A/N:

Hello dear readers! As you may expect, this is The Mask of Zorro movie (1998) with the characters from Zootopia playing the roles of the original characters from the Zorro film. This fanfic follows the Zorro film's story, but there are a few tweaks here and there to better fit the Zootopia universe (just like I did with Bunny and the Beast). Anyway, with that said, hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Note: This is actually the very first fic I ever started writing, even before Bunny and the Beast so if there are moments that are more on the nose with the original film's dialogue, please forgive me. I was still trying to find my voice/style here. Though don't worry, I'm still adding plenty to make it feel more unique! :D

Also note that this is written in present tense, much like "Bunny and the Beast" was.

...

A silhouette of Nick Wilde dressed as Zorro walks in front of a glowing light in the background. He unsheathes his sword and carves out a fiery "Z" before him.

...

The Mask of Nick

Chapter 1: Zorro!

"IN 1821, PREY'S THREE HUNDRED YEAR POLITICAL DOMINATION OVER PREDATORS WAS ABOUT TO COME TO AN END. A MAMMALS' REBELLION LED BY GENERAL SANTA ANTTA, SPREAD FROM THE ARID MOUNTAINS OF THE SOUTH TO THE RICH AND FERTILE NORTHERN PROVINCE KNOWN AS ZOOTOPIA. PEASANT PREDATORS GATHERED IN THE STREETS, CALLING FOR THE BLOOD OF THE LAST PREY REGION BORN SHEEP GOVERNESS, DOÑA DAWN BELLWETHER. ALTHOUGH, BELLWETHER REFUSED TO RELINQUISH POWER WITHOUT ONE FINAL RECKONING."

RIP! RIP! RIP! RIP! Two large triangular shaped eye holes are carved on the side of a wagon tarp. Little red furred colored claws push through the eye holes to see out from them; making way for two curious, emerald green eyes.

"Come on Nick! It's my turn! Let me see!" says a small, juvenile fennec fox as he shoves his best friend out of the way. Finnick peeks out the tarp to view a crowd of frenzied, peasant predators.

"Muerte a la Gobernadora Bellwether!"* yells a wolf in the crowd. Various chants wishing death upon Bellwether surface from the crowd, but the primary chant among them is… "Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!" The members of the riled crowd push and shove against the soldiers that try to maintain order. The soldiers all consist of prey mammals.

Suddenly, a black Jaguar undertaker by the name of Manchas opens the wagon tarp and notices the two fox kits. "Hey! What are you doing cutting holes in my wagon?"

"We're sorry Mr. Manchas. We were just waiting for Zorro," replies the young fennec fox.

"Yeah, we want to see if he shows up," adds the young eight year old red fox named Nick Wilde.

"Well, if that's any indication, he will." Manchas points to a "Z" carved on an empty coffin inside the wagon.

Nick and Finnick stare in awe at the carved "Z." However, the carving seems to resonate more with the little red fox.

"Finnick! Nick!" they turn their attention back to Manchas, " I've already carved coffins for both of your parents. I'd hate to do the same for you. Now go!"

Nick and Finnick flee from the wagon and run into the massive crowd, but not before Nick knocks one of the soldier's hats off. "Hey!" yells the angry ram, until he's elbowed in the face by a protesting tiger.

The two fox kits continue running between the riled crowd until..."Uhhf!" Both boys fall to the ground as they bounce off the belly of a chubby friar cheetah, Father Clawhauser. "Nick! Finnick! What are you two doing here?" the cheetah scolds, "This is no place for you! Now go back to the mission!"

The fox kits get up and run. Not toward the mission, but deeper into the crowd again.

The crowd's angry roars suddenly increase as a most hated figure appears by the balcony of the Governess' office. It's the sheep Governess herself, Doña Dawn Bellwether. She gives a smug smirk to the angry crowd and even waves her hoof mockingly at them.

Behind Bellwether, her associate Don Doug Ramses, a ram, appears by the doorway. He is out of breath. "Doña Bellwether, for the love of God, why are you still here?!"

"Not now Don Doug. Calm, calm," she replies, nonchalantly.

"Santa Antta's soldiers are three miles away. You must flee now ma'am!" warns the ram.

Bellwether briefly turns to face him, pointing to a document on a nearby table. "The Prey Government would like to thank you for your years of devoted service, Don Doug," she says as she turns back to face out toward the crowd.

Doug picks up the document and skims through it. A confused look overcomes his face. "This land is property of the Prey Government," he states. Bellwether walks over to him.

"And in two hours time it will be the property of the Predator Government, unless I hand it over to you," she answers so confident in her decision to transfer her power over to Doug.

"But, I don't understand ma'am. I thought these predators didn't want a prey mammal, least of all a sheep, governing over them anymore."

"True, but despite this large immigration of predators in recent years, Zootopia is still 90% prey. Besides, it's not that they don't want a sheep governing over them, it's that they don't want someone from the Prey Region ruling over them anymore. You were born in the Predator Region and spent a good few years living there and working for the Predator Government. They'll be able to sympathize with that."

