FIRST SALVO
A Zootopia fan fiction by Dan

Rated M+

(c) Zootopia 2016 by Disney Animated Studios
(Artist ownership) Ayden Gull from BRO GULLS by Anti_Dev
(Artist ownership) “I Will survive” by William Borba 2017
(Artist ownership) Will and Alex Gray, Sheath and Knife by Harmarist
(Artist ownership) The K’zin by Lary Niven.

Chapter 2
Childhood to young adult

     As parents of a hybrid child, you both face special challenges during these early years of your child’s life. From finding the proper balance of diet to handling such difficult issues as species identity and acceptance to bullying and resentment. It is important during these times that you are always honest and upfront with your child about these situations and that you always give them love and encouragement to stand on their own and to overcome life’s challenges so they become good and productive members of Zootopia, proving that no matter what size, shape, color or origin of their birth… they are just as deserving of merits and awards as any other mammal when they put heart, soul and effort into whatever they dream to accomplish.

From the book “The Hybrid child and you the parent” written by the Zootopian Parents Association.

    Jackson Stewart Wilde was born on March 19, 2021 in Zootopia to Police Officers Judith “Judy” Hopps Wilde (A bunny rabbit) and Nicholas “Nick” Wilde (An English red fox) and he was indeed his parents baby.

    Jackson had his father’s coat, the very light brown red straw coat of an English field fox. He had his mother’s facial features and her distinctly bunny nose. Around his mouth to a stripe that ran between his eyes he had his mother’s gray coat of fur. His head tuft of fur was fire engine red from his father’s side of the family, and ran back over the top of his head and flowed down the back to his neck. His teeth were both Canine and Bunny with his incisors being classic flat teeth in bunny origin while the rest were meat chomping Vulpine teeth. It took about a year after being weened off his mother’s milk for Nick and Judy to find a diet Jackson could tolerate...and to get him to stop an addiction to Cheerios. The youngster devoured Cheerios like Bruce the Shark devoured people. He had his mother’s ears with their black tips that drooped over his back. His eye lids were the same as his father’s, wood brown with thick black eye lashes.

    He had a long slim body like his fox father and when he grew to be 18 he stood above his mother and level with his father’s mouth. He had distinctly fox-like paws and feet but his legs...were obviously those of his mother, Powerful even in toddler stage….he made diaper changing an Olympic sport and from the first day he learned to walk, he learned how to dodge and duck. He gave his parents a work out that in Nick’s words...”Made the academy obstacle course feel tame.”

    Judy was ever the cheerleader and confidence builder. Not a day went by that she didn’t tell Jackson how special he was, how he could be whatever he desired to be, that things didn’t come by gift but by hard work. Things in life had to earned and everything earned was to be taken with gratitude. She encouraged him to be a risk taker...often to the worry of her more cautious husband. Bumps and bruises caused tears but they provided lessons. Scratches and cuts were badges of pride, failure was just a road mark on the drive to success. Judy made play fun and got Jackson into BMX racing and soccer where he excelled daringly. He broke his arm during a match when he was ten years old and posed proudly with it casted by his mom’s side in the photo that hung over the small trophy case his father had made for him.

     Nick was the home work buddy, the listener, the street smarts teacher who taught Jackson how to handle money from primary school. Long hours were spent between father and son just talking...perhaps Nick was simply hustling his son to preen his tail which every talking session between them had Jackson an expert in fox tail grooming before he was 12. It became a little business for him as his Dad brought over friends to have Jackson preen their tails, which Jackson amassed a nice savings account from.

        And then there was Don Lanzoni. Judy could not help but be bold when she first presented Jackson as a baby to his Godfather, beseeching the Don not to impart the ways of gangsters on her son. But Don Lanzoni was more than understanding. His influence on Jackson was in social graces, even mobsters understood the importance of hospitality, respect for persons, respect for females and proper decorum. The Don taught Jackson how to properly treat a female even if she may have not deserved such in Jackson’s eyes, the basics of opening doors, or courteous greetings, of table setting, of greeting guests. Most important of all… how you stick up for yourself, take accountability for your actions and deal with rivals...without the “icing” part of course.

