Author's Note: So, here's Chapter 10. I spent the last 3 hours rereading it after going over the edits made by Fairlane302 (who I still consider a godsend).
If any of you also read this on AO3, then you know my wife was ill, but we're healthy now. The doctors spouted a ton of med jargon at me (most which went over my head) and explained their findings from the blood work and panels. Her ailment is something I cannot spell, let alone pronounce. I can say that it wasn't as bad as we feared. Also, the babies are developing well.
liiwilliams08, here's Fatima Ara. I don't know if you'll find her the way you were expecting, but this is how she's pretty much been designed. She's only undergone minor changes, but nothing that's "in your face" obvious.
I should warn you all that this chapter, despite undergoing editing, is being posted prior to getting final approval from Fairlane302. However, if/when I need to make future edits, then I'll do it immediately.
Read the End Notes for further information.
Chapter Ten: Changes
City Council Chambers – City Hall – Zootopia – 10:30ish a.m.
Fatima Ara was alone within the chambers used by Zootopia's city council as she looked out the window towards the city. Fatima was an Arabian mare in her 50s who had been on the city council for three terms equaling 12 years.
Fatima watched as, across the street, mammals took solace in each other's company. The sight made her smile. That smile slowly became a frown at the dawning realizations that some of those mammals were filthy interspecies couples. She snorted as the term 'interspecies' replayed in her head. The term was used erroneously. The correct term was 'inter-order'. Interspecies was simply another term for crossbreeds. Those Fatima could accept. In fact, she encouraged it. Inter-orders were different atrocities all together.
A strong supporter of crossbreeding, Fatima secretly funded multiple eugenics programs, including her own son's, throughout the city's medical research specifically for that purpose. It was simple, or at least it was to her. Crossbreeders passed their unique traits to their offspring. For instance, take a cheetah and a snow leopard. Their cub had the potential of possessing a cheetah's speed and a snow leopard's resistance to frigid temperatures.
Inter-order pairings, however, were abominations against the Way of Nature. Seeing such unions utterly disgusted Fatima no end. It wasn't as if she ever had a horrible experience with them. It was just something that she could not rationalize. Was it a viral pathogen? A mental disorder? What was it that caused mammals to feel sexually attracted to those outside their own order? Fatima couldn't understand it at all. Obviously, there was a reason, but it escaped her.
In truth, Fatima honestly felt conflicted regarding the topic. If arguing that one can't change nature, Fatima would counter with the fact that change is nature. But the real question, for her at least, was where would one draw the line? Didn't the progeny of inter-order unions also have traits of both parents? How was that any different from crossbreeders? Why was she so against it in the first place? Was it species purity? That couldn't be it, because crossbreeders weren't pure.
Her eyes fell upon a nice young couple at the sidewalk café across the street. The male was a brown hyena, and a rather large one at that. His 'date' as it were, was a rather attractive female marmot. The sight was something of a rarity. Few in predator/prey relationships were open about it. Fatima felt a headache forming as she looked at them interacting with one another intimately. It was things like that which gave Fatima such mental anguish.
It defied Fatima's understanding, her comprehension. Why was she so strongly against things such as that? Despite sifting through decades of memories and experiences, Fatima had yet to realize the answer. Feeling her headache start to worsen, she chose to turn her thoughts to something else: her campaign platform.
The nomination hadn't actually struck Fatima as a surprise, but it had caught her somewhat off guard. Years of planning went into effect almost immediately. Fatima had expected a rather large number of supporters, but reality had been far less than expected. It hadn't been until she looked over everything that Fatima understood why. When she discovered it, Fatima began to heavily berate herself. During her initial planning for this eventuality, those in cross- or inter-order relationships were only just starting to reveal themselves. At that time, there had been loads of controversy on the subject. Fatima had built her platform on the subject. Some of her promises included, but were not limited to, making those kinds of matrimonies illegal and relocating those in that type of pairing into a special area, keeping them segregated from the rest of the city's populace. Of course, as they say, hindsight is 20/20. Unable to change it now, Fatima had no other alternative than to power on with that platform, despite the difficulties she knew it would cause her.
A knock on the door drew Fatima from her thoughts, notifying her that she had company. "Enter." The door opened to reveal a stallion wearing a suit. Fatima smiled as she looked at her husband, a Ferghana. "Li! What do I owe this pleasure?"
