Foxes and Dragons

Judy glared at the red letters on bedside clock as her alarm went off.

After the incident, they reported the findings as well as they could to the rest of their squad. They proceeded to their original rendezvous on the street.

They got to their contact. They finally had a name to their suspect from a goat who was offered ten thousand dollars for a gemstone and she gave them a name: Phillip Rodintrot.

After that they hadn’t got back to the station until later and she finally went to bed. She had been so wired up and various scenarios kept playing out in her head that is was after midnight when she finally fell asleep.

After washing her face in the apartment’s community bathroom, she pulled on her uniform and buckled on her vest.

She clicked her badge on. She headed down to the café out front for a bagel and coffee. She munched on the bagel in the café and waited for her coffee. There was nothing in the morning news feed on her phone other than the discussion on the Mehoctra Stars coming the closest to earth in a millennium. The rose-coloured light of dawn turned light orange as her coffee came.

She picked it up and made it to the bus stop just as her ride was coming.

****************************************

Judy passed through the revolving doors of the precinct. She saw Nick talking with Clawhauser at the front desk and plodded on over.

“You look like you could use a donut!” the cheetah extended a chubby paw with a strawberry jelly donut.

Judy smiled and took the treat.

“We’ll need all the energy we can get if we’re gonna catch this wacky wizard!” Judy exclaimed.

Nick sniggered. “Love the bravado Carrots! It’s just a matter of time now we gotta face and we gotta name.”

Rhinowhitz appeared in the lobby. Both officers turned and greeted their squad leader. He motioned with a hoof to follow him.

The walked down the corridors and into a room with several computers and servers humming.

There was a squat figure in a wheelchair infront of a computer screen and heard the tapping on a key board.

“Piconi, would you show the footage again please?”

“Oh, yeah! Right away!”

The horse grinned and pushed a button on a console under another screen.

“The footage of you talking to the cub is here. Pretty normal. Then the horse comes and stands next to the cub and then you pull your pistol and…”

They all squinted at the footage.

“Poof!” The screen went to static. “Gone! Can’t see anything. All the feed for three blocks are white noise for twenty minutes.”

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room.

“So they’re turning off the cameras like the ones in the jewellery store.” Rhinowhitz murmured

“I have no idea how they would do that!” Judy shook her head.

Nick glanced at Piconi’s keyboard.
“Just outta interest, how do you use your hooves on there?”

Piconi extended his hoof. Nick saw a ring attached to the toe of the hoof.

He saw a small outlet where a ring was placed. The horse placed his hoof in the centre of the ring and there was a slight click on the device.

He held up his hoof and there were two struts with spheres on the end.

He then turned his wrist from side to side and started pressing the buttons on the keyboard.

Nick raised his eyebrows with interest.

“We’ll have the interegation room prepared when we bring those two in.” Rhinowhiz commented

“We could bring em here.” Nick murmured “Have a good clop bad clop routine.”

“Not funny!” Piconi turned

“Sorry, I’ll stop horsen around…”

“I’ll give you horsen around in a sec!”

Judy shook her head. “Seriously, that was terrible…”

*************************************************************

In the squad room, Rhinowhitz pinned another picture on the wall.

“So now after this little encounter last night, we have an amateur photographer stallion called Phillip, that’s taken quite a following of horses with him with some rather interesting rituals…”

The corners of Nick’s mouth went up slightly. “So… we have ourselves a “Colt Cult”?”

Rhinowitz sighed. “Essentially”

“Is there any idea what they are after or what they’re trying achieve?” Judy asked.

“Oh… power in themselves, the brotherhood of the true path type of thing.”

“I guess those kinds of groups would be attractive right now even after the imprisonment of Bellweather.” Judy murmured

“Well, they actually preach the “foundation” of Zootopia saying that the statue of Olemus must be kept in the city as a symbol of healing the tension between the species.” Rhinowhitz countered.

“Okay. I can see the appeal in that.” Nick said.

“Right.” Said Judy “So what does that have to do with civil order?”

Rhinowhitz looked at Fangmyer.

“There’s a number of interesting things in the literature they dispense.” Fangmyer began. “According to the information they put out, there appears to be a large emphasis on gemstones and the statue of Olemus.”

“This group has no trails online or has any messages. There mostly off the grid.”

“How did we find out about this?” Nick asked

“We did a few enquiries back at the museum and one of the guards talked about this cult that had gathered at the museum to rever the statue after it was brought back from Hydesdale.”

Fangmyer tapped her paws together.

“Perhaps we should have another look at the locations of the thieveries and ask around if anyone’s heard of any activities of this cult in this area.”

“They are concentrated in the central district, so we can assume that they’re in that area.”

“Alright, how about we mix things up a bit now.” Rhinowhitz declared. “Hopps you’re with me and Fangmyer and Wilde you’re together.”

He ignored the looks and surprised gasps that there thrown his way.

“We’ll comb each side of the district and see if we can find anything.”

Judy and Rhinowhitz walked to the lobby and a ram walked through the revolving door.

