Here is the 53nd installment. Hope you enjoy.

Notes now live at the end of the chapter, so here is the obligatory, on with the show. You're getting it a bit early because I'm on PTO and mostly out of internet contact for the weekend.

Sadly, I do not own and thus can claim no rights to Zootopia or its characters. They belong to Disney.

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Friday, early morning - Precinct One

Nick and Mike walked into the bull-pen and took their seats. Nick was actually provided a seat for a mammal his size next to Mike. It was a nice change, with the new chair he didn't have to stand on the chair in order to see. He expected they would have another chair like his ready for when Judy got back from her leave. He'd miss sharing the chair with her, but now that they were out as being in a relationship, it made sense that they'd have that separation. It wasn't that they hadn't been able to keep things professional, it was about perception. He hated it, but he understood it.

Officer Fangmeyer, a wolf and not a relation to Lizz, chuckled from behind him. "Hey, Wilde. I see they got you a high chair."

Nick smirked. "No, just a chair for my size class. Which is nice, honestly. Put in for it years ago. Have you put in for the mouse sized one for yourself?"

"What?"

"Well, considering what I heard from your last date, a mouse sized chair might be more appropriate for you."

Some deep chuckles came from the nearby mammals, Fangmeyer growling. "Watch it, fox. I'll take you in the ring and teach you a lesson."

That resulted in a larger group of laughs, Nick looking back. "You only transferred over from Precinct three, what, a month or so ago? You should talk to your partner before you make such boasts."

"I've heard, and I don't buy it. I was special forces, fox. I'll wipe the floor with you."

"Okay. Right after then? I have a few things to do here today. If I win, you also show up for the taping later this afternoon."

Fangmeyer's partner, Growley, shook his head. "Damn it Carl." Looking to Nick. "Just don't break him too bad, I still need him."

Nick nodded. "Just an object lesson, not going to break him."

Bogo entered, ending the conversation in favor of the usual desk pounding and roars. After letting the noise go on for a few moments, he brought the meeting to order. "Alright. Shut it!. We only have three things on the docket today, so if you don't get called, get your paperwork done and get your tails out on patrol. Wilde, Wolford. What are you to up to?"

Nick spoke up. "Finishing some paperwork for the DA on the Anti-inter case, some more case review, we're just about done with the low hanging fruit and hope to finish that off today. I have an object lesson to teach Officer Fangmeyer in the ring right after this, and then around ten this morning, I will be doing the last recording for the training."

Bogo nodded. "Sounds good. Keep me informed… Wait, what did Fangmeyer do and why would you be beating up on a pregnant tiger?"

Nick shook his head. "Not that one. That one." Pointing at the wolf behind him.

Bogo looked up at Fangmeyer then over to his partner who gave and eye roll and shrug. Bogo snorted at that. "You really should have listened to your partner." Picking up the folders on the podium. "Johanison, Herdon, Jewelry heist in Tundratown. Ket, Hornsby, Threskin, Florence, Rainforest District stake out. Possible new organized crime group." Looking to Nick. "I expect to know if you hear anything."

Nick nodded. "Always, sir."

With a nod, Bog continued. "Francis, Trunkaby, Meadowlands has a possible arsonist. Coordinate with the ZFD lead investigator, Jared Hopps, and yes, he's related to that Hopps."

Nick chuckled. "Same litter, Judy's the oldest of the group. Not one of them has a normal rabbit job."

Glaring at Nick, and barely hiding a smirk. "Thank you for that unneeded commentary. Just for that, you can go a round or three with Fangmeyer, however many he feels he is up to."

Fangmeyer looked around at the looks and the chiefs sudden turning this around on him. He had a feeling that he may have stepped in something. "Aye sir."

Bogo nodded. "Dismissed." Watching them leave, Bogo turned to McHorn. "Please tell me we have time to go watch Wilde teach Fangmeyer a lesson?"

McHorn laughed. "One hundred percent. Plenty of time. He's just lucky Hopps wasn't here."

Bogo nodded as they left the bullpen and headed for the gym. "Ain't' that the truth."

A few minutes later, Nick was standing in the ring. He hadn't bothered to change as Fangmeyer slipped in, his nerves growing as the betting he was hearing was very worrying. There were no bets he was hearing about if he would win, only how quickly the fox would put him down. "Wilde… Not going to change?"

Nick shook his head. "I have things to do after this, besides, I figured I'd give you as much of an advantage as I could. I'm even giving you the first few swings."

Fangmeyer growled. "You shouldn't mock me, fox."

A laugh from outside and response. "He's not mocking you, Fangmeyer, he's just giving you a chance to feel like you did your best."

Fangmeyer growled louder. "This is ridiculous, he's a fox!"

Another voice from the crowd. "That's what we all thought. Then we got in the ring with him or the rabbit. They are undefeated for a reason."

A different voice in the crowd. "You aren't the first former special forces that thought they could take one or both of them. There is a reason they are used as punishment. Bogo tried to punish them both, once, by making them fight together in the ring. The video is now used in the ZPA as an object lesson in not underestimating any mammal. Like you are doing, right now!"

Nick spoke up. "Alright. I have other things to do, and since I don't actually hold anything against you, Fangster. Let's just get this over with."

Fangmeyer shook himself out and stepped forward. "Fine, your funeral fox."

With that, Fangmeyer threw a leg sweep with a punch, which Nick simply rolled through with an odd body twist and lean. Stepping easily out of the way, Nick chuckled, his paws still at his side. "Swing one. I'm giving you three."

"Lucky."

Fangmeyer then went in with a flurry of punches and kicks, Nick blocking and dodging, then slipping in under a punch and outside of a stop kick, driving fist into the wolves stomach. Slipping around with a spin, Nick swept the leg he had just slipped around, and did a spin that drove an elbow into Fangmeyers chest. This drove the wolf flat on his back to the mat as he gasped for breath as Nick rolled away.

Nick sighed. "I'll give you credit, you're better than most, but you are no Carrots. You want to keep going?"

