Chapter 4: You're Floored!

One Year Earlier

When she agreed to ride along with the Slothmores, she thought it'd be a calm experience as the three of them drove to the concert at the Plaza. She couldn't have been more wrong. She should've realized that sloths, being slow, had a hard time actually being slow at the wheel, ironically. He'd press the accelerator and then would take about fifteen minutes to let go of it, going from quiet and peaceful to high-speed chase level. It was so bad she even got the attention of the cops.

Why me? the poor sow thought as she gripped into the seat so that she wouldn't fly out of the car. She was praying to every divine being to please stop the car before her face winded up on the concrete of the street.

It didn't take long for Flash to slow down for the cops. Her heart was still going a few million beats per minute, and her claws still gripped the sides of the car seat, ruining the leather make. Hopefully they wouldn't notice that.

"Flash flash hundred yard dash!" Said one of the cops, as soon as Flash rolled down the windows. It seemed like they knew each other. She couldn't quite see the mammal yet.

"Niiiiiiick…" said Flash, a smile slowly forming on his face. It was clear he didn't want to pay a fine. "Buddy…how…are…you…this…"

"Flash, do you know how fast you were going?" Said a female voice this time.

"...evening," Flash finished saying.

The female gave an exasperated sigh. Getting up on her seat, Sam finally noticed who those two were. The only bunny and fox cop duo of the city. The most famous cop duo of the city. Why meeeeeeeee? Sam whined in her thoughts.

"Um, excuse me, back here?" Sam said, making herself seen by the two officers. "I-I had nothing to do with this, I was just given a ride because we're going the same way. I was about to get off."

"We're…going…to…see…Gazelle…we…were…in…a…" said Priscilla.

"Yeah, me too," said Sam. "We left after dinner-"

"...rush," the sloth ended her statement.

"Huh, that worked out somehow. Anyways, can I please get off. I can walk the rest of the way?"

"...sure," Flash said, unlocking the door allowing her to step out.

She took a good look at the two officers, who were also eyeing her. "A-Am I free to go? Am I gonna get fined?"

The fox approached her. "Oh, not at all. After all, you're a victim in all this. I'm sure Jud- uhhh, Officer Hopps will let Flash here go with a warning. But I've never seen you before, how come you were with them?"

"I was actually their server at the restaurant I work at. We realized we were both going the same way."

"Let me guess. You work at The Rainforest Riviera."

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"I know that uniform. I worked there one summer. Gerald was a pain in my tail sometimes."

"Wow! To think The Officer Wilde worked where I work now!" Sam said. She was genuinely impressed.

"I assume he's still as uptight as usual?"

"Oh, he's gotten worse," Sam said, making both of them laugh.

"Anyway, I heard you were going to a concert with them?" Mr. Wilde asked.

"Yeah. Long story short, I was trying to rush them out of the restaurant so I could get there early. But it turned out Flash was going to see Gazelle to celebrate his engagement with Priscilla."

"What?" The officer said loudly, turning his head back to the car. "Flash! You're getting married! Congrats, man!"

Officer Hopps, still talking to Flash, was startled by the fox's voice. The sloth slowly got his head out of the car. "Thanks…Nick…" and slowly retreated back in.

"Anyways," the officer turned back to her. "Me and Judy are actually going to see Gazelle too." She didn't know if he realized he said her first name, but he didn't show any sign that he noticed. "I could give you a ride there if you want to. You'd just have to wait for us to change into more civil clothes. How does that sound?"

"How does it sound? Going to the Gazelle concert with the people who saved me from going broke? It sounds awesome!"

The officer smiled at her enthusiasm. "Great. Call me Nick, by the way. I don't want my friends to be so formal with me." He extended a paw.

"Deal!" Sam says, taking the paw and shaking it.

"...And stop driving recklessly! Have fun at the concert!" said Officer Hopps, bidding adieu to the sloth couple, now making her way back to Officer Wilde. "What did I miss, slick?"

Sam pretends not to hear that, but can't avoid smiling at the nickname.

