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Chapter Eight - Iridescent
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Tanaka tried to take every step as gingerly as she could. Behind the cheetah was a hobbling Damien, who tried his best to avoid putting weight on his aching foot.
Every few steps, Tanaka could hear discomfort surge with each grunt and groan. She knew that he was downplaying how much pain he was in. Edward, from the rear, had to swoop in and stabilize him a couple of times.
For a building located on the edge of the city's historic district, the fact that there was no elevator was criminal. How was that not a significant safety risk? If a medical emergency happened on another floor, there would be no way to rescue mammals comfortably.
Then again, it was probably why the cervidae family chose this building in the first place. Affordability trumped everything else in their eyes. They had to have known the risks beforehand. Right?
Edward offered himself as a crutch before they got too far, but Damien refused. He wanted to prove that he could manage by himself. Who were they to deny him of his right? They'd both be there to help him if he changed his mind.
The young stag sandwiched himself between the officer and detective the entire way down. The feline acted as a guide, and the canine was his bodyguard. Both were doing their best to serve as a barrier to the prying eyes—and cameras—of his nosey neighbors down the halls.
Tanaka could never understand mammals' insatiable desire to record everything they saw.
Rounding the last half landing revealed the spacious first-floor foyer. Medical personnel were waiting at the bottom step with a gurney, prepared to receive their newest patient. They didn't look all too happy that he was walking unaided. Tanaka raised her paws in mock innocence.
Officer Sato had only just taken her foot off the landing when she felt a light tug at the back of her shirt. She flinched at the touch but relaxed once she realized it was Damien.
Tanaka spun around and gave him her undivided attention. The first thing she observed was the stunned apprehension in his wide eyes.
Edward gleaned what was happening and gestured to the mammals down the stairs behind her, halting the medics' advance.
Tanaka made her signs small and spoke with a whisper, "[Everything alright?]"
When her question fell on unfocused eyes, she tapped his arm to retrain his focus.
Her motions were filled with genuine concern. "[What's wrong?]"
The stag anxiously fiddled with his hooftips.
"[Are you scared of them?]" Tanaka gestured at the medical team. "[They're only here to make sure you're okay. You'll be in good hands, I promise.]"
Damien shook his head. [Not them.]
"[Your parents?]" She guessed.
His reluctance was more than enough of an answer. Damien divulged anyway. [Mom and Dad won't be able to pay for it] he sulked. [I don't want to be in any more trouble.]
"[You won't be]" Tanaka grinned. "[The city will pay for it. Your parents won't have to foot any of the cost.]"
A flood of emotion rushed through his features. His lip quivered. [Really?]
"[Positive]" she affirmed.
When the Nighthowler crisis ended, there was a massive uptick in mammals suffering from mental health-related illnesses. Interim Mayor Moon introduced the Post-Nighthowler Care Program when he took over and expanded it to cover all aspects of mental health care when he was officially elected.
Tanaka wrote a lengthy report on the program during her senior year of college. She was glad that her countless hours of research were finally paying off.
However, Damien had other concerns.
[What if they don't believe me?]
"[Considering everything that's happened, Damien, I don't think that's a possibility"
The teen peered over her shoulder at the mammals awaiting them. He furiously wiped at his eyes with a sharp exhale and demanded, [What's going to happen to me.]
"[Boring standard procedure stuff.]" Her lighthearted jab proved unsuccessful in pulling a smirk. He was too anxious. "[Did you want specifics?]"
Damien nodded.
Edward spoke up first. Tanaka translated with a fluidity even she didn't expect. It was automatic.
"The medical team downstairs is going to look you over. They're going to ask you some questions. Answer them honestly. You won't get the care you need if you leave important details out."
[What then?] He was calming down.
"After that, they're going to take you and your parents to the hospital, where you'll be put under observation for a couple of days."
Damien recoiled at the mention of his parents. Tanaka couldn't help but notice the panic creep back into his eyes.
"[Do you not want your parents involved?]" Tanaka interjected in an attempt to calm him down.
Damien peered at her briefly, eventually failing to keep his head up, leaving the question unanswered.
"That won't be possible," Edward rectified.
"Why not?" She argued without translating.
The detective crossed his arms. "Remind me, how old is he?"
Sato bit the inside of her cheek. She couldn't accurately recall. She asked him. [Fourteen] he replied.
"The law stipulates that only mammals over the age of fourteen have the right to seek medical care without the presence of a legal guardian."
"That would mean—"
"His parents would be required to go with him," the lupine confirmed.
"They can't. It's their fault. We know it's their fault," Tanaka seethed in a whisper.
"Doesn't matter. We'd need suspicion beyond a reasonable doubt to stop Damien's parents from going with him."
"We do," she replied, more a question than a statement. When Edward grimaced, she started to doubt herself. "Don't we?"
