Where Even Is Home? - Nick and Judy in the MCU
"You have no idea who you're messing with, do you?"
The pig gangbanger looked down at his prisoners, grimacing at the two bound policemammals. Sitting in two chairs, back-to-back and wrapped up in rope, was a small red fox and a smaller gray rabbit. He and his boys had caught them snooping around the warehouse they'd been working out of a few hours ago, and quickly overpowered and subdued them.
"No," The boar growled, leering above them, "And I don't care, either."
"You should," The rabbit said, "And, seriously, how do you not know who we are? Do they not have TV and Internet where you come from?"
The boar scoffed, kneeling down to their eyelevel. "I don't bother listening to bullshit. Besides, what would some little fox and dumb bunny be doing on the news?"
"Oh, we're not just any fox and bunny," The fox answered, sounding downright smug, "I'm Nick Wilde, and this right here's Judy Hopps. Not gonna lie, we're kind of a big deal in this town. Top cops in Zootopia, friends with the Arctic Mafia-"
"We don't give a shit about the cops," The pig interrupted, "And we're here to take out the Ice Mob. You have no friends comin' to save you."
"-Friends with Rocket Raccoon." Judy finished. The pig squinted at her. The rabbit rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, you can't be serious?" She complained, "Please tell me you're not that out of the loop. You've got to know who he is, don't you?"
"I told you, I don't follow your capitalist imperialist propaganda. Who is he, some bigwig lawyer? A fancypants politician?"
"Sweet cheese and crackers, you really don't know, do you?" The bunny swore, shaking her head, "You poor, dumb pig."
"Alright, listen up, numbnuts," Nick said, "Since we're just sitting here with nothing to do, we might as well fill you in on the last three years here in Zootopia. Not too long ago, Rocket came to our beautiful, bustling city. He wasn't just any old raccoon, though. He wasn't from this country, he wasn't even from this planet. He came from a whole 'nother universe, dropped off here by some all-powerful cosmic beings to start a new life. He's no ordinary raccoon, though. He's a cyborg, augmented with alien technology to make him stronger, tougher and smarter than anyone in the city. He started building things, weapons and gadgets far beyond anything ever seen before."
"He could've settled for being rich and powerful," Judy added, "But that's not his style. He enjoyed fighting. He used to be a bounty hunter in his past life, and he kept doing it when he came here. He made a name for himself taking down criminals and getting bad guys that no one else could. And that was all before he mt us."
"When the Berserkers started popping up," Nick continued, "All three of us got together to solve the case. It wasn't easy, but our boy Rocket cracked that case. He took out hordes of crazed mammals, built an army of drones, seduced the new mayor-"
"-And took out half of the Rammsteins!"
"-And yes, took out half of the Rammsteins on his own. He's saved Zootopia a dozen times since then. He's our first and only Licensed Vigilantes. A Superhero." Nick's expression hardened, and he stared into the pig's eyes. "And he's going to find us."
"Oooh, he sounds so scaaaaarrry." The boar sneered, waving his hooves mockingly.
"You should be scared," Judy warned, "Because unlike us, he doesn't have any qualms taking a life."
"Good. Neither do I." The boar pulled a knife out from his pocket, holding it inches from the bunny's face. She looked at the knife, her nose twitching, before glaring back at the swine.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Or what? No one's coming to save you, you dumb little cu-"
He never got to finish his sentence. The hum of a laser announced a bright beam of red light that pierced the boar's skull, and he collapsed onto the ground like a sack of turnips. As the pigs panicked and went for their weapons, the fox and bunny smiled, and quickly hopped to one side, causing their chairs to fall over. As soon as they did, part of the wall closest to them exploded inward, pummeling everyone in dust and debris. Old Eighties music began to play from speakers outside, and lasers began to fire to the beat.
Relax, don't do it
When you want to go to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want come
Relax, don't do it
When you want to suck it to it
Relax, don't do it
When you want come
When you want come
"Who said you could start this party without me?!" Rocket shouted, firing away at the pigs.
"Took you long enough!" Judy complained, struggling against their binds, "Care to let us out?!"
"Yeah yeah, hold your horses," The raccoon growled. He flicked his wrist, and golden shapes formed around his right hand as created a hardlight blade. He swung, severing the ropes, providing covering fire with his free hand. Nick and Judy rolled for cover, dodging bullets and lasers as they hid behind several crates.
But shoot it in the right direction
Make making it your intention-ooh yeah
Live those dreams
Scheme those schemes
Got to hit me (hit me)
Hit me (hit me)
Hit me with your laser beams
"He's always gotta make things dramatic!" Judy lamented.
