Disclaimer: Zootopia stories, characters, settings, and properties belong to the Walt Disney Co. This story is written under Fair Use Copyright laws.
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The Fire Triangle—A Zootopia Fanfiction
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Part One:
Fuel
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Chapter 8—Where There's Smoke...
(Pt. 1)
"A lot of the internet is positive for the most part, but...there are horrible things..."
—Phil Johnston, Co-Director Wreck-It Ralph 2
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"You're not coming to work dressed like that are you?"
Judy Hopps stared at Nick Wilde with her nose twitching. The uniform he was wearing today looked like something he'd picked up at a Rescue Mission; the pant-cuffs were frayed, the knees were worn; the shirt was so badly faded that he could almost have been mistaken for a bus driver. The only good thing you could say about the red fox's ensemble was that at least it was clean.
They were ascending the front steps to Precinct-1 together, their standard morning ritual. As always, bunny-scout Judy had arrived first, and Nick had caught up with her a few minutes later, (yet another part of their daily routine.) What wasn't so customary was that Nick seemed to have designated today as his own, private, casual Friday. Judy hoped he had something nicer to wear in his locker, but suspected that wasn't the case
"Yes mom, I'm going to work like this, mom." the fox replied, pushing his sunglasses up the bridge of his muzzle and regarding her with a sullen eye. At first, Judy thought he was only being sarcastic, but then a thought came buzzing into her head.
"You...went to see your mother last night, is that it?' she asked.
Nick didn't answer her immediately, but the way he seemed to find the middle distance interesting told the bunny-cop everything she needed to know.
"No," he finally said, "I called her to try to set up a time for me to come and visit, but..." here he half growled, half sighed, "I never got around to asking her; mom had...'something else' on her mind."
It didn't take much of a leap for Judy to guess what that 'something else' was.
"Grandkids again?" she asked—and hit the target, dead center.
"From the minute she picked up the phone," Nick answered her, rolling his tongue as if something unpleasant had become lodged underneath it. When he stopped, it seemed to trigger an attack of the guilt bug...mea culpa; I've been a bad little fox-cub.
"I tried Carrots, I really tried," he told her, "But after five minutes of that, I just couldn't bring myself to ask if I could see her."
"Okay," Judy said to him quickly, having decided this was as far as she could push the fox. While she still didn't necessarily approve of him showing up for work in his 'grubs', at least he had a semi-decent reason for it.
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The Fire Triangle, A Zootopia Fanfiction -- Part One
Mystery / ThrillerIt's been two years since Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps broke the Savage Predator conspiracy. Now a brilliant and effective team, they're only a few steps away from making the detective bureau and growing closer with every passing day. But even as thei...
