Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia or any characters associated with the movie, I do, however, own the characters of my own making!
The Long Road Ahead
By, THE DARK SOLDIER06
Chapter Two: The First Steps
June 6, 1944
2 Miles off the Shore of Normandy.
7:25 a.m.
It was a long journey across the Atlantic. The crew quarters were crammed full of soldiers, the smell was almost enough to make someone gag, and to top it all off, there was always the chance of getting hit by a torpedo from a kraut submarine. The stories from the sailors who had witnessed such an event were very vivid. How one second the boat would be fine, then a big boom, and the next thing everyone knew, the boat was slipping below the waves.
The troop transport ship, the USS Bayfield, had avoided such a fate. Aboard this ship was the oldest U.S. fighting division to walk a battlefield, the 1st Infantry Division, also known as the Bloody First. Among the ranks of such a fine division, was Nick 'Red' Wilde, a fox from the farms of the state of Texas. He was currently sitting below decks, at a table with all the friends he made while in basic training. Judy was currently telling a story to the rest of the guys, but Nick paid little mind to the story. His attention was more on the people around him.
To his left was a Fennec fox that went by the name Finnick, he didn't have a last name. He was a small guy with a big attitude. Nick thought back to a time in basic, and remembered how the fennec almost tore the drill instructor's head off, but managed to maintain military bearing. Also, he may be small, but he could still kick your behind if you made him mad enough. Finnick didn't have it as lucky as Nick did, he didn't have a family, he didn't have a home, and the only way to keep his belly full was to sham people out of their money. He wasn't proud of it, but no one would give him a chance to prove himself worthy of a respectable job. But then, the world went to shit and that's when he enlisted and started making things better for himself.
The fox to Nick's right was Gideon Grey. He was an all-around friendly guy, willing to help anyone and everyone, he was a bit on the chubby side, but was one of the best shots within the entire division. Nick and Gideon came from the same home state of Texas, but instead of farming, Gideon owned a bakery with his lovely wife, Sherly. Gideon had wanted to start a family with Sherly, but he didn't want to have to do it in a war-torn world. So, he decided that he would enlist in order to make the world a better place to raise his future kits. Gideon also had a knack for being good with a camera, and that's exactly what he was messing with right now. He had stated that he would get the best pictures of the entire war, even if it meant going behind enemy lines.
The last person at the table was a bunny that went by the name Judith Laverne Hopps, but she preferred Judy. She had a very energetic personality, and like Gideon, was willing to help everyone. During basic training, Nick was really rather put off by just how cheerful she was and he wasn't really set on having her as a friend. He was baffled by how she could put a smile on her face, even when on the dreaded rock painting details. He realized that the bunny was a great help to everyone around her, and warmed up to the idea of having her as a friend. One day, the drill instructor marched into the barracks, screaming about how some dumbass recruit had made a mistake that would have gotten them into a deep pile of shit.
Nick was one of the few who knew that it was Judy who made the mistake and was content with her getting the punishment, but Nick saw his chance, and stepped forward to take the punishment for her mistake. When Nick got back to the barracks, from the ten-mile march with the 45 lb. ruck sack on his back, it was already dark and everyone was asleep. Expect for the bunny that came up to him and thanked him for taking the blame. From there, their friendship began and grew.
Nick was brought out of his reminiscent state when Finnick stated rather loudly, that he had a challenge for Judy. He challenged her to a game which had been played across the ship during the entire voyage. All you needed was a knife and five fingers. Judy had borne witness to the game and had seen her fair share of accidental amputations. She was going to refuse but then Finnick sweetened the deal.
"If you can do it five times in ten seconds, I will give you this," He said as he took a medallion from around his neck and presented it to everyone at the table.
"Saint Michael, patron saint of soldiers. He's had my back since Kasserine Pass," Finnick stated. Judy seemed to eye the piece with the picture of a moose saint on it. After a little while she said she would do it and asked Nick for his knife and for Gideon to time her. Nick gladly handed his knife to her and laid back to watch the seen unfold.
"Anyway, back to my story. Bellwether was strutting around the halls as though she was the hot shit, "Judy said as she went into a ready stance.
"You should have seen the look on her face when I showed her my paper", from there she brought the knife up and brought it down in between each of her fingers. She did this five times within the span of six and half seconds, and she still had all her fingers.