"You say that like it's always a bad thing!" Nick laughed, ducking behind the crates. He looked around, noticing something was missing. "Hey, where's Groot?"
Just as he said that, the wall opposite them exploded inward, as a Floral Colossus came charging in. "I AM GROOT!" He roared, swatting away a squealing pig like a gnat.
"Ah, there he is."
As if the laser lightshow and gunfire wasn't chaotic enough, the arrival of Groot threw the gangbangers into even greater disarray. He shot out a lethal spike of vines and bark, impaling a pig straight through the heart. He threw the body away, tossing it into a stack of crates with a wet SMACK!
"Nice one!" Rocket cheered, reloading his gun.
On the other side of the room, a pig gave a squealing roar. Everyone looked to see a pig, blue-faced and wild-eyed, having taken a dose of Nighthowler. He bared his tusks and dropped to all fours, pawing at the ground. He stared at the raccoon, his murderous intent still clear throughout his face.
"Oh! You wanna dance, big boy?!" The raccoon snarled, baring his teeth in a feral grin, "Show me what'cha got!"
The bellowed his anger and hate, and charged. Rocket charged back, flicking his wrist. As he gained momentum and dropped to his knees in a powerslide, holding his blade out before swinging it down. Sliding underneath the pig, he slashed down the underside of the Berserker, bisecting him cleanly in one fell swoop. Blood and guts spilled out behind him, splattering across the floor as the two halves fell and rolled across the concrete.
"Cheese and Rice, Rocky!" Judy swore, forcing herself not to look.
"He took Nighthowler," Rocket pointed out, "Lethal force is allowed, I'm defending myself! Don't get your knickers in a knot!" He scanned the room, and saw one last pig, holding tiny pistol and shivering like a nervous chihuahua.
"Really, dude?" He barked, flicked his lightblade off as he glared at the gangbanger, "You think you can take me down? YOU? Just look at yourself!"
The pig did indeed look at himself, his gun lowering ever-so-slightly. He was easily the youngest member, as well as the smallest and thinnest. Between the basketball jersey and sideways hat, he looked much more like some wannabe poser than a real gangbanger.
"Jeezus, you don't even have any tats, do you?" Rocky continued, "Not a single hair on that chinny-chin-chin o' yours. If you were any newer, you'd still have a nametag on yuh."
The pig glanced around, looking at him, then then Nick and Judy, then Groot, then back to Rocket.
"Tell you what," Rocket offered, "Why don't you just put down the gun? Drop the gun, lay on the ground, let the cops arrest you, and I promise we won't hurt you. You can tell your buddies in jail that Rocket freakin' Raccoon spared your life."
There was a long moment of silence, as everyone waited to see what the pig would do. Then, slowly and cautiously, the pig got down to his knees. He tossed the gun aside, stretching himself out across the floor. He whimpered quietly, his curly tail quivering in fear.
"Good boy," He said, turning back to his friends, "He's all yours."
"Thanks for the assist," Nick sighed, going over and cuffing the boar, "Wish you didn't have to kill so many thugs. It's always a pain in the ass spending an entire day filling out paperwork."
"I saw them point a gun at you," The raccoon countered, "I get to have my fun. You know the rules, and so do I."
"You wouldn't get this from any other guy, pal," The fox chuckled, as they brought him to his hooves. The speakers began to start playing a familiar tune, and Judy rolled her eyes.
The men in her life could be so insufferable.
"Next round's on me, everybody!" Cheers rang out through the bar, as all the off-duty officers raised their glasses in thanks to the raccoon. Rocket smiled, and took a shot. Nothing like booze and partying to celebrate another successful operation.
Things had gotten better between him and ZPD in the months and years following the Rammstein Plot. Rocket had worked alongside them for all kinds of cases, some minor, some almost as big. He'd earned his respect and his spot among them, showing that he could play by their rules when he had to (though sometimes those rules could be made a bit more flexible as needed). Sure, those cash and material donations helped a little bit (a lot of bit, probably), but he liked to think he proved himself as someone that could be relied on.
As he finished his drink, he glanced over to his favorite fox and bunny, sitting at the opposite end of the bar from him. Three years was a long time to spend in any one place, and in all likelihood he would've left this town and this planet long ago if he hadn't made friends like them.
