"Good news everyone! Whitefoot's is now officially running in the black." So announced Violet. The studious Doe was the business manager for the various Hopps enterprises and she had just popped into 'Whitefoot's Keep Them Running' service center to deliver the results of her accounting.

Of course, after a particularly grueling day of work, the collected labor could only muster a comically downbeat 'yay'.

But Celeste did come up; wiping her paws from the worst of the grime there on, keen to see the paperwork that Violet had flourished. "Is it in ink?"

"Yeap! Just finished the quarterlies and only need your signature before I file them."

The coyote glanced over the papers, whining at the totals. "With what we've got in the penny bowl, our net would be almost double."

"Well, that's what you get for actually paying for your labor." The bunny snarked back.

"Well, if your folks hadn't insisted that I hire outside the warren, ya know, no free family help."

And at that, Celeste looked over to the one Hopps bunny and carburetor specialist, Davy, who pouted. "What? Beasts are getting paid here?"

"Only if you call old turnips and buggy cabbage payment." Counter-huffed Ed Sward, one of the transmission guys.

"Buggy cabbage? In my day, even corn cobs would have been a treat!" Piped up McGregor, the old goat paint and body beast.

"Mud covered sticks and rocks!"

"Dirt, and not the good kind."

And so on.

The friendly banter cheered Celeste to no end. Not that long ago the idea of her operating a shop like this was only a faint dream. But with the help of her 'adopted' family, the Bunny Burrow Hopps, it was now a thriving business. Moreover, it was full or part time employment for a good dozen local folk and kept service in town instead of distant Deerbrook and its big retail center.

"Aright everyone. Since our budget doesn't include overtime, and there's nothing going on that needs it, time to wrap it up and call it a night." Celeste waved everyone off to shut things down for the night.

Turning back to Violet, "Thanks again and tell the folks about the good news."

"Oh you bet. Having an investment actually pay off on schedule will absolutely stun Dad."

"Well, that will be your fault."

"I didn't make the reputation that's kept you busy since day one."

"You can thank Pablo for half of that."

"You shouldn't sell yourself short. I've seen the social media chatter about you and the shop. Your reputation's gone all the way to the big city."

"Kind of a mixed blessing. I've gotten a couple calls from some high rollers looking for some serious work. Major custom jobs or high-end restorations that we just can't handle." She wrung her paws. "Talk of turning down work could hurt."

Violet nodded in agreement. "Well, you just keep on doing what you can. Now that you've passed break-even, there's no where to go but up." Then the Bunny shifted gears, "You coming over for a fluffle?" The Coyote was the great delight for the smallest kits, The Fluffly One.

"Not tonight. I want to wrap-up some odds and ends, and then just crash."

"So I get to be the bad guy and crush their spirit with the bad news?"

"It will get you in practice for the cruel abuse you'll need to keep your impending progeny in line." And Celeste pointed to Violet's baby bump. Ted had been a blessing in more ways than one for the emotionally fragile Doe. That she could now conceive and carry her own was a sign of how well the relationship had gone.

Now a few years in, Celeste had witnessed the progress of not only her business, but the Hopps Clan as well. After the all the drama around them, Bailey and Riina had settled rather nicely. Having Bailey in the Winter Games didn't hurt the Hopps reputation either. Nick and Judy were, of course, making the world a better place in the big city, and no few other bunnies were following their lead in their own ways.

New kits in the warren were an ongoing delight, but they had the bad habit of growing, and even her crush of cuddling kits had had its first defections. Too grown up for the little kit's stuff.

Celeste thought about Bonny. The matriarch delighted in managing her grandkits, but always seemed that she'd lost a little something when each in turn no longer needed her attention. Celeste had to admit to a little twinge too, and had to wonder about how she might handle actual motherhood herself.

Not like that was going to happen anytime soon. After the bittersweet time with Jeremy and the disconcerting episode with Paul, Celeste was a bit gun shy of actual dating. However, getting out with Jenny and some of the other young Does had given her a chance of a social life like she had never had before. She was even a grooming buddy with Jenny and was welcome in some of the group grooming fluffles among the collected Does in the warren.

But. Jenny was now seeing a Buck. As were a couple other of the Does. Celeste was happy for them and didn't mind being unattached, mostly. She still had her time with the youngest of the Hopps kits and her employees were all but family as well. So, worries about a mate and family of her own were of no particular importance.

