"So... you have no idea what it is?" the large cape buffalo said incredulously to Judy and Nick. After taking Eli's statement, the fox and bunny duo headed straight back to the ZPD headquarters to make their full report. Needless to say, Chief Bogo was not in a good mood.

"Did you even bother to check the known mammal database?" Chief Bogo said while crossing his arms, and staring down at the two.

"Why of course not sir, we would never dream of doing such a thing," Nick said as he absentmindedly leaned back in his chair. Judy shot him a dirty look.

"Don't you even start with me Wilde! Don't think for one second that I've forgotten the incident with the badger!" the Chief said, slamming a fist down onto his desk.

"Sir," Judy started, "we checked the database, and he doesn't match any other animal. He claims that he's something called a Hue Mann, but there was nothing in the database about that either. As far as we can tell, we've just encountered a new species!" She couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice.

"Calm down Hopps," the Chief said while rubbing his temples. "We'll wait to hear back from the doctors first, before we start jumping to conclusions."

"But sir, he said that where he came fro-"

"I read your report Hopps! I'm well aware of what this... kid said. And now I'm saying to you, that we'll wait for the doctors to finish their evaluation of him first. The media is already in an uproar over him! Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Judy said, still feeling excited over this new discovery.

"Good. Now then, according to what you've told me so far, the individual in question is indeed a juvenile, and has shown evidence of past abuse... is that correct?"

"Yes sir," Judy's ears drooped at that. Nick sat up straight as well.

"Yeah, from what they told us, the doctors said that wherever he came from, he's had it pretty rough for a while now," Nick said.

"Alright then... that is unfortunate... however, the people at Child Services should be able to sort him out once he's released from the hospital. By then we can have this media circus under control. Until then, I'm assigning you two to this... Eli. I can't spare anymore officers at this time, so even though he'll be staying at the hospital, he's officially in your custody for the time being. Dismissed!" he said while pointing at the door, cutting Nick off before he was about to say something.

Judy and Nick quickly made their way out of the Chief's office and walked down the hall. Through the glass front doors, they could both clearly see an army of reporters and cameras right outside.

"They have been asking about you two and the creature you found for hours now!" Clawhauser said excitedly from behind his desk. The chubby cheetah was smoothing his hair back and straightening his tie.

"Making yourself look good for all the cameras?" Nick asked.

"Yup! You never know who'll be watching.....like Gazelle" Clawhauser said happily, his eyes becoming as glazed as the donut he just picked up.

"So what was that thing anyway?"

Judy gave Clawhauser a stern look. "He's just a child. And he's in pretty rough shape."

Catching the rabbit's tone, Clawhauser looked remorseful. "Just a kid? Oh wow... I saw some of the footage... was he hurt?"

Hearing the concern in his voice, Judy smiled at him, before the memory of what the doctor had told them made her ears droop.

"Yes... and he looked terrified..." All three were silent at that. Until Judy got her usual look of determination.

"Uh-oh," Nick leaned in to whisper to Clawhauser, "I know that look. That's the look she gets right before she goes and drags me along on-"

"Come on!" Judy said impatiently as she took Nick by the arm and started to sprint with him stumbling after her towards the back exit.

Back at the hospital...

Eli awoke with a start and shot straight up. After a few moments of remembering all that had happened up until last night, he frantically grabbed for the t.v. remote and hit the on button. What popped up was the same news channel, ZNN, he had watched the night before.

"And as you can see, we have yet another week of bright cloudless skies coming to the fine animals of Zootopia," said a zebra weather man. Then the same giraffe woman from last night came on.

"We have yet to receive any additional information regarding the strange hairless being that had been taken into ZPD custody last night. If you're just joining us-"

Eli switched off the t.v. and laid back in the hospital bed.

"It wasn't a dream... it's real," he said aloud.

After coming to that realization, he started to breath rapidly. He curled up on his side and closed his eyes. Silent tears streamed down his face as he tried to get his breathing under control. It wasn't until he felt something soft and warm wrap around his neck that he started to calm down. He opened his eyes to see the bunny cop from yesterday giving him a hug. After a while, his breathing slowed, and the tears stopped.

"Feeling better?" Judy asked him after she let him go.

"Yes... thank you..." Eli said.

Judy smiled at him as she sat on the edge of his bed.

"Anytime! I know that this must be really scary for you, but don't worry. I promise that Nick and I are both going to do everything in our power to make sure you are safe!"

Eli looked down as a small smile appeared on his lips.