Even with all the new, advanced technology he'd built during his stay, this planet was still painfully primitive and antiquated. These people had only reached their planet's moon a generation ago, and still hadn't figured out FTL travel. There were no robots or droids besides the ones he built. Nuclear power was still only available for the whole city, not each and every vehicle. Internet and personal devices were pretty unique, but a quick visit to their social media made him question whether that was positive development or not. Even the architecture and ergonomic technology, while impressive in its own way, wasn't any more special than what he'd seen on a dozen different planets. As he understood it, the planet of Zootopia - Terraria - wasn't that much different from Quill's homeworld of Terra. Just another primitive backwater among a universe of millions, not worth anyone's time.
And yet he was happier now than he'd ever been with the Guardians - the happiest since he'd been with his original Blackjack and Lylla. Oh, he liked the Guardians - Gamora was cool, Drax was fine, Quill was... well, he was Quill. But none of them were as close to him as Groot, nor did they get him as well as Nick and Judy. For the first time in his entire life, he felt at home here.
"Mr. Raccoon," A cool, professional voice spoke behind him, "If I may have a minute of your time?"
Rocket turned around, lowering his gaze to see a rabbit in a suit and tie standing before him. His fur was gray, but with dark stripes along his head and neck that marked him as a different subspecies to Judy. Though he wore a friendly smile, his posture and steely eyes were those of an experienced, battlehardened mammal. Rocket had seen his type before, and though he wasn't threatened, he could extend him the barest courtesy.
As Rocky raised an eyebrow and gave the barest nod, the rabbit continued, "My name is Jack Savage. I represent the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division."
Rocket scoffed, swallowing his drink. "The Savage from SHIELD, huh? What brings you back to the States? Don't give me that look, of course I know who you are!" The rabbit blinked in surprise, and the raccoon sighed. "I know who all my biggest buyers are," He explained, "And as much as this country likes to talk about 'freedom and democracy', it sure has an awful lot of money going to the military. Particularly those ill-defined 'black box' budget items, like your bosses."
"The world is a dangerous place," Jack replied, hopping up to take the bar seat next to him, "Someone's gotta make sure it keeps spinning. And your technology helps us do just that."
"But since you're here talkin' to me, I take it dat you want somethin' more?"
The rabbit signaled for a beer. "Weapons and gadgets are well and good," He said, "But sometimes we need the mammal behind the machines. I've read the reports on the Nighthowler case. We could use someone like you out there. You could be a real force for good."
"Lemme jus' stop yuh right there," Rocket interjected, grabbing a beer of his own, "I'm not interested in going off and doing some superhero gig. I'm perfectly happy doing what I'm doing right here." The rabbit scoffed, and he shot him a glare. "What's dat supposed to mean?"
"Really? You're fine with just being a friendly neighborhood billionaire vigilante?" Jack shook his head. "I know mammals like you. You're not content to stay in one place for too long. You get antsy. Agitated. You start pushing everyone away until you finally get that freedom you crave. The more you anchor yourself, the more you need to get back out into the world."
Rocket sighed and rolled his eyes. "I used to think the same thing. But then I found this place. Zootopia is the place I was always looking for. This is the home I didn't know I wanted." The bartender placed another bottle in front of him, and he drank deeply. "There's only so long you can travel the stars by yourself before you start feeling lonely."
He looked over to the other side of the bar. Nick, Judy and Groot had secured a booth, as the Floral Colossus squeezed his fist to make a few drops of sweet sap fall into their cocktails. They tapped glasses and drank - the fox gagged and spat his out, while the bunny's ears went up as she went back for seconds.
"I have everything I want, right here." He chugged the rest of his beer, tossing it into the trash behind the bar. "I'll be sure to build something really nice for your conspiracy next week. In the meantime, I'm gonna enjoy the fruits of my labor, get shitfaced, maybe show that cute otter waitress a good time. Now, why don't you go off and be a spook somewhere else?"
The rabbit's brow furrowed for just a moment, the only sign he gave of irritation. He shrugged and took his beer. "Have it your way, then," He said, hopping off his seat, "Enjoy your evening. We'll be in touch."
"I'm sure you will." He watched as he walked away, locked on until he saw him pass through the exit. Rocket sighed, turning back to the bar just as a cute little otter hopped up behind it. She wore a cute little work vest, the nametag reading "SAM". Though she had the professional smile of customer service, her glancing eyes and shifting tail revealed her nervous excitement.
"Hey," The otter said, "Are you THE Rocket Raccoon? You're like, the coolest guy in Zootopia. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"The pleasure's all mine, Ms. Sam," He returned with a smile, taking her paw in a shake, "What a cute little accent you have? Where are you from?"
Yes, tonight was looking to be a great end to a great day.