Boilerplate Disclaimer: The various characters from the movie Zootopia are all owned by Disney the great and powerful. Any and all registered trade names property of their respective owners. Cheap shots at celebrities constitute fair usage.
Queen first released "We Are the Champions" on their 1977 album News of the World. Champions was written by lead singer, Freddie Mercury. It qualifies both as one of Queen's most popular works and one of rock's most widely recognized songs.
We Are the Champions
Thursday morning, and Judy resolved to work like... like... She tried to think of an animal distinguished for its unparalleled work ethic. Every species claimed to be the hardest working. Maybe she'd try and work like an ant. She was pretty sure she had heard they could carry ten times their own weight, and at the moment Judy felt she was carrying ten times her weight. Or she could work like a bunny in planting season. She felt certain rabbits were really the hardest working animals in the world - at least during planting season and harvest. Maybe, if she worked extra hard, she could complete the final draft of the preliminary report on Friday or Saturday, and then she and Nick would be back working cases together on Monday and the report would only require occasional updates as the evidence was further analyzed.
A couple of the animals she called sounded slightly annoyed. "I'm trying to get this done right. That's more important than speed," they reminded her.
She was apologetic. "I just want to get the report in. You're going a great job. I just don't want get a version to send to the prosecutors so they'll know what they're dealing with."
More of the animals she called were sympathetic. They'd been told the piles of evidence were a high priority, and were doing their best, but the volume of material gathered by the raid meant it couldn't be wrapped up quickly.
Realistically she knew she needed patience. But the many reminders to be patient simply discouraged her. She sent an email off to Detective Carson, asking just how detailed a preliminary report needed to be, before heading downtown. A cup of espresso and a pastry served as lunch. She then went a little further down the street to Buttons and Bows, Eleanor's shop. Nick's mother had asked her to stop by and be measured. The detective's deduction was that she'd be given some sort of jersey to wear during Friday's game.
There was also the chance Judy was there so that Eleanor could introduce her new daughter-in-law. The shop apparently served as something of a gathering place for armadillo females, but Judy was not the center of attention as Eleanor measured the rabbit. The topic of discussion was requesting Fox Ridge High adopt a school uniform. The mothers all favored the proposal. It would be cheaper than providing a large and varied wardrobe for their children. It would bring a level of equality to all students – making it less obvious which students came from families with money and which students came from poor families. It would insure their daughters dressed modestly.
Judy, who was closer to high school age than any of the mothers in the conversation, briefly joined the discussion before leaving. "Students usually hate uniforms. If you try and get the school to adopt uniforms I think you need to allow the students some way to express themselves as individuals. There was a school near Bunnyburrow... That's where I'm from. That school had student protests. Some of the males started wearing skirts."
The armadillos looked as shocked as Judy expected they would. One made a gesture Judy was unfamiliar with, perhaps intended to ward off the evil eye.
The rabbit continued, "The uniform rules said how long a skirt had to be – it didn't say only females were to wear skirts."
"Then our rules will say only females will wear skirts!"
"And then you are discriminating between males and females, and students will protest that."
"Uniforms are a good idea!" one mother stated with the voice of authority.
"I didn't say they weren't. What I said was they will probably not be popular with students. You need to talk with your children about a dress code. If they feel like you listen to them, and see some of their suggestions in the proposed dress code they are more likely to accept it."
The rabbit was a stranger and of a different species, and therefore had no credibility in anything she said. On the other hand, she was obviously right, which meant her suggestions should be considered. The impasse was broken by an armadillo mother introducing herself as the mother of one of the players on the team. "She says you are doing a very good job filling in for Coach Redpaw." The break in topic allowed other females the opportunity to remember there were other errands to run, and enough departed that the critical mass for a self-sustaining debate on how children should dress and live their lives was no longer in the shop.
Judy was back at the Meadows' home, working on the report, at 3:10 when her phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but knew it was the Fox Ridge area code. Her guess was Elanor calling from the shop.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Judy? Marq here. Look, I don't like telling you how to run the female team, but they shouldn't be practicing today, they should be resting."
"What are you talking about?"
"There are about half a dozen of them out on the field, and–"
Judy groaned. "I told them, no practice. Go out, tell them to stop. They need to rest. Streak's one of them isn't she?"
"Yeah."