"Our only evidence is what they and Damien provided; their stories align. To our knowledge, they haven't subjected him to an unsafe home environment, and the injuries he sustained were from those other kids, so child endangerment is out of the question."
"Shouldn't we ask him to confirm?"
The detective sassily gestured to the buck. "By all means."
Tanaka didn't skip a beat. She asked (under the guise of the information being needed to cover all bases): Did his parents ever hurt him in any way?
Damien's answer was short and sweet. [No, never.]
"We also have to consider that his parents already tried to dispute false accusations the first time," the detective added. "We can't rule out that they wouldn't do so again."
Edward leveraged the few seconds of silence to ponder. Meanwhile, Damien was still trying to calm himself down. Their question didn't help. Tanaka kept a close eye on him, feeling a sense of helplessness.
The detective was the first to break the silence.
"Damien got attacked right after school, not before."
The cheetah tilted her head like a canine and raised a brow. "I thought Judy said that it happened beforehand," she questioned.
"I'm not buying it. The timing doesn't add up." He paused. Something was eating at him. "There's no way any good teacher would overlook injuries like that the whole day, especially to a prey mammal with a disability."
"That's a bit—"
"What? Speciest? 'World's not made of sunshine and rainbows, Tanaka. Society favors prey. It's been that way for a long time—and it's not changing anytime soon. Pretending that it doesn't exist is asking for trouble. Get over it."
The cheetah held her tongue. Right and/or wrong, it wasn't an argument she wanted to engage in. Snow must've seen her obvious discomfort, so he rephrased his reasoning in a different light.
"Bullies will use anything and everything as ammo—species, disability, sexuality, clique, you name it. It's all universal. All they have to do is isolate their victim, push them into a corner, and hit them where it hurts."
"But Damien wasn't alone," Tanaka challenged, "Peter was there."
"Peter was a bystander," Edward clarified dismissively. "We still don't know anything about him or his role in all this."
"It's all hearsay."
"Correct," the wolf nodded. "If I'm right, and he left to get help from the school's faculty, Damien would have bolted before anyone showed up. There'd be no warning. Johnathan and Catherine reacted—simple as that. They did everything they thought was right. City Hall would rake us through the coals if we tried to separate them now."
"Damien could claim this as a severe mental health risk," she countered with an epiphany. "He's already two years older than the requirement. He'd be able to admit himself, no problem."
"He can't," Edward retorted. "He would have needed a prior diagnosis to even qualify for self-admission. I doubt his family ever considered taking him to a psychiatrist, and I'm positive he wouldn't have been comfortable sharing that information with a primary care physician either."
Tanaka grit her teeth. She was getting sick of him being right all the time.
"It still doesn't change the fact that his eye and ankle need immediate treatment," he clarified.
Tanaka blinked at the injuries Damien was nursing. She harkened back to the stag's self-defense lessons cut short. Part of her wondered how differently things would have played out had he just completed the course.
"What about his grandmother? Wouldn't she be able to take him?"
Tanaka knew she was grasping at straws. Edward did, too.
"She would have needed permission from his parents or obtained something legally binding that claims her as his guardian."
The officer could not think of another viable answer. She felt boxed in. No, they were boxed in.
"There's nothing that we can do."
"Law is law," Edward sighed. "Trust me, Tanaka, I don't like this any more than you do."
"We can't just let them go with—"
Another tug pulled at the sleeve of the feline's shirt. Tanaka waited in earnest to read Damien's signs.
[Mom] he chose. [I want my mom to go with me.]
"[Just your mom?]"
The young cervidae—with what little innocence and youth he had left—nodded his head.
She flashed a smile at the teen. [We'll see what we can do.]
"There's still no guarantee that we can promise him that," the detective once again advised. "We won't be able to stop Johnathan if he decides to join them."
"I'd like to see him try," Sato challenged.
The duo of law enforcement ushered Damien down the remaining steps and to the lobby, where he was eased into the arms of the three-strong medical team. They were kind and caring to the stag and promptly tended to the young mammal's injuries.
There was a moment when they attempted to ask him several questions, only to recall that the deer couldn't hear them. Tanaka offered herself up as a translator to temporarily bridge the conversational gap.
One of the technicians, a male gazelle, spoke briefly with Edward as the other two helped lay Damien onto the stretcher. He offered his thanks for the detective's efforts. Edward refused to accept the praise. Before the gazelle could ask if he needed to be looked at, the lupine broke away without a word.
Tanaka answered for her colleague with a civil smile aimed at the semi-dejected medic, "Don't take it personally. Detective Snow's always like that. We're good for now, thank you."
"If you say so," the gazelle yielded. "He looked a little out of it if you ask me. S'why I offered."
"We appreciate it…"
"Gustavo," he answered. "Everyone calls me Gus."