"Oh, nothing much, Carrots. This lady here just happens to be going to the Gazelle concert just like us. So I hope you're not too bothered if I offer her a ride." Sam can't help but feel small at the sight of the imposing bunny officer. They might be the same height, but Sam knew she was a bunny that commanded respect. After all, she was able to uncover a government conspiracy in a single day.

"Of course she can! Your name is…?" Asks the officer, also shaking her paw.

"Sam. Samantha Otterley. I'm so happy to meet you, Officer Hopps. Sorry it's in these…awkward circumstances."

"Oh, that's alright. I was just as surprised when I saw Flash. You must've gotten quite a scare, huh?"

"I'm okay now," Sam told the bunny. She was definitely more than okay.

"You're more than welcome to come with us, Sam," said Officer Hopps. "Call me Judy."

Some people pre-gamed before a party, having a few drinks before the main event. But that's not the case with Nick and Judy. Well, mostly Judy. She was playing Gazelle songs nonstop from the moment they left the area to when they arrived at the Precinct. Nick apologized for having her sit in the back like a criminal, but she didn't mind. They were already doing so much for her.

After clocking out and parking their police car, the walk to the concert was only a few meters, since it was going to be held at the Central Plaza, the biggest park in all of Zootopia. Sam was surprised to realize they had already come out of the precinct dressed in formal clothes, Nick wearing brown khaki shorts and a green fern-patterned Pawaiian shirt. Judy opted for the modest, but equally captivating look, sporting a bright blue blouse and black leggings.

"Are you going to the concert in your work clothes?" Asked Judy.

"Ah, y-yeah," Sam said, embarrassed. It's not everyday a respected police officer such as her notices you. "I didn't really have time to change."

"Oh, no, we are not having that. I have some spare clothes you can borrow, I'll go get them."

"Wait, no no no, that won't be necessary! You've already done enough," Sam said, panicking. She didn't want to cause any trouble to the pair.

"A friend of mine shall not go to a Gazelle concert dressed like that! I won't allow it," said Judy, with a playful tone.

"Carrots will not change her mind, Sam. You might as well indulge her," said Nick, chuckling. She struggled not to say anything about that nickname, thinking it was probably offensive to Judy. Her doubts were quenched when she saw the doe grabbing her paw and happily leading her back to the precinct for a change of clothes.

"Hey, Clawhauser! I'm back for a sec, just gotta give my new friend a change of clothes," Judy said to the cheetah receptionist at the front desk.

"And who's this adorable friend of yours?" Sam blushed. She wasn't used to this much attention.

"Me and Nick met her while stopping a speeding car. Turns out it was Flash, Nick's sloth friend. Remember when I told you about him?"

"Three-humped camel guy?" The cheetah asked. Sam was definitely missing the context.

"The same one," Judy responded. "Tell you the whole story later, gotta run!"

Judy grabbed her paw again and directed her to the dressing room, where she gave Sam a wonderful green dress that combined with her eyes.

"Officer Hopps, you really shouldn't have done this," Sam told the doe.

"Sam, I told you to call me Judy. Besides, why wouldn't I help you? You love Gazelle, I love Gazelle. I mean, come on, we're best friends already."

Sam smiled at the incredible enthusiasm and kindness of the rabbit. She could not believe that at one point she was a police officer that doomed an entire species through her selfish words. She gasped at herself for even thinking about it.

"I'm sorry, Judy. I just…assumed you'd be rougher. With the whole conference thing, which I don't hold against you, by the way, I thought you'd be…how do I say it?"

"Depressed? Cynical? Downright deplorable?" Judy suggested.

"No! I mean…kinda. Sorry, I'm messing it all up. Here you are, being nice to me, and now I'm insulting you."

"Oh no, Sam, don't do that. You have every right to think of me like that. I was very much a mess. I still am in certain ways. But, everyday I try. I try to make something better of myself. So that I never repeat what happened at that vestibule."

The bunny, who just a few seconds ago was as chipper as they came, was now on a downward slope, her ears and head having fallen to the floor. The otter felt guilty, but at the same time, she was relieved that Judy had that much regret for what she had done. With the little courage Sam had, she took Judy's hand, surprising the doe enough to look back up.

