First try at making a fanfic, I hope you all like it, reviews are welcomed and that would be all.
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Zootopia, I wish I do though xD
It was a dark and rainy night. The type of night that anyone would just want stay home. Through the road, a sole SUV from the ZPD was making his way to a destination that only one of the two mammals that were inside the police vehicle knew. The other one wasn't particularly excited to arrive to it.
One of the mammals inside the vehicle was none other than Nicholas Piberius Wilde, first fox officer on the force, one of the two best officers in the ZPD, important key to solve the "Missing Mammals case" and the "Night Howlers case", his gaze fixed on the window, watching the rain silently while he was silently laid in the backseat of the vehicle, his police uniform covered in blood, the badge that he proudly carried in his chest for 2 years by now was nowhere to be seen, his right eye swollen and finally, to put the cherry on the top of turd this day end up, a pair of cuffs restraining his paws and a collar strapped on his neck, in other words: Nick was looking like shit, which was fine to him, because that's exactly how he was feeling.
"I can't believe it Wilde" Wolford, an officer which Nick had worked with before to the point where they became good friends, was currently looking hurt, anger but most of all: betrayed "the ZPD and the city, all of us decided to trust you and yet, you chose to spit on that trust, you filthy good-for-nothing fox" Wolford spat with rage.
Nick moved his gaze from the window to Wolford, and scoffed "Unsurprisingly howlie, that's not the worst I've been called for, but hey! Nice try though" Nick answered with a grin, even he didn't want to, he won't let them see, that they got to him, his mask hiding all the pain, all the hopelessness, all the events of this day behind an infuriating grin.
Wolford growled at the fox "Shut up, don't talk to me as if we're friends! I knew you have a not-so-bright past, but what we found at that storage" Wolford took a deep breath "It was sickening and utterly disgusting, but who would have thought that the first fox officer in the ZPD was a damned heartless murderer".
Nick's mask almost fell at the comment of the wolf. Yeah, he also remembered. The storage. The smell of blood lingering in the air. The lifeless corpses of 21 mammals. It was something that must have come out from a horror movie, and that wasn't even the tip of the iceberg. When Nick arrived at the scene of the crime, shortly after other officers arrived too, well, take a fox, add a scene of the crime, add 21 dead bodies and finally the police, the sum of that is the shitty mess Nick is involved.
Funny thing is, no matter how many times Nick pleaded that he was innocent, no one listened to him, despite the years working for the ZPD, arresting thieves, helping in the biggest conspiracy that could have divided Zootopia in prey and predator, the fact the ZPD -his so called "brothers in blue"- didn't trust him nor were there for him when he need them, at the end of the day it was the word of a criminal in a police's disguise against the word of the most famous police officer in the force and that black stripped bastard. Nick had to suppress the growl that rumbled in his throat. He got in his hustling character again, grin in check and smartass tone in place.
"Up to this point, will it matter if I said again how I'm innocent . . . .?" Nick stated, Wolford just scoffed at the fox, having plenty of his lies "How about I say I'm sorry, how about an apologizing howl?" as Nick began to make a slight the vehicle came to an abrupt stop. Wolford turned to face him, his face contorted to one of a savage mammal, snarling furiously. Nick shrunk in the backseat, the fur on his neck bristled and his tail wrapped itself between his legs.
"Shut your goddamn mouth fox!" Wolford yelled to the fox "If you don't, I will muzzle you back, so go on and try me Wilde" the wolf sneered, watching over the fox.
Panic showed itself in Nick's face. The very thought of wearing the muzzle again was unbearable. His breathing increased. His heart began pumping faster. The color of the collar glowed a dangerous orange and just before he could hyperventilate . . . .
BZZZZT!
Nick grabbed the collar as it shocked him, trying to slow down his heart rate, he took deep breaths until the light in the collar turned a bright green. Nick grunted in pain, panting slightly he look up to see Wolford looking him back.
"Was it painful Wilde?" Wolford asked rhetorically "Now you can feel a small part of the pain all those families are going to feel when they know their loved ones are never going to return to their side".