"Tanaka," she replied. "Thank you, Gus."
The prey mammal nodded and returned to Damien, requesting information regarding his medical history and allergies.
In between questions, Tanaka stole a prying look at the detective. He'd strayed away from any mammal and parked himself against the wall beside the entrance.
Edward peered through the tall window adjacent to the entrance and crossed his arms. His head came to rest against the drywall with a dull thud.As he stood in silence, the appendages at the top of his head refused to cease their routine twitching and fidgeting. They were much like a rabbit's, in a way.
Tanaka stared at him for another second, then abandoned her gawking with a frustrated humph.
Why was she worried? Edward was acting normal. Sure, he'd just unpacked some massive emotional trauma, and she was concerned, but he didn't look like he needed anyone nagging him about it right now. He just needed a moment to himself, that's all.
Tanaka accepted that and shrugged it off. Though, she couldn't help but wonder. She had been wrong before.
What wasn't she seeing?
The sound of the stretcher rising tore the officer away from her brief lapse of uncertainty. Damien became disoriented from the sudden elevation change and couldn't find an opportunity to breathe before they started strapping his body down to the bed. One of the technicians tried to get his attention to mimic what they were doing, but he wasn't looking at them.
When they got to securing Damien's legs, he winced and let out a disgruntled groan when they tightened the strap near his calves. It was clear that the team were trying their best to make him as comfortable as possible, but his injury was making things worse. His breaths became sharper and more rapid. He was teetering closer to an anxiety attack. That was when Tanaka gently placed a paw on his chest.
Terrified eyes met hers in an instant. The sudden jolt made Tanaka flinch, but she didn't let that faze her. Soon, Damien started to relax.
"[They're making sure you're safe for travel]" Tanaka explained when she felt he was ready. She swung around and loosened the strap near his ankles to something tolerable. "[Think of them like a seatbelt. You wouldn't want to have these guys speed down the street and you moving around all over the place like those inflatable arm-flailing guys.]"
A few of the medics shared a laugh. Damien eased a touch.
"[It's safe. I promise.]"
The cervidae eventually nodded and signed a small, [Sorry.]
"[Don't be. We've got your back.]"
The gazelle deferred to his oryx and leopard colleagues, standing by either side of the stretcher and completing their final checks with an asynchronous "ready."
"Ready to go whenever, Officer Sato," Gus advised, "just say the word."
Tanaka bobbed her head at him and peered back at their patient, "[Ready?]"
Damien released a deflated sigh and weakly flashed, [Ready.]
The technicians disengaged the wheel locks and pulled the stretcher toward the front entrance. Tanaka sped forward and held the door open for them. Edward swooped in to cover the other side shortly after that.
As Tanaka watched the team exit the building, she stole one last look at Damien to see if he was acclimating okay. When she saw his head resting against the pillow, the last of his adrenaline finally spent, and eyelids narrowed towards sleep, she knew he'd be okay for now.
Following the paramedics out the door, Tanaka felt the change in atmosphere.
Serene sounds of the cityscape and dull murmuring overtook the chaotic scrambling prior. Mammals who had initially taken to the intersections were all but gone. Those who remained were either residents, mammals that still had business to conduct in the area, and reporters—much less from the latter.
Tanaka couldn't discern any of the more prominent news outlets like the ZNN among them, but the intermittent camera flashes against the fading sunlight made pinpointing specific journalists virtually impossible. She didn't even bother to try. Until the streetlights came on, as far as she was concerned, they were silhouettes.
Gus and company wheeled a passed-out Damien to the rear of the ambulance. The cheetah officer circled to the vehicle's left side with the detective and watched them load the stretcher.
"John, honey, wait!"
"Sir, stop!"
Tanaka immediately recognized Judy's voice and peered over in that direction. Storming down the road between cars toward the ambulance was an irate Johnathen Pracer, blatantly ignoring whatever command the rabbit detective had given him.
"I'm done waiting," The adult stag spat behind him.
Bristles of fur stood up on the feline's neck. Tanaka could feel a low-pitched growl threatening to resonate in her chest. Thankfully, her training kicked in before her instincts did.
Tanaka planted herself on the lane marker in front of where the back left door of the ambulance swung. Her paw unlatched the taser from her belt and gripped the weapon's hilt.
The academy trained her for this. If she could take down a rhino, taking down a grown deer would be a breeze.
No matter what, her priority was to keep Damien safe. Johnathan would have to get through her to get to Damien.
"Back away from the car," the detective behind her commanded.
The buck was nearly a car length away from the front guard of the ambulance.
"Don't get any closer," Tanaka urged.
He wasn't slowing down.
"Move," Johnathan ignored.
Other officers posted along the sidewalk started to take notice. They'd be too late to help if things turned sour. Tanaka took a couple of steps back and drew her weapon.
