything about that?" given in Judy's best detective droll.
"Gee, Otto, let's get out somewhere to talk, places to go, the War to discuss..and I did remember to reserve a truck for this morning." Nick replied while walking out of the dining area very quickly, kissing Judy without slowing down.
"Gee, look at the time, Buck has to go, can't keep your Fox waiting kit"
"Don't recall either of them moving that quickly before…but they did remember their badger coffee." Bonnie noticed, "what did you say to them dear?"
"Oh nothing, something about a dented bumper on Dad's truck…you know, the one you dented leaning to drive it."
"Judith!" That is a terrible smirk you just did, Nick would be proud of that one himself, Bonnie smirked…truly not a true smirk, but she was trying as the two Does broke down laughing.
"Poor Stu," Bonnie said patting Judy's shoulder, "he is so confused by this visit, Nick and Pop Pop chatting like old friends."
"Mom, he asked me to call him Grandpa." Judy said softly to her mother.
"Dear"…she sniffled, "Nick is helping him…please, keep calling him Grandpa."
"Well, where to today" Nick asked…."School, lake, fields?"
"Zootopia" Buck said, "I need to ride a train, let's go to Zootopia, my treat! I want to meet Buffalo Butt."
"Well…damn Otto…just, well damn, let's go Rabbit, Sergeant, Hare, Fox…all, all 5 of us can go! Maybe we can get a group rate!" Nick Yipped! "A road trip!"
On the Zootopia Express
Nick and Otto were lucky, the train was almost empty, and they got an upper level all to themselves. Nick found the food car, got empty cups (no Badger coffee served on the train but Nick had brought their own stash) but Gideon's Pastries were now carried. Life was good, or at least well caffeinated and fed.
November 1942
Wild Bull Donovan finally figured what he was going to do with the Reynard Brothers, his smallest and most interesting OSS team. Every mission they'd been tasked to complete was done. All successful, all without a loss of life of the good mammals, and the black wolves, according to captured members debriefing before they were hung, were spooked by the idea of an operational large group they couldn't find, hear, smell or even guess what mammals made up this ghost devil unit. The black wolves called them the "Teufelsbocker", or basically, "Devil's Archers".
Wild Bull Donovan was pleased, he was smiling at his Teufelsbocker team.}
"Toddy asked me in Vulpin, "Is he smiling or constipated?"
Wild Bull looked at Toddy, and smiled, "No, just happy…I speak Vulpin, Privates Reynard and Hopps."
"Nice going Fox, he speaks Vulpin" I said in Lupin to Toddy, we'd been teaching each other our languages. I'd gotten pretty good at Vulpin signing too!
"Recruits Hopps and Todd, I also speak Lupin…want to try for enlistee?" the Bull smirked, a Level III at least.
"Very impressive sir!" we both said…"permission to just die now sir!"
"My clever mammals, remember, we're in the intelligence service, your talents are fairly broad and you've been able to integrate both your weaknesses and your strengths into an impressive team. Who'd have thought a Fox and Rabbit would be partners."
"I'm a Hare sir" I corrected.
"Hopps, you are many things, but you are a Rabbit, not a Hare" Donovan said, looking at a file on his desk, "Born in 1921, Bunnyburrow, enlisted as a Hare in Zootopia, an excellent troop, poor in water, excellent tradecraft and superb partner with a Fox."
All I could do is start to shake, looking at the officer who could end my Army career and separate me from my brother Toddy, leaving him exposed, I couldn't keep my promise to bring him home. I started to tear up. "Sir, please sir…don't release my file…Sergeant Reynard and I are a team, we are now brothers…we're a team sir." All I could do is lower my head…then hold it straight up, ears correct and looking the Bull in the eyes. Sir, may the Sergeant speak?""
"Of course sergeant, on or off the record as you wish." Wild Bull motioned with his hoof, "talk to me son."
"Sir, I am officially now a Fox, a Reynard Family Fox, carried as such on their family rolls, not as an honorary member of the family, but as a full blooded and certified Non-Red Fox and the godfather of Sergeant Todd's new vixen Samantha. What I was originally, was a Rabbit, what I am now, is a Fox. A rather ugly version of a Vulpis Vulpis to be sure, but a Vulpis still. Please sir, let this Fox continue to fight the battle with his fellow Fox and Brother, Sergeant Reynard…You are stronger with us than without us….Sir!" and I stood at attention, staring straight ahead.
