Zootopia belongs to Disney. Spider-Man belongs to Sony. I own nothing.

I think I'm getting the hang of this now. I'm changing far less than I used to and I'm learning to plan what I want to write. And I can say that this is more fun than it's ever been, to the glory and praise of my God.

Note: The name of the roller coaster is Grayback Rocker.


Coffee. Coffee everywhere. That was the impression she always got when she limped through the front door of the building toward... ironically, the coffee maker. Of course. She normally didn't drink coffee, as she couldn't stand the taste. But today was perhaps the only exception. This meeting was going to be very long, and very boring, as it always was every year she was forced to attend it. She had taken to calling it the "yearly budget meeting," always adding emphasis to the first word in order to show her gratitude for the rarity of the occasion. But it just had to fall on the very same day the Wildes ended the Nighthowler Crisis seven years ago this day? She would much rather spend that time with her family at the Hill Plaza fair, which she'd been able to attend every other year until this one. At least her friend Claire could take Sophia to the fair for her; it wouldn't rest well with her if she had to suffer too. If only, if only Litter were still here. She made the meetings fun. And she actually got stuff done. Not anymore.

She yawned as the coffee maker filled her cup. The boredom was already setting in, five minutes before it was even starting. Why was she supposed to be involved in this in the first place? She worked in public policy, not economics; her job was doing things in the city. Well, more like deciding what will be done. And how. Not listening to a money guy as he tries to get the rest of the group to stay awake long enough to know what this line means on the line graph he's droning on about.

Sophia... she's lucky to be a three-year-old girl, years before having to worry about a job rather than a forty-three year old woman who's been laboring for decades. Lifting the cup to her lips and blowing on the dark liquid, she suddenly thought about what she was about to- sugar! Can't drink coffee without sugar! Lots of it.

She made her way to the office in which the meeting was taking place. A few of her colleagues in city hall walked past her briskly, as if they were eager to get the impending doom that would befall the next two to three hours of their lives over with. She was extra careful to hold her coffee-charged sugar cup steady lest she stumble or someone knock into her and she get it everywhere.

She pushed the double doors open into the room. The doors were polished for practical purposes but were made to resemble those from the first days of modern Zootopia to preserve a kind of reminder of the old Zootopian value that was once prevalent in the heart and soul of every citizen but ever so elusive: equality among mammals.

The office was large and round, with a great, high ceiling and elegant architectural design in the woodwork. Despite the circumstances, she did appreciate the beauty of this particular room and its design and, usually, she enjoyed her time in here when she was actually of use. Best to look on the bright side, she supposed. She smiled at her husband, who was sitting on the opposite side of a table long enough to seat twenty mid-size mammals, give or take, on both sides. His serious demeanor immediately gave way as he smiled back and stood up to walk around the table to meet her. She realized that he actually looked like himself again: determined, fierce, strong. Traits that were clear enough even to shine through his mutual reluctance to attend this meeting. He had been getting the rest he needed. She sighed at the relief that washed over her like cool water.

"Come, sit here, Darling," he whispered, gesturing to the seat directly in front of her. She made for the spot and he pulled out the chair to let her sit down.

"Thanks, Sweetie," she whispered back once she was comfortable. She didn't actually need any help getting to any seat, as she wasn't as helpless as her awkward gait would suggest, and she knew he was perfectly aware of that. But how could she reject her love's never-ending thoughtfulness?

Chief Bogo's serious expression returned after a moment, and he sat down. He sighed and leaned toward her while rubbing his temple. "I think we'll need each other to get through this," he said quietly.

"I couldn't agree more," she said back as the last few mammals found their seats. She covertly planted a quick peck on his cheek. "Just... keep... smiling..."

The holotable under her forearms was warm with the constant electric current keeping it lit in a plain white color, which made her feel a bit more comfortable. The wonders of ever-developing technology never failed to amaze her.

"All right," came the professional baritone of the bunny who stood on his seat opposite and upward a few chairs from the two water buffalo. The room quieted down and turned toward the bunny. With long ears held high, dressed in a light-brown sport coat and matching slacks with light blue dress shirt and red tie, finished with an expensive watch on his left wrist, he looked as prepared for this meeting as everyone else wasn't. Sarah figured that since he was the de facto spokesmammal for the whole committee, he might as well look the part, even when dealing with monotonous political matters.

But the bunny seemed uncharacteristically grim despite his professional demeanor. His natural charisma could brighten up a room instantly. There wasn't anyone who didn't like him. Today, none of that was present. He wore a steadfastly downcast expression, as if he were dreading something that he knew was about to happen. It was ominous.

"Mr. Shrewschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff," he said smoothly but stiffly, "you're up."

A tiny rodent pitter-pattered his way across the table carrying a miniature zPad. A few silent moments later, he tapped silently on the device a few times and a slideshow suddenly appeared on the screen of the table, which turned in a slow circle so that everyone could see it clearly over the course of the meeting. "Good morning, everyone," he squeaked in his thick, slightly snooty Austrian accent.

Alastaire Shrewsch-schlegel... something something (everyone besides Hurdle called him Mr. Shrew)... was in charge of everything related to the city's budget. And passionate though he was, he was a bit more lackluster than his predecessor, to put it nicely. Not that he didn't care about his job, of course, but he was prone to putting protocol above common sense. As a result, efforts were put forth more to maximize revenue while necessary expenses were neglected, if not altogether forgotten. For example, why did she have to take Sophia here to play in the kids' room down the hall? Because since Mr. Shrew omitted management of childcare centers and nurseries due to their nature as an "unnecessary expenditure"... for some reason... none of the existing daycares were regulated (meaning anything goes). Among other things. And he was the best at his job, apparently, at least according to the mayor.

