Chapter Text
::Foreword::
Hi everyone! Welcome to Different Tails, a collection of stories about Zootopia, mostly about Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. Disney really knocked it out of the park with Zootopia, giving us a colorful, vibrant, and strangely realistic world of talking anthropomorphic animals. They also gave us perhaps one of the greatest on-screen partnerships ever in any movie, Nick and Judy.
This fox and rabbit are packed with such emotion, sass, and teasing that I'd venture to say the reason most of us write or peruse Zootopia fanfiction is to see more of them. What can we do with those two capricious, silly, fun mammals? Well, in this collection I've been striving to find out. These stories range anywhere from serious, emotional looks at their pasts both canon and imagined, to teeth-melting romantic fluff, to silly alternate universes meant for fun.
One thing about Zootopia is that its scale is much grander than the tiny slice we were treated to in the movie itself. For this reason, the development of original characters has been necessary to fill roles and situations that the canon characters cannot provide. There are so many stories available to characters that aren't Nick and Judy that it's tempting to just go on tangents and write about them on and on as well.
Zootopia presents a tempting pallet of colors to paint with. All of these various mammals are trying to exist in a society together despite their massive differences. When gifted with human-like cognitive abilities, and human-like flaws, that's quite sobering. With animal traits and extrapolated animal customs applied, there are so many possibilities for subject matter. What are their customs and physical habits that distinguish them? Would getting a bunny and a fox together really be that hard, or that easy? How might predators have been affected by the Night Howler incident? What's the deal with Frantic Pig?
All these questions and more I have endeavored to broach in this collection of short stories. This index is for both new and returning readers, to help you find a topic you might like to read about, or else revisit one of your favorites. They are broken up into sections to easier find one-shots and related stories. Stories grouped in single-spacing are related, though they have different titles.
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy!
::Nick & Judy Stories::
Sometimes fluffy, sometimes angsty, always about our dynamic duo.
Marks I, II - For furred mammals, sometimes the physical scars can be hidden as easily as the mental ones.
Ties - A possible answer to the question "why does Nick like wearing ties?"
Scents I, II - Stories where Nick's gifted sniffer picks up more than Judy or Nick might want to know about the bunny.
Forgiveness - Does Zootopia forgive Judy for her transgressions against it? Does she forgive herself?
Tails I, II - Tales involving tails.
Mom - Judy wants to meet Nick's mom. Nick tries to talk her out of it.
Trying - While broken down on the road with Nick, Judy's curiosity gets the better of her.
She Doesn't - Have feelings for him.
He Doesn't - Have feelings for her.
Don't They? - Space-time has conceded to give a couple versions of Nick and Judy what they wanted.
They Do - They've done pretty much everything but say it; Judy wants Nick to say it.
Dewlap I, II - During the winter, Judy gets an extra little bit of fluff on her chest; Nick likes fluff.
Licks - Of ice cream and the (im)polite usage of tongues.
Heart - Judy nearly loses Nick before they can tell each other how they feel.
Blackout - Judy can't remember the previous night, but a certain fox can.
Couple - Judy and Nick have to take their cruiser into a car shop after an accident. (Crossover with my story Ozzie's Auto Repair)
Mistakes - The further you push upwards, the farther there is to fall. Are there any regrets?
Cute - That dreaded word.
Dad - About Nick's father and the effect he has had on the fox.
Winning - Judy's not going to settle for anything less than a total victory.
Restraint I, II - Judy's mind, heart, and body are at odds. Is it better that she waits, in this case?
Surrender - Judy won't let herself wait any longer.
Leave I, II - Judy's mother Bonnie is not happy with how her daughter and that fox are getting along.
Machinations - Judy's parents are both trying to push the bunny and the fox a little closer.
Privacy - As a popular figure in Zootopia, Judy finds her secrets splayed all over the television for all to see, even her parents.
Childish - Confronted by a familiar nightmare, Judy wrestles with her feelings and desire for comfort.
Separated - A look at Nick and Judy after they're wrenched from each other in Zootopia.
Reunited - A look at Nick and Judy getting back together, and a scene soon after Zootopia's climax.