"It's okay, Judy. I forgive you. And I'm sure every predator forgives you too, seeing how Nick treats you."

"Really?" She asked, smiling. "Thanks, Sam."

A comfortable silence bloomed, but then Sam remembered there was a concert to get to. "We, uhhh, should be getting back to your partner now," she said. They'd been there for a while.

"Oh, you are so right! Nick is gonna make a terrible joke about what we were doing in here!"

They rapidly speed up out of the dressing room and go back outside to the fox, who had his arms crossed in boredom.

"About time you guys got here. Were you frying chicken there? Did you at least save me a wing?"

"Told you," Judy said, which prompted a grin on the otter's face. If there's something she would take away from this bizarre journey, it's that the news outlets did not portray these two accurately at all. Nick and Judy were normal mammals who acted hilarious around each other. It was very endearing and hopeful to see. A predator and a prey, getting along so well. It was the perfect symbol of what Zootopia should be.


"How'd you enjoy the concert, you two?" Nick asked the two ladies on the back of his car, Sam being one of them.

"It was incredible!" Judy said first. "You should dance more, Nick. It really suits you."

"Are you teasing me or telling the truth? I've been wanting to get into Samba, and I was hoping to use this concert as a test run."

"You could use some help, but your hips clearly did not lie."

"That is very high praise! And no condescension this time!" Once again, Sam was missing context. But for a moment, she could've sworn they were flir-

"How about you, Sam?" Asked Judy. "Enjoy the concert?"

"Oh, umm, of course! I can finally say I blew all my savings for a reason!"

"That's…great you think about it like that," said Nick, awkwardly. "Anyway, this is you, Judy. Back to your shoebox apartment."

The car pulled up at the Grand Pangolin Arms, Judy's place of residence. Sam assumed the rabbit was already living at a much more fitting establishment, seeing that she had rid the city of a great evil. But at the same time, from what she had seen of the rabbit this afternoon, it was more than true to her character. She didn't care for a reward. She did it out of pure heart. It made her admire the doe even more.

"Bye, Sam! Nick will be more than happy to take you home. Don't worry, he's safe. He knows I would have him burned at the stake if anything happened to you."

"At least put my body to good use. Give it to an orphanage of hungry kits, that should be enough."

"Silly fox," Judy said while laughing. "Anyway, I had a lot of fun today, Sam. Don't be a stranger!"

And so Judy went, ready to rest from the long day she and Nick probably had. Nick stayed parked until he saw Judy entering the building, and immediately began to move the car again, rejoining the evening traffic.

"I assume you live near RR," Nick told the otter.

"Yes, I'm at 21 Amazonian Street. Do you need directions?"

"Nah, I got it. Advantages of being a street fox? You know your way around."

"You must also know the Rainforest top to bottom if you worked at the restaurant," Sam said.

"That too. But I didn't last very long. Back then, I was going from job to job, trying to find a steady living. It worked, for a while. I realized I was better off being my own boss."

"Really? What was that?" Sam asked. The fox became silent, just focused on the road. The otter thought she'd hit a nerve. "...sorry for asking. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Oh, not at all, Sammers. I was just thinking if I should tell you the truth or not. No offense, but we just met like six hours ago."

"Sammers, really?" she chuckled. "If I get a nickname, I must be worthy enough to learn some info from you. Not that I'm pressuring you, sorry again."

"You sure apologize a lot."

"Only when I feel like I'm out of line."

"Trust me, it takes a lot to be out of line with me. I've been called all sorts of things."

"That's good. I'd hate to insult you."

"You're too nice to do that. Anyways, not many people know this, but…I used to hustle. Used to go around selling pawpsicles melted out of jumbo pops, and then selling the ice cream-stained sticks as "redwood" to the mouse building company. Did that for ten years."

"Wow…" Sam said.

"And there goes the little respect you had for me."

"No, no, you got it all wrong! I'm sure you did it out of necessity, Mr. Wilde! I can't blame you for that. Besides…I know the treatment foxes get here. Predators overall are still not well liked in some places. I still get my fair share of people hating me just for being an otter."