"Who are the others? I like their spirit, but I'm wondering where their heads are."
Prowler mentioned the names. The half dozen included the squirrel twins. Judy repeated the request for Marq Prowler to throw them off the school pitch. Judy glanced at the clock. In fifteen minutes she'd take a break. There was a chance the little band of football players would attempt to move their unscheduled practice to the city park, and Judy planned to be there to disperse them to their homes if they didn't take Coach Prowler's advice.
Charles Meadows joined the others at dinner that evening. He shared good news, "Got some squirrels to invest in that idea of a specialty market where Greene had the small store. Too early for some of the ideas Nick had, but they think there are enough squirrels in Zootopia and other places to support a mail-order business on Oak Grove products. They'll have... What do you call those buttons you push on a computer screen to go somewhere?"
"Do you mean links?"
"Yes. There'll be a link to the squirrel products on the Fox Ridge website. And the Oak Grove Co-op is considering putting up a bandstand for the farmer's market next year, or at least putting up some money if Fox Ridge will furnish the rest."
"That's wonderful," Eleanor told her brother.
Judy complimented Nick's mother after dinner. "Everything was delicious."
"Thank you. I got into the new grocery store today. It is so nice to have a wider selection available in town."
Charles passed on joining the others on the porch after dinner. Nick guessed he was still uncomfortable with seeing Judy curled up on Nick's lap. Two armadillo families out for strolls stopped to chat with Eleanor, the second family even joined them briefly on the porch. The oldest son played on the male football team and wanted Judy's opinion on whether the females could take the district title.
After the armadillos left Nick wondered, "Is it just my imagination, or was the mother a bit anxious to move on?"
"I... It is possible she was a little uncomfortable about you and Judy. Or perhaps there was something baking back home."
"No," was Nick's opinion, "I suspect the uncomfortable was it. Fox Ridge will have species comfortable working together a long time before interspecies love is accepted... I can't believe Uncle Charlie is going down to Oak Grove and pitching Fox Ridge to them."
"I can," Judy told him. "This town is the most important thing in the world to him."
"I suspect you're right," agreed Eleanor. The vixen sighed, "Selfishly, I must say how happy I am the two of you are here. But I fear this isn't much of a honeymoon for you. You are working very hard."
"I told you a couple days ago, Judy thrives on hard work," Nick assured his mother. He looked down at the rabbit, "What I want to know, Carrots, is how it feels to be a strange and exotic animal?"
"What are you talking about. I'm a rabbit."
"Ah, but in Fox Ridge you are a strange and exotic creature. The children see pictures of rabbits in books, but they've never actually met one before. I'm sure the females on the team wonder about what bizarre rituals rabbits practice in secret."
"Rabbits don't have any bizarre–"
"Ah, but do the foxes and armadillos here know that? You should wear a big gold ring in your nose and talk with an accent."
"My son is right that rabbits are unusual here in Fox Ridge," Eleanor told Judy. "I'm sure you've already learned to ignore much of what he says."
"Oh, I have."
"Great, my wife and mother ganging up on me, again," chuckled Nick.
The district championship was to be played in Plainview, a neutral site that was relatively central. Judy checked the weather forecast as soon as she woke up on Friday morning to see if there had been any change. It appeared to be a perfect night for the game. Heavy rain would have provided an advantage for the otters.
Judy found herself too distracted with thoughts of the game to focus on the report the way she wanted. "I'll finish it tomorrow," she told herself. "Or maybe Sunday when we get back to Zootopia."
As expected, Eleanor gave Judy a jersey to wear. The back was emblazoned with an embroidered, 'Coach Hopps' and the number 00.
"I'm really not a coach, I'm just a substitute," Judy reminded her.
"Of course you are a coach, Dear," Eleanor insisted. "First, it will strike fear in the hearts of the Beaverton team when they see Fox Ridge has a coach on the sideline. And second, you should show some compassion for the armadillo who embroidered this for you. She wouldn't have had time to stitch in the word substitute."
Four buses were lined up outside the high school at 4:00. Judy rode with the team in one bus. The team applauded her jersey when they saw it. In the back of the bus sat an armadillo male by a pile of cameras, video equipment, and other paraphernalia for recording the game.
