Cities in Peril

Returning to Calatonia

Big Daddy had been worried about his son for the last three weeks. He had only spoken to him once and that was on the first day of his internship. He hadn't spoken to him since and hadn't stopped worrying about him since. He tried to convince the prison guards to let him call his phone call – one time he even tried to threaten them – but they didn't let him. His gang members and other cell mates tried to calm him down but they failed. He just couldn't get Johnny out of his mind and barely slept because of it. He didn't care about the trial tomorrow. If he had to be sentenced to life imprisonment or death to see his own son one last time, he would accept it.

Then the door opened. "You got a bunch of visitors," the guard called to Big Daddy.

Oh, great, Big Daddy thought. Another visit from the lawyers.

The lawyers acting for their defense in the upcoming trial for Big Daddy and his gang had been paying them visits for days to give them updates and how good or grim it was going to be them. It had been mostly grim for them; though they always did their best to make sure their sentence wouldn't be too long.

But Big Daddy was completely surprised when he saw the visitors in the visiting room wasn't their lawyers, but it was the Zootopia police officers Hopps and Wilde, a porcupine and his own son.

"Johnny!" He ran and hugged him. He felt so much better than after seeing him in one piece. Then he turned to the Zootopia police officers and thanked them for protecting him the whole time. Then he saw the porcupine. "Who's your friend?"

Johnny introduced him to Ash and they shook hands.

"I will give you two hours," the guard said.

So everyone sat down and told Big Daddy everything that had in Zootopia since that calling him that first night up to the quarry fight with Molly.

"I can see now why you never wanted me to know about her, Dad," Johnny said.

"Well, it's done now," Big Daddy said. "But if the fight with your mom was over a week ago, what were you doing in that time?"

"Well, since Johnny was Molly's son," Judy said, "all of her money and business properties were passed down to Johnny. He's been busy repairing the damage by giving the money back to the city and the closed businesses she stole from with that virus she created."

"In no time, everyone in Zootopia was back in business," Nick said. "The unemployment rate went from 95% to 5%. So Johnny Boy had helped to create more jobs for more mammals wanting to work."

"Not to mention all the city is better since he gave the interns before they left a great volunteering speech," Judy said.

"And don't forget, Johnny has been given a medal for his brave and selfless deeds from the mayor of Zootopia herself," Ash said. "Show your dad, Johnny."

Johnny reached into one of his leather jacket pockets and showed him a gold medal with a blue ribbon.

"I'm really proud of you, son," Big Daddy said. "So what are you going to do now that you're back?"

"Well, I kept enough money to bail you, Barry and Stan out," Johnny said.

"I'm afraid you're too late for that," Big Daddy said. "Our trial is in two days time. I don't want you to spend anything on me. You spend what you've hard-earned on what you want."

"Ladies and gentlemen," the guard called. "Visiting time's up."

Johnny and Big Daddy hugged one last time.

"I'll see you at the trial, Dad," Johnny said.

"See you, son," Big Daddy said before the guard escorted him back to the cell. Now that Johnny was back in one piece, he was so relieved and happy that he couldn't care what would happen to him in the trial.

Johnny, Ash, Judy and Nick headed out of the prison.

"Are you sure you can manage your dad's trial without us, Johnny?" Judy asked.

"Yeah," Johnny said. "Thanks, Judy, Nick. It was a great blast."

"You were marvelous, Johnny Boy," Nick said. "Take care and don't be a stranger."

"No," Johnny said. He gave him a hug and then Judy one.

"Bye, Ash," Judy and Nick said.

"Bye, Hopps. Bye, Wilde," Ash said. "Keep making the world a better place."

The police officers went into their car and drove off back to Zootopia with Johnny and Ash waving back.

"Would you like to stay at my place tonight, Johnny?" Ash asked.

Johnny yawned. "Well, it's not too much trouble."

"Not at all," Ash said. "It's only two blocks away and I don't feel like being there on my own. So come on." They started walking. "Are you going back to your volunteering work tomorrow?"

"Well, no," Johnny said. "Two reasons. The first is to get ready for my dad's trial and the second is the day after might be the first day I start work at my new job."

"New job?" Ash asked.

"Before my adventure in Zootopia, I applied for a job at Shiny Trees Enterprises."

Shiny Trees Enterprises was Calatonia's largest multi-media business. It didn't just produce music records or videos. It produced their own TV shows, movies, books, video games, clothes and various merchandise among the other products they made and sell.

"Which department?" Ash asked.

"I'm in the advertising department," he replied. "Last week while we were in Zootopia, I got a phone call from the CEO himself. He said he was really impressed with my volunteering career and he saw me singing at the Moon Theatre on TV. He wants me to start in three days. If I can, I might be able to continue to volunteer whenever I have some time off because I enjoy it. What about you, Ash? What upcoming adventures are you having?"

"I don't know," she said. "But I'm sure something will come up. Something better had. Because I don't know how close I am to eviction from my flat."

Hearing that made Johnny wanted to help Ash. Then thinking of his job gave him an idea.