(AN: Hello Fellow readers. SirRedFox here posting a new installment of "The Good, The Bad, and The Wilde." First off, if you're reading this, YOU'RE AWESOME! And, thank you.
I try to answer questions at the end of every story. A few people have an interesting questions about the story, and I try to answer all of them as much as I can. I try to answer them at the very end of this installment. I also try to give new story followers a treat into the next installment
In the Previous Installments: The 3:10 to Zootopia was robbed by Nick and Weaselton his gang, only to have Weaselton double cross Nick, killing his whole gang. Luckily, Nick and Finnick were able to escape along with the five hundred thousand in gold. This has made Nick and Finnick public enemy number one. This has put Zootopia on edge.
So enjoy this new chapter of "The Good, The Bad, and The Wilde." And please, fill free to leave a review or comment. Thank you.
- Sir_RedFox)
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Zootopia Politics:
"It's not your manners, Mr. Bohannan, it's your manner."
- Hell on Wheels, 2016
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Central Station in Zootopia. Central Station being where all the locomotives would arrive and depart. Steam and the burning of charcoal filled the air. A station clock built into the station hung high for every mammal to gaze upon. Below the clock was a built platform with a podium. In front of the podium stood four coffins. From left to right the coffins held Flitch, Hugh, Bart, and Weaver. Each one wearing a plaque stating what their crimes were to be sentenced to death. All saying Robber. Photographers lined up taking photos with loud and bright flashes of the boxed up corpses with victorian field cameras.
Standing atop the platform held several key figures to the city of Zootopia. Standing at a podium, was the mayor of the city, Mayor Lionheart. Lionheart wore a black striped suit. His shoes polished and his white shirt puffed out the center of his suit. He wore white gloves and held a cane in his right paw. Last item was a top hat atop his head.
To Lionheart's right and standing back was a little sheep. The Assistant Mayor, Bellweather. She wore a tight dark blue oriental dress with gold pendant of a flower. Lastly, a thick pair of spectacles. To Lionheart's left stood the Sheriff and deputy, Bogo senior and junior. They, in the usual duster and hat.
Stationed at the platform, and what they stood in front of, was the train that had been robbed, the 3:10 to Zootopia. A crowd of reporters and concerned citizens of Zootopia had come to get to the bottom of whatever happened to the train. They all gathered around Lionheart's podium, ready for him to deliver a speech.
"Ladies and gentle mammals of Zootopia" Lionheart projecting his voice. "I know there is wide concern of the train robbery that took place. But I assure you that there is nothing to worry about. Zootopia has its' rangers and local law enforcement on the case. As you can see in front of me, our Zoo Rangers apprehended several criminals responsible for the robbery and brought them to justice. They will find and apprehend the rest of the bandits responsible, bring them to justice, and return the stolen money to its rightful place in Zootopia."
From the crowd came cheers and reporters shooting up their hands in demand of answers to their questions. Bellwether stepped forward with such a feminine sway and stood in the middle of Lionheart and the demanding crowd. She wore her fake smile that made it seem like everything was going to be okay.
"I'm sure you all have lots of questions," she said in that high pitch voice of hers. "But I assure you that our mayor is working closely with both law enforcements and doesn't want to waist another minute."
Lionheart made his way down from the podium, past the crowd, to a black carriage. The inside had red drapes to cover the windows and seats lined with red felt. A badger sat atop the carriage holding the reins to two black stallions hitched to the carriage.
Lionheart climbed in, dodging any reporter wanting a further stayment. Bellweather was next to climb into the carriage. Sheriff Bogo leaned in to tell his son words of encouragement and give a hearty pat on the shoulder before climbing inside the carriage. He banged his fist to the carriage roof to signal the badger to start moving. Bellwether and Sheriff sat opposites to mayor. Lionheart drew the red drapes across the window.
"Now, how is it that something like this could've happened?!" yelled Lionheart, slamming the point of his cane to the ground, causing a loud bang!
"I assure you mister Mayor that none of this was intentional." Sheriff Bogo said. Bellwether hated that toned voice of his, always with a grunt. Made everything they spoke about so condescending. Right now she can ignore the water buffalo's stern tone and attitude toward everything. Lionheart's cross-hairs are on him; and she enjoyed watching his stone cold face be slapped by every insult Lionheart knew in his vocabulary.