Nick has always had the ability to tell what others mammals are thinking, he knew the body language, the movement of the face, an ability from his hustling days that even as a cop came in handy. However Nick didn't need any of that to see the expression the wolf was giving him and it pained him.
Disappointment. Betray. Pain. And worst of all: distrust.
"Thanks God officer Hopps and agent Savage stopped you" Wolford said solemnly "The ZPD doesn't need more blood on its paw".
Nick let a low growl "Yeah, thanks God for officer Hopps and agent Jack-ass for stopping the big bad fox" Nick closed his eyes and sighed sadly "Wolford, come on man, Do you really believe I did it? I have worked for the ZPD for 2 years, I have helped a lot of mammals and I loved every second of it, you know me, do you really think I'm a murder" Nick asked with and sorrowful expression.
Wolford hear Nick, he heard the sincerity in his words, but the evidence and facts told otherwise, so as much as he wanted to believe it, it was evidence and the words of the best officer in the force and the best agent of the ZBI against his, why would them lie?
"I want to believe you Wilde, I really want to, but both Savage and Hopps saw you with their own eyes" Wolford paused for a moment sighed sadly "I read you your Miranda rights Wilde, please don't make this more complicated"
Nick kept quiet, there wasn't any more left to say, in retrospect what was he expecting from society, the same one that deemed him as nothing more than a fox, unable to be trustworthy. No matter how much he pleaded, no one believed him, not even his partner and best friend.
'Funny' Nick thought 'you only need one bunny to give you a new life; and another one to screw it'.
Nick let out a humorless laugh, so short lived that he his mind began to wander in places it shouldn't go. Reliving his memories from the past few months. In that moment Nick fell victim of the weariness, his eyelids were growing heavy, keeping his eyes open was becoming a huge deal, so Nick laid his head in the backseat of the vehicle and drift away to sleep. In his last moments of consciousness a wander thought popped in his mind.
'Maybe this is a dream, a REALLY bad dream and when I wake up everything would be fine'.
Another more cynical one also popped.
'Or maybe you've been dreaming all this time and now you're waking to face your reality'.
And with that Nick fell asleep.
It was a bright sunny day in the city of Zootopia, the city was bursting with life. All kind of mammals were walking on the street to reach for their jobs, or going to find someone and so. The morning promised this day would be an eventful one.
One fox was making his way to the ZPD building, his pace was slow, a yawn escaping his muzzle, and he looked like he was on autopilot. Most of his self was still in bed sleeping while the other one told him that it was time to scram to work.
That and the insufferable ringing of his best friend's tone in the tone and the message that she left threatening him with going to his apartment and kick his butt to work…
…Again.
Finally arriving at his destination, he opened the door and was greeted by a sight he would never get tired of.
The smile of the ZPD's first rabbit officer and partner in crime: Judy Hopps. He was talking animatedly with Clawhauser about God knows what, knowing the cheetah some new gossip about the 'angel with horns' as the bubbly cheetah always referred Gazelle as. He couldn't help but wonder how someone can look that happy so early in the morning while he would gladly stay in bed for the rest of the day. But Judy was one in a kind, her drive to make the world a better place, her cheerful personality and the kindness that lies in her heart.
How does such big heart such as hers fit in such a tiny rabbit? He wouldn't know.
Said rabbit turned her head to the direction where said fox was coming and her face automatically lit up.
"Good Morning Nick!" Judy greeted "Ready to make the world a better place?" the doe extended her fist.
"Coffee first, world, make, better, later" Nick deadpanned.
The rabbit gave the fox a smug grin "why Good morning Judy, Yes I'm ready, how can you be so grumpy in the morning Slick?" Judy shook his head while still grinning and reached out a coffee to the fox.
Nick only grunted in response and moved his paw to grab his much needed source of caffeine only for the bunny to hold back the cup of coffee.
"Ah ah Slick" Judy teased while shaking her finger "say: Judy, Would you please give this dumb fox his coffee?"
