A/N: This will be a bit different from my other fics in the way that it will be first-person. Sorry for the long first chapter. Hope you guys and gals enjoy.
I sighed, staring around me at the blank white walls of my room. Guess I should introduce myself, huh? My name is Dr. Chiro Optera, but I'm mostly known as Chiro around here. Where is here, exactly? Why, only the worst place a doctor like myself could be: an insane asylum. This is the one place I didn't want to end up, but just my luck, the prison was too full of criminals. Truth be told, they're scared of me, including the doctors here that "evaluate" us. Curious as to why I'm in this hellhole? Simply put, I was betrayed.
Let me take a step back and explain my profession, yes? I used to be a geneticist, studying and identifying the reasons behind natural gene mutation and heredity of genes from parent to child. However, that's not the only thing I did. I also dabbled in genetic engineering, splicing together different genes to create new and different animals. For the right price, a couple could ask for a customized baby from their genes, giving samples of their DNA for the new baby. Unfortunately, the project isn't always a success due to either too different DNA from the parents, a malfunction with the machinery, or any number of other problems.
If the operation is a success, you would think the family would live happily ever after, right? Most of the time that isn't the case. More often than not, the parents end up returning the child to us, outright killing it, or abandoning it for the police to find or starve. My personal favorite child to make happened to become my adopted daughter since her real parents refused her. She was a hybrid of coyote DNA and wolf DNA, had the most beautiful emerald eyes, a lovely, slightly toothy smile, and gorgeous silver fur. I ended up naming her Jade for the color of her eyes, despite there not being any resemblance of her parents.
Back to the reason why I'm locked up in this "hospital". A couple came in asking to speak with me, and I was wary for good reason. I thought they were a couple wanting to ask or adopt a baby, and I was correct. They wanted a hybrid child since they couldn't have children on their own and I couldn't have been happier. I asked for their names and almost instantly regretted it, learning that it was none other than the dynamic duo of officers Nicholas Wilde and Judith Hopps. Nervously, I asked why they were really here since they were police and what I was doing was illegal. Judy said that since their wedding, they wanted a child but couldn't have one due to her infertility.
They both assured me they weren't here on police business, promising that they wouldn't arrest me. I asked if they knew what I, and by extension, them, was doing is illegal. Apparently they weren't as I had suspected so I decided to tell them the reason behind banning genetic engineering. "A few years ago, genetic engineering was legal until one scientist took it too far. He created a monstrosity. He combined a total of 13 different animal species into one being and released it to wreak havoc across the entirety of Zootopia. Fortunately, with that amount of different DNA, it died after destroying a good portion of the city center. After that, the doctor was put into prison and charged with endangering the public. Genetic engineering was then banned, forcing many doctors to find a different branch of science", I explained to the two.
"Some doctors still held strong to practicing genetic experimentation in private, including me. If a family can afford it, I will create a child for them with their DNA." Nick looked at Judy before saying, "So, you'll help us? We can pay you whatever we need to. Please. You're the only doctor that hasn't turned us away because we're cops." I sighed and rubbed my eyebrows, debating whether I should help or not. Finally, I came to a decision. "All right. I'll help you. However, I'm not accepting just money from you. Instead, I'll have you give me your word on a couple of things. First off, swear that you will love this child and not abandon him like so many of the others?" Nick and Judy shared a look and simultaneously nodded. "Good. Second, do you promise not to tell any of your police or civilian buddies about my practice?" Again, a simultaneous nod. "Third, do I have your word that you will pay in full?" Nick looked nervous and said, "How much are we talking about here?"
I shrugged and said, "Cheapest I can do is three grand. Other doctors will charge at the very least 10 grand, so this is a good deal." Judy spoke up after thinking on it. "Can we pay half of it now and the other half when we have him?" I tapped my chin with my thumb claw, my wings folded around me. I grinned. "Sounds like we have a deal, then. Go talk to Kat out in the lobby. She'll get you set up in the operating room." I noticed Nick's eyes widen before asking what was wrong with him. "Oh. It's just…hospital rooms and I don't really…sit well." I nodded in understanding. "Sorry, Mr. Wilde. But we need DNA from the both of you to get started."
Judy then came to her husband's rescue. "Wait. Why don't you just draw blood or have us spit into a cup?" I laughed at the fact that they were worried about surgery. "Hahaha! That's the entire reason both of you are going into the operation room. I'm drawing blood. And before you ask why, it's because the other two operating rooms are for other purposes and I don't want any loose blood ruining the paperwork in here. It took me three weeks to get through all this." Both of them finally nodded in understanding and left to go to my assistant.
Kat is a leopard that used to compete in gymnastics while we were both still in high school. She came to work with me when her dreams of hitting it big fell flat, and has been here ever since. She once told me her favorite part of the job was seeing all those happy faces when they receive their child, since she couldn't have her own due to infertility. I've offered to create a child for her but she's refused every time, saying that she's content with just creating children for other people and babysitting Jade while I'm gone. Anyways, once they went out, I called Henry, my good friend and bodyguard/chief of security, into my office. "Keep an eye out for anything unusual. I have some high value customers here and I don't want any distractions. I suspect one animal or another will come looking for me."
Henry nodded and stepped out of the office before I did, going back to the main lobby to keep everything under control. I stepped up to the desk and spoke to Kat for a moment. "I'm worried." Kat looked up at me and gave a look. "Why? You always do the best you can. At least you're fair to your patients and employees." "I know. It's just…I have that feeling that something is going to go wrong. It's either that or the burrito I had for lunch is trying to fight its way out. If I screw up, there's the potential risk of going to jail, losing Jade, and revoking my license." Kat shook her head and pointed to the room holding Judy and Nick. "Just go do what you need to do."
I nodded and opened the door to go in. Once inside, I walked over to the counter and set up a tray with syringes and gauze. I asked which one wanted to go first and Judy said she would. I located the vein on her left arm and pushed the needle in, slowly pulling the handle back to extract the blood. Once I got the syringe full, I placed some gauze over the small indentation and told her to keep pressure on it to prevent blood loss. Nick then sighed and told me to get it over with. I repeated the same process with him, except it was a bit harder to find the vein and he wouldn't sit still. Once I got the second syringe full of blood, I set it next to the first one and told them, "You can sign out at the registry. I'll notify you when your child will be ready. Have a nice day and take it easy due to the bleeding."
Once they were gone, I sighed and mopped my brow with a nearby paper towel. Then I looked down at the syringes and said to myself, "Now comes the fun part."