Heroes of Zootopia

Chapter 8 "Footloose!"

By DragonMan1997

Zootopia © Disney

Daniel ran up the stairs to his room with the package that had arrived that morning. Tearing into the white, blue, and red box, he smiled with glee at the object inside. Object, that was to say that in was an object of careful selection and what the deer considered to be one of the best two hundred and thirty dollars he ever spent, plus shipping. He raised the blue compression track suit from the box and scrutinized every detail from the angled thumb looped sleeves to the green accents that framed the sides, forearms, and shins. It was olympic quality rated for high stress under intense speed. Its substance was manufactured for some of the fastest animals in the world, and Daniel couldn't wait to try it out.

"Daniel?"

Daniel shoved the suit back into the box to hide it from his little sister. The fox that his parents had adopted when he was younger had always been a bit of a snoop. "Hey Kitty. What's up?" He turned hiding the box behind his back.

Katherine looked upset. Her one foot hovered above the floor a little. "I stepped on a scrow."

"A screw?" Daniel was used to helping Kathrine remember how to pronounce certain words. She never talked much when she was little, and her first words didn't come till way late. Speech therapy helped, but not as much when Daniel and his parents took the time to speak with her. It used to be really bad. Any 'tr' word came out with and 'f' sound. Then there was the radio comercial that Katherine sang. Fun trucking, fun trucking under the sun! Daniel always laughed at how motified his parents were. "How'd you manage that?"

"I wasn't looking where I was going." Katherine tried to look around Daniel who instinctually hid the box a little more. "What's that?"

"School stuff." Daniel hated lying to his little sister, but he figured it was a justified lie. "I'm thinking about getting back into track." That was an absolute horrible lie. He hated track even though he was good, before he got his powers. He had pondered the thought maybe once. He decided against it since he knew how unfair it would be to everyone else.

"Oh." Katherine looked at her foot and back to Daniel.

Daniel tucked the box under his bed and picked Katherine up. "Come on Kitty, let's fix your wheels." Sitting her down on the sink, he lifted up her foot. The was a few miniscule red lines that matched the diagonal pattern of a screw. It wasn't bad, but Daniel remembered what it was like as a kid, the world was bigger, and a scuff was a scratch. Opening one of the bathroom drawers, he pulled out the little first aid kit he made, as a junior ranger scout, out of an oven pad. Unbuttoning the loop he opened its contents. "This might sting." Daniel spritzed some antibacterial spray on Katherines foot. She winced, but only a little.

Daniel followed up with a bandaid and a shoddy dollar store bandage. The bandage was more for looks as it really did nothing. But, he knew to his little sister, it made everything feel better. "Thanks Daniel." She wrapped her arms around Daniel as far as the could reach. "You're the best brother ever!"

"Thanks, Kitty."

Daniel waved to the badger at the t-shirt shop. "Thanks Mr. Huffleton!"

"I didn't get to see what you made though, is it any good?" The badger leaned against the door as Daniel speed walked towards the diner to clock in for his shift.

"It's great, perfect! Thanks again." Daniel cracked the bag open to take a peek at the print that added an extra bounce to his step. Bursting through the doors to Spanky's diner, daniel smiled uncontrollably. "Good morning!"

Junior, Spanky's son, folded his arms and cocked his brow at Daniel. "Who are you? And what have you done to the real Daniel?"

"Good one, J. I'm just happy to be at work! Happy to be alive. Thought I'd clock in early." Daniel went to the back room where he locked up his box and changed into his uniform. Never before had Daniel been so happy to be wearing his grease stained uniform behind the grill, flipping patties, frying eggs for twenty three hour breakfast, and mixing milkshakes. The radio seemed to be playing a bit louder that day as well. Daniel's feet started to loosely step to a beet which traveled up his legs and into the rest of his body.

Echo appeared, but only to Daniel, humming the tune and giggling at the display. "...everybody cut, everybody cut…"

Daniel made his way out to the table, dancing as he served various customers. Animals laughed, some gawked. Spanky passed through and laughed with Junior. And then…

"Nice moves Footloose."

Daniel fumbled, almost dropping his serving tray. "Uh." It was Daisy, the doe from that one night. Daniel panicked in his mind. Did she know who I was?

The doe smiled at the look plastered on Daniel's face. "You okay Footloose?"

No, Daniel concluded, she doesn't know its me. "Ugh, yeah, just a little winded." Daniel was a little disappointed that she didn't know who he was, but that was also a good thing. It meant his secret identity hadn't been exposed. "Welcome to Spanky's diner."

