-Chapter II-

(1 Months ago, Graduation.)

Gary had a significant day today as it was his graduation day along with his colleague. He had to go through several trials and tribulations, including numerous failures during his time at the academy, but he finally made it. After struggling with a lot of bad starts, he adjusted himself and performed well in his exams. For the first time, he felt a sense of true accomplishment.

Finally, he wore the blue uniform as he stood proudly listening to what the current mayor had to say, which was no longer Lionheart. Instead, it was a female pig: Mayor Swinton.

She was handing out the badges one by one to the new cadets who graduated. When it was finally his turn, the mayor had to make a little speech.

''Now as for our final cadet before I give him the badge and as Mayor! I would like to announce: Coming from my assistant, Once associated with the missing mammal case, he spent some time behind bars. But he was let go as he was never once an accomplice, yet a simple guard. With the false accusation, he decided to pull his weight to help us create a better place. I can't help but say that I am proud of this mammal.''

When Gary heard the Mayor's words, he felt his self-confidence plummet. He noticed that the Mayor's tone was condescending and insincere, and could even hear some of the cadets laughing in the background. Feeling ashamed, Gary looked down at the ground, as even the Mayor was reminding him of what had happened.

''I would like to proudly announce top of his class! ZPD Officer Gary Albus!''

As Gary walked towards the stage to receive his badge, his confidence was shattered by the mayor's condescending speech. Although some of the cadets clapped for him, it was not as loud as the applause for those with families and friends in the audience. Despite this, Gary felt grateful for the support he did have. As the assistant, Wooly, pinned his badge, Gary had to grit his teeth as Wooly roughly did so.

''Officer Albus, it really is my great pleasure to assign you to the heart of Zootopia. Precinct one!''

The lupine was happy yet nervous to be assigned to the heart of Zootopia as Mayor Swinton approached him after stepping off the podium.

''Now, then Offer Albus. Turn to the camera, and smile!''

With that, there were multiple flashes of the camera nearly blinding him, but he didn't mind. He smiled for the camera while the mayor was at his side.

After the event, Gary was making a call. He wanted to tell Larry, his best friend, about the big accomplishment he had made. But he was not answering him, he tried multiple times! Normally, Larry would answer the call, but…Not anymore…He tried to dial his number the last time…''C'mon. Larry…''He was not only excited to tell him about his new job, but he also wanted to see how he was doing. After they lost their job and were taken into custody. To be honest. Once they were released…he hadn't heard about him for quite some time.

After waiting for a second longer, he was directed to a voice message. He had already tried to call six times, so he decided not to bother trying again and let go. It had been months since they last talked, and it seemed like they were both too busy with their own lives to catch up with each other. He let out a resigned sigh, put his phone aside and decided to stop bothering Larry. Without any family members to congratulate him on his success of becoming an officer, he felt there was nothing left for him. As he knew he would start his shift tomorrow, he decided to take a moment to breathe the fresh air outside.

''Starting tomorrow…It will start to change…This will be different!''With that in mind, he left the area to go back home and prepare himself.

(Present time, Sahara Square 6:43 PM)

''Hot…It's so Hot…''

That was the only thing that was in his mind…For his today's patrol, Chief Bogo assigned him to patrol the Sahara Square. He may have been trained to handle the desert, but it doesn't mean he cannot complain. He could already feel his back was soaked due to the sweat he had developed when he was patrolling the area. The air conditioning was very low too! It was like lukewarm air that was coming out! He should probably check it out, not that he's a mechanic or something.

He was already on his way to the market. He preferred to walk instead of taking a cab to save some money since he needed to manage his budget. As he strolled, he observed the various shapes and sizes of mammals already heading home after a long day of work. He took his time as he walked towards the mart, enjoying the sights and sounds of the bustling day of work. He took his time as he walked towards the mart, enjoying the sights and sounds of the bustling day of work. He took his time as he walked towards the mart, enjoying the sights and sounds of the bustling surroundings.''Can someone please explain…What is going on?!''He kept himself from growling with annoyance.