Li Ara, formerly known as Ma Li prior to his marriage, stood tall before his wife. "We have business that needs to be attended to. ADA Wolvenett has amassed many followers in a very short period. It is equal parts predators and prey of all species."
Fatima frowned slightly. Her relationship with ADA Wolvenett was tumultuous at best. When she had been told of his nomination for Mayor, she hadn't thought anything of it at the time. He was a predator and with the city's view of them at an all-time low, she hadn't expected him to garner any followers. Only a few hours after his nomination though, Fatima had discovered that most of the citizens were conflicted over whether to support her or him. "His lead was previously a minor inconvenience. What are the new projections?"
"You were trailing behind by approximately 2,000. Now, you are behind by 5,500." Li informed his wife, matter-of-factly. "He has done this without making any appearances as of yet. I have not discovered how."
Fatima sighed. Her opponent was a crafty one, she'd give him that. A small part of her knew that there was a good chance that her campaign wouldn't do much to garner favor with the public. Her image was not one viewed in a good light. "What do you propose, dear husband?"
Li frowned. "You already know my answer, Fatima. I don't understand why you persist in trying to assert your values onto the populace. It is wrong. They are more than capable of determining their own desires, yet you continuously try to change their beliefs. Do you wish to alienate every citizen?"
Fatima frowned at her husband. "Li, you must understand. Many of our fellow mammals within the city have failed to see the problematic issues before them. Inter-order relationships go against the natural order. Who are we to try and change Mother Nature herself?"
Li's frown deepened dramatically. During his many years of marriage to his wife, he had complied to her many strange desires. After the birth of their son Bahman, they had learned they wouldn't be able to conceive again. Fatima had convinced him to breed other mares to expand their family, but it had always left him feeling used. Now, she wanted to eradicate all inter-order couples through legal proceedings and making it punishable by death to 'cleanse' the population. Li chose at this moment to end it. "I'm petitioning for divorce, Fatima."
Fatima stared in shock at her husband. "What? Why?" she asked, unable to comprehend the reasoning behind his decision.
Li shrugged. "I simply choose to." Turning away from his (to him anyway, now former) wife, Li stated, "I'm also filing for custody of all my children. Other than Bahman, none of them are yours and Bahman has even confided that he no longer sees you as his mother."
Fatima felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest. Sitting down slowly, she said, "You can't do this. We vowed to never part. If you leave me then…" Fatima trailed off, unable to say the rest.
Li looked over his shoulder at her. "That may be, but I see no other alternative. Goodbye, Fatima. I wish you well in your endeavors." Taking his leave, Li didn't look back even once as he heard Fatima cry out to him.
Zootopian Military Airfield – Meadowlands – Zootopia – High Noon
Chief Tobias Bogo stood by the armored police cruiser as he waited for the arrival of Supreme Commander Deego. As far as Bogo knew, the Supreme Commander had no last name. Bogo hadn't been aware of Supreme Commander Deego's impending arrival until only an hour ago. Bogo had immediately signed out an armored cruiser to transport the Supreme Commander to his temporary living quarters at Zootopia's Armed Forces Command Base located Downtown. Hearing the sound of the plane on final approach, Bogo checked his dress blues to make sure nothing was out of place.
Once the plane had landed, the side hatch opened up and Supreme Commander Deego stepped out. A mixed breed with Pitbull, Boxer, and Great Dane heritage, Deego stood taller than most. However, in comparison to the cape buffalo, Chief Bogo, he stood at roughly the same height. "Chief Bogo." S.C. Deego greeted extending his paw.
"Supreme Commander Deego." Bogo replied returning the gesture. "I apologize for the lack of proper welcome. I was unaware that you were coming until approximately one hour ago."
"That was the idea." S.C. Deego informed. "The fewer that knew about my arrival, the better. The Emperor has tasked me with aiding you with your mammal hunt and I fully intend to do just that." Stepping into the armored transport, he waited for Chief Bogo to take his own seat before continuing. "The Emperor also wished to know of the status of Nicholas Piberius Wilde and his mate, Judith Laverne Hopps."
Bogo's eyebrows shot straight up. "May I ask as to the reason behind the Emperor's inquiry?" Bogo didn't know why the Emperor wanted to know about Wilde and Hopps, but he sure as hell wanted to.
S.C. Deego shook his head. "I'm afraid that even I myself have not been informed as to the reason behind why the Emperor wishes to know. I simply need something to tell him. Are they at least safe?"