Daisy flipped out a pink notepad and began writing something down. "So far so good."

"What's that?" Daniel tried to look at what she was writing.

"I'm an intern at Zootopia Times, but I've been doing more since my first article which got me some recognition. I was asked to write a review of this place. And, so far," Daisy tapped her pen against her pink notepad, still smiling, "I like what I see."

"Well," Daniel regained his composition, "perhaps I could interest you in our famous choc'a'cake shake."

"What's that?" Daisy asked.

Daniel walked around the counter. "A guaranteed delight if you're interested. Made right before your eyes." The deer fluttered his fingers in an imaginary rainbow.

"Alright." Daisy took a seat at the counter as Daniel pulled fresh stuff from the fridge. One item made her jaw drop. "No, really?"

"Yes, indeed." Daniel smiled as he dropped a slice of chocolate cake right into the blender along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and a measured amount of chocolate milk. Closing the lid of the blender, he sent the ingredients swirling into a frothy tornado. Opening the smaller fridge below the counter he pulled out a tall chilled glass. Pouring the shake into the glass he smiled uncontrollably at Daisy. "Cherry? Whipped cream?"

"Cherry, no cream." Daisy marveled at the "choc'a'cake shake" that was topped with a chocolate covered candied cherry. Not even taking a straw, she drank the shake straight, humming at it's taste. After a solid gulp, she set the glass down, not really wanting to. "That is," she chose her words a bit more professionally, "going on the recommendation list."

"Zootopia times, huh? My mom works there." Daniel handed a napkin to Daisy and pointed to his nose. "You got something there."

"Oh, thank you." Daisy wiped the shake from her nose and thought for a moment. "What's your mom's name maybe I know her."

"Lily Wolff."

Daisy stopped, mid sip and just stared for a moment. "You're her son?!" A huge grin grew on her face. "I've followed your mom's work ever since she wrote The Decaying Art of Storytelling. I followed her coverage of Whiplash and the Raven." Another epiphany struck her. "Wait! You're Daniel! You were the one Katherine Fawkes kidnapped. Oh my- You saw Whiplash?"

Daniel couldn't hold back his excitement as he realized he had found someone who was as equally passionate about Whiplash as he was. "You bet. I even met the Phoenix."

"The flying sorceress?" Daisy downed more of the shake to combat her throat which Daniel understood. It was always moments like this, talking about important things, that made your throat go dry. "I saw her when the fighting broke out in the streets. I remember my dad kept pulling me down away from the window. He kept telling me I'd get hurt." The doe sadly smiled at the memory. "Sorry, I don't mean to ramble about thi-."

"No problem." Daniel was surprised that Spanky and Junior hadn't called on him to get back to work. Maybe they heard Daisy was writing a review. Then he turned around. Spanky and Junior were watching. Junior yanked his phone out of sight and the two rushed off. Daniel returned his attention to Daisy. "I don't mind talking about."

"So you really saw the Raven?" Daisy cut straight to the spine, and by accident at that.

Daniel felt the looseness in his step fade into distant memory as his mind recalled being held captive by the monster behind the raven mask. "Yes, uh-." Daniel began to fumble with his words. He couldn't say anything else. His memory recall went into overdrive as he was once again being plucked from his home which was set ablaze by the Raven.

"Oh," Daisy caught on to the sensitivity of the subject, "I didn't mean to pry."

Daniel nodded. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the last of his pocket change and placed an order. He called back to the kitchen. "Heart attack on a rack and green tails." He stuck his money in the cash register and counted his change. "On me." He crumpled the receipt in his grasp before tossing it in a bin.

"Oh. Thanks, I guess." Daisy understood the silent action to a degree. She found it curious, but she understood.

"So, you like my mom's writing?" Daniel asked as he cleaned up some plates at the counter and stacked them on the existing tray of dirty dishes. He lifted the tray up.

"Yeah." Daisy smiled as she wrote more in her notepad. "I'm kinda hopeful that I could get the chance to interview a superhero someday."

Daniel's eyes widened as he tried to come up with a plan to make Daisy's wish come true. He set his tray back down. "Maybe I could help with that."

Daisy's pen skid to a halt when Daniel said that. "Say what now?"