"Last warning—"
A blur of navy and silver flew in front of her before the words had fully left her maw.
Edward wasn't taking any chances. He raced toward Johnathen on all fours like a bat out of hell. The buck barely had enough time to react.
Edward sidestepped to the left to scrub some speed, then leapt from the side of the ambulance's fender into a pounce aimed for the cervidae's chest.
When the two collided, they careened into the side of another cruiser with a mad crash. Horns scraped against paint and metal with a sharp metallic screech. The two struggled briefly, but the disoriented stag couldn't put up a proper fight. Edward came out on top and pinned the deer with his back to the ground.
"John!" Catherine cried out.
Catherine motioned to try and act in her husband's defense. A pair of steps was as she got before Judy swooped in to block her advance. The look of concern the rabbit wore didn't radiate confidence.
Edward applied pressure to Johnathen's arms with his knees while silver paws gripped at his antlers to fix his head in place. He wasn't getting away.
Edward snarled and barked the order again, loud and clear. "You will back away from the car."
Tanaka oversaw Johnathen. He was visibly shaken, too paralyzed even to speak. He didn't try to struggle or resist being restrained. The moment Tanaka saw him start to relax under the weight of the wolf detective, she allowed herself to lower her guard and returned her taser to its holster.
Cracks started to form in the fazed buck's demeanor. Water pooled in his eyes.
"H-He's my son," Johnathen pleaded.
"And we're law enforcement," The unimpressed lupine glowered, muzzle close to his snout. "Instead of complying, you disregarded a lawful order and charged at one of our officers, my partner. Did you think we would allow you anywhere near him in that state? Damien doesn't deserve to see that after everything you—"
"Edward."
Judy's voice cut through the air like a knife. All heads turned to the uncharacteristically soft-spoken lapine, whose long ears had fallen flat against her back, pawtips fiddling around nervously as she stared down at the ground.
Edward's rage softened when he saw the state of his fellow detective. He didn't let up on the mammal below him. Tanaka felt the tension become uncomfortably thick.
Judy looked up and demanded, "Let him go."
Edward refused to hide his bewilderment, the same as Tanaka.
He gave a rabbit a vague once over and attempted to argue, "But—"
Hopps refused to humor him. "Please, Ed," she begged. "Just let him go."
Snow sneered and shook his head. He didn't want to let this slide. Tanaka couldn't blame him. She didn't want Johnathen anywhere near Damien either. Truthfully, she wanted to throw the book at him as much as he did. They had the authority to arrest Johnathen if they wanted to—aggravated assault wasn't something to be taken lightly. Dash cam footage from the other cars and the feed from the jam cams would prove his intent to be hostile; there was no getting around that.
So why did her subconscious fight against it?
Tanaka grit her teeth.
Johnathen made some terrible mistakes. Catherine was too complacent. But they still cared about their son. They wouldn't be there if they didn't. Johnathen was prepared to move heaven and earth, risk a year's worth of jail time and a hefty fine of one thousand dollars, all to get to Damien. If that wasn't love, she didn't know what was.
It had to be.
Tonight was the biggest wake-up call of the Prancers' lives. Maybe that's why Judy was being so diplomatic—she understood what was at stake. The worst the ZPD could do was make a bad situation worse. Arresting him wouldn't solve anything.
All Johnathen wanted was to see with his own eyes that his son was okay. It wasn't what Damien wanted, but maybe they could reach some sort of compromise.
Things didn't have to escalate out of control. Edward was the only one who teetered dangerously close to crossing that line.
Tanaka had to reel her partner in. It had to be her.
"I'll give him an idea of what's going on if, or before, he talks to Damien." The cheetah projected toward the pair. "Mr. Prancer, would before be amicable?"
Johnathan awkwardly attempted to bob his head but couldn't do so with his antlers restrained. He mumbled a shaken "Y-yes" in its place.
"You hear that, Edward? He's being cooperative. No more threat. No need for anything rash."
Edward, as expected, didn't appreciate her sudden change of heart. The sting of betrayal wrought a low growl that shook the air. She hoped the frown of discontent she wore was enough to clarify her stance.
"You did such a great job up there, Ed," Judy praised sincerely. His growling stopped. "Damien's safe because of you. You saved him."
The proud, quivering emphasis on that last point made the lupine loosen his grip and avert his gaze. His ears mimicked the way Judy's fell. The scowl he wore spoke volumes.
Tanaka found it hard to watch. She couldn't help but wonder if he was thinking about that tiger, Charlie, then.
"We can handle the rest. Let Johnathen go."
The conflicted wolf peered interchangeably at the rabbit and the stag beneath him. Precious seconds passed them by. Eventually, he suppressed his frustrations with a scoff.
"Fine," Edward, with a grave undertone, conceded.