And the entertainment industry, the sports newscast, the grocer network, the more well-known schools and universities, so on so on... and, well...

Litter was different.

October 5, 2011, Saturday morning

Everyone had left the meeting already except for Sarah, Litter and the newly elected mayor, who was a bit confused as to a certain detail concerning - exactly - money. Sarah stayed as still as possible while Litter and the mayor talked, not wanting to draw any attention. The latter was oblivious to Sarah's presence, and Litter played along. Sarah felt the need to prove herself to their hot-off-the-Congress-committee boss, but Litter felt no qualms about speaking her mind, regardless of the consequences. Because most of the time she was so valuable that the idea of firing her was laughable.

"I can understand... everything else, you know? What I can't understand is, well... your allocation of funding toward a few backwater slums." The lion regarded the panther almost as if he were stating something so obvious that he was shocked that he had to waste energy in an unnecessary explanation.

"Well, Leodore," she began with a deliberately though kindly patronizing tone, "I think most of us will agree that if you hadn't been congratulating yourself on the final boost of your poll numbers via AM Bellwether's advocacy of the sheep population, then you would understand that I wasn't allocating money toward 'slums,' as you put it, but toward a certain school, maybe even to a series of schools if my proposal proves to be successful." He hesitated, looking around briefly, before nodding for her to continue. He seemed glad that no one else was here, as far as he could tell, at least, so they wouldn't have to witness his ignorance. He still didn't notice Sarah. "Let me... go back here..." She flipped back to the slide that was composed of a single picture of a run-down building. She pointed to the photo. "This is Zamonoa high. Fine school, somewhat more focused on technical work and hands-on careers ranging from car repair to biotechnology to astronomy. I know a few mammals who went here. In fact, one of them was my husband, Alex."

And me, thought Sarah, who sat with her arms crossed as she watched the master at work. Or the mistress, for that matter.

The lion clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "...You're not doing a great job of convincing me that this is a beneficial enterprise, Mrs. Arcturus." Mayor Lionheart sat back in his chair, but he did seem curious.

She clicked on the next slide, one which showed a pair of boxplots. "I'll also add that if you had been paying attention, you would have seen this data."

"Uh, um... can you... clarify it?" he asked quietly.

"Of course, sir." Sarah suspected she was inwardly rolling her eyes. She'd been very careful to delineate exactly what the data were saying and now she had to do it all over again. Nevertheless, she spoke with crackly energy, speaking with her words and hands, her high intelligence beaming from her eyes. "These boxplots represent the total revenue generated directly by graduates from these two high schools in respective businesses in which they are or have been employed - Zamonoa high and Zootopia high. The latter is the control group, compared against Zamonoa, which, as I'm sure you're aware, is one of the least well-known schools in the city. And all the students on this pole were taken by random sample from a population of high school graduates who were attending university at the time of this study. Graduates who did not attend university were not considered. If you look here at these boxplots, you can tell that one school has a far greater success rate. You have two graduates, one from Zamonoa and one from Zootopia. Both are going to the same university. Tell me, which graduate is more likely to end up making their employer more money, based on these findings?"

It took the mayor a moment to realize she wasn't asking a rhetorical question. He sat and thought about it for a moment. "I just know you're not going to say Zootopia high, are you?" Of course she wasn't! Obviously, he would have preferred the former. But thankfully, Litter was wise enough to not choose Lionheart's own heart and soul, Ham Lincoln high school, which was where he graduated from, as well as the quarterback of his favorite team.

"Very good. Know why?"

He shrugged. "It's news to me."

"Two words." She held up a finger to count each word: "Mammal inclusion."

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"Historically, mammals have always been expected to get specific jobs - rhinos, hippos, and other large, strong animals work in blue collar jobs such as construction almost exclusively; bears and wolves work in security and serve as grunts in drug enforcement agencies and the like; buffalo work in pastures along with cattle; bunnies are farmers, lions, tigers and panthers work in politics, and so on so forth, etc. Much has changed today, but there are still many opportunities closed to both predators and prey. Generally, small mammals in urban environments are seen as more fit to work white collar jobs. In fact, the vast majority of medical professionals, lawyers, and a variety of business owners are small prey mammals, with a few exceptions. And it's not because predators are empirically incapable, but... well, stereotypes are hard to break. Zamonoa, however, encourages mammals of any species to pursue whatever job they desire, as long as it's within reason, and the school never fails to follow through later when their students ask for letters of recommendation. Their motto is 'Try Everything. What you can do, be the best.'"

"So how does this help m- the city?" Sarah resisted the urge to groan. Get to the treasury, you've found the heart of politics.

"It helps the city because every mammal who has managed to find jobs away from tradition has received job offers from numerous businesses wanting them to be on their team. But news coverage never talks about this trend, which is the reason, sir, no one knows about it. What I'm saying is, I think we should sponsor a program that'll require high schools and universities to foster a wide array of options for mammals in terms of career path. Y'know, a kind of initiative that'll..." she considered her words "...inspire mammal inclusion in the workforce. On the financial end, I'm convinced this'll be a self-feeding, self-beneficial move on our part. But more importantly it'll give a wide variety of species a chance to break social barriers that have justified stigma in the workplace."