She did a little jump to celebrate her victory as she handed Nick's knife back to him and claimed her prize. As she took hold of it, she heard a little grumble from the fennec and looked up to see he had a sour look on his face.
"Hey now, nobody likes a sore loser," the bunny said.
"Fine, you can have it, I'll find myself a real trophy anyway, once we get to shore", the fennec stated.
"Oh, burnt biscuits!", Gideon exclaimed. Everyone looked to him with confusion.
"Briefing is in five minutes, grab anything you need and then head up to the main deck", the fox said as he stood up, grabbed his rifle, and exited their quarters.
Finnick went to his bunk and grabbed a few things and followed after Gideon.
As the fox and bunny duo left their quarters with their equipment, Judy pulled out the medallion and said to the fox by her side, "Don't worry Nick, I got our backsides covered".
"I'd hope we wouldn't need that kind of luck", Nick said as they walked along.
"I do to, but hey, if all else fails, I'm glad it's going to be you by my side", she stopped walking and so did the fox.
Judy faced Nick and raised her forearm to him as if offering a handshake, "To the end?", she asked.
Nick grasped her forearm and gave her a determined look, "To the end," he replied with a firmness in his voice.
They continued heading towards the main deck, when it seemed their sergeant materialized out of thin air in front of them. Before them stood a tall grey wolf, that went by the name, Samuel Wolford. He had garnered a reputation for being a heartless mammal. You wanted to retreat, no, if you were under his watch, he would make you push forward no matter how many more soldiers he lost. He was not a nice guy in the soldier's eyes.
The duo snapped to attention and went blank face as their sergeant neared them. He stopped in front of them and gave them a look of dislike.
"Why aren't you two at the briefing?", the wolf questioned them.
"We were just on our way there, sir", Judy replied while she maintained the position of attention.
"You should have been there three minutes ago, in my opinion", The wolf said as he turned to walk away.
"Well sir, that's your opinion", Nick said. Judy turned her head to give him a look of hate but snapped to attention when the sergeant turned around.
The sergeant walked right up to Nick and bent down so he could be on eye level.
"You better square yourself away fox, or the krauts are going to have your lunches", the wolf said. He stood back up and stood there as if waiting for a response. He did not want one, but Nick thought otherwise.
"Don't worry sir, our lunches are secure", the fox gave the unwanted response. The wolf decided that it would take to many brain cells to chew him out. So, he just gave them a look of hate, and turned, heading towards the main deck.
"On me", he called back to the duo. They didn't move at first but looked at each other, with looks that said it was going to be a long day.
1 Mile off the Shore of Normandy
Main Deck of the USS Bayfield
11:13 a.m.
They were all standing in their ranks as the buffalo in front of them gave a great and heroic pep talk to get them ready for the battle. Major Bogo had been up there for the past three and a half hours, detailing what they would do once they reach the beach, on a board which had the beach heads labeled as Sword, Juno, Gold, Omaha, and Utah. He had finished the presentation, but before he dismissed everyone, he had some words to say.
"Today, with our allies, we embark upon an operation of unparoled importance. To establish a beach head at Normandy and roll back the German aggression that has terrorized Europe for the past five years. We are all that separates the world from darkness", the buffalo said. The battleships that had been an escort to the troop ship opened fire on the beach at that moment. With the intent of softening the seawall the Germans had built there. Bogo was interrupted by the guns but continued with his speech.
"This is so much more than a chance to be heroes in our own lifetime. If we prevail, our triumphs will be etched into the hearts and minds of a grateful world, for untold generations. I'm talking about glory, true glory", he wrapped up his presentation from there and dismissed the group. Seeing as they were ahead of schedule, Bogo said they each have five minutes to take of any unfinished bussiness before going into battle.
Nick went off into a corner and pulled out his journal. He sat down with the thought of writing a farewell message to Scarlett, you know, just in case, but thought against it. He would make it through this. So, instead he wrote about his time aboard the USS Bayfield, all the people he met, all the events that happened aboard the ship, he wrote about the speech Major Bogo just gave. He was interrupted, when he heard sergeant Wolford call out. It was time to load up.
He went with his group and climbed down the rope ladder into the LCVP below. When he got down, Gideon and Wolford shoved the rope over the side and the boat started moving. Nick pulled out his journal again. He had a few more things he wanted to write down. When writing, he thought about the speech the Major gave, and a similar speach his football coach gave him back in high school. He also thought about how his team lost that game by forty-two points. Nick hoped there wouldn't be a similar situation on this beach.