The three other buses would leave for Plainview at 5:00 if there were animals to fill them. So many families were driving to Plainview to watch the game it wasn't clear if all three would be required.
The tension felt palpable on the bus. Fox Ridge would play a bigger school with a history of winning championships. An occasional divisional championship was all Fox Ridge had managed in the past quarter century. Some of the team were not worried about losing, they were worried about losing so badly they'd be laughed off the field.
Judy spent time trying to calm the team during the ride to Plainview rather than the conventional pep talk. They were good. They deserved to be in the game. They'd worked hard. They'd already bumped a division one school from the tournament when they eliminated Plainview. "Stay calm. Don't panic. If you panic you lose control of the game. Stay in control and let's bring the trophy back to Coach Redpaw and Fox Ridge."
Judy spoke to some players individually or by position. She cuffed Streak's ear, "What were you thinking yesterday? We need you the whole game, and you needed your rest."
"Sorry, Coach."
"Coach? You flirt with my husband and you won't even call me Judy?"
"Sorry, nerves. Wait until after the game."
"And then you'll call me Judy?"
"Either that or flirt with Nick again."
Judy laughed and gave the vixen a fast hug. "I've decided all foxes are crazy."
She called Ginger and Taylore forward to speak with them. "Taylore, you'll be in most the game. Ginger, I will be starting you. I'm hoping you can surprise Beaverton the way you surprised the males. I think they'll underestimate you more than they'd underestimate Taylore." She looked at the Vixen, "You're a senior?" The vixen nodded her head, and Judy looked at the squirrel. "You've got a good chance to be the regular starter next year."
"You'll tell Coach Redpaw?"
"I won't tell her. She'll see how good you are."
She also talked with the midfielders. "I'm thinking of starting Cinnamon. I..." She looked at the squirrel. "You may be in for some punishment. You'll be the smallest midfielder."
"I can do it."
"Let me be honest. You are good enough to be a starter, so don't think this is charity. But their rabbit midfielder is known for her temper. Don't provoke her. I'm not asking you to provoke her. But I doubt she's played against a squirrel.. Your tail obscures your ball handling, and if she gets frustrated and pushes you she may get pulled from the game. I'm asking you to play, knowing there is a chance you could take more punishment than a vixen or armadillo."
"Let me in."
"Okay, but remember. I expect you to play clean. Maybe you won't draw a foul. It's okay. You deserve to be in, period."
Judy consulted the male in the back of the bus. "Will you make a tape for Coach Redpaw?"
"Of course. That's part of the plan."
"How about streaming? Could you put the video onto a computer and stream the game live?"
"I... I hadn't thought of that. If someone has a computer with Scope I could borrow, and if she has the software."
"I'll give her a call and find out. I know a fox in Plainview who might loan me a computer, I'll call her too."
The Fox Ridge team stared as they got off the bus. "Three television teams?"
A local station from Beaverton was there, to broadcast the game live to Beaverton. One Plainview television station planned to simply broadcast highlights of the game during the evening news. But a reporter for the second Plainview station called, "Judy! Judy Hopps!" as the rabbit left the bus. "Can you give us an interview, please?"
"Sorry, but I need to be with my team."
"We'll keep it short! We just want to know what Zootopia's hero is doing at Fox Ridge."
"I told you, I'm here to help with their female team in tonight's game."
"But you're famous! Our viewers want to know what brought you to Fox Ridge."
"To watch Fox Ridge win tonight. And I don't know why you want to interview me. Talk with the team. They're a hard working division three team playing for the district championship – that's a story. They've got a great coach who's sick, and they've kept fighting. Coach Brooke Redpaw would be worth an interview. Interview anyone on the team – after the game. But don't make me a story. I was just here while Nick Wilde took a break to be with his mother. This team is the story."
Streak nudged an armadillo with her elbow and whispered, "Told you she was famous."
Being told someone is famous is one thing, It may or may not be true. A television station sending a reporter for an interview was confirmation. All the players on the team were pleased to hear Judy say they were the story. Many of them would have been willing to stop and be interviewed, if asked. And most of them hoped the television crew would still be there after the game and ask what the win felt like.
"Perhaps I don't need to try and live stream the game to Brooke," thought Judy. "Or maybe she'd like to see it from two perspectives."