      At nine years old, Jackson faced his first school bully in a mean young and very big wolf named Yuki Bond who teased him for being a hybrid…

     “Bunny ears, funny ears, fox bunny ears on a foxy bunny queer!” Yuki would taunt Jackson when the opening came up. He would smack Jackson’s books from his paws, throw his book bag into the fountain at school, take his lunch and put him down for being a twisted, messed up hybrid “creature”. Yet unlike the other cubs and kits Yuki successfully belittled and demeaned. Jackson proved resilient. Two fights with the big wolf got Jackson suspended from school and put fear into Judy and Nicks hearts that the Don would get involved because of these offenses against his god-son…

     “Fear not.” Don Lanzoni said. “He doesn’t need me. Be patient and watch.”

      The old Don had taught Jackson the tricks of how to turn an enemy into an alliance. Jackson turned to “opposition intelligence warfare” and had found out that Yuki himself was a victim of brutal abuse for being a “Little bastard hybrid” by his large wolf family. His mother had fallen in love with a German Shepherd and to a sternly traditional wolf family, a dog/wolf hybrid was an abomination. Their cruelty killed his mother and left him in the care of her lover’s parents who didn’t know how to handle the big, angry wolf dog.

      So one day quite shockingly….Jackson sought Yuki out for he found out that the big wolf dog had an unquenchable love….of strawberries and whip cream. He found Yuki throwing rocks at an abandoned factory building in the city and boldly walked up to him with a box in his paws…

      The big wolf dog bushed up his coat, cracked his paw knuckles and prepared to go all out on the smaller hybrid...”You picked a good time to get your tail kicked in you little mix breed bastard.” Yuki snarled. “Drop the stupid box you little snit and let’s settle accounts!”

      Jackson opened the box and showed Yuki the contents. A huge batch of bright red strawberries and cans of whip cream...”I know you’re a hybrid too Yuki and no one shows you any kindness at all and that’s just wrong. You and I are fellow hybrids and we need to stick together. I want to be your friend….please?”

     Until that moment, no one had shown Yuki the least bit of attention let alone any real affection. As Jackson held out the box to the big wolf, years of painful abuse and self disdain came forth and the big wolf dog cried. Jackson’s hug had more fire power than fist or threat of “icing” could carry and Yuki begged Jackson to forgive him. From then on...Yuki the terrible became Yuki the terror against bullies and Jackson’s closest friend….sometimes in youthful indescressive hyjinks.

     Jackson’s parents often came home in their patrol car and left it sitting in the driveway as they slept. It wasn’t long before the youthful teenage Jackson and his big wolf dog partner in crime learned how to get the cruiser started and they took it joy riding all over Zootopia. Their favorite past time was to hit the “brights and lights” on unsuspecting motorists, make them pull over then peel out past them laughing while giggling and chowing down cream covered strawberries. This went on until one time when the two got into their seats and came face to face with Judy in her pajamas in the back seat. She had removed the separation screen which they failed to notice was gone when they got in…

    It was one of the few times Jackson realized his puffy cotton tail was no protection from mom’s police belt. Spare the rod and spoil the child was something Judy took to heart.

    When it came to family, to Judy’s family, she knew some would accept Jackson and many of the elders would not. It was the only time Jackson’s attempts at softness and love would fail. Old grandfather Hopps went to his grave not showing Jackson any love or recognition and that always brought a tinge of sadness to Jackson’s heart. Stewart and Bonnie however were nothing but loving, sending their grandson little gifts on every birthday. Hand made gifts were the best treasures like the stuffed bear “Gammy Bonnie” made for him that he carried with him when he went into the Navy.

     Jackson’s first girl friend was a honey badger named Anna Marie whom he fell for in the Zootopia Junior High school soccer league. They both seemed a perfect match with the same interests, they both loved Soccer and joined the common insanity that was the seasonal fight between the Sahara Lions and the Savanna Panthers. Both were in 8th grade by then and it looked so cute and wonderful… till they had an argument and….Jackson ripped Anna’s favorite soccer jacket while trying to calm her down. Thus came the break up and the ever perpetual seemingly never ending grudge of the female honey badger with her former boyfriend. She made a note of it when she slugged Jackson when he tried to say hi after High School graduation, by then they were in different schools but distance and time didn’t cool the grudge…

   “You owe me a new jacket Jackson Wilde! And you will pay what you owe!”