Clearing his throat, the Bull took off his glasses and was rubbing his eyes. He really looked very sad. He stared at the two of us for what felt like forever and then, began to speak, not to anyone, just thinking out-loud. "What I have to understand, is a very simple thing. A Rabbit cannot serve in the Army, they are not considered as Warrior material or capable of fulfilling the needs of the service. Hares are considered as somewhat more rugged and less delicate emotionally than Rabbits. While not optimal for the military, Hares have proven they are capable, in some limited capacities, to serve minor support roles in non-combat billets. I see in front of me, a team of mammals who were partnered during basic training, who have achieved excellence and graduated as amazing troops. Troops who when faced with the safe billet in the performance of their duties as instructors volunteered for OSS training, with the request they remain as partners, a team who during advanced training showed a phenomenal ability to perform with great ingenuity and skill. While later in combat, this team managed to earn the respect and even fear of wolf combat veterans, achieving what had been their original challenge while using their OSS training to determine which mammals in an enemy held village were actually collaborators supporting the black wolves. In fact, eliminating these collaborators in such a way to use their training creating psychological warfare impacts on the village residents and the black wolves. One member of the team managed to rescue the captured member of the team, using a bow and arrow, killing two wolves who were torturing the team member, and then using knives and physical attacks, managed to kill two other black wolves, rescue the injured team member and doing a classic escape and evasion from trained black wolf teams until such time as the team could return to their camp."
The "Wild Bull" just sat there looking at us. He actually smiled, and said in Vulpine, "You may not be the best looking team of Foxes this Bull has ever seen, but you're the best…carry on Todds"
Just then, the Leftenant Badger entered the tent. "Did you give them the good news, Sir?"
"No, just torturing them for a little bit" he laughed. "Gentlemammals, you're going with the Leftenant here, seems his mammals at the Special Operations Executive (SOE) want to meet you and discuss some of your techniques they may be able to use…and share with us once they get them polished…Dismissed…oh, one other thing, I've been very proud to be your commander." And then, Wild Bull Donovan, stood, came to attention, and saluted us!
Zootopia, Precinct 1
We had a great time on the train, Otto hadn't been to Zootopia for over 70 years.
"It's changed a little bit," he noted…"still smells the same though. Now, please, let's go meet Chief Buffalo Butt."
"Um, please…just call him Chief Bogo if you would, he was kind enough to let Judy and me come up to visit you when you asked." Nick pleaded, just a small bit.
"Don't worry Son, won't embarrass you too much", all done with a pretty good smirk.
"Hi Ben, this is Judy's grandfather, Otto Hopps, we're up visiting her family and Otto requested to come and meet the ZPD mammals in his granddoe's life…you're the first" as Nick introduced Ben,"Otto, this is Benjamin Clawhauser. He's the officer who is Judy's contact when she needs help and is always there for her."
Ben's ears were bright pink as he shook Otto's paw, "Sir, it's great to meet you."
"Sir? Ben, I was a sergeant, never a sir, I worked for a living!" Otto did his enlisted line, and laughed, "Glad to meet you son, Judy talks about what a good friend you are to her and Nick."
'Oh jeeze, he's smirking' Nick squeeked inside.
"Ben, where's Buffalo Butt sit, I want to meet that mammal…would you please ask him if he'd take a minute to talk to one of his officers grandbuck? I'd really appreciate it Son."
A second later "WILDE! Get up here!"
Otto looked upstairs, "Oh, never mind, I can find him" and headed for the elevators, up to meet the chief. "Nick, you stay here with Ben, I'll be done in a few…trust me Son, it'll be OK."
Nick and Ben just stared at each other…"Well, this should be interesting…Ben, you're a witness, Otto overpowered me, I was on the floor, next to you, unable to stop him, he was just too fast."
"Chief Bogo, may I come in?...I'm Officer Hopps grandbuck and we need to talk."
Bogo had seen interesting mammals come through his door, none more interesting than the old Rabbit he saw in front of him now. "Please, come in Sir, Uh, Mr. Hopps".
"Son, as I told Benjamin downstairs, I was a sergeant, I worked for a living, never was a Sir, and then laughed….jeeze, that line never gets old with the youngsters…they get so embarrassed."
