Chapter Twelve: First Impressions Again

Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day.

When I first started writing Z-Harmony over a year ago, I had no idea how popular the story would be come. And now, Chapter 12 is finally here! I'd like to thank everyone for waiting. And just to clarify, there will be a Chapter 13, to finish off the story. That chapter will come at some point during the next two weeks.

It's so weird coming back to this story. All of my attention is on A New Dawn these days, and hopefully I can get these last two chapters out in a way that's satisfactory to my audience.

Okay, here we go.

Disclaimer: I do not own Zootopia.

…

If you had asked Finnick just yesterday, he would have told you that he had seen everything in this city. Being a con-mammal had led him to do some pretty weird things over the years, and he was starting to feel like nothing could surprise him anymore.

Until today.

"So… she's a bunny?"

"Yeah."

"And she knows you're a fox?"

"Yeah."

"…And she knows you have a criminal record?"

"Yes, Finnick," Nick said, "We literally went over all of this."

"I'm just trying to figure out what it is I'm missing here," Finnick reasoned. "You're telling me that this bunny... scratch that, this bunny cop... still wants to be with you."

"Yes, that's what I'm telling you." Nick said, simply.

"…And I take it you still want to be with her."

Nick sighed. "This conversation is feeling very one-sided."

Finnick paused, lost in thought. Finally he said, "I give up, man."

"Look, I know this is crazy…" Nick started to say.

Finnick laughed. "Crazy doesn't even begin to describe it."

"But I really like her. And I think we have a chance. I'm meeting her on Sunday."

Finnick looked up at his friend. It was so hard for him to get a grip on his partner sometimes. But whatever was going on, it was clear that Nick was very happy. Whether or not Nick was crazy, it was clear that there was no talking him out of it.

"Whatever," Finnick said, getting up off his stool.

"Still up for bowling?" Nick asked.

Finnick groaned. "Fine. I'll do some lanes with you, but please keep the lovey-dovey details to yourself. And don't you dare do that thing where you 'mistake me for the ball.'

Nick laughed. "Oh come on, that was a funny joke."

"My spine didn't think it was very funny!"

…

(Saturday, April 16th)

Judy had been assigned parking duty yet again.

Her numbers were significantly lower than usual. This was partly due to her being sick of her job, and partly because she couldn't stop thinking about Nick.

She had to keep reminding herself that she was in a relationship with a fox. What would her parents think?

There were still some aspects of him that remained a mystery, like his home life and the exact nature of his criminal record. She hoped that once she met him in real life, all the puzzle pieces would come together. She wanted to be able to connect his voice with an image, as she didn't really have one at the moment. She wanted to see his face. His eyes. His ears.

…But what about his teeth and claws?

Judy hated herself for even thinking that, but the point remained.

There was a sense of irony about the whole thing. Judy felt she could trust Nick. She just wasn't sure if she could trust herself around him.

…

For the first time in a while, Nick found himself aimlessly wandering the city streets alone.

He didn't feel like doing a hustle today. Even if he had attempted one, his heart just wouldn't have been in it.

At least his cold had disappeared by this point. He wondered if he should try going to a gym or pool today, he wanted to be in good shape before meeting Judy.

Absentmindedly, Nick wandered into a shop, not really caring what it was. He just wanted a place to rest his legs and maybe use the bathroom.

"What the hell do you want now, fox?"

Nick looked up and saw an elephant standing behind the counter. He recognized this elephant – it was Jerry Jumbeaux Jr, owner of a café he had hustled about a month ago.

Nick realized in that moment that he had hustled a good percentage of the companies in Zootopia, which would make things considerably more difficult in the event that he decided to go straight and get a real job.

Nick cleared his throat. "I'm so sorry, I just wandered in."

Mr. Jumbeaux raised an eyebrow. "Where's your son today?"

"Oh, he's… he's with his mother." Nick was starting to feel guilty for telling lies so much, but this didn't look like the most opportune moment to come clean.

"Well, you're lucky," the elephant said. "I've got a bit of a soft spot for kids. But I don't want it to turn into a regular thing, understand?"

Nick nodded. "Yes, sir. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble. I'll be on my way-"

BANG.

The noise startled everyone in the shop. Half of the customers covered their ears, and when they turned to face the direction of the noise, they were shocked and terrified.

A polar bear in a ski mask had come into the shop, carrying a large empty sack in one hand and a pistol in the other.

"All right, nobody move a damn muscle!" The bear shouted. "This is a stick-up!"

…

Now, Judy had always prided herself on her above-average hearing. Which is why it wasn't difficult for her to pick up the startling sound of gunshots happening just a block away from her current location.