"Mr. Wilde? Please. Mr. Wilde was my dad. You can still call me Nick."

She sighed. "Sorry I freaked out. Didn't want you to think I was some kinda-"

"I get it, Sam. I'm pretty good at reading people, and I don't see any hatred in you. We're good. Although…I'm curious about why you lost your job back then. To be fair, I was so depressed I barely saw the news."

"Same as everybody. It was bad for business. Prey mammals just didn't want to be served by predators, even meek little otters like me."

"To be fair, a male otter went savage and slashed a panther's face pretty hard," Nick said, turning right on a street. "Not saying it was fair to fire you, but I understand the fear. Back then, everyone believed they could turn savage out of nowhere. It was bad for everyone."

"Do you…still feel hurt by her? By what she said?" She didn't say her name, but Nick was smart enough to know who Sam was talking about.

"No," he said in an instant. "What's done is done. Carrots…Judy, has done more than enough. She earned her forgiveness by cleaning her own mess, which is more than what ninety-nine percent of people actually do. I know you might still have some reservations about her, but I promise you, she wouldn't have wanted me as her partner if she hated predators." Seeing Nick's proud smile made her small otter heart skip a beat. It didn't take a psychic to know that the fox felt something for the bunny. Something more than just respect.

"Oh, I know. She's the nicest mammal I've ever met."

"Don't I know it. Heh, even when she's not around, it turns into a praise party."

"Well, from one predator to another, I think you've struck gold when it comes to partners. Both on and off work," she said cheekily.

"Yeah…w-wait what do you mean by-"

"Oh, we're here!" Sam said with a smile. They had arrived at her home fairly quickly. The night air of the Rainforest was one of Sam's favorite smells, and she loved the way it hit her snout as she exited the car. "Well, this is it!"

"Yup, sure is," said Nick, talking through his rolled-down window. "Hold on, I got somethin' for you."

Sam saw Nick grab something from the car door and held it up to her with two of his fingers. It was a small white card that resembled a business card you would receive from a corporate mogul.

"What's this?" Sam asked, grabbing the card. Inspecting it closer, she saw a phone number and a cheesy line. "You're Otterly Amazing. Really?"

Nick raised his eyes. "That was pure coincidence, I swear. I printed out a ton of these with cheesy puns to annoy Carrots. And don't worry, that's my business phone number. In case you have an emergency and think normal cops won't help you out, gimme a call!"

"You'd do that for me?"

"Of course! You're my friend, right?"

Sam, still a little shy from such an event, stored the card in her pocket and smiled back at the fox. "Right. Thanks a lot, Nick. You and Judy have been great. You two should visit the restaurant sometime!"

"We will definitely think about it. Fried shrimp is still on the menu, I hope?"

"Oh yeah. Gerald cooked up a new recipe. It's incredible."

"You just spoke my language, Sammers. See you soon!"

With that, the fox slowly turned his car around and left from the same road they had come in. Strange, Sam thought. He didn't wait for me to go inside before leaving. Eh, he must be tired.

She paid no more mind to it and went inside.


Present Day- Monday, 9 PM

"OH, HE'S IN LOVE," Sam exclaimed in realization. "How did I not see this? Agh, you're so dumb, Sam."

She wasn't much for soap operas, but this particular one had her hooked. It was called A Fox for Your Troubles and it was about a private detective in the 40s who ends up falling for his secretary, who is actually older than him. It is comedic, dramatic, and very cheesy, but it made up for it with the quality of character writing, which to her knowledge was rare to find in such shows.

She was procrastinating. Very hardly so. Her feet ached from this morning's occurrence. Thankfully, no glass shards needed to be unburied from them. She was scared. More scared about calling Nick than about the stranger who had been watching her from afar. She hadn't seen the duo since their encounter last year, and calling now when she needed help felt…manipulative. In her defense, Nick had only given her his business phone, and Judy had also forgotten to give Sam her Contacts. What was she going to do, go to the precinct hoping they're there and ask for both their numbers? Sam knew that would be insanely creepy.