Judy was trying to remember what her old high school coach would tell the team to calm them down and inspire them at the same time. Her old coach always spent more time on inspiration than calming. Judy felt it better to place a bit more emphasis on the calming than the inspiration.
There was a sudden pounding on the door to the visitors' locker room.
"Who is it?" Judy called
"Stadium security. Have a vixen out here saying you called her." There was a pause, and the guard added, "Says to tell you it's Coral."
"Hold on," Judy told the team. "I asked Nick's cousin to loan us a laptop during the game. Coach Redpaw has Scope™ so I want all of you to think of a greeting for her. If she can watch the game on television we may keep the computer on the sideline so we can talk with her during the game.."
Coral came in and helped Judy get the program running. The vixen chatted briefly with Judy as players crowded in front of the laptop to talk with their coach. "You can give the laptop back to me after the game. Ty and I will be sitting–"
"Ty?"
"Male I told you about. Dad and Aunt Ellie are planning to be here, and I imagine Nick will be with them. Anyway, return it tonight if you can. Leave it at the house if you don't see me."
"Thanks, I really appreciate you bringing it down."
"No problem. You're family now, even if you're a rabbit."
Steve Barkin was on the field when the Fox Ridge team came out. "Beaverton did file a complaint about you. Called you a ringer," he whispered to Judy. "Good thing you did the paperwork."
"So, no problem?"
"No problem," he assured her and headed back into the bleachers.
The size of the crowd was slightly intimidating to the Fox Ridge team, but the tournament games leading to the championship had exposed them to larger crowds than they were accustomed to, and Judy saw no signs of panic.
Judy was pleased to note some hurried debate among the Beaverton coaching staff and players as the Fox Ridge starting lineup was announced.
Beaverton won the toss, and elected to attack the south goal.
The opening seven minutes were tough or Fox Ridge. The Beaverton midfielders and offense took control. Connie and the backs kept the Otters from scoring but were becoming worried the entire game would be played at their end of the pitch when an armadillo got the ball and passed to a vixen in mid-field, who delivered it to Cinnamon, who kicked it to Ginger, who passed to Streak. As the Beaverton defense converged on Streak she passed it back to Ginger. The Beaverton coach had told them to ignore the squirrel, she was nothing more than a distraction. And the distraction scored the first goal.
The goal gave the Fox River team a morale boost, but made the Beaverton team bear down harder. Twenty-four minutes into the half Beaverton tied the score. Beaverton was taking more shots on goal, but there were no longer periods like the horrific opening seven minutes.
Ginger came out, and Taylore went in as striker. Judy felt slightly guilty about a feeling of pride as she watched the Beaverton rabbit take an active role in directing the opposing team. "Opposing team," she reminded herself. "Doesn't matter what her species is." With the district championship on the line feelings were intense. Judy wasn't certain, but thought the rabbit might be getting frustrated with Cinnamon's ball handling skills, and the fact the squirrel's tail made it harder for the Beaverton team to see some of her dribbling. Judy wasn't sure if the rabbit getting more frustrated was only her imagination or real. The rabbit had yet to make a foul, although her play did appear more aggressive in the final minutes of the half.
The score was tied, one to one, at the half. Judy let Brooke Redpaw handle the locker room talk at half-time.
Judy got the team in a circle and had a short pep talk before they returned to the field for the second half. "Beaverton is good, and feels like they own the district trophy. They don't own the trophy, and you're just as good. Play as hard and well as you did the first half and Fox Ridge will take the trophy home with us tonight." She raised a paw in the air, "Go Fox Ridge!"
The members of the team chanted "Go Fox Ridge" and exchanged paw slaps before returning to the field.
Six minuted into the second half Beaverton scored, taking the lead. Players were tired, but the intensity increased, Beaverton trying desperately to maintain its lead, and Fox Ridge just as desperate to score a goal. Angry, or frustrated, or exhausted and playing sloppy, the Beaverton rabbit crashed hard into Cinnamon – drawing a red card when the referee saw it as a deliberate foul.
Judy ordered the squirrel to the sideline.
"I can play, Coach, I'm fine!"
"You're not fine unless the trainer says you're fine."
Cinnamon was able to return to the field.
Beaverton's loss of the rabbit caused their play to become more erratic, and Fox Ridge spent more time in possession of the ball. Streak had been taking more of the shots on goal, and the Beaverton defense was again focused on her, when a short pass to Taylore gave Fox Ridge the tying goal.