Fangmeyer stood up, nodding his head as he caught his breath. "Okay. You are good, fox. Let's do this for real." Moving in, he threw out several different kinds of blows. "I trained under a disciple of the Heeth."

Nick nodded, speaking only loud enough for Fangmeyer to hear. "I noticed. You're still not more than a yearling in their training." With several deft movements, Nick had Fangmeyer on his back again, but with his arm frozen from the pressure points Nick used. "Sadly, you lack any of the training that would have come after a few more years of training. That, or you were trained by someone that survived their end."

"How can you know that?"

"Ah, so it must have been Jesel then, only that idiot wolf would try and teach thinking he knew everything." A quick strike and Fangmeyer was able to move again. "You want to keep going or are we done?"

Standing, Fangmeyer shook himself out. "We're done. Now I know why you have the reputation you do."

Nick laughed. "You really don't, but I'll not dissuade you from your delusions."

Following Nick out of the ring. "How can you know about Jesel then? If you are not from the Heeth?"

"Because Jesel has spend the last ten years bragging about how highly trained he was, and how he was the lone survivor. He isn't, and though I am not one, I like so many others can tell he was not nearly as high up as he claims. Sure, what he has taught you gives you an edge against normal mammals, but that's it."

Fangmeyer groaned. "So you're saying…"

"Jesel was a member of the Heeth, but only near the end and was only just starting in his training. He was also about to wash out because he didn't have the attitude that they sought. Lucky for him, they ended before they could end him. Don't feel bad, he still gave you more advanced skills than most, you're not that bad, just not good enough." Checking his watch. "Come on Mike, if we focus, we can close up the last of those simple cases and can move on to the harder stuff on Monday."

Mike laughed. "You mean after we write up the reports from the little dinner fiasco."

Nick laughed as well. "Yeah, after that."

Fangmeyer's partner, Growley, slapped him on the back. "Don't feel too bad. We've all underestimated that fox, and his rabbit."

Fangmeyer turned to Growley. "What do you mean, Ed? The fox is really partnered with a rabbit?"

"Partnered? He married her and she is carrying his pups. That's why she is not here, she is on maternity leave. Just like Mike's partner, and mate, Lizz. She's the other Fangmeyer you hear about, a tiger, and carrying a wolf's pups. I don't pretend to understand it, but they are forces of nature when they are together. Don't know what they say about things in P3, but here in P1, the teams to beat are Wolfeyer and WildeHopps. Hell, there is a rumor that that fox and rabbit are going to be promoted to detectives soon."

Fangmeyer shook his head. "Seriously? That's insane."

"Sure, until you see the work those two put in. They're small mammals, Carl. The only two in their size class. Both graduated top of their class and currently split all current academy records between them, yet most of us just wrote them off as flukes, or worse, when Hopps started initially, as just a PR stunt. I was one of them and wrote her off as getting what she got for appearances, never once thought she might have possibly earned it honestly."

"You mean, they are not PR stunts?"

Growley laughed. "Not at all. Once Nick graduated, and this was after many of us started to pay a bit more attention to the rabbit. I mean, when she started, none of us even tried to help her, so she got help where she could, from a fox. The fox that just kicked your tail. When she figured out what was causing the savage attacks, she didn't come to us, because she knew we would ignore her. No, she went to that same fox for help, and he helped her. They figured things out, basically as two civilians at the time and even got a confession from that psycho sheep."

"None of this was a fluke?"

Stopping, Growley turned to face Fangmeyer. "As I was going to say. Once Nick came out of the Academy, most of us were still discounting them as officers, or were at best skeptical of their ability to perform as officers. So they made it a point to bring in mammals you and I would call in for backup for. They brought in elephants, rhino's, hippos, giraffes, etc… They brought in polar bears, tigers, and anything else that was multiple size classes larger than they are. The only thing they called for was pickups. They never called for backup, not that I blame them. The three times they did call for backup, right after they were officially partners, they never got it. Those dispatched took their time, one pair actually stopped for coffee. They now work the nightshift in Tundratown. They were in a firefight with some gang bangers, and no one took their call seriously."

"Oh gods…"

"Exactly. The fox took three rounds and the rabbit took two. Yet in the end, they had killed or disabled twenty mammals, the rest surrendering and being watched over by two bleeding cops. And before you think that they have medical coverage, the rabbit had to arrest several MR mammals because they refused to initially put the fox on the ZPD's policy. I learned yesterday that Nick pays almost a paycheck worth for his coverage, and the rabbit pays a lot too."

Fangmeyer looked at his partner like he was crazy. "We don't pay for the coverage."

"Actually, we do, but it's a few Z's a check. The union wouldn't even stand up for him. She's the only reason he has coverage at all. She almost arrested the hospital administrator because they wanted payment up front before treating him, for three gunshot wounds received in the line of duty. So don't think you know what those two are capable of, or what they have been through. Now, let's go. I want to get decent seats for the recording."

"What recording? Nick mentioned something about a recording."

"Nick has been tasked by Bogo with creating a training that will be integrated into our annual training and added to the Academy courses. I was at the last one. It'll open your eyes, I think."

"If you say so." The two wolves continued on their way, finding decent seats in the lecture room.

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Training Record, Part 2

(Trigger warning for this section. There is discussion of sexual assualt, physical and sexual abuse, and a suicide. Please do not read this section, just jump ahead to the next chapter when it lands if this will cause you problems.)

Nick waited at the front desk with Ben while Mike made sure that the lecture and meeting room was set up for the recording session. Ben looked down at the fox, with a shake of his head. "So, how have you been? Who are you waiting for this time?"

Nick smiled up at Ben. "Just a few mammals. Should be quick like last time, and we're still skipping the test. Judy and I discussed it and we really can't get worth while test results out of it. We'll do some test viewings after we've spliced together everything into topics, and then we can do testing to fine tune it. Gonna use you as a testing victim."

"Makes sense. I'll be happy to help."