Bogo nodded. "They are. Unfortunately, I am unable to give you their location. Due to developments made in the case, I, as well as Commissioner Catlin, believe that we may have intelligence leaks within the ZPD and other agencies. Until we are certain that we've identified all possible sleepers, all information is to remain compartmentalized."
Deego nodded in approval. "I'll inform the Emperor of their status at a later time. For now, we should focus on the more pressing issues. What can you tell me about this mammal known as 'The Chancellor'?"
Bogo began explaining how they didn't have much information other than what Hannibal had managed to provide for them. He even played the recording to verify his statement. He did however confirm that the five mammals whose names and addresses Hannibal had given them had all had some connection to one another. The evidence Hannibal had compiled had generated more leads for them to follow, but it would take time to run them all down. Finally, Bogo informed him of the current state of the city's affairs.
S.C. Deego listened intently to everything he was told. As Chief Bogo finished filling him in, he said, "Things are a lot worse than I was originally led to believe." Folding his arms in front of him, S.C. Deego stated, "We have no way of knowing how deep this corruption goes or how far out it spreads. This 'Chancellor' has apparently spent a great deal of time planning all this. What concerns me the most is that whoever he is, he's certainly intelligent, meticulous, and methodical yet unorthodox in how he operates. As this Hannibal Hyector stated, this 'Chancellor' is a hypocrite if he's a predator who desires the extermination of all predators."
Bogo nodded in agreement. "I'm currently in the process of forming a specialized task force. As of now, it consists of four officers, all predator. I do intend to select some prey mammals, but until they can be vetted, I'm holding off."
"Wise." S.C. Deego stated. Looking out the window of the vehicle, he watched the city pass by. Deego had never traveled this far from the Imperial Capital before, so the new scenery was a welcome sight. Watching the mass multitude of mammals going about their daily routines blissfully unaware of what was happening had him wonder what it would be like to remain here for an extended period. Knowing the impossibility didn't mean he couldn't request a temporary station at the military base here.
The transport soon arrived at its intended destination and the two disembarked. Guiding the Supreme Commander inside, Chief Bogo was flabbergasted to find his father waiting for them. "General."
General Andreas Bogo nodded in greeting. "Son." Looking at S.C. Deego, Andreas stated, "You've traveled a great distance to be here. I do hope that everything within the Capital will be alright in your absence."
S.C. Deego studied the large cape buffalo. The way he carried himself was that of a retired war veteran. He also held an air of command. S.C. Deego deemed it necessary to respond respectfully. "I'm sure it will, Sir. My subordinates are well versed in maintaining order. I have faith in them."
General Bogo nodded approvingly. "I merely wished to greet the Emperor's military attaché. I'll take my leave." Heading out the door, he stopped to say, "And Tobias, your mother expects you at dinner tonight. No exceptions. She also wants you to bring that cheetah colleague of yours." Exiting the building, Andreas Bogo made his way to meet with Jameson and the rest of the remaining SDF.
Chief Bogo and S.C. Deego made their way to S.C. Deego's chambers. Once everything was settled, Bogo bid farewell leaving S.C. Deego to his own devices. Deego pulled out his commlink and opened a secure communications channel to the Imperial Data Centre in the Capital. "This is Supreme Commander Deego requesting permission to speak to the Minister of Intelligence and Emperor Dartz Valkorlycanidaeus. Authorization Code: Longardia."
"ONE MOMENT PLEASE." an electronic voice responded. "PERMISSION GRANTED."
"Supreme Commander Deego." a male voice stated. "I'm glad to learn that you've arrived safely. Tell me, have you learned the status of Nicholas and Judith as I requested?"
"They are safe your Imperial Excellency." Deego informed. "I do not have their location, but Chief Tobias Bogo has informed me that they are indeed safe."
"With the current state of affairs there, that is all I can ask for." Emperor Dartz Valkorlycanidaeus stated. "Keep me apprised of any updates."
"Supreme Commander Deego." a female voice stated. "My name is Marion Mongussolini. I was recently appointed the new Minister of Intelligence shortly after your departure. I wish to inform you that the information you request is now in transit to your datapad. Please note that there wasn't much to begin with. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Please run a search for all information pertaining to my assignment." Taking a seat on the bed, S.C. Deego clarified, "I was only given the basic information prior to my departure. I'm flying blind."
"I'll have it for you within the hour, sir." Minister Mongussolini promised. The transmission then ended.