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"Umm... thanks officer..."

"Oh! I'm sorry! I'm Officer Judy Hopps of the ZPD! But my friends call me Judy."

"And I'm Captain Nick Wilde. But you can just call me sir," The fox cop said as he relaxed in the chair next to Eli's bed.

"Please don't listen to him. He's my partner, not a Captain!" she said pointedly to Nick.

"Sorry, I just couldn't help myself," he said while holding his paws up in defeat. Eli smiled a little more at their exchange.

"Anyway," Judy started while giving Nick another look as he started to open his muzzle, which he immediately shut, "we've been assigned to watch over you! So I guess this means we can get to know each other better."

Eli was silent. "So... am I going to another orphanage?"

"Well... once your files are all in order and submitted... and you're all healed up... Child Services will be stepping in."

"So yes," Eli said numbly. His shoulders slumped, and he looked absolutely miserable. Then he felt Judy take his hand with one paw, while the other one gently turned his head to face her so that she could look him square in the eye.

"Eli. You will not be alone anymore. I swear." The bunny's eyes were so full of confidence, Eli almost believed her.

"It's true pal." Eli turned to see Nick standing at the foot of the bed now, smiling at him.

"When carrots here makes a promise like that, she'll do just about anything to keep it."

Eli looked down again. If rabbits didn't have such great hearing, she might not have caught Eli's near whispered "Thank you."

Judy smiled as she looked up at him. In that moment, regardless of the strangeness of his appearance, she could clearly see how young he was. Unable to resist, she leaned over and gave him yet another tight hug around his neck.

FLASH!

Judy and Eli both looked up, surprised, to see Nick holding his phone up.

"Sorry, I just had to capture the moment," he said as he lightly tapped the screen of his phone a few times.

"Nick.." Judy began in a stern voice, only to be silenced by Nick holding up a paw.

"Easy carrots, I'm not sending the picture anywhere. Now!" he said as he quickly put his phone away while slipping on a pair of aviator sunglasses.

"How's about we get outta here and go do something fun?" Nick smirked.

"Nick! Eli can't go anywhere! Not only are those reporters going to mob him, he's still recovering!" Judy said exasperatedly to the sly fox.

"Oh come on carrots! The kid needs a break, besides, I know a fool-proof way to get him out and about without anyone noticing, and without any overexertion."

Judy looked at Eli, and her ears drooped a little. She then turned to Nick and placed her paws on her hips.

"And just what is this brilliant idea?"

Exactly 30 minutes later...

"I can't believe you talked me into this," Judy complained as they wheeled Eli out through the front doors. Nick and Judy were keeping their heads down in order to avoid detection while all of Eli was dressed in his now clean clothes, with his hands and head almost completely wrapped in bandages. Nick knew a beaver who happened to be a male nurse who had helped with the disguised. Eli's deep blue eyes were still visible, as was his mouth and nostrils. He felt a little twinge of fear at going out with Nick and Judy in this strange place, but he also felt excitement at getting to explore a little bit.

"Calm down, it's working," Nick whispered to her. And he was right. None of the other animals there gave them a second look. Eli couldn't help but smile a little. As Judy went to hold open the hospital door while Nick wheeled Eli past, she noticed his grin, and smiled herself.

When they got to their massive police cruiser, Judy insisted on helping Eli into the back seat, despite his protests.

"Save your breath kid, it's a waste of time trying to sway her when she sets her mind to something," Nick said as he climbed into the driver's seat.

Judy just shot him a dirty look into the rearview mirror before continuing to assist Eli.

"Now hush Eli, you're still injured and so are going to take it easy weather you think you should or not, got it mister?" Judy asked in a stern voice, once again looking him in the eye, but with a slight smile.

"Yes ma'am," Eli said quickly.

"Good call kid," Nick said, earning himself another withering glare from Judy as she folded up Eli's wheelchair and loaded it into the trunk.

The overly bandaged human saw her do this, and was thoroughly impressed.

"She's stronger than she looks," Eli said more to himself than to Nick.

"You don't know the half of it kid," the fox replied before the rabbit they were both just discussing opened the passenger door and hopped in.

"He doesn't know the half of what?" Judy asked while eyeing her partner suspiciously.

"Oh nothing," Nick said as he put the car in gear and took off.

Judy clearly didn't believe him, but let the matter drop. Every now and then, she would glance back to check on Eli, and would see him staring out the window in awe. She couldn't help but giggle at his growing excitement. She did have to pointedly ignore Nick's classic I told you so look, that he kept giving her.