If Nick was in the mood of teasing and playing he would be proud of the smug grin Judy was showing, definitely a hustler grin; since this wasn't the case, Nick muttered something under his breath, Judy could hear something among the lines of 'stubborn bunny'.
Without his much needed coffee his witty remarks arsenal was off.
"Judy, would you please give this dumb fox his coffee" he could still muster a sad-puppy eyes look "pretty please".
Judy looked at Nick with a warm smile "Alright Nick, you've earned it".
Nick took his coffee and sip it, letting the coffee do his work his usual grin returned to his muzzle.
"Thanks Carrots" Nick gratified "What would I do without you?"
Just when Judy was about to answer Nick put a finger in her lips to hush her.
"That was rhetorical fluff" Nick interrupted "I don't want to know the answer, because I'm planning to be a constant in your life".
Judy's ears turned red and fell so he couldn't see the blush.
For a moment they stood there looking to each other's eyes. Green lost in amethyst; amethyst trapped in green…
And then their moment was broken by a squealing cheetah.
"OH EM GOODNESS THAT IS SO CUTE!" Ben gushed.
After hearing the C-word Judy sent the bubbly cheetah a stern look while Nick thanked God for his red fur or else everyone in the precinct would catch a glimpse of the blush he was having.
"Ben…" Judy said disapprovingly.
Ben knew that tone, it was the same tone she used when he used the word cute or something among the lines.
"I'm sorry Judy" Ben apologized "But it's just that the two make such an adorable couple!"
Judy kept staring at the cheetah until the latter shrunk in his seat, but Judy couldn't hold it against Clawhauser. He was just being…him.
"It's okay Ben" she sighed "BUT, you need to pay more attention, I won't always let it slip, understood?" the cheetah nodded meekly and Judy once again smiled at her friend "Good".
Nick couldn't help but chuckle, even she was the tiniest officer in the force, every mammal in Precinct One knew that you shouldn't mess with Judy Hopps.
"Come on Nick, we are going to get late to roll call" Judy yanked Nick by his tie to the bullpen.
"See you later spots" Nick shoot Clawhauser a lazy two fingers salute.
Judy and Nick arrived to the bullpen, Bogo hasn't arrived yet, so the room was filled with laughter, shouts, mammals talking lively and some others arm wrestling.
"I hope the chief has something special for us" Judy exclaimed excitedly.
"What, craving for some parking duty action?" Nick sent her a smug grin. Judy glared her partner for bringing her least favorite duty in the line of work.
"Har har Nick, by now you have been in parking duty more times than me" Judy smirked "In fact, you totally owned the vest and the joke mobile has already your name in it".
"Not my fault that chief Buffalo Butt wasn't born with a sense of humor or that the word 'prank' is foreign to him" Nick shrugged nonchalantly.
Judy tried to frown at Nick, but the smile that crept in her muzzle gave her away, in the end she just laughed at the fox antics.
As if summoning, the water buffalo entered the room, fist banging onto the tables until Chief Bogo silenced them and handed everyone their assignments.
"Hopps, Wilde. I want both of you in my office now" Chief Bogo said with his usual authoritative gruff voice.
They exchanged nervous glances before facing his boss and give him a nod.
The water buffalo just grunted in response and left the bullpen.
Judy glared at Nick "What did you this time Nick?"
Nick put a paw in his chest feigning being hurt "Why Carrots, your accusations hurt me"
Judy rolled her eyes "Well how about I'm not the one who prank him, antagonize him and call him Buffalo Butt" now it was Judy smirking.
Nick frowned "Well, what if he called us because you ticketed another ZPD vehicle again?" smug grin in place.
Judy's ears turned red and fell to her back "That was a one-time thing!" Nick raised a brow "Ok! Fine! It has happened more than one time, but not even the law is above the law!" Judy pouted.
Nick couldn't bare how adorable she looked when she pout, the way her cheeks inflated and her foot thumped the floor was just too cute, not that he was going to say that aloud ever, Nick appreciated his life after all.
"Sure thing" Nick shrugged "Well let's not make the chief wait, so hop onto it Hopps, maybe a raise, a medal or any other award is waiting for us, you know for being the best in what we do"
"You mean you slacking off while I'm doing the best in what I do" Judy grinned.
