Hey, what is up guys! So, sorry about not updating the last story, the truth of the matter was I was never happy with it. I fucked up the pacing and my shitty writing is still bad but, just a bit better. One thing I need to explain is that there is no story really. It is a continuous adventure that our protagonist will go through. I will keep a lot of the old story in but just a bit better. I got punished for something I didn't do by the legal system so, I have more time to work on this story. I am honestly excited about how this will turn out and I reach out to you guys. Please, fellow authors, work with me. I want this to be a community-driven story that you guys will shape, that hopefully, will get popular and remain on the site for years.

I DO NOT OWN ZOOTOPIA NOR THE CHARACTERS ONLY OC'S

Warning: Gore, violence, sex, cursing, and plenty of not PG shit.

I stared intently at the sand-covered canteen swaying outstretched in front of me. "Come on, take a damn swig!", Adrian insisted. I fixated my gaze on him and his piercing brown eyes finally made me give in. "Fine", I huffed while swiping the canteen from him.

Popping the cap off, I poured it down my throat. My throat was overwhelmed with euphoria as my dry throat settled. Not realizing how dehydrated I was, most of it poured down my face mixing with the beads of sweat and grime. I stopped drinking and returned it to Adrian. I quickly gave my thanks and resumed holding my rifle close to my chest.

He nodded in short acknowledgment and started to sharpen his field knife with a rock he nabbed on the way to our post.

A calming silence fell upon us, that of course, had to be interrupted by my harsher realities.

I sighed when the sound of gunshots resumed in the backdrop constantly warning someone is out for your ass. To drown it out I popped a cigarette in my mouth and lit. Then, I reached for the small radio and turned up the old rock station. 'Van Halen - Ain't Talkin Bout Love' soon filled the small hole and drowned out the gunshots.

You may be wondering what in the hell is going on, let me explain.

My name is Nathan King and I am a staff sergeant in the U.S. military. Now, a little bit about me. I am a 225 lb. 6'5 white male. I come from a more southern background born in East Tennessee and all.

I have brown hair and green eyes, you know, standard shit. Enough about me, back to business.

Right now me and my battle buddy Adrian are waiting in a hole. Our squad is monitoring the area and we are basically here for backup. We had no objective except wait for a signal.

Adrian was a good friend of mine, scratch that, my brother.

We were not blood-brothers but, shit did we act it. When I first met him we were both privates. He was chosen as my battle buddy and I didn't think it would work out. Before we became battle buddies, we got into a fight in Bootcamp over some stupid shit.

Don't get me wrong, me and all of my men have a connection but, he is my brother you know. Adrian was a cool guy but could be an ass. He is an African American about 5'9 and 180 ... I think? Anyways, were close.

He looked up from his blade and asked me, "Lighter?". I nodded and tossed him the small zippo.

Cigarettes were a good way to calm the nerves, it helps with PTSD a lot. That is how most low ranks make it through their first few years anyways. That and Marijuana.

I noticed he couldn't get it to fire up and I was about to make a smart-ass comment, then I was interrupted. Before my mouth could run, I heard it, an explosion. The sudden sound shattered through my ears sharply. I grabbed my ears in pain as all my hearing was converted into a shrill ringing. In the process, I stood up, big mistake. Soon after the explosion its shockwave followed knocking me to my ass. Sand got churned up and the ground shook slightly. It felt like getting plowed by a damn truck.

I fell over Adrian who was having similar struggles. We both stopped writhing in pain and were content to hold our devastated ears. The ringing slowly got quieter and it got manageable. Adrian pushed me off and I rolled to the ground hitting the sand with a thud. He slowly rose holding his ears and peered out the hole. He froze like a deer in headlights and continued with his mouth agape.

This set off pretty obvious warning flags and I pulled myself up slowly to accompany him in his stupor.

This is the first thing to stop my heart in my whole lifetime.

A huge blastwave was moving in at about 60 mph towards the hole. I came to my senses the last few seconds and screamed, "Get the fuck down!". Quickly grabbing Adrian we tumbled into the whole as the wave roared with fury above us. I felt intense heat but nothing ... then pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH", I screamed out in anguish. My whole back was on fire and the pain overwhelming. Tears clung to my damp tear ducts as I screamed my lungs out. Smoke quickly filled my lungs and I started to violently choke and fall to the ground. I couldn't feel my back, the nerves were burnt to my spine. Everything started to get disfigured as my eyes watered up in sheer excruciating pain. The blackened world in front of me slowly faded out and darkness overcame me.

...

"Nathan", a deep feminine voice called calmly.

My brain was a scrambled mess, I stopped burning and the sound of roaring fire ceased to exist. My eyes fluttered open before staring in complete shock. There was nothing, fucking nothing, just white. Somehow I felt nothing and I was surrounded with the whitest white you've ever seen.