"But what about Santa Antta?" asks Doug, still unsure.

"I'm well acquainted with Santa Antta. I can play that anteater like a fiddle. Just show him that the Dons are the only true taxpayers and he'll respect your claims. As for Zootopia itself, I have divided it evenly among the other Dons, including a small hoof-ful of predators. Though don't worry, I've saved the better sections of Zootopia for the prey." Bellwether walks back over to the balcony. "All you have to worry about now is making sure the other Dons receive their grants." Bellwether looks down the balcony, returning her attention to the wild crowd. "Get the children out of the plaza, immediately!"

Doug accompanies her at the balcony, confusion causing his brow to raise at Bellwether's sudden concern for predator children. She turns her attention to him, "What? Even I know children shouldn't be exposed to the terrible things we adults do."

.

"Let me go! Put me down!" yells Nick as he struggles to break loose from the grasp of some mysterious figure dressed in a friar's cloak. The young red fox falls to the ground after the mysterious figure releases him. The little fox opens his mouth to give him lip, but the only sound he can muster up is a shocked *GASP!*

Underneath the figure's large hood, Nick can see the mysterious figure is a brown fox wearing a black mask over his brown eyes. "Zorro?" Nick questions the other fox with a big smile across his face. The mysterious fox just just smiles back at the kit and places a finger over his own muzzle and gives Nick a low "shh." Zorro moves back into the crowd, while Nick jumps back onto his feet and races to find Finnick.

Nick spots Finnick running through the crowd and chases after him, grabbing him by the arm. "I saw him! I saw Zorro!" Nick tells his friend ecstatically.

"Really?! Where?!" Finnick chirps in excitement.

"Come here!" Nick tells him eagerly as he pulls his friend to another section of the plaza.

.

A firing squad prepares to open fire on three blindfolded predators: a wolf, a jaguar, and an otter. The commanding officer glances over at the Governess' balcony. Bellwether gives him a nod of approval. "Firmes! Preparen armas!"** yells the commanding pig officer.

"Who are these predators you are about to execute?" asks Doug curiously.

"Don't know. I just told them to pick out three random predators from the crowd," responds Bellwether coldly.

"You are aware this won't go well with Santa Antta, right? This can possibly get you executed." Doug informs her with concern.

Bellwether chuckles confidently, "Nonsense. They're nobodies. Besides if anyone asks, I'll just say they bared their teeth at me."

Doug shakes his head and leaves the balcony.

"Alto! A la izquierda! Preparen!"*** the commanding officer orders his men.

Nick and Finnick, now at a rooftop, look down at the firing squad. "Where is he?" questions Nick, his voice full of worry for the innocent animals about to be executed.

"Apunten!"**** orders the pig as his soldiers take aim.

Suddenly from the mission's doorway a shadowy figure appears and tosses a whip toward the firing squad's guns. He pulls them just when the pig yells "FUEGO-!"***** Causing the firing squad to shoot at their own commanding officer instead of the three innocent predators. The shocked prey soldiers turn their attention toward the mission entrance.

Out the doorway and into the light of day stands ZORRO! Now fully revealed in his trademark black outfit as he swishes his sword in front of him. He's a fairly short brown fox, not that much taller than an otter, with brown eyes, cream colored fur at his chest and lower jaw, a white tip at his tail end, his waist thin and his chest thick and puffed out - muscular. The crowd goes wild with cheers and applause at the masked hero! They chant, "ZORRO! ZORRO! ZORRO!" at the top of their lungs, while Nick and Finnick give a simultaneous "Yeah!"

Bellwether on the other hand, does not look happy to see the vigilante. "GET HIM!" she orders down at the soldiers.

The soldiers charge at Zorro but he manages to hop over them with ease and leaps toward the platform. Once there he quickly slashes the ropes at the blindfolded predators' wrists, setting them free. Bellwether's soldiers charge him at the platform.

CLINK! CLINK! SLASH!

He battles the soldiers with relative ease, despite his size. He manages to dodge a bull soldier's sword thrust while two rabbit soldiers charge him. He kicks them both away with a hard double kick and onto the bull - knocking all three off the hanger's platform.

The soldiers try to surround him around the platform, but he's too quick with his sword slashes to even give them a chance to climb aboard it. The quick-witted brown fox then slashes at the platform's drop lever, causing the bottom to open and allowing him to fall freely to the ground. "Huh?" A warthog soldier peeks down, wondering where he's gone, only to have Zorro run back up the platform and poke the warthog in the butt "Ooh!" he squeals with bulging eyes. He falls into the platform's drop, while the two remaining hare soldiers follow after Zorro.

The three sword fight while Bellwether angrily grits her teeth. How can this be?! He's making her soldiers look like a bunch of undertrained fools!

Back down on the ground Zorro continues battling the hares. He shoves one away while the other charges and takes a hard slash at him, but the graceful fox twirls and sinks down with the finesse of a slinky weasel, causing the hare to miss and have his sword become caught on a firing pole. Zorro kicks the hare away from his blade, while the other hare charges at him. Zorro shoves and stabs the oncoming hare onto the sword caught on the pole. One down, one to go.