Oath - Nick intends to keep the promise he made when he was a child, even if only he remembers or cares that he made it.
TLC I, II - When Judy or Nick is beaten down physically or emotionally, their partner is there for them.
Flurry - Nick and Judy get into a snowball fight in Tundratown.
Fluff - Judy's not going to let Nick's fur get out of place, even on days they have off.
Foxes I, II - Stories about Nick's father and how he (wasn't) in Nick's life.
Undercover - Clawhauser is a very trusting soul. Nick and Judy think they should reward him by giving him something they know he'd like.
Suds - After another day spent risking their lives, Judy and Nick just want to unwind with a bath.
Selfish - Nick gives his opinion on the philosophy of the criminal mind.
Calling I, II - Judy calls Nick while he's at the academy, then her parents when she realizes what she's beginning to feel.
Yearning I, II - Nick receives Judy's call, wrestling with his own feelings for the bunny, and calls his mother afterwards.
Concession - Nick and Judy finally talk to each other about what's going on.
Circles - Judy attempts to locate Nick while he's in the middle of an alleged annual celebration.
Paper - Judy leaves a letter in a hiding place, perhaps hoping it won't be found.
RE: Paper - The reply to Judy's hidden letter.
Destiny - A key phrase in the letter's reply is invoked in a rather dramatic fashion in a temple of a particular Celestial.
Year - Judy and Nick have been partners for one year.
Family - Nick experiences an unexpected and terrifying push forward.
Obstacle I-III - Nick's become engaged, but starts to have second thoughts.
Miracle - Judy's become pregnant by Nick, and the two both have to deal with their feelings on the matter.
Date I, II - Judy and Nick's first formal date has a surprise crasher and they attempt to make peace.
Arrangements - The fox and bunny share an apartment and are a star team at the ZPD, but the officers there seem to think they are more.
Conceal I-II - Nick has a secret he'd rather not face, but it goes and finds him anyway.
Reveal - Tired of hiding his past, Nick reveals his secret to Judy.
Confidence - Even when he's knocked a couple of drinks back, Nick puts up quite the swagger, but Chief Bogo can see a chink in his armor.
Personas - Judy and Nick have been married for awhile and are on a rather... silly case.
Unwind - On a beach-like area of Sahara Square, Judy and Nick have the opportunity to be security detail for Gazelle.
Precious I, II - A mysterious gem appears in Judy's apartment; she's left to investigate why it could be there.
::Alternate Universe Stories::
What if things had been different in Zootopia?
Second - AU to Zootopia: Partners. A lapine officer has fallen.
Money - AU to Zootopia: Partners. Hard times have put a squirrel on the street.
Wrong - AU to Zootopia: Partners. Nick is on a date with another vixen, one that knows him a bit too well.
Illegal - AU to Zootopia: Partners. A reptile has made her way to Zootopia and has thus far evaded capture. Her luck is about to run out.
Preempted - AU to Zootopia: Partners. Judy's the second lapine in Precinct One. Can she still save Zootopia?
Vigilantes I-III - Judy was not able to rejoin the ZPD after the events of Zootopia. Instead, she and Nick take the law into their costumed paws.
Eyes - Turned down by the ZPD, Nick must sate his new desire for justice in another, more private way.
Berries - Nick is a member of the ZPD and Judy's just a farm girl with a family stand in Zootopia, though she yearns for more.
Stars - Set far in the future, Judy is the captain of the Zootopia Starship Fleet's flagship.
Empowered I-III - In a Zootopia containing mammals with fantastic powers, the newest member of the Zootopia Empowered Division is deployed into the fray.
Teach I, II - A provisional fox teacher at Westburrow High, Nick's caught the eye of a certain bunny senior.
Primeval I-III - An ancient world where tribes of mammals are being hunted by vicious reptile-avian creatures. Nick and Judy must find a way to survive.
Delinquent - Nick's the first fox on the ZPD, and he's not exactly trusted. He's charged to go take down a delinquent graffiti artist bunny.
Again I, II - The events of Zootopia keep repeating, and only Judy is aware of this fact. Can she find some way to break the cycle before it drives her crazy?