Judy stopped short when she saw the cane in his hand.

“It’s you!”

The ram straightened

“Oh, Hello Judy!”

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes actually, I’m just startng my new job today!”

Judy frowned “What’s that?”

“Police Chaplin.” The ram smiled. “If you want to talk again my door is always open.”

Judy raised an eyebrow as the ram continued on.

***********************************************************

Nick and Fangemyer travelled together in silence. The radio occasionally responded about police positions, but there was no other noise in the vehicle.

“How long you been on the force?” Nick finally asked.

Fangmyer gave the fox a quick glance and turned her eye’s back on the road stopping and a red light and turning on her left signal.

“Five years.” She murmured.

There was silence for a moment

“There was quite a bit of interest in recruiting predators to the police enforcement. There was advocates for stronger representation in the police ratio of prey to pred in the precinct.”

Nick quietly nodded.

“I guess it starts at the bottom before it changes at the top for these things. Attitudes and all. When I was a kid, mammals would scoff at the idea of having a lion as major.”

Fangmyer opened her mouth to say something then a voice perked up over the radio.

“We have a 911 emergency call for an armoured car robbery on Jackelson Street.”

Nick glanced at the GPS.

“We’re pretty close.”

The lights went green. Fangmyer flicked on the siren and sped down the street.

Coming up of Jackelson Street they saw the armoured car with doors flared open on the side of the street.

They saw several mammals standing around it in body armour and in the uniforms of the guards. On seeing the cruiser, a few waved them down.

The officers pulled over. A moose in uniform strolled over.

“What’s going on?” Fangmyer asked

“Well, the vehicle lost control and went onto a driveway after that the doors popped open.” The moose explained. “Had just enough time to turn and hit the panic button before I got struck by some kind of painful shock.”

“Was anything taken?” Nick asked.

“Surprisingly, only a diamond from one of the lockboxes. Everything else was untouched.”

Nick and Fangmyer looked at each other and turned to the back of the vehicle. There was nothing in sight.

“Waita minute…” Nick murmured and bent down and sniffed.

His nose travelled around one of the benches in the back he glanced at the spot and then straightened.

“There…” he pointed

The tiger lowered herself. She saw a barely visible smudge on the floor.

She sniffed it cautiously.

“Ice Cream…”

She turned and looked up the fox.

“Something left at the crime scene at long last! We’ve got something!”

***************************************************************

ZPD precinct

“Frozen Yogurt.”

“What?....”

“This substance is Frozen Yogurt.”

The monotone voice of the goat did little to liven Nicks mood.

“No DNA?”

“No.”

“No hair?”

“No.”

“No nails?”

“No.”

“No ball?”

The goat turned wordlessly and walked away.

Nick shook his head.

He returned to the squad room and closed the door behind them.

“Frozen Yogurt!” He announced. “….and nothing else we can find about it.”

Everyone in the room sighed. All the rest of the squad felt this look at defeat.

There was a knock on the door.

Nick turned. Rhinowhitz turned the handle.

Seeing no mammal in front of him, he looked down.

Standing before him was a grey rabbit in a black suit and tie.

He frowned. The rabbit started speaking first.

“Good Morning.”

“Good Morning.” Rhinowhitz returned

“Can I assume I am addressing, Detective Rhinowhitz?”

“Yes… That’s right.”

“Excellent.” The rabbit pulled out a leather wallet “I am Agent Savage of the ZBI, I am here to inform you that this case is now under the jurisdiction of the Bureau and we will be requiring all information that you have gathered so far.”

None of the squad answered for a moment as they had never had a rabbit that displayed such a commanding tone.

Judy broke the silence.

“Uh… I’m Officer Hopps…”

“I know.”

“I…” she paused with a frown.

“Can you give us a reason why this is reassigned?” she finished.

“We have reason to believe that the ‘group’ you’re following is connected to a wider operation that we’ve been tracing for months and we would very much like it to have a stable situation when we progress in closing their operation.”

Nick raised an eyebrow. “Are you saying we’re shakin’ the tree too much?”

“Indeed. We will include you in on this operation but it will be on a need-to-know basis.”

“There’s been a lot in this case that hasn’t added up.” Rhinowhitz murmured.

“These mammals are organized and dangerous. We have means to deal with these mammals that the ZPD is unprepared for.”

No ego stroking here Nick thought

The rest of the morning was taken in relaying Savage the footage, the notes from their interview and the crime scenes. The rabbit did not provide any information about the group or go into any detail with the questions they asked.

Nick looked up at the clock.

“Time for some lunch.” He murmured “Something sweet I think.”

His mind cringed at the thought of that frozen yogurt.

He knew it was frozen yogurt when he smelt it with his acute sense of smell, but no DNA or other evidence.

There was something distinct about that scent. It was frozen yogurt, lycee flavoured… a fair amount of sugar…

Some kind of syrup.

He could remember tasting that syrup.He snapped his finger.

La Bambi Frozen Treats…

“Nick?” Judy asked “You still with us?”