The other hare charges angrily at the brown fox. The prepared Zorro simply steps aside with a smug smirk, causing the hare to fall right onto an open pillory. Zorro jumps over the pillory with the grace of a bunny and shuts the pillory closed. Locking the hare soldier in it.

Nick and Finnick laugh and cheer from the rooftop.

As Zorro battles three soldiers at once, Nick notices a balcony to the right below them, where some soldiers prepare their guns to fire at an unaware Zorro. "Come on!" Nick tells Finnick. The two boys rush to a statue at the corner of the roof and push it with all their might until it falls down to the soldiers below. The soldiers notice and try to jump out of the falling statue's path, but are brought crashing down along with the balcony.

Zorro notices the broken balcony and looks above to see the two fox kits responsible for saving his life. He gives them a two finger salute, then dashes into the crowd. The crowd cheers him on as he rushes through them. The soldiers try to get at him, but the crowd serves as a barrier keeping the soldiers away from him.

Atop the roof, Nick and Finnick throw rocks down at the soldiers below until someone turns them both to face him. It's Zorro!

"My thanks to you both." As a token of his gratitude, Zorro removes a silver pendant hanging from his neck. The pendant is decorated with circles and an amethyst purple jewel encrusted at the center. He places the pendant around Finnick's neck. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I'm missin' my own party." The boys smile wide as Zorro tips his hat at them and jumps off the roof to another balcony below. The enthralled kits, follow the vigilante's every move as the crowd once again roars the name... "ZORRO! ZORRO! ZORRO!"

A soldier tries to take aim at Zorro, but a lion knocks him down before he can shoot. Zorro hops to a nearby rooftop. A furious Bellwether gives the order, "KILL HIM!" The soldiers open fire at him. The bullets ricochet off the rooftop walls near his feet and tail as Zorro runs across the roof.

With a toss of his whip, Zorro swings over to some hanging flag poles, moving around them like an acrobat. The crowd roars with cheers at the vigilante's display of sheer athleticism. From the last flag pole, he swings over to Bellwether's balcony. Sword ready in paw, he points it underneath Bellwether's neck.

"You would kill three innocent predators just to get to me?" asks Zorro incredulously.

"I would kill a hundred innocent predators if it meant killing you!" replies Bellwether, sword still pointed at her throat.

Zorro carves a little "Z" on her neck, "Ah!" she lets out a small yelp in pain.

"Three predators, three cuts. A small memento, Bellwether, to remind you to never return to Zootopia."

"How dare you scar a lady's neck!" Bellwether bleats furiously at him.

"You're no lady," Zorro quips back.

Bellwether growls at his offensive words as Zorro lowers his sword from her neck. He turns around to toss his whip toward a nearby tree branch. Before he can swing away, the infuriated sheep notices something strange about the fox's tail. He's been shot! ….but...there's no blood? Bellwether raises an eyebrow at the sight.

Zorro jumps off her balcony and swings down into the crowd below. "ZORRO! ZORRO! ZORRO!" the crowd cheers again as the masked fox dashes among them once again.

"Zorro! Zorro! Zo-" chants Father Clawhauser, but stops short as he notices a ram soldier over his shoulder taking aim at the vigilante. The cheetah elbows the ram knocking him out. "Zorro!" the chubby cheetah cheers again as he and the crowd witness the masked fox make his way up the flight of steps alongside the mission.

Reaching the top of the mission and appearing as a heroic silhouette before the orange sunset, Zorro unsheathes his sword and raises it up toward the sky while his cape blows dramatically in the wind. As if it were even possible, the uproars of the crowd grow even wilder as they cheer and applaud their brave hero. And with that, Zorro sheathes back his sword, hops off the roof of the mission, and runs off into the distance. Fading into the sunset.

"Yeeeaah! Yeah! Woo! Yeah!" Nick and Finnick holler as their hero disappears from sight. Still on the roof, the boys turn and sit down, resting their backs along the rooftop edge. A large smile across both their faces. What a day! Finnick looks down at the pendant hanging from his neck, while Nick eagerly takes it in both paws to take a closer look at it. He smiles at his friend, then back at the pendant in his paws. His emerald green eyes practically sparkling at the precious silver keepsake.

…

A/N:

Hehe, really wanted to start this fic with the original movie opening with Zorro slashing the fiery "Z". x3

In case you missed it, yes General Santa Antta is an anteater in this fanfic, hope you like my pun on the name. Lol. Also, I know technically women couldn't have a high authority position, such as a Governor position at the time, but come on, who else but Bellwether can be the main villain? ;)

See you all in two weeks (for real this time) for Chapter 2! Thanks for reading! :D

Translations:

* = "Death to Governor Bellwether!"

** = "Attention! Ready arms!"

*** = "Stop! To your left! Make ready!"

**** = "Take aim!"

***** = "FIRE-!"