Detective Snow rose to his feet and released the cervidae from his grasp. Johnathan dared not move a muscle until the canid had stepped over him and out of the way. Despite his compliance, Edward wasn't above making his reservations known.
"You'd better listen to every word they say," he warned. "Because if I catch you even sniffing around that vehicle without their permission, I swear to the gods above, I'll haul you back to the precinct myself. And when that happens—because, from what you've already done, it's not going to be a matter of 'if'—I'll see to it personally that you'll never see Damien again. Do I make myself clear?"
John caved in on himself. "Yes, sir."
Edward turned tail the second they'd reached their 'understanding.' He didn't acknowledge Judy, Tanaka, or Catherine. He simply strode away, back in the direction of their cruiser. His paws were balled into tight fists, and his shoulders were slumped inward. Tanaka swore she could see steam coming out of his ears.
He needs some space, a voice stated.
Tanaka couldn't agree more. She'd talk to him later.
Detective Hopps sighed heavily, enough to pull Tanaka's attention. Judy tore a somber look away from the fleeing wolf and returned to her civic duty, who hadn't budged from where he'd been tackled. John appeared detached from the happenings around him. There was only fear in his eyes.
Judy carefully approached the cervidae, who hadn't budged from where he'd been tackled. Although her ears were still pinned to her back, she stood tall.
Judy flashed a warm grin and offered a helping paw.
"Are you okay, Mr. Prancer?"
Johnathen recoiled when her paw came into view. He stared at it, waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, he turned his head away and frowned. "I'm fine."
John disregarded the gesture and stood up on his own, using the police cruiser next to him for support. His movements were sluggish and delicate, no doubt the result of Edward's roughhousing.
Hopps tucked her paws into her jacket's pockets and stepped back. The corners of her caring smile had fallen into a vacant look. She remained hypervigilant of the stag's worsened condition.
When Johnathen allowed his body to fall against the damaged cruiser, all attention turned to the cheetah. Tanaka was suddenly more aware of the pressure in the air.
Don't be afraid, the voice soothed. You know what to say. Show'em you mean business.
Tanaka nodded to no one in particular and steadied herself with a breath. She had her eyes on the pavement, recalling a distant memory.
"'Acceptance doesn't mean resignation; it means understanding something is what it is and that there's got to be a way through it.' My brother's otolaryngologist told us that when my brother lost his hearing. I must have been, what, nine or ten at the time? He got the quote from some big-shot actor from the eighties. Crazy how I still remember it after all this time."
Looking up, she could see the Prancers' eyes piercing her soul. They were engrossed.
"We couldn't afford hearing aids back then, and the surgery's success rate was minimal at best. My brother wasn't getting his hearing back—we had to accept that. We had to focus on what we did next."
"What did your family do?" The doe asked.
"We adapted," Tanaka said matter-of-factly. "When my parents broke the news to the rest of our family, they were nothing but supportive. Dad was the one who insisted that we all learn sign language. Tuesdays and Thursdays became our 'sign study,' which lasted a few years until we were comfortable enough to sign on our own.
"Mom decided to update the coffee shop. She thought of everything—signage, information boards, a custom light system that tells us if someone's ready to order, custom drink forms that didn't fit our menu, and even coffee sleeves with our 'signs of the month.'
"Kei insisted on going to a public school. He wanted to fit in and experience what everyone else did. My parents are heavily involved in his education. And, as far as discrimination or bullying is concerned, they don't fuck around. They'll be on the principal's ass in a heartbeat if they find out something's wrong. It only happened once. It was the only time where I saw my dad get genuinely angry.
"But, don't get it twisted. Things weren't always good. We've had our fair share of problems, too."
The cheetah crossed her arms and ignored the itch that grew under her sleeves.
"Friends were an issue for a long time. Communication is still something he struggles with. He never thought he could ever fit in. Then there were…" A pang of regret surged as shivers ran down Tanaka's spine. Her fingers twitched at the wicked irritation stinging her arm. "Other things happened… not related to my brother in the slightest, but things that still made our lives way more difficult."
Tanaka could feel her mind start to wander to a darker place. Her clawtip discreetly picked at the cuff of her shirt. It was enough to sate the itch for the time being. She refused to allow her anxiety to manifest into anything more. Divulging those bad memories with Damion was uncomfortable enough. The last thing she wanted was another panic attack on the job.
No more avoiding the inevitable. They needed to know the extent of their damage.
"Damien isn't doing well," the officer revealed. "Physically, we're looking at the possibility of a sprained ankle and a bruised eye. He'll need a brace and some crutches, but he should be okay."
"That's it?" Johnathen hoped.
"No," she sighed, crossing her arms, "not by a long shot."
"Tell us," Catherine beseeched, "please."
Time to rip off the band-aid, the officer grimaced.
"Damien thinks that he doesn't have a voice. He thinks he isn't loved. He hates himself. And… he believes that he's better off dead."
