Author's Notes: Now, normally I would put the "Author's Notes" after the chapter, but for a special reason, I am putting it before this chapter. This is a warning to those who are about to read: In this chapter, Judas hangs himself. I know it might be disturbing to some, but it happened in the bible, in Matthew 27:3-10. Also, in Acts 1:15-20, it mentions that Judas fell headlong that his guts bursted open. These things happen in this chapter, and if you find it off-setting, I deeply apologize and hope that you skip over that particular part.
Heroboy005
Chapter 22
As the religious leaders were about to leave to speak with Pilate about Jesus, Judas came running in to speak with them. The guards were about to keep him back, but Caiaphas saw him and let him pass, declaring him harmless.
Judas did not look good; he had a sick, guilty look upon his face. He then said in a somewhat pained tone, "You have to release the White Lion!"
"What for?" Caiaphas asked, his tone confused.
"He's innocent!" Judas replied, before taking the small sack containing the thirty pieces of silver out from his pocket. "Look, take back the money! I have done wrong; I betrayed an innocent animal!"
When Caiaphas didn't respond, Judas' voice became more pained, and he said, "Take the money! I don't want it anymore!"
"If you think you've betrayed somebody innocent, that's your problem…" Caiaphas replied. "You've done the right thing; take the money and leave."
Judas became enraged by that, and he let out a cry of anger as he threw the money at Caiaphas. The hyena then left the temple, guilty, beaten, and rejected. His mind was not clearer now…
…
The Zootropolis Prison, like most prisons, was extremely rough. There, the worst criminals were held there, those who had done extreme crimes that warranted a death sentence. For example, the two hyenas who had started the uprising, Barabbas and Penance, were in that particular prison. They were to be executed the next day, and their original way of execution was going to be lethal injection. However, cause Pilate wanted to set an example for himself as ruler, he had it changed to crucifixion. Knowing the horrors of this type of execution, the two waited in silence for their final fate.
The armored car carrying the White Lion stopped in front of the prison. The ram soldiers then opened it up and led Jesus inside the prison. There, Jesus was processed into the prison, and was stripped naked of his clothes. He was then sprayed with freezing cold water, de-loused, and had his mane shaven off. Without his mane, the White Lion looked a little smaller, and as they were shaving off his mane, his white fur started to suddenly turn into a dull grey. The guards gave him an orange prison t-shirt and orange prison pants, and led Jesus through the prison to his cell, which was a solitary confinement cell.
The White Lion was put into the darkened room, and the door was closed and locked.
Inside the dark cell, the White Lion sat down on the floor, against the wall, and began to think about his life. He thought about his time as a carpenter, when he was baptized, how he went into the wilderness, how he began his ministry, when he met his disciples, when he met officers Hopps and Wilde, the miracles he performed.
He then thought about his mother, Peter, the disciples, Judy, Nick, Finnick, Mary Magdalene, Asa, all of those who were his friends, even Judas. And he also thought about those who were against him: Caiaphas, Annas, the religious leaders, the soldiers, the people who had called him a blasphemer, the people in the temple who were selling worldly merchandise, and all those others. And even after all they were doing, and were about to do, to him, he wanted God to forgive them; they had no idea what they were doing, and what they were about to do.
"Father…" he prayed, looking up to the darkened ceiling. "My heart is ready… whatever happens to me next, let it be because of your will, and not mine…"
The room seemed to grow a little bit lighter, and it gave the White Lion some comfort in his dark situation. He then closed his eyes and focused his mind on his father, and how what he was going to go through was going to be for the people he loved and cherish…
…
The morning sun rose into the sky, blood red over the horizon. And Judas was wandering the outskirts of Zootropolis, his mind clouded in darkness. The guilt he felt at Jesus' betrayal, plus the realization that he would be remembered forever for this, was too much for him to handle. He couldn't take it; it was killing him inside. But what could he do?
He came upon a construction yard, where an unfinished building was standing. The workers who were building it had were taking the day off in order to go watch the trial of the White Lion, so nobody was around that area.
