Hey everyone, hope you guys have enjoyed what I've written already. I plan on working on this when I am able. Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving...or Nov. 25th if you aren't in the States.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter.
Light up the Sky
Nick continued his pace in front of the now silent bunny, eyeing her now and again to ensure he hadn't lost her in traffic again. Judy seemed to be lost in her thoughts, her nose giving away her state of deep contemplation. Nick couldn't help the feeling of something nagging at him in the very deep recesses of his mind. He turned to face the defeated bunny; she froze in place to watch him, his eyes shining like a calm pool of emerald, just feet from her. Nick opened his mouth to speak, taking stock on his next set of words he would speak to her. He wanted to give her the right words for how he felt. A feeling that was like… he hadn't dug his hole deep enough.
"C'mon Carrots! I really don't feel like reliving this morning's conversation about having to always wait on you. If you wanna swagger your cute little bunny self in late, I can cover for you and tell Bogo something about how you got distracted by a handsome rabbit from the local farmer's market who I just had to rescue you from. I'll even tell him some dialogue on your behalf, like 'Nick had to rescue me, lest my darlin' little heart woulda burst from my chest.'" Nick impudendly abused the bunny's country heritage by adding a very thick back-woodsy inflection to the statement. After seemingly satisfied with his harassment of his partner, Nick watched his effect on the rabbit. Judy's form halted, her head rose and her eyes met Nick's. A glint in Judy's eyes registered to Nick. He realized two things in that moment: (1) Don't patronize Carrots when she's upset, especially with a fabricated romantic encounter in order to belittle her. (2) He should learn how to fly in the very least to have a prayer of escaping this bunny's wrath.
Precinct 1, ZPD Headquarters was a testament to order, principles, and strength. The precinct's favorite stereotypical cop sat behind his desk munching on his "Kitty Kreme" donuts. Clawhauser was eagerly enjoying his morning breakfast with his mug of milk in the quiet of the morning assembly. He plopped his phone down and scrolled through his Gazelle dominated playlists to find, in his mind, an angelic chorus to begin his morning with. Just as his claw tapped the screen to begin the "ethereal" chorus, a shrill series of yips emanating throughout the foyer of the building. Clawhauser looked around in an attempt to locate the origin of the sound; but upon seeing no source, he resumed his music seeking. He eyed the screen, tapped the virtual buttons, and found the song he yearned to hear. Before he could play his desired track, Judy strolled into the building. She seemed keenly focused on reaching the bullpen, only raising her hand to speak a noticeably forced, but still somewhat kind, "Good morning Clawhauser." He could only wave his paw with a bemused smile in response. Clawhauser looked around before asking, "Where's Nick?" Judy stopped and turned her head to look directly at him. Clawhauser noted the plain and easily distinguishable 'don't ask' written on her face, but he smiled as best as he could to avoid being too invasive. A barely audible cacophony of curses was all the chubby cheetah could catch before the sound of the precinct's door opening caught his attention. Nick walked, or more appropriately limped, into the building and up to the dispatcher's desk. The desk's owner looked over the vulpine, examining the ruffled shirt, limp in his step, a noticeable imprint of something near his shoulder, and the soft grunting that escaped his muzzle with each forced movement.
"Woah Nick, are you okay? You look terrible," Clawhauser said. He spoke with concern etched on his features unaware of the aversion Judy had in the exchange. "What happened to you?"
Nick paused with a glance towards Judy, then back to Clawhauser.
"Gee, thanks buddy, you look great too. If you must know, I...uh fell down my stairs leaving the apartment this morning," Nick cautiously explained, hoping the chubby cheetah would accept his fabricated truth. Clawhauser was silent for a moment, before looking at Judy with suspicion. She shrugged at the cheetah and turned to Nick to respond. "Guess you'll have to be careful where you step next time," she said as she smiled over her response to Nick's falsified story, drinking in every detail of the annoyed look on Nick's face. Ben eyed the two cautiously, knowing full well not to involve himself further in the silent quarrel. The cheetah looked down at his phone, the virtual image of Gazelle's newest album staring back. He simply wanted to enjoy some music. As he gazed at the music that could have been, he noticed the clock on his phone tick ever closer to the bullpen's meeting time. He coughed before speaking to the two mammals he was engaged in conversation with, "If you two don't hurry you'll miss the morning assembly." Almost as soon as he spoke those words, the animosity of the fox and bunny vanished. The feeling of dread enveloped both of their faces before a quick "thanks" and "see ya" was heard from the pair before they darted off to the bull pen. Clawhauser watched as the pair of officers ran down the hallway to receive their morning assignments. "Those two"—he reached down to grab the half-eaten pastry before grinning— "are so cute together."