“Hmmm?.... Yes, I was thinking of going out for lunch today. A nice bit of stag beetle grub casserole I think…”
*****************************************************
Twilights bags were packed and slung over her shoulders. She winced a bit as she had a “touch of the sun” on her skin.

“I was thinking we could pick up a pie together at Sweet Apple Acres before we call this vacation officially over.”

“Sure it’s going to fit in our schedule Twi?” Sunset sniggered.

“No.” Twilight chucked “Applejacks pies are starting to get into a few cafes around Canterlot now.”

“Above working in the school, maintaining the farm and baking pies, I don’t know how she does it…” Starlight murmured.

Twilight turned towards the statue pedestal. “Maybe next time we take Applejack with us huh?”

**********************************************************

After taking the bus and walking several blocks he finally found the building.

The Old La Bambi factory. A cult could be selling frozen treats to raise funds.

I like the way these guys think

Nick had tasted the frozen yogurt variety when he was fifteen soon after the company went bust.It seemed just as derelict as before. It’s location near the jewelry thefts put it in question though.

Nick quietly slipped around the fence to a side gate.He saw the padlock on the gate

Organized and dangerous, my tail…

He turned and checking for anymammal around, quietly picked the look with his dewclaw before slipping through the gate.

He saw an open window near the back of the building.

With little effort he moved swiftly up the drainpipe and glanced through the window.

He could hear voices up the other end of the building. He jumped through the window and grabbed onto the catwalk above the large vats in the factory.He could see several contained large containers of ice cream.

Best not to fall. Fox flavoured ice creams don’t sell all that well.

Nick crept across the catwalk to the other side of the factory.

Nick looked down from the rafters. He could see that the members of this “Colt Cult” was made up of a bison as well as a snow leopard he could see that they were placing a number of the stolen jewellery in an interesting pattern in a circle.

Nick scratched his chin. Must be an initiation ceremony to demonstrate the power of each of the members.

One of the “Coltists” spoke. The horse in the centre of the circle. He shuffled forward leaning on a cane. He could tell from the coat pattern that it was Phillip.

“Now it is time for power to be balanced once again, with the strength of Hoaris and our dedication to justice.”

Nick frowned. This horse had made his voice sound like he was speaking with some kind of unearthly ambience.

I like the theatrics. A cult leader has to sound convincing. Really toned up the smoke and mirrors.

The stallion held up a large tankard of water and raised his head.

“The city of seasons will provide the power of Hoaris to return and the claim on the rightful order.”

Phillip poured the water into the circle of gems and it quickly filled to a puddle.

The colours of the gemstones seemed to shine. As the water began to fill with ripples to spread throughout the water. The reflections disappeared as the water turned almost white. Nick could see it almost shimmering in the darkness.

The fox watched with a slack jaw.

Suddenly the surface of the water was broken by a gasping figure and Nick saw a small bear emerge from the pool.

“What?” it gasped.

It’s eyes blinked with incomprehension as it tried to get rid of the water pouring down its clothes.

“What?! What’s going on?”

That’s it. I’m calling it.

Nick pulled his phone out when a scream made him look up as the bear was hit with some kind of tranqulliser dart.

“Get her to the truck.” Phillip instructed the bulls.

The muscular bolvines hauled the semi-conscious bear into the truck. She still moaned and turned her head from side to side.

Come on reception! RECEPTION!

He saw the bars flick up and he hit “Judy Hopps” in his contacts.

It started ringing.

“Hello?”

“Judy! I’m at the La Bambi Ice Treat factory! I need to…”

“Sorry Nick I didn’t catch that… what?”

Nick gasped as the sound of screeching filled his ears.

Oh…Bats!

Nick turned and ran down the catwalk

“La Bambi! It’s the old La Bambi… argk!”

A bat brushed past him loosing his grip on his phone. Nick cursed as it disappeared into an icecream vat.

He gasped as one of the bats hit his shoulder and and saw the flash of fangs.

“Oh no! No biting! No biting!”

He leapt off the cat walk onto a pile of crates then flipped onto the concrete floor. He dashed for the door. He extended his paws as the door handle rushed to meet him.

He yelled as a large paw closed around his tail. He was hurled off his feet. Dangling by his tail. He saw the fierce expression of a jaguar look back. Nick saw the scar along his jawline.

“Gnasher…” Nick stammered. “Heard you were on parole…You’re a new believer too, huh?”

“Mr. Big would have my hide if he heard I ended you’re sniveling existence” The jaguar seethed. “but…”

Nick yelped as the strode towards the circle with him waving through the air like a rag doll.

“…there are other avenues we can explore to dispose of you.”

Nick craned his head and saw the glittering pool beneath him.

He winced as a voice seemed to pierce his head resonate throghtout his head.

“You curious Fox, your time is closing,

Your city of swindling, slinking and nosing…

No! Stop this! Who are you?

Hope you enjoy your means to prance,

Tell Celestia that she still cannot dance.”

Nick shook his head as the voice died down.

Nick yelled as he was suddenly swung by his tail through the air and hurled into the pool of water.

“ARRRRRR-“