Daniel saw Echo shaking her head as she hovered behind Daisy. "I uh-," Daniel shrugged at Echo as he blurted it out, "I know a guy. He's not particularly well know." He looked at Echo who held her own face in her palm. Daniel yelled internally as he jumped into the lie without so much as a prepared story. "He saved my neck, and I've been doing him favors ever since"

Daisy's eyes shot back and forth between her notepad and Daniel. "Are you serious? Like, you're not kidding around are you." A goat walking by harrumphed and marched out of the diner. "Sorry."

Daniel was able to make up more of his lie to feed Daisy. He didn't like it, but he had to lie. "I could get in contact with him. Maybe even get you an interview."

Daisy laughed in disbelief. Then when she saw that Daniel was being serious she sort of panicked. "Can I have your number? How fast can you get in touch with him?"

Daniel smirked. "He's pretty quick to get a hold of." He could see Echo rolling her eyes at that horrible pun.

Daisy squinted at Daniel's words. He hadn't been exactly subtle and she was quick to catch on. "No. Do you," she leaned in closer and brought her voice to a whisper, "you know the Grasshopper?"

"Yeah." To Daniel's credit, that one wasn't a lie. "Is that what they call him now?"

Daisy covered her mouth as she let her excitement escape silently. "Number, now!" She slapped her notepad on the counter along with her pen.

Daniel took his time writing his cell phone number. Occasionally he'd look up to see the nervous twitch on Daisy's face. "There we go. And, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention my name in your article."

"Right, wouldn't want crooks getting to him through you." Daisy wrote something above his number. She'd written, Footloose.

Daniel felt strange when she said that. It was a stirring of some emotion he had never really touched bases with. He didn't quite get why it felt like his stomach was full of butterflies. As morbid as that sounded to him, he couldn't come up with a better description. His heart felt as though it missed a beat or two. "How about tonight?"

Daisy blinked at that question. "What do you mean tonight?"

"The interview?" Daniel couldn't believe she'd forgotten that fast.

"Oh!" Daisy nodded, so fast that for a second Daniel believed he wasn't the fastest thing alive anymore. "Yes," she lowered her voice as people started to stare at her. "Yes that would be amazing."

"Alright then." Daniel turned as his shoulder had been poked. Behind him, Junior was smiling with Daniel's order in hand. Daniel took the tray from the snickering pig who disappeared into the kitchen with a burst of laughter. "Uh here." Daniel handed the food to Daisy. "Is there anywhere, you'd like him to meet you?"

"The Clarabelle Apartments." Daisy looked at the plates of food. "Biscuits and gravy, and fried zucchini." The doe's face lit up. "Personal favorite?" Daniel nodded. "Got any ranch for the zucchini?"

Daniel swore that his heart stopped completely, and he didn't know why.

Daniel shook his arms as he looked over his suit. It was like looking at a completely different person. "Come on. You got this." He brushed over the grasshopper emblem on his chest which matched the ring that sparked his hidden powers. Daniel had taken a liking to the hood from his old jacket, so he had fashioned one which he had sewn into his suit. That wasn't the only thing he'd done. Replacing his bandana and clunky biker goggles was a tight face mask that he had sewn much sleeker goggles into. The new goggles still had yellow lenses, it just made it easier to see at night. Straps came over each shoulder and crossed over his back to hold a sheath for the collapsible bo staff he managed to get a hold of. The staff was technically illegal for anyone under the age of eighteen and not law enforcement to own, but Daniel had become quite acquainted with a fox named Finnick who could get a hold of such objects with no questions asked.

"So, you're really doing this?" Echo hovered over Daniel's bed, watching him pose in the mirror.

"I am. I figure, if bad guys know I exist, they'll think twice before attacking me." Daniel only hoped that it could work. How many criminals actually read the newspaper anyway?

The otter's face was washed over with concern in her eyes. "You know this isn't a game."

Daniel nodded. "I know."

"I'm serious. It's not like one of your comic books when the hero always wins. You could get her. That doe could get hurt. And your frie-."

"I know!" Daniel cut echo off. "I understand. Goodbye to my old life. I've already stopped a few muggings and saved some lives." He moved his finger up to his ear and activated a switch. He spoke with a garbled tone. "{The voice changer works.}" Daniel faced Echo. "{Say hello to the Grasshopper}."

The otter hummed with a smile, disappearing into the crystal on the bedside table. "Goodbye."