     Jackson had tried to reconcile the offense but you know honey badgers, honey badgers don’t care. Badger grudges usually go on for eternity.

     Jackson did well in school, especially in “P.E.” where those long rabbit like legs and fox paws helped him to earn medals at school competition meets. He especially excelled in water borne “Log rolling” where quick on his gifted feet he threw off challenger after challenger till he met his second girl friend...Darla Delaware.

     Darla was an otter and Jackson often accused her of cheating because she was just too cute to keep his eyes off of her. They became bitter school rivals for the top record of throwing off the most competitors in the shortest amount of time. Though being rivals, it didn’t stop Jackson from pursuing her and often their meetings took place as fun little contests between them when the school grounds were empty. They wore each other silly trying to kick the other off a spinning log and eventually they wound up sitting together saying cute things to each other. Then Darla broke the news later that her family was moving to the far end of rain forest and though she would continue to text Jackson, she probably wouldn’t see him again for a while. That almost broke Jackson’s heart.

     Being the son of two police officers growing up, Jackson was always aware that bad things could happen. At fifteen, the news came from Dawn Bellweather, who had gotten a new job as the police department’s public liaison, as she had Jackson called to the principles office at school…

    “Jackson? Your mom and dad were involved in a bad crash during a pursuit. You need to go to the hospital.” Dawn said to him. She wouldn’t tell Jackson the rest and he feared the worst had happened…

     The cruiser had flipped who knows how many times. Judy had three broken ribs, a collapsed lung, a broken leg, a broken jaw but she was alive. Nick was in a coma, his condition described as grave. Jackson wouldn’t leave them, he was there every day between talking with his mother and tending to his father’s tail as he had always done. He knew his father would like that the most. He prayed to Fritz constantly not take his father from him and after three weeks….Nick woke up and to great blessing his first words were….”You looked after my tail? Good boy.”

    The recovery was difficult but as his parents were cheerleaders for him, Jackson was their cheerleader through every painful step. Judy was now a captain and was assigned off patrol beats as administrative commander and eventually she became Chief Wilde of “First Prinky” upon the retirement of Chief Bogo. Nick could no longer pound a beat, his injuries left him disabled permanently with a walking cane so he took the assignment as the city juvenile court judge where his specialty was….dealing with little scam artists.

      Jackson’s adventuring spirit for the ocean started around 11 years old when he joined his Godfather aboard his Yacht “Bonnie King Richard” when the old shew took it to sea. Jackson was fond of sea stories, he’d read “Fox Treasure Island” and “Peter the Pan” over and over again and the stories of adventurous sea fairers, pirates and “men of war” tickled his adventurous cravings. So it was that at 17 he sat with his mother and father, took in a deep breath and told them…

    “Mom….Dad….after graduation? I’m joining the Navy.” He said boldly.

     Judy and Nick looked at each other with a little apprehension. They were thinking about college and something else, the opportunities for that were wide open, Jackson could have any of the universities. Perhaps Nick and Judy were being a little selfish? Thinking their son might take up law enforcement like they did…

   “The Navy?” Nick asked. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

    Jackson nodded sternly. “Yes Dad. You’re not upset about that are you?”

    Judy couldn’t help but show a little concern. After all…the news was showing with ever increasing worry the behavior of the Kzinti. Only a week earlier as they had done countless other times before in the past ten years...Kzinti destroyers had appeared off the coastlines of Tundra Town and Sahara Square as ominous demonstrations of force…

     “Jackson? I’ve always told you to do what you want to do and to go after what you desire by hard work.” Judy said. “But….but I have to tell you what’s worrying me in my heart and I have to be honest with you. What’s happening now with the Kzinti scares me and you wanting to join the Navy now?...”