"Listen, Mayor." The Sheriff spoke up. "If the money and the culprits are within the broders of Zootopia, let me and the boys at the jail house handle it."
Bellwether gave a burst of laughter. "You must forgive me Sheriff, but I believe the situation is much bigger than-" She wanted to say small minded fool. That's what he was to her, but she knew better and to bite her tongue. "you seem to grasp." She wiped a tear of laughter away from her eye. "You believe you, your son, and who is the third mammal again? Oh, that's right. Some fat cheetah, think they can apprehend and return five hundred thousand dollars in gold?"
"If they are within the city of Zootopia, some mammal will come forward with information."
"Forgive me if I find it hard to believe your calm demeanor. Mayor Lionheart, let me inform you that the Zoo Rangers that you sworn in have already captured four, possibly five, culprits and have started their search for the rest. They are willing to check every house-hold in Zootopia if they need to."
"No. Doing so will only spread fear and panic to the citizens. Not to mention about a dozen of your Rangers died trying to pursue the bandits. If you want your half-assed army to do any good, have them outside the city and report anything suspicious."
Lionheart rammed the point of his cane down to the floor again giving off another loud bang. "I don't care how or who gets it done between the pissing match you two are having, just get it done."
"At your request, Mayor Lionheart. At your request." Sheriff said with a loud grunt. The Sheriff stuck his arm outside the carriage. He gave three hard slaps to the side of the carriage which came to a slow halt. "I'll be getting off here. This carriage has suddenly become too crowded with idiocy."
The Sheriff exits the carriage a places his Denton style hat back on his head. He gave the door a hard and loud slam when closing. He shouted to the driver to heed onward. With a crack from the reins, the carriage sped off down the cobbled stoned street of Savanna Central. Looking around he saw that there was an overcast in the sky. Not too far from the jail house. Gathering his bearings he set foot toward Zootopia's jail house.
Walking up to the jail house, the Sheriff took in a whiff of the cider wood, that gave the jail house that aroma. It smelled of freshly cut saw dust and maple sap. The small jail house had four steel-iron cells, two on each side of the room. Three desk lined up the back of the jail housed. Sitting in the middle desk be Clawhouserd, the large cheetah. Behind the cheetah was a raket of rifles, scatter guns, and ammo to reload each weapon at least once.
Walking in to the jail house, Clawhouser is the first to greet him. The cheetah quickly rose to his feet in greeting towards his boss, the Sheriff. Clawhouser wore a red button up shirt made from thin cotton and a black leather vest on top of his shirt. A top his head, he wore a black Campaign hat with an open rim that looked well worn.
"Evening Sheriff" said Clawhouser. "Nothing to report really. Although Miss Jenkins, you know the squirrel that always wears that bonnet, came in here earlier complaining that some predator has been stealing from her private black beery bush. I tried to talk to her and all, but she only wanted to talk to you directly on account of... Well, you know how she is with predaters."
"Small minded," Bogo said.
Sitting on top the desk, to the right, was his son. Bogo wore brown pants with a blue button up and a red scarf around his neck. His gray duster and cattleman hat hung on the hat and coat rack by his desk. He took his .44 caliber and detached and spread across his desk. Bogo carefully doing maintenance on the weapon.
"Yes" the Sheriff said. "I know how she can be. Her culprits are probably that of some street urchin or some kits that found an easy meal. What does she want me to do about it? Hang'em from a noose?"
"If they're predators thats exactly what she wants you to do." Bogo said. "But better we deal with it. Better us than those Zoo Rangers. They'll shoot on sight."
"I know." But was he suppose to do. Round up every kit that might have a hanker'n for black berries? That only limits it to every kit in Zootopia.
"I tried to talk to her sir. I really did" said Clawhouser. "But she still blames predators for the war, even though a lot of good predators fought in the war."
"How did the talk with the mayor go, pa- I mean Sheriff." Bogo, his son, asked. He rather his son keep things professional and address him as sheriff.
" About as great as being dragged behind a horse."
"Sheriff!" came a small high pitch voice. Turning around, standing in the doorway to the Jail House was a gopher, Jon believe his name to be. Either Jon or Don, it was easy to mix him up with his twin brother. They both owned and operated a small saloon in Savanna Central.