Magic I, II - A Zootopia where everyone can use magic if they practice hard enough. As before, a sinister plot is targeting the predators of Zootopia.
Lost I-IV - A Zootopia that was never threatened, a Judy Hopps that was never tested, and a Nick Wilde that never got the chance to care.
::Zootopia: Partners Side Stories::
Stories canon to the plotline of my series Zootopia: Partners, mainly focused on original characters from that series. In order of occurrence.
Caring - Judy again tries to connect with her arctic hare co-worker Karen Skippel.
Unknown - Larry, a gray squirrel, has to occasionally deal with consuming, dark feelings. His girlfriend, a ferret named Kara, seeks to help.
Ignorance - Larry accidentally starts a relationship with one of his co-workers, and his friends have to bring this to his attention.
Relax - Karen goes through frequent bouts of panic, especially when her mate Crystal isn't available.
Unsatisfied - Catherine, a gray fox, has to confront a painful difficulty arising from her unusual lifestyle and speaks to her friend Nick about this.
Trail - A fox seeks to run for mayor after Vince Mousawitz steps down, but a certain pig is also vying for the position.
::Testing Limits Side Stories::
Stories canon to the plot line of the timeline of my story Testing Limits, mostly focused on other characters in that series.
Fireworks - Stu Hopps is setting up for another annual lapine festival, and discusses Judy and Nick with his wife.
Vixen I-IV - Samantha Hopps (an altered version of a character created by SophieWitch) must confront her deep-seated feelings about foxes.
Marshmallow I-IV - Tales about some key points in the life of Terra Brownfurred, a Kit Fox.
Den - Samantha meets Terra's parents, and they learn some things about each other.
::Partners: Revisited Side Stories::
Stories canon to the plot line of the timeline of my story Partners: Revisited. Arranged in roughly chronological order.
Traditions - Nick and Judy get a rather rude surprise at Nick's apartment.
Possibility - Disaster looms large for a squirrel who might soon become an orphan.
There - Judy wishes she could beat a fever out of her adopted son.
Kissed - A squirrel has to put up with both encouraging and seemingly endless gossip because he kissed a ferret.
Initiation - A sequel of sorts to "Kissed", the Musteladies evaluate a new member for their club.
Atypical - A young fox girl introduces her friends to her family.
Addition - Nick and Judy's adopted son overhears a discussion of expanding their family even further.
::Miscellaneous Stories::
World building stories or stories not directly focused on Nick and Judy.
Apology - Gideon Grey wishes to repent for his former course of life. He decides to start by asking for Sharla's forgiveness.
Judgement I, II - Nick and Judy are introduced to an inter-species club and meet faces there both new and familiar.
Secret- Two members of the ZPD share some secrets with each other.
Waiting - Nick and Judy are security detail for another fox's presentation.
Fortune I, II - Tales of an eccentric ZBI agent known as Jack Savage and his obsession with luck.
Uncontrolled I, II - Victims of the Night Howler plot come together to try to heal the physical and emotional damage it has done to them.
Frantic - A journal entry of a certain pig seen for only seconds in Zootopia.
ICE - An agent of the Immigration Customs Enforcement hastily ropes Nick and Judy into a situation to save her partner.
Mercenary - A sheep from Zootopia's main plot has fallen off the radar and seeks to avoid consequence.
Singularity - A chance encounter on the strange realm of unconsciousness, beyond even dreams.
Hope I, II - A couple of stories about Terrence Clawhauser, Benjamin's anxious younger brother.
Pride - A couple of undercover agents begin to dig into an unusual plot. Spawned a whole story: Pride and Shame.
Path I, II - Follows from "Destiny". The mystery behind the vandalism of a Celestial temple is revealed, and a look at what became of that vandal.
Break - Judy happens upon an old friend while on the job.
Royalty I, II - A look at Duke Weaselton and his family.
Celestials I-V - A collection of metaphysical beings wrought from Order and Chaos watch over and seek to subtly enhance the lives of the mammals of Earth.
::Appendices::
Additional information about my characters or universes. An AO3 exclusive!
Appendix I: Original Character Listing - An exhaustive list of characters I've created for the Zootopia fandom, also a few semi-canon ones and at least one loaned from others.