The Grasshopper took in a few deep breaths before looking himself over once more. "{Let's do this.}" In the blink of an eye, he was on his roof. Rooftop to rooftop, he ran and hopped along until he made it to the nearest main street. In just three seconds and twelve turns, he found himself skidding to a halt beneath the familiar glow of the sign for the Clarabelle apartments.

"Oh!" Daisy was there, waiting in a camping chair. She shot up to her feet trying desperately to make herself seem prim and proper. "It's you." Her voice was more dignified, professional. "I was beginning to wonder if you would actually show up."

The Grasshopper checked an imaginary watch. "{Wow, am I late?}"

Daisy didn't seemed amused by the statement, but perhaps that was due to her professional side kicking in. "It's nearly eight thirty."

"{How about that,}" the Grasshopper bowed slightly, "{then, there isn't a moment to waste. Is there? Let's get to that interview. But,}" he looked around, "{perhaps somewhere more private?}"

Daisy shrugged her shoulders. "I guess." Her professional tone dropped off a bit.

The Grasshopper held out his hand. "{Here.}" As the doe carefully took his hand, he put his other hand behind her head to support her head. "{Trust me.}"

Daisy was almost shaking when she nodded. "Okay." She screamed as the Grasshopper took off. The lights of the city flashed before their eyes. And as soon as the lights of skyscrapers engulfed them, they vanished. There was mist trailing behind them as they sped across the bay. Daisy cried out as she realized the Grasshopper was running across water. Then, to her horror, she realized he was slowing down while they were still over the shimmering surface of the water. A sudden stop and she found herself falling into the Grasshopper's arms.

The Grasshopper carefully sat her down in a chair "{Take your time. You must be pretty winded, light headed even.}"

Daisy nodded weakly. Her eyes widened as she realized her feet were in the water. "Are we walking on water?" Testing the tension beneath her feet, she found sand.

"{The Marian sand bar, not too far from the east shore of Zootopia. You can see the lights of Sahara Square over there.}" The Grasshopper sat down in his own chair across from Daisy.

The lights of Sahara Square bubbled up into the sky, looking like the glare of the dome over a giant snow globe. Where the light pollution ended, the feathered fingers of stars began. And over it all, the moon stood guard above the Grasshopper and Daisy.

The Grasshopper gestured to Daisy's bright pink attire. "{If you don't mind me saying, that's a beautiful dress you have on.}"

Daisy looked away and smiled as she found the rest of her senses along with her composition book. Opening it up, she found the pre written questions. It was visible enough under the moonlight. "I'm sorry if these questions seem a bit simple, I didn't think I'd be interviewing a superhero so soon." She tapped her pen as she looked up at the Grasshopper. "I see you've made a few upgrades to your own outfit since we last met. So, I did some poking around and found that you were in fact the phenomenon known as the Quickster? But, you go by Grasshopper?"

"{That's right}."

Daisy put a checkmark next to a previously jotted down idea. "Okay so, I'm guessing you don't want anyone to know your secret identity. Is it fair to say you hide your face (and voice) to protect your family?"

The Grasshopper smiled beneath his mask as he clasped his fingers together. "{That's a fair statement.}"

"Okay." Daisy jotted something. "You don't drink while you run, do you."

It appeared as an off hand comment, but the Grasshopper saw there was more to it. "{It's hard enough to drink while walking let alone running.}" He knew she was trying to guess his age. "{Regardless of my age, I don't intend to ever drink. I have no reason to throw away my life like that.}"

Daisy clicked her pen in amusement. "Saw right through my trap. Alright. Judging by the antlers, I'll take a gander that you're a deer."

The Grasshopper snapped his fingers "{Ah! Betrayed by the trait shared by so many types of deer, but which one.}"

Daisy shook her head. "A buck of an undetermined category. Fine. Would you at least explain how you got your powers?"

The Grasshopper straightened up as he recalled that day. "{I was young, and I didn't get them so much as accidentally triggered them. I came across an artifact that allowed me to tap into powers I had but knew nothing about. I'll admit the first time I tested my power, I ate dirt. Completely face planted.}"

Daisy finally laughed. "I suppose no one is perfect. So, these powers. Can you just run fast?"

"{That, and more.}" The Grasshopper demonstrated by rubbing his hands together so fast they emitted a bolt of electricity that daisy could feel.

Daisy nearly jumped at the electric shock which was little more than an extreme amount of static. "Woah, is there anything else you can do really fast?"