000000

"Celeste. You're needed in the office." What could that be? She was just beginning to get a good shape with the replacement fender on the sheet metal wheel and was loath to stop, but she could see Billy's wild gesturing from the office door.

"This better be important." She yipped and he gave her a knowing snerk as he stepped out of office to give her some privacy. What in the world? And, oh!

He was a Coyote, a rather sharp looking Dog at that. Dressed rather up-scale business casual, not that she had any sense of fashion. Had an attaché case with him. A salesbeast?

"Ms. Whitefoot? I'm Emil Llano. I'm a body mammal, vintage restoration and custom work, and I'm looking for a change of scenery." He had a city accent and an air of confident, not quite smug superiority about him.

Celeste wasn't sure how to react. Normally, since she saw so few of her kind around that her usual impulse was a somewhat juvenile fawning approach, which could come across as rather needy. But this one. She was instead a bit wary. "I'm not exactly looking for another tin beater, Mr. Llano."

"Well, I can do a bit more than beat tin. Here is some of my work." And he popped open his case to pull out some large glossies. Celeste didn't really intend to look, but caught sight of some familiar images.

"These are Team Jambo jobs." Celeste was credulous. "And this is from Jimmy Zubek's collection."

"Yes they are, and that's my metal or glass work in each."

Celeste looked at him askance then held up a digit. "Rather big claims." Then pointing to her computer, "Mind if I check?"

He shrugged.

A quick on-line search found a lot on Mr. Emil Llano, mostly in terms of his work with various custom design and restoration teams. "Don't seem to stick around for very long with any one group?"

"I don't have any kind of shop of my own, so need to join up with an established operation for the resources. And I'm not greedy, more than happy to spread the wealth with the rest of the guys. And the effort."

Celeste poked a bit further, skimming through comments and chats. The rants and raves were all pretty straight forward. No obvious red flags of angry exs or stalker fans. There wasn't a lot of biographical information. Zootopian city boy, confirming the accent, no family noted, no higher education noted. He had a welding certificate but no professional affiliations.

All the while, Mr. Llano was looking over the various photos of previous restorations and custom work done at the shop. "Some nice work here." He pointed at a '50 Pherd, not the most sporty subject, but the before and after to a show room new looks was impressive.

"We try. But most of our work is, like the sign says, just keep 'em running." Celeste again glanced at the fanned set of photos that he had brought. Custom exotics, special performance types, and restorations of classic high-end beauties. "So, why come out here to the sticks?"

"To escape my own success. Too many customers wanting to throw stupid amounts of money at me for their vanity projects. And all too often changing their minds in mid project or trying to micro-manage the work."

"Yeah, life's tough." Was Celeste's rather dry response.

"Yes, isn't it though."

"So, why are you out here?"

"I saw some of the traffic about your shop, and figured you could use a bit of a boost."

Celeste did not care for the tone of that answer. "Ya know, insulting the owner isn't winning form for an unsolicited job interview."

"No. I just meant you could use some extra expertise to be able to take on more ambitious jobs."

"And as we have a shortage of high rollers locally, that sounds like you'll simply draw in those dreaded big bucks customers you claim to be running away from."

"Or, I could say I wanted to help another Coyote entrepreneur?"

Celeste made a sour face. That smacked as a bit specie-ist for her taste. And maybe a bit sexist and condescending. "Or you could tell me the real reason and stop wasting my time."

"Feisty!" And with that, he spread his arms in surrender. "Okay. I'm burned out. Like I said, too many big-ticket projects. And none of them anything I actually wanted to do. Sure, I get paid, but I'm not enjoying the work." He pointed at the photo of the Pherd again. "That's fun. It might not light any fires, but it's still its own challenge." He had a thought. "How long did it take to get done?"

"It was kind of a nickel and dime job, and doubled as a school project. Took nearly a whole school year to finish."

"Even better! I can pass on my vast knowledge and secret mojo skills to the new generation."

Celeste rolled her eyes. She didn't like his vibe. Too much ego. And more practical matters. "Well, I don't have the budget to take you on, doubly so in that I wouldn't have anything for you to do."

"Things to do? If you've got oil changes or rebuilding carbs, I'd have plenty to keep myself busy. Like I said, I'm tired of the big projects. Just being a wrench jockey or slapping a little bondo on a fender would be fine for now."