"So what you're saying is it won't-"

"No," she sighed, "whether it works or not, it's less than one percent of our budget. If it works, it'll put us in good light while also helping to stimulate the economy exponentially.

"Perfect! That's all I wanted to know! I want you to get started on that right away!"

"Thank you, sir," said Litter with a smile. Sarah resisted the urge to clap. But she couldn't help the big smile on her face.

"Absolutely! And I know just what to call it... Mayor Lionheart's Mammal Inclusion Initiative..." The mayor waved a hand in front of him as if reading out a headline like the editor of a newspaper.

Litter and Sarah rolled their eyes simultaneously. "Sounds good, sir."

"Great! Now, I'm off to welcome my newly appointed staff. How do I look?" he asked, brushing down his snazzy blue suit.

"Like the Mayor with a plan, sir."

"Hey!" he pointed at her appreciatively before pulling her in to give her a rough side hug, picking her up in the process. He turned his head slightly, performing a double take, then a triple take. "I think you and I are going to get along very w- M-Ms. Grazir?" He had happened to turn his head far enough to spot Sarah at the back.

"Hello," she said with a cheerful wave, keeping her body still otherwise.

"Were you here the whole time?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, I was." A small pit of fear rose in her stomach that maybe she'd overstepped-

"Oh, well, what did you think of my initiative?"

Your initiative? Sarah thought as the fear dissipated immediately. She could tell by Litter's subtly twitching bottom eyelid that she was thinking the same thing. They were definitely in agreement.

"It's great, sir. I was thrilled."

He clasped his hands. "Terrific! Come, you two, join me and my staff. We're having a little potluck to celebrate my election!"

"Uh, actually, sir, I have to be getting home," said Litter. "My husband's probably waiting for me."

"And I've been here for twenty-seven straight hours with only two breaks, so I want to go home and get some sleep," added Sarah, not wasting energy to be more cordial.

"Mm, suit yourselves. More cake for me." He sauntered out of the office with a bounce, one hand lightly clasping his jacket stylishly.

Sarah couldn't stop the snicker as soon as the door closed. "Wow."

"Yeah," Litter said with a nod, watching the door with wide eyes.

"How long do you think he'll last?"

"Eh, no telling. Can't be worse than the last one."

"Were you bluffing when you said you were going home?"

"Pfft! Of course... not!" she hesitated. "I mean, Alex won't be here for... like, another few minutes or so. But... I mean..."

"Yeah, me too, Lit," said Sarah as she stood up.

"At least I have a decent excuse so that I don't insult my boss like that," she said with mild emphasis. "Speaking of which, when are you going to find your excuse?"

"Oh, come on, Litter, I'm not in any rush!" The two women walked slowly from the office, enjoying their light conversation. "Now you, on the other hoof, you said 'Yes' the moment you got the idea that he might be about to pop the question...?"

"Oh, but I knew he was the one from the moment I met him. It was like I'd known him my entire life."

"Not longer than me, though. We've been best friends since our freshmammal year of college."

"Of course, when you started calling me Lit-ter." She said it with mock annoyance, tilting her head to the syllables of the nickname.

"Not my fault your side of our dorm was always so messy! I thought you were a pig for four years! At graduation I said to myself, 'So you'rea panther?'" They both burst out laughing before settling into light giggles.

"I wouldn't have made it without you, Liara. If you hadn't gotten me in to see the Dean - he was the only one there who really believed in me. No one else would have taken a graduate from 'Zit School'." She shivered at the derogatory name.

"It wasn't a problem, Sarah. You're so kind and... smart and... well, deserving. The way you fought to get in, I knew you deserved it." After a moment's silence, she suddenly asked, "Why not ask that chief out? He seems to fancy you," she teased in a British accent.

She gasped in jovial shock. "Of the three buffalo we work with between City Hall and the closest police precinct, he's the one you point out? He took one glance at me! Adam at least... leered a few seconds."

"Three glances, actually. And they weren't glances so much as... ogles. Your back was turned."

"What, you mean he was staring at my..."

"I'd assume so," she said. "Ask him out!"

"Litter! He's like twenty years older than me! At least!"

"So? Water buffalo live pretty long. He's probably still in his prime. In fact, legend has it..." she began dramatically "...that he fought off one thousand criminals, all without even touching them. At the age of forty, too..."

She laughed and sighed. "I'd rather find someone closer to my age, ok?" Though she couldn't deny that, well, he was very handsome. Especially when he actually smiled once in a while.

"Mm, suit yourself."

At that moment, they reached the front door of City Hall. Pushing it open, Sarah closed her eyes to breathe in the fresh air as it wafted over her face. After pushing nearly thirty hours of work, transitioning into the air outside was like stepping into Heaven itself. She hummed in satisfaction. "I could not wait... to get out here and breathe in the fresh air."

"I couldn't wait to get a kiss from this handsome devil," said Litter, who then stepped into the arms of a casually dressed male panther who had materialized. Sarah hadn't even seen him coming. She guessed Litter had. The two panthers greeted each other and locked lips passionately. Yep, only a month into their marriage, and it was still the honeymoon phase. Sarah smiled at the affection, trying to resist the urge to tell them there were plenty of rooms in the hotel down the street if they couldn't wait to exhaust their burning desires.