That last bombshell was enough to break open the dams. Anguish reached Johnathan first as if she'd realized his worst fears.
"Dammit," he swore.
Catherine's dumbstruck despair shook in her throat. Hooves covered her snout as tears pooled in her eyes.
"My baby," muttered her disbelief.
"I know that the news might be difficult to hear, and I wish I could promise that the worst is over, but the important thing is he's still here and in safe hands."
"Can we see him?" the female cervidae asked desperately.
Tanaka rubbed the tension at the back of her neck. She released a distressed sigh. "You shouldn't. Not right now."
"Why not?"
"It's because of me," Johnathen whimpered, "isn't it?"
"Yes and no," Tanaka answered. "To be honest, it's because of both of you."
Both deer looked taken aback. Catherine took offense. "What?! What do you mean? I haven't done anything!"
"You're right, you haven't," Tanaka spoke with conviction.
"How dare you."
"Excuse me?" Anger started to bubble up like bile in her throat. "You had every chance to step in, but you didn't. You could have stopped this from going too far."
"You don't understand—"
"I do. More than anyone!" The cheetah balled her fists and stared at the pavement. "We almost lost the shop. It took everything we had to keep going. Even still, not once did we think of abandoning Kei. A true family keeps each other in check. You pushed Damien away," she pointed at John. Then to Catherine, "And you let it happen. Don't put the blame anywhere else. You're both complicit in what's happened today."
When Tanaka looked up, she knew she'd made her point. Catherine joined her husband in defeat as a sob racked in her throat.
Tanaka snagged a stitch with her claw. They were losing all hope.
Was this what she wanted? To back them so far in the corner that there was no chance of escape?
No. Tanaka got caught up in the moment and started kicking them while they were down. It wasn't right.
I guess I am no better than Edward, she sulked.
"Can I say something?"
Heads turned to the lapine, who had her paw raised. The officer had no objections, nor did the family. With a gesture, Tanaka relinquished control to her superior.
Judy flashed a weak smile to the officer and expressed her sentiment to the parents.
"I know what it's like to make mistakes. When I became an officer, I made a big one, and it almost cost me my best friend. But the thing about mistakes is that anyone can make them. It's what we do after that counts in the end."
Judy turned and nodded at Tanaka. Tanaka nodded back in understanding. She knew the speech well.
"'Change starts with you.' So long as you're willing to put in the work, giving up isn't an option. There's still a chance that you can make things right."
"In what universe could we possibly make this right?" the skeptical stag lamented.
"By taking that first step," Tanaka answered. She could feel Edward's advice resonating within her. "You can't lose hope. Neither of you can. He needs you. And you need him." She turned to Catherine. "Damien said that he wants you with him at the hospital. I think you should go."
"I take it he doesn't want me there, does he?" Johnathen surmised.
"No, he doesn't."
"Figures."
"Give him time, John," Judy assured.
"He's not ready to see you yet. He might not be for a while," Tanaka added.
"So, that's it? There's nothing I can do?"
Tanaka put a paw to her hip. "There is something you can do."
Sullen eyes met Tanaka's emerald greens.
"To tell you the truth, legally, we can't keep you from him. It's well within your rights to tell us to 'fuck off' and see him anyway. Though, if you do, there's a good chance that… that he might relapse."
"I'd just tell you to fuck off anyway at this point," he stated.
"You want my advice? Wait. Let him come to you. And when he does, you'll be ready. Because by that point, you'd have already begun changing for the better."
"You're delusional."
The contempt he wore prevented her guidance from sinking in. Tanaka wasn't letting him ignore her. She wasn't going to keep repeating herself. He had to listen.
Tanaka strode in front of him and raised her voice one final time.
"Let me make myself crystal-fucking-clear: Whatever happens now going forward is going to be crucial to Damien's recovery. You've got to put your pride and stubbornness aside if you value your son's life. You two have to be open to doing whatever's necessary to make that happen, even if that means keeping your distance for a while."
"Can't you tell me—"
"I can't tell you what you need to do—I don't know what's best for you. I don't fucking know you," Tanaka threw her spite at the honest question. "Only you can dictate how this is going to pan out."
Easy. The guy's still in shock. Give him something to work with.
The cheetah stifled a growl and assuaged the voice's demand.
"But, knowing what I do now, I'd start with relearning sign language if I were you. Give Damien a voice. Show him that you care. Focus on the little things that'll make your guys' lives easier, not just your own. Hell, I'd even try therapy; it worked for me. Maybe then he'll open up to you."
Tanaka was surprised to see the buck mulling over what she outlined. He even mouthed some of the options back to himself.
"The worst you can do is nothing," The lapine detective followed. "Put in the effort and try. That's the least you can do."
"What's it going to be, John?"
