Chapter 41
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In the van, the crew looked at each other before looking on, their ears peeled. Honey in particular barged to the front, insatiably curious as to what was about to be revealed. In the bar, Jack listened in, his radar dishes for ears homing in harder than ever to grab each and every last word. It didn't matter that he was acting like the foghorn sitting across from him would turn into a church mouse, he didn't care. He needed to know. Down at his feet, Mr Fox and Kylie peaked out from under the tablecloth. It would be harder for them, but they wanted to hear too. Everyone wanted to know the answer to the same question.
"So what is PSC?" Ton asked.
Wassermaim sat back and shrugged. "Simple. Predator Superiority Complex. They think they're better than us."
Ton blinked. "What. That's it?"
The Hippo tilted his head slightly, before collapsing down, an elbow slamming into a table, the arm holding up his head. He snorted, and shook it. "That's like saying… 'Special Relatively. Relativity is special. What. That's it?"
"So what is it?"
And with that Kurt Wassermaim sat up, his eyes seemed to light up, and he began to talk. "Think of it this way. Back in the ancient times, Predators ruled the world. They were on top. We were their food. You can't argue with that. We were second class citizens… Not that anyone had a clue what a citizen was… -But then, we evolved! And they still preyed on us for a long time. Then you had 'the great peace', and we were all made equal. Now! Now… All those idiots on the other side paint us as believing that preds are all barely evolved salivating monsters who are unevolved, go crazy on a hair trigger, need to be wiped out, yadda, yadda we're the moron bad guys! But here's what I actually think. Predators are just as evolved as us. The only difference is that they, in a way, still like to believe that they're on top, and they act like it. That is the Predator Superiority Complex…"
"So is there a PSC club they join or…"
"-Oh, nothing like that," Wassermaim cut in. "Nothing that obvious. But, think about it. After the peace accords, prey still had to supply preds with gathered food, with milk, with their dead bodies for a while. Oh they say it was in exchange for protection, for defense, but against who? Predators became the lords, the rich, the nobility. The lions brought up from Africa by the Roman Empire, originally founded by wolves, became the noble houses of Europe. Meanwhile it was the flock and herd prey who became the serfs, the peasants, and so on. The preds were still on top, and that continued into the industrial revolution. Oh they say it was because of their 'nimble paws', but we all know why most of the new middle class were preds and the workers the poor. And then there's democracy. Originally it was set up for the landowners, the majority, or at least relative majority, being preds. But then universal suffrage came along, and deep down, the preds do not like that."
Ton blinked. "I have never heard any pred say 'I hate democracy, I hate the republic…'" he slurred.
"Oh it's not something they say in public," Kurt carried on. "But deep down, they all resent the fact that prey, that the majority, are in power now. They split their world into pred and prey, and now that split has turned against them! But still, they don't like it, and they don't like a lot of things. And so they wage an invisible war for the hearts and minds of the voting prey public, one done so softly the victims don't even realise it…"
"Me included."
"Yeah, okay, here's an example," Kurt carried on. "Herds vs Packs? Hmmmm? In schools and everything, they'll teach kits and cubs to think for themselves, encourage them to play team based sports, to work in groups rather than a unified goal. That's much more like a pack than a herd, isn't it? Children raised in a pred inspired way rather than a prey inspired way. Heck, the idea of an entire, whole, large group, unified and working together on an idea, is vilified, made into a joke. Remember in… -Remember in Life of Brian? 'Yes, we're all individuals! We must all think for ourselves!'" Kurt's eyes narrowed. "Our entire culture makes fun of herd mentality; heck, it's a positive insult! A way of life that represents ninety percent of our people, and it's turned into a joke, the ideal being the pack or individual mentality of the ten-percent! But okay, what is wrong with herd mentality, hmmmm?" He raised his hands up into the air. "Ask 'em and they can't answer. There's positives to herd mentality you know? Solidarity, unity, survival of the whole… You see, you see that's how they do it! Pred Superiority Complex in action. They think that their way is the best way…"
"Is that all?"