She'd known Alex for about one-fifteenth of the time she'd known Litter, yet she and the panther had clicked and formed a close friendship from the first few weeks. She soon came to see Alex almost as much a brother as Litter was something of a sister.

"How was your day?" asked Alex once they parted.

"Mm, it wasn't too bad. I had my sidekick to help me out."

"Sidekick?!"

"So, you hungry? Wanna get something to eat or go home?"

"Home. Right now," she said without hesitation. "I'm tired and very hungry. And I need to hear you play piano. I haven't heard you play since our trip."

"Well, we've been busy," he said before putting his arm around her waist. "I think this is the first day we've had time to do anything," he said thoughtfully. Litter rested her head on the man's shoulder as she stroked his back. Sarah couldn't help but notice the uncanny differences between the two. Compared to Alex, Litter looked like a different kind of cat altogether. Her hourglass shape, small mandible, short muzzle, and light blue eyes, juxtaposed with Alex's tube-like thorax, large muzzle, and dark blue eyes, almost made her look alien in some ways. Beautiful, but different. "Sarah, come here. I know you're tired, but I haven't seen you for a month." Sarah chuckled before returning Alex's hug tightly. She definitely needed it after scraping a cheese grater against her forehead for thirty hours. "Don't forget about Saturday."

Sarah smiled, already having almost completely forgotten about that. "You bet!"

They turned and started down the courtyard toward the train station. She began the relatively short walk to her apartment, wondering to herself if she really did want...

Present

"What say we get started, shall we?" The voice broke Sarah from her reverie. Someone yawned in response.

"Excellent," he answered. It appeared he was too distracted to care anyway. The water buffalo looked at the clock and was surprised that only a few seconds had passed over the course of her entire flashback. Incredible...


"WOOOOOOO!" they heard Nick say from atop the slide. They were glad he'd bought that waterproof pouch last month for his phone, or else their phones would be toast. The two-hundred-foot slide began with a nearly vertical drop, followed by a slow, steady curve into an even steep. The girls had already gone, and they stood next to the ladder of the slide, dripping and chilly. Finally, a soaked fox climbed down the ladder. He giggled profusely. "Best part of the whole festival!" The girls only nodded with an uncomfortable smile as they stood there shivering. "Oh, you two are cold, aren't you? Let's get you warm. I know the perfect place." Arya shook slightly as they started following Nick. Water flung everywhere, splashing Angel, who yelped quietly at the cold water. Arya's eyes shot open at the realization at how much water had been absorbed by her...

"My coat's growing back already!" She lifted her hands to her face and felt the short kinks of wool that were beginning to take shape.

Angel snickered. "Y-you didn't kn-know that? It's b-been growing back!"

"Is my bun there yet?" she felt the top of her head for the fluffy accessory unique to all female sheep, but nothing was there yet. She groaned in disappointment.

"Don't worry, Arya, it'll come back," said Nick. "Heck, you wanna talk about something that took forever to grow back, let me tell you how I managed to burn most of the fur off my tail one time."

"WHAT!?" cried the girls. Arya covered her mouth to stifle her laugh while Angel let it flow. For the moment, they had forgotten their frigid state.

"Yep. Burned it all off. It was about, mm, a thousand years ago, around there. They had just invented rope, if I remember correctly."

Arya forced air between her lips, causing her to sputter a laugh.

"Or maybe it was the wheel? Anyway, I was dating this ocelot at the time, and we were mak- er, hanging out around a courtyard in front of this library where some of the poorer animals go every week to get dinner from the Soup Kitchen. Anyway, it was nighttime, and it was cold so I had lit a fire in a small fire pit Finnick and I kept in his van. Somehow, I have no idea (had something to do with their obvious snogging, obviously, thought Arya, who felt a bit of contempt toward this ocelot for being a threat to her favorite couple, even if it was in the past), it got knocked over without us realizing, right next to my tail. It caught fire right there. I remember saying, 'Oh, this fire is so nice. Smells awful, though, like burnt hair.'" When I finally realized that I was on fire, it was too late! Half of the fur... was gone!" he cried dramatically. He put the back of his hand on his forehead: "My poor tail! I hardly knew ye!"

"Oh, that's horrible!" laughed Angel. Arya choked back a giggle, still covering her mouth.

"Oh it was. Good thing it wasn't any worse. Took months to grow back. But the moral, children, is this: never start a fire in the middle of a library courtyard in a two-foot-tall basin on a Tuesday night. Within two feet of an ocelot."

"Oh, never," said Angel indulgently. "I'd really prefer to keep my tail as prim and soft as it is."

Nick picked his tail up and snuggled it tightly. "I'm just glad you grew back as soft and cuddly as before. Didn't you, my fwuffy-wuffy widdle tail, you!"

Angel and Arya laughed at the fox as he milked it for as long as he could. His personality would never get old, they knew.

Nick led the two shivering girls to a small restaurant on the edge of the square, which had a large pair of conjoined, yellow arches on the side. It looked like a big M.

"Hey!" Angel said, who had since remembered how cold she was. "I'vE-I've beEn H-herE a c-coUple t-t-Times. Arya, you're G-gOIng to loVE this p-plAce..."

"You can't go wrong with a MinkDonalds," said Nick, who picked up Arya and held her to his chest while putting his arm around Angel to vigorously rub her arm, all in an attempt to warm them up. Neither protested. They were dripping wet and freezing in the cool, early October air. "It's a little hot off the presses, but it has all of the delicious, fat-packing foods I've been missing out on for only like a thousand years."

