Chapter 60

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AN: Glad you all loved the scene last chapter. Just to let you know, Murana belongs to Darkflamewolf, a long time member of the fandom, who has her own book coming out very soon.

Her series, Legend of Ahya, has its first book: Target of Interest for sale now (under the name Matthew Colyath)

As a pre-reader, I can very much recommend it. So check it out.

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Dominic Calrama checked the time on his phone, tapping his hoof on the floor. It was the day after he'd met Judy Hopps and those damn ovinophobes had attacked his own daughter in the park. While she was with a pred, a fox. They didn't care. Not one jot. To them, being 'for preds' was simply an excuse to reveal their true sides against sheep.

And what truly got his goat, the side of him that wanted to screw with diplomacy and just ram them with his horns off a cliff, was that, like always, no one would care. The simple fact was that preds were seen as victims, prey as instigators. And sure, it was far more nuanced than that, but that was nitpicking through the great broad strokes of sweeping culture. People loved preds, they loved the ethos and the ideas and image. Prey were old, boring, outdated. The establishment. Preds were hip, young, perky underdogs, and they knew that.

After all, who ever wanted to be a sheep?

No, be something exciting. More than that, be the unlucky hero fighting for right.

How many stories had he seen waxing on about the injustices preds felt. Where the villain was some jerk ass prey, usually a sheep, who's only characterisation was being an unrepentant speciesist jerk. So many caricatures of his kind, going on about 'purity' and hating 'the filth' or having screaming rants against any kind of predator. Especially foxes.

He'd wondered once if that was why his daughter had sought a friendship with one. As public proof that she wasn't one of those. And sure, he didn't mind, it seemed genuine, he made her happy. But today not even that was enough for some.

He had a feeling that it was going to get worse before it got better. The hurt would need to be far more before those unwittingly going along, thinking they were the good guys, realised they'd just been helping speciesists all along.

He had a feeling that it was all going to get a lot worse thanks to one mammal in particular. A mammal who, curse his luck, was phoning him right now.

He hung up.

It rang again.

He hung up.

A third ring and sighing, Dominic pulled it up. "Kurt?"

"Dominic! Old friend," the hippo said, sounding chipper. "How you doing?"

"I'm busy," he said, pulling down his thick glasses slightly. "I'd prefer it if you phoned back later."

"Oh no, no, this can't wait," he said, "I have a fantastic new business opportunity, for the both of us…"

"Not interested."

"Huh?"

"I said I'm not interested. I make more than enough right now and I have no need of any drama that you'll cause."

"But you haven't even heard the idea yet."

"And I don't want to," Dominic said, pausing as he saw something. His eyes narrowed and he started walking.

"But it's a good idea," Kurt said, his tone hardening. "And you yourself said that 'ideas are important.'"

"So I did."

"Ideas such as PSC. Your idea. Your belief."

"And one I very much still believe in, which I see evidence of every day," he said, having to leap out of the way of a cheetah racing past without a care in the world. "But here's the thing, Kurt, that you forgot. That's the reason you right now aren't just out of a job, the hill you chose to die on being bulldozed away, but are also the laughing stock of this entire city. These ideas are worth nothing until they meet and interact with people, Kurt. And when your ideas met them they smashed and bulldozed and hurt them, on and on and on. You may have said it was all for the cause, but the way you did everything meant that that cause ended with you. I, meanwhile, know all too well the importance of people, and that ideas are only worth anything in terms of how they help and hurt those I love…"

"And what… You're going to give up Maisy!? You're going to let those mammals hurt her? Come on Dominic, my old friend, my old buddy, my old pal. You kept on talking about how those ideas hurt her, and you know you can only fight them with my help."

Dominic paused, giving his cud a good chew. "Maybe so. But for all the idea of PSC will hurt her, the idea of Kurt Wassermaim will hurt her far, far more."

"-And the very real Mur…"

"Oh will you shut up about that poor wolf!" Dominic yelled.

There was a pause. "She confessed. To me. After everything! Showed me pictures. Said she wanted me to know as nobody would believe me, but you believe me, right? It's the truth."

"And you said the truth was relative," the sheep said, drawing it out. "Not a firm thing but something to mould and play with, if never actually breaking it. A shifting toy of yours. And you know what, maybe the truth is relative? But here's the thing, remember how I once joked that money and currencies were a social construct? That's very much true; the only reason they have value is that people believe in it, and you have to work to make them believe it. There are those out there that think that as we control our currency, we can wipe away all debt, we don't have to cut spending as we can just produce more money and distribute it, we can endlessly manipulate and mould it to our, or rather their, liking. But if you did that, if you didn't even make the motions to treat it with value, then no-one else will, and all its worth dissolves."