The noise took her completely by surprise, and when was able to compose herself, she quickly got into her cart and started driving in the direction of the noise. After a while, she saw a building marked 'Jumbeaux's Café'. And she could see just enough through the window to know that something very bad was happening.

In the month that she had been working as a meter-maid, Judy had never encountered an actual crime while on duty, and she was equal parts excited and terrified. She picked up her police radio to contact Clawhauser.

On the other line, the cheetah picked up. "Hey Judy, what's wrong?"

"Clawhauser, I heard gunshots. There is a robbery going on in Savanna Central."

"Omigod!" Clawhauser exclaimed. "Hold on, let me connect you to the chief."

After a few seconds, Judy heard the distinct voice of Chief Bogo. "Hopps, this better be important."

Judy tried not to sound nervous. "Chief, I'm calling to report a robbery. My location is…"

Her boss interrupted her. "Before we continue… are you absolutely certain that this is a real robbery? You're not just making this up as an excuse to do something?

Judy was appalled that the chief would even think that. "No, sir. I heard the gunshots. And now I'm seeing it with my own eyes."

The chief sighed. "All right, tell me your location."

"Downtown. Sousten Street. Jumbeaux's Café."

"Describe what you can see."

"I can see it happening through the window. From what I can make out, there's a large polar bear with a ski mask and loaded pistol, Most of the customers appear to be pachyderms."

"Can the robber see you?"

"I don't think so, sir."

After a brief pause, the chief said, "All right. I'll send some officers in that direction. They should be here in about five minutes. Hopps, whatever you do, do not go inside that building. Do I make myself clear?"

"But, sir-"

"I'm not going to ask again," he said plainly.

Judy hesitated, then reluctantly nodded her head. "Of course, sir."

…

Nick didn't know what to do.

His first thought was to try and slip out undetected. He was noticeably smaller than the other customers, so it seemed doable. But this bear was standing right in front of the door, and he had a gun.

As for Mr. Jumbeaux, he was not keen of having someone try to rob his store. "Look, mister," he said sternly. "I don't go around giving my hard earned cash to some dirty pred just because they point some shiny toy in my face. So why don't you get out of my shop?"

The bear snarled and pointed his gun in the air. In an instant, he fired it, resulting in another loud BANG and a bullet hole in the ceiling.

The bear chuckled. "Still think it's a toy, huh?"

…

Judy winced at the sound of the gunshot.

There was no doubt about it, this situation was escalating fast. And if the police didn't get here soon, it was very likely that someone could get hurt, even killed.

She also knew that if she stepped in, she could be putting herself in real danger. This criminal was much larger than she was, and even if she did manage to apprehend the criminal, then her job would be on the line for disobeying orders.

But in that moment, Judy realized something. If she chose to do nothing, she would probably be stuck in a dead-end job for the rest of her life. If she stepped in, she would likely be fired – but at least she would have stopped one crime. She would have genuinely saved the lives of multiple innocent civilians.

She picked up her radio again. "Clawhauser, any word on when the other officers get here?"

"Uh, it looks like it's gonna be a few more minutes. Just sit tight, Judy."

Judy took a deep breath. "I've had enough of sitting tight."

"Judy… what are you going to do?"

"This is my one chance to be a real cop, Clawhauser," she said firmly. "I've gotta take it."

And she hung up before Clawhauser could object. She raced across the street and got into position by the front door.

She tried to think of a strategy. Clearly, this bear overpowered her. But if she could disarm him, then she might stand a chance. She just needed the right angle.

…

The bear didn't move, he just stood there by the door. "Mr. Jumbeaux, sir… I'm a simple mammal, really. All I want is your money. Now, you give it to me, and I'll get out of your little shop. But if you don't…." He gave a sinister smile. "You know I've always heard that a bullet up the trunk is extremely painful. Care to help me demonstrate?"

Mr. Jumbeaux was torn. He didn't want to give in to the bear's request, but he was beginning to feel afraid.

And in that moment, Nick Wilde made a decision that was both very brave and very stupid.

"Hey!"

The bear turned to the sound of the noise, then looked down. He was surprised to see that the voice had come not from an elephant, but from a red fox. "Why are you doing this?" the fox asked.

The bear chortled. "Why am I doing this? Is that your statement?"

"No, it's my question. There's a difference." Nick said, trying to appear more confident than he felt. "I want to know why you decided to devote your life to crime rather than trying to make an honest living for yourself. Because whatever's going on in your life right now, there's gotta be a better way."

There was a brief pause, then the bear started marching towards Nick, towering over him. "Oh really? And who the hell are you to judge me, fox?"

And then he pointed his gun directly at Nick.

…

Judy's eyes widened as the bear moved away from the front door. Crossing her fingers, Judy made a beeline for the door and made it into the shop.