''Maybe if this guy apologized, we wouldn't have this problem!''The Large lion exclaimed pointing at the cammal.''He was the one who pushed me aside to get hit by a dang car!''The arctic wolf looked at the Camal, the look said, 'Your Turn.'.

''I was going to apologize! This guy just reacted out of nowhere, and started pinning me to a wall before I could get a word in!''The Camal defended himself.

''I nearly died! you turd!''The lion shouted. Near the end of his shift, he's starting to feel his anger rising. Deciding to make it easier for himself, he decided to bring the two into the station.

''That's enough!''Gary had enough, being assertive he addressed the two mammals that were arguing.''You two will explain this to the station!''The two mammals turned to the wolf with shocked expressions, they tried to get a word in, but Gary did not allow them.''If you have something to say, you can take it to the station. Now! Get in the vehicle!''The lion reluctantly got in the car, but the camel looked angry, rather frustrated at the situation he was in. The Camel turned to the wolf. He was going to give it to the officer, but he stopped and realized who he was looking at.

''Hey, aren't you the wolf, who was associated with the fiascos last 7 months ago?!''The wolf frowned, he opened his mouth to reply, but never got the chance as the camel cut him off.''No, don't tell me! because I know you are!''The camel, laughed as he continued.''That's why you're taking us in! You can't seem to do your job right!''Slowly Gary could feel his anxiety going up, he tried to cut him off, but the camel didn't allow him to speak. He was not focusing on what the camel was saying to him at this point. He could hear his breathing, it was getting heavier by the minute.''Even though I haven't done anything clearly, you continue to think you're doing something right!'That triggered a terrible memory…

''You can't seem to do anything right!''

Gary could hear the voice shouting at him, he could have sworn that his heart rate was skyrocketing, he was trying to calm himself down, but couldn't keep himself from snapping.''GET IN THE VECHILE''The lupine finally let out a yell of panic, which silenced the camel.''j…just get in!''

The camel looked at the wolf rather harshly before shrugging.''Whatever!''He turned to the vehicle and got in the cruiser. Gary decided to take the moment to calm himself down by taking a deep breath. He ignored the peeping eyes, but his panic level wasn't dropping.

Finally, the lupine could feel himself slowly calming down, but he knew he couldn't stay here.''I-I need to finish my shift.''Finally, having the courage, the lupine got into the cruiser, looking a little agitated. Ignoring the heated stare from the camel they drove off to the station.

(Nighttime 7:18 PM)

Finally, he was relieved to be away from the oppressive heat. As he entered the precinct, the cool air was a welcome relief, and it helped to calm him down. After the confrontation with the camel, it had taken some time for him to regain his composure. Some of the friendly officers, including Clawhauser, had been concerned about him when he appeared distraught. However, he had managed to take the two individuals away and hand them over to another officer working the night shift. His own shift had ended, and he bid farewell to Clawhauser with a smile. Since it was payday for him, he decided to do some shopping. The strawberry he had eaten the night before had not been enough to satisfy his hunger. He headed to one of his favorite shopping marts.

And that mart was: Kruger. One of the best markets he has been to! He could some of the discounts that they offer now.

He was already on his way to the market, but he knew it would take some time to get there. Rather than taking a cab and spending money unnecessarily, he decided to walk. He set off at a leisurely pace, taking in his surroundings as he went. He noticed that many animals of different shapes and sizes were out and about, but most of them seemed to be heading home after a long day of work. They were all eager to get some rest and relaxation. He can't wa-''Watch where you're going!''The wolf heard a voice below and looked down to see he had nearly stepped on them. He rubbed the back of his head, realizing the need to watch his footing.