"Well look at you, don't know what is bigger, your drive to help others, your ears, or your ego" Nick snarked.
Judy punched Nick in the arm, but the slight smile was making any attempt to look stern useless.
Judy knocked the chief's door and instantly a gruff voice boomed inside "Come in."
"Sit down" Bogo said in his monotone voice, once sit the police chief began "I got a special assignment to both of you".
If Judy could muster an even bigger smile, it would be so bright it could have lighted all the precinct during a blackout. Nick remained silent so the water buffalo could continue, but was alternating his sight between his boss and the reactions her partner was giving. The smile in her face, her nose twitching with excitement, her eyes shining with joy, so beautiful he could get lost in them.
'All right Slick, now it's not the time to ogle your partner'.
"During the past few months there had been numeral cases of missing mammals, in total 21 cases" Bogo briefed them "There isn't any pattern. Mammals both predator and prey were abducted, I put my better detectives in finding them, but whoever is behind this is very meticulous, in all the last places each one of them were seen wasn't a single clue of who did it".
Nick and Judy's full attention was now on the words Bogo was saying.
"2 days ago a pair of detectives found 2 of the missing mammals""
Judy sighed in relief, however from t
And he didn't like it, and neither will Judy.
"They were found dead" Bogo stated solemnly.
Judy's ears fell to her back, her eyes lost the brightness just a second ago were shining.
Nick looked this and placed a comforting paw in her back, and gave her a reassuring smile, a real smile. Judy smiled back and her face was only determination now, she had entered n cop mode.
"I'm telling you this because you have the biggest crime-catch rate in the whole precinct" Bogo avowed "You two are my best officers now, so I'll be giving you permission to part of this case". Nick couldn't help but feel proud, all his life he only things that made others be ashamed of him, but now he was doing what was right for once in his life and he wouldn't change any of it.
"Don't worry chief, we won't let you down" Judy stated boldly and hopped off the chair to get the file.
"I didn't say you were dismissed officer Hopps" Bogo grunted. Judy who had a paw in the doorknob stopped like a deer in headlights, awkwardly returning to the chair which Nick never left, there he was grinning at her.
"Eager bunny" Nick whispered. Ears red from embarrassment she punched the tod in the arm lightly.
"Sorry chief, continue please" Judy said without looking at the buffalo.
The chief exhaled air through his nose. "Anyway, this case apparently became of interest to the city hall, so you are going to be working under the supervision of an agent of the ZBI, and let me stop you right there Hopps" the chief commanded as the bunny officer was about to interrupt "you aren't trained as detectives, even if you are outstanding officers it would be irresponsible for me to put you in this case without supervision".
"So when you say you don't care you're just bluffing, you do care chief" Nick smiled smugly.
Bogo sighed "Yes Wilde, I DO care about my officers, even about you". Nick faked hurt by putting a paw over his heart.
Both of the officers felt some sort of respect towards the buffalo, even if Judy was the only one showing it.
"Let's not prolong this meeting, from now until the case is cracked, you will be under the supervision of special agent, Jack Savage. Clawhauser will give you the file you are going to be working with. Dismissed".
Nick amusedly thought of what kind of mammal this 'Savage' was, by his name he imagined a hardened-looking wolf, or jaguar, or a lion. He didn't even register the thrilled look on her partner's face.
"Carrots, by your smile and the fact that you are endangering the whole precinct by beginning an earthquake with your foot thumping" Nick said dismissively earning a blush from the doe which led to a punch in the arm "I suspect you know this guy".
"What?" Judy gasped "Mr. I-know-everyone doesn't know Jack Savage"
"Well judging by his name I believe he's a stripper, but I hardly doubt that so, no" Nick smirked.
Judy snorted "Well, I do and don't know him" earning a puzzled look from his fox partner she continued "back when I was in the academy, the instructors at the time talk about how a single agent solved many cases, stopped many drug dealers and even has prevented many crisis to fall on Zootopia".