      Jackson reached for his mother’s paw and rubbed it caringly...” Mom? You also said we shouldn’t back down from challenges. Just because we’re having a little trouble with K’Zin doesn’t mean we’ll be at war tomorrow? I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time and I really had nothing else planned for when I graduate. It’ll be a good start for me and you guys want me to stand on my own don’t you? I mean….you don’t want me living in our house forever right? Look at how Grand paw and Grand maw Hopps thought you’d never be a cop mom? Do you think I can’t be a Sailor?”

       “Zing! He hit you with a 4 by 8 Carrots.” Nick snickered. “I don’t think we’ll change his mind.”

       Judy took a deep breath and sighed...”Touche Jackie. Oh...I’m going to have nightmares for weeks about this?”

       “Want me to wear a pair of diapers and a pacifier to make you feel better mom?” Jackson snickered with a giggle.

       “Get your butt to your room and study for those finals mister!” Judy snapped. “And if you dare come down here wearing a set of diapers Jackson? so help me!” Judy yelped as she chased her son to the stairs then turned back to her husband with a look of...”Some big help you were Nick?”

      Nick followed Judy into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her...”Big decision he’s making huh?” The fox said as he snuggled his wife. “Come on...you know there was no way we were going to change his mind. At least let’s not send him off with anything but our loving moral support? After all, he’s got both of us in him, what can go wrong?”

     Judy turned around. “War. That’s what could go wrong, Nick. War! Every week there’s some new close call with the Kzinti. I’m actually hearing whispers at the department about a military mobilization plan for the force in case of invasion. Our son could be in the thick of a shooting war with an enemy that devours mammals for dinner. Am I supposed to keep my mouth shut and not tell him how I feel about this?”

     “Do you think we could keep him sheltered all for ourselves?” Nick replied. “He’ll go even if we protest him going Judy. You know him too well.”

      Judy sighed deeply...”Ugh….I’m not going to be comfortable with this at all, ugh….” Judy thumped a foot on the floor in frustration. “But you’re right...we raised him to be self sufficient and there’s no better test for that than the military. Oh the day he leaves I am going to be pricked like with a hundred needles in my butt.”

     Nick snickered as he slowly kissed Judy on her head...”Wanna be pricked by just one needle? Might make you feel better?”

     “Oh…...go make us a bath? do something “hobble along Cassidy.” Judy yelped.

     “Hey….” Nick replied. “I’m actually offended by that Judy? I’m going to file a complaint with H.R. tomorrow. I was offended by my superior officer.”

     Judy snatched Nick by his shirt and snorted. “Get up there and make us a sexy bath you stinky fox or so help me I’ll do more than offend you?”

     Nick snickered back….”Yipe. Help? Rape?”

     Later in the evening...Nick walked into his son’s room as Jackson lay on his bed texting Darla about his decision to join the Navy…

    “Evening knuckles.” Nick said as he stood at the door resting on his walking cane. “I...hope I’m not intruding?”

    “Oh no! No….Dad….I was just texting Darla….Um….want me to preen your tail?” The young teen asked as he patted his bed.

    “Obviously? I’m not up here for that.” Nick replied as he looked around the room. “Sheesh….things have sure changed so fast. It feels like only yesterday I was chasing after your naked butt with a new diaper and now...wow….you’ve grown.”

     Jackson smiled...”It’s mom Dad, just come out and say it?”

     “Yes….it’s your mother and yes we are concerned. We always told you Jackie that we’d be honest and open with you on everything. It’s not because your mother believes you couldn’t make it in the military, it’s not you at all. Son….we love you, you have meant all the world to both of us and you’re our only child so how should we react? Would hiding our feelings make you feel better?”

      “Should I stay home while other parents face the same worry? I’ve been thinking about this for a while Dad, I want to do it. I don’t want to sit at home trying to sort out the rest of my life.” Jackson voiced. “You and Mom said it once, the baby birds have to leave the nest at some point so...I chose the point to go. You two need the room anyway so you can frolic, make a mess, have sex and go through raising a child all over again.”

      Nick raised his paws….”I’m sorry if I upset you Son….”