Wilde Manor – Wilde Familial Estate – Zootopia – 1:45 pm
Jameson Wilde (née Vulpin), Fenrir Wolford, Josef Wolverton, Carlos Jackael, and Andreas Bogo all sat around the large dining room table. There was one seat left open for their fallen comrade Bryan Jonathan 'BJ' Lapin, AKA Jonas Savage. After greeting one another, they all got down to business.
"We're coming out of retirement." Jameson announced, gravely. "My son, Nick, and his mate-to-be, Judy Hopps, are involved in a major investigation that, according to Andreas, has prompted the Emperor to send Supreme Commander Deego as an attaché. Whoever this mammal running the Anti-Predator Movement is has been doing so in the shadows for years. You all know the risk of Deego finding me, so we need to get this done as soon as possible."
Fenrir nodded his agreement. "I concur. Whoever this 'Chancellor' is has been manipulating things from the background for far too long. Whatever he hopes to achieve is still unknown, but I refuse to let him succeed."
Carlos Jackael growled. "He seems to have infiltrated various governmental agencies. I hate to think how that will affect our efforts."
Josef sighed deeply. "I suggest we determine our successors. Jameson and Fenrir already have theirs lined up." Looking at the place BJ would have sat, he said, "Savage has two apparently. A son and a daughter, whom is the future mate of Jameson's son. The rest of us don't."
Andreas huffed. "My son Tobias would make a fine choice if only he would be willing to stop being so strict. Though, I assume that's my fault because of how I raised him."
Jameson smirked at the old cape buffalo. "Your son's a fine mammal, Andreas. You are correct thought, he wouldn't fit well with the rest. Nick's adaptable, Judy is too. I have no knowledge on BJ's son, but I'd assume he's capable. Fenrir's grandson, Harrison, would no doubt fill his shoes without much trouble. Josef and Carlos still need to find suitable replacements. As it currently stands, we're simply not ready."
Carlos scowled. "Finding someone to succeed you is a monumental task. Whoever is chosen must meet every prerequisite. Very few do." Josef nodded his agreement to Carlos' statement but said nothing.
Fenrir considered the possibilities. "Maybe," he began. "what we need isn't to find successors to train one-on-one, but train them all simultaneously. We ourselves weren't chosen by only one mammal. We were trained side by side with the help of multiple instructors. Harrison's mate, and soon to be wife if I read them correctly, would make a fine addition to the team."
Jameson hummed in thought. "Jaxon, BJ's son, is engaged to a vixen. She could make a useful asset as well. I think she's a former associate of my son from his time on the streets. That would mean that she already possesses not only some of the necessary skills we'd teach them, but she's also an agent for the ZIB, so she's already been trained in the basics as well."
Andreas Bogo tapped a finger on the table as he considered his own possibilities. "All that could work, but the question is when will we begin. Jameson, your son is currently undergoing training at the ZPA ahead of schedule. His mate is there as a temp instructor to help oversee it. Fenrir's grandson is recovering from his confrontation with Hannibal and I doubt that his mate will leave his side. Carlos and Josef still have to find their own trainees. As for myself, I have someone in mind, but I need to discuss it with them first."
Carlos said, "If the rest of you can grant me a week, I can locate a promising recruit." He had an idea for who he'd choose, but first he had to track her down.
Josef cracked his neck and popped a couple of joints. "I know of one myself, but it will take a little longer to convince him. There's also the issue of travel. He lives in the Shadowlands of the Prey Nation's province to the west."
Andreas stated, "I'll secure transportation for you. Just make sure that he is in no way connected to our immediate adversary." Getting a nod, he pulled out his mobile and started messaging a contact.
"I think that we're finished for now," Jameson stated. "We'll reconvene in one month. Stay vigilant, watch your six, and if something comes up contact one of the others immediately." With that said, everyone bade farewell to each other. Once Jameson was alone, he looked at the light fixture hanging above the table and asked, "Did you get all that Ian?" The light flickered twice in response. "Good, you know what to do."
The apartment of Andrew Bellwether – 2:30 pm
Andrew Bellwether opened his eyes slowly as the hangover from his night of heavy drinking started to set in. Groaning, he sat up. It had been awhile since he and Parker Platyss, the platypus, had parted ways after Parker left to find himself intimate company for the evening. Looking around his apartment, something seemed off, but he could identify what. Rolling out of bed, he looked down to see he was naked. "When the fuck did that happen?"