"So what, we do that on daily basis and I don't get such apprises or Bogo to roll the red carpet when we arrived at the station".
Judy rolled her eyes "true, but I would like to know how is he, I mean no one is really that praised in the police if they aren't chief or something like that, so I guess I'm excited because of that".
"Well, just don't be disappointed if he isn't as high and mighty as your old academy rumors make him look like" Nick commented.
"Not promising" Judy sing-sang. "Hey Clawhauser, can you give us our file?"
"Sure thing Judy" Ben smiled broadly "oh, you guys need to see this" Ben showed them some news about Gazelle's next concert and time went by idling chat. No one noticed the rabbit with black stripes in a tux that entered.
"Excuse me, are you officer Judy Hopps" the stranger questioned in a smooth voice.
Judy's mind went blank, here in front of her stood the most handsome buck she had ever seen. He was tall for bunny standards, sharply dressed in a black tux with a white shirt and a dark blue tie; he looked well trained, but his more enticing features were his striking blue eyes, she could get lost in that sea of blue and got lost in them because she wanted to answer, but her mouth had other plans "I-I um…" Judy uttered.
"Carrots if you could stop drooling and give this gentlemammal an answer, that would be great you know" Nick whispered in her ear.
That snapped Judy from his stupor, ears perked up, hands on her hips "Yes, I am officer Judy Hopps and this is my partner officer Nick Wilde and who might you be sir?" At the mentioned of his name Nick tilted his head.
"Savage, agent Jack Savage"
Nick and Judy were speechless, Judy because she had never seen a rabbit like Jack before, Nick because a rabbit with such a last name was quite abnormal, and he wasn't even a predator. He imagined an intimidating looking predator, not a bunny of all things.
"we are going to be working together, I hope we could get along" Jack said in a charming voice.
"I know we will" expressed Judy happily.
Nick however couldn't help but feeling uneasy around the rabbit, every time he said 'we' he never made contact visual with Judy and there was something…off about this rabbit, something he quite couldn't pinpoint. Nick always felt proud for his ability at reading people, it was one of the many useful tools his life as a con artist left him and his instinct told him something about this Savage was wrong.
The fact that her partner was ogling him wasn't helping either…
"Say, did you have breakfast?" Jack questioned. Judy shook her head "Would you like to come with me? You are also invited to come Officer Wilde, so we could all talk about how we are going to work and get to know each other better".
"Okay, that would be great agent Savage" Judy expressed effusively.
"Excellent, let me go for my car, I know a place where we could find delicious food"
Watching Jack heading out of the police Judy faced Nick "You know something, I'm not disappointed, not even close to it" Judy said with a dreamy look on her face and followed Jack next.
Nick frowned at that. He didn't like this. 'At least he is only going to be with us until we solved this case' Nick thought.
"Looks like someone has competition" Ben was smirking at his tod friend "You better up your game Nick".
Nick just rolled his eyes and gave Clawhauser his usual confident smirk "As if spots, see you later" and went to find Judy and Jack.
"You coming or what Slick?" Judy asked.
Nick smiled and continue walking until his feet didn't move. Nick struggled to move them, but everything was fruitless, slowly the floor under his feet began melting turning into some black abyss which was slowly dragging him down.
"Spots, a little help big guy?" Nick gulped, feeling panic rising, but when he looked behind him Clawhauser was gone, the cheetah, the lobby, everything fade. Some ominous darkness was increasing and the abyss that was engulfing him began to drag him down faster.
Panicked now "Carrots, Carrots help me!"
Judy didn't turn. She kept walking straight to Jack; completely ignoring the pleads of his best friend.
"JUDY! Please don't leave me! JUDY!" Nick begged desperately, now his right paw and his head only visible.
The last thing he could see before being completely engulfed was the smirk of a black stripped rabbit…
Numbness. Darkness. He felt like everything and yet anything was surrounding him.
'I should have trusted my instincts, I shouldn't let them see that they got to me' nick thought glumly.
'Yeah, you should and shouldn't'
'Is it too late to have my life back?'