"But…"

"-Well guess what Kurt, you may have never broken it, but you twisted and abused it so much that coming from you, it's worthless. Gone. Nothing left. Less value than the Zebrabwe dollar! There's no going back, however hard you try. It doesn't matter if she's guilty, and even if she is I don't think I or this city would care. We happen to like a world of truth, justice, good and bad in black and white and heroes willing to fight for it. Your little war was lost the moment you set out on it. Just a shame about the collateral damage."

The other end was silent.

"Besides," he carried, grip tightening and smile growing. "I think I've found my own way to fight the real war, that most assuredly doesn't need you. That nobody would suspect but will finally, finally, get results." He pulled the phone out, hung up and blocked the number for good measure. And, with that, he moved forward. Target in sight.

Slowly, he caught up, especially as the mammal in question turned down an alley.

Finally, alone, together, he turned.

The two faced off.

"Do you know who I am?" the sheep spoke.

The figure looked back, pausing. "You're… you were with the nighthowler crisis, weren't you? You're an actual, literal, howler sheep."

He smiled. "Not quite," he said, bringing out his phone and opening a file. He handed it over, the figure scanning through, eyes widening.

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Catano looked on sceptically at the group in front of her. Only a pawful of hours after saying farewell to Duke Weaselton he'd done something that no-one in the history of the ZPD would ever imagine. Oates had even told Clawhauser to pull the other one when he'd called in, saying that not only had Duke Weaselton come to help, but he'd brought a bunch of friends.

Yet here she was, seeing the weasel, flanked by Ash and Maisy, themselves flanked by the fox's father and Nick Wilde. "So," the cheetah said, "You say you think you know who did it?"

"Yeah," the weasel said, scratching the back of his head. "You see, after those guys left, I did exactly what I told you I did. I finished off the work I was doing, I checked out with the foremammal, called my cousin, went off, got the camper and ran off."

"Yeah," Nick said, eyes narrowing. "But then why did your cousin's kit say 'Unky Dukey says the wet-sandwich fox is gonna get this.'"

"Because I was talking with that woodchuck after, and he said he'd pull a prank on him or something," Duke carried on, going down, cradling and shaking his head. "And I never thought anything of it. Why would I? Just a dumb kit. But then, when thinking an' complaining to myself about how you thought I would do something that evil… I began thinking back…"

"Hang on," Nick cut in, "that immature brat? Yeah, maybe he'd be dumb enough to do that, and I certainly got some creepy vibe from him for some reason, but he'd actually need to get them first."

"I know…" Duke said, paws out begging. "It's why I think it's a dumb idea, but even if it is dumb I hadda share it at least once, show I'm not a super jerk…" He glanced around, as if trying to make sure that no-one was viewing him as such for accusing the woodchuck in his place. No one made a move, but no one seemed to be cheering him on. "Well…" he said, "guess that went nowhere. I don't wanna waste cop time or nothing, so I'll be…"

"Wait." All eyes turned to Catano. "Carry on."

Duke blinked. "Wait, you think…"

"We don't know how anyone would get those things," she said, breathing out. "And my attempts to dust anything up there… haven't gone well." She spared a slight glance at Ash before turning back down to the weasel. "Carry on."

Duke blinked a few times, before carrying on. "I mean, after they left, we were just… shooting cuss, so to speak. I used to sell bootleg school supplies, so I was complaining about them shutting that down, as if they don't like good business or anything. He was mainly concerned about the, uhhh, liquid stuff, I was selling them."

"We know about the booze Duke," Catano said, "carry on."

"Right, so we were doing this, and he was going on and on about how this fox here," he said, pointing at Ash, "was just a dumb wet sandwich, yadda yadda. And I mean, even after he explained it I didn't know what he meant by it, but I got the gist. And I said I wished he got a bit of karma for what he did, and he said 'yeah, you know I could totally mess up his day tomorrow. I mean, totally!' And I chuckled. I thought it would just be a schoolmammal prank. Why wouldn't I? I even went all melancholic, saying you could humiliate him but you wouldn't get Slick Nick and Flopsy the Copsy too. Wouldn't show them up, or make their lives awkward. And then… and this was what made me ping this all the way through, he said 'you underestimate my prankage skills bro.' And with that, off we went. And I never thought nuthin' of it, until just now."

There was a quiet in the room, everyone looking at each other. "I…" Maisy said. "He is a jerk, but that isn't enough right? It's not like he's been up to other stuff or…"

"Having dove into this case and tried to figure out where everyone was and what everyone was doing," Catano said, "only one mammal has been actively making things harder, as if he was trying to hide it." She looked down at the small weasel. "I don't just believe you, Duke, I came to the same conclusion myself.

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"Woah," Beavis said, stepping back. "You… you're basically… like Hirschlers brother, or something. Cool."