No one noticed her, seeing how small she was. All of their attention was focused on the bear and whomever he was talking to. It didn't matter anyway, she just needed to think. She realized that if she jumped the robber from behind and grabbed hold of his mask, it might be enough to bring the bear to his knees.

But she needed to act quickly. She took a few steps back, preparing to jump, when she heard a loud creaking sound from underneath her feet.

Judy realized in horror that she had stepped on a loose floorboard, and in an instant, the bear had turned his head. And he was now looking straight at her.

"Wow," he said with a chuckle. "Are you supposed to arrest me? No wonder the ZPD is failing these days."

…

Nick felt relieved when the bear turned away from him, though it didn't help that the gun was still pointed in Nick's direction.

But in that moment, something came over Nick that he had never felt before. There were innocent mammals in this shop, and their lives were at risk. He found himself wishing that there was something he could do. And then an idea popped into his head.

Without stopping to thick it over, Nick summoned all of his strength and knocked the gun out of the bear's hand.

All eyes were on the pistol as it clattered on the floor. As the bear realized what had happened, he became enraged. He rushed to get it but Nick was faster. He grabbed it and held it above his head.

The bear snarled, furiously. "Give that to me, you stupid, ugly fo-"

THWACK.

With no warning, the bear began to fall to his knees. He had been hit in the back, in exactly the right place to make him collapse.

At first, Nick didn't know what was going on, and he started to run in the opposite direction to avoid being squished. And a few seconds later, he heard a loud CRASH behind him. The bear was down.

Nick closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. It was over. The robber had been stopped, everyone was safe, and in the background, he could hear a cop reading the bear his rights. Everything was…

Wait.

"Mister, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."

He knew that voice.

Slowly, he turned around to face the officer, and when he saw he her, felt his jaw drop.

"…Judy?"

There was no question whatsoever that this was her. After all, it wasn't every day you saw a rabbit in a police uniform. And when she turned to face him, he realized her eyes were a vibrant purple, exactly like she had described in their first conversation.

She stared at him for a moment, "How did you…" Then her eyes lit up. "Nick?"
"

There was silence. Neither of them said anything. They both looked stunned and a little embarrassed. Even the other mammals in the store seemed to stop talking. It was as though time had come to a halt for one glorious moment.

Eventually, it was Nick who spoke.

"…You saved me."

Judy gave a genuine smile. "Well, that's what we do in the ZPD."

Just then, the bear ruined the moment by grunting and trying to get back up. Judy snapped back into police mode and tried to keep the bear down, but it wasn't easy for a mammal her size.

Judy looked up at Nick, a little sheepishly. "Can I, uh... get a little help here?"

Nick immediately got down on the ground. First, he handed Judy the gun for evidence. She placed it on the ground beside her and then both of them tried to push against the large bear, who was trying valiantly to stand up.

Meanwhile, the other customers in the shop exchanged awkward glances with one another. They didn't know what to make of the scene that was unfolding, and they were unsure whether or not they should get involved.

Nick was trying his hardest to hold down the bear's left paw. "Shouldn't you have pawcuffs or something?"

"Sorry, I couldn't fit bear-sized paw cuffs in my uniform," Judy said, humorously. "Besides, backup should be coming any minute now."

"You know, I thought you said your job was boring," Nick remarked.

"It usually is!" Judy said, giving a slight shrug while trying to keep the culprit down. "I don't know, maybe things only get exciting when you're around."

"Well, thank you very much! Just a second…" he turned around to face the other customers in the shop. "Excuse me, I don't suppose any of you pachyderms could help us out here?"

An elephant couple rushed over to the scene, and fortunately, they were able to hold down the bear quite easily. This meant that Nick and Judy had some time to chat before backup arrived.

Everything had happened so fast, Nick barely had any time to take in the fact that he was actually talking to Judy, face to face. In the past week, his life had been completely changed by her mere voice, and now he had a face to go with it. And he was not disappointed by what he saw. When he looked into those amazing violet eyes, he could see all the kindness and determination in the world staring right back at him.

Not to mention - for a bunny, she was unbelievably attractive.

"So…" Nick began. "This is the real you, huh?"

"Yes," Judy said, a little embarrassed. "Although, I wish that someone would have given me a heads up that this meeting would take place a day early. I was planning on wearing something fancy for a good first impression."

Nick shrugged. "I think it worked out okay. I mean, what you did back there… I'd definitely call that a good first impression."

"Really?"

"Absolutely. You look so…" he paused, trying to find the right word.

Judy picked up on his hesitation. "Just letting you know… it's not really considered polite to call a bunny 'cute.'

Nick immediately shook his head. "I wasn't going to say that at all. No, you look… amazing."

Judy found herself blushing. "You're not so bad looking yourself. I mean, I don't really know what I was expecting, but you look good."

