\m/
Another day passed by. Another reminder of how worthless her desires and dreams were. Another glance into how cruel and despicable this world truly was.
Judy sat, watching the evening news program of the ZNN chanel. The anchors she was used to seeing there have changed. Gone was the sweet snow leopard who could show compassion and support, while remaining professional. In her steed was a small ewe, with a shiny smile and a scathing tongue. There was no longer a second anchor.
Five months passed since the day of that disastrous press conference that took place at Precinct One of Zootopia. Things in the once peaceful and marvelous cities grew grimmer each day. No, not for the majority of the prey population, but for predators. The cases of savageness were reported almost daily, total count being over three hundred now. Curfew hours for predators were introduced previous month, with talks of need for segregation and better control resounding louder after each new case of prey falling victim to another savage attack. It was a pure miracle there were no letal cases yet. But there was not a single step forward in the study of what caused the savageness within predators, nothing.
Sometime ago Fru Fru gave Judy a call, saying that her family were leaving the city until better times, or worst come to worst, permanently. The little shrew wanted to see her one more time, but the doe couldn't find it within herself to go back to Zootopia.
Why should she? The city was a testament to her spectacular failure. Towards society, herself, and the first person to help her out. Nick. If only she could somehow make him see that it was not her fault for what was happening. Predators were going savage, but it was due to their nature and probably some external factor triggering it. But he was different. At least, in her eyes.
If only she was as good with words as he was…
\m/
First talks of collars for predators started out nearly seven months after the conference. The number of cases of savageness reached over thousand. The city was panicking. Prey mammals were encouraged to stay in large groups, while predators were forbidden from gathering in large groups.
ZPD was cleared out of predators within, Chief Bogo being replaced due to his vocal objection to this measure. The new intake into police academy only allowed prey animals now, both large and small, to cover the gap created by such a "hard but unavoidable step". Security became the main talk within the city, constant fear changing it from within.
Around that time came the first videos published by a previously famous biologist, doctor of philosophy Joshua LePen, an outspoken member of Zootopia Predators Coalition, a tiger. He stated that all the not so subtle propaganda of predators being biologically predisposed towards savageness was "complete rubbish, sprouted by an ignorant freeloader, a daughter of a farmer, who only knew how to grow plants, which apparently translated into his parenting". That was the most humiliating thing Judy ever heard. She never watched his videos again.
\m/
The death of LePen was a simple accident. The brakes of his car were faulty, and the panther never stood a chance against the schoolbus, whose driver lost control. Case closed in near record breaking time. Not a word of it on the news. Judy learned of it by pure accident while browsing ZooTube one sleepless night. A video about a conspiracy of the new Zootopia government against predators.
This sparkled her curiosity and the doe looked for a bit more. And she found much more than the bunny could ever hope. Honey Badger, the doctor working for Lionheart to find the reason behind mammals going savage, killed in a mugging assault in Happytown. Lionheart himself struggling in a hospital after contacting vicious pneumonia in jail. Jossiah Wolfard, former ZPD officer and a vocal supporter of Chief Bogo and predators, drug overdose after his wife and daughter died in a car crash… More predators either dead or missing in "accidents". Cases opened and closed with extreme efficiency and "overbearing evidence".
The doe could not believe what was happening. This couldn't be just coincidence that prominent and established figures in predator community were either fleeing or "having accidents". And the videos that contradicted official versions were taken down just days after Judy found them… It all screamed of dirty play, but what could she do?
\m/
It was almost a year later. The decision was approved of putting savage predators to sleep since "there was no indication of them ever learning to be civilized again". It would be put off for a month to give the best prey doctors, sponsored directly by City Hall from the fund of confiscated properties. Then, all predators from age eight and up would be collared.
This time, there was no public outcry from predators, no demonstrations, no massposting in muzzlebook. Most predator accounts there were eerily silent since around three weeks ago. Many profiles had "We are being poisoned" and "Prey go savage, but they are saved" posts as their last.
Gazelle, who stood up for equality and peace, now only gave concerts that were separately for prey and separately for predators. Only her pages in Muzzlebook and ZooTube were still the beacon of coexistence, it seemed. She openly endorsed an all predators band and promoted them on her events for predators and social media.
Judy was not interested in them at first, but just a few days earlier a familiar face caught her attention and she started digging.