He had combed his fur atop his head to be split down the middle and used a little grease shy the edges of his mustache to twirl. He wore a striped shirt with bands around the arms and a green apron on top. He held his hand to a gash on his head.
"Sheriff, you got to come quick and do something. One of those damn Zoo Rangers. He's gotten himself drunk and is terrorizing my place of business. Even took his six-iron and bashed me across the head."
"Don't worry, it will be taken care of, Don"
"Jon"
"I don't give a shit. Son, lets go. Your coming with me."
"Sure thing Sheriff."
Bogo reassembled and slid his .44 caliber back into its' holster. Bogo had his gun belt looped half-way around him when the Sheriff told him that his gun won't be necessary. Feeling a little disappointment, he left his gun belt on his desk. The Sheriff did the same and leaves his gun belt on his desk, along with his Howitzer double-barrel shotgun, holstered under his left arm.
They followed the gopher, wither it be Don or Jon (he didn't care), back to the salon. The front of the salon there read a sign. It read: PLEASE DEPOSIT ALL GUNS AT THE FRONT ENTRANCE. Walking in, the place was fairly quite except for the loud talking of some anteater. Under the sign was a ferret, who stood up on a stool behind a wooden counter. Behind the wooden counter, all the bar patrons pistols, rifles, and scatter guns. The ferret held out his stocky arms and hands, ready to take their weapons upon entering (assuming that they both were carrying guns). They both opened up their dusters to show that they had no weapon to hand over.
They made their way through the saloon to where the loud anteater was. Card players at tables slighted their eyes from the cards in their hands to the two water buffalo. The saloon dimly lit with oil burners.
The anteater wore black pants, a white button up shirt, and a brown vest. Around his neck, a blue scarf with a RANGER badge pinned to the fabric. His fur ruffled and he had the strong aroma of bourbon that whiffed through the air. Empty shot glasses clustered together on the bar counter. In his right hand he held on to his six-iron. He slammed his fist down demanding another drink. He also took notice of an empty glass mug sitting on the counter top.
"Anether drank newerr" The anteater said with a slurred speech.
"Excuse me there young feller." Didn't matter what age the mammal was, he used the term young feller. Wanting to see what reaction he got out of the mammal. The anteater turned with a disgruntle look on his face. Sheriff smiled at this. Loved putting these Zoo Rangers in their place. "I do believe you were to deposit your firearm at the saloon entrance."
"No I don't" he said. "See this?" He pulled at his blue scarf. "This means I can do as I damn well please."
The Sheriff pointed at his own badge. "And this here means I'm to keep the quiet in Zootopia, and that goes for overly drunk Zoo Rangers. So, unless you want to spend a night in the Jail House bleeding from a head wound. I suggest you call it a night and go home."
"And if I don't?" The anteater pointed his six-iron right at the Sheriff. Bogo, was ready to pounce, but the Sheriff was already on top of the situation. The Sheriff, with his right hand, quickly grabbed the barrel of the six-iron and ripped it out of the anteater's hand. The Sheriff reached and grabbed the empty glass mug and smashed it across the anteater's face. The Sheriff watched as the anteater staggered for a moment before falling uncousice to the floor. Blood trickled down the side of his face from a cut above the anteater's eye brow. Broken glass all over the floor. He apologized for the mess to Don, or Jon which ever gopher it was behind the counter, not that he cared. The Sheriff looked over at Bogo.
"Well Son, you grab one end and I'll grab the other and send him to the Jail House."
The black carriage pulled up to the steps of city hall. Mayor Lionheart and Bellwether exit out of the carriage and desend upward the stairs to capital hill.
The whole entire way, Mayor Lionheart complained. Anything he could thing of he would complain about it to Bellweather. Complaining about the infrastructure taking too long in the city. How the flood of new mammals to Zootopia was upsetting the balance of things. How the whole train robbery was some how her fault. How her Zoo Rangers were doing a horrible job. He complained all the way through the halls of city hall.
"If these Zoo Rangers don't show any results from the train hijacking, then what good are they?" he bellowed.
"Lets not forget sir," she said in her squeak sheep voice. "It was your idea to create the Zoo Rangers."
It wasn't.