"Oh no," Kurt laughed. "That's a baby example… -What about the city council? What about celebrities? The music industry? Film stars? On and on it goes and there are far more preds there than if it were fair. Far more than ten-percent. Preds are over-represented. Look at film and media? How much exactly focusses on pred characters, pred plotlines, or prey who act pred-ish? Think of all the stories you've read set in Zootopia, how many are about those things? And how many talk about pred discrimination, huh?"
Ton blinked, but couldn't think of a response before the hippo carried on.
"But it's not enough for them! They're still a minority, and according to PSC they should be a majority, and they feel victimised by it so they play the victim. And it works! Boy does it work! You hear all these things about pred discrimination and all that, how we need hiring quotas to bring more in, even though statistically we prey are the ones who are oppresed! But we dare not say that, do we? You know, I once heard one pred talk about 'The Predator Guilt Complex'. His idea was that we raise preds and make them feel all so guilty about what they once did, and so whenever they're hurt or anything they can't object or stand up for themselves 'cause of that. But you see, that pred guilt complex is just another thing they put up to fuel our prey guilt complex, and it works. It works soooo good…"
Back in the van, the gang looked at each other, shrugging. Finally, Nick broke the silence. "So his pred hate is a 'refined, civilized, pred hate.' It doesn't matter. Just press him on Kris."
Judy nodded, leaning over to the microphone only to find Ton already talking. "And what about the nighthowler crisis and all that?" he asked. "Was that an inside pred job?"
The hippo groaned. "I wish," he said. "But no, that was Bellwether, and the preds loved that it was a little sheep. Perfect 'dead cat' tactic there. Throw it on the table and everyone is screaming, 'Ahhhh! Dead Cat! There's been a murder!' And they get to say that this proves sheep can be predators too and that 'pred and prey' are relative terms." He groaned, shaking his head at that. "You know, I used to think that if that was the case, then the truth is a relative thing too…" He paused, before shrugging. "But you know what? It is. So there's that."
"Truth is relative?" Ton asked, while those in the van frowned at the stupidity of the idea.
"Yeah," the hippo said. "Think about it. I mean, a hundred years ago people would say that time is a constant, but now everyone knows it's relative. And if pred and prey are relative, why not the truth?"
"As you have the truth," Ton mumbled, "and you have lies. Nothing more to it."
Back in the van, Judy's paws were out as she spoke. "Exactly!"
Kurt, though, had different ideas. "Let me give you an example," he spoke, arm up in the air. "World War Two! That's a case where, after an evil mass murdering dictatorship led by a deer with funny facial hair invaded Poland. Their forces were then turned onto the peace loving democracies. They invaded, they attacked, they tried to rob the mammals of their freedom and then those democracies ended up allying with another evil mass murdering dictatorship led by another deer with funny facial hair that also invaded poland… To defend themselves against the one that posed far more danger to them… You agree that's the truth, right?"
Ton paused, his alcohol addled brain working away. "Yeah…"
"And that all countries that did so did it as it was the right thing to do at the time."
"Yeah…"
"And that they were on the right side of history?"
"Yes."
"And those who allied with the others were on the wrong?"
"Yeah…"
"So England?"
"Yes."
"France?"
"Yes."
"The States?"
"Yup."
"Finland."
"Yeah."
"Greece."
"Yup."
"And you think that the truth is the truth and not relative?" Wassermaim began. Ton nodded. "Except you just agreed it wasn't…"
"No… I didn't."
"All of those countries were attacked or declared war on by a deer led dictatorship that invaded Poland, funny facial hair, yadda yadda," Kurt began, "only Finland had the two deer dictatorships swapped around. Stagen invaded their country after he'd invaded the east of Poland, and to protect their democracy they allied with Hirschler. Fundamentally no different to everyone else who did it the other way around… And you've just said that the fundamental truth is that they're both entirely justified in doing so and on both the right and the wrong side of history? Well which truth is it?"