Named "MalOwaR", the band was founded by a fennec and red fox, who played bass and solo. They invited a tiger as their drummer, and a wolf as their vocalist. For the year that they existed, they released a single album called "Predators of the Zootopia". Judy decided to listen to it, but the opening notes and the gruff voice of the singer discouraged her. Despite occasional entry in her playlist, heavy metal was not a bunny friendly genre. The lyrics were far from what she would call inspiring, too. As such, not seeing much sense, she dropped the issue. They were not going to last long too, it seemed, since their last tour with Gazelle, called "The Final Battle for Zootopia", was starting just two days from now. Right on que to celebrate the anniversary of her royal mess up a year ago…
\m/
This was wrong. The news cast was right in the middle of a direct report from City Hall, where mayor Bellwether was to give a speech, when it got cut off. Judy tried switching to another Zootopia chanel. Nothing. Not even a technical background, just the usual no signal response from the TV set. Maybe there was some trouble on her provider's side?
Sighing, the doe got up from the sofa and set at the table with her laptop. There was supposed to be a direct online stream, lacking in quality with its 360p only experience (really, who used that resolution anymore?) but still sufficient for her purpose. Yet, when she opened the channel on ZooTube, it was shown as offline. This was strange, since a lot of comments below the video showed confusion (at least the more sophisticated ones, most simply were retarded emoticons and comments on ddos attacks, production value, etc). It took her up to three minutes of browsing, trying to find something of importance, to realise one thing. Not a single was posted from an account located in Zootopia.
Running through a number of zootopian government websites proved to be just as fruitless as searching for any kind of information online. There were some worrying comments running around though. First, there was an alarm on messengers contacts from Zootopia being offline. This was probably a temporary glitch with decentralized network rerouting hubs. All fifty something of them. But then, came the swarming messages of missing cellular and landline phone connection with Zootopia. Closed off railroads were not a news, but when they did not open as planned… Other city-states started sounding the alarm.
Something happened.
\m/
The first trains ran past Bunnyburough a week after the "Z eclipse". It never stopped, running at full speed somewhere far, filled to the brim with prey mammals. Old and young, big and small, families, singles. Every variety. Judy saw the photos taken by some local geek who had a ridiculously expensive camera with the ability to take 40MP photos at 15 fps.
An hour later, another train followed. Then another. Then third, fifth, sixth… all with regular one hour interval between each. Then the first one passed back to Zootopia. Empty…
\m/
The predators stopped trying to protest against the government and their segregation when it became clear, there was no sense. They were shut out, and most vocal and public - quietly shut up by being sent towards their graves. This was when "the band" appeared. With Gazelle, the only beacon left to the predators of Zootopia.
Through her concerts and the message of "the band", they finally saw the light at the end of this tunnel. And started their preparations. First, most predators, having already lost their jobs and places, moved to Happytown, their quietly agreed dominion. Second, all prey was chased out of the region. Third, the police were being scared into submission and silence on the streets.
Finally, came the making of a foundation for the restoration of their freedom. Mr. Big was able to organize a steady supply of metal to Happytown, while old wolf clans of Zootopia were ready to lend their craftsmen and carefully guarded secrets for the sake of their fellow predators. But they lacked a fully dedicated brain behind the whole operation.
This was where "the band" and its creator, Nicholas Wilde, came into the picture. A fox of silver tongue and a professional hustler, he devised a hustle that would outshine any other like a sun outshines a candle. He gathered around himself all the former public workers, and all the time he was not spending onstage, the fox was enclosed with this selected group. Pouring over maps, schematics and blueprints of the whole city, every municipal building, district walls, cellular connection points, Internet providers, communications… Everything.
Deric Radams, scenical name of "the band's" charismatic wolf, oversaw preparation of another kind. Former firefighter and a descendant of a noble lineage of wolves, he was experienced with various types of "tools". As such, he gathered around himself former police force officers, firefighters, members of Association for Renaissance Martial Arts (ARMA in short) and Armored Combat League (ACL), construction workers, chefs, and anyone who was good with "tools". People that gathered were told what was expected of them. Why it was expected of them. Who expected it of them. Not some greater good. But their forefathers, their families and their weaker brothers and sisters. For their sake, they would wield their "tools".