"Oh, right before you passed out." Doug Ramses stated, startling Andrew. "As soon as I walked in, you stripped down and attacked me." He informed the black-wooled ram. Picking up an empty beer bottle, he added. "The company that makes this brand tends to lace them with aphrodisiacs, you know."
Andrew groaned. "Is that why my ass is sore?" he questioned. Now that he was no longer drunk, he could feel the pain radiating from his tailhole.
Doug chuckled. "Hey, mine hurts like a motherfucker, too. You sleptfucked me and you didn't go easy." Tossing the bottle away, he said, "We need to talk though. Predopurge's going to come after me since I failed to complete my mission."
Douglas Ramses took a seat on the edge of the bed. Immediately following the events at the Museum of Natural History, the white-wooled ram got rid of almost everything that tied him to it, including disposing of his mobile phone. One thing he couldn't change though was his name. Luckily, the surname Ramses was very common for his species, and between that and the variations of 'Doug' there were somewhere around a hundred Doug Ramses living in Zootopia alone. He figured it would take some time for the police to go through them all. To Doug, one of his saving graces was, that until all this, the ZPD hadn't even known about him. He had no criminal record, no warrants out for his arrest, and didn't even have so much as a citation. Still, the biggest issue he now faced was his own associates. Having failed, Doug was sure they'd do the same thing to him that they did to Dawn. So, he in turn went to Andrew hoping to talk about how to proceed. Instead, he wound up having an impromptu rutting session. Doug didn't complain. It had been a very long time since the last time he slept with anyone.
Andrew walked over to his restroom and returned with a small bundle. Unwrapping it, he took out a syringe and a miniature bottle of morphine. With a practiced hoof, he quickly filled the syringe, located a vein, and inserted the needle then pushed the plunger down. Sighing in relief, Andrew said, "No, they won't. Your assignment was to extract the essence of the night howlers for us to use. You did your job."
Doug looked at Andrew in concern. "Are you sure? You're not trying to pacify me, are you?"
Andrew shot Doug an annoyed look. "No, I'm not trying to pacify you." Disposing of the needle properly, Andrew got himself a glass of water and downed it. "Did you complete your second assigned task?"
Doug nodded once. "Prepped and ready. All that's needed now is the signal."
"Good." Andrew stated. "It will be some time before we use them, but at least they're ready when the time comes." Fishing some clothes out of the load in the dryer, he asked, "Breakfast?" The two then walked out for a much-needed meal.
Bucky and Pronk's Apartment – Grand Pangolin Arms – Zootopia – 5:00 pm
Bucky and Pronk were in the middle of cooking a small snack when a knock on their door told them that they had a visitor. Giving each other confused looks as they weren't expecting anyone, Pronk took over finishing the meal so Bucky could answer the door. He heard quiet chatter and asked, "Who is it, Bucky?"
"It's me." Gazelle answered as she followed Bucky into the small kitchen. "Sorry for dropping in like this, but I was just in the mood to hang out with you two."
Pronk rolled his eyes with a small grin. 'Just like when we were younger.' He thought as he plated the steamed and creamed vegetables. "How're things going, Gisella?" he asked, using her actual name instead of her stage name.
"Not bad, but I just heard a rumour from a fan that Fatima Ara, the City Council's representative, is campaigning on an anti-interspecies platform and is going through a divorce after nearly thirty years." Gisella informed him as she thanked him for the offered meal.
"Pshaw." Bucky said, hotly. "That old mare's crazy. If she paid half as much attention as she says she does, she'd know that her husband advocates for interspecies relationships. Plus, isn't her son one of the top five leading researchers in interspecies eugenics?"
Pronk nodded. "Yep. Dr. Bahman Ara is one of the leading authorities in the field." Taking a bite, he grimaced. "Bucky," he said, "you used way too much sodium in the creamed spinach." Coughing, he walked to the fridge and got a bottle of water.
Bucky raised a brow and took a spoonful himself before nearly gagging. "Shit." he coughed. "What a damn waste." he said as he threw out the creamed spinach. Opening the cabinets, Bucky took out a can of cream of mushroom soup. "Looks like we're having canned soup again."
Gisella's eyes widened at the use of 'again'. "How many times has this happened?" she asked. Seeing their expressions, she knew it had been too many times for far too long.