Two and a half minutes until the end of the half, and Beaverton attempted to keep defense equally divided between the two vixens. Streak felt she had an opening and kicked the ball hard, trying to put it into the top right corner of the goal. The beaver managed a surprising leap and caught enough of the ball with her paw to deflect it slightly. The ball hit the goal post and bounced back on the field. A Beaverton back, another beaver, managed to gain possession, she passed it quickly downfield, but the otters on offense had no more luck moving it into the Fox Ridge goal. Play ended with a tie.
Streak broke down on the sidelines, sobbing that she had lost the game for Fox Ridge.
Judy hugged the teen vixen. "Fox Ridge hasn't lost. The game isn't over. You played great..." The face of Brooke Redpaw was visible on the computer screen. "What are the rules for high school female games in this district? Is there an overtime?"
"No overtime here. It will move to a shootout... If you didn't know about overtime rules, you probably don't know the shootout is a little different here."
"How different? How does it work?"
"Starts like ties for the male teams. Each team chooses five players for penalty kicks. If it's still tied at the end of the first round it will be alternate penalty kicks and the first team to be ahead after the same number of shots on–"
"That sounds pretty standard."
"Not quite. In this district, for female teams, after the first five players have had their chance it will go through all the other players on the team until–"
"All?"
"Yes. Well, all the players who were in the game when it ended. Still tied after all the players have made an attempt the first five can start the next round."
Judy hugged Streak and patted her on the back. "Fox Ridge wouldn't be here without you. The game isn't over. Let's finish this up right."
In the relative quiet after the game Judy was better able to hear the announcer over the loud speaker, telling the crowd about the amazing goal keeping they'd seen that night.
Many animals claimed beavers were telepathic, insisting they evolved the ability as they worked underwater where they were unable to speak. Judy didn't believe the story, certain it was an urban legend. But after watching the Beaverton goalie that evening she was almost tempted to believe it. The beaver had an uncanny ability to anticipate how an opposing player planned to score, and moving into position to block the shot. Fortunately Connie, the Fox Ridge goalie, had proven herself as skilled in reading opposing players... Of course, Connie also kept a pack of cards for fortune telling.
Only one of the otters managed to score against Fox Ridge during the initial round of the shootout. Taylore kept Fox Ridge alive with a goal, and the shootout went into the phase the district used for female high school games with which Judy was unfamiliar. The initial five players attempting penalty kicks were regarded the best kickers on their teams. No one expected a goal in the second phase as the remaining players attempted penalty kicks. Judy did her best to calm Streak down, the vixen was doubly upset from the failed shot late in the game, and the beaver blocking her penalty shot with her tail.
"I lost it for Fox Ridge," Streak sobbed.
"You didn't lose it," Judy kept reminding her. "No one makes a goal every time they kick. You're going to have another chance in a couple minutes. Take a deep breath. Calm down. You're the best kicker on the team."
Streak would not have another chance at a penalty shot. No one expected the defenders to score a goal. The second penalty phase was seen as essentially a chance for the goalies to have a short rest before the best kickers had their second chances at penalty kicks.
Perhaps the Beaverton goalie didn't take the Fox Ridge defenders seriously. Perhaps it was dumb luck. As Violet approached the ball the beaver watched her approach carefully and anticipated where the vixen would attempt to place her shot, and moved to block it. Violet, feeling the pressure of the whole town's expectations on her shoulders, slipped before kicking the ball and didn't connect solidly with her foot. A groan began from the Fox Ridge side of the stadium, and a cheer from the Beaverton side. The sounds changed as the poorly struck ball trickled into the the lower corner of the net opposite of where the goalie had moved.
The two teams lined up and walked passed each other, slapping paws and exchanging comments like, "Good game," and "Congratulations."
The championship trophy was awarded to Fox Ridge and friends and family streamed onto the field. Judy gave the team a few minutes of rejoicing on the field then shouted, "Fox Ridge! Locker room! Hit the showers! You can talk more when we get home!"
"Free sodas 'til midnight at the drug store!" someone shouted loudly. Judy wasn't sure who said it, but no one contradicted the claim and it seemed to get the females headed for the locker room faster than Judy's reminder they needed to shower and dress.
