Heart of Gazelle and Humanity

by The Imperator 2 you

With all hope lost Humanity places its final hope in the souls of those frozen in time. While excavating a tunnel, a team of Mammals going about their business discovers a relic of millennia past, and an ancient species thought mythical and legend. Yet of all eggs discovered only 1 survives. Can Humanity be redeemed for the sins of its past, in the future it cannot control?

33. Chapter 28

Aelita opens her eyes, and looks to you as you read her words…

"I'm living in nature, I touch, I feel, I cry…"

"Knowing that you have gone so, so far away…"

"Surrounded in silence, believe, forgive, time is running out to make it better…"

"I hear you call, I reach out to where you are…"

"I hear your voice, the words come from deep inside of me!"

"I fly this sky, in darkness, light the world with hope and belief…"

"I fly to you, overflowing, all my feelings here, the garden of love…"

"We're together… I'm here… for you~!"

While smiling…

"I was standing in brightness, I saw you…"

"And felt you smile, believing you and I are always forever…"

"Connecting our vision, voice sighs in piece…"

"Singing colors are reaching out to us, clear our minds, we are inseparable…"

"Clear our eyes, nothings real until I touch you, I fly this sky in darkness…"

"Light the world with hope and belief, I fly to you…"

"Overflowing, all my feelings here the garden of love…"

"We're together, I'm here for you…"

And vanishes… once again, as she closes her eyes…

Chapter 28 = Day of Remembrance, PT 1

(Aelita's PoV)

She looked out through the eyes of multiple drones in the field as they made the final preparations for the festival. In total almost every drone was currently being used to complete the preparations, all one hundred and five FOX drones, one hundred and eighty seven RAPTOR drones and two hundred and fifty two DOG drones, as well as seventy thousand ANT drones, all of which were busily constructing various stages, areas, frames, platforms and other necessities to ensure this festival's importance and significance would be achieved. She had pulled from her vast knowledge, her intellect, her memory, everything she could that could be packed into a single twenty-four-hour event.

The reason for this, with the Mayor's assistance and blessings, Zootopia would be celebrating a 'human' festival, much like other festivals, that had not been celebrated for thousands of years.

While she wished it could last longer, due to legal issues they were only permitted to use Zootopia Central Park for a full twenty-four hours.

While all of the drones were out and about setting things up, the facility itself was operating with a skeleton crew of protection drones, only three RAPTOR drones were guarding the entrances, with the automated defenses on standby until the end of the festival. She knew they wouldn't be needed, but Sentinel required a 'minimum' defense compliment and standby level with so few Sentinel Drones available to it.

She wished to include so many cultures into the event, but with so many cultures in her database she had to pick and choose which ones to feature and what to show about them given who the audience viewing them was. She knew her creators didn't always have the 'best' to show given certain aspects of their cultures, but generally she picked the best to feature.

At the same time, she was viewing and commanding her drones, making sure they didn't mess things up, she was also listening to the news broadcast which was talking about the festival happening the next day.

"And we're back again talking about, you guessed it, the big human festival taking place tomorrow in Zootopia Central Park. If you weren't paying attention before you should now as all day drones from the facility have been actively working around the clock without a break, building small platforms, stages, even miniature buildings in preparation for the big festival known by humans as 'All Souls Day', with the actual date having been changed to better 'suit' the occasion as not all humans practiced it, and it varied from culture to culture." A news anchor, a Caribou said.

"All month City hall has been selling tickets to the event which have sold out quickly, both to help pay for the event and to help raise additional funds to pay for materials so Ema can continue her work in the human base. According to what little information we've been given by Jeremy and City Hall, this celebration is to not only 'remember' those who have died but to also welcome them back to walk among the living for a short visit, so that they can see their descendants and join in the festivities. While there aren't many mammal celebrations closely related to this human holiday or how its practiced, we are told that it will be accompanied with feasting, drinking, and a host of other festivities. Ticket prices varied between two prices, individual standard tickets include not only enjoying the festivities but also permit them to partake in any of the food which will be served there, all of which we are told are of 'human' origins, so visitors will be enjoying food eaten by humans. Visitors will also be allowed to enjoy any of the attractions, what they are we don't know…"

"The more 'expensive' ticket, of which only a limited one hundred and five were sold to individuals, and sold out extremely quickly, include not only the aforementioned list, but also a 'spiritual guide escort, which will follow the individual in question throughout the event. This 'spirit guide' as we were told, is an 'animalistic representation' of an individual at their core, and can range from 'anything' to everything. These tickets sold out almost within an hour of being put up for sale, and with several hours remaining and the festival shaping up, Zootopia eagerly awaits tomorrow for the first celebration of a human holiday…"