Ton paused, thinking.
Kurt smiled. "The only truth is that the truth is relative."
"And that means…?"
"It means everything to those who want to use it," Kurt began, his eyes narrowing. "Say in the country, after, you have those who want their fair democracy to carry on. You also have those who disagree with the idea of democracy. Now, they can't fight a straight fight, oh no! So they infiltrate the media and institutions just enough to start promoting their truth, and stigmatizing the other! Slowly making them feel ashamed of what they did to defend themselves."
He paused, putting his hands up in the air. 'Yeah, we were attacked, but let's not forget who we turned to for help'. Then they start piling on the guilt. Calling out those who say they did the right thing, then the wrong thing for the right reasons, and soon you've got the ball rolling. 'Our entire institutions are here today because of an alliance with evil! We participated in genocide, if it weren't for our troops millions wouldn't have starved to death in the seige of Lemmingrad'. And soon, they're dragging that country down the guilt complex, making everyone feel guilty about their very existence, shunning anyone who dares say they should stand up for themselves, and offering the guilty masses a way of paying it back that conveniently does what they want."
He leant forward again, looking into Ton's eyes. "Never mind how much Stagen extorted and stole, it's not enough, we need to send more to pay them back. We need to indoctrinate our kids about the evil of their forefathers, our society was built on a foundation of evil and we need to re-examine it! Our heritage is corrupt, we must destroy it down and replace it anew! Supporters of the evil are out there, telling their hate speech, we need to monitor it, shut it down, make sure that people scream and call it out the second they see it and don't dare think about it! And slowly, they turn the wheel, and destroy one of the fairest democracies out there, turning it into a self-hating state that serves who they want it to."
There was a long pause on all sides, broken as Nick spoke into the microphone, and Ton relayed it out. "And you think preds are doing that PSC stuff here?"
"Duh!" Kurt exclaimed. "Preds are a minority, a truth. They're over represented, also a truth. Pred discrimination exists, a truth. Preds are some of the richest mammals, with equids the poorest. Also a truth! It's all relative, but they are only promoting the side they want. They call for 'fact checkers' who are conveniently all on their side. But who fact checks the fact checkers? Huh? Who checks them?"
He paused, thinking back for a second or two. "There was one Ewetuber… a legitimate scientist with major papers, he genuinely hates me… But he goes against anyone he can do a researched scientific argument against, from any nutjob religious mammal to crazy feminist and 'prey are oppressor' pred supremacists to snake oil sales mammals… And back during the Howler crisis he was doing his thing, looking at the cases, concluding just like Pounceheart that it was contaminated food or something and that 'savage instincts' was just nonsense… Then Pounceheart went off on his conspiracy stuff, this guy really burnt his bridges, and carried on doing science videos. But he's a bunny or something, and he then turned against some anti-vaxxers who are against a new mixxie vaccine. Those conspiracy mammals could put all their vids out just fine, but he puts up a vid talking about how they're lying and put mammals at risk? His vid gets taken down, for spreading misinformation! For putting mammals at risk! He appeals, it's denied in less time than it would take to watch the video. It happens again and again. Heck, if you search on Zoogle it's nigh on impossible to find that channel. The enemy side knows he's an intellectual danger to them, so they're doing what they can to shut him down, in the name of fact checking. Who's checking the fact checkers, huh?"
Ton shrugged. "Just some Ewetuber…"
"It's not just the alternative media," Kurt cut in. "Look at ZNN! Look at how many preds work there. Look at cussing Murana Woflord, that cussing cusshead! Look at how everything is built to a pack mentality, not a herd one, and how the whole media narrative is that preds are oppressed. Preds are the victims. Prey are privileged. Prey are inherently biased and speciesist. Prey owe preds. It's happening! And right now, a law is used by me… A law that is meant to equally apply to all mammals. A law that was drafted by a wolf with the intention of hurting criminal sheep. I use it for the all mammals interpretation, and the whole world loses its cuss! Because, as I said before, preds still think that they're superior. Preds still think they're above democracy and better than prey. Not overtly, but deep down. And I dare challenge that narrative. I dare support the other truth. And tell me, what happens?"