Dominic gave a snort, rolling his eyes. "If that's how you phrase it… Regardless, I think you know what I want."

"More nighthowlers?" he asked, biting his lip a little.

"More of the things you shouldn't have had but did, yes," he said.

"Yeah. Nighthowlers. I can point you to where I got them from."

Dominics eyes narrowed. "Why don't you have any now?"

"I used them to stitch up that fox," he said. "You hate foxes don't you? You think they're all sneaky, snarly, savages? And this guy was a total loser too."

"From what I gathered his father was a well respected academic."

"Well, I meant to prank a total wet sandwich, but they'd swapped lockers or something, so I got his cool cousin. No biggie."

"No biggie?" Dominic asked, his voice rising and head going down, horns baring out of reflex. "Have you even been following the news?"

"Y-yeah," the woodchuck said, paws out as he took a step back. "But I mean, it's not my fault the entire city went super crazy over it."

"So what?" the sheep asked, a grate to his voice. "You had the most feared weapon in the city, the power to undo our evolution, and the only thing you could imagine doing with it was planting it in the locker of someone you didn't like, so he'd what… be expelled? Have a stern talking to by the police?"

For a moment, Beavis looked around. For a second one, he looked around some more. Finally, he shrugged. "Well I didn't think he'd be expelled. And it's not my fault the police went crazy over it."

"Yet that is what happened," Dominic said, glaring. "And what did you do?"

"Hey, we're on the same side. Screw dem preds, right? Long live the sheep. Yeah, it's sad what's happening to Kris, but I'm not gonna be a dupe and just go give myself up. Heck, the police think this weasel did it. Yeah, he's a cool dude, but he's basically in and out of jail anyway. No real difference why they stick him in there."

"And where did these howlers even come from, huh?" Dominic asked.

Beavis paused, before raising an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you know huh? I'd have thought you'd be the one making this stuff. You should know how I got it."

"Presume I don't know."

"Okay then," he said, turning and walking off.

The sheep blinked. "Just where do you think you're going?"

"Away," he said, waving Dominic off. "Don't worry, I'll presume you don't know."

Dominic's foot stomped and scraped the ground, his small horns bucking down here and there. Finally, though, he held himself back, hoof adjusting his glasses as a smile grew across his muzzle. "Oh I'm not worrying. I have mammals who will get what we want out of you, you impertient, arrogant, stupid young mammal." He looked around and gave a clap. "Boys. Take him."

And with that Beavis froze in place, paws up and panic on his face as he was surrounded. He glanced back fearfully at Dominic. "What… what is this? Why are you doing this?"

The sheep smiled back. "Payback for someone I love."

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"So, that's it, we just arrest him, right?" Ash asked. "We arrest him and solve this whole thing."

Catano sighed. "It's not that simple. For a start, this is only our theory at this time. We could still be just as wrong as we were all the times before."

"Oh, right," the fox nodded.

"And even if we were right," the cheetah said, beginning to pace around. "How the cuss do we prove it?"

"Well," Mr Fox began, leaning forward. His voice was hard, and indistinguishably caught between determined and angry. "I'm certain an excellent interrogator like yourself would be able to get it out of him."

Her eyes narrowed. "Alone. Yes. But then as he's still a child we won't be allowed to use that in court. And to be able to use it, we need to interrogate him with a parent and lawyer in the room. And you don't have to be Sam Burmowitz, the O'Possum's or Vern Rodenberg to know that we have no case to stand on. No firm evidence, no witnesses, no recordings, nothing. Only a theory. They'll tell him to stay quiet throughout, and if he's got any sense he'll do just that."

Ash's ears flickered slightly. "I don't think you know him."

"I've talked with him enough," she said, a frown growing on his muzzle. "If he did do this, it's already clear that he's very happy to lie and make things up to throw us off the scent trail."

"Then if you don't feel up to it," Mr Fox began, paws clasping together, "then let me do the honor. I will lead and rile up and confuse and ultimately extract his unwitting confession. He'll trip over his own tongue and tumble right into his waiting jail cell before he knows it."

Catano levelled her gaze at him. "We have mammals with thirty and forty years of experience in this stuff. What makes you feel more qualified than them?"

"Complete and absolute self confidence!"

…

"We'll file you away," she said, Mr Fox raising a finger to speak out. Nick cut in.

"That way you can become the last ditch final hope that ultimately saves us all at the end of the day."

"Fantastic!" the older vulpine agreed, Catano briefly flashing a little smile at Wilde. One that made her pause, for a second.

"Do you have any other ideas then?"

The fox tilted his head, scratching his muzzle and thinking. "Hmmmm, well, back when we first learnt that it was Ash who was meant to be the initial target, we invested in a contingency in case they tried again. He's got a secret little camera in his locker, waiting there all this time so we could catch anyone who tried to do it again. Not that he ever did."