Nodding, Nick noticed the first mammal arriving. "You say that now. Speaking of who we're waiting for, here comes the first one now." Moving out and meeting the mammal, an arctic vixen, in the middle of the lobby. "Hey, Jennifer. So glad you made it." Offering a paw only to be pulled into a hug.

"Hey Nick. Gods, you reek of rabbit. You really did marry her."

Nick smiled. "I did. And I've not regretted it yet. She's even giving me Kits. Come on, I'd like you to meet Ben, he's the giant ball of squee that runs the front desk." They stepped over to the front desk. "Ben, I'd like you to meet …"

"Jennifer Arctis. Hello Jennifer. I hope you are well. I'm so sorry."

Jennifer shook her head. "Ben, stop. You were the only one that tried to do anything or believed me. You, of all mammals, have nothing to be sorry for. It was the fact that, even though justice was not served, that you believed me, that got me through the darkest parts. You, and this fox. He kept me out of trouble and from hurting myself." Turning to Nick. "I thought about it, and I am going to tell that story. I think it'll help."

Nick nodded. "You don't have to, but I agree. If you are comfortable with it."

"I am."

Nick looked up at Ben. "You know Jen?"

Ben nodded. "I was still on the streets when it happened. I was the one that first interviewed her, but no matter what I did, I couldn't get anyone to listen or believe her. It's one of the reasons I gave up being on the street. There are a few others, such as my condition."

Nick nodded. "I know Ben, still, you're looking better. Keep up the good work."

Ben's smile returned. "It's thanks to you and Judy."

"It's all you Ben, we just gave you the tools."

Over the next ten minutes, they collected a weasel, a raccoon, and a very large Norway Rat. The group then headed to the meeting room where the recording would be completed. Nick led them to the side of the stage.

"Okay, thank you all again for coming in. We're recording this, and the recording as I said when I called you, will be used to create training for ZPD officers, both current and future. This will hopefully help them be less likely to stereotype you and other marginalized mammals. I'll introduce each of you, and then come up and start talking. Tell a few stories. Go with what you are comfortable sharing, but the more fucked up the story, the better in my book as it'll hit harder. There are going to be cops in the room, probably cops you recognize. Feel free to call them out if you feel it's needed. Any questions before I go make sure things are ready?"

Neil, the rat shook his head. "You really think this is going to help, Wilde?"

Nick shrugged. "It is slated to be required training for all officers as part of our annual training, as well as being a required part of the Academy training once it's done and approved. Even then, Bogo is requiring that I review and approve the final result before it is put into the training cycle."

Neil nodded, as Jacob the raccoon chuckled. "Sounds good Nick. I'll go first if you want. You telling your story too?"

"I did that in the first recording session. Okay, I'll be back in a moment and then we will get started."

Nick walked over to make sure Jeff had everything set up, then went to make sure the other officers that were supposed to be there, were. Nick had put in a request through Bogo to have specific officers present, and most were, but were waiting in the cube farm and needed to be rounded up.

Ten minutes later, Nick stood on stage as the last officer found a seat. "We ready, Jeff?" Getting a nod, Nick gave him a nod as he started the recording.

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Taking a deep breath, Nick lifted the mic to his muzzle. "Good morning and thank you for joining us today. I know at least a few of you are here because you were ordered to be. I still thank you, because I am the one that asked for you to be in attendance. You'll understand as things get underway.

Some of you may have heard the rumor that I am creating a new mandatory training. Well, that is true, though it was something mandated and assigned to me by Bogo. This training is to bring to you, the officers of the ZPD, an understanding of the lived life experience and interactions that many marginalized mammals such as Foxes, Weasels, Raccoons, and others have with the ZPD. The hope is that you take away an understanding of the consequences of your actions and decisions as an officer of the ZPD when you interact with a fox, weasel, or other marginalized mammal."

One of the officers laughed. "Yeah, and you got your position legitimately, fox. This is ridiculous. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't under orders."

"RIght, and you are here because you have had interactions with all of the speakers today. None of those interactions have been positive for the speakers. Note, you were all given a handout that listed all of the case numbers and report numbers associated with each of these mammals that are about to speak. Take a look at it as they speak, you may notice your badge number cited next to some of them."

The officer grumbled and spoke up again. "Let's get this over with so I can go do the job you are supposedly paid for, fox."

Another officer spoke up. "Shut up, moron. There is a reason you got put on night shift in a backwater satellite office. My career took a hit because I was your partner, so Stuff it, Jake."

Nick shook his head. "Okay. Our first speaker is Neil Lessic. Neil is a Norway rat and due to his size can't live in Little Rodentia. As such, he has had many interactions with the ZPD and rarely if ever was that a positive experience, but I'll let him talk to you about it." Turning, Nick motioned Niel onto the stage.

Walking up as Nick stepped off stage, Niel nodded to the crowd. "Nick tells us that the point of this training is to help you be better as officers when interacting with the likes of me. Despite the loud idiots in your ranks, the rest of you seem honestly interested, and I hope you will listen to our stories and take to heart what we have to say.

My name is Niel Lessic, and I am a Norway Rat, one of the largest species of rats, and then I was gifted with gigantism. I actually smoke a pack a day by prescription, because the nicotine stunts my growth which would otherwise continue unchecked. I'd end up growing so much that my body couldn't take it, and while I might break some records, I'd have also been dead years ago. The choice I was given was smoke and maybe die in thirty years, or die in five when my heart couldn't handle the strain on it due to the size of my body.

I have tattoos, a lot of tattoos, because that is how I help express myself as my own person. I am also a licensed psychologist and work almost exclusively with the homeless and marginalized mammals of the city. I run several shelters and a clinic where we try our best to give those that need it the help they need.

Sadly, that requires us to occasionally call you for assistance, and that is not something we do lightly or easily, because more often than not, and I mean 29 out of 30 interactions, you lot make things worse. You see, when we call you, I try not to be visible if it can be avoided, because I'm a rat, and a large rat, you tend to arrest me without hearing what is actually going on. Hell, I have Nick and Judy as my points of contact so one of them can come and get me out of lockup when you do it. Happened just this past week, and he had to come in on his day off to clear things up. My staff know that if I get arrested when we call you, to call one or both of them right away."