After about a half an hour of driving, Nick pulled them into the parking lot of a restaurant. Eli didn't notice the name of the place, or even that they had stopped. He was far too engrossed with taking in the sights still.

"So what do you think of Zootopia so far Eli?" Judy asked him while he continued to stare.

"It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen," Eli said, suddenly aware that they had stopped.

Judy smiled as she got out of the car. Nick went around to get the wheel chair, while Judy opened the door for Eli.

"It is an amazing sight," Judy said as she helped the human ease into the chair as Nick rolled it right up behind him.

"I remember when I first came here, about a year ago, I had the same look on my face."

"How can you tell?" Nick asked, receiving a punch to his arm.

"Ow! It was just a joke," he said while rubbing his arm.

Eli couldn't help but giggle a little at their display.

"Well I suppose it's nice to know that my being in pain happens to be funny to some," Nick grumbled while pushing the chair.

They entered the restaurant, and Eli looked around. He saw a lot of different families eating at various booths, and an arcade in the back with the happy shouts of children. And he smelled something that made his stomach growl loudly.

"You guys have pizza on this world?" he asked, a little excitement creeping into his voice. Judy and Nick both smiled at him.

"Of course we do. We're civilized animals after all," Nick said as they made their way to the hostess' booth.

"Alright, is it just you three?" a female ferret asked while looking at them. She looked a little confused at the sight of two cops pushing a bandaged boy in a wheel chair, but said nothing about it.

"That's right, one table for three please," Judy said nonchalantly.

"Alrighty then!" the ferret grabbed three menus and walked them to an open table.

The three were quickly seated, Eli just sitting in the wheel chair at the table.

"You're waiter will be along shortly," she said before hurrying off to attend to a large family of rhinos that just entered.

"So what would you like kid?" Nick asked as he casually perused the menu.

"... Umm... would olives be alright?" Eli asked cautiously.

"You bet!" Judy said in her usual enthusiastic manner. Nick just smiled at her display. For all his complaints, he really is impressed with her energy and positivity now and again. The rest of the time it more often than not means that she's going to drag him into a dangerous situation. But, he knew that she always meant well.

"Nick?" Judy asked him, dragging him from his thoughts.

"Huh?"

Judy then gestured to the coyote waiter standing next to them.

"Sir, may I take your order?" he asked.

"Oh, uh yeah! I'll take a large pizza with bell peppers and mushrooms," the fox said, noticing Eli making a face beneath his bandages. That made him smirk.

Guess we got ourselves a picky eater, Nick thought.

"I'll have a medium with sliced carrots," Judy said, looking over to Eli who appeared to be visibly nervous as the waiter looked at him.

"And he'll have a medium with cheese and olives," she said, gently resting a paw on his bandaged hand. Eli seemed to instantly calm down at her touch.

"And to drink?" the waiter asked.

"I'll take an orange soda," Nick said, Judy ordered herself and Eli the same.

"Alright then, I'll be back with your order," the waiter said while writing in his notepad as he left.

The three then happily made small talk while they waited for their food to be brought over. Judy excitedly asked Eli about what the human world was like.

"Well... it's kinda like what I've seen here... only it's just us humans. We're the only intelligent species."

"Wow! Really? I can't even imagine what that must be like," Judy said, excitement in her voice.

"Before stumbling my way here, I would've never imagined a world like this one either," Eli said, his smile a little wider now.

It was then that the waiter returned, expertly carrying their orders. Soon, Nick was digging into his pizza, while Judy was enjoying hers, which included thinly sliced carrots for a topping. Eli smiled at the two of them. He wasn't used to people being this nice to him, and he was a little unsure of how to proceed.

"Thanks... you're both really nice," he said.

Judy and Nick both stopped eating and looked at each other, before Judy set her slice down and patted Eli gently on the elbow.

"You are quite welcome Eli. It's truly our pleasure," she said, deciding to give him another hug, before returning to her slice.

After a few moments of reflecting on this, Eli's growling stomach quickly reminded him that he too had some pizza in front of him that required his immediate attention.

It had been a while since he had eaten anything as good as this slice. He was so engrossed in enjoying it, that he didn't notice the small tiger boy staring at him at first. After a few minutes, he became aware that he was being watched, and turned to see a little tiger cub, which he guessed was around the age of five-ish, just staring intently at him.

Oh no... this can't be good, he thought.