Nick hadn't come to the restaurant either. She even asked if a fox and a rabbit showed up together on her days off, and nothing. She looked at the news, and apparently they had worked on a big case for the entire year, dismantling some corporation that was manufacturing illegal Nighthowlers. After finding that out, she couldn't blame them for their lack of contact. The life of a cop was not one of luxury, as she realized in the soap opera.

A thought would not leave her mind, even as she focused on the actors on the screen. She had to get that thought out there or she would explode. She knew just the guy who would listen. She pulled out her phone and texted the fox she was very interested in seeing next week. She hadn't told him about what had happened that morning.

Sam: Nick, you there?

Fennick: Yup.

Fennick felt like a very funny name to give him, considering she already knew a fox named Nick. She didn't want to confuse the two. Besides, fennec and Nick fit together so well. It rolled off the tongue.

Sam: You know about Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps? The cops on TV?

Fennick: Yeah, whataboutem

Sam: First off, spacing, please. Secondly, did you know I actually met them?

Fennick: If I had a drink I would've done a spit take right now. That's actually crazy.

Sam: I know, right? They took me to the Gazelle concert last year. Remember that?

Fennick: Oh yeah. That Gazelle sure knows how to put on a show.

Sam: You went?

Fennick: My uhh…let's just say someone close to me gave me free tickets to go with them. Being the good guy that I am, I couldn't refuse.

She was afraid to know who that was, but she assumed it was his ex-wife. That good-for-nothing.

Sam: Anyways, when I hung out with them, they sure seemed…close.

Fennick: Like, "they share each other's secrets close" or "they share each other's clothes" close?

Sam: Bit of both.

Fennick: I'll be damned. I knew something fishy was going on.

Sam: You did? Does that bother you?

Fennick: Why would it?

Sam: Because your wife…

Fennick: Oh.

Fennick: don't worry about that, Whiskers. It's not like love has to stop existing just because I went through a rough patch. Those cops can do whatever they want. Although, it would be pretty crazy if that was true. Scandalous, even.

Sam: Really? Zootopia should be more accepting by now, don't you think?

Fennick: Sorry to burst your bubble, Sam, but prey are still trying to figure out how to live around us, and now they gotta start worrying about us becoming family too? It might not go as well as you expect.

Sam: That's awful, but true. Why can't anyone just love whoever they want?

Fennick: Beats me. Personally, I'll love whatever I want to love, no matter what anyone says.

Sam: I'm the same way, Nick. I'm glad you don't care about who loves who.

Fennick: No problem, Sam. Life's already hard enough, why bother caring so much about that?

With a relieved sigh, Sam was glad that the fennec had those principles. She gave a bigger sigh again, as she realized the soap opera was now over, and the next show wasn't one she was too keen on watching today. It was one of those late night shows where the host invites someone every time. This time they said it was two surprise guests, but she didn't care enough to stick around. Besides, she needed to make the call, whether she wanted to or not. Pressing the correct numbers on her phone, the otter was about to press the dial button.

"Maybe I should take another bath. That soap opera made me musky," she said to herself, running away from the phone. She would call him after her bath. Definitely.


"I'm screwed."

"What's that, Uncle? I can't hear you!" Screamed Greg, who was currently frying chicken in the van's portable kitchen. The sizzling of the meat dipped in boiling oil was enough to make some noise in their tiny space.

"I said I'm screwed!" Screamed Finnick this time.

"What for?" Greg asked, heading closer to hear him.

"Sam knows Nick."

Greg's eyes and mouth hung open. "Sam. The otter Sam? Sam the otter?"

"Yes Sam the otter! What other person do we know named Sam?"

"Sam the skunk. Sam the porcupine. Sam from the state fairgrounds-"

"Okay, point taken, but it's none of those Sams. It's the otter."

"Okay, cool. I thought you were already screwed with her. She still doesn't know you hustled her."