''Sorry…'The wolf apologized. The little mouse snorted and walked around the paw before getting into a small vehicle and driving away. The wolf breathed a sigh of relief; he didn't mean to harm the mouse, but it could have ended badly. This made him wonder - how do elephants avoid stepping on things with their big feet? He pushed these thoughts aside and continued on his way to Kruger. As he walked, he remembered that his phone had rung earlier, but he had left it in his pocket while he was on duty. Now that his shift was over, he took out his phone and saw a notification. It read:

''August 13th, Happy Birthday, Mom!''

''Oh…''He must have forgotten about the day…His mother passed away when he was 8 years old…To be honest, it feels like it was a fresh memory when he ever thinks about her. Died due to natural causes. That was when he was stuck with his abusive old man, he frowned at the thought. He never found out what happened to him when he left.''I suppose the shopping can wait. I need to visit her grave.''Closing the phone and putting it away. By such convenience he could see a taxi in the distance, walking toward the yellow cab, he entered the vehicle and saw the driver as a skinny tiger. He may have been concerned, if it weren't for the fact that this could be their usual build.

Giving the driver the destination, the drive was eerie and silent just the way he liked it. He's not much of a talker to people he doesn't know. Watching the streets pass by, he took in the scenery as he could feel his fatigue catching up, he suppressed his yawn keeping his mind focused. That assignment in Sahara Square took a toll on him. Not to mention he also smells because of the sweaty ZPD shirt that he is wearing(He could have sworn he saw some damp spots on his shirt…), which reminded him that he would be taking a shower in those public areas…Which he isn't looking forward to…

With that, he finally arrived at the cemetery. He paid the driver with what few paper bills he had. Now he must walk home or find the closest ATM he could find around here.

He stood in front of the grave of his mother; Lara W. Albus

He was silent, he didn't know what to even say…He didn't plan this. He didn't even visit when he was a cop. May as well say what is in his mind.''Well, Happy Birthday Mom! Your son is a cop, protecting the law. Can't say I enjoy it though…''He took a pause before he continued.

''Others are giving me these…distrustful stares. They judge me. I don't even know how to feel about that. They can't trust me to protect them because of my status. To be honest…I considered resigning. The stress is getting to me, and I am not sure if it is worth it…To try and change mammals' view of me…''He could feel the emotions inside of him getting heavy, tears were threatening to come out of his eyes. He's always been weak…That's what he always thought of it. He thought during the training in the academy that he had grown stronger, but nothing had changed.

''Should I just…give up?''The wolf asked, of course, he expected no answer. But winds were blowing, The lupine felt that the wind was comforting…He knew the answer to that question.''No, I shouldn't. You wouldn't like that…I'll-''He stuttered.''I'll try…One last time. I can't keep pushing myself for others to change their view about me. But I will do it for you Mom, I know you would scold me if I were to give up.''The wind continued blowing until it slowly died down. He took a deep breath and spoke one more time.''I will have to leave now; it is getting a little late. I'll have to do some shopping. Love you, Mom, take care up there…''

He turned around and walked away, having quite a smile on his face. Letting those out made him feel a little better, but tomorrow will be a rough day…

Right now…He must find an ATM to take out some cash to pay the rent and buy food. He didn't know this part of the town since he never went here to begin with except on August 13th. Luckily, he knew where one ATM was, so he decided to take a detour to it. He did notice that it was unusually silent, there would be a couple of mammals walking around, but for some reason, it was completely silence…That thought scared him. He needed to be on alert, for all he knew someone could be following, waiting to rob him.

He continued to walk down the street. Occasionally, he would look behind him for a potential threat. Then he stopped, he listened…He heard someone…

''Help!''He heard someone shout, and in an instant, he ran toward the voice, though it may be faint, he had to help that poor mammal!''Help, Someo-''There it was again! Taking a left turn leading to some alleyway. What he saw was a hooded figure wearing a facemask concealing their face. The lupine could see that the suspect had grabbed ahold of a…What looks like a rabbit teenager.

''Let her go!''The wolf ran toward the hooded figure; the masked mammals spotted the white wolf running toward him. The masked mammal threw the small bunny hard, to the nearest trash bin, knocking the bunny out. Getting ready, Gary tackled the figure, but the large figure managed to hold down the wolf to prevent themselves from hitting the ground.