From there Nick decided to write about the otter to his left, Lieutenant James Otterton. He was a great mammal and an even better leader. Most in the division thought that Otterton had earned his place as their leader. There were many things that Otterton was known for, he was consoling, caring, strong, smart, and many other attributes that made him a great mammal.
Though, as is the usual, there's always the one mammal the soldiers didn't like.
Otterton and Wolford often had different viewpoints on a lot of subjects, and since Otterton was their leader, he was in charge of keeping Wolford on a short leash. Because everyone knew what happened when you gave Wolford to much freedom.
Nick started to finish up his entry into his journal while their boat joined up with a great many others.
'Ever since I could hold a rifle, I wanted to be like you Paul. You've always been a tough act to follow, but as long as there is breath in my lungs, I'm damn sure going to try. It's now, or never.' With that, Nick closed his journal and put the pencil in his pocket.
His attention was grabbed when Judy remarked that she couldn't wait to get home to her family.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure you can find someone to keep you company once we hit Paris", Nick said back. Judie's ears might not have gone down, but Nick could tell he got reaction he wanted from her by the pink twinge in her cheeks.
The Lieutenant grabbed their attention and reminded them not to dig in and that they needed to push up to the sea wall.
"Stay low and do not bunch up, stick to your training and you're going to make it through. I'm proud to lead you fellas into battle, any time, any place", the sound of engines drew all eyes to the planes flying above. In those plains was the 101st Airborne Division.
A couple of mammals cheered and wished them luck. Finnick gave his cheer in the form of curses upon the enemy.
From beside Nick, Judy looked nervous, when Nick caught her eye, her gave her questioning look.
"Beaches are supposed to be flat, right?", Judy asked with a tinge of worry in her voice.
Wolford, who was right in front of Judy, turned to look at her and said, "You sound scared, private".
"No sir", Judy remarked, standing a little taller and with firmness in her voice.
"You should be", Wolford said right back. This made Judy deflate some, but she still stood ready for the battle.
It was a couple of minutes before Nick heard someone behind him call his name.
"Hey Red, you got a light", when Nick looked, he saw that it was the weasel who was driving the boat.
Though Nick didn't smoke he still carried a lighter on him. Better to have it than not. As Nick was lighting the driver's cigarette, he heard a whistling sound. He didn't know what it was, but before he could look around to try and identify the noise, the machine gunner who was behind the driver went limp. Nick looked at him and saw his head was missing.
"Everyone, get down", he heard Wolford yell. Everyone went into a crouch as all hell broke loose around them.
There was machine gun fire overhead, there was artillery and mortar shells landing in the water besides their boat, making it jerk violently this way and that.
He heard the driver call out the distance until they reached the beach, but then said with worry in his voice.
"We are going to have to pull off!", the driver remarked.
"No, you're taking us in", Otterton retaliated.
"We must have drifted, I can't see the landmarks", the driver tried again.
"You heard the lieutenant, full steam ahead", Wolford yelled at the weasel.
"Incoming", Nick heard someone yell.
To the left of the boat that was carrying Nick, a boat just like his was struck by artillery and blew up. It was now out of control and on a collision course for their boat.
"Two hundred yards!", yelled the driver.
As they continued forward, they had close calls with artillery and machine gun fire, while the driver was still unaware of the flaming battering ram heading their way.
"Same plan. Get to the sea wall",Otterton yelled.
"Wilde, Longtooth, get the bangalore to the wall. Is everybody ready?" Wolford yelled over the constant sound of gunfire.
"Here we go" Wolford screamed.
"Drop the ramp", Otterton ordered the driver.
"There's no cover!", replied the driver.
"That was an order, god damn it", Wolford yelled at the driver.
With that, the ramp dropped and all the people aboard the boat were at the mercy of the Nazi lead heading their way.
A N: I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If there are any suggestions as to what I could do to make the story more interesting, please, don't be shy, leave a review.
I know I used the speeches from the game, But I will write my own heroic speech for the remake of this story.
Next chapter that comes out will be for my first work, The Inside Counts, so if you're interested, be on the lookout for that.
I finally figured out how to make narrating videos, so I will be spending some time working on that. I will start a channel eventually.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some math to attend to.
Wishing you Fair Winds and Following Seas, THEDARKSOLDIER06.