Ch. 3- Difference


Zootopia © Disney

Lupe Clawson © Me


"I'm home!"

Mary, sitting on the couch, looked up from her cup of coffee upon hearing the door open, and in enters her husband and Dawn's father, Ronald Bellwether, who put his work uniform on the rack. Ronald was a ram of 34 years old, black wool and curled horns, although the end of the left one looked a bit chipped and cracked.

"Another busy day at Snarlbucks," said the ram. "Good news, though! I'm getting time off tomorrow!"

"That's nice, honey," Mary muttered, blankly stirring her coffee.

"What's the matter?" asked Ronald, noticing his wife's distant expression.

"…You know Dawn's friend?" asked Mary. "The one she's been gabbing on about for two weeks?"

"Ah, yes," Ronald said with a chuckle. "Lupe, she said her name was, right?"

"Yes, but there's one thing she didn't tell us," said Mary. "Lupe is actually a wolf."

"So what?" Ronald asked.

"So what?!" Mary questioned. "Ronald! Wolves are predators! The very same animals who were picking on our daughter!"

"Well, it sounds to me like Dawn made a good choice in a friend," Ronald retorted. "Mary, so what if Lupe is a wolf? I haven't met the kid, yet, and she sounds like a real sweetheart! Heck, I'm friends with a lion! He and I are great work buddies! We even go bowling on Wednesdays!"

"Ronald, how can you be so accepting about all this?!" Mary questioned. "Dawn should not be friends with a wolf! So today, I did the right thing: I told that little mutt to get out of my car!"

"You did what?!" Ronald questioned. "Mary, how could you?! Did Dawn see you-"

"Of course she saw me!" Mary replied. "She was right there, sitting next to her! I had to disinfect the backseat!"

Ronald stared at his wife in utter disgust and disbelief.

"…You sound like my father," he whispered.

"Good," Mary said. "At least someone does."

"How can you be so bigoted?!" Ronald asked. "Mary, our daughter finally made a friend, and suddenly, you tossed her out of your car?! Did you imagine how hurt this Lupe kid must've felt?!"

"Oh, please," the ewe shook her head. "She's a wolf. They don't have feelings."

"And where's Dawn?" asked Ronald.

"She's obviously not down here," Mary replied, not making an eye contact. "So where do you think she would be?"

Ronald looked up the stairs before he heaved a sigh and began climbing. He stopped in front of the door leading to his daughter's bedroom, but as he raised his fist to knock on it, his ear twitched upon picking up giggling. Curious, Ronald put his ear to the door, being careful not to let his large horns knock on it.

"So…you're not mad at my Mom, then?"

"Why would I be?"

"Well…she did act a bit…um…well…"

"…Racist?"

"…Kind of."

'Is that Lupe on the phone…?' thought Ronald.

Inside Dawn's room, the lamb lied on her stomach on her bed, legs waving back and forth in the air as she held her phone, revealing that she is on a video chat…with Lupe.

"I'm really sorry you had to see that side of my Mom, though," Dawn said. "I didn't even know about it until today!"

"Some animals are like that," said Lupe. "Trust me, I know just as much as anyone else does."

"You mean it's happened before?"

"Why do you think my family moved here? Believe it or not, I used to be bullied, too…by prey animals."

Dawn gaped at her friend in shock.

"I got really bad at one point…there was this horse and this groundhog…they both pushed me down and put a muzzle on me."

"You were muzzled?!" Dawn questioned, but then quickly lowered her voice.

"My Mom and Dad decided to move from Rockies City to Zootopia…and after that, I met you."

"…Lupe…I had no idea that you-"

"That's not important anymore…what's important is I have you now. Dawny…you know that I would never hurt you, don't you?"

"I know…but I think my Mom's gonna need some…convincing."

"What about Richie's birthday on Sunday? Are you still going to that?"

"I…I'm not sure…"

"Oh…well, if you decide not to go, that's fine! I won't go, either!"

"No, Lupe. You shouldn't have to miss out on all the fun because of me."

Suddenly, Dawn heard a thud at her door, causing her to gasp.

"Oh, no…!" she whispered. "It might be my Mom! Quick, be quiet!"

Lupe gasped as she covered her mouth while Dawn quickly hid her phone under her pillows. Then she sat up, her arms wrapped around her knees as she looked to the door with an innocent expression.

