Chapter 17
Outside of the mayor's office, a large crowd of both followers and citizens gathered in the streets as the White Lion rode into the city. The White Lion sat up on the convertible the way a president would during a parade, looking over the crowd and smiling. The crowds of people sang out, "Hosanna to the king!" and a tiger in the crowd yelled, "Blessed is he, who comes in the name of the lord!"
Judas, as he walked in the back of the disciples, stopped and began picturing the crowds as an army. Instead of cheerful, happy people worshiping the one true king, he saw them as battle hardened soldiers wielding weapons of mass destruction! He saw the White Lion riding in an army jeep, dressed in combat gear and wielding an assault rifle, leading the charge against Pilate! He saw buildings being blown up, enemies soldiers being crushed by the mobs of revolutionaries, and then White Lion jumping forward into the fray and-
"Hey Judas, you alright?" Nick asked, tapping Judas on the shoulder and snapping him out of his gory daydream.
Judas grimaced at Nick and then at Judy, who was beside her friend. "Yeah, I'm fine…" Judas growled before skulking away into the crowd of people.
Judy and Nick started walking with the crowd again when Judy said, "Something is wrong with that Judas guy…"
"You can say that again. I think that guy has a serious bloodlust problem!" Nick replied. "I think Judas thinks that the kingdom of God is going to be a kingdom of carnage, rather than a kingdom of peace…"
"I hope he realizes the truth; that Jesus is not here to reclaim the world through violence, but by healing and caring for it."
…
The donkey mechanic, as they drove along the road, looked to Jesus and asked, "Where would you like to go next?"
"Let's head to the temple; I haven't been there since I was a boy." Jesus replied.
"Alrighty then! To the temple!" said the mechanic. He turned the convertible onto another street, took a couple of turns, and then stopped in front of the large temple. The temple, which was several stories high, was painted white and gold and adorned with the Star of David on the front.
The White Lion smiled upon seeing the temple, and he climbed out of the convertible. He motioned for his disciples to come out of the crowd, and they did. Judy, Nick, Finnick and Mary Magdalene followed also.
"Let us go, into the temple!" The White Lion announced, raising his hands to the temple. He then went through a hall leading to the temple courtyard, with the group of animals following him. As he walked through the halls, he began reminiscing about what it was like when he was a kid.
…
Jesus, who was about twelve at the time, walked through the quiet and serene halls leading to the temple courtyard. The young cub had gleaming white fur, brown eyes, and he wore a blue t-shirt and black pants. He carried a brown satchel, which he slung over his shoulders.
He walked up the stairs and into the courtyard, which was quiet, serene, and had only a few religious teachers in it. The teachers were mostly discussing religious questions about facts such as God and the World.
"Excuse me?" Jesus asked a passing teacher. "Which way to the temple entrance?"
"It's on the west side of the temple." The religious teacher replied; He was an old turtle wearing a dark blue suit. "Why do need to go there?"
"I have to work at my father's business." The White Lion cub replied.
"Your father's business? What do you mean, young man?"
"Guide me to the entrance, and I will explain it to you."
And with that, the turtle guided the White Lion to the entrance. There, in the temple-
…
The White Lion was snapped out of his memories by the loud commotion in the courtyard of the temple. What he saw shocked him to the core.
The courtyard was jammed pack with vendors. They were selling worldly merchandise to large crowds of people! Every evil thing you could think of was there! The vendors disgraced the temple with their love of money, crude sayings, crude acts, and basically made the place an all-around pit! Thanks to the religious teachers and their carelessness, the courtyard of God's temple had now become a virtual wasteland!
And sitting on a makeshift throne, in the middle of all the chaos, was their leader, who was a warthog. The dark brown skinned warthog had ivory tusks, several gold piercings on his ears and nose, was wearing a neon purple suit and hat, a pair of sunglasses that hid his eyes, and he had a sickly grin on his face. In his hand/paw, he clutched a bottle of alcohol, and in his other he had a lit cigarette.