"So Adrian, may I call you Adrian? Anyway, Adrian, when Judy was being assigned to Precinct 1 I wanted to see who she'd be working with, who her officers would be and what they'd done for a career…so, I called some friends and did some checking."
Bogo just stared at this old Rabbit..he took off his glasses and was rubbing between his eyes.
"Adrian, I used to watch my old commander do exactly that same thing when he had me and my partner Sergeant Toddy Reynard, standing at attention in front of him…usually after something we'd done. His name was Wild Bull Donovan, he was a Cape Buffalo too, when you did that it really reminded me of him, bless his soul, he was a warrior and a great commanding officer….and yes, I was in the OSS in the bad old days. I still have a bunch of friends, well, the grandkit's of friends, who know me and I can call them when I need something simple."
Bogo stopped rubbing his eyes, put his glasses back on and smiled at the old warrior Rabbit…"All right, what did you find out, this should be good?"
"Well" Otto smiled a sad smile and sat back, ready to give a debriefing, "You enlisted at a very young age, lied about your age in fact, you were only 15 but large enough to look older. You came from a terrible family background, criminal father and your older siblings were also into crime, you started as a terrible soldier, had control issues and you met a partner in Basic Training who changed your life, a Zebra, who later became your partner in the Marines and later in the ZPD, who sadly died protecting your life. You served several tours in bad areas, once you were the only survivor of 3 squads who were ambushed, you were forced off the field when you wouldn't leave your dead troopers behind and you were bleeding out. You have a purple heart with 4 clusters, a bronze star, a silver star and were the youngest sergeant in the past fifty years. You care about your officers, you have put more silver plaques on the wall downstairs than you ever wanted to. I know my grand son-in-law Nick Wilde thinks very highly of you and knows how much you truly love your officers and are a "softy" as he says…I also know he calls you, "Buffalo Butt", that he also respects you very highly. I know you did not want Judith Laverne Hopps to be an officer assigned to you, you saw her as a weak animal and did not want to add her plaque to the wall. I am very proud you are Judy's commanding officer, I would have been proud to serve under you when I was in the Army, you would have fit right in sitting next to Wild Bull, I believe he would have liked you as a kindred spirit. I also truly appreciate you willingly sending Nick and Judy to talk with and listen to an old Buck who the echoes and voices were just getting too loud to ignore any more. It has truly helped this old veteran more than I would have ever expected, especially after so long."
Bogo didn't know what to say? "Uh, would you like some coffee?"
"Son, I never turned down a cup of coffee in my life…black of course." They both started laughing.
Otto was drinking his coffee and looked very sad, "Benjamin's not handling it well, is he? Before you ask, yes, I know about him too…I'm thorough, I checked your officers…Ben, he stuck out the most after you did Adrian."
Bogo looked up at the ceiling, and back down slowly at the Buck, "Otto, he is one of the kindest officers I know, to everyone, he really tries. He's killing himself with food, with sweets. It's how he forgets, how he quiets the voices and the memories down. I'm about the only mammal at the ZPD who knows who Benjamin Clawhauser truly is, or was actually. Neither one of us talks about what we did, what we saw…when Officers Wilde-Hopps asked for permission to talk to you on Monday and why…after the two of them left to go up and talk with you, Ben was the one I asked to come up for a few minutes…the voices and the pain just came back with a hammer, Ben listened, but I so didn't want to give him another voice in his choir of bad memories."
Otto looked down at his coffee, swinging his legs in the very large chair, Adrian, do you wanna' talk, I've got all day and I've sure lightened my load with Nick…that Fox actually helped this Rabbit. No tall tales, no BS'ing the boy, I was brutally honest about myself and what I'd been doing way back when as a 21 year old Buck. See, I lied too, to get in the service, Rabbits couldn't enlist, so I came to Zootopia and said a was a Hare, was partnered with a Fox in basic training, we were together in the Army, OSS, fighting the black wolves and then some, we saved each other's life more than once. Believe it or not, I'm a Fox on the Army rolls, I was made a member of the Reynard Fox family line, officially and am a Non-Red Reynard Todd, actually, I'm the Sr. Reynard Todd in the family. Ranger-Scouts Honor….life has been interesting for this Rabbit/Hare/Fox."