Celeste grumbled. Maybe she'd seen too many bad action movies, but this felt like the jaded master assassin laying low until his archrival sought him out kind of thing. Except with custom cars. And she really didn't need the extra help. At least for right now.

"Okay, here's the thing. Right now I really don't need and can't afford to take you on in any capacity." She shrugged. "In a month, maybe. I've got several kits in the shop doing part-time over the summer vacation, and when school starts, they'll be mostly gone. And the students that come in for classes don't get to touch customer's cars, only the project stuff."

"In a month then?" And Celeste noticed something in his tone, and the little wag of his tail.

"We'll see."

After Llano left, Celeste got back on line to see if she could find more about him. As he wasn't the most flamboyant or media seeking of mammals, it took her a while to find any more about him rather than his work. He had started off at a small shop in the cruelly ironic Happy Town district of Zootopia, the down and out end of the city, reputed to be all but a ghetto for too many marginalized predator species. He claimed that it was where he found himself thought honest productive labor.

Maybe he wanted to go back to his roots kind of thing?

"Hey, Boss!" Brought Celeste back to the here and now. "We got the radiator back in Swinold's heap."

"Glad to here it. Pressure test then give him a call."

"Who was the Dog?"

"Guy looking for work. Way over-qualified to start."

"Well, I hope you kept his card, ya know." Jackie was one of the summer workers and planned to go on to collage in the fall.

"I dunno. Had more attitude than I'd like to deal with."

Jackie shrugged. "Billy said he was a looker, at least for a Coyote."

"Billy thinks anyone who has the right number of parts is a looker."

"I resemble that remark!" Billy groused from across the shop bay. "And he was one sharp Dog!"

"Maybe too sharp." Celeste grumbled back. She had very much not been impressed by him as a mammal. Trying too hard seemed to be his thing. And who knows, maybe nothing behind the facade. Anyway, when the time came, she'd rather hire local.

Of course, two months later, she had not found any credible new hires, even part-timers to fill in for those who had left for school or other seasonal work. So, where was Mr. Llano's card? Or could she find him directly on-line? Ah. There he was.

"So. Mr. Llano. You still looking for work?"

She was surprised to get an almost immediate answer.

"Hey! Whitefoot! When can I start?"

Celeste looked back into the shop. "How about a week ago?" Things had been backing up. While the shop could get the simple in and out work done, more extensive work had fallen on her, Ed, who was the only full-timer on paw, and Davy, who could still come in part time. Too much time-intensive work for just the three.

"Sounds like fun. I can be there tomorrow, if you'll have me."

"I suppose. I think the local hotel has weekly and monthly rates if you need such."

"Oh? No cot in the back for me to crash out on?"

"No. I'm afraid not." She wasn't going to mention that there were times when she almost needed to do just that when the business started.

"No matter. I'll be there bright and early. Chao!"

"Wait!" But the connection was closed. She was going to say something about his wages. It wasn't stingy, but it wasn't like full union rates. But she also wasn't charging anything like what a union shop would need to operate. Not that she had anything against them, but the local market was pretty nickel and dime, and she'd price herself out of business if she went that way.

Celeste wasn't all that entheusiastic about having him come on board. Her initial impression of him hadn't changed. She was dreading that he'd be some kind of prima donna or cop some other attitude.

She looked around the shop. Well, if he could get into some of the backlog, some level of attitude might be tolerated. But if there was more 'tude than productivity, she wouldn't have any trouble in tossing him.

That next morning when she came in to open up, there he was. Leaning up against a somewhat beat looking '50s pick up, wearing a worn but mostly clean set of mechanic's overalls with 'Emil' over the breast, the Coyote was sipping a cup of take out coffee.

"Hey, Boss, whatcha got for me today?"

"Well, I'll let you see what we've got." Celeste took a closer look at the old truck. "Kind of a understated ride for a hot shot restoration specialist?"

Emil laughed. "She looks beat but still runs great. Besides, I don't have to sweat the wear and tear when I go pick up parts or scrounge a junk yard."

She had to admit that made sense. She had her own delivery truck, some decades newer but in little better condition.

She ushered him inside and presented some of the wait-listed work. He picked up on a transmission job. "Boss, I see you have this slated for a rebuild. But if it's what I think it is, you'd save a lot of time by just replacing it outright."

"Yeah, quicker, but any cheaper? It looks like it's mostly the solenoid, not any major wear or damage to the rest."