I could feel nothing below me, or above. I couldn't smell or feel either.

Just ... nothing.

I've never been more confused in my life. Am I dead? Or, is this a dream. Maybe both?

My head was wracked with questions and I closed my eyes to process. The last, thing I remembered was the most excruciating pain and an explosion...

"HOLY SHIT I'M DEAD", I suddenly screamed out in realization.

My voice echoed pathetically as I stared mystified at my surroundings. My eyes were now open and scanning the foreign environment. I am really dead... damn.

I slowly sat up expecting to feel pain but there was none, which practically elated me. Leaning up I noticed two things. First, I still had a body. My body looked healthy and my wounds gone. I also sported a pure white robe which looked like some shit an angel would wear. Second, I was on top of nothing. This boggled my mind, it gave the illusion of falling but there was no wind. For all I know I could be.

Then it hit me, I am no longer living my life. Well, no shit, but you know what I mean. I had died and left everything behind. Surprisingly I felt at peace, I was leaving nothing truly special. My life had always been shit and I kind of was waiting for the day I'd die. This is why I was always so brave. I wasn't, just didn't value my life.

Both, my parents gave me up to adoption and I never met them. I overstayed the hospital and they gave me to an orphanage. It was hell there. I was always bullied for no reason in particular and the staff would mistreat me. I remember the countless nights sitting at my door wailing for food and water until they tossed it under the door. I had no showers or a bathroom and my room began to smell because I had to use the restroom in the corner.

Luckily, they let me back into the dorm with the others when I turned six. I remained bullied and mistreated never having any friends and I grew tired of it. One day, at 13 years old a boy started a fight with me. We got into trading blows until I lost it. Grabbing him by the head I slammed it through the wall. This impressed everyone and I was quickly noticed.

Shortly after that an old man from a ninjutsu academy visited the orphanage. He came straight to my room and I still remember it like yesterday.

*Flashback*

I nervously fidgeted with my hands as I stared at the wall. I heard someone was coming to see me and I did not want to deal with getting abused by more staff. Sitting on the bed, I stared with increasing anxiety until I heard footsteps. My fists clenched in anticipation as the door creaked open and small amounts of light poured into the dark and gloomy room.

A gruff Chinese accent cut through the air, "You Nathan?".

Slowly turning around I met the eyes of the visitor. My surprise quickly quelled my nervousness.

Standing at the door was an old Asian man in black robes. He looked menacing and stood with an upright posture staring at me intently. His old white hair was wrapped up neatly in a bun and his hazel eyes were sharp as an eagle. His aura demanded respect and he looked like a true warrior.

He then asked again, "Are you, Nathan?". His voice was gruff and he was slightly yelling getting quickly annoyed with my star-struck behavior.

"Yes sir", I answered curtly.

He nodded and proceeded to slam the door loudly causing me to flinch. He sauntered over to the middle of the room with a slight limp and sat on his knees on top of the carpet. I nervously shifted and readjusted my body to face him.

Raising a brow, he glanced around the room before meeting my nervous gaze. "Why are were you fighting?", he asked breaking the awkward, at least to me, silence. I was dumbfounded, he came just to ask me this?

Quickly answering to avoid a beating I told him, "He made fun of my parents giving me away sir". He narrowed his eyes at me and my palms grew sweaty under his evaluation. The evaluation quickly subsided and he stroked his chin in thought.

Finally formulating a question he asked one more, "Do you know the path of a true warrior?". My mind went blank at his dumb question and I answered stupidly, "Ummmm, no". "Do you want to know?", he asked shortly after.

I mulled it over and answered carefully, "Suuurreee?".

*Flashback End*

"Nathan", a familiar deep feminine voice called out again interrupting my memories. I shook off the memory and glanced around confused. Then suddenly, an even brighter light appeared in front of me. My eyes quickly shielded my sensitive vision and I hissed. My eyes slowly adjusted and my arm slowly fell to my side. What I saw surprised me.

A floating ball of light was gently hovering in front of me like a ball rocking on top of waves. It was so bright its contrast shone more bright than the white surrounding me. Once again, thrice, it called, "Nathan". I stared stupidly and tried to formulate an answer, "God?". Even though whatever that thing was didn't have hands, I could sense a facepalm.

"You have died Nathan", it answered matter-of-factly. My mouth opened to respond but, it cut me off. "You are quite an intriguing being Nathan, you know why?", it asked.

Really having no responses, I just stared.

It continued to float before continuing its thought ignoring my silence. "You don't belong. Every soul is pre-destined to a realm of reality. You were pre-destined incorrectly and placed in Humana. Your life is not over and you will find your correct destiny in a new place", she explained.

Before I could process anything, the white around me started to spin and the sound of wind ripped through my ears.