The doors to the bullpen practically exploded open from the force of the two mammals barreling through. All eyes in the assembly turned to focus on the two officers, halting any conversations they had been engaged in. The crowd of officers watched the fox and bunny stroll to their assigned seat at the front of the room, chuckling or commenting to each other as the two walked past with embarrassed smiles and red ear membranes. Not wanting to miss a chance to poke a little fun at the stars of Precinct 1, a couple of the officers spoke up to add some fuel to the fire, "Bout time you two showed. I was afraid they would send a search party for ya." The comment originated from Officer Delgato, a large lion whom they had worked some undercover cases with. Before the two had a chance to make voice their disdain, Grizzoli, a white timberwolf, spoke up with his jab at the partners. "Nah Tom, they probably didn't wanna be found anyway. You know how into their 'work' those two get." The room snickered with the hidden meaning that floated into the minds of every mammal in the room. Judy immediately went to hiding her face behind her ears with the realization of what was being suggested before commenting, "N-Nick fell down his apartment steps this morning, so I had to help him here today." The bunny's form quivered mildly in response to the accusation. Nick took notice of her actions with some humor, but felt as though he should safeguard the bunny. It was now Nick's turn to alleviate some of the mortification from them by way of some carefully calculated jabs at their "admirers".
"You know, Thomas, if you would worry more about that mane of yours than about our arrival times, you might actually pull off the "just-got-out-of-a-windstorm look." —Nick then turned to obtain eye contact with Grizzoli— "But don't ask John over there to help since I'm sure he had his pawdicure last night and would probably hate to chip a claw." Nick made sure to punctuate that comment with a dainty wave at the wolf. He gave the crowd of officers his wittiest smile and waited for the fireworks. The room was silent at first, but soon erupted in laughter at the actions of the resident clown. Delgato reflexively felt of his mane to ensure it was brushed and fluffed to the amusement of the officers. The entire force knew of his habit of ensuring it was well-maintained at any given time, even when doing paperwork. Nick felt his gums pull back into a broader smile due to his actions. He glanced to Grizzoli, who was more than a little frustrated with the jab at him and responded, "Just making sure my claws are just as sharp as my mind." The wolf smiled, clearly satisfied with his defense. "Easiest hustle yet," he muttered under his breath. Nick wasted no time in tearing down his comment, " Oh, if that was the case then what did you use...a belt sander?" The room bursted with raucous laughter, the wolf's ears fell back in response to the verbal excecution. Grizzoli lowered his head in defeat and decided to cut his losses now to same some face. Admiring his handiwork and with their hecklers now under some form of control, Nick returned to his very red-faced partner.
"Now, I do believe we are even Carrots," he whispered to her, "So...truce?" Judy spread her ears to the sides to peek at the face of the reynard. Her features changed in response to his words, a small smile gracing her features. "Alright, fine Nick. But you better not say stuff like before to me or anyone ever again. I get enough of that from my mother," she told him. He chuckled and made a motion of crossing his heart and holding his first two digits straight up, which she immediately recognised as his way of saying "scout's honor". The overly exaggerated action made her smile, which reactively caused him to smile back at her. "Would you two just get a room already?" McHorn had his same deadpan expression on as he said his peace at the display next to him. It was just loud enough for the partners to catch, but effective nonetheless. Judy retreated behind her ears once again, while Nick glared at the rhino in return. McHorn's lips turned up slightly to form a small smile at the reactions of his co-workers. Before Nick had a chance to collect his response, Chief Bogo walked through the doors of the bullpen.
Bogo assumed his place behind the podium in the front of the room. He reached into his breast pocket and fetched his glasses to begin looking over the case files for the morning's assignments. "Good morning to you, Zootopia's finest"—he paused as he looked at the fox in the front row— "and you Wilde." The room chuckled at the joke at Nick's expense. "Honored to be noticed Chief. I'm glad to know you think so highly of me that you single me out from the others," Nick responded. He knew the next words well that came out of the cape buffalo's mouth, "Can it, Wilde!" Chief Bogo resumed his inspection of the files on his podium, eyeing the lists of officers he assigned the cases to. "We have a few items on the docket this morning. Remember, if you are not assigned a case then you are to resume your standard duties until directed otherwise. Increased patrol of Tundratown: Officers Higgins, Snarlov, Trunkaby. Investigation into possible contraband coming in through Marshlands docks: Wolford, Delgato, Grizzoli. Investigation of reports and possible leads regarding diminishing predatory food supply: Hopps, Wilde. Everyone else dismissed." The large figure of the cape buffalo began to close up and move towards the door. He then halted as he gripped the handle, turning his gaze to that of the two officers in the front row. "I want you two to see me in my office in fifteen minutes regarding the details of your assignment." The fox and bunny duo nodded at the chief's command.