"They come for you?" Ton asked.
"Yeah," Kurt said. "ZNN! The media! Those protestors! Whipped into a frenzy, too drunk on their version of the truth to see the forest for the trees. But, you know what, I don't care? Just because they're this far along doesn't mean you should give up, should it? No! I'm fighting for democracy here! And the law! And fairness! I'm taking a stand and saying that the PSC is wrong! You preds aren't better than us! You're the same as us. We live in the same society, we are subject to the same laws. And this fox kit. He broke them! Boy was I happy on seeing that chance, it was a chance to make a statement that needed to be made, you're the same as us! Don't you forget it! Of course, I wish I knew just how much blowback they'd give me for it."
He paused, slamming the table. "One good chance, and I blew it! But I'm not giving up. Letting them win easy is the worst thing to do. It means they'll do bigger things next. And it'll embolden those like them across the world! Foxes are often rich in the old world, they do nicely and well and so on, and this whole 'antivulpanism' issue is mostly a minor thing in our country. Really no big deal. But they blow it up here, and they export it. These countries where foxes are wealthy are suddenly in hissy fits that mammals think they're sneaky and untrustworthy, and it's literally the most terrible thing in the world, and things need to be done to support them! And naturally, they say that all these bad feelings are mostly in the poor, the prey workers, you know? The areas that the rich preds feel they are better than, hmmm?"
"I…" Ton began, before shaking his head. "I don't know.
Kurt shrugged. "Is it any wonder that the most pro-redistribution party a certain country had for years… though they were total wet sandwiches in every other area, was vilified and brought down with claims they were full of anti-vulpinites again and again and again? I heard there were some minor cases, but not that much in the grand scheme of things, but it was a seed that PSC nurtured into something big. Not that I have any feelings either way about that party, they were total wet sandwiches, but they had these accusations slung at them and kept up and up in the media, making it out as if it were this giant ball of hate inside of them! They dare stand up for themselves, they're vilified further, and in the end guess what? They lose the election. Their old leader even gets fired when he stands up against the lies! P-S-C."
Kurt ended his rant with an fist hammered on the table, and a deeply satisfied exhale.
"So," Ton asked. "What now?"
"Now," Kurt shrugged. "I keep on fighting. Doesn't matter that all those preds and pred-ish prey are grouping together, forming secret and not-so-secret alliances to bring me down. Doesn't matter that they reject my version of the truth outright, without even considering it. Doesn't matter that they have crime lords and leaders of hate groups, mammals who did far more speciesist stuff than I ever did, on their side. Doesn't matter that they plan to fight dirty and use underpaw tactics to slur my name and bring me down the coward's way… Doesn't matter that they have allies anywhere, everywhere, hidden in plain sight! I've gotta keep on fighting. For me, for my friends, my family, the future generations of prey and preds... Because, you know, if they keep on squeezing us the prey might eventually snap and really fight back, giving the preds the kind of medicine they claim they're getting and then some. Honestly, I'm on their side too, not that they know it. I might end up doing more for preds than anyone else ever! But I'm gonna keep on fighting, and if I die on this hill then so be it." There was a pause, then a smile. "Besides, I haven't played all my cards just yet." He chuckled, then chuckled some more. "This hippo isn't out of tricks just yet!"
"No you're not," Ton agreed, sliding the drinks in front of him aside, swaying quite a bit as he did so, and cracking his knuckles. "And neither am I," he said with a growing grin and a snort.
"Tricks… for what…?" The hippo said, just a bit confused.