''What the-?!''The lupine thought this stranger was really freaking strong for him to stop them from hitting the ground.

"This is what happens when you don't stay out of the way, 'officer'," said the hooded figure in their husky voice. The stranger used their strength to push the lupine away, causing Gary to nearly lose his balance. The stranger took advantage of this opportunity and delivered a powerful blow to Gary's face, followed by a kick to his stomach that knocked him away. The lupine landed on the ground with an "oof".

The wolf clutched his stomach in pain as he got up, his eyes fixed on the stranger. He refocused on the fight, remembering his training, and rushed forward with a hook punch. The mammal swiftly dodged the punch, and Gary continued to attack. The wolf threw a jab and a kick, but the mammal managed to block all his moves in perfect synchronization. The wolf tried to stay on the offensive, but the stranger refused to let him continue. When they had the chance, the stranger backed away, dodging the attack and creating some space between them.

The tables have turned and now it was the mammal's chance to attack. They charged towards the officer, who prepared for a strike. However, he was caught off guard when the mammal grabbed his shoulder and threw him against the nearest wall. Gary hit the wall with great force and bounced back, feeling slightly disoriented. He was unable to defend himself from the incoming punch to his face. As a result, he stumbled backward and was struck with a backhand, which sent him crashing to the ground.

The wolf let out a pained groan, his head ringing from the repeated blows it had taken. Hot liquid seeped from his nose as he slowly rose from the ground, surprised that he had not been knocked out. As he stood on his paw, he felt his stance wobble, indicating that he may have a concussion in addition to his other injuries.

The wolf observed his opponent and noticed that the mammal had taken out a sharp knife, flipping it around. He felt uneasy - the suspect was now armed. The figure charged towards the wolf, and began to slash and hack.

The wolf dodged a series of knife slashes, as he knew that getting hit would not only make him bleed, but the force behind the attack could cut deep into his skin. Despite his efforts to dodge, the stranger was relentless and vicious, making it clear that he would eventually land a hit. The wolf's movements became sloppy, and he knew he needed to come up with a plan quickly. Suddenly, the wolf yelped in pain as one of the slashes connected.

The stranger landed a clean slash on the wolf, causing the animal to back away. Holding his wound, the wolf examined it and saw that his fur and shirt were already soaked with red liquid. The cut was long, nearly reaching from his wrist to his elbow, and it was deep. Looking back at the masked figures, he could feel that they were enjoying his pain.

"What's wrong, 'officer'? Having fun?" the mammal said mockingly. Gary gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain. "That's what happens when you play the hero!" The attackers laughed.

The wolf was about to reply when he had to dodge another attack. He managed to grab the arm of his attacker, but the stranger quickly switched the knife to his other paw. The wolf anticipated the move and grabbed the other arm, resulting in both of them being in a locked position, staring at each other briefly. The canine was struggling, and staring at the stranger was making him frustrated - it was like this mammal was taunting him. The struggle didn't last long as the attacker managed to flick the wolf's arm away and hit him with a punch, making him stumble backward. But the mammal didn't stop there; he slashed at Gary's hip.

The wounded wolf let out a cry of pain as he clutched his bleeding side. He knew that any further injury could prove fatal. Despite his best efforts to defend himself, the wolf was unable to react quickly enough and was kicked away, causing him to fall to the ground once again.

Gary struggled to keep up, his injuries taking a toll on him. As his vision blurred and hearing faded, he could barely make out the sound of laughter echoing in the distance.

This was the first time he felt really cold, but he knew he couldn't give up. Despite feeling disoriented, the determined canine made another attempt to get up.

''Enough from you!''He grunted as he felt a paw on his head keeping him pinned.''I have to say, that was rather uneventful from you. But I'll give you credit. I don't have time to play anymore, so goodnight!''

And he blacked out.