"Well maybe we could get him to," Maisy suggested. The sheep had been keeping quiet most of this time and her reaction to now being the centre of attention showed why a certain expression had earned the name sheepish.

"Yeah, but how?" Catano asked.

"Well," Duke cut in, pausing as everyone turned to face him. "Yeeesh, I'm being useful now, get used to it. -Anyhow, I figure he used whatever howlers he had then and there. Probably only had a few, and best to get rid of them quick, right? So, we give him some more, he tries it."

"After all this, why would he do that?" Catano asked. "If he had any sense, he'd throw them out."

"Then in that case then I get up to 'im and give them to him. Heck, I tell him to do it."

"In which case," Nick said, "he can perfectly well claim that he was doing it under duress, and it proves nothing about the last time."

"Well maybe I could go on and ask him to do it. And you wouldn't even have to go through with the locker, why don't I just record it with a wire. He agrees to stitch Ash for me, you get him."

"In which case that's arguably entrapment," Catano pointed out.

The weasel tilted his head. "Entrapment?"

"He can argue that he'd never have done that crime without you stepping in and talking him into it."

Duke blinked a few times. "So that's entrapment. Right… No wonder it didn't work for me all those times before…"

Nick nodded and sighed. "To be fair, it wouldn't be allowed to convict Beavis… But it may well be enough to clear Kris."

"So what?" Catano asked. "After doing all this to that innocent mammal, you're willing to just let him go?"

"If it means Kris is safe, then yes," Nick said. "I'd like to avoid it, but if it comes to it, then so be it."

There was a moment of silence between them all, Maisy finally speaking. "Couldn't you just, get him to let slip that he did frame Kris. Wouldn't that be enough?"

"If we got him to admit it, then yes," she said, running her fingers across the table. "But in a wire operation, especially as he's a kit, it can't be seen that we're entrapping him or pressuring him or even interrogating him. He has to answer of his own violation, and it has to be clear it is of his own violation."

"So what," Duke began. "I could ask, did ya' do it? Where did you get 'em from. That would be allowed?"

"If he chooses to talk, yes," Catano said. "But he could easily choose to ignore you, and then the game is up. Who else would he talk freely to about it?"

Maisy took a deep breath in, and spoke. "What about me?"

Everyone turned to her, Ash speaking out. "Why would he talk to you?"

"Why wouldn't he talk about what he did with howlers if a Bellwether reveals themselves to him?"

Catano blinked. "You'd…"

"I need…" She breathed in and out. "I want to prove that I'm a good sheep," she said, taking in another breath. "I want to help you all and, if I come up to him and reveal who I really am, show him the evidence, and then ask 'You know why I've finally decided to reveal myself, don't you?' Then maybe, maybe, he'll finally talk."

…

"Maisy," Catano began, her ears going down. "What if he still doesn't say anything. What if he goes back in and begins telling everyone about you?"

"You think they'd believe him?" Ash asked.

…

"-I mean, a few jerks would. A few jerks always would, but most non-jerks wouldn't."

Catano shook her head. "Didn't a few jerks sing a certain song to you and your friends. Would you want her facing that, but worse?"

"I…" he began, only for Maisy to cut him off.

"All my life I've had it easy," she said, "And maybe… maybe I shouldn't feel bad about that. But I have a chance to actually do something I can feel good about? That truly does help?"

The big cat nodded. "Maybe you could, and it is brave of you. But you're still a lamb. I don't think the chief would ever sign off on such a thing, and even if he did, what would your parents say?"

"I…" Maisy began. "I'll try to convince my father. Please, just let me. Let me try. What's the worst that could happen?"

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"What… what's going on?" Beavis asked, as he was surrounded. He glanced back, blinking as a tall figure stood up above him. "You? That's Dawn Bellwether's brother there! He was trying to frame me for being part of his group! I found him! Arrest him! Quick! I'm the hero here."

Catano's gaze remained firmly caustic. "No, you're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent…"

He began trembling slightly as the members of the ZPD surrounded him, managing to spare one last glance at Dominic Calrama as he stepped back out of the circle and pulled off the glasses he'd been wearing. He gave a quick look at the small camera and microphone attacked before handing them over to a waiting cop.

"THIS AIN'T FAIR!" He looked up to see the woodchuck wailing. "SET UP! POLICE BRUTALITY! I… I… THE FOXES DID THIS! THE SHEEP DID IT! NO ONE WAS MEANT TO GET HURT! I ONLY DID IT FOR THE LULZ…"

The cops kept on ignoring him as he began to bawl and cry, even fighting back as he was pulled towards a cruiser that had just pulled up. One of his ears rose as a figure walked up next to her.

"Thank you for your help," Catano said.