Nick opened the door for Angel to walk in while carrying Arya. A warm draft immediately stopped their shivering. It felt so much better in here. The next thing they noticed was how packed the place was. It was filled to the brim with all sorts of animals - otters and chipmunks and zebras and goats and squirrels and raccoons and hippos and others, all walking around and making a commotion. Though there were so many mammals near the front, the vast majority seemed to be getting to-go orders, which meant a lot of space to sit. Arya was glad for the concealment; it was hard to focus on anyone in such a large crowd. Nick set Arya down and leaned down so the two of them could hear him. "Let's go ahead and find a table."

They nodded and went to the back. They sat near door at the back of the building the led onto a patio, which allowed for a good view of the busy Plaza outside. It was such a nice place, thought Arya. It was so filled with a bright yellow hue and red that the rays outside seemed to penetrate the roof. Somehow it made Arya feel a little bit better than she'd been feeling.

No, no, she was not feeling bad. She was just... trying to prepare for that moment when Nick and Judy... never mind.

"I'll be right back," he said quickly before turning toward the entrance. They asked where he was going, and his answer was that he had "a little business to take care of. So I'll just slide right on out." When he opened the door, he mumbled, "And slide right on down."

Angel watched him leave. "I wonder where he's sliding off to," she said quietly with a bit of sarcasm.

"No idea," said Arya with her chin on her hand.

"Hello, welcome to MinkDonalds," said a zebra to their left who wore a green shirt with a yellow "M" logo, topped off by a green cap. "My name is Kromer and I'll be serving you today. Can I start you off with something to drink? We have Sunflower and Lil' Pepp products."

Angel leaned toward Arya. "You wanna wait till Nick comes back or...?" Arya nodded. "We're waiting on one more," she said. The zebra nodded with a smile and walked away.

Arya smiled and then looked around. "That reminds me, I was wondering why none of the other guys wanted to come?"

She shrugged. "Hunter had homework - I think that means he wanted to tinker with his computer stuff - Christian had track practice, and I think the rest were going to go tomorrow, since tickets are always cheaper on Sunday."

"Really. Then... why go today at all?"

"The tickets might be cheaper, but you can't do as much. Today's the big day, and... I don't know, I guess they start putting up stuff on Sunday to move on? This isn't a regular theme park; it's much, much smaller and the rides are mobile."

"'Big day.' I wish I could have come here when I was little. Well... littler. This is the first time I've ever been here. None of my foster parents ever brought me. Either they never had enough money or they were too scared of predators."

"Do you like it?" asked Angel.

"I love it!" exclaimed Arya, though she looked down for a brief moment.

"My mom and I have come here every year. Except Nathan. Ever since a couple years ago when he was still in high school. He actually tried to scalp tickets."

Arya rolled her eyes. She wasn't surprised a bit. Even though she had only been in the same house as him for one day, she'd had enough of his bullying even before the night was up. "What do you think he's doing right now?"

"Um, probably terrorizing little kids. Or my mom."

For a brief second she was struck by Angel's casualness in how she'd said it, but then she remembered that both her and her mother had had to live with the young man her whole life. Nathan was eight years older than Angel and significantly bigger, so she'd likely had to deal with a lot. "Why is he like that?" she asked.

Angel leaned back in her seat and put her hands in the pockets of her still-damp sweater. She spoke slowly, thoughtfully. "He's always been kinda messed up. But it got a lot worse after... everything happened. We don't really talk about it much, and I think we all try not to think about it, but a lot of bad things happened during the Nighthowler Crisis. I was still in daycare so I don't remember much, but he got beat up a lot at school. Our parents lost their jobs and, well... he got bad grades no matter how hard he tried... and my mom had to... get her nails removed." Angel's eyes had averted as the weight of the heavy memories deflated her. That last part gripped Arya's attention by the cheeks with a painful grip. She thought back when Judy had rescued her from him. Nathan had said something about their mother losing her nails during the Crisis. So he wasn't lying. Athena had never said anything about it. She never would have guessed. The thought made her sick to her stomach. Angel continued. "But the worst part is that our Dad got sick near the end. Nobody would help us because... well, you know. And..." she wiped her eye and sniffled briefly "...he died within a few weeks, after it ended. It was the hardest time of my life. And Nathan, it... it broke him." She shrugged sadly.

Arya gazed at the panther. She could see the searing pain in Angel's eyes that had evolved into a deep-set ache. It was the same pain she knew too well - anger, bewilderment, betrayal, confusion...

"Don't worry, things did get better. My mom got another job, a better one, and we moved to the house we live in now. And... I do miss my Dad, but we were happy, and he was ok as long as we were ok. But... Nathan was never the same. He was just... angry all the time, always went on about how Mayor Bellweth-" She hesitated and looked at Arya, fearful she may have struck a nerve.

Arya smiled and put her hand on Angel's. "It's ok."

Angel relaxed. She turned her hand and gripped the lamb's as she continued. "He... he hates her. And he hates anyone like her or even related to her, even if..." She shook her head. "He's just been hurt too much."

"Was..." Arya began, who suddenly realized why Angel hadn't treated her the way Nathan had. "Was that the reason you talked to me on the train?"

Angel looked her in the eye and smiled, answering her question without words.

They squeezed each other's hand.

"I'm baaaa-aaack!" came Nick's voice in sing-song fashion. "What'd I miss?" They turned toward the fox, who was soaking-wet once again. His fur was matted and limp from the weight of the water. They stifled their laughter.