Johnathen stared into oblivion for a long while. Tanaka hoped and prayed that it was enough. The last thing she wanted was to witness another family being ripped apart.
Eventually, he released a sharp exhale. He turned to the feline and choppily replied, paws and all, [I'll do (it). I'll put (in) the work.]
For the first time, Tanaka smiled at him.
[I know you will.]
Johnathen raised the corner of his mouth at her before huffing his emotions away. He pushed himself off the car and shoved his hooves into his pockets.
"I'm going back to the apartment if that's alright."
"No objections here, Mr. Prancer," Detective Hopps replied. "You're free to go."
"Thank you. And… sorry that I was an ass."
"None taken," Tanaka forgave. "Best of luck, John."
The male cervidae weaved around Tanaka and Judy and stopped beside his wife, who'd wrapped him in a tight embrace. John fought hard to fight back the tears he'd been holding, but to no avail. He clamped his eyes shut and embraced the gesture with a grief-stricken sigh.
"We'll figure it out. Together," Catherine said to him.
Her husband nodded in silence and broke away from the hug. The pair shared a quick peck on the lips before the stag backtracked to the front of the ambulance.
John lingered around the fender and eyed the vehicle longingly. It was as if he could see his son through the aluminum plating. He stood there for almost a quarter of a minute before resigning himself with a light tap on the hood. You could practically see the determination come alive in his eyes. The buck ducked his head and disappeared behind the ambulance without a word.
Tanaka relaxed. It was over. She and Edward saved someone, and potentially a family—if they were lucky.
Edward… her thought lingered. He should be celebrating with her.
"Did you need anything else, Judy?" Tanaka asked.
"Other than helping me compile one heck of a report, no. We can take it from here."
"In that case, I'll check on Snow and see how he's doing. Then, we'll head back to the precinct. I'd rather not be trapped in a cubical all night."
"You and me both," she snickered. "Thank you, Tanaka. You've been a massive help today."
They were. But Sato didn't bother to correct the detective. She'd take the win for both of them.
"Glad I could help, Judy."
Officer Sato separated from the detective and mother as they discussed the family's next steps with a newfound pep in her step. Tanaka felt accomplished, as if she could take on the world.
.
O O O
.
You saved him? For what?
.
Did you think that you'd make him proud?
.
You think that she'd be proud?
.
You saw his father. He's never going to change.
.
You only delayed the inevitable.
.
Saving him won't change anything.
.
You're still that same backyard bully.
.
You're still pushing everyone away.
.
You kicked Wolford to the curb.
.
Bogo has someone else to rely on.
.
Your partner's fed up with you.
.
No one likes you. No one loves you.
.
You didn't deserve me then.
.
You didn't deserve him, either.
.
You fuck up everything you touch.
.
You're not strong.
.
You never were.
.
You never will be.
.
O O O
.
Grabbing onto their cruiser's passenger-side door handle, the cheetah decked in navy blues started to feel exhaustion finally catching up with her.
Tanaka growled out one of the deepest yawns she'd ever mustered. Thinking about the report she'd have to write physically hurt her. She couldn't wait to go home. There was so much Tanaka wished to share with her family.
About the deaf deer who reminded her of her brother. Or the father, whose fate served as a cautionary tale for what could have been. And then the absent mother, who permitted such hatred to flourish.
Then, finally, the detective, whose experience and grit allowed them to spare someone from an unfathomable end.
Someone she could call a partner.
Tanaka growled another audible yawn as she pulled the door open with little regard.
"Thank goodness that's over," she said.
Tanaka climbed into the car and plopped onto the seat with a catty grunt. When she was comfortable, she let go of a sigh.
"Hope you like writing. We've got a massive report to file—"
Tanaka stopped talking. Something wasn't right. She could feel it in the air. The car was silent. The radio was off.
That's when she heard the crying. No, not crying; bawling.
She peered to her left. Detective Snow sat hunched over in the driver's seat, clutching the steering wheel for dear life. His claws dug into the hard rubber, trying to stabilize himself as his jittery body lost control.
"Edward?"
The lupine didn't hear her. Silver fur below Edward's eyes had clumped into damp streaks. She could hear his breathing quickening between sobs. Too quick.
One of his paws left the steering wheel and grabbed at his neck. His cobalt eyes went wide. His lungs struggled to take in a proper breath. He couldn't breathe.
Snow was hyperventilating.
"Ed!"
Tanaka threw her door open and dashed to the other side. Internally, she slung curses like bullets, both to the wind and at herself. One managed to slip through her thoughts and under her breath. "Shit!"
Edward was fine just a bit ago. What the fuck happened?
"He looked a little out of it if you ask me."
Tanaka shouldn't have been surprised. Gus warned her. she didn't listen. She didn't even bother to check on Edward after he'd isolated himself.