The drummer, a lean tiger with a name Scout Columbus, was dealing with a rather surprising matter. In their ignorance, the new government and the prey population have overlooked one specie of predators. Hippopotamus specie. Due to their lack of obvious fangs or claws and a rather "friendly" to your average Joe Preyston appearance, they somehow slipped from their long established position as one of the most fearsome predators, to the category of large prey the likes of rhinos and elephants. The chief of Happytown ZPD was a hippo. One of the high members of City Hall was a hippo. One of the vice-chiefs of ZPD precinct One was a hippo. Hippos were everywhere, and they were among the key sources of information for "the band".
Speaking about information, Finnick was dealing with the other source. Surprisingly for most, but not so for both foxes, the Autonomous City-District of Little Rodentia was not comfortable with the predators oppression. They were actually the ones who brought the true perpetrator to the light. Exposing the current government was their first goal, but after realizing the extent of the corruption, the Rodentia went to the only person they could trust. Gazzelle. Being the smallest amongst "the band", Finnick was the natural choice to deal with the smallest and least judging part of the population. Besides, rodents, having the same division between predators and prey, lived in harmony for centuries now…
After all preparations were set, the event took place. Predators, coordinated beforehand, each knowing the role of his group, ready to give up their lives for their freedom, acted decisively and mercilessly. The key city facilities were overtaken in a matter of two hours, central infrastructure - half a day, government and law enforcement - half an hour.
After overthrowing Bellwether and her regime, supported by prey, the installation of a new temporary government took place. "The band" was taking charge with the help of former predator public servants and the Little Rodentia support.
Then came the matters of dealing with the key problem of the city. Every prey within Zootopia was under lock down, forbidden from leaving their homes until further instructions. Food was rationed, prey population census conducted, and then the predators started the process of deportation. Prey were told to pack their essentials, documents, given an allowance for the first half a year of their new lives, put on trains and sent away. This took almost a week to accomplish, but thanks to the sturdy ZPT system, it went as smooth as relocating almost ten million mammals of all sizes could go.
When it was done, Zootopia came online again. And the first message to the outside world was from its new Mayor and Outside Ambassador - the open invitation to any predator to come to Zootopia. Here, they would be given a new home, home free of the prey tyranny, free for their children to be themselves without being labeled, to be themselves and to live out their dreams. Something that Zootopia always stood for, but also something it always forbade until the first predator mayor in the last century, Lionheart started to actively seek for this not to just be a shiny sticker on a bumper…
\m/ Ten years later \m/
- If, it is fine with you, Mr. Mayor, we can star.
- Yes, darling, it would be splendid.
- Ok. Three, two, one, go.
A red fox in his forties was sitting in a black business suit, complete with a white shirt and purple tie, his smile charming but eyes hidden behind aviators. Too much light hurt his sensitive eyes, he said. The tod looked good for his age, save for the graying color of his fur on his muzzle, sure sign of a stressful life.
To his left sat a middle-aged reindeer doe, one of the rising stars for Daily Planet, an independent news agency, Louise Laine, accompanied by a water buffalo by the name of Lark Tent. The pair received and exclusive right to air the interview of the mayor of Zootopia, live. They met at a neutral grounds, Bunnyburough, graciously proposed by the current governor of the city.
- So, Mr. Mayor…
- Please, call me Nick, dear. I am no longer Mayor, and Mr. Wilde was my father. I am just your average hustler who just got lucky to be legalized through elections. - The studio was filled with chuckles from the fox's joke.
- Ok. Nick then. I was actually going to ask you about the going rumours of there being election held in Zootopia, but since you have stated you are no longer a mayor, could you please elaborate?
- Absolutely. First, the rumours are true. First elections were held five years ago, that's when I was appointed for my "second" term. I decided not to go for the third.
- Why? Not your cup of tea?
- Why would I not go for the third term? I have big support amongst the population and there are currently no laws in place to forbid me from participating. And, to answer your second question, I actually enjoyed the position. I was finally influencing the city, was able to help build Zootopia, true Zootopia that our ancestors and children always wanted. And that is why I stepped away now. There are several good candidates, so I want to give them way now, while they are still young, fresh and flexible. Filled with hope and passion and new visions. Me? I come from another time. I knew what I hated and I broke it. I was also good and thorough with this. They? They will build.
- So, no clinging to power for you?
- Like I said, I am just a legalized hustler. A hustle is good only while there is something for you to get out of it. I got what I wanted, so it's time to move on.
- It is said that power corrupts. What would you say?