"Come in!" she called, and in walked Ronald, causing the lamb to sigh in relief. "Oh…hi, Daddy."

"Hey," Ronald greeted as he came and sat down on the bed next to his daughter, gently pushing her up beside him in a loving embrace. "What's going on in here?"

"Just talking to Lupe," said Dawn. "…Do you wanna meet her, Daddy?"

"I'd love to meet her," Ronald replied before Dawn pulled out her phone from under the pillows, revealing Lupe's smiling face still on the screen.

"Lupe, this is my Dad," Dawn said as she held up the phone to her father.

"Hi, Mr. Bellwether!" Lupe waved.

"Hello, Lupe," Ronald greeted. "It's nice to meet you…I see you met my wife, though. I'm sorry about her."

"It's okay," Lupe reassured. "By the way, I like your chipped horn! It makes you look distinguished!"

The ram laughed as he rubbed the end of his left horn with his hoofed fingertips.

"Well, this horn isn't the only thing that caused my wife to fall for me," he mused.

"Gross, Daddy!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Lupe, I hate to cut this video chat short," said Ronald, "but…I'd like to talk to Dawn for a while. Is that okay?"

"Uh-huh," Lupe nodded. "I gotta go, too. See ya later, Dawny."

"Bye," Dawn said before she hung up, then she looked up at her father, who gave a reassuring grin.

"Don't worry, Dawn," he said. "Unlike your mother…I'm not against interspecies friendships. If you wanna be friends with a wolf, that's your choice and yours alone. That's the one difference between your and your mother."

"What do you mean?" asked Dawn.

"Your mother chooses to hate predators, but you, Dawn? You and Lupe choose to be friends. That's what breaks the cycle of hatred."

"Really?"

"Of course. Some animals may think it's wrong for a sheep and a wolf to be friends…so what? I'm actually friends with a lion! Sure, we get dirty looks, but we don't let that stop us from being friends…I love Leon. He's like the brother I never had before. You love Lupe because she was the first predator who defended you instead of joining in on poking fun at you…and I'm certain it won't stop there. Someday, when you two are grownup, you'll probably have families of your own, and who knows? Your kids might be friends with her kids! That, Dawn? That is the true future of Zootopia…all of us, truly living together in peace and harmony."

Dawn chewed her lip before she hugged her father, who hugged her back.

"Thank you, Daddy," the lamb whispered. "I love you, so much."

"I love you, too, Little Lamb," Ronald replied. "Now if only I could convince your mother…but…she's not so easy to turn."

"It's okay," answered Dawn, "but…what am I gonna do? Richie Howlard invited us to a birthday party on Sunday…and I know that if I ask Mom, she'll stay no!"

"…Who says you have to ask?" Ronald asked, a sly smile on his face.

XXX

Sunday, 12:45 pm.

"Well, we'll be back, honey."

"Be careful, Ronald, and make sure Dawn gets home before 3."

"Yes, Mary. I'm just taking her to the library. Calm down, will you?"

Dawn sat in the backseat of her father's truck, looking at her mother while kicking her legs back and forth.

"You know, if you don't believe us, you can always come along," Ronald suggested.

"No, besides I have work, soon," said Mary. "I have to get ready myself."

"Suit yourself then," said Ronald as he turned the key, starting the engine. "Ready to go, Dawn?"

"Uh-huh!" Dawn nodded, putting on her seatbelt. "Let's go, Dad!"

With that, Ronald pulled out of the driveway and drove while Mary waved goodbye.

"…I can't help but think that those two are up to something," the ewe mumbled before she shrugged. "Oh, well. I'm sure it's nothing."

With Ronald and Dawn, the two sheep laughed as the former looked at the latter via rearview mirror.

"I can't believe she fell for that!" Dawn exclaimed.

"I told you it would work!" Ronald replied. "Now, let's go pick up Lupe and we'll be off to Richie's party!"

"Hooray!" Dawn cheered.

Soon, they arrived at Lupe's house, and to say the pup was thrilled to see the lamb was a sheer understatement. The two practically squealed and embraced each other before Lupe got settled into the car and they headed off to Richard's birthday pizza party…and this was only the beginning.


Yeah, this has taken a while. Thanks to Bovine Beauty (Disneycow82 on DA) for suggesting to use Dawn's father, whom I have named Ronald.

Not as long as I had intended, but at least it's 7 pages and not 5.

Review, please!