Most of the team headed for the showers. Judy stayed out to round up stragglers and to return Coral's laptop.
Judy found Nick's family standing in a small group. Coral's arm was linked with a fox Judy had not met.
"Thanks for the lap top."
"No problem. Oh, this is Ty. Ty, Judy."
"I guessed it was Ty, but wasn't going to use your line about context in case you'd dumped Ty and found someone better during the game."
"Huh?" the puzzled male asked.
"When Nick brought Judy to Fox Ridge I said I could tell it was Judy because of the context – she was there with Nick."
"And Coral said she was dating some wonderful male named Ty–"
"It's short for Tyrone," explained Coral.
"I might have guessed that too. But when I saw the two of you together I figured you were the male she mentioned."
"And you're Judy Hopps? I mean, the real Judy Hopps?"
"It's a fairly common rabbit name."
"The Zootopia Judy Hopps? The rabbit on the police force Judy Hopps?"
"Yes."
"Sorry to be rude, I just didn't expect a celebrity like you to be helping coach the Fox Ridge team. I mean, Coral said that her cousin was Nick Wilde, but I... I think I'll just shut up now."
"What a marvelous idea," Coral told him, and gave him a pat on the rear.
"That's okay," Judy told them. "I need to get back to the team in the locker room, and I think I see a reporter heading this way and I don't want to give an interview."
A small convoy of parents and friends followed the team bus back to Fox Ridge, with horns blowing much of the way. Despite the din Judy tried to remind the jubilant players what her own high school coach back in Bunnyburrow had always told them. "This was a team win. No one of you could have beaten Beaverton by herself. If Connie and the sweeps hadn't stopped every goal at the start Beaverton would have won. If the midfielders hadn't stolen the ball so many times to feed forward, Fox Ridge would have lost. If Taylore and Ginger hadn't made goals and Violet a penalty kick, Beaverton would have won."
"I didn't do squat," Streak muttered loudly enough to be heard.
"Wrong," Judy told her firmly. "If you hadn't been playing your heart out all season Fox Ridge wouldn't have been playing tonight. And if Beaverton hadn't been concentrating so much defense on you Ginger and Taylore might not have scored. Everyone who was in the game tonight was part of the win. Everyone who was in any game all season was part of the win tonight. Every female who came out for football and was there for the practices and training was part of the win tonight. Coach Redpaw did a wonderful job with–"
"And you were part of the win tonight," Taylore told her.
"No I wasn't. It was Brooke's coaching. It was the hard work you all put–"
"You said everyone was a part of the win," an armadillo reminded her.
"I–"
Streak asked, "You don't play by your own rules?"
"Fine, I was a part. A small part. All of you and Brooke deserve all the credit. You've worked hard all season. I'll take a piece of win for this last week, but it's just a tiny slice of win – I'm on a diet."
As the convoy neared Fox Ridge Judy considered asking the bus driver to detour by Brooke Redpaw's home, the team could stand outside the house and show her the trophy. But, not knowing how much rest the real coach needed during chemo she decided against it.
"We should stop at Coach Redpaw's house," Streak suggested.
"I thought of that, but don't want to wake her if she's asleep."
"We could call and... That would wake her up, wouldn't it."
"Connie could tell with her cards," a vixen suggested.
Judy was against using fortune telling to decide, but Connie avoided it with, "It does not work unless she shuffles the cards. And she might be asleep. We should not stop."
"We could drive by and see if the light is on," another armadillo called. The suggestion seemed to meet with general favor.
Brooke's lights were on. The coach took a picture of team and trophy on her lawn through the window, although there was probably not enough light for it to come out. Judy at first tried to stay out of the picture, but the team called for her to join them and Brooke gestured for her to join them as well.
The party at the drug store lasted until midnight. The teen who worked there was pressed into service and spent his time behind the counter, but Judy was happy to note that Streak spent her time on one of the lunch counter stools flirting with the young fox instead of flirting with Nick. Judy wasn't worried that Nick might be interested in the young vixen, and Judy was certain that Streak wasn't serious in her flirtation. On one level it might even be flattering that other females recognized her husband was attractive. But Bonnie had drilled certain behaviors into her children. Young females should not to flirt with older males, especially older married males. To which Judy added, "especially Nick."