Bogo looked at Otto and left his glasses on the desk, "Otto, I would like to talk a bit."…calling Ben on the phone, "Ben, tell Wilde to go to lunch, come back later, I'm entertaining a VIP."
"Well, hell, I'm going to go visit Mom, she'll be surprised…bye Ben, I'll see you later"
Ben could hear Bogo and Otto upstairs…laughing. 'I can't recall the last time I actually heard him laughing like that', Ben was smiling and opening up another box of Lucky Chomps…'I hate these damn things and poured on the milk…I really hate these' and the cheetah tried not to listen to the memories for a while.
Two hours later Nick came back…no Otto. Ben gave Nick a message, "Wilde, go do paperwork, I'll ring you in your office…Bogo"
"Well, guess I'll be productive…Thanks Otto!" as Nick headed off to do paperwork. Actually, he took a nap..woke up, and called Fluff.
"Nick, hey, when are you and Grandpa coming home? Where'd you go, you're not at the lake or Gideon's House of Calories"
"Carrots", holding his phone around so Judy could see where he was, "Surprise! We're in Zootopia! Otto wanted to go to Zootopia, we talked on the train, then, Surprise! He wanted to see the precinct building, he met Ben…who of course squeeled some…and then"
"Nooooo, he wanted to meet Bogo?" She squeeked.
"Nope…he wanted to meet Buffalo Butt...I'm so dead…maybe".
"Did he? Did he meet the Chief?" Squeeking again.
"Well, Bogo called down for me, Otto said, "wait here, I'll see him on my own." And he took the elevator up…that was..let's see, 4 hours ago and I was told to go catch up on paperwork and they'll call me when he's ready to go."
"Well, are you doing paperwork or taking a nap?...Nap right"
"Fluff, you cut me to the core…yes, nap. Whoops, chief's calling, I'll be back in touch."
I met Otto, the Chief and Ben in the front of the building. "Wilde, you can go home, Otto, Ben and I are going out to dinner, just a vet's night out. You can come in the morning, after breakfast, and Otto says he'll be ready to go back to Bunnyburrow then."
Nick gave Otto a "really, go home?" look. Otto walked over, patted Nick on the shoulder and said quietly, "Nick, Son, by talking with you, you've opened my life, you gave me a chance to be happy again, not just a bitter buck with a past I was unwilling to remember. I looked up Bogo's and Ben's records when Judy was coming here, you made me able to do for Bogo and Ben, what you did for me. Thank you son, I'll see you in the morning…and Otto gave Nick a hug…not a smirk to be seen."
"See you guys tomorrow morning, he'd better not come back tattoo'd or Hopps will kick your butts…he likes Buffalo Chicken Pizza, ask him about C-Rat Lima beans..still gagging on that one."
'Well, at least they had the class to drop me off home instead of giving me busfare' Nick mused…'yeah, whoop!'
Judy look concerned, so did Bonnie, "Nick, where's Grandpa?"
"He's out on the town with Chief Bogo and Ben Clawhauser…they're having a 'Vet's Night Out' as Bogo called it." Nick started laughing. "Fluff, it turns out, when you were assigned to the 1st Precinct, your Grandpa contacted friends he used to work for/with and had them give him the skinny, well, not in Ben's case, anyway, about the Chief and others you'd be dealing with. Turns out…I guess the Chief and Ben are real warriors, with some of the same challenges Otto was having. Gramps told me I had helped him with his own background and he was able to help Bogo and Ben a little with their own stuff. Judy, he hugged me, in front of everyone, and thanked me…jeeze, your Fox was shocked!"
"Nick…Thank you!" Bonnie said, she was crying, Judy was crying too!
"You guys all right?...No hiccups, they're way too cute with bunnies…Cute! Cute! Cute!"….'yeah, I'm so dead when I get back up to Bunnyburrow.' "I'll let you know when we leave, the truck's at the station so we can drive ourselves. If you want to be wonderful mammals, you can put a thermos of fresh Badger coffee in the truck for when we arrive. Good night you guys, love you both."
"Bye Nick, thanks for all this, you gave us a gift, you may never realize how much …Goodnight ."
All Nick could wonder was a simple, 'What did I open up' and 'I hope it's a good thing'….and more importantly, what do I want on my pizza! Woohoo! No Veggies!