"You're welcome," he shrugged, looking on as the pup began fighting back, hard. "Three birds with one stone, I'd be a fool not to."

"Three birds?"

He huffed. "When my daughter called me yesterday begging to let me let her risk herself to do this, part of me wasn't surprised. Tell me, when was the last time you ever saw someone ask or say 'what makes you proud about being a sheep?'" He glanced up at her. "We're not exactly a remarkable species, being the butt of plenty of jokes before we got labelled as the root of all speciesism. For all I talked to her about how she didn't owe society anything, she wouldn't listen. I felt I should have known that this would be the end result. But it coming gave me the chance to finally put my hoof down and draw a line in the sand. And if that involved me volunteering instead, then that's fine by me. She didn't owe or need to show the world she was a good sheep, and she wasn't going to risk herself to do so."

Catano smiled. "Because you got to do so as well."

Her smile faded as his eyes narrowed. "Why should any of us have to?"

"I…" Catano began, stepping back, her grin washed from her face. With a huff, she looked down. "You're right, absolutely."

"Were it true, then this would be four birds with one stone," he mused, watching on as the finally got the woodchuck in. "The second, is that wrapping up this case would at least start to pull off all this pressure on her, and everyone else."

The slam of the cruiser door rang out as Catano looked down. "And the third?"

Dominic smirked as the car began to drive off. "What parent wouldn't want to send their child's bully off like that?"

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Over the next few hours, the ZPD bureaucracy, having been seized up for the past week by external factors, began to move in an uncharacteristically fast act of overcompensation. Nick sat outside in the lobby, trying to hear anything going on behind the scenes. Not much could happen yet, given that they were still trying to get Beavis' father in to allow them to question the wayward pup. However, that didn't stop the press releases being sent out. 'New suspect found in school Nighthowler case'. 'ZPD claim he aimed to frame fox in prank.' 'ZPD drops anonymous vulpine as suspect.' They still needed to have the DA's office rule on this, and the new one needed to set herself up tomorrow. But that was a universality of corrections, you don't get released on the weekend. Sometime on Monday though, then it would happen. Dr Silverfox had the news and, having gone up there for visitation anyhow, he'd booked a hotel room nearby so the second the call came through he could race over.

"As we said, we'd have him out in a week's time or less," Nick said into his phone.

"Uh-hu," Judy said, pausing. "Nick?"

"Yes."

"What do you think of Dominic?"

The fox shrugged. "He's a guy, I guess."

…

"I presume I'm owed some fox abuse when you get discharged."

"You were. Now you're owed double."

"I mean I'm not wrong, am I?"

"Hmmm, triple fox abuse is sounding pretty good right now."

"Okay," Nick said, rolling his eyes. "What do you want me to say? Self important, like a lot of mammals I've met. Very protective of his daughter who he does not see eye to eye with, a universal constant that transverses species. He's not going to be my friend or anything, but it's not like he's on the other side?"

There was a pause. "Well he's not strictly on our side is he?"

"Uh, he did just give us a whole lotta help, right?"

"But he's still…" she began. "I mean, Ton did too, and he was a total jerk. He wasn't really on our side, he was on his own side, right?"

Nick nodded along, pausing as he heard someone calling out. He glanced up, and saw a brown figure enter, shouting, waving around.

"-better, right?"

He paused, holding the phone back up. "Sorry, what was that?"

There was a soft grumble, Nick briefly glancing up and making eye contact with the mammal in question before turning down as Judy carried on. "I said, I know I said life was messy… but why does it have to be so messy? Why can't we just have the good side and that bad side? Why can't it be clear. Why can't the truth just be the truth. Wouldn't that be better, right?"

He was about to speak back, only be cut off as someone shouted in front of him. "Nick Wilde!?"

"Nick?" Judy asked, the fox quickly replying back.

"Hang on a sec," he said, putting the phone back and looking at the mammal in front of him. A thick set woodchuck, panicked. "Ah, I know who you are…"

"YES…" He cried, before throwing himself on the floor. "Yes, I am. I know what I did okay?" he begged, Nick's head tilting slightly. "And I'm sorry. I'm sorry okay? It was only a cussin' prank! C… C… C'mon, don't take it out on my boy!" He looked up, tears in his eyes. "It was only a joke. I'll confess to it. Just please, don't take it out on my son! That's just cruel! You know how petty that is, right? C'mon fox, he didn't do anything to you, he…"

"No," Nick said, slowly, his head tilting hard to the side. "He didn't…"

"Exactly! So it's unfair. Don't punish him for a harmless joke I did when I was little, okay? Just because he can be a bit dumb like I was doesn't mean you have to do this? I get it if you're still a bit mad, not everyone takes jokes well, but this is making a mountain out of a molehill. C'mon, can't you see that?"

"See what?" Nick asked, shaking his head. "Who are you?"