However, the contractor, who thought that going to see trials was a ridiculous form of entertainment, decided to hang back and keep an eye on the site. He was hanging out in a trailer that had been set up as an office, when he heard knocking on the banging on the door of the trailer.
The contractor got up from desk and went to the door. He was a zebra, with black and white stripes, wearing a business suit and a white hard hat. He opened the door and was met by Judas, who was looking at him with a crazed look in his eye.
"Uh… can I help you?" The contractor asked, his tone somewhat worried.
"How much for this construction site?" Judas replied with a question.
"What do you mean?"
"I have thirty pieces of silver at my disposal. How much for the construction site?"
"We aren't selling it." said the contractor. "Are you okay, sir?"
"I'm fine!" Judas replied, his tone sounding more crazed. "How much for the construction site?!"
"I said that we-"
"How much for the construction site?!" Judas cried out, causing the contractor to step back in fright.
"Uh, we can negotiate a price; just let me get some contracts." The contractor replied, trying to humor him.
The contractor then disappeared into his office, trying to find some contracts while also trying to call the Zootropolis Police Force. After a couple of minutes of trying, he reached the police and told them about his situation; that some crazed hyena was trying to buy the construction site. They said that they would send somebody over, and told the contractor just to keep the hyena occupied. The contractor told he would, and the line disconnected.
He then went outside to speak with Judas, and was met by a shocking sight. While he was talking on the phone and looking for the contracts, he saw that Judas had climbed to the top of the construction site, had stripped off his shirt and jacket, and was now tying one end of a black extension cord around the beam he was on. After he did that, he tied the other end of the extension cord into a makeshift noose, which he was slipping over his neck.
"Hey, what are you doing?!" The contractor yelled. "Sir, don't do this! No, no wait!"
But Judas wasn't listening; his mind was in darkness. Judas slipped the noose over his neck and looked down. This was it; the only way out that he knew of. It was the easy way out, in his opinion; they wouldn't be able to anything to him after this. In his own eyes, he wasn't about to commit suicide; he was about to free from his problems. He stepped forward and fell off the beam, much to the horror of the contractor, who let out a yell of shock!
A free fall, a quick jerk, and a loud snap, and Judas' body hung lifelessly in the air. Then, just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, the extension cord snapped, as it couldn't support Judas' full weight. Judas then fell to the ground, and his stomach seemed to burst open. His intestines, stomach, and everything in him split onto the ground, and out of his stomach and intestines came the thirty pieces of silver, which he had swallowed before going up to hang himself.
The contractor didn't even bother staying; he was so shocked and scared by what he saw, that he just began running, hoping to find the police on the way and report what he saw!
The construction site would be cursed, from then on. All of the people in Zootropolis would hear about it, and they would call it 'Akeldama', which means 'Field of Blood'. Nobody would tread on it, and nobody would touch it. And it would remain that way, untouched, unoccupied, unmoving, maybe for all time…
And with that, Judas was dead…
…
Meanwhile, the White Lion was brought from prison and to the steps of the mayor's office building. He was brought in an armored truck, handcuffed, chained up, and now wearing his white jacket over his prison clothes. When the armored car parked, Jesus was brought out of the back and was marched up to the steps.
Several barricades were set up around the steps, as to prevent the mobs of people from doing anything. Soldiers in black armor, all of different species, were standing guard with riot shields and batons, ready to attack anyone that dared defied their authority. As for Pilate, he was standing on the top step, with Chief Wolfenstein by his side. Caiaphas, Annas, and the religious leaders were at the bottom of the stairs, all grimacing at the Jesus as he was brought forth.
Pilate studied the White Lion; his fur wasn't white anymore, but was now a dull grey, and his mane had been shaven off. He now looked small, humiliated, worn out, not quite as powerful as Pilate had believed.
The large bear, Pilate, then took noticed of the small, barely healing cuts on the White Lion's face, and asked in sarcastic tone, "Do you always have your prisoners beaten before they're brought here, Caiaphas?"
"Look sir, I-" Caiaphas was about to speak.
"What accusations have you made against this lion?!" Pilate rudely interrupted, his tone annoyed.
"Hey, if he wasn't any trouble, I wouldn't have brought him to you." Caiaphas replied with a shrug.