"Have you ever redone this model? No." Emil shook his head. "Simple in theory, but awfully labor intensive to do and the parts." He held up a paw. "Its a twenty-odd year old unit, of which production stopped fifteen years ago. Parts can be found, but not quickly or easily. And I'll bet you'll find more problems when you dig deeper, then have to track down those parts."

He shrugged. "By the time you're done, the labor alone will likely be almost the price of the full replacement, then all the costs for the parts you've scrambled for." He then noticed the smile on Celeste's face.

"That's what my tranny guy said too.

"So you're testing me?"

She smirked. "A little bit. But the job still needs to be done. Ed hadn't ordered the replacement yet, so how do you feel about tracking it down as well?"

Emil gave her a big grin. "I know a guy."

Then there was introducing him to the other employees and then getting him in to help with some quick wrap-ups before jumping into one of the trouble projects.

She relieved that he seemed more than happy to be a team player and there was no task too menial for him to tackle. So, by the end of the day, it was like he'd always been there.

"Let's all go to Paul's to celebrate the newest member of Team Whitefoot." Ed suggested to universal approval.

"Paul's?"

"Local dive. Cheap beer and lumpy pool tables. But they have a great munchies menu."

"Sounds great."

And it was. Paul's had the typical range of cheap mass-market beers, but a nice selection of some craft micro brews and the occasional import. And a nice little menu of bar food, mostly for herb's with an emphasis on the large bunny population, as well as some tasty omni and pred specific treats. And to top things off, some Grey's baked desserts.

Emil noticed some beasts all wearing Pablo's work shirts. "Pablo's?" He asked one of the wolves.

"Ah! New in town. Pablo's it the local farm machinery dealer in town. You must be with Whitefoot's operation?"

"Yeah. First day." Emil was just a tad wary. "Anything between you guys and Whitefoot?"

The Wolf, Jack, chuckled at that in a knowing way. "Haw, the two operations complement each other. Before, most real auto work had to go to Deerbrook or only get catch as catch can service, since we weren't really set up for cars. We're heavy equipment and diesel work specialists."

Jack pointed to Whitefoot across the room. "In fact, she used to work for Pablo, and when she got ambitious, Pablo was one her strongest supporters. And we have some co-operative stuff going between us and the local High School, getting kit's paws greasy with all things mechanical and automotive."

"Yeah, I heard about something like that." Emil seemed impressed. "Very civic minded."

"Yeah. Though largely due to her connection with the Hopps."

"Hopps?"

"Yeah, one of the larger spreads locally. Lots of pull. Judy Hopps' family too."

"Seriously?" That was a name he knew too well.

"Yeah." And Jack paused, giving Emil a look over. "Wonder if she's finally got herself straight? She first got connected by dating one of the Hopps Bucks."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, them Hopps seem to have a thing for preds. Hooking up with foxes mostly." Said more in puzzlement than distaste. "Then she tried wolf, one of the other guys in the shop. Didn't go all that well. Got awkward and he left a bit later. Not long after that the Hopps fronted her most of what it took to get her shop going." He again took an appraising look at Emil. "And now I'd guess she's finally come to her senses and has you on paw."

"Ah! You're not suggesting she hired me as some boy toy?"

"Why not?"

"First, getting close with the boss never ends well in my experience. And second, she is very much not my type."

"So you say." In good-natured skepticism.

"And I don't think she is all that about me. Likes my work, but gives me the stink eye about me being a big city hot shot."

"Yeah, what's up with that? Seems like everyone is itching to make it big in the city."

Emil made a face. "A little bit of been there, done that. Too many hassles after a while. Don't mind honest work, but didn't care for the personalities. High rollers who think they own you just by paying their bills."

Jack made a face at that. "Not a problem here for the most part. Humble, honest folk who don't take on airs. And being farmers, even if they're rolling in it this year, they know that it only takes one season to leave them hat in paw."

"Huh." Emil considered. "How about those Hopps?"

"Square dealers mostly. A couple of the youngsters can get cocky, but those who count are pretty regular. If anything, seem aware of the attention the famous ones bring. Yah know, Judy and Nick the cops and one of the younger boys won Biathlon at the Animalympics."

Emil didn't know what biathlon was, but was all too familiar with the infamous Judy Hopps in the days of the Savage Scare. That she was able to put and end to the Bellwether plot was little comfort to damage done. But if he didn't have to deal with her or too many of the other Hopps, he'd be just fine.