'Yes…but not too late to fix it, also, you might want to wake up'
'Why should I?'
'Seems the wiser choice'
BZZT!
Nick awoke when an intense pain ran through his body. The collar attached to his neck blinking in a dangerously red color.
'Best. Alarm clock. Ever.'
Nick looked through the window to get a hold of his surroundings, wherever Wolford was taking him, he sure was taking his sweet…
'Wait a second'
After gathering his surroundings Nick knew where they were going and dread filled him.
'Shit, shit, shit, I should have known!'
Nick knew this place, he had been here before during the missing mammals' case. He didn't like being then and the feeling was the same.
The Cliffside Asylum. The place where former mayor Lionheart kept the savage mammals in the dark, now turned into a prison of maximum security. Mob bosses, drug dealers, all kind of dangerous criminals and very angry ewe, some of them were even there thanks to Nick.
He was going to be very popular the moment one paw was set in there and that popularity will cost him…
A lot…
'No, no, no I must find the way out of this!'
Nick unsheathed his claws and quietly began picking the pawcuffs, aside from his ability of reading people and know Zootopia as the back of his paw, picking locks was a really useful, though in these 2 years he worked in the force, the opportunity of using it never showed.
With a click Nick freed his paws, but remained silent in case Wolford heard it. Nick breathe in relieve knowing it wasn't the case. Nick's gears started to run, thinking of a plan to escape, being inside a cell and then flushed in a toilet to freedom idea was out of question, so his best plan was make the jump from the cliff and hope that Karma was on his side.
The vehicle was slowing signaling that it reached its destination. Nick curled in to a ball so his back was facing Wolford and put the pawcuffs back but now without securing them.
"We're here" there was a slight hint of sadness in the wolf's eyes. "Come on".
Nick was escorted by Wolford and another wolf that came out of the building.
"You are doing a huge mistake, I'm not guilty" Nick said
"I wished I could believe you" Wolford sighed "I hope you find redemption".
"Not going to find it out" Nick muttered.
Nick released himself and with incredible speed took Wolford tranq gun and shoot the other wolf with it and with the momentum kicked Wolford in his left shin making him lose balance and delivered a powerful uppercut that knocked him out.
Blood pumping. Adrenaline rushing. The shock collar blinking a warning yellow. Nick breathed in, and dashed to the…
A bullet flied past him grazing his shoulder slightly, Nick grunted until he heard a shout.
"Nicholas Wilde, stop in the name of law or you won't be lucky next time" and an alarm started to sound.
'Guns, of course they have guns, of course they would geared up with guns the sentinels of a reclusive of psychos'.
In a matter of seconds Nick was facing officers in front of him while his back was pointing his ticket to freedom.
"Resisting an arrest, assaulting two officers and held possession of the ZPD property. If you keep making the list larger, you will just make it worse for you, so I'm not going to repeat it: paws in the air".
Nick was beginning to sweat as his rate of escape diminished. He slowly raised his paws, but noticed something that might help him. All officers in front of him were wolves except for two, one a tiger, the other a bear.
'Time to pull one last hustle'
"All right, just let me said one more thing" Nick hold his paws up and then he howled.
All the wolves' ears straight up and howled too, the bear and the tiger winced and cover their ears, without thinking once Nick sped to the cliff as his life depended on it. The bear was the first to react and chased Nick but soon realized he was not going to catch him, bears have their strength in raw force, not speed, so he drew his tranq gun and aimed it to the fox.
Nick's mind was in overdrive, he run as fast as he had never run before, and once he was inches from the cliff he jumped. It was like the world was moving in slow motion. He could feel his fast heartbeat, the collar attached to his neck bleeping in a dangerous orange and a sting behind his neck.
His vision turning blurry, his eyes closing, his breath slowing.
The fall felt like an eternity. Memories relieved during it.
The hustling years, the police academy, his time with Judy, the fun, the pain, the heartbreak, the happiness all of it.
Nick mustered a weak smile.
'Looks like Carrots was right all along, I really am a dumb fox'
Nick's body hit the water, and suddenly the world turned black.