Appendix II: The Main Story Histories - My motivations and thoughts behind the three "main" timelines I've written, and how recurring characters differ in each one.
::Summaries for Chapters beyond 150::
151 - Stressed - Technical Officer Karen Skippel resorts to stress-eating to calm her nerves at the precinct.
152 - Unwind II - Continued from chapter 69 (nice (derogatory)), Judy tries to manufacture a special moment for Nick at the beach, and it goes poorly.
153 - Unwind III - Nick tries to deny Judy cuddles, and it goes poorly.
154 - Closure - Different Tails, an in-universe interspecies club, is shutting down due to lack of need for it. As you can see by the chapter count, its real-life counterpart didn't share the same fate.
155 - Intentions - Ted Placid, a bunny buck, attempts to court the emotionally distant Hopps family organizer, Violet Hopps. Yes, this is an OC shipped with a character that comes from a single official comic.
156 - Intentions II - Ted continues to court Violet, this time at a Bunnyburrow bookstore where there is an effervescent little kit fox with ties to the Hopps.
157 - Intentions III - Ted helps Violet through a bad day, for the promise of a better one tomorrow.
158 - Season - Nick and Judy muse on Zootopian Holidays. Sprinkled with my Celestials.
159 - Tension - Judy takes on a bet to get a reptilian massage. Newly canonically plausible!
160 - Celebration - Nick visits the Hopps Burrow on New Years Eve with Judy.
161 - Meek - A "next generation" OC, Alex Reddish, tries to learn some things about growing up with his mother and hangs out with Nick & Judy's adopted son.
162 - Powerless - Nick deals with an unrepentantly criminal cousin of his and an alluring connection to his past with Mr. Big.
163-167 - Legend I-V - Done for a "What if..." project, Nick and Judy in the world of the Legend of Zelda. Silly, and I didn't read the "rules" of the PIXAR machine too well.
168 - Mystery - Judy acts suspiciously every Saturday night, igniting a desire within Nick to find out what she's up to. This is... SORT OF based on an official Zootopia comic?
169 - Craving - Judy is missing Nick for "Couples' Day". Nice (suggestive).
170 - Cotton - A short for the second anniversary of Zootopia. I obviously did not keep these up! Judy is trying to find a gift for their second anniversary as partners.
171 - Sign - Set during the protests of Zootopia, a couple of wallabys are discussing the unrest caused by Judy.
172 - Fear - A brown bear therapist speaks to a vixen about her fear of fire. A "non-powered" version of my OC main character of "Familiar Fire", a superpowered Zootopia universe. This is how complicated things have gotten.
173 - Outfoxed - Judy tries to spoil a planned surprise for her as hard as she can.
174 - Outfoxed II - Judy tries to out-surprise Nick, though it may be an uphill battle.
175 - Dreams - Sharla, the black sheep from the introduction to Zootopia, has an encounter with Gideon Grey.
176 - Rumblings - Nick and Judy get the assistance of an elephant model who accidentally helps them with an incident.
177 - Objectives - Nick's mother shows up at the ZPD, seemingly just to embarass him.
178 - Delusions - Nick deals with his past.
179 - Delusions II - Nick seems to be on a "hare" trigger about a certain lapine.
180 - Delusions III - Nick attempts to resolve all his bunny issues into one neat bunny subscription.
181- Aggressive - A red panda OC meets a red panda Zootopian version of Retsuko from a certain anime.
182 - Hiding - Haida and Fenneko from a certain anime get advice from Nick, who's currently moonlighting as a bartender.
183 - Oblivious - Judy's particularly dense until it's almost too late.
184 - Embarassment - Sequel to the previous: Judy becomes thoroughly flustered when two of her sisters visit her with Nick over.
185 - Snuggly - Sequel to the previous: Judy swallows her pride and engages cuddles.
186 - Uncle - Nick and Judy scramble to find their adopted squirrel a babysitter.
187 - Hired - Ozzie's Auto Repair characters: Oswald inadvertently hires a movie star who's trying to lay low. (Featuring beta Zootopia character Skye.)