The Zoo Rangers were all her idea. She had the brains to know which words to whisper into Lionheart's ear to make him believe that it was all his idea. She was the brains hiding in the shadow. As if some mammal like Lionheart could even conceive of such an idea. The Zoo Rangers would not only make Lionheart's administration look good busting crime, but give bellwether the power she need to put a firm grip on the city of Zootopia.
"So to decommission them will make your administration look like it doesn't know what its doing, and start questioning your position of leadership."
"I don't care how you do it, but I want to see some form of progress in this damn city. So get to it, Smellweather."
Smell weather, one of the many cutie degrading nicknames he had for her. There was also cotton-head on account of her cotton like fur atop her head. Four Eyes was another one. One she hated the most though had to being called doll, which he used while collaborating with his peers. Making him feel like an alpha male, when really he was nothing but a puppet to her. Knowing exactly how to pull his strings.
Lionheart walked into his office and slammed the door shut. She stood there for a moment. Cleaning her glasses with a white handkerchief and adjusting them back on her face. Holding back her temper to shout and throw things at Lionheart's office door. She marched to her office.
Smellweather, she thought. As if he could do anything by his lonesome self. If it was not for me, he wouldn't even be mayor. The selfish low life idiot. Get to it? I'll get to it and rub it into your stupid lion face, goddamnit.
Entering her office, her continues ranting thoughts came to a halt. Standing next to the window almost hiding himself in the shadows was a Male sheep with a long rifle by his side. He wore a blue scarf as a sash with a Zoo Ranger badger pinned to it. From behind bellweather hears the metallic clicking of some device.
"And what are you doing here?" she asked. Turning around to look at Weaselton.
Weaselton sat in the center of her couch in her office, wearing his white shirt and black vest, and black pants to match. His jacket and Stetson Hawk hat were off and hanging on the coat and hat rack. His boots propped up on the small coffee table in front of the couch. To his left, laid out on a rag were the disassembled parts of his Remington Revolver. In his hands, with a brush, was the cartage cylinder being cleaned and oiled.
"You said to come see you after the job was done" he said in a whistle'n dixie tone.
"What I meant was, once the Zoo Rangers have apprehended the bandits that robbed the 3:10 to Zootopia. Oh! And have the five hundred thousand in gold cash with you. You succeeded in doing neither."
Weasleton started reassembling his revolver.
"it was suppose to be a simple mission," Bellwether continued. "You were suppose to help the bandits steal the money. Apprehend, or kill, these bandits as the Zoo Rangers you are and return the stolen gold. There by showing every mammal how great the Zoo Rangers are and have the money support the Zoo Ranger program. Instead, I have about a dozen dead rangers to deal with and no money to show for it."
"We had a, sly fox or two slip through our fingers. Like water in a clenched fist."
"How?" asked Bellwether. "I practically gave you an army at your disposal. Hell, I even sent Doug with you." She points at the sheep by the window with the long rifle. Weasleton stands and holsters his revolver. She gets into his face with anger and a harsh tone. "So how could you screw up so gloriously."
Weaselton out stretched his hand, grabbing Bellwether by her tiny sheep mouth and pushed her hard, making her back step till she hit the wall. He clinched his fist around her tinny-tiny neck and lifted her up till her toes couldn't touch the ground.
"I think you forget just who the hell you are talking to?"
Weaselton, with his free left hand, quick drew for his revolver and pulled it out its' holster. He pointed the barrel at Doug across the room, who had his rifle half raised, ready to use on Weaselton. "Don't even think about it. I'm just as quick of a shooter with my left hand as I am with my right." He leaned in close for bellwether to hear in his soft spoken tone. "Now, I highly suggest you change your attitude before I change my calm demeanor.
Bellwether simply nodded her head in agreement. Weaselton let her go. She dropped to the floor, her feet stumbling to regain balance. She coughed to clear her throat which just choked. She straighten her dress and herself up.
"The problem still stands," she said. "How are we going to find our five hundred thousand in gold?"
Weaselton walks over and looks out the window at Zootopia. "It's a crisis that the mammals of Zootopia want answers for. So, why don't we put the problem in the hands of the citizens?"
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(AN: Thank you for reading, and Thank you for reading this. Again, YOU'RE AWESOME! I hope you enjoyed this new installment.
In the next installment we get to see what's happening back at the Hopps' ranch.
As I said before, please leave a commit on how you'd rather have future chapters come out. Thank you!
- Sir_RedFox)