      Jackson wrapped his arms around his Dad and snuggled under his chin...”You and Mom upset me? Kinda hard to do when you have the best parents in the city. Now? Why don’t you lay on the bed and let me preen your tail like always huh? I don’t know what will happen when I’m gone, you’re not going to let it go to hell are you?”

      “Do you think a cop’s pension disability can pay for grade A fox tail management? There’s all the products, the grooming, the coconut oil bathing, the fur treatments, the Spa costs. Which is why I have a son?...who maybe could rethink his decision to open up a discount fox tail grooming service? Now there’s a good idea?”

    Jackson snickered. “Dad?”

    “Yes my loving son?” Nick replied.

    “Your hustling has gotten stale. Quit while you’re ahead?” Jackson said as he pointed a paw finger.

    “Ok Knuckles….and someday I will finally tell you why we gave you that nickname but for now I have a simple question...do you want an end of school celebration party or a pre “Your in the army now digging ditches without a plow.” pre-enlistment party?”

   Jackson thought...well since Yuki’s going to join the Marines and he really has no place for his own party of any kind? Let’s make it a pre-enlistment party and welcome him too ok?”

   Nick nodded. “Absolutely...pre-enlistment party it is...just promise me that you two will not get overly crazy since you’ll be legal to drink. And knowing Stewart? he’ll bring something to spike the punch bowls that old sly bunny.”

   “Who kisses very good.” Jackson said smirking. “Just for the record had you tried to stop me from enlisting Dad? The story of your drunken romance with Grand pa Hopps would have been front page news on the “First Prinky’s” web site.”

     “You shifty little bastard.” Nick snickered at his Son.”How did you know?”

     “Learned everything from the best Pop.” Jackson replied proudly. “What is it called again?…..sweet heart?”

     Nick flopped onto the bed and painfully rolled himself onto his back. “Would giving your loving and approving father’s tail a good preening perhaps make a favorite son make all those nasty rumors go…..i dunno…..poof?”

     Jackson reached for his tail grooming kit on the dresser. “I dunno? Let’s see what else I can pry from my Dad’s clutches? Like? The car so I can pick up Darla for a weekend? Or…..or the keys to the family cottage on Sahara Beach for an after party get together with my school mates? What else can I demand of my oh so loving and approving father?”

     “I have a feeling that some amount of money is going to be discussed.” Nick said as he quivered at the first light brushing of his thick plumage.

     “Lemme brush for a while and see where things take us Dad?” Jackson said as he slowly brushed away.

      The pre-enlistment party was held at the Knights of Capybara Hall in Sahara Square. Everyone who could be there had a good time...members of First Prinky, Dawn Bellweather, Stewart, Bonnie and about a hundred of the relatives, Yuki, friends from BMX and Soccer, old teachers….and Darla….

     And...as Nick suspected….Stewart spiked all the adult punch with another family special...Sweet Mayberry Jack’s Lightening...and most of the adults ended up smashed…

     Jackson was wise enough to dump his cups into the planters and act tipsy. He took his father’s car keys while Nick was drunk dancing with Grandpa Stu and skulked away with Darla to Lionhead’s beach on the South Coast of Sahara where he spread out a blanket, produced a basket of goodies and soon had Darla comfortably settled on a pillow, slipping strawberries through her sweet lips…

    Then…..Darla dropped the bomb. “Guess what?” She said as she pulled a card from her shirt pocket. “I signed up yesterday.”

    Jackson took the card and almost wigged out...”You…..You joined the Navy?!”

    “Well sure!” Darla replied. “What was I going to do after school? Work in my Dad’s lumber mill moving logs around? I mean...I know that’s a good job for an otter and all but...I’d like to be an underwater welder and the Navy’s totally short on otter welders so hey….and….that job? Pays buku Zoo-bucks with four years military experience.”

     Jackson nervously twitched his nose and flopped his ears. “But….but you can’t join Darla? I mean…..I mean…..uh….” Jackson grabbed her paws. “It’ll be brutal work, it’ll ruin your well oiled coat, it’ll age the complexion of your beautiful….”

    Darla reached up and kissed Jackson on the lips...”Jackie? Shut up?”