The woodchuck blinked, standing back up. "You… You don't even remember?"

"Remember what?" Nick asked.

"Uh… Nothing, nothing…" the woodchuck began, as a call came out from the side.

"Beavis Chuckman Senior?" it called, Nick's eyes widening as Catano walked over. "Officer Wilde isn't involved in this case. I am. Please come with me."

"Y-yeah," he said, nodding slowly and walking over.

"-I do remember…"

The woodchuck paused, turning around to look at Nick, the fox standing up.

"I didn't recognise you all grown up, but I had some deja-vu on seeing your son and hearing his name." He glanced away. "Not that it made any difference."

"I… I… I'm sorry okay, I was just a dumb joke that maybe went a little too far," the woodchuck carried on. "I… I've changed! I promise. I'm sorry, I really am… It was just a prank…"

"Uh-hu," Nick nodded, sitting down. "Just a prank, like father, like son. It's just that your son found something a lot nastier than a muzzle, didn't he?" The woodchuck remained silent, the fox looking down. Finally, he glanced up at Catano. "His son is probably scared and worried, you'd better take him in."

She nodded, turning down to him. "Come on, your son will want to see you."

Off she led him, the woodchuck turning back to Nick for one last time. "You're not coming after us, right? Not going to get your revenge or anything? I mean, what even am I, to you?"

"Just a guy," Nick shrugged. "I guess…"

And with that, he saw him being led off and around a corner. The fox sat down, and just gazed at the floor.

"Nick…"

His ears rose.

"Nick?"

Paw out, he pulled up his phone. "Yeah, sorry about that Carrots, I…"

"Bunny ears," she cut in. "I heard it all."

His ears lowered. "Right… Yeah, that happened…"

"Nick, I…?"

"I'd always wondered," he said, looking up at the atrium. All above him were mammals doing their business, trying to make the world a better place or just in it for the paycheck or there to enforce the establishment's order… "How it would go if I met one of them again. Would they still be a jerk and I'd get my revenge? Would they taunt me and make me suffer once more? Would they be in loving relationships, far past their prejudices, and not recognise me. In the end though, I didn't recognise them. And it meant nothing at all. And, for some reason, that hurts. A lot."

"Nick…" she said softly. "It's okay. You can talk to me, you can…"

"Thanks," he said, smiling. "Thing is, I kind of feel okay now. And I know the answer to your question. It would be better if there was a good side and a bad side, if things were clear, if they weren't messy. But they aren't. We just have to look at the things we know are facts, work things out for ourselves and find the right path to follow."

"And which path is that?" she asked, as Nick looked down to a planter full of cacti next to him. With a paw, he scooped the sand up, holding it firm like one solid mass.

"The one that seeks to make life better for the most sides."

"And how many sides are there?"

He opened his fingers slightly, letting the sand flow out, the breeze from the entrance catching it and spreading it out into a fine mist. "How many people are there in the world?"

.

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Far away, one mammal out of all of those had his paws out, letting a guard scan over them with a metal detector. Dr Silverfox didn't mind. He had only one thought on his mind, and it put a grin on his muzzle. His tail wagged as he was waved on into a large room, some parts reminding him of a school cafeteria, others of an indoor play area. Indeed, amongst all the other mammals there he saw a hare doe standing some soft equiptment, a fluffle of leverets around her. The smallest were playing on it, or begging to go out on the outdoor equipment. She, though, sternly told them to stay inside before pausing, giving a glare over at him. His eyes narrowed and he looked away, only to pause as he heard her mutter out 'freak'.

He'd… expect chomper or something, but freak?

"Says the mother of a perv," came an awkward, louder than intended, call from his other side. He turned to see a young beaver in a tight pink crop top, the bottom only reaching the top of his bellybutton, walking up while trying to avoid eye contact with as many mammals as possible. Paw up here or there to shield their view, he made it over and jumped onto a seat. He lifted himself up and pulled himself on, the ultra short denim hot pants he had on pulled up tight against his rear, the hem getting tugged down to reveal what looked like black… Dr Silverfox glanced away, deciding it was best not to stare.

He didn't have to for long though as the sound of a door unlocking rang out. A guard came first, before waving out the mammals. The first was a capybara who paused, blinking for a second before biting his top lip, his eyes widening.

"I… I th...thought you might like this," the beaver said, the capybara already halfway there.

"Sammy, I feel like a rhino right now," he huffed. "I asked for a sneaky little tease, this is the full show."

"Y-yeah," the beaver said shyly, trying to cover himself a little with his tail.

Dr Silverfox looked away, but he could feel the larger rodent's foot scraping on the floor. "I've so gotta get outta here, mam."

"C-can we go outside, where there's fewer..."

"You go there," he said. "I've gotta take a quick bathroom break so I can think straight."