Tanaka knew what she had to do. She had to save him.
A spotted paw yanked the car door wide open. The officer began to scale the outer trim and attempted to pin her body against the dash.
"Edward—"
That's all she was able to squeak out before someone much larger than her grabbed onto the scruff of her neck, pried her from the frame, and tossed her away like she was a sack of flour.
Being a feline, she stuck the landing, no problem. Tanaka prayed that whoever was dumb enough to incur her wrath was ready for one hell of a tirade.
"Who the hell do you think—"
Sato's features softened when she registered a tall bovine decked in navy that stood like a wall between her and the cruiser.
"Uncle Adrian?"
Bogo didn't acknowledge her. All of his concentration was being aimed solely at the detective. Whatever was going on was between them and no one else.
He didn't need or want her help.
Unsure of what else to do, Tanaka stood a few paces behind the Chief and waited. She made sure to keep the private conversation they were having out of her ears. Edward wouldn't want her to know what was happening. She knew enough.
The bovine was gentle and soft-spoken, much like how he was with her when she was younger.
Childhood memories of stolen pastry came to mind first.
Her godfather was helping around the shop on one of his off days, and she was a being a rambunctious toddler.
She'd managed to steal a ring of mochi from the display case, and wasn't afraid to show it.
Being as young as she was, testing boundaries was the norm. There was no malicious intention behind the act. She was having fun. That fun needed fuel somehow. Why not her favorite dessert?
Bogo wasn't a big fan. When he caught her, he ushered her to the back and pulled her aside.
"Why did you take a donut from the case?" He asked.
The most she could muster was a sad shrug. She knew that she'd done something wrong.
"It's not nice to take things without asking," he explained. "How would you feel if someone took your fox plush from you?"
A dramatic gasp escaped her maw. "Not Mister Foxy!"
"You would be upset, wouldn't you?"
She fervently nodded.
"Your parents make these donuts every morning," he said, holding the donut up. "Mammals from all over the city stop by just to try them. And, do you know what else?"
Tanaka shook her head. She'd never forget what he said next.
"These donuts are magic. Look at that stoat over there."
The cheetah turned her head to where the bovine pointed to see an adult mustelid peering into the display case. They didn't look happy, they looked tired. But, when their eyes caught a donut they liked, the stoat's face lit up. When he received his coffee and the ringed treat, that beam became brighter than the sun.
"See? They have the power to make anyone's day better."
"Woah," Tanaka marveled. She thought it was the coolest thing ever.
"That magic only works if there are donuts in the case. If we steal that magic for ourselves—"
"They don't get any."
"That's right," Bogo nodded. "Stealing is wrong. It can get you into a lot of trouble. You're taking something someone else needs, or depriving another person of their hard-earned time and money."
"I'm sorry."
"I'm appreciative of that." The cape buffalo pondered for a beat, then said. "Remember, it's okay to make mistakes. And, sometimes, there can be things you can't take back. But, we try to do right by our fellow mammal. Because, when you fail, it's what you do after that counts in the end."
The young feline's ears fell back. Tanaka didn't want to look at the treat anymore. "How do we fix it?"
"Well, I guess we'll have to make a new batch of special donuts," he broke the ring in half and offered a portion to her, "won't we?"
Tanaka exchanged looks at her godfather and the half-ring. Her tail flicked excitedly. She'd never made mochi before. She wanted to be magical, too.
"Yeah! Let's make the bestest donuts ever, Uncle Adrian!"
That was the first time Tanaka felt she could do something good for someone else. She could make a difference in their cruel world.
Her uncle's lecture felt all the more prominent now. She knew what had happened to Edward's old partner. He and Bogo told her what had happened with the wolf's ex; she didn't have a name then.
Was it wrong of her to force Edward to endure?
Tanaka felt her moment of reflection end when she saw the Chief start to shift. He stood upright and closed the door. The feline awaited his direction.
"My office. Tomorrow morning. Do not be late."
"Yessir." She didn't argue.
"Once Snow's out of the cruiser, take it back to the precinct and file your report," his gruff commanded. "I'm driving the detective home."
"Yessir," she nodded.
Bogo reopened the door, muttered in the wolf's direction, and provided overwatch as he exited unceremoniously. Edward kept his gaze pointed to the pavement. Silver-white paws gripped tightly around his arms. She could tell that he was still shaking.
Hooves pressed against the lupine's back, prompting him to move forward. At the same time, both mammals circled the cruiser, and the feline wrapped around the fender. She stood by and watched as her partner was ushered into the chief's car. She felt helpless.
She felt guilty.
The officer frowned, turned away, and was about to heed her uncle's order. That's when she noticed the rabbit detective peering in her direction. She looked so concerned.
When Judy met her eyes, she tensed, sank her head, and returned to whatever she was doing.
Somehow, Tanaka felt even worse.