- What is a public servant? Someone whom I, as a citizen, hired to ensure my continuous prosperity. Mind, not safety or stability, prosperity. How do public servants realise this? Through a system of public governance. Within this system public servants have certain limited powers to ensure their ability to direct society on the way to better prosperity. As such, we have two key components to public services.
First one is the system. It is built by mammals for mammals. Depending on who are the mammals for whom the system is built, the systems either serves the public, or serves the "public servants". In the latter case, the system is corrupt, something with it went fundamentally wrong at some point of time, and that something usually is mammals. Thus, the system becomes corrupt. And anything or anyone who enters this systems, becomes corrupt. So, does power corrupt? Yes, within a corrupted system power quickly bends and twists even the purest minds and intentions.
Now, the second component. The public, itself, the citizens. They are the main stopping power for the system and its corruption. But, once the main priority for the public becomes safety and stability, society becomes stale and cowardly. The perfect ecosystem for a corrupt, but decisive and power hungry system to thrive in.
That is what happened and been happening in Zootopia for the last seventy years. The system was shifting our public's attention in order to usurp power. The revolution of ten years ago was simply a reaction to the actions of a completely rotten with corruption system, that was not ready to give up the power it stole from the public and citizens of Zootopia.
- Well, that is not something you will read in a book. Could you please share a bit more with us on the seventy years in making part?
- Gladly, my dear.
- You are making this on purpose, aren't you?
- Absolutely. - The tod's smile grew even bigger, making the crew chuckle. He didn't seem like an extremely important person who ruled over a city-state for almost ten years. Just your average red fox, just in a suit.
- Zootopia was initially a predator built fortress against the warring hordes of prey nomad tribes. Funny, right, to think that predators would decide to sit down and start growing their own food while prey species continued roaming around in search of better pastures. That was approximately fifteen hundred years ago. Much history passed since then, but we will skip it to a bit more relevant time for us. Hundred years ago. Zootopia, prosperous city, prey and predators live together in harmony. Then the First Territorial Conflict, Zootopia keeping its neutrality during it, open for fleeing mammals from everywhere. A large influx of foreigners. Ofcource, mostly prey. Prey, used to segregation of predators. First protests and rallies against predators roaming freely in Zootopia and the proclamations about prey "rights". The issue was swiftly shut down by the current mayor, a boar. But the seeds were sown, and the migrants never quite adopted zootopian open mentality and worldview. Thirty years later the last predator mayor was elected. Since then, Zootopia only seen prey at the top position, often with vice-mayor prey too. And the problem is, predators were pushed out not only from the government, but from other top positions too. Until Lionheart. Mind you, he did not push forward predators only, buy actually tried to allow for smaller species to advance and step forth. Diversification is one of the key elements of a successful countermeasured public governance, after all.
- Since we are on a subject of former mayor Lionheart, what is your stance on the mammal kitnappings that he has done during the first days of the savage disease spread?
- Was what Lionheart did wrong? Both from the morals and law point of view, yes, absolutely. Can we judge Lionhear on what he did? No, we can't. I gave a lot of thought on what could he have done. And I suddenly realise that the only thing he could was to hire his own private force on his own paycheck to track down the savages before they hurt public, and then someone to find out the reason. What else could a predator, surrounded by prey from all sides, prey he did not trust one bit, do? Even chief of police and Precinct One could not be trusted. This is one of those cases when we know it was wrong, we can condemn this mobe and seek for some other solution, but to judge is to either be stupid or a hypocrite. And I personally believe that being stupid is preferable in this case.
- Thank you Nick. But going back to what actually happened after the missing mammals were located by you and the first bunny officer of ZPD, Judy Hopps. The government of Bellwether, increasing number of predators going savage and the uprising.
- Uprising? Heh, if that is what your official sources call it. I clearly know though, that the Constitution of Zootopia, one of the first ones, signed almost three hundred years ago by both prey and predators, states, and I quote: "No government may use any means to push its rule upon the citizens of Zootopia, besides those explicitly mentioned in this Constitution. Such means may be reviewed with accordance to changes of times and tools through referendum. The public, being the only true governor of Zootopia, has every right to remove a government that violates this principle." Also, a question is considered to have passed the referendum when at least sixty percent of prey and sixty percent of predator population have agreed on the issue. If it's only prey who agree to pass a certain norm, but predators don't, the norm has failed and is not accepted, and vice versa. Interests of both groups are considered. The norm somehow got "lost" around fifty years ago, but one cannot hide the truth. As such, what happened ten years ago after a year of oppression, was an exercise of our constitutional rights. Or a revolution. Not an uprising.