Deep inside the heart of the White Lion, a spark of anger started igniting. And then, it turned into a full-blown blaze! To the shock of everyone, the White Lion let out a roar of anger and charged into the fray!
Jesus started smashing tables, overturning desks, tearing apart the worldly merchandise, and expelling all the evil in the courtyard! Vendors and people of ill refuse scattered and screamed in fright as the White Lion tore through them, destroying every evil thing in his path! The White Lion then grasped an extension power cord from a generator powering some lights, ripped it from its sockets, and began swinging it over his head like a whip! He started whipping at the vendors, and then at the warthog leader, who fell out of his makeshift throne in a drunken haze.
The White Lion jumped on top the throne, obliterating it into a pile of rubble, and roared out to the crowds, "MY TEMPLE SHOULD BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER! BUT YOU HAVE MADE INTO A DEN OF THIEVES!"
He then threw down his makeshift whip and leapt towards the crowd of vendors, causing them to yelp and squeal in fear as he went after them.
"GET OUT!" the White Lion roared in fury. "GET OUT!"
Every evil person in there fled, taking their poison with them. The disciples, Judy, Mary Magdalene, Nick, Finnick, and the crowds of people looked in shock at Jesus as he stood there, panting and letting his righteous anger cool down. They had no idea he was capable of this kind of fury!
Next thing everyone knew, several soldiers wearing black armor surrounded Jesus and his followers, aiming their rifles at them with intent to shoot. Chief Samuel Wolfenstein, followed by a black suited bull and a black suited sheep, entered the temple and came in front of the soldiers.
"That's him!" said the black-suited bull, who was behind Chief Wolfenstein. "That's the guy who causing trouble in the temple! Shoot him! Kill him!"
Chief Wolfenstein turned and gave a death glare at the bull, who shrunk back in fright. Then he turned to Jesus, looked around at the scene, and then asked, "What happened in here?"
"I was cleansing my father's house." The White Lion replied calmly.
"Cleansing? How?" the Chief asked in confusion.
"By expelling all the evil and vile things from the temple's presence." the White Lion replied calmly.
"White Lion…" said the black suited sheep, stepping forward. "I have a question for you."
The White Lion groaned tiredly, took a deep breath, and then asked, "What is your question?"
"Should we pay taxes to the Mayors of our cities?"
The White Lion looked to the sky for a brief few seconds, then he looked at the crowds before him and asked, "Anybody have a quarter?"
One of the armored soldiers aiming a rifle at Jesus, a polar bear, reached into his pocket and pulled out a quarter. He handed it to the White Lion.
"Thank you…" The White Lion replied, taking the quarter. He then held up the quarter for the crowd and asked, "Who's face is on this quarter?"
"The first mayor of Zootropolis!" a person from the crowd yelled out.
"Then give to the mayor what belongs to the mayor! But give to God what belongs to God!"
The people cheered at the White Lion's words while the White Lion handed the quarter back to the polar bear solider. The solider looked at the coin and then slipped it back into his pocket. Chief Wolfenstein then left the temple with his soldiers. Meanwhile, Jesus also exited the temple, being followed by the crowds of people and his followers.
Well, almost all his followers; Judas hung back with a worried look on his face. "Give to the mayor what belongs to the mayor?" Judas said to himself. "Does that mean he doesn't want to fight back?"
Judas watched as the two religious leaders left the temple courtyards, defeated at their attempt to trip up the White Lion. Thinking about being defeated by those type of people chilled Judas to the bone, and he went on his own way.
Author's Notes: Well, that's another chapter for you. Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while, but I've been super busy! By the way, I've changed the name of the story to "The White Lion", cause it fits the story. Also, here's some exciting news... I GRADUATED! YES SIR, LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL! WOO-HOO! On another note, I wanted to give a shout-out to the people who've been reviewing, Including:
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And all the other people who are guests!
Thank you for all of your wonderful and uplifting reviews!
As always, R&R,
Heroboy005