The heckler started up again. "That's absurd. They don't have authority to get anyone out of lockup."

Growly spoke up. "Actually, they do. They don't do it often, but I've watched them do it, and it usually includes a call by someone to Bogo to try to get them in trouble only to get yelled at themselves. They have the right and authority for the very reason Neil here is describing. So do us all a favor, and shut your ignorant trap." Looking to Mike. "Please tell me he isn't part of Wolford pack."

Mike shrugged. "Not main pack, but I'll look into it."

The heckler sat up. "Wait, what? How would you be looking into what pack I am affiliated with."

The hecklers former partner spoke up, a bob-cat. "How can you not know? You were always such an idiot. Even I know, and I'm not a wolf. He's the Wolford Designate, stupid."

The heckler shrank into his seat. "Oh…"

Neil shook his head and continued. "The incident last week was a disagreement between several homeless mammals, and while we try to handle things and de-escalate, we couldn't get through to them and it was clear it was going to get violent. So, we called you. Instead of de-escalating, you arrested me and four of my staff. The reason we called you, to help de-escalate the pending fight. You ended up shooting and killing one of the mammals that were trying to help keep things calmer, tranq'd one of my staff, who was then arrested, and the other three you arrested when they tried to save the life of the mammal you shot.

If I had my way, honestly, I'd have the badge of the officer that used their lethal instead of a tranq. We called and asked for help breaking up things before a fight broke out and someone got hurt. You showed up, killed one of my staff, and arrested more shelter staff, and a second mammal that was trying to help keep things calm. I wonder every day, could we have done something else? Did we really need to call the ZPD, because we called, you killed a mammal. Maybe it would have been better to deal with the injuries of a fight instead of a mammal dying that didn't need to die.

Because a mammal died, or more to the point, was murdered by a ZPD officer, we are now reviewing our policies and procedures on when to call the ZPD. With few exceptions, when we call the ZPD, it is the last thing we do and the last thing we want to do. The marginalized and homeless populations do not trust the ZPD for obvious reasons. You do not seek to help, your response is not to de-escalate, you escalate the issue, you make things worse, and you do not listen. Which inevitably results in mammals arrested that didn't need to be, or should not have been, and occasionally someone dying.

A homeless mammal gets the ZPD called on them because they enter a store and they look dirty, maybe smell, and even if they have money, you arrest them instead of listening. You wonder why you have such a hard time with the homeless population? The answer is real simple. You are more likely to use violence against them, to arrest them when they have done nothing wrong, to rip through what few possessions they have causing them to lose things, than help them. So they are fucking scared of you, and for damn good reasons.

His name was Jacob Erin Grata. He was 20 years old and was the gentlest person I have ever known. He was homeless because he was an orphan and had aged out of the group home he had been placed in. A group home run by Kit Services that refused to let him get a job once he turned sixteen. When he turned 17, they let him get a job, but the administrators kept his paycheck as payment for letting him stay there, so when he turned 18, they kicked him to the curb, with no money, only basic education, etc… So of course, he lost that job and since he was homeless, he couldn't get a new one. Then you lot picked him up a few times for vagrancy, and pretty much eliminated any chance of him getting a job because now he has a record.

He was smart, and we were working with him to hire him at the shelter as a councilor, he was just an assistant and clerk, worked in the office and had helped streamline our systems with spreadsheets and an Access database. He was taking my classes in the evenings, and I was paying his tuition for those classes. He's dead now, because he was trying to help the way I was teaching him, and one of you decided he needed to die.

My personal story is otherwise like so many others. You like to arrest me for no reason. I'm in the store and they call you, you arrest me without question. I have a doctorate. But you see rat, you see tattoos, and you don't even bother to question, you just arrest me. You see a homeless person, you don't ask why they are there, you don't ask if they have money that they might be able to buy a meal with from cans they collected, or giving blood. Yeah, the largest source of blood that is in the hospital system is from homeless mammals.

No, when you see someone like me, like Officer Wilde when he is off duty, or a homeless mammal, you just go for the cuffs. You go for your gun. Because as the officer that killed Jacob said, he was afraid for his life. I don't know how you were in fear for your life. None of the mammals in question were armed, and all of them were smaller than you. That officer is in this room. Jacob was a skinny little Ocelot who was small for his age because the Kit Services home didn't feed him properly. They had mostly herbivores, so that's what he ate with the exception of once a week.

It isn't a predator vs prey issue, it is an issue of care. Do you actually care? The officer that killed Jacob didn't. Like I said, Jacob was small. A full foot shorter than he should have been, and skinny because he had only started eating right once he got into our shelter. The officer that murdered him was a wolf, and like I said. He is in this room, and if I may be so bold, he lied on his report.

Thank you for listening." Turning back towards Nick as he took the stage again. "Nick."

Nick nodded. "Thank you, Neil. Next we have Alex Drevel…" Looking off stage as Alex took the mic from Neil. "Alex."

Alex stopped in the middle of the stage. "Hello, my name is Alex Drevel, and obviously I am a weasel. Some of you may recognize me as I work in the CSI lab. You will also note that you never see me outside of the lab without someone else from the lab. The reason for that is simple. During my first week on the job, I was arrested, inside the precinct, five times, twice on my first day while I was trying to get around, learn the precinct, where things were and meet with you officers that I was going to be working with.

My boss had to get me out of lockup all of those times. I have a masters in Analytical Chemistry, a BS in Biochemistry, and about a dozen or so certifications that got me the job. After that first week, I wait outside the precinct until one of my co-workers show up and can escort me in. The last time the usual one that escorts me got sick and I tried to make it to the lab on my own, wearing my lab coat and ID, I was still arrested and accused of faking the ID. I had to get a new one made because the officer that arrested me snapped it in half.

I cannot go to the breakroom, hell I cannot even go to the bathroom without one of my coworkers going with me, because I'll get arrested or at least hassled. All that is just here, at my place of employment. I bring my lunch, and my manager gave me a mini-fridge to keep it in, because I can't use the breakroom. I don't take breaks because I can't risk it. My co-workers instead ask me when they're headed to the bathroom in case I need to go.