"Seriously, Bucky, how is it you always put too much sodium?" Pronk asked. Pouring a, now open, can of cream of mushroom soup into a pot, he said, "I swear, it's like you're trying to kill us via high blood pressure."
Gisella shook her head as the two steadily devolved into a shouting match. She had really missed doing this. Once the cream of mushroom soup was ready, they caught up as they ate. After having put the dishes away, the three sat and watched Comedy Center, enjoying the Beau Burnham marathon. She eventually pulled a nicotine patch out of her pocket and went to stick it to the underside of her wrist when Pronk grabbed her arm. Seeing the mixture of anger and confusion on his face, she decided to be honest with him. "I'm not a smoker, Pronk. I use the patches for the same reason though."
Pronk considered it for a minute. Nicotine patches were manufactured to wean mammals off cigarettes. It was feasible that one could therefore use them for the same purpose one used cigarettes. Despite that, Pronk took the patch away and tossed it in the wastebasket. "Still isn't healthy." he grumbled.
"I know." Gisella sighed. "I'm addicted to nicotine patches. The irony."
Bucky chuckled. Noticing that night would fall soon, he asked, "Should I call you a cab?" He didn't like the idea of Gisella walking home at this hour.
Gisella shook her head. "It's okay. I told one of my backup dancers that I'd be leaving at around 8:45 anyway." Standing to her feet, she said, "Sorry again for randomly dropping by. It was fun." Pulling them into a group hug, she gathered her courage and quickly placed a peck on their cheeks before running out the door.
Bucky and Pronk stood frozen in place at the turn of events. Each place a hoof over where Gazelle/Gisella had laid a kiss on their cheek. Looking at each other, a grin slowly spread across their faces. They gave each other a suggestive look.
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Pronk asked his husband. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear Bucky say it. The answer he received though, was much better.
Bucky took Pronk's hoof and pressed it to his crotch, where his answer was obvious. "I don't know. Am I?" he asked, reaching for Pronk's crotch and grabbing the stiff erection there. "Well, it certainly seems like I am."
The two of them didn't bother wasting anymore time as they raced to their bedroom, stripping themselves of their clothing along the way. Later, they found themselves sitting naked, covered in their semen, with wide-eyes as the female armadillo property owner shouted their ears off about, ironically, noise levels.
The Mess – Zootopian Police Academy – Zootopia – 10:05 pm
Judy and Nick sat in the Mess eating a small pre-midnight snack. Judy had made it her mission to provide Nick with a complete tour of the Academy's grounds. She hadn't realized that it would take so long. Feeling that she had shown Nick the more important areas, Judy had decided to finish with a trip to the Mess.
The Mess was, in fact, the Academy's food annex/cafeteria. It had been designed by Theodore Molesby, an architect only really known for three of his projects. One was the Zootopian Spire in City Central. The second was the Zoolympian Treasury branch office in Zootopia. The police academy's Mess was the third.
Constructed out of 70% polished concrete and 30% glass, the Mess was an architectural wonder. Nick's reaction to the building's design had prompted Judy to tell him everything she knew, courtesy of her brother Rube. She explained that the glass was based on one-way mirrors. One inside could always see out, but due to the glass's transitional properties it was difficult for someone outside to see in. Polished concrete pillars were set in intervallic positions between large panes of the glass. The concrete acted as a geothermal regulator keeping the building in a state of constant homeostasis. The polished concrete also kept the building warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The ceiling was also glass, held in place using clear hard plastic framework.
Nick's amazement at the building was soon overshadowed by the knowledge of the fact that all the furniture within, the tables and chairs, were made entirely of pure aluminium [A/N: No, this is not a misspelling]. This information floored him as he saw an elephant sitting in one of the chairs without it so much a creaking under the elephant's weight. He then followed Judy to the DIY line, where mammals could make quick snacks such as sandwiches for free.
Making their way to one of the open tables, Nick finally said, "This place is crazy." He looked up at the glass ceiling to take in the sight of the stars just making their appearance. "How is it that no one's made a replica of this building? It would make an awesome greenhouse for your folks."
"It's very expensive." Judy replied. "Rube told me that it took roughly Z1.26 mil to construct this place. Give or take a few hundred grand, of course." Chewing her garden burger, she looked at the few other mammals present. She recognized Sergeant Leopold, a lioness instructor tasked with teaching cadets Special Weapons and Tactics procedures, reading a novel in a secluded corner. Another instructor she recognized was Captain Bullard, the ox instructor who taught Hostage Negotiations. Seeing them, Judy had a sense of déjà vu. "Feels weird being here and not being a student."
