My take on the author meeting our heroes without the awful Mary Sue character becoming the BFF or more

"Sweet and sour?" The old silvered Coyote asked his merely age-greyed Brother.

"Yeah." And the younger Coyote got up a bit stiffly.

They were pretty much retired old dogs, the elder one a recent widower, the younger one divorced long ago, then looked after their Mother for many years until her death. Now they shared a small house in the 118 neighborhood. Mostly working class, but with an unfairly negative reputation for where foreigners and minority mammals were opted into.

True, there were more different species and nationalities in that one small district than in the rest of Zootopia combined, but that variety also created a positive synergy that had eluded the neighboring and tragically named Happy Town.

"Sweet and sour." Meant a trip to King Donut*, a little donut shop, self-serve Laundromat, and vaguely Asian take out kitchen. The sweet and sour chicken was rather generic, but pleasantly so, and a single serving was an economical belly full for the two of them. And for coyotes, the chicken part was real bird flesh.

Meat, even the most indirect or camouflaged versions, like bug burgers, could be problematic around most folk, being grinders. However there were sources for those who wanted or needed such. Ironically, one of the pair's favorite restaurants, Teapot**, was actually vegan, but the preparations were so well prepared that there was no telling that the meals were both completely meatless and covered their dietary needs.

The trip today was in the old beater pick up truck, as the battery could use a little perk up. Younger Brother lit a sad little paw-rolled cigarette, hanging it out the window as the older Brother drove. As they often did, they started 'singing' an ill-tuned rendition of an old pop tune, with increasingly altered lyrics as they went through the verses, finally degenerating into streams of silly monosyllables.

Then, there was King Donut, and of course, elder Brother made a point of announcing it as 'dough naught'. But as he was paying more attention to his announcement than the left turn he needed to arrive, he found himself missing the turn lane.

"Poop! I missed it." And seeing there was no immediate traffic around him, pulled a quick and tidy U-turn. This was, of course, immediately followed by flashing lights from up the block. "Argh. Caught, caught I say, for my heinous criminal deed." Then, melodramatics over, sighed. He was a good driver and knew that his maneuver was technically in violation, so wasn't about to debate it, but it was also a bit petty, especially as there had not been any other traffic threatened by it.

"I'll remember you when you're gone, faux lamented Younger Brother.

"Hacksaw blade in my birthday cake?" In return.

"Are you kidding? Getting the house all to myself for the years you'll be locked up." Said gleefully.

"But you'll have to pay the bills and stuff."

"Oh. Never mind." In tragic deflation.

As he pulled out his paperwork, Older Brother glanced in his rear view to see, "Oh double poop. It's that Rabbit!"

That Rabbit was the famous Judy Hopps, of course. Older Brother remembered all too well those infamous words and the hardships of the savage times. However, he also knew that the poor Bunny had spoke in ignorance rather than malice and had been played by that Damned Ewe. That she later exposed the Bellwether plot did help a bit, but some damage was taking longer to heal.

As for traffic stops and cops, he was always cool. He made a mistake; they were just doing their job, so nothing to get up about. Though there had been times, especially in his youth that DWP, 'diving while pred', especially as a coyote, was a very different matter.

"Hello sir. Are you aware of the no left turn section of the street there?" The little officer was being neutrally polite, perhaps just a bit bored with such a minor infraction.

"I'm afraid so, Ma'am. Just a momentary lapse in judgment." Older Brother looked a bit contrite, but was more embarrassed for the dumb move. He glanced over to Younger Brother, who was barely containing his glee at meeting the Famous Bunny, and maybe enjoying his Bother's distress a little too. Older Brother had some small experience with being around celebrities and such, so was simply dealing with her as a cop.

While Hopps was looking over his documents, Older Brother noticed the second officer approaching, the Fox, Wilde. "Hey, Baby Brother, the Famous Fox is coming."

"Oboy!" And Younger Brother wiggled in excitement, but not so much as to be construed as being threatening. He was clearly enjoying himself way too much.

When Wilde got up to the truck and took a good look at Older Brother, his cool cop demeanor changed to cheerful enthusiasm. "Hey, Officer Hopps, we have a famous artist here! He was one of the early skinny cartoonists."

"Skinny?" Hopps didn't know and Older Brother cringed just a bit, while Younger Brother beamed.

"Yeah, you know. Those cartoon fans all up with the weird furless characters. He was one of the creators."

Older Brother made a face. "Well, just one of the early content providers to the current fad. Hardly a 'creator'."

Hopps looked a bit perplexed at her partner, "How do you know any of that?"

Wilde snorted, "Like I keep saying, I know everyone. And in this case, I was into comics, especially indies and undergrounds back in the day. Not his directly, but knew of him."

Older Brother pouted theatrically, such fleeting fame, and then shrugged it off. "I was just a small press independent comic book artist and self-publisher starting back in the eighties, and in decline since." Said to Hopps in explanation. "My comics were pretty obscure even back in the best of times and I haven't done anything new in more than a octade."

He grimaced just a tad with that. It was his Mate's cancer that had sidetracked him into full time attention to her, and with her death, he'd never gotten back to it or much of anything else.

Hopps was mildly impressed, but she had the process to grind through. Younger Brother was still having fun with the celebrity cops. "Never thought I'd ever see you guys. 'Specially not in this circumstance." And he gave Older Brother a bit of an elbow nudge. "See, they aren't going to use the big sticks on you." Then back to Wilde, "You aren't, are you?"

Wilde laughed at the ill-concealed glee at the unlikely prospect. "Naw, we save the batons for jaywalkers nowadays."

"Oh poo. At least we'll be getting your autographs on the ticket."

Hopps had come back just in time to hear that. "Sorry folks, but we were thinking of just giving you a warning for that maneuver."

"Thanks Ma'am." Older Brother was grateful for not getting a ticket, but couldn't help but think about how she'd probably done a rather thorough check on him. You know, can't tell about those coyotes.

Younger Brother was dramatically crestfallen, "You sure you didn't find anything, over due book?" until Wilde passed a signed business card to him. "EEE! My first material possession!" And he clutched it to his chest with a blissful expression.

Hopps and Wilde exchanged confused looks.

"He's been binge-watching Renn and Stimpy episodes."

Wilde nodded in understanding.

"Okay, enough of the fooling around, Officer Wilde." Hopps announced rather officiously. "We have more nefarious traffic violators to nab." Then, with a wink, "And maybe a jaywalker or two for some baton practice."

Wilde recoiled in shock at that. "I'd never!"

Everyone exchanged a smile and then the encounter was over.

Later, as Older Brothers were getting the last of the florescent orange sauce and rice out of the take-away carton. "So, how was your big day?"

"I thought Hopps was cute."

"All bunnies are cute."

"No, I mean, cute, ya know."

"Yeah."

*It is a real place, but changed ownership by the time I got around to writing this, and the Asian menu has changed, so no more florescent orange goop covered fried chicken on a big bed of rice.

**A wonderful Asian fusion place, though only the one location over on the east side now. Also mentioned in 'Looking for Love'.