"Yeah, but now I'm even more screwed. She knows who Nick is, for fox sake! If she talked to him again, he could say something about me and there goes the little bit of disguise I have until next week! Well, to be fair, she met him last year and it doesn't seem like they have talked since. Ohh, that tod for brains better not call her."

"You jealous?" Greg teased.

"As a matter of fact, I'm not. Nick is too in love with Miss Biology to care about any other broads."

"Oh, so you are romantically interested in Sam?"

"Ugh, just stop talking if you don't got nothing interesting to say. Don't let that chicken burn."

Greg heard the fennec's command and headed back to the chicken. "If it makes you feel better, I don't think he's going to be able to call her today, if he was ever going to."

"How do you know?" Finnick said, putting his attention away from his phone, his reading glasses pushed aside.

"Let's just say that…I know where he will be today."

"Say that one more time," Finnick said slowly. "You know where Nick will be? How exactly do you know, Greg?"

"Unc, just chill, man. He…messages me from time to time. To see how I'm doing…"

"Ohhh, he does, huh. I don't suppose he asks for me much."

"He…doesn't, sorry."

"Why sorry? I don't care. At least he's decent enough to still want to talk to you. He can rot for all I care."

"Uncle, that's not fair."

"Life isn't fair, Greg. You can't seem to realize that."

Greg frowned and just continued watching the chicken. When he saw it was fully cooked, he grabbed the slotted spoon and rose it from the oil, leaving it up for a few seconds to make sure it drained as much of the oil as possible and put it in a plate.

"So, uhhh…where's he going to be, today? I don't care, of course, just…to know."

Greg smiled and became glad that Finnick was still in his own way worried about Nick. There was a tension between them, but that didn't mean they didn't care for each other. "He's gonna appear on TV right now," he decided to tell him. "The Olivia Floor Show I believe."

"Is he now? That's interesting. Is Floppy gonna be there too?"

"Yep. Not much of a draw if it isn't both of them together. Wanna watch it?"

"Absolutely not. But I should text Sam about it if she wants to watch it."

So he did. But she never replied back. After coming out of her second bath, she was filled with a courage that she knew would dissipate if she didn't act quickly. Practically jumping towards the phone, she turned it on to see that the screen with the number was still showing. With a quick action that not even her brain was able to process, she had dialed. With trembling paws, she put the phone on her ear, waiting for the fox to pick up.


"I'm starting to get second thoughts about this," said my partner, with teetering movements and thumpy legs. "Why did we agree to this, Nick?"

"Carrots, you know why," I say to her. It's not like we've been talking about going into this late night show for months now. "It's a good way for people to know our cause."

"Yeah, but aren't our actions enough? We've done so much already, what more do we have to prove?"

"Show starts in five minutes, Officers," a female deer told us from the other side of the curtain we would walk out of.

"Thank you, we'll be there," I told her. Judy still isn't convinced, just a complete nervous wreck. Boy, what am I going to do with her? "Carrots," I called for her attention.

"I-I mean, what if something slips? What if I say something I don't want to say?"

"Fluff."

"I mean, you know how badly I messed up last time, Nick. I can't go on national television, I'll end up making life worse for everyone-"

"Judy! Calm. Down." I say, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her out of her increasingly panicked state. "You're not that person anymore. The only way you can mess this up is by acting like a nervous wreck in front of Miss Floor."

"B-but what if that person slips back? I don't want to…I don't want to hurt anyone anymore. I wish I could just forget I did that."

It breaks my heart to see her like that. I wish I had the ability to immediately stop all of her insecurities. The best I can do is try to talk her into hiding them away. "You can't just erase that memory, Judy. It defeats the whole purpose of growth. If I had forgotten I was ever hurt, it never would've made me never open up to you. You're strong, you're courageous, and most of all, you are not the Judy from a year and a half ago. I believe that. You have to believe that too."

She stayed silent and still, no longer teetering or thumping. "Right," she said. Some tears came out of her eyes, but she made sure to clean them before they rolled down her face. "My past is in the past. I'm a new me who will not mess up her interview."

"That's the spirit, Jude. Besides, it's me who is more likely to mess it up for both of us."