"You're not." Nick pointed out as he chowed down on one of his three tofu dogs. "You're a temporary instructor. Speaking of, have any idea what class you'll be teaching?"
Judy shook her head. "I'll probably be informed while you take your exams. I honestly don't know what class I'll be teaching. It could be anything." She started nibbling on a carrot-fry as her mind started to figure out what class she'd been assigned to teach.
Nick scarfed down his third and final tofu dog then said, "We should head back to our rooms. I have to be up at 5:15 for my exams." With a nod of agreement from Judy, they threw their things in the proper recycling bin and made their way back to the temporary housing complex. Standing in front of their respective doors, they quickly scanned the hallway. Seeing no one, they hugged each other and wished one another pleasant dreams.
Judy entered her room and quickly made for her private bathroom. While she had enjoyed the hug immensely, it had been a bad idea. Turning on only the cold water, she sighed in relative relief as she stepped into the path of the stream. She had taken a hormonal suppressant earlier, but it was starting to wear off. Her heat had flared from that simple embrace and been on its way to becoming a raging inferno. The cold water was a welcome relief. Just standing there, Judy wondered how Nick was faring.
Nick had done the exact same thing. While he was neither a buck nor in mating season, his brain had told him that a receptive female in heat had been present. Nick stood in his shower letting the ice-cold water soak his fur, providing him with mild relief. Resting his head against the wall of the shower before him, Nick wondered if Judy was alright.
They both still felt the itch despite the cold showers, but they didn't act on it. Choosing instead to go to sleep, they climbed into their beds and grabbed the spare pillows. Nick closed his eyes and the pillow changed into a small gray form he curled around protectively. Judy's, having been designed for a slightly larger mammal, morphed into a big, warm, and fluffy red form that she cuddled into. Oneiroi, the Divine Entity of the Dreamscape, blessed them with pleasant dreams of one another.
In an alley within the city of Zootopia – 4:30 am
Odafin 'Finnick' Fennixon was sitting in his van smoking a blunt for the last time. In his passenger's seat was a freshly printed resumé for Kit Services. Finn had considered it before, but never went through with it, for a variety of personal reasons. He let out a sigh of smoke. Hopping into the back of his van, Finn laid down on the mattress he kept back there. Finn stared at the ceiling of his van, wondering if he should dress up for an interview, but he knew that there was a possibility they wouldn't even consider hiring him. Closing his eyes for but a moment, Finn was awoken by the sound of his mobile's alarm.
Thirty minutes later, Finn stood in front of the Kit Services building dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a (reasonably) nice dress shirt. With a deep breath to steady his nerves, Finn opened the door and walked inside. No one was seated at the reception desk, but Finn stood there waiting. He had promised himself that this would be the day he actually went through with this. The sound of a door opening caught his attention and soon he bore witness to the entrance of one of the most beautiful mammals he had ever seen.
Stacey Foxworth wasn't your typical vixen. Her father had been a red fox tod and her mother had been a cross between an arctic and a fennec. That being said, her fur coloration and markings were a unique blend of the three. She had black tipped ears, a white tipped tail, and her paws had a soft brown color due to a pigment disorder. Her main color was a light beige. A ten-year veteran of Kit Services, she had been told that a possible new hire would be arriving around this time, but she hadn't been told the species as they hadn't given one. So, to find a slightly larger than average fennec fox tod carrying what appeared to be a resumé was something Stacy considered a blessing, considering that she hadn't really had much of a dating life in recent years. "Mr. Fennixon?" she inquired.
Finn nodded vigorously, but didn't say anything being too afraid to say something stupid. He didn't count on doing something stupid. As he offered her his resume, Finn saw that his paw was trembling. Subtly gulping, he sheepishly stated, "Sorry. Nerves."
Stacey smiled. "It's quite alright. I was nervous when I applied too." Taking the offered resume, Stacey quickly scanned it. Noting the two arrests, she quirked her brow. "Did you really get arrested for drunk and disorderly while impersonating an infant?" she asked, trying not to laugh.
Finn managed not to blush. "I-I did." he confessed. "It's a long story. Short version is I used to be a hustler and my partner had me wear an elephant onesie for our scams." Realizing what he just said, he groaned. "Why did I tell you that?"