"I-I thought you had some business to take care of?" asked Arya.

"Was it a hustle? Yes, yes, it was, Sweetheart." The girls laughed at the suave albeit soaked fox.

"Excuse me, sir." They turned toward the very confused zebra who was serving them.

"Yes citizen, how may I be of service?" asked Nick.

"Um, sir, I'm going to have to ask you to-"

"Hold that thought!" Nick said before stepping outside onto the patio and, getting under a public dryer that was conveniently placed right next to the patio entrance, shaking himself down thoroughly to dry his fur and clothing. Angel and Arya struggled not to laugh when his fur coat went Floof! all of a sudden, making him look larger and much fluffier. And, like, really adorable. As if nothing were amiss, he opened the door and came back inside. He waddled to his chair and plopped down onto it, wearing that smug, half-lidded smile. "Ready to order?" he asked the girls.

The panther and lamb laughed at the fox, while the zebra struggled to keep it in.

"What?" he asked obliviously.

"You... ehm... your fur..." strained the zebra.

"Oh. I know," he said lovingly before patting the side of his head tenderly. "Isn't it beautiful?"

At that moment, the lamb, panther, and zebra were all laughing. Victory, thought Nick as he watched them. He had heard the end of their conversation and seen they needed a little extra levity. It seemed to work just fine. He then grasped the metal leg of his chair to dispel the static and matted down his fur so they could put in their order. He needed this, making someone laugh. He'd had so much on his mind - Judy's fervor for motherhood; the crime wave; their work load; how Sarah Kityarn had just vanished... it was suffocating. This... this was a nice change of pace.

Their food came, three full trays of delicious, fat-filled goodness! He rubbed his hands together in anticipation before diving in: "Rrom-nom-nom-nom-nom-nom...mm! So good!" he muttered as fries, onions, bread crumbs, and lettuce went flying in all directions. Angel and Arya set about consuming their food with a little more self-control, but they couldn't deny it was delicious. Normally, the fox was much more composed, but on this occasion, he just didn't care! If only he'd had this when he was growing up. Their collective food-induced pleasure continued unabated for several minutes.

"Detective Wilde," called out a Spanish accented female voice.

"...nom-nom-nom-nom!"

"Nick!" For a moment the fox was too busy stuffing his face full of fries to notice. She walked to the edge of the table. "Hey!"

"Wha-!" Nick yelped, startled by the sudden presence. He looked up at the woman. He swallowed and smiled in pleasant surprise. "Claire! What are you doing here? I thought you were working."

"Eh, got out early," she shrugged. "I managed to get the only free slot for today. For these two." She looked down at the two girls at her feet - one girl at her feet. "Wait, where's - oh!" She looked at the table and Nick saw what she was looking at. Little Sophia Bogo was pulling herself upward until she held herself on the edge of the table with her chin. Apparently, she was hungry.

"Fwies," she murmured, straining slightly. Her little feet kicked in the air. Nick noticed Arya and Angel gazing at the toddler with sparkling eyes.

Claire walked to the other side and picked up the toddler, who whined quietly and reached for the food on the table. "Hold on, Sweetie, James is getting our food, ok? Just hold on."

"Speaking of food..." said a lion as he approached them carrying two full trays.

"Yay!" said Lily and Sophia simultaneously. The latter clapped.

"Aw!" said Arya at the sight of the two young children. "Who's this?" She pointed at the children.

Nick indicated each child: "That's Lily, her daughter, and she's Sophia, my boss's daughter." He leaned closer. "But my boss calls her Button." She snickered.

"Come on, Lily, let's sit down." She set them on a table next to Nick's. As they set up their food and began to eat, she addressed the fox. Angel and Arya, having finished eating, talked and played with James and the little girls. Claire leaned toward the fox to speak covertly. "So, Nick, I figure since we're here, I'll go ahead..." she unwrapped a sandwich "...and fill you in on what I've found out so far about that stuff Officer Rhinowitz gave me."

"Mm, definitely," he said, covering his full mouth with his hand politely. "Do you know what it was?"

"I can only say I have an idea. I gave some to James to study next week, but I think I have a pretty good idea. You probably know nothing about microbiology-"

"I know it's all about small stuff."

"Right, so I'll put it simply." Nick nodded. "We have no idea where it came from. It's sticky, like glue, yet it slowly calcifies in the presence of oxygen, then disintegrates. Its structure is similar to spider silk, but it's also... not." Nick shook his head slightly in confusion. She continued. "If there's one thing I do know, if it did originate from spiders, it took about a hundred and forty thousand of them about twenty years to make it all." Nick's eyes widened slightly, but not enough to tell Claire that he was overly surprised. "So it couldn't have come from a spider. I'm wondering if it's synthetic, perhaps a kind of... single-use cement or something that resembles spider silk...? I don't know."

Nick immediately thought back to the video he and Judy had seen. The creature who had the ability to crawl on the ceiling... like a spider. It had been terrifying to watch on the video, and no matter how many times he saw it, it didn't get any better. It was unnatural, almost supernatural. "I think I know where it came from," he said. Claire's eyes widened ever so slightly in curiosity. He looked at the two girls before turning back to the lioness, making sure they weren't listening too closely. He leaned in. "Judy and I think there's a panther in the city who... I don't know where it comes from, but based on Rhinowitz's report, the report from CSI, and what you're telling me, I know this has something to do with him. In fact, I have a hunch that a lot of things have to do with him. Judy and I are keeping an eye out for him."

