Hello,
The story continues with the next chapter. Apologies for the huge delay, had a lot of things to sort out.
I know that this length isn't impressive enough to make up for the delay, but it fits as prepping the stage for what is coming. More is in production and a couple of people know that there will be some spicy events in this story, so I hope you will bear with me for a little longer.
I hope this new one will be to your liking.
Chapter 1
Year 1999
"Sis! That's too dangerous!"
"Don't worry, almost got it."
"You'll fall!"
"I won't!"
A group of little bunny kids surrounded an apple tree, with all of their eyes set on a small, grey doe in a police costume, who was climbing higher and higher up the branches. Her target was the ball that got stuck near the top of the tree. And now she was almost there, only needing to climb two more branches.
One more figure was observing her progress without saying a word, standing amongst the little ones gathered on the ground. It was clad in a black suit and checked its watch when the grey furred girl climbed up another branch. A half burned cigarette dangled from the mouth of this mammal.
"Oh, gosh," mumbled a little buck standing by a black clothed leg of someone a great deal taller than him, "she's really gonna fall!"
"Shut it, Josh!" A little, brown doe on the other side of the mammal scolded her brother.
"Got it!" Their climbing sister called, but then followed it with a yelp. "Waah!"
Her feet slipped on the bark and she fell. She had at least a 10 meter trip towards the ground and landing on the grass below definitely would hurt like hell. Not to mention the chance of falling on one of the tree's roots. All that was, of course, assuming that she would survive it.
The gathered siblings gasped in unison as they watched their sister's fall with fear in their eyes.
"Judy!" They cried out.
The grey doe folded into a ball and clenched her teeth, preparing herself for the inevitable. At the same time a pair of green eyes narrowed slightly as they followed the rabbit's flight.
Time slowed down.
The leaves on the falling rabbit's flight slowly drifted sideways after colliding with the young doe. Few of the kids rushed forward to help and their legs moved at snail's pace.
Her body was directed with her head towards the ground. If she were to fall on her head, it would most likely mean her death.
All of her siblings were too far away to help her in time and everything seemed to be going to end in the worst way possible. Some of the kids already had tears forming in their eyes and averting their gazes, waiting for the inevitable.
Among them, the red furred mammal threw away the cigarette butt and took a step forward.
Just then, Judy's side brushed the tip of one of the lower branches.
This contact was enough to shift her position and she turned around in mid-air, moments before hitting the ground. In effect, the grey doe landed on her feet and let out a painful shriek. Her siblings flocked around her, bombarding her with questions about her state. The most cool headed of the group rushed towards their house to inform the adults about what happened.
Shortly after, a brown buck in overalls came sprinting and immediately approached the hurt bunny. He didn't waste any time, only took the crying girl into his arms and hurried back to the house. The rest of the flock followed suit.
The only mammal left was the black dressed individual who looked after the group of bunnies, but has not moved from his spot. His eyes then went to a weird watch on his wrist and he clicked his tongue afterwards. A heartbeat later, there was just an empty space in the spot he stood a moment ago.
Year 2004
"Stop right there, Gid!" The doe's cry ringed loud and clear over the fields of Bunny Burrow.
Right now, she was in the middle of a bicycle chase, her eyes firmly set on the perpetrator - the local bully, Gideon. Ever since they were little kids, this portly fox would take advantage of his predator build to bully the smaller prey around him. She even had her own, personal episode with the fox, when he clawed her cheek several years ago, leaving a few thin scars just under her facial fur. Ever since then, she was hell bent on hindering him any time he tried to pester other kids.
This was such a case.
She pedaled like crazy to get closer to the larger mammal, as he tried to get away with the summer hat he stole from Sharla the sheep, just moments ago. Her leg strength, combined with her unrivaled tenacity, allowed her to get closer by the minute.
Gideon threw a quick gaze over his shoulder and clicked his tongue. He then took a sharp turn and headed towards the rough ground close to the railway tracks. The fox rode along the rails, the stolen hat flapping in his paw.
However, Judy was already very close and when Gideon noticed that, he decided to change his plans.
"You want this?" He yelled. "Then take it!"
With one quick move of his arm, he threw the hat aside, right towards the train tracks. He then passed right next to a red furred mammal in a black suit and kept pedaling.
"Hey!" Judy used both brakes to stop her bike and jumped down to grab Sharla's hat. She managed to snatch it just as it was floating right above the rails. The doe smiled, feeling satisfaction from retrieving her friend's property. That and foiling another one of Gideon's 'pranks'.
That's when her ears perked up and she heard it - the noise made by hundreds of tons of steel moving rapidly on the metal rails.
Judy snapped her head towards the source of the sound, just in time to see the train coming out of the forest and heading her way at full speed.
Letting out a short yelp, the doe jumped away from the tracks, not keen on becoming part of the landscape after being hit by such force.
Or… she tried.
Judy slipped on a piece of a rock and lost balance, falling headfirst on the iron rail. The doe's head banged off it with an audible 'thud' and she slumped on the ground.
The smoking mammal kept a focused gaze on the motionless bunny, but did not move.
The train approached with the deceptive grace of a modern machine. Completely unlike the old locomotives that roared as they traveled across the land. Regardless of the noise level, both versions were capable of creating a bunny colored stain on the rails.
Said bunny let out a quiet groan, as her consciousness tried to come back. Vibrations had a significant impact on her awakening. Vibrations that she felt with her head laying on the metal rail. She finally managed to lift her eyelids. Just in time to see tons of steel rolling right towards her face
Judy squealed, rolling to her stomach between the rails.