Did I mention that I fucking work here and have for almost two years? That is again, just what I deal with here. I saw the tape from the last recording and I have the same experiences. I'm walking down the street and I will get stopped and questioned by one of you. If I'm having a bad day, or you just feel that I'm not being cooperative because I know nothing about a crime I wasn't involved in, I get arrested. I have been charged with obstruction ten times since I started working here, and because it was about a case that I was working on in the lab, I have to be taken off the case and every bit of work I did has to be scrapped and done over by someone else.

To be honest, I'm fucking amazed I still have this job. I've missed days of work because I've been locked up in another precinct. I'm often denied a phone call, because you are all quite certain I've already had my call. Hell, I was almost arrested last week by P4 officers for being at a crime scene. A crime scene that I was called to in order to assist because their guys were swamped.

My boss knows this, and I'm going to tell you now. I'm looking for a new job. I love working here, I love helping solve crimes and producing the evidence. Yet the prosecutors won't put me on the stand, my boss has to take my place. I'm rated, based on my work, the top 10 CSIs in my field of chemical analysis, in the country, but I can't be called in court because no one will take the word of a weasel. Plus, the one time I was called, because my boss was sick, the defense brought up my arrest record. An arrest record that has no convictions, just being arrested, etc…

All the evidence I collected got thrown out and a fucking murderer walked, because you can't see past my species. Think about THAT the next time you go to harass a weasel, a fox, etc… Think about that when you realize that Officer Nick Wilde has testified in court maybe a dozen times because the prosecution is reluctant to put a fox on the stand, no matter how decorated an officer he is." Turning, Alex gave a nod and walked off stage.

Nick nodded in return. "Thank you Alex. If you look at those hand outs, you can see the record. You can see the list of arrests, and you can look them up at your leisure and see the complete bullshit if not outright lies on some of those. Next up is Jacob McNalley." Turning to see Jacob walking up, Nick heads back off stage.

"Hello. My name is Jacob McNalley, and I am a racoon, as I'm sure you can tell. I'm sure you have picked up on a theme here. Mammals who have done nothing wrong, but maybe be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Mammals with advanced degrees, who are even your own co-workers, and yet you cannot seem to see past species in order to not harass them and make their lives harder for no reason. Mammals who lose jobs because you couldn't be bothered to question if the call was even legitimate, or just some specist jerk sicking you on us because we happen to be a raccoon, or a fox, a weasel, a skunk, etc…

I have the exact same stories as the rest. I'm shopping and because I'm a raccoon, some speciest Karen calls the ZPD, because I'm obviously about to hold up the place. I've lost count how many times I have been arrested, though I'm sure Nick knows and can answer that."

Nick spoke into the mic off to the side. "234 as of yesterday, Jacob."

"Thanks. Wow. That's even more than I thought. Yet not once have I ever had charges stick. I'm also lucky when it comes to jobs. I have a job that doesn't place me at risk of losing it. I'm an author, and no, I do not write under my own name. I am also a lawyer, or I would be, but you have to take the bar exam in person, and oddly, whenever I show up to take the test, they are short and I have to come back another time. Please note that the bar exam has been taken on a computer for the past decade

I've taken videos of this process and them suddenly having test stations again when they think I'm gone. The other would be test takers who are in line behind me know not to bother leaving, because they know the only reason they are out is because I'm a raccoon. I've tried suing, yet for some reason, despite being able to afford the case, I can't get a lawyer to take on the case against the bar itself for discrimination. Odd that, since the bar has basically made it a not secret, secret, that any lawyer that were to take on such a case would be disbarred.

Think about that for a second. You, any one of you. You have 234 arrests on your record. Now try and get a normal job? Try and get any job. Now be homeless and get a job with those arrests on your record. You know, if you are being honest with yourself, that there is not a job in this city that is going to let you even in the door before they call the ZPD on you. That is really the point of these talks, of the training that Nick is creating. It is to make you think.

It is to hopefully make you realize that there is more to your oath than just arresting any mammal you come across. When you go out on a call, be cautious, but also pay attention. Is that mammal you were called out on actually doing something wrong? Are they reacting to you because they're terrified of what you are going to do to them? Were they just buying some groceries and some specist jerk called you on them?

I am a widower. My wife wasn't lost to anything but the negligence of the healthcare system. We're racoons, and this was before my books were really selling well, so we didn't have the ability to afford insurance. So when she got sick, I started working doubles to try and get enough money to see the doctor. By the time we had enough, it was already too late. That money got spent on her funeral.

Now I have four kits from two litters and only me to take care of them. Every time I get arrested, KS tries to go after my kits. Doesn't matter that I have a live-in Nanny to keep an eye on them. Doesn't matter that they are in private school, etc… I'm a raccoon, so as soon as I am arrested, KS tries to take my kits. KS monitors and has contacts within the ZPD that reports to them whenever a fox, a racoon, etc… gets arrested.

The only reason they haven't succeeded in taking my kits is because both the school and the Nanny know to call my lawyer the moment KS shows up, and he chases them off. If not, my kids would have been taken from me years ago.

So you see… There are consequences. Think about what would happen to you as an officer if you were arrested, even if you were not guilty of something. Would you keep your job? Would your fellow officers not look at you with suspicion for no reason other than that? Now imagine you're a species that is already looked at as untrustworthy, that they're all thieves, criminals, etc… Now get arrested. Think on that the next time you are on a call. Are you really arresting them for doing something, or just because of their species? If it is the latter, consider the pain you may be causing."

With that, Jacob walked off the stage, given Nick a nod which he returned. "Well, we have one last guest and I expect this one may punch us all a lot harder than even Neil's story. Please welcome Jennifer Arctis."