Ton's smile grew just a little more. "Heh," he said, as it seemed like some of the background music seemed to rise up in a deep, aggressive, savage growl. Nearby, Jack, Kylie and Mr Fox looked on, not knowing what was happening. The same feeling was shared back in the van, except for three particular individuals.
Haida, Retsuko and Fenneko clenched their fists, leant in, and looked on.
They knew what was coming and, as the background music in the bar began playing what could best be called as 'Scary Boss music', the pig spoke. "To have a good time…."
The Hippo smiled, grabbing his drink and thrusting it into the air. "Yeah!"
And then Ton, grabbing a drinks glass and making like it was a microphone, began to rap.
"You're the most hated mammal in the city,
they say it's not a pity,
What you gonna dooo?"
Back in the van, he'd gathered three new backing singers. "Nasty stuff we guess, you've done more for less…"
Back in the bar, the pig laid on more.
"You don't care for the truth,
You like to play it loose…"
As did those in the van. "Nasty things to say, you like to do that all day…"
Back in the bar, Ton doubled down.
"You have your mission,
You not gonna give it up.
Even with all the friction,
And those preds waiting for a hiccup…"
He leant forward, going in for the kill.
"Play it fast, play it loose,
Sauce for the gander,
Sauce for the goose,
You don't care about scandal,
Tell me about this,...
Every mammal you hurt,
Sacrificed for the cause.
Every mammal you dis,
I wanna be like you,
Benchmark me for the pain I give…
Tell me them all, all without scandal,
It's fun to hear, even the worst I can handle,
I wanna know, I want it tangible,
From the mouth of the Hippo that,
Zootopia cannot handle!"
The music kept on roaring, in the van all eyes were on the red panda, hyena and fennec vixen as they jumped up and down, arms pumping in and out, cheering on "Ton.. Ton…" Slowly, more began to join them as the music swelled, the Hippo grabbed a glass, and he…
"Bwahahaha…" he laughed, snorting. "Nice…"
The music seemed to fade, all eyes in the van looking at each other, as Wassermaim picked up another drink and took a swig. He slammed it down. "Dude, you could be a rap star or something!"
Ton looked on, blinking. "Yeah, and it seems you just conceded this rap battle!"
"Well for that," he slurred. "I'd have to have played in the first place. Didn't do that, so…"
"But you can't just back down from a rap battle," the pig scoffed. "You can't just break the rules like that…"
"What rules?"
"The cussing rules."
"Are they written anywhere?"
"They're unwritten!"
"Ha!" Wassermaim cheered. "Unwritten rules. Well, here's the thing. I break those fucking unwritten rules. I fucking break them and then I shit all over them! Because I can! And it gets things done! And nobody can do nothing about it. And it's so fucking funny, as it pisses them off so much!" He leant back, his feet up and slamming onto the table. "You should try it some time."
"But you still lost, right?" Ton went in, trying to goad him back in. "I won, you lost."
"You won, I didn't lose, as you were playing, I was not." Wassermaim held out his hands and smiled. "As I said all along. The truth is relative, and once you realise that…" He smiled. "Boy, the fun you can have."
.
Back in the van, the gang settled back down. Somehow, they sensed that that was it. Judy couldn't help but sigh, even as her eyes narrowed and nose twitched. Nick saw her and leant over, putting his paw on her shoulders. She flinched, he pulled back, but she then relaxed, letting him put it on her.
"You okay?" he asked.
"No," she hissed, looking up at the screen. "I mean, he's a coward, and a cheat, and a liar, and a mean pred-hater," she said, arms out and pointing. "But he… -He enjoys it so much! And he makes it such a joke! And in all that, even when we got him drunk, he said it all in a way that means we can't get him for it. I mean, even if that stupid pig wasn't drunk, we couldn't just ask him now 'oh, were you in with Dawn?' can we? He's given the answer he's going to give, he'll just say no! And for everything else, he'll just do his denying and blowing off and all the stuff he's done so far." She turned down and stomped on the van's floor. "And Kris is still stuck in jail, and that Hippo will still be in a job!"