"You think it came from that bank robber? That's... interesting. Have you been able to find him?"

He shrugged. "No." He sat back for a second before continuing. "These past seven years have been... the Missing Mammal's Case was easier than this. We can't find a real lead anywhere. We've spoken to countless witnesses, and they always fail to describe any assailants in good detail. We've combed through terabytes of data, and bits and pieces are usually missing. Judy even went to see Mr. Big at one point. But no matter what we do... it's almost like... animals really are just going crazy. Yet we have just enough evidence to know that's not the case." Nick suddenly realized his voice had been rising. He checked to make sure no one else had heard. "I don't know what's going to happen."

"Well, don't give up because we kinda need you. It seems like everyone else has," she said, looking outside at the festival.

"No, I'm not giving up. But I don't know if it'll be enough."

They sat quietly for a moment. The ambiance seemed to fade back into reality around them. Wow, I forgot that you shouldn't bring work home, he thought jokingly, though he did wish he could have this conversation at a time when they weren't trying to just have fun. He was getting tired of having so much on his mind.

He could use another ride on Grayback.


Three hours (felt more like three days) later, Mr. Shrew was finally done with the budget plan for the coming year. It was like pulling teeth. But she made it through and didn't need to suffer it again for a whole year. She nudged Chief Bogo's arm. "I'm going back to my desk," she whispered as quietly as possible. But he stopped her.

"The meeting isn't over yet."

Are you kidding me? she mouthed, lifting her face toward the ceiling in exasperation. She plopped back down in the chair without bothering to hide her pout.

"Everyone," started Councilman Hurdle, that grim expression still on his face, "as your spokesman, I am the organizer and speaker at these meetings, but I want you to know that what is about to transpire is an option that we must have a vote in. We have someone here today who is going to offer a proposition - not a solution necessarily, but something that the mayor as well as Zootopia's representatives believe will provide some help. Sir?"

"Hello, ladies and gentlemammals," came the slightly scratchy but esteemed voice after a moment. "In case you don't know me, my name is Zsander Lukagi. I'm the wolf of Sandy Border Pass, you might say. How is everyone doing?" No one answered, but it appeared that everyone was thinking the same thing as Sarah.

She was nonplussed to see the gray wolf standing at the end of the table. It wasn't that she was surprised to see him, but that she was surprised to see him at this meeting. Former army Colonel and Navy Seal Zsander Lukagi was a weapons developer for the military and police force, with constituents in every major allied country. This was a mere meeting discussing the city's budget...

"What's he doing here?" asked Sarah to her husband.

"Nothing good," he whispered back. He didn't seem too happy about the wolf's presence. He could throw Lukagi a lot farther than he could trust him. As the NH-Plus epidemic was spreading, several discrepancies were found in Lukagi's expenses by a secretary working in his business. "Flaggers," she called them, since she would be required to raise a red flag if such inconsistencies were found. But she chose not to flag this one, being that this had been the fifth she'd found in two weeks, all for the same amount of money. The secretary anonymously contacted the Chief and alerted him to start an investigation, which was quickly swept under the rug when it came to light that the same secretary had been embezzling money since her hiring. Subsequently, the wolf offered the Chief his thanks for exposing her, but the buffalo did not return the sentiment. Something about that case had been fishy in too many ways. But his hands were tied, so he had to let it go.

He snorted quietly.

Sarah couldn't help but agree with his expressed distaste. Lukagi began to tinker with his zPad to prepare for what Sarah guessed was a kind of presentation. He gave off an aura of great pride, the kind that Sarah often saw in veterans. He was proud of his country, proud of his business, proud of how far he would go to keep his kind safe, though his support of predatorkind was nigh fanatic, bordering on hatred for non-predators. Sarah couldn't stop the apprehensive pressure rising in her gut, like she was preparing for an escalation of some kind. But escalation of what? War? Killing off criminals altogether? Martial law? She shook her head. She was probably overreacting.

"Now I would like to explain my reasoning for pitching this to you rather than directly to the FDA, and that reason is, I need animals that aren't inclined to immediately write off this innovation before letting a word come out of my mouth. What I'm about to show you, it is a product of nearly a decade of painstaking labor, and I intend to be heard. Also, I know that many of you have connections within the FDA, so if I convince you, I would be grateful if you would put in a good word. Now, without further ado, let me pull up a document for you to read. A few seconds later, the holotable showed the logo for Lukagi Enterprises, a block-letter, silver, 3D "ZL" that appeared to be emerging from a shadow. It was a simple, pragmatic design, but a pleasure to look at. Then, an article appeared on the screen in front of each mammal, fit to their respective sizes. Now Sarah was interested. And so was everyone else. Some of the animals began to murmur at the title at the top of the article: Project Iris.

"I'm going to have you turn to page thirteen of this article." Sarah used her finger to scroll until she reached the page, which held a list of some kind. She couldn't tell what it was for, though. Only that it listed a whole bunch of words she didn't know - oxazofol and tr-tr...tryptophan or something? "Project Iris is a program that I and Dr. Peter Andrews, former professor of biochemistry and physics at Jumpkins University, developed in response to the danger that NH-Plus' presence has presented. It's a compound that I like to call NH-Plus' cousin. Derived from the same plant from which nighthowlers are extracted, my team has discovered a way in which to neutralize its psychotropic effects while providing an immediate, permanent boost to strength. This page you're looking at lists the compound's substrates and reagents."