188 - Lucky - Judy's gifted a plush of a certain lucky bunny goddess. Nick must have gotten it for her, right?
189 - Festival - Dedicated to that one year Nick and Judy were at Epcot's Food and Wine Festival du Jour Dance Party. Judy's a lightweight (again).
190 - Giving - A "Crittermas" special. Nick seemingly plays psychological warfare with Judy about gift-giving.
191 - Enticing - Judy's a bit insecure about not having a pronounced dewlap. Nick is interested in other things.
192 - Crossroads - New Years Eve special. Nick reflects on the road he didn't take, and where he's off to now.
193-197 - Truths I-V - A darker short series where Judy's life is upended by an attempt to end it by a criminal. A story of slow healing.
198 - Arrested - Duke Weaselton is implicated in a serious crime.
199 - Growing - An OC giraffe and an OC squirrel talk about height-related differences.
200 - Purpose - Judy finally gets the chance to reveal what drove her to become a police officer. An educated guess 200 chapters in the making!
201 - Jingle - An Ozzie's Auto Repair "Crittermas" special. Zootopian versions of classic Disney characters abound.
202 - Suspicious - Nick and Judy are called upon to investigate a suspicious fox. Zootopian versions of Animal Crossing characters.
203 - Worries - Zootopian versions of Timon and Pumbaa have their livelihood upended, but Nick and Judy, Ozzie, and even Nala are there to help them.
204 - Imagination - A take on a Zootopian version of Figment, the mascot of Epcot.
205 - Wolpertinger - An Ozzie's Auto Repair "Howloween" special. Oswald dresses in an obscure costume and can't find the moment to explain it.
206-208 - Investigation I-III - Zootopian versions of Animal Crossing, Winnie the Pooh, Rescue Rangers, and Duffy and Friends, all in an investigation about contraband. Nick and Judy assist the new detective Lina Bell when a conflict of interest prevents her from finishing her first Zootopia case.
209 - Sinister - An original character based off of an unrelated game idea I had. An ostentatious gameshow host fox bothers Nick by playing into nearly every negative fox stereotype. Nick makes an opportunity to confront him.
210 - Lamplighter - An epilogue to "The Appointed Time", a superpowered Zootopia story I wrote which was the sequel to "Familiar Fire". Nick encounters a mysterious mammal which doesn't exist in a typical Zootopia. This is how complicated things have gotten.
211 - Mayor - Zootopian versions of "The Bad Guys" characters. Nick doesn't trust the new mayor, Diane Foxington, and sparks fly.
212 - Moon - Zootopia + "special". Nick and Judy have dinner with Sam the otter (the only good thing from Zootopia +) as their server.
213 - Serendipity - Lunar New Year Special. Judy becomes frustrated with the concept of "lucky bunnies", despite the universe itself seeming to want to contradict her.
214 - Rising - Sequel to the previous: Judy reconciles with her fortunes, and Nick struggles with his own.
215 - Vault - An esoteric, "liminal space" story. An ethereal place which captures Disney characters who are no longer "remembered". Very different from my typical writing.
216 - Proxies - Zootopian versions of Rescue Rangers and Rescuers characters. Chip and Dale are private investigators solving a crime in Little Rodentia.
217 - Proxies II - Sequel to the previous: Chip must request the help of Gadget, who's working at Ozzie's Auto Repair, for help with a case.
218 - Green - Nick and Judy finally make detectives, and recieve a surprisingly anticlimactic case.
219 - Tracks - Nick must decide what he'll do with the legacy and memory of a complicated relative of his.
220 - Bars - Nick confronts a particular criminal in prison.
-ZOOTOPIA 2 from this point on. Please be careful of spoilers if you haven't seen the movie!-
221 - Exposure - Nick meets with Gary to try to get a little more familiar with him.
222 - Expansion - Follows from previous. Judy has lunch with Nibbles and they discuss how the bunny might be able to relax after the last case.
223 - Explanation - Follows from previous. Judy and Nick are back from a vacation and are strangely cagey about what went on during it.
224 - Exhale - Follows from previous. Judy has an account to settle with Nick and does it in a somewhat unusual way.