- A revolution then. It was very well coordinated and executed. Could you tell us a bit about its preparation?
- Why, so you can stop it next time it is happening? No can do.
- Um, okay… Can we go back to the subject of mayor Bellwether?
- Everything about her and what that sheep has done is open information. I don't see any point dwelling on it. She and her cohort were just one of those destructive elements that can really mask themselves, they were pros. Hated predators, were hungry for power. Those two interests aligned and they managed to strike a decisive blow to the predators using a simple trick. But were not prepared for the war on our side. Fighting? Yes, the were ready to swiftly silence anyone who dared to oppose them. But outright war? Now that caught them with their pants down. Judged and punished for their transgressions against predators and the Constitution of Zootopia. Fin.
- Last ten years Zootopia was basically isolated from the world. Why was it done and what were you doing during that time?
- Imagine living in a block of flats with everyone around ready to jump you based on what someone you have thrown out of your flat for trashing it told. Just because that someone is the same species as the majority? And there is no option for you to just pack up and move. What would you do? What we did was lock the damn doors and start building up a self sufficient society. With the help of those who cared more about money than our species, or were actually sympathetic. Now, ten years later, when we can be sure that we routed everything that stood in the way of us actually claiming prosperity and growth, we can start with slowly reintegrating into the larger world. Prey world.
- You seem to have a rather negative outlook on prey, but you don't seem to be hostile towards any individuals, even as they slandered you and what you have done.
- You know, I used to hate Zootopia. It broke me. Saw me only as a shifty and untrustworthy individual because of movies, books, propaganda and manipulation of statistics. I tried to be different from what I was painted as, but at some point I gave up. And just gave Zootopia what it saw me as. But, then comes this small little bunny. Bright eyes, proudly puffed chest, big bucktooth smile… I hated it all so much at the moment I saw it. That first meeting was like looking in the. Yet it wasn't. Anyways, this little bunny stood up for me, stood up for my fellow predators, who I before that time never really cared about. And for the first time I thought that maybe there were prey out there that saw me as something more, not just a predator. I was wrong, of course. She was afraid and prejudiced against predators. But not against mammals themselves. She was stupid enough to claim that predators had a biological flaw within them, yet kind enough to stand up for a fox who was denied service in an elephant ice cream shop. Judy Hopps is one strange bunny, being flawed but striving for the best. And I learned this from her. No matter how you feel about a whole, don't judge individual parts by that whole. Simple, or complex, as that, my dear.
- Judy Hopps is actually the one who proposed to host this interview for your convenience. What are the relations between Bunnyburough and Zootopia?
- We in Zootopia, believe in equal opportunity treatment. And since the Triburrows is a prey dominant state, we did not have any relations with them during this ten years. I was personally delighted to know that Judy Hopps became a mayor, but no official relationships were established based on that. Not for the lack of her trying though. We actually received several proposals for trade relations, but we politely refused. We will see how things go now that Zootopian borders are open.
- Since our time is basically out, would you like to add anything?
- Well… oh, right. To all Malowarriors who have been peppering our mail with requests of coming to their city, your wish might just be granted. Look for more news at our website. And remember, metal is forever.
\m/
Leaving the room, Nick was met with his bodyguards, timber wolves he knew from eleven years ago. Larry and Garry turned out to be a rather fine pair of fighters, and the fox entrusted them his life from the start of his mayoral job. Even slightly earlier. The fox loosened his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. How he hated official suits and really hoped this was the last time he would have to wear it. Finnick was probably laughing his ass off at the way he looked. Short bastard, always getting off the hook easily with his indifferent attitude.
Nick knew what would await him after the interview was over. And he was right. After all, his memory, despite being heavily pressured during the last ten years, was still as sharp as always.
- Well, boys, wish me luck. And don't intrude unless I am in danger or I tell you to. - Plastering his usual smile, muttering his "don't let them see they get to you" maxim, the nervous rod marched towards his doom. The bunny he wanted to see for the last eleven years…
\m/
A/N: In no way am I related to ManowaR. I wish I was, but no. I like the band, consider them being Number 1, The Kinfs of Metal, and that is it. You are free to disagree. I. Don't. Care.
Howleys.