The female deer came back. "One minute until the show begins, get in position. Remember, come out when Miss Floor says your names. It's a surprise interview after all."

"Will do," I said again, and the deer went back out. I started getting up from my chair. "Well? You ready, Miss Hopps?"

She nodded. "Let's kick her butt with the greatest interview she's ever given."

"That's the spirit, partner. Let's go, it's starting."

Finnick's TV was off. He was busy enjoying chicken and not caring about Nick. Sam's TV was also off. She was worried about calling Nick and taking a bath. On a random TV in Zootopia, someone was getting ready to watch the Olivia Floor Show. It started out like most shows in that genre. The host would enter the room while the audience clapped for them thunderingly.

In this case, the host was none other than Olivia Floor, a middle-aged white rabbit with red eyes. Her background is of no interest to the person watching the show at that very moment. They were just looking for a good time away from all worries.

"Welcome, everybody!" Greeted the white rabbit, to a camera facing straight at her, making it seem like she was looking directly at the television. On her full black dress, she sat on her titular desk, the one she'd been using since season one of the show. "How ya doing today? I'm doing great! Because today, folks, we have got two special guests that will rock your world!"

The audience cheered one more time, with the camera aiming at the happy audience, which was composed of an equal number of both predator and prey mammals, happily expectant to who this mysterious guest could be.

"Some say that dreams are windows into a different world," said Olivia. "Well, tell me who had the bright idea to turn me into a robotic spider on a different world? Totally impractical!" Some jokes landed, and some didn't. The audience loved her for her undoubted charisma and great chemistry with all the guests. "These guests may not have turned into robotic machines, but I'm sure they do dream of electric sheep." Some gasps were heard in the audience, possibly from people who already figured out who the guests would be. "I am very pleased to welcome to the stage, Officers Nicholas Wilde and Judy Hopps!"

The person watching the TV had never seen the audience erupt so loudly as they did now. Hearing those names was an instant calling to scream at the top of their lungs, Floor's introduction completely overshadowed. The rabbit gave no hint of dissatisfaction, also clapping at the pair.

The fox entered with a killer flair and vibe, wearing a bright purple shirt and gray pants. The bunny did not stay far behind, wearing an impressive orange dress with green-colored buttons. They sat down on the sofa to the left of Floor's desk.

"Wow. You guys sure know how to enter a room. Incredible. You both are absolutely gorgeous!" To her praise, the audience agreed by clapping even more. The fox saluted them and smiled, while the bunny was the shyest one of the two, awkwardly staring at the audience.

"Thank you very much, Miss Floor. Me and Judy are so delighted to be here."

"Likewise," Hopps said.

"The pleasure's all mine. Any specific reason why you both decided to be on the show?"

"Well, to spread some much-needed positivity in these still-trying times," Judy said. "We are all still healing from the events of last year, and me and Nick thought, 'what the heck, let's go and inspire some people. Let them know that we have their back,' and here we are." More clapping ensued.

"Fantastic reason. I would've been happy if it was just to come see me," Floor said, with some members of the audience laughing.

"Oh, that is most definitely reason numero dos," said Nick, which elicited more laughs.

"I'm very glad you said that. Let's get on with some questions, shall we?"

"Oh, I'd like to start with a confirmation from you, if you wouldn't mind, Miss Floor?"

"Not at all, Mr. Wilde. Lay it on me!" Her exaggerated response even made the viewer snicker.

"Whenever you did something bad, did your parents ground you, or floor you?" The audience couldn't get enough. They were having the time of their life. Nick could take over as host and probably no one would mind. Hopps seemed to be having less fun, just sighing at Nick's fun.

"I apologize for his behavior, Miss Floor," Hopps said. "He's such a little kid most of the time."

"You heard it here, folks! Our heroes are people too!" This did give Hopps a chuckle this time. "Now let's get a bit serious shall we? I know from some of the news that you two did yet another act of incredible service to our city. Is there anything you can tell us about that?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," said Hopps, "but since most of the details are so sensitive right now, it's best that we just let actions speak instead of words. Take it away, Nick."