Nick didn't speak, just sitting down next to her and holding her tight. "I know. And it's unfair. And we'll keep on fighting, won't we?"
There was a general murmur of agreement from everyone, bar Honey. Fenneko then spoke. "Of course, we have the ability to play dirty. Correctly cutting and editing our recording, putting out the right parts of the conversation, could allow us to paint him much worse than he is."
Judy blinked, looking up. "Yeah, you're right! We can still drag him down, can't we?"
She was met with a chorus of applause from everyone in the van, bar Honey. The bunny couldn't help but notice it and pause, turning to face her. "Honey?"
The ratel blinked, looking at her and pointing at the screen. "Did you even hear what he was saying?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Judy began. "And…"
"Nu-uh, you may have 'heard it', but you didn't think about it, did you?"
She frowned. "Honey, what is there to even think about?"
"I don't know," she said, paws up. "That fact that we got together all these mammals to resist what he did… The fact that we're basically refusing to consider what he says… We think he's pure evil and so on and…"
"And he is," Judy began, "he…"
"That we'll play dirty, real dirty," she continued, looking over and glancing at Fenneko.
Finnick crossed his arms and walked in front of her. "Hey. This is total war! That hippo started it, we're gonna finish it!"
"But he thinks we started it," she carried on. "And we're basically all preds, and prey who love preds, right? We only have that pig in 'cause we know so few prey…"
"Hey," Haida said. "We knew three big prey mammals before Ton, it's not our fault that they couldn't do it."
"But maybe we shoulda had big prey in our group from the start, and…"
"And does he have big preds or small preds on his side?" Nick asked. Honey paused, watching the fox as he came over. "If Jack was here, I'm pretty certain he'd be talking about how this is literally gaslighting in action. He's convincing you that you're the bad guy here. You heard all that stuff he said about P-S-C and us giving them impossible standards to meet in order to be good mammals? Guilting them all over it and using it to make them do what we want? Well guess what, that's what he's doing to you! He's manipulating you, Honeybun. And maybe he believes it all? Maybe he's sincere. That doesn't change the outcome. He thinks the truth is relative? Well, let it be relative. And he thinks it's his duty to fight his side, for however long it takes? Well, it's our duty too!"
"I…" Honey began, not sure what to say. "But we all kinda think we're still better than him, right?"
"Because of what he did," Judy said. "Not who he is."
"And is what he did wrong?" she asked.
"Of course it is!"
"And so if it was Maisy, Bellwether's niece, who was caught purple-pawed, we'd be doing all this stuff for her right?"
"I…" Judy began, only to clam up, unable to find the right words. "I mean no, but…"
"Isn't that his point with the Pred and Prey stuff?"
Judy groaned. "Honey, you shouldn't listen to him…"
"-What, 'cause he might be right? Cause his ideas are taboo…"
"Because he's wrong and evil."
"And you say that and you believe that," Honey said, gesturing back to the screen. "But when asked about it, you…"
"Urghhhh…" Judy groaned.
"-Do that," Honey cut in, the bunny facepawing in response.
"Well you know that the kit is innocent, right?" Retsuko asked, stepping in. "It's what I asked right at the start, and everyone agreed there was no way it was him. If it was Maisy, you wouldn't know that, right? So it's two different situations."
"Yeah," Skye agreed. "He's split his world into two sides. Well maybe there are no sides? And maybe the truth isn't relative, the truth is complex, and the truth is he's trying to simplify the truth so it fits into a story that he likes. Maybe it's just every mammal on their own and every situation is different, and in this case we know that Kris needs someone to fight for him."
"Yes," Judy said, clicking her fingers. "That!"
Honey raised a finger. "So you're saying that herd think is wrong and…"
"Well it trampled and made poor Kris suffer, didn't it? Judy asked.