William closed his eyes and breathed in and out, making sure his mind was as empty as a still pond as the pair split off their separate ways. It was broken like a dropped stone though as a voice among many called out. "Dad?"

His eyes opened and he stood up. There, in front of him, was his son. Arms out wide they reached forward and held each other tight.

Tighter than tight.

Dr Silverofx couldn't help but let some tears flow from his eye, and upwelling sob breaking out.

"Don't worry Dad, things are going okay," Kris began. "I've sorted everything out, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay…"

"Y-yeah," he said, pulling back and holding his son in front of him to take in. "More than okay. You're getting out."

"I am!?" Kris said, his eyes lighting up. "The weasel, was he…"

"It's…" his father began. "It's difficult to explain, but we found the mammal who really did it. We even got that DA out of his job. Everyone is saying that they'll be letting you out tomorrow and…" he sniffed, wiping away a tear. "I'll have you back. My sweet little boy, I'll have you back. This whole thing will be over."

Holding him tight, Kris couldn't help but hold back too. Silent, they embraced for a while, before one of the older foxes' ears ticked up. "Is… is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I… I mean I'm naturally happy to be going home, just…"

"Just…" his father began, pulling back a little.

"There… There was this really young boy," Kris said, looking down. "Who… who needed someone to look after him. I was trying to help him and be his friend, but I guess I'll be leaving him now, won't I?"

Dr Silverfox breathed in and out. "Only natural of my son to think of others, even now. Kris, that mammal did something to get put in here, didn't he?"

"Yes," the younger fox said, gravely. "I know what it is. It was a terrible thing. I think he's just too immature to know it."

"Reminds me of another mammal," the older fox spoke, distastefully.

"Huh?"

"We'll… we'll go into it when you get out, give you the full picture then. Unless, if you really want it now, then…"

"It's… it's only a day," Kris said, "I can manage."

"Anyway," his father carried on. "From what I gather, there are some good guards here who'll keep looking after him. You know them, right?"

"Right," Kris agreed.

"And it's not like there are mammals in here who'd pick on him?"

"There are," he said, glancing over at the hare currently talking with his family. "But they're not well liked. Mammals bully them, and I don't like bullies but…"

Dr Silverfox paused, noticing Kris' fur go up as he gave another glance over at the hare. "Did he do anything to you?"

"I…" he began, a worried gulp firing a pang of fear down his father's spine.

"Kris, what did he do?"

"He only grabbed my tail."

He reached out and grabbed his son. "Only grabbed your tail!? Kris…"

"I fought him off," the younger fox tried to reassure him, relaxing. "It's… it's okay. And other mammals turned against him too."

Dr Silverfox was still worried, but after a second or two he, distastefully, pushed on. "And they'd protect this person you were trying to look after?"

"Y-yeah, I'll talk to them," he said, smiling. "They'll do that."

Looking down, his father sighed. "If it makes him feel better. I mean, if it makes you feel better, I'd allow you to visit him up here or you could give him your number… If it'd worry you that much."

"Thanks," Kris said, relaxing with relief, something that bounced onto his father.

"My boy," he said with a smile, holding him in close. "If you care that much about a mammal like that, I can't imagine how good a big cousin you're going to be soon."

Kris blinked, smiling. "Yeah, the new baby. I am going to be out to see him. Or, as Ash would remind me, maybe her… How has Ash been?"

He gave a chuckle. "Very good. Very brave too, trying his best to help."

Kris let a little smile grow on his face, one that grew as he learnt a few other things that had gone on. His father refrained from telling him much about the case, he figured that would be best for when everyone was there, to talk to and ask questions. In any case, it was only one day, that wasn't long.

The visitation seemed to be far too short though, and soon everyone was being called to move back. Kris gave his father one last hug, holding on for as long as he could, before letting go.

One last glimpse, and they were separated once more.

But it wouldn't be long.

He'd done it. He'd made it. He'd survived, he'd kept himself together, he'd followed the rules and advice and put faith in those trying to look after him. He'd defeated the bad mammals, and stood tall through it all. He'd made it.

Passing through a metal detector and search, he filtered back to his cell block and settled down.

Matt…

He needed to tell the pup.

Taking a breath in and out, he walked over to his cell, finding him there, sniffing. "Matt?"

He looked up. "Mommy didn't come," he sniffed.

He felt a pang of sympathy. He must have had the same visitation day too, his mother not coming. In he nudged, hugging him tight, letting him cry it out. The little murderer, Kris thought, glancing up into the corner of the room. Not that he thought his mother had ever cared.

He looked down and breathed in and out. "Matt, I heard some news today."

"-You're getting out, da?"

Kris jolted up, looking over to see Timofey and Armando, standing there.