225 - Empty - Judy obtains a photo she thought she lost from the cloud, and it stirs her into a perhaps hasty action.
226 - Yoink - Marsh Market is haunted by a strange criminal who seems to be targeting the newly-introduced reptiles.
227 - Hug - Judy begins acting unusually about one of her favorite things in the world and Nick attempts to uncover the reason why.
228 - Hug II - Judy attempts to seek help from a therapist who has an unusual connection to her.
229 - Hug III - Judy's therapy both progresses and has setbacks, but she attempts to push forward to peace with herself and what she wants.
230 - Everything - Judy has a run-in with the Celestials.
231 - Tells - Nick is taken -mostly against his will- to the Hopps Burrow, where he's overwhelmed in almost every way he can think of.
232 - Tells II - Judy attempts to go for something she's been hinting at for a long time, but her past might make things difficult.
233 - Marks III - A Zootopia 2 version of "Marks". Nick has a set of fresh scars on his paw, mind, and heart.
234 - Offering - Nick offers Gary an unexpected gift at a place quite important to him.
235 - Privacy - Judy's been withholding things from her parents lately, and they make an ill-advised attempt to acquire the information they want.
236 - Privacy II - Bonnie Hopps is ready to push perhaps a bit too hard to get the truth from Judy and Nick.
237 - Casting - Nibbles literally throws a responsibility on Nick at the last second, and he attempts to make the most of his duty.
238 - Fury - Nick and Judy are both hiding a side of each other they'd rather not show.
239 - Book - Judy flips through the "Partners for Dummies" book and finds it's not exactly what she thought it was. She attempts to get Nick not to look at it before any "spoilers".
240 - Offering II - A "Crittermas" special. Nick tries to surprise Judy for Crittermas with a gift he's not exactly confident about.
241 - Childish II - Zootopia 2 version of "Childish". Judy has a nightmare, and is distressed enough to do something she thinks she probably shouldn't.
242 - Fury II - Pawbert and his siblings trade blame and hatred with each other.
243 - Fury III - Gary and Nibbles discuss whether anything is gnawing at them after what they went through together.
244 - Patience - Nick gets an unexpectedly sudden request from Flash about an even more unexpected event.
245 - Dare - Nick makes Judy a bet that he's sure she won't take him up on.
246 - Resignation - Karen Skippel resigns from the ZPD and Judy takes up a personal investigation as to why.
247 - Closeted - Zootopian versions of Animal Crossing characters. Nibbles is a minor celebrity in the Marshlands now, but there's another popular internet beaver that lives there too, and he has a secret.
248 - Masking - Nick and Judy discuss The Amazing Digital Circus up to episode seven with each other. Yes, really.
249 - Fluster - Nick builds himself up in mind and body until he's confident enough to throw Judy for a loop.
250 - Patience II - Nick's responsibilities toward Flash conflict with a concern building up within Judy.
251 - Treasure - Judy trusts Gary with something she's realizing about herself, and learns some lessons from snake culture.
252 - Burst - New Year's Eve special. Nick, Judy, Gary, and Nibbles all get a place to enjoy the fireworks for the new year. Nick shares his feelings, but they might not be so simple as he proclaims.
253 - Dog - Nick's caught a new "nick"name around the station, and Judy doesn't quite agree with it.
254 - Earth - Original Characters. A peek into the early life of Terra Brownfurred, a kit fox. Warning: Tragic story.
255 - Dance - Nick resorts to an unusual way to tell Judy how he feels.
256 - Song - Follows from previous. Judy repays a debt she feels Nick has left her with.
257 - Smile - Joel the deer's partnership with Karen the honey badger is at a tenuous point. Nick tries to guide him through his troubles.
258 - Thinking - Follows from previous. Judy has been confronted about her hitting of Nick and reveals all of her feelings at once.
259 - Pals - In his family's name for ninety-nine years, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit considers selling his property in Downtown Zootopia.
260 - Bare - With Nick craving more and more attention from Judy, a small push from her sends him to a strange place in a strange state, where he's sure he won't be bothered.
261 - Reconcile - While exploring Zootopia on her free time, Judy has a chance encounter that makes her infuriated with Nick.