Stacey bit back her laughter at the mental image of this fennec tod in an elephant onesie. "It's okay. It isn't going to affect anything." Swiftly reading the rest of the resume, she was pleased to see that he had prior experience with kits, even if it was only in the form of a teenage kitsitter. "Okay. Come with me and we'll head to your interview." Stacy led Mr. Fennixon to Director Badgerheim's office. Once there, she said, "Bit of advice: Don't hide anything. Honesty earns you lots of points. Doesn't matter what it's about."
Finn nodded to show he understood. Walking inside the office, he saw an elderly female badger diligently doing paperwork. Taking a seat in one of the chairs, he waited until she was done.
Director Badgerheim finished the document she was on then put it aside. Looking at the fennec tod sitting before her, she tilted her head. Something about him was far too familiar to her. Leaning forward, she studied his face. It was when she noticed the faded scar above his left eye she placed him. "Odafin Fennixon. Well, I'll be. It's been quite a while since I've seen you."
Finn cringed. He had thought he recognized her, but had hoped that he was wrong. "Mrs. Badgerheim." he replied casually, or as casually as one could while trying not to shit themselves when facing someone from their past.
"Looking for a job in Kit Services, I see." Director Badgerheim stated. "Always said that you'd make a fine employee when you came of age. I can't believe you made me wait this long."
Finn gulped. "Well, I honestly hadn't planned on it, but I'm in need of a job. My former line o' work isn't cutting it anymore." He then added, "And I didn't think ya'd still be working here."
Director Badgerheim chuckled. "I'm going to die doing this job." Standing, she walked over to a filing cabinet and withdrew a few forms. Pawing the forms to Finn, she said, "Fill those out and then go see Ms. Foxworth. She's going to be training you."
Finn quickly filled the forms out at hearing that the gorgeous vixen would be his trainer. All but throwing the forms on Director Badgerheim's desk, he was out the door. Running to the door which Ms. Foxworth would be found behind, Finn slid to a halt in front of it to check his appearance. 'Odafin,' he thought. 'You're acting like a teenager again. Calm the hell down. Who knows, maybe she's got a thing for older men. Just have to make sure that your previous hookups know that they were all just flings. You'll just have to take it like a male.' Prepared as much as he could be, Finn stepped through the door and into a whole new world.
Author's Note: So, yeah. That all just happened.
Supreme Commander Deego is not an OC, but an Easter Egg. The challenge is to find out his origin.
The Emperor's name is also an Easter Egg. Actually, it's two. Can you figure out from where?
We also have a couple of others hidden within. Remember, anyone who finds them, leave your answers in the comments and I'll get back to you about your reward(s). I still have a ton left undiscovered in the previous chapters. Some which I feel are rather obvious, but probably aren't.
I know this was suppose to be a dual release, but with how things are going, that may/might be just slightly beyond my ability for right now. I do plan to eventually have a double chapter release though. It's a goal.
For those of you who are also reading SWZ (Star Wars: The Zootopian Saga), chapters 2 and 3 got written (actually written using a yellow legal pad and pencil) during our stay at the hospital, since electronics were not allowed. (To use any form of electronic equipment that wasn't medical technology one had to stand just past the fence approx. 0.8 km from the building.)
Also, I'm aware some of you may be confused by these Author's Notes, and I apologize for that. However, as this website doesn't allow large Author's Notes as chapter submissions, I wasn't able to keep most of you all in the loop like I could those on AO3. I'd beg for forgiveness if it did any good, but it won't. So, I'll say this instead: My wife fell ill with an infection that reached her bloodstream. Being that she's preggers with twins, we went to a facility that specialized in cases such as ours so the story went without updating as planned. (Again, if we could submit Author's Notes as chapters you would have been informed) Anyway, the facilities equipment was highly sensitive to electromagnetic devices [e.g. mobiles, laptops, those kinds of things]. This meant that I was a virtual ghost for 4/5 days. When we came back, I learned that my late elder brother's son had been taken from his mother by the courts and that my in-laws represented me. My nephew is now living with us and we're getting him settled in.
Last, but not least, I have to appear to a court hearing to fully claim my godson later today. I originally thought it was next Friday, but nope. Today at 2:30 p.m. I'm still unsure as to what happened to cause all this, but I should be getting answers at that time. I'll update these End Notes once I'm able, so stay tuned and check regularly every other hour after 2:30.