Sarah looked around and could see that no one else could understand what he was talking about, but they were definitely intrigued.

"This compound has just began mammalian trials. I'm certain, absolutely certain that they will yield positive results. But I need the approval of the city, as you know. This compound technically classifies as a weapon, since it contains-"

"Mr. Lukagi!" The wolf was silenced by the sudden interruption. Chief Bogo stood up. All eyes were on him, some of them hostile, but he didn't care. "You cannot tell me that you don't think this city has had enough of Nighthowlers for one eternity! NH-Plus is destroying lives, wrecking homes, and you're telling me that we need more NH-Plus?"

"Did I say this was NH-Plus? Did I?" he looked around the table. Several mammals shook their heads nonchalantly. "No, I didn't. I said, and I quote, 'Derived from the same plant from which nighthowlers are extracted.' There is a difference. And, Chief Bogo," he said to get his full attention while raising his hand toward him placatively, "I know that I'm not the most trustworthy animal in your eyes, but it's as you've said very plainly: This city has suffered enough. And especially in the wake of Bellwether's daughter's death, we-"

"She's not dead, sir," said Amman, who represented Sahara Square. "She's currently residing with a member of Chief Bogo's staff."

Lukagi froze for a moment, seeming to process this. "Well, that's good," he said with a nod.

"Really? Who?" asked Lumin. Chief Bogo's palm smacked his face in annoyance.

"The Wildes."

"Regardless," he said clearly lest they get off track, "we need a solution to this current epidemic. And I believe that my innovation will provide that solution."

Bogo spoke up. "Well I don't. We don't take shortcuts," he said emphatically. "If we're going to solve this problem, we need to do it right. With hard police work. That's our job."

"And you've done a wonderful job of that, haven't you?" said Councilman Polarim with deadpan sarcasm. "Look around, Chief. Your way isn't working. You can't do your job if you don't even know where that job's hiding!"

"What?" asked the Chief, confused.

"Who here thinks that we should go Mr. Bogo's way? Keep right on chasing after ghosts? Keep letting innocent mammals get drugged and traumatized by the children's throats they've ripped out? Just keep right on prolonging the inevitable?"

Chief Bogo gulped. He couldn't say anything in argument. He looked around the table. No one wanted to look at him. He looked at Sarah, who returned his gaze to him, offering him a wan smile. He was thankful for her support, as meager as it was, but he knew that she was the only one.

"I don't want to put my trust into a police force that can't handle the problem. This... we need this." He said it with conviction, turning to the wolf with a smile. And it looked like most if not all the others were fine with it, if not in actual agreement. "I'm friends with the higher-ups in the FDA and the DEA. Whatever you need, Mr. Lukagi, you got it." In response, Lukagi walked over to the polar bear with a wide grin, who stood up and shook Lukagi's outstretched hand, patting it with his other hand. "We're gonna get stuff done," he said firmly.

Many of the others started to nod. Chief Bogo scowled at Lukagi, who turned to look at him with a blank expression, almost a sagely one. As if he were clicking his tongue in disappointment at the Chief's folly.

Chief Bogo looked around again, appalled at how... passive the crowd was. But it was Hurdle's expression that angered him the most. He wore the same look as the rest, eyes down, staring at the tabletop, no desire to make sure this solution was the best, that it wouldn't have any negative repercussions. Shaking his head in disappointment, the Chief knocked his seat out of the way and strode out of the room.

He stood outside, pressing his fingers against the bridge of his nose, while the other hand rested on his hip. He was getting a headache. This is not good, he thought repeatedly. But he could not dampen this sense... something in him that wanted it to be true. What if that was the right thing to do? Polarim, for how infuriating he is, he still had a point, and Bogo could not deny it, no matter how much he rationalized. But still... he was convinced that Lukagi was up to something sinister, and he wanted to know what it was. He felt a familiar hand on his shoulder. He suddenly felt much calmer now that she was here.

Sarah came around to face him, her eyes calm. She pulled him closer, and he reciprocated, allowing her to pull him into a hug. "You did the right thing," she said.

"No one else sees it that way."

"But you do. This city doesn't need more nighthowlers. It needs a strong, bold leader."

"I don't know if I can be that much longer, Sarah. I really don't." He sighed and let her go to wearily sit down on a bench. Though he was well rested, it was clear he was still tired in one other way. "I've never had to stand alone like this before. Everything's always been so clear. I can't help but wonder... what if this is the solution? What if... fighting fire with fire is the best option?"

"Thelonious..." she walked toward him and knelt down before him. She looked at him kindly, but intently. She pointed at her face. "My last encounter with that crap was enough for me. I don't care what he says. No one in their right mind would think that this can solve anything."

Chief Bogo nodded. He needed to hear that.

"I love you," she said quietly, stroking his cheek. "And I want you to know that I support you one hundred percent."

"I love you too, Darling." He took her free hand and squeezed it. Then he pulled her in for another sorely needed embrace. This woman was amazing - he was sixteen years her senior, yet her kind wisdom never failed to baffle him.

He never would have been able to stand up to Lukagi without her.

"This meeting was definitely not what I expected."

"I feel the exact same way, Sarah."

The Chief felt strength renewing him. All this time, all he needed was his wife's support. He considered stuffing her in a sack and bringing her to work with him.

Jokingly, of course.


So... what's going to happen now?