"And if it was Maisy," Honey said, "and you found a bunch of sheep all coming together to support her, and doing what we're doing right now… Getting all those mammals, the mob bikers and the guys who really hate one species and the media machine on their side, while trying to do what we're doing to him right now? Would you be just as okay with them doin' that as you are with us doin' it?"
"I…" Judy began. "No, but it's different, and…"
"Because we feel superior, right?"
"-Why are you doing this?" she spoke, marching up to Honey, paws out and shaking in frustration. "Why are you taking his side?"
"I'm not," she spoke. "But maybe I'm not on your side either, I…" she paused, sniffing. "Maybe you forgot, but I spent months in an institution to stop me thinking that one side was always good and one side always bad, and part of that is making me think about these things! And maybe you forget, but I hate how confusing everything is, as I don't know who's right and who's wrong and all that! And maybe… And maybe… I listened to him, and as he talks on and on, talkin' 'bout all the things we'd done and the kind of mammals that we brought in, I stepped back and thought… 'hold on a sec'. And I looked at us, and when I question it, you act exactly how he says you act… And maybe," she sniffed again. "And maybe, I'm just scared that I went and picked the bad guys to fight for again, and I'm just gonna end up hurting more innocent mammals!"
She broke off sniffing, Judy's face falling. She rushed forward, hugging her tight. "I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I'm sorry, I didn't, I…"
They held onto each other tight, while the others looked around, awkwardly. Finally, Nick spoke. "Honey?"
"Y-yeah?"
"I used to think like that. Them vs us, non-foxes who never trusted foxes vs foxes who suffered." There was a pause. "Ask Skye about how much she hated that."
"A lot," she quipped.
"Maybe, and I'm quoting a certain bunny here, life is messy. Stupidly messy! So stupidly messy that even a pig and a racoon would turn their noses up in disgust."
Honey snorted with laughter, before pausing. "That's, uhhh… A bit speciesist and…"
"-And yet it was funny. And I bet you all mammals make jokes like those," he said, rolling his eyes. "Now I'm not saying that the Hippo is right and it's all groups, or that Skye is right and it's just us by ourselves. Maybe it's a stupid mix and we could spend forever trying to find where that line is?"
"Maybe," Haida interrupted. "The only truth is that there is no truth. Anyone can be a hero or a villain, all it takes is for mammals to believe in them."
Retsuko blinked. "You stole that from an anime."
"And do they believe in it?" Haida asked. "Because maybe the truth is that in my past I've done some things that mammals could think were creepy or weird or whatever. Case in point, arguably what I did with you and Tadano…"
Skye blinked. "Haida, Retsuko, once this is over I need to know everything…"
Haida nodded. "But the truth is that I did them because I believed it was the best thing for you, whatever the outcome. And we're doing this not because we want to show them preds, or defeat that prey, but because we want to save an innocent fox kit. That's what we believe in."
"Right," Honey said, "for Kris. For Kris…" She breathed in and out, before pausing. "Uhhh… You know that they're still at it, right?" Everyone turned, and raced back to the screen, realising that something was going on.
.
"I mean she's literally walking P-S-C," Kurt carried on speaking. "You know, maybe I'd want to tell you exactly why I have such a big deal with that dangerous crook, but honestly the list of things Murana Wolford has done… Or has been involved in… Is so long… So long…" He paused, slumping down, holding a finger up again. "Did you know that on one of my first investigations into banking fraud at Lemming Brothers bank, I happened to find some of her fur and sent it off to one of those genetics companies…"
Back in the van, Skye turned to Judy. "Is that a crime? If it's…"
She shook her head. "Annoyingly, no."
"They sent a special letter back," he carried on. "Apparently, she, a mammal from nowhere who came in and became a cussing bank CEO, is a member of an endangered wolf tribe up in the Alaskan wilderness. One that was half wiped out years back or something when she was a pup… She didn't just come from nowhere, she should arguably be dead or something, she…" He paused, shaking his head. "And there are reports. Things that will make your skin turn white! Since I became the DA I got access to files on international crimes. Modern day pirates, in the sea and air; secretive arms dealers who give countries WMD's, reports and folders… There are links going through there. I thought my skin was white before, but after that…"
"So it's not just financial things," Ton carried on, his gaze steeled, any former sympathy or feelings towards an honorable fight thrown out.