Jennifer took the mic from Jacob and stepped up to the center of the podium. "As Nick said, my name is Jennifer Arctis, and as you can see I am an Arctic fox. I have that rare condition where I am always white. That has its advantages and drawbacks. I have just one story for you, but I'll start with the fact that, like the others, I've got many arrests under my belt, and for no good reason at all. However, when I get into my story, I'm going to be talking about only one arrest, the one that changed my life and changed what I do for a living.

Many of my arrests are accusations of prostitution because I am a vixen, so you all seem to assume that sex is how I pay my bills. In fact, it kinda was, as I worked as a stripper. But you see, that is where it stops for foxes. Look, but don't touch. Foxes are really, REALLY, picky, and for most fox species, the vixen leads. She's the one that picks up the todd at a bar. She's the one that decides where their first date will be, and if she likes him enough, will TELL him to set up the next date and what she expects, generally speaking, as a test.

You see. While I was a stripper, that was it. I can be, just as you can be, a sexual creature, without it resulting in sex. However, some of you don't seem to get that, and that leads me to my story." Taking a deep, shaky breath Nick started to step up on stage.

"Jen, you don't…"

Putting up her paw. "I have to, Nick. None of them are here, you made sure of that, and Ben is the one that believed me. These other officers need to hear this. Maybe it will save someone else."

Nick nodded and stepped back, signaling Mike to close and secure the doors so they couldn't be opened from outside. "So. I was at work, and I was popular. A white vixen like me, ice blue eyes… I was an object of desire, and had plenty of regular clients of many different species. Hell, at least half my clients were prey of some form. Rabbits, Deer, and even a moose. It was a good day, I made almost double my usual. It was great, and I had a date lined up with a todd that I really liked. He was really pulling it in, and had a stable job.

I mean, I told him I wanted a romantic dinner date, and he scored a private table on one of the steam driven paddle boats the ply the canal district. It was a sunset cruise so we ended at the docs after dark, where he then had us out into the Meadowlands to do some star gazing." Wiping a tear. "I miss him."

Nick stepping up again, without the mic. "Jen…"

Jen shook her head. "No, Nick. I have to do this. Anyway. So I got off work and headed towards my car. I never made it. Note, I had rejected many, MANY, offers from many mammals. I was a stripper, but I was not then and am not now a prostitute. I do not fault those who end up there, sometimes it is that or not eat.

The previous week, I had rejected a guy who got pawsy to an extreme. Not just touching, but he grabbed my sex, pulled my tail, etc… Security bounced the guy, then he tried to force his way back inside, so of course you were called. You responded, he accused me of being a prostitute, and since he was ZPD himself, you just accepted what he said and arrested me, all the other girls working there that night, most of the attendees, the bouncers, etc…

At least, that is what happened until the owners lawyer showed up with the tapes from the club, while also serving the ZPD with a lawsuit on behalf of the club, and it's employees jointly and together. That was settled out of court quickly, and paid out quite well. Three of you here were part of that raid, and from what I understand have a black mark in your record over it, and you were the lucky ones.

The others, they got fired. Five officers. Well, they, and a few of their friends, decided that I needed to be taught a lesson. They snatched me on the way to my car that following week." One of the females in the group gasped. 'NO!' Jen just nodded. "It was worse than you think. At least one of them knew about foxes, so they dumped me, covered in their cum, on my boyfriend's doorstep. I was raped and abused for two weeks before they had their fill of using my body. They beat me, and the only sustenance they gave me was when they came in my muzzle.

They did more though, they also cut me, mutilating me. I had to have reconstructive surgery on my face and muzzle, and if you look closely, you'll see that it is still not straight, and has very unnaturally hard lines where they replace bone with plastic and metal. My boyfriend tried so hard. He took me to the hospital, which refused to see me until he called a lawyer friend of his, and even then they refused to take any rape kits because I was a vixen, so I must have just been a prostitute that bit off a gang bang I couldn't handle. That was what one of the doctors actually said. He still works as Zootopia General, by the way, because there is no justice for a fox and no consequences for screwing one over.

My boyfriend mortgaged his house to pay my bills. No, that's not true. He signed over his house, which he owned outright, in order to cover my care. He tried so hard,but you see. This is the part about foxes one of those officers knew, and why they did what they did. They knew that they would never get a rape kit done, and even if it was, I was a fox and noone would believe that I was raped.

My boyfriend… His name was… Is, Daryl Foxworth. He is well to do, owns his own company, and I really think he was the one. I was going to propose, because it's the vixen that does that, and the boost to my account from the settlement was going to let me do that sooner. I was going to be able to stop stripping, go to school, and get a degree that let me work with him at his company. That was my plan.

You see. Foxes have some of the strongest instincts when it comes to their mates. But that cuts as a double edged sword. If we had been already mated, things would have played out differently, but I also would not have still been stripping. In my case, I was now damaged goods, and as much as he cared for me, Daryl just couldn't get past it. He tried so hard..." Jen sniffed and wiped away a tear. "Foxes imprint, and once that happens, there is no going back. I had imprinted on Daryl, and he was imprinting on me. It is why he was able to try and overcome what happened, but the other instincts broke the imprinting because we were not fully mated yet. It's a thing with todds.

In the end, Daryl ended it with me, and I understood. Intellectually, I do, but I'm forever ruined. You see, even though I could potentially take another mate, no todd is ever going to be able to see me as anything but damaged goods." With that Jennifer took off her shirt, she was not wearing a bra, because she no longer needed one. The gasp of the officers was not because of what she did, but because of the scars and the severity of them that her fur never regrew. She then took off her pants, no panties either, and another gasp, and not because of the fact that she was now on stage naked as she slowly turned.

"As you can see. They mutilated me. The also cut into my sex, so I cannot even enjoy sex anymore, it is excrutiatingly painful. There are supposedly surgeries I could try, but they have a very low success rate." Reaching back, she removed her tail and held it up. "I also had to learn how to walk again. The canines will have noticed how odd the movements of my tail are. It is because it is a prosthetic. The one that knew about foxes cut it off and had it hanging in his living room as a trophy, and not the first. These scars, how I was abused, that I can no longer have sex. These all make me unable to find a mate, and I don't even fault Daryl. He tried so very hard.