Matt jolted up too. "You're leaving?" he almost cried, shaking.

"I… They found who really did it and I'm being let out," he said. "-You can have my number. I'll visit. I promise."

The pup sniffed, turning away, rubbing his tearfilled eyes. Kris glanced down, worried, then looked up at the polar bear and capybara. "You two, you'll…"

"Hey, don't look at me, 'Posa," Armando said, paws up. "Parole soon."

"Pack will look after pup, for you, if pup learns pack rules," the bear said.

"See," Kris said, leaning down. "He'll look after you." Matt slowly looked up and nodded, though he looked unsure. "See, that's why they're here. Armando probably heard it, told Timofey, and here they are."

"Is good bonus," the bear said. "But actually here to talk about your spanking."

"See, they…" Kris began. He paused, turning around and letting his head tilt slightly. Even framed in this new dutch angle, the bear seemed a self serious visage. Armando had a slight grin on his muzzle that made Kris' ears pull back a little. "My what?"

"Spanking," Timofey said. "With paw brush." He leant over and grabbed the one on Matt's desk, attached to the wall by an elastic wire, and gave it a couple of swats into his paw.

Kris blinked again before stepping back, his limbs tensing up.

"No worries, is not for now," the bear carried on. "We schedule for tomorrow, yes?"

Armando's grin grew and trembled, the rodent biting his lip as he tried to keep it in, before it all crumbled. He pitched forward, laughing hard as his fisted paw slammed into the desk.

Kris relaxed and began to laugh too, even Matt managing to join in.

"I knew it would be good," Armando laughed, taking a breath in. "Having to tell him, no context. The look on your face 'Posa," he pulled in another breath and laughed harder, all while Kris' laughs faded, a nervous look growing once again on his muzzle.

"Wait, you're…"

"Serious, yes," Timofey said.

"About you spanking me."

"Not me, but yes, you get spanked. Is tradition."

"Tradition?" Kris asked, head tilting.

Armando took a breath in and out. "Yeah. Think of it this way, 'Posa. Two ways of getting out of here… Actually four ways, but one is super cool and never done, the other's a literal killjoy. Two ways. Way one, you graduate to big boy prison. I've seen that a few times, we all join up and make an arm tunnel, which we then collapse in behind our guy as he goes off. -We do that for those who are released too. But we also do something for good luck."

"The... spanking?" Kris said, a paw with an outstretched finger weakly raised.

"Yes," Timofey agreed. "You find mammal with most time left, usually eighteen, seventeen years. Released mammal takes off years he has served, pays off the others that are left."

"Yup," Armando agreed. "I get parole soon, I'll have been in for just over two years. I'll be laying down on that big bison with eighteen years left and getting sixteen whacks under my tail before I go free for good luck. Seen it a few times before, had to watch Sammy get his turn, but you never had. So I had to see your face when you learnt about it."

Kris blinked. "I'm guessing… the guards don't know?"

"Duh…" Armando said.

"And if I don't want a bison to beat me eighteen times with a big pawbrush?"

The capybara blinked, before begging with his arms out. "C'mon mam!?" he began, before pausing. "Oh... -I get it. It's not that you're A-sexual, it's that you're autistic!"

"I'm…" Kris began, before breathing in and out. "Fine," he mumbled. "If it makes you happy," he said.

"Which it does, 'Posa," Armando said, giving him a wink before turning to head out. "'Sides, good luck for a good mammal."

Kris looked back. "Guess the same for you when it's your turn then."

The capybara paused for a moment. "Thanks… 'Posa," he said, giving a glanced back before carrying on out with the polar bear.

The fox hoped that he'd be able to find a little dodge around that. But, he supposed, if it came to it, he could manage. Even if it was a bison, he supposed the whole aim of this wasn't pure sadism or anything, so if it was turned into a last attempt to really wound him they'd stop it.

His thoughts were broken off though as Matt held on to him, tight. Kris looked down, breathed in and out, and smiled. "We can spend the rest of our time together, right?"

He sniffed but then smiled, holding tighter, and that they did.

The rest of the day went without anything really going on, other than the deer guard, Fulton, arriving to tell him what he'd already learnt. Matt held on throughout but, eventually, they were separated for the night.

In his cell, Kris sat down, choosing to do a little meditation. It was getting easier again. He glanced up a little as he saw some legs and a feline tail moved past, knocking on the door next to his and saying she had his 'bedtime supplies'. He heard her go in but closed it out, relaxing and letting time go by again. Eventually, after a long while, he heard her leave.

He kept meditating.

Eventually he stopped and settled down in his bed, trying to get to sleep.

It was a hard, awkward, frustrating process.

It was difficult to settle down and drift off, when the electric buzz of freedom was racing through him.

Finally, he fell asleep in his cell, for the very last time.

He was going home.