    “But Darla?” Jackie said “….I...I’m just…..”

   “Mmmmmm….are you going to keep trying to wiggle me out of it? Or are you going to “wiggle me” Mister Bunny Fox?”

    “I dunno what I’d be called Darla? Boxy?Funny?Foxboxular wabbit?” Jackson replied.

    “Jackie?” Darla giggled. “Shut up. You’ve failed ok? I’m going into the Navy and that’s that. Now where are you going to go?”

     “Well….I dunno?” Jackson replied shrugging.

     “Just get down here and love me you silly thing?” Darla said as snatched Jackson down and rolled around with him on the blanket.

     “Wow….” Jackson yelped. “I forgot how slippery you are.”

     “Meh? Makes thing more interesting.” Darla replied. “Now shut up and kiss me you cute thing.”

Morning
August 6, 2039

       Judy had woken up early before her son so she could make him his favorite breakfast. As she stood at the stove finishing up the fish and carrot cakes, Jackson came up behind her, lifted her off her feet and snuggled her lovingly…

      “Mom? You didn’t have to do all this. You’re only going to worry yourself sick.” He said.

      “You’re not leaving this house without breakfast, now go sit down.” Judy said. Soon they were together at the kitchen table eating and drinking coffee…

      “Dad’s not coming down?” Jackson asked.

      “You know your father...he doesn’t want to lose it when you...sigh...have you noticed that it’s getting harder for him to walk?” Judy said….”I’m sorry Jackie, I’m going to ruin...”

      “Ruin nothing.” Jackson replied. “Mom...please, I understand. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. You just put everything on Dad now, he needs you more than ever.”

      “Oh…..look at me….I’m a wreck.” Judy said, which prompted Jackson to get out of his chair, pick his mother up and snuggle her as he held her….

       “Wow...who’d ever thought I’d end up holding my own mother in my arms?” He gently tilted Judy’s face up and gave her a gentle kiss on her nose. “You’re one  of a kind mom….I love you so much.”

       “And I love you Jackie….with all my heart….my baby!” Judy balled into Jackson’s chest as Nick appeared at the Kitchen door leaning on his walking cane.

      “I always show up late for the water works don’t I?” he said as he slowly walked up and wrapped his arms around his wife and son...”You better write us, and write us? Mammals should learn how to do that more than texting, you can’t get the “feeling thing” from a text. So write us until your paw gets gang green.”

        “Nick.” Judy replied between cry snorts. “Don’t be silly.”

        “I promise I’ll go through fifty smart phones in the next four years you two.” Jackson said as he snuggled and kissed both of them over and over until a car was honking its’ horn outside the house…

        “Well? The van’s here.” Jackson said as he put his mother down and gave his father another hug. “Dad? Are you going to be ok?”

        “Until you walk out the door.” Nick replied. “Then I’ll be a flaming wreck. But….sigh…..this is where the nest gets a little quieter and…..and we had to be ready for this eventually so….so you go. You go and make your life and don’t you ever set back into this house again except for a visit. We’ve done everything we could these past 18 years to make you fly kid….now it’s time to fly.”

        Jackson perked up. “Dad? If you don’t run for mayor of Zootopia over the next four years? I’ll be shocked.”

        “If you miss the van kid? I’m not going to drive you to the recruit depot. Now turn around and get out of my house you slug.” Nick gestured with a paw finger. “And don’t screw up or your godfather will send some his bears to ice your butt.”

       Jackson walked to the front door and picked up his Navy issued pack, stopping to put on his recruit ball cap and adjust it at the hall mirror before turning to his parents and snapping them a salute. “Everything I do….I do for my mom and dad whom I love more than anything in this world. Wish me luck.”

      Judy broke from her tears and snapped herself to attention...”There is no wish recruit! There is but do or die! Go and do it!”

      Nick gestured to Judy...”What she said...now get out of here before we flood the house Jackie.”

      Jackson gave them one last wave, closed the door, wiped away his last tears and walked for the van with his chest out, his ears rigidly drooped back and a pounding proud strut over the pavement of the front walk.

End of Chapter 2