The train whooshed over her head, and she could've sworn that something brushed the ends of her fur. It lasted only a couple of seconds, but she remained still for much longer. Only when the noise began fading into the distance did she dare to raise her head.
The end of the train was disappearing behind another patch of trees.
Judy slowly sat up, her breathing shaky. It took another minute for her to realize that sitting on the track isn't the best idea and she scrambled towards her bike. In that rush, she failed to notice the traces of smoke in the air nearby.
Year 2008
"Hey there, Reaper Cheater!" A joyful voice greeted Judy as she set her school bag on the desk.
"Uh," she groaned while dropping onto the chair, "will you stop that, Sharla?"
Her sheep friend and classmate smiled innocently. "Whaaat? It sounds great! And it rhymes."
"No? It doesn't? And it sounds just… lame."
"Aww, come on." Sharla huffed, sitting on Judy's desk. "I gotta find a good nickname for you."
"Don't need one," Judy grumbled as she unpacked.
The sheep leaned down and aimed a finger at her nose, point blank. "Yougot into how many accidents this year?" Not waiting for her friend's answer, Sharla continued. "Five. Five. You almost got killed five times just this year! How's that for cheating death?"
The doe shrugged.
Her wooly friend folded her arms. "Well… If you don't want a new nickname…" she lowered her voice to a whisper. "How about I stick wiiiith 'Jude the Dude'?"
Judy's ears flung up and she looked around in panic. "Pipe it down!" She hissed through her teeth. "I get it, okay? Just… think of whatever nickname, but NOT that one."
Sharla grinned triumphantly, giving her two thumbs up with her hooves. A moment later she scuttled off to her seat, as the teacher entered the classroom.
All chatter slowly died out and eyes turned to the teacher's desk, completely ignoring a mammal smoking a cigarette in the middle of the room. He was staring at his watch in silence.
.
.
"We need to get you to a hospital!"
"I'm fine, dad."
"How can you say that?!" Stu grabbed his daughter's shoulders. "Maybe there's some bleeding inside,or… or… or head injury!"
Judy rolled her eyes. "Dad!"
The raised voice finally forced her father to step back.
"Paramedics already gave me a check-up." Her father opened his mouth again, but she was faster. "I am not bleeding anywhere, I don't feel any pain, no drowsiness, anemia, nausea, blood in my mouth, stomachache, rash, ringing in my ears, or even an itch!" Judy took a deep breath. "I'm fine." With those words, the young doe passed by her confused father and headed to her room.
"Jude…" He called after her, but she didn't stop.
Once the doe got there, she locked the door before throwing herself onto the bed. Letting out a tired sigh, Judy stayed still for a long while. Only then she opened her eyes. She could understand why her father was so shaken. Not everyday your school explodes right next to your classroom. In fact, something like this hasn't occurred in the entire history of Bunnyburrow. The entire town was in shock. It was already a miracle that there were no fatalities. Apparently, their teacher was in the worst state among all the victims, as he was the closest to the explosion. He landed in the ICU of the local hospital, but the doctors declared that his life was not in danger. She heard some firefighters saying it was caused by a gas pipe, but it's going to be investigated later.
The doe slowly moved her paw and touched one of her cheeks. One thing she did not tell her parents was a brief memory. In the moment of the explosion, a piece of something whooshed right past her face. She could have sworn that she felt it brushing her cheek. The mere memory made her tremble, given that some of her classmates ended up with splinters of wood embedded in their arms or legs.
Reaper Cheater.
The nickname from Sharla surfaced in her mind. Was it really that crazy to think there was a connection here? How many times has she been in such situations so far? On one paw, logic dictated that a large number of similar events suggested a pattern or a system. On the other… how could logic explain possible answers? Luck? Or maybe she was immune to death?
Judy blinked, staring at a wall. The doe shook her head and dropped back on the bed. Everything seemed too ridiculous to consider. Besides, she was tired. Maybe some sleep would bring her better ideas about this.
Year 2015
"Listen up, cadets!" A female polar bear yelled at a group of mammals before her.
The entire group was dressed in blue outfits issued by the ZPD Academy for every new trainee.
Judy paid close attention to every word said by the instructor.
"Zootopia has twelve unique ecosystems within its city limits. Tundratown! Sahara Square! Rainforest District - to name a few! You're gonna have to master all of them before you hit the streets or guess what?" The polar bear leaned to Judy. "You'll be dead!"
Behind her back, a mammal clad in black let out a puff of smoke from his mouth.
Year 2016
Judy could have sworn that she was almost flying. Graduating at the top of her year, standing on the stage right next to the mayor of Zootopia, she couldn't be prouder of her achievements. Well, maybe her father was a close second, as he was barely withholding tears while sitting in the audience. A large chunk of the Hopps family was also present. After all, for the first time since the founding of the city, a rabbit was going to be a police officer. From now on, they could proudly say that their family was making history.
Many other families could feel similar joy and pride in the graduation of their sons, daughters, cousins, sisters, aunts, uncles and brothers. It was a glorious day for them, and even if they felt a pang of anxiety over the possible risks that came with the job, they did their best to support their family members in remembering this day as one of the best in their lives.
But there was someone who did not join the loud cheering, hat throwing, and general applause. Someone who stood in the full sun, dressed in black, narrowing their eyes at the joyful bunny on the stage.