When Nick became a cop, he came armed with a lot of cases that he took to Bogo. Stuff that got swept under the rug, were ignored, etc… When they raided his house, the one that took my tail, they found twelve fox tails. Four from vixens that later committed suicide, along with mine. They found three wolves' tails, antlers, and other trophies. He was also the only one that was able to be convicted.

I have never gotten any compensation from the ZPD for what happened, for the fact that while I was in the hospital, I was charged and convicted of prostitution. That's another common thread for foxes. We get charged and convicted while we are recovering and can't make it to court. I spent six months in jail after I recovered enough to be transferred to the prison infirmary. I did not get any counselling, physical therapy, or reparative surgery until I got out.

Daryl paid for all that after I got out. He paid for me to go to school. I don't work for him though. I can't... not because he didn't offer me the job, he did, but because I imprinted on him, it physically hurts to be near him and not be able to be with him." Putting her tail and clothes back on. "Daryl even gave me two kits. The c-section scar is the only scar I have that is not from the abuse I recieved, and even then it is a direct side-effect of what they did to me. They damaged me so much I can't even give birth properly.

Daryl loves our kits and dotes on them, and at least I got that from him, even if I cannot have him. He has a new mate who he imprinted on, and she is such a wonderful and understanding vixen. Loves my kits too and doesn't fault Daryl for spending time with them. It was actually her idea that he let me have the kits. He is not on their birth certificates, but they know he is their dad.

Still. I cannot mark my own kits because one, it would jack with her instincts around the kits, so they only have Daryl's mark on them, and second, they cut out my sent glands that I would use to do that with. I still have to give them a thorough bath before they visit their father to make sure my scent isn't on them. They actually live with their father now and I just see them at the mall. I dare not even hug them… because…" Nick was up on the stage and holding her.

"Jen. You need to stop. You don't have to hurt yourself like this."

"Then what is the point of all this, Nick? They need to hear the last of it." Pushing out of his hug she turned to the assembled officers. "I gave up my parental rights last week to Daryl."

The shock on Nick's face at this revelation is clear to all. "Jen, no…"

"Signed the paperwork at their birthday party he threw when they turned one last week, and I still get to see them. Angie has agreed to adopt them. They send me updates constantly and always will I'm sure. There is discussion of me being aunt Jen, but I don't know if I have the emotional strength for that.

So that's my story. You all think you are all so high and mighty being ZPD, but you just seem to know how to make things worse and kill mammals who have done nothing wrong." Turning to Nick. "Hey, Nicky. You got some water, my throat is a bit dry."

"Sure, one sec." Nick turned to have Neil toss a water bottle to him. Turning he handed it to Jen who opened it, took a swig, and then pulled two pills from her pock and downed those as well. Nick watched, his ears folding back and to the side as he saw her look at him. "Jen. What were those?"

Jen smiled at Nick sadly. "My kits have a good home, and Angie loves them like her own since she can't have her own. I can't be auntie, and I can't be with Daryl. They said this shouldn't be painful, and if it is, well… I've known pain."

Nick's tail dropped, his ears folding completely against his head as he turned to Mike. "Call emergency services. We need to get her to the hospital now!"

Dropping to her butt, Jen chuckled almost euphorically. "Won't do any good, Nick. Sorry. Fast acting stuff. Said I'd get a minute or two at most after I took them. Only needed one, but it might take too long. Two was a sure thing, and faster." Looking up at Nick with unfocused eyes with a few tears dropping down her cheeks. "It's just. I can't take it any more, Nicky. It's why I had to get this all out now. It was my last chance. Say goodbye to Judy for me. You two have helped me and so many others. Keep up the good work, and I hope that this training you're building does the good it should." Gasping, she looked around. "Oh wow. Things are really vibrant. They didn't say it would feel like my body was on fire with pleasure… It is like I think an orgasm might have felt like… I'm sorry kits… Momma loves you." She was quiet for a moment, took a gasping, shuddering breath, and fell over with a long exhale.

Nick kneeled down and checked her pulse and not finding one started to cry. "Oh Jen…" He stepped aside as the paramedics arrived, both of which gasped in shock when they opened her shirt to see the scarring. Nick shook his head. Standing as they worked on her he turned to the officers, pointing to Jen and the paramedics working on her. "This is what your unthinking acceptance and perpetuation of specist attitudes brings.

This is what happens when you don't make sure you actually know what is going on, fellow officer or not. If you check the one case I cited for her that isn't her, it's his, the one that did all that to her. He was ZPD. He was supposedly one of our brothers and sisters in blue. He also confessed that the night he propositioned her and got the whole club arrested, he was planning on harvesting her tail. All the other tails, and other trophies have been identified by DNA, and all are missing mammals, now assumed dead. He got away with it until I brought her case to Bogo after I was hired.

Why? Because they were just foxes, so she couldn't be raped, she was clearly a prostitute because she is a vixen. He can't have been kidnapped, he's a fox, probably just ran off. How many times have you made such an assumption, based entirely on the species of the mammal? Here's one more for you. For foxes, family is literally everything! A todd will literally work themselves to death to support their mate and kits. You know why they warn you when going on a Kit Services call about a fox, because you're stealing their family and tearing at instincts to protect their family. What would you do if KS showed up at your door, for no other reason than you have lost a job, even before you get home from losing said job? What would you do?

There are four foxes currently in prison for life, and who are there happily and willingly. They were already long hardened criminals, forced into that because of actions by ZPD officers just like you, before the crimes they are not stuck there for the rest of their lives for. They did what the ZPD and justice system wouldn't do and got justice for Jen and others like her. You know the story. Four foxes hunted down a handful of former ZPD officers and tore them to shreds, then turned themselves in.

I don't agree with their methods and I work every day to try and make sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen again to any other mammal, fox or otherwise. I do understand why they did it. One of them is her brother, and now I have to make a trip to where he is and tell him that his sister is dead, by her own hand, because she couldn't' take it anymore.