"That's not what I asked. Why didn't you judge him under your own laws?"
"Sir, you know it's against your laws for us to condemn any animal to death."
"To death?" Pilate asked. "What has he done that he deserves such a penalty?"
"He's taught things that go against what we teach." Caiaphas replied.
"He's also the leader of a group that are plotting to overthrow us." Annas added. "They call him the 'Son of God', and claim that he is the Messiah, the chosen one, the king of the jews! He goes against the power that you have put up for yourself!"
Pilate looked at the White Lion again; he didn't look dangerous, nor threatening. He then leaned over to Wolfenstein and whispered, "Have him brought into the building, so that I can speak with him…"
Wolfenstein nodded, and then yelled out, "Have him brought into the building!"
Two soldiers in black armor, a rhino and an elephant, who were waiting by steps with no weapons, went past the soldiers with riot shields and to the White Lion. They grabbed him by the arms and began hauling him inside, as Pilate and Wolfenstein began walking into the mayor's office building. The crowds and religious leaders waited in silence, wondering what was going to happen…
…
The ground floor of Pilate's office was sort of like a waiting room; it had chairs, tables, different elevators, doors leading to staircases and supply closets, and all the other usual stuff that you find on the ground floor of an office.
Jesus, Pilate, Wolfenstein, and the two soldiers stopped on the ground floor. Pilate then had the guards leave, but Wolfenstein stayed to watch what the White Lion had to say.
"Are you really the king of the jews?" asked Pilate.
"Are you asking this for own understanding, or because they have told you that is who I am?" Jesus asked back.
"Why would I ask you that? I'm no person of faith; it's just that your people out there have had you arrested, and brought before me like you were a common criminal. They're out there wanting you dead, but why? What have you done to earn their wrath like that? Are you really a king?"
"My kingdom is not of this world…" the White Lion replied. "If it were, my followers would not have let him hand me over."
"So, you are a king?" Pilate asked.
"That's why I was born; to give testimony to the truth. All those who hear the truth, hear my voice."
"Truth…" Pilate asked. "What is truth to you?"
The White Lion didn't respond, but just focused his gaze on Pilate. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, before Pilate turned away to talk with Wolfenstein.
"He's innocent…" Pilate said quietly. "He's crazy, but innocent… I find no cause to have him executed…"
"Sir, with all due respect, the crowds aren't going to take that as the verdict…" Chief Wolfenstein replied.
"I know… but we can't kill an animal that's innocent. Besides, do you have any better idea on what to do?"
Chief Wolfenstein was quiet for a few seconds, and then said, "Well, Mayor Herod from Zoolopolis is still in town. You could send the White Lion to him, see what he thinks. And, if he finds him not guilty, then the people will see that even a second opinion considers him innocent. Maybe they'll calm down after that…"
"It's worth a try." Pilate replied with a shrug. "Grab him and follow."
Pilate turned and started going out the door, with Wolfenstein following, holding Jesus by the arm. They went outside to where the crowds were waiting for the verdict, to which Pilate said, "I find no reason to pass judgement on this lion; he's innocent as far as I can see."
The crowd began yelling out angry words and insults at Pilate, who held up his hand to quiet them. He then said, "Instead, I will send him to Mayor Herod; he will give me a second opinion on the White Lion, and what to do with him."
"He should be crucified, that's what should be done to him!" Caiaphas yelled.
"Yeah! Crucify him!" Another animal in the crowd yelled.
"Crucify him!" Many other animals joined, all yelling the same thing over and over again.
Wolfenstein handed Jesus over to of the black armored guards, who began taking him back to the armored truck. They then loaded him in, and it drove away, with the crowds still angrily chanting their want to have the White Lion killed.
Pilate watched as the armored car drove away, and thought about what was happening; he didn't want to kill the White Lion, as he had a strict code about killing those who were deemed 'Holy'. However, he also didn't want the people to start a vicious uprising against him, so now he was torn between his loyalty to the people, and his own code of honor.
Hopefully, Herod would be able to give a good verdict on the White Lion, and maybe the whole thing would clear up. Who was he kidding, Herod was a party animal!