The Grasshopper leaned back with his hands raised. "{Woah miss, I haven't even bought you a drink yet.}"

Daisy covered mouth, realizing how suggestive what she said was. "Sorry." She fumbled to find words. "No. I'm not even old enou-." She stopped when she realized that the Grasshopper started writing in a pocket notebook. "Did you just use my own trick on me?"

The Grasshopper continued writing. "{Under twenty one.}" He exaggerated the motion of putting a period at the end of his writing.

Daisy waged a digit at him. "Hey, I'm supposed to be interviewing you."

The Grasshopper tucked his notebook away. "{Proceed}"

"Okay." The doe struggled to stay focused with the Grasshopper's antics. "So, when you do 'hero stuff' do you just push people away or what? Do you have any other means of defense." She watched as the Grasshopper pulled out the collapsible bo staff and spun it open. "That's cool. So, with the Mayor's statement about the Empire, are you affiliated with that group."

"{Well,}" the Grasshopper was at a loss for words, "{I don't suppose I'm worthy of their ranks. I still have some growing to do before I could ever be among the Empire.}"

Daisy immediately took note of what he said. "Okay. Why be a superhero. You could use these powers for anything. Why not use them to your own ends?"

The Grasshopper let out a sigh. "{When I was little, yes it's silly now that I think about it, I stole a candy bar from my teachers desk. But, I quickly realised then that using my powers that way just wasn't right. I had always looked up to Whiplash. He was my hero until he disappeared. I don't blame him, he was probably sworn to secrecy with the Empire. But, I wanted to be someone who could be there, for the others like me. The ones he needed good animals to look up to. Whiplash gave me hope. His very existence made me feel like I had to have a purpose in this world. I knew that helping others, protecting people, was what I was meant for.}"

Daisy finished writing a few seconds after the Grasshopper finished talking. A look swelled up in her eyes. Admiration, maybe. Respect, uncertain. "Um, since I imagine you don't get regular checks for helping people. Do you have a job?"

"{Just like every upstanding, contributing, member of society should.}"

Daisy smiled as she tempted to press a boundary. "Wife? Girlfriend?"

The Grasshopper crossed his arms, sitting silently for a moment in thought. "{It's complicated.}"

"How complicated?" Daisy demanded.

The Grasshopper hummed at her pursuit of the topic. "{Saved her in an alleyway, kissed briefly, barely know each other, kind of complicated.}" He tested the waters. "{I think she's an intern or something. At some, I think it's a paper company, but everything is digital now. Honestly it's confusing."

Daisy sort of hid behind her composition book defensively. Maybe it was to hide the smile she couldn't contain. The air between them was thick, and it wasn't because of the fog that started to form around them. "You remember me then?"

The Grasshopper stood up and stepped closer to Daisy. "{I don't think I could forget someone as beautiful as you, Miss Daisy.}"

Daisy carefully stood up, and looked closely at the Grasshopper. Setting he composition book down, she brushed her hand over the emblem on the Grasshopper's chest. She stopped. The doe could feel his heart beating almost as fast as hers. Her other hand found his. Moving up from his chest, Daisy's hand found the edges of his mask. The faint outline of his irises stared back at her.

They both looked over the water as sirens wailed in Sahara Square. Flashing blue and red lights were visible. A smoke trail grew higher and higher

The Grasshopper let go of Daisy's hand. "{I'll be right back, and we'll finish the interview. I promise.}"

Before Daisy could say anything, the Grasshopper was over the water and in the middle of Sahara Square. A memory from his childhood stabbed his brain as he gazed upon the burning building. Without hesitation, he was in the building. Starting from the top floor, going down to the bottom, he evacuated all the animals he could find. The last one was a baby that the Grasshopper returned to the one who had been crying for her child. The mass of evacuated animals were strange to the Grasshopper. No two were alike. Some that were completely different species were holding onto each other. They were blended families. Their home, a white brick building, was now engulfed in flames.

The Grasshopper turned around as the cop cars and fire engine caught up to his response time.

"Freeze!" Several officers aimed tranquilizers at the blue and green clad figure standing before them.

"Wait!" A koala stood in front of the Grasshopper. "He saved our lives. Leave him alone!"

Others joined in, standing between the officers and the one who had been their savior from the fires that engulfed their home.

The police officers lowered their tranquilizers. "Who is he?!"

A little cheetah cub ran up to one of the officers. "He's da Grasshoppah, and he's a supahero."

The Grasshopper saluted the police officers along with the little cub. "{Officers.}" Without warning, he zoomed away, back to the interview he owed a certain doe.