As prompted, Wilde got up from the sofa and pulled confetti out of his pocket, throwing it in the air comically. He pulled even more confetti from his other pockets, culminating in a sign stating "Nighthowlers are now illegal in Zootopia." Needless to say, more celebration happened.

"And I assume you had something to do with that."

"Indeed," Hopps said. "To spare the boring details, illegal trading of Nighthowlers became a big problem after the Bellwether incident. With the help of over ten precincts, we were able to find enough evidence to take down the top supplier, Royclaw Corporation. To make up for the fact that Nighthowlers also served as insecticides for farming, me and Nick decided to look for our own alternative, with the help of most of the farmers around Zootopia, including my very own family. We were able to find a new species of plant that had the same effect on insects, but no effect on mammals."

"Can we call this new species of plant Night-Warmers?" Miss Floor said. "I'm feeling very cozy right now imagining a world without those stupid purple plants."

"I'm sure the scientists will take that into consideration," said Wilde.

A few more minutes passed, with the pair answering question after question, the audience not getting tired of them at all. The viewer looked to their phone and saw that apparently, both officers were breaking a viewership record, earning about twenty-three million consecutive watches. It was an insane event.

"Before we go, Miss Floor," Wilde adjusted himself on the sofa. "We'd like to announce something else that will surely make a lot of people happy. Maybe a few of them mad, who knows."

"Ohhhh, what is this piece of news you're giving? You guys are spoiling us tonight."

The viewer noticed the pair began looking a bit sullenly, like it would be difficult to say what they had to say. "The truth is…we're-"

RRRRRRIIING

RRRRRRIIING

A phone was ringing. Oh no.

"Oh, excuse me a moment," said Nick, pulling out his phone.

"Don't hang up, Mr. Wilde!" Said Miss Floor.

"Huh?" He asked, confused.

"It's tradition in the Olivia Floor Show that a guest must answer the phone and have it on speaker for the duration of the call."

"Gosh, that is so good, Miss Floor," Wilde praised. "Great prank. It's an unregistered number, so I don't know what to expect."

Answering the phone, Nick put it on speaker and held it close to his mic. The viewer became very interested about this. This didn't happen often, and it was mostly always chaotic for the poor person who decided to leave their phone unmuted.

"Hello?" Wilde asked with uncertainty.

"Nicholas Wilde?" The person on the other end responded, a girl.

"Yes, that is me."

"Oh, thank heavens it's you, Mr. Wilde. First off, I wanna thank you for what you did for me last year, it was a very unforgettable ride and I definitely enjoyed it. Very savvy with the tongue, I must say."

"SAM?" The viewer, Gerald, recognized that voice instantly. "WHAT IS SHE DOING TALKING TO HIM!"

Miss Floor was agape, aghast, and anything that meant surprise. Even the audience didn't know what to do, stuck in between laughing awkwardly and screaming. Hopps was frozen in her seat, covering her eyes with her ears.

"Sam? As in Sam the otter?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, Sam, the otter you pulled out of a speeding car? You took me to the Gazelle concert, remember?"

"She never told me any of this!" Gerald said.

"Okay, Sam, I'm gonna need you to turn on your TV right now."

"What? What for?" This time the audience did know what to do, laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Just do it."

After some silence, Sam's voice came out doubled and echoed. "Huh. Weird. You're in the TV right…now…please don't tell me that's live, Mr. Wilde."

"I'm afraid so, Sam."

"This isn't being televised to all of Zootopia, is it, Mr. Wilde?"

"I'm afraid it is, Sam."

"And everyone can hear me? They heard everything I said, Mr. Wilde?"

"I'm afraid they heard every single word, Sam."

"Oh god…OH GOD!" She hung up, leaving everyone silent once again. No one knew how to go back into conversation or how to even process what happened.

Except Nick. "I'm sorry Miss Ground. I should be Floored for this."

The audience laughed. Gerald laughed as well. Except for this morning, Gerald will never stop laughing at the hijinks that happen around Sam.

"I'm so giving her a raise after this." He laughed until he teared up and coughed and until his sides turned painful.