"Good?" Nick said, chuckling a bit. "Is that all you can say?"

"You look very…" Judy thought for a moment, before settling on, "handsome."

Nick was a little surprised by that. "Handsome for a fox?"

Judy shook her head. "Handsome, period."

…

What happened next was all a blur in Nick's mind. Once backup arrived, the bear was taken into custody, while Judy followed her fellow officers back to the police station. Nick was also taken to the station, along with all the other witnesses to the crime. (Mr. Jumbeaux was not terribly happy about having to close the store for the day just because of some jerk with a gun.)

…

"And so I helped her hold the bear down, and then the two elephants stepped up to keep him down, and… that's when backup showed up. That's pretty much it."

Officer Higgins looked at his notes for what seemed like longer than necessary before finally saying, "Your story matches what Officer Hopps and the other witnesses told us. You're in the clear, fox."

"Thank you, sir."

Nick walked out of the room, breathing a sigh of relief. He had been starting to worry that the cop might be prejudiced against foxes, and would maybe try and connect him with the crime. Thankfully, that hadn't happened, and he had been allowed to walk away, free.

But as he walked through the hall, he caught the sound of Judy's voice in another room. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he peered in. It looked like she was getting grilled by her boss, a cape buffalo. And he did not look happy.

"Hopps, for all your talk about good hearing, you don't seem to be very good at listening, do you?"

"Sir, I…"

The chief slammed his hoof on the desk. "Don't interrupt me when I'm talking to you, Hopps! I specifically told you not to go inside that building. You deliberately disobeyed your supreme officer. This kind of behavior is completely out of line and will not be permitted."

Nick sensed the tone in the chief's voice. This guy was clearly very upset, and he was about to do something drastic.

And Nick wasn't having it.

He barged right into that room. Both Judy and her boss were surprised to see him come in. "Excuse me, I really don't want to be rude, but… were you about to fire her for saving my life?"

After a moment of stunned silence, the chief frowned. "If you would kindly leave us alone, fox. This is none of your concern."

"I hate to disagree with you," Nick said, not at all meaning it. "But as a citizen of Zootopia, I am very concerned. I mean, not only did she save my life, but she saved the lives of roughly a dozen innocent civilians and arrested the robber. Now, if that's the kind of thing that can get you fired, I am really concerned about the future of the ZPD. So, from a morality standpoint as well as a publicity standpoint, I really don't see the benefit in firing her."

He let that sink in for a moment before adding, "But hey, you don't have to listen to me. After all, if she had just done the job that you told her to do, I would be dead."

The chief was absolutely speechless. He wanted to be angry, but he couldn't deny the fact that the fox had made some very good points.

Finally, the chief cleared his throat. "Hopps, return to your desk. Fill out a report on the attempted robbery. When you're finished, you can leave."

"And… after that?" Judy asked, cautiously.

The chief mulled it over for a few moments before saying. "If I'm not mistaken, tomorrow is your day off. How convenient. I'll expect you to come in Monday, and… we'll talk."

Almost instantly, Judy's ears perked up, but she tried to hide her giddiness and stay professional. "Thank you, sir."

Judy climbed out of the oversized chair and smiled at Nick, before walking out the door. Nick turned to follow her, when-

"Fox, come here."

Nick turned back to the chief and pulled himself into the chair that Judy had been sitting in. "I have a name, you know," he remarked.

"I figured as much, but I don't care," the chief said with a shrug. "From what I understand, you were partially responsible for apprehending the robber. You knocked the pistol out of his paws. Is that true?"

Nick nodded.

The chief was staring at him, curiously. "I've known a lot of foxes in my life," he said. "They usually have a tendency to be sly and clever. But most of them don't use their cleverness to actually help others."

"Most of them aren't given the chance," Nick responded.

The chief paused momentarily, as if he had never considered that. Then he said, "The stories all add up, but there's still one detail that confuses me. When I spoke with Officer Hopps, she seemed to imply that the two of you had never met before. But according to several eyewitnesses, you two had a lengthy conversation as soon as the robber was down. And given the way you stood up for her just now, I find myself doubting that you two are strangers. So… do you and Hopps know one another?"

Nick shrugged and replied, "Yes and no." But when the chief didn't seem to like that answer, Nick clarified. "What I mean is, uh… we met online. Through Z-Harmony."

"Z-Harmony? The dating site?" The chief looked utterly perplexed before sighing. "She is certainly not a typical bunny, is she?"

"But she's pretty incredible, right?"

The chief said nothing, but Nick couldn't help but feel that they were in agreement.

Finally, the chief asked. "What's your name, fox?"

"Wilde, Nick Wilde."

"I don't know what she sees in you, Wilde."

"Neither do I," Nick admitted.