As they waited for their meeting with Bogo, Nick took to mentally high-fiving his subconscious for correctly guessing his next work assignment that morning. "It's always such a bore being right so often," he thought. The reynard began to question if him being right nearly all the time was either a good thing or a bad thing considering that it all to often was followed by mountains of paperwork. He glanced towards Judy and eyed his partner down, watching with an amused smirk as her foot thumped on the ground with a steady rhythm. "You know Carrots, if you keep that up Bogo may lend you out to one of the city's contractors as a jackhammer. I think you would look absolutely fabulous with a bright yellow hardhat and neon yellow vestments." Judy brought her gaze to level with the fox's and stated in a deadpan voice, "I'd be careful if I were you fox, lest you end up under my feet as I break concrete." Nick took to nervously chuckle at the, hopefully, empty threat of the rabbit.
"Sly bunny."
"Dumb fox. And before you even say it...yes, yes I do."
The two of them shared a small laugh at the predictable banter they so enjoyed having with each other.
"So Fluff, you think we're gonna have to make a trip up to meet the parents, seeing as how you guys surprisingly grow more than just carrots?"
"It is possible, but it wouldn't be mom or dad's farm. They don't specialize in harvesting or incubating insect larvae"— Judy absent-mindedly went to furrowing her brow in thought, trying to remember the different locales for farming the particular produce of Zootopia's food market— "it is more likely we would visit the Rain Forest District since I would stand to bet they are responsible for most of the...um...meat." Judy showed slight revulsion at the thought, being a vegetarian by biology. Nick noted the response and simply commented that the thought of eating strictly vegetables or flowers as she did had a similar impact on him. He glanced at the clock before sighing at his partner, motioning for the two of them to head up to Bogo's office to receive the details of the case they were going to undertake.
Standing outside the Chief's office door, Judy rapped the wooden surface. Bogo acknowledged the action with a stern, "Come in Hopps, Wilde." They followed the command and proceeded to obey the buffalo's gesture for them to both take a seat in the single chair that stood in front of his desk. Wilde mentally thought that it was peculiar how Bogo never seemed to have more than the one chair available in his office.
"The reason I have brought the both of you in here is to fill you in on the details of this case. The media has touched base on the impact the lack of insects and seafood has had on the spirits of predators in this city. I have many officials reporting slight increases in crime rates and civil disturbances since the issue arose. Desperate mammals will do some strange things for food. Some of the members of the ZPD are also beginning to feel the effects this issue as well. I am sure you two have noted your fellow officers being slightly more irritable or on edge as well."
It was true to both the officers in the hotseat. They had begun to notice the lack of spirit in Delgato, Fangmeyer, and their other compatriots on the force. It was a very minor alteration, not one that impacted their duties or their abilities, but it did make a difference in their sociability. There were predators on the force who had not been affected by the shortage. Clawhauser had seemingly been unaffected with the issue due to his bubbly attitude and affinity for sweets versus the conventional meal. Judy mentally remarked that Nick had not shown any changes in his antagonizing or care-free aggravation of her, as much to her relief as her chagrin. The officers gave each other a look that relayed their mental synchronicity on the issue being presented to them.
"This may not seem like it has much bearing on the safety of the city. Mammals can go a little longer without the food they crave, but it does have bearing on how animals are socializing and working together. Not to mention, it could pose some issues to the predators who still require a protein-intensive diet."
It was true that the protein from the insects and fish many predators consumed was vital to the everyday life of some of the mammals. Sure there were vitamins and capsules that they could take, but that solution would just be a band-aid for the problem. It was evident that they would need to find the cause of the interruption in the food supply.
"I want the two of you to go down into the Marshlands and speak with the farmers there to find out if they have been experiencing a shortage, accident, or whatever could cause such an issue. I have more than enough districts in the city breathing down my neck over this issue, and I would very much like to show them that we care about the wellbeing of every mammal in this city." Bogo rubbed the bridge of his snout with his hooved fingers, no doubt an action detailing the frustration he had been dealing with over the case. "The reason I chose you two is to show that prey and predator alike care about this issue and not just the affected population. You two are my best officers available for this right now. I want to see results, understand?" Both the officers looked at each other for a brief moment before turning to the cape buffalo and agreeing-
"You can count on us, Chief."