I can only do so much to stop or pursue the things that happened to Jen and so many other. I'm just one fox, and currently the only one in the ZPD. My hope is that this training will, when finished, have an impact on that. I hope it has had an impact on you. Many of you dislike me and Judy because we don't hold the line. Guess what? Holding that line is what let the officer that mutilated Jen to get away with his crimes for decades. Holding that line is what allowed the officer that killed the kit Neil talked about to get away with it, and get away with lying on his reports." Nick took a long, angry, shuddering breath. "Jeff, send me the video when you have it done. I… I need to leave."

Bogo entered at that moment and saw Nick wiping away tears as he walked off stage and tried to make his way past the other officers that were standing in shock. Mike headed Bogo off and explained. Bogo could clearly be seen to be upset as he walked away. Mike nodded about something Bogo said and grabbed Nick, pulling him into the hallway, joined by Bogo.

Bogo looked down at the upset fox. "Nick, did you know she was going to take her life?"

Nick Shook his head. "No. I thought we were past that with her. Having the kits was helping her so much, but I didn't know about Daryl and Angie adopting them either. Judy and I have tried helping her. I thought we had, but with her not being able to mark her kits, they never seemed to be hers to her instincts." Shaking his head and looking down, ears folded back against his head. "With that, it was a foregone conclusion. I don't know if there is anything we could have done. She would have found a way."

Officer Glaver walked out of the meeting room, eyes red and clearly angry. "Wilde! Please, for the love of all that is holy, tell me that she made that story up." Seeing Nick's sad eyes and tears, she fell back onto her butt. The emotions that ran across her face included shock, horror, and finally ended on rage. The sheep officer stood up and turned to Bogo. "Is this really the kind of precinct you run?"

Bogo looked down. "Not knowingly. Those officers faked their reports, and I cannot do anything when doctors refuse to do their jobs. I am working on getting, or having the jurisdiction returned to the ZPD to look into such things. We are creating training like what this will become to help. There is all the work WildeHopps has done on the anti-interspecies groups, and there is me supporting the arrest and charging of any officer caught as part of that investigation. I have had to stand against the union on several occasions until they realized they were on the wrong side.

It is not something that we can fix in a day. It is training like this that will change the ZPD culture, and as we enforce that culture amongst ourselves, things in the rest of society will improve. As we police ourselves and get rid of those that promote these attitudes, not accidentally or without thinking, but actively, and watch ourselves. Things will improve, they will get better. However, that can only happen if you take that righteous rage you are feeling and direct it to fixing how you interact with the public and how you ensure your fellow officers do as well."

A fire still burning in her eyes, but thoughtful as well, Glaver nodded. "I see." She turned to Nick. "I promise you this. I will never look the other way again because it's a fox… Hey, where did he go?"

Mick shook his head. "Jen was like an adopted sister to him. He's hurting right now."

Bogo nodded. "Wolford, find him. Take him home. I don't want either of you back until Monday, and he has his head on right."

"You got it, sir." Mike then took off, looking for Nick.

Glaver looked up at Bogo then frowned. "I need to go amend a few dozen reports. I will be ready for my suspension after you review them, sir."

Bogo looked down at her and frowned, or just returned to his normal face, it was hard to tell. "That will depend on what your amendments say about the rest of your report."

"I've never actually falsified things, but I have written things in a way to reflect better on myself and my fellow officers. I will work hard to make my reports like Hopps writes hers."

Bogo nodded. "Get to it then. Then get on patrol."

Glaver saluted. "Sir." Quickly making her way towards the cube farm.

Mike found Nick approaching their cruiser, and shook his head. "Nope, you are going home, and my assignment for the day is to make sure you stay there. I'm calling Lizz to pick us up. We'll meet them at Therus for lunch, and then all come back in Lizz's car Monday. We'll go from lunch to do something and then the recordings. I haven't forgotten about that, yet."

Nick chuckled. "I'll be okay, but I'm also okay with this. Let's go."

They turned away from the cruiser and headed back inside

Nick walked up to Ben, hopped up on the desk and pulled the cheetah into a hug. "I'm sorry Ben. I had no idea she had decided to do it finally."

Ben looked at Nick confused for a moment then his eyes went wide. "Jen…"

Nick nodded. "Yeah. Right at the end of her story. She told the whole thing and then took something. I don't think she was in pain."

Ben sniffed and pulled Nick back into a hug. "At least she isn't hurting anymore. She deserved so much better."

"She did." Nick pulled out of the hug. "I'll let you know when the service is. I think she'd want you to be there. I didn't know you were the officer that she talked about that believed her and tried to help."

"I made a lot of enemies, but most of those are off the force now. Still, I'm happy where I am. I was never that good on the beat."

"Okay. Mike and I are headed to meet up with our ladies, so we will catch you later."

Nick hopped down and waved as Ben nodded and waved back. "See you later."

Mike and Nick then headed out the front towards Therus. It was a nice day, and Mike figured Nick could use the walk. He texted Lizz to have her and Judy meet them at Therus for lunch and to bring clothes for both of them.

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A/N

Remember to share the love. Review and Fav. It is the life blood of every writer to know you are enjoying their work. I also want to thank everyone who has Fav'd, followed, and reviewed this little project. I know that isn't much, but to me, it's huge. Even as a writer of original fiction, that you enjoy this means a lot to me as an author. You can check out my original work and link to my Blog, Scribblings, where a lot of it lives by hopping over to dcballard . com ( Direct: ascensionnovel . / scribblings (remove the spaces) because the forwarding is misbehaving.)

If you enjoy this, and you are not also reading my original Log Entries series over on my Blog. Why aren't you? (takes a Nick-esk pose of hurt) Also. I am now posting them on AO3, so you have even less excuse. It's free, ORIGINAL fiction. "An original story told through the log entries of the pilot and captain of an experimental star ship."

You should really be checking out my bestest bud, Bear678, and his story What Foxes May Come.

So keep those reviews and comments coming. And also remember, if you see issues, misspellings, etc... Let me know in PM, I'm under no illusion of being perfect and want to fix those things I miss.