"Hardly! But those were the easiest to go after. I almost caught her early on!"
"Yeah, and now the world thinks she's your white whale. The one who got away."
"They won't when I do," he said, fist raised high. "When I exposed her for who she truly is… Oh, they'll bow at my feet then!"
"And until that, you have to play in the shadows."
"Yeah," he grumbled.
"Play dirty…"
"Yup."
"Letting go of a chance here… A sacrificial pawn there."
"Yup, done all of those."
Unbeknownst to anyone else, Ton's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. All those times going after her. She can't be the only one, can she? Have to give yourself at least some… plausible deniability? Is that it?"
"Yeah."
"Make sure you go after some others in the meantime."
"Oh certainly, yes."
"I mean, it must suck for them at the time, you too. But if it's for the greater good."
A new drink at his side, Kurt raised it up. "The greater good," he parroted, before taking a drink. Back in the van, Retsuko began jumping up and down.
"What's going on?" Judy asked, turning to face her.
"Don't you see," she said. "He's still batting for Kabae! He's going to make him admit that he filed a wrongful charge against her."
Judy blinked, her eyes widening. "Which is misconduct… Which could be used to throw him out!" She turned back to the screen, her eyes glued to it.
"God, but having to decide who to sacrifice. How would you do it?"
"Oh, very easily," he said. "There's nothing personal about it…"
"-Though I guess certain mammals might send the right message. Can't shoot away a pred, can you?"
"Oh no…"
"So it'd have to be prey, and the closer to your type the better. Heck, if you could get another hippo."
"Oh yeah," Kurt agreed, everyone leaning in, waiting for it. "In fact…"
He was cut off as a loud ringtone blasted out, catching his attention. Back in the van, everyone collapsed with despair, Judy full on banging her head against the side. Nick though raced on, grabbing the mic. "-Once he's done, just ask 'you were saying?'"
The screen moved up and down, Ton nodding, while those in the van recovered. It was just an unlucky phone call, just wait for it to be over and carry on.
"Oh really," Kurt asked, beginning to smile. "Really!?" He was full on grinning now. "Okay then!"
He hung up, Ton speaking out. "You were saying?"
"Yeah, yeah," he cut off. "Forget that and look at this." Back in the van everyone was despairing once again, yet somehow felt that they still had to watch. "I said I had cards up my sleeve," he boasted. "I said that I'd be fighting back! Against all those PSC'ing mammals and all that, who think preds are better and the law doesn't apply to them." He paused, then chuckled, then laughed. "Tomorrow… Tomorrow, I am going to enjoying seeing their faces when they see a picture of their hero innocent fox kit, caught purple pawed!"
He turned the phone around, revealing a picture of Kris in an alleyway, head over his shoulders and ears peeled sneakily back, his paw holding a clutch of small, round, purple objects.
It wasn't then, as Kurt walked away and paraded around the bar, eagerly humming and dancing to a tune that he loudly clarified was from the song 'Doctorin' the Tardis' and not the reputationally damaged 'Rock and Roll part II' (which it was primarily based off of) that those in the van and those at the nearby table truly despaired.
It was when they were at home, arguing, trying to work out what the heck had happened and how this could have been done, and with some even questioning whether it wasn't a fake, that it happened. A phone rang, and a familiar voice spoke. Seemingly calm as usual, there was something slightly different about it. His father asked if he was okay, and he confessed that something had happened that day. There was someone there who hated him for what he was, and there was nothing he could do about it other than be brave, even though it scared him. And then, the wall broke slightly, and he asked about how the plan had gone. And with a bit of hope and a bit of desperation in his voice, he asked if they had any good news?
It was then that they truly despaired.