"In other news, lawyers fighting for the rights to the cures and vaccines developed by said Ema are making their opening arguments tomorrow in the upper court. Pharmaceutical companies have been trying to secure the rights to keep the cures and vaccines so as to profit off them, with some of their arguments saying that Ema will put doctors out of business and drastically reduce the standard wage of doctors and medical practitioners if she continues her work. This is because within the last two weeks, standard medical treatments which mammals once took to deal with medical issues were just rendered 'outdated' because of cures developed by Ema. One such treatment was a regular treatment plan prescribed by Pharmaceutical companies to help deal with Arthritis, was recently ended because of a cure developed by Ema which stops the swelling of joints, and prevents any further occurrences for up to fifty years."

"Ema was quoted on record when confronted with this question, saying, [My job is to 'cure' problems, not prolong their existence. If something is wrong with the body, it is my task to fix that problem, so that the body can return to normal operations…], she had nothing else to say after that, telling reporters to 'stop bothering her when she's busy'.

"Ema will 'also' be present at the festival tomorrow, having a small booth of her own and offering free medical services during the event, ranging from simple checkups that will last about five minutes, to more advanced services such as treating any issues one may be experiencing without their knowledge."

She tuned out the broadcast as she started focusing her efforts into her task. She could have been lax before since even distracted she could have commanded and steered the drones to work, but now with only hours remaining, she had no time to waste.

Everything must be 'perfect'… everything… she would accept nothing less than perfection.

(Jeremy's PoV)

He stared at the food storage unit from the outside with SH-1-ZU, or as he started calling her, Shizu. For the last three weeks she has used the radioactive mist of the Hydroponics Bay to swiftly grow and cultivate a massive variety of vegetables and fruits, and now the 'fruits' of her labor were stacked and piled high. Unfortunately, the cost was that the facility had used up all the nutrients found in the soil he provided, and until it was replaced with new soil would remain so.

At the same time the mayor had come through with her efforts, and in the 'cold storage' unit several meats, mostly consisting of bird and fish were now stored waiting to be used, all of which delivered that morning to the facility. She also had sent over spices and herbs that Aelita had ordered for the food, which had also been sent to the kitchens along with a company of ANT drones to clean everything out.

[As you have requested unit Jeremy, I have grown enough raw plant food to be turned into processed food to feed over a hundred thousand individuals over the course of a day.] Shizu declared warmly. [Are you satisfied with my efforts?]

"More than pleased, thank you for all your work." He said as he looked inside.

[I am proud to have been of service once again.] She said with a short bow to him.

"Now I just have to turn on the kitchen… those haven't been activated in forever…" He muttered as he walked in front of Shizu to the closed off room opposite the food storage units, the Kitchen and Food Service Room. "I just hope they still have the drones used to cook."

[If they were stored away then they will still be of service to you…] Shizu said sweetly as she followed him in.

The room that doubled as both kitchen and cafeteria consisted of two rooms, with the larger being the eating area filled with rows and rows of tables and benches. ANTs were crawling around the benches cleaning them for no other reason than because Sentinel assigned them to clear away lingering dusts as they were a health hazard. In the kitchen he saw all of the equipment in pristine condition, waiting for thousands of years to be put to use for a people that no longer ate there. The empty feeling once more reminding him of how many this place was capable of housing and feeding, but each step he took, every step Shizu took, just sent 'echoes' of how dead everything was.

As he walked over to the power control unit, he heard the door open and saw a lone RAPTOR walk in with over a hundred mammals all wearing cooking attires, chef hats and even some carrying their own cooking tools. Leading them was none other than Mayor Lioness.

"Sorry I'm late Jeremy, but as you asked, I brought some additional help for you to prepare the food for tomorrow." Lioness said as she walked up to him and shook his hand.

"Thank you, and thank you all for coming to help." He said to all of the mammals.

"When the mayor said that we would be cooking human food I was not expecting to be cooking it 'inside' of your home Jeremy." One of the chefs said, a hog said as he shook his hand warmly. "Well, we're ready to get started!"

"You can begin soon; I just need to power up everything again…" He said as he turned back to the power control unit. "It has been offline for a… very long time."

After pushing a few buttons and pulling a lever, he heard the machinery groan as it started to wake up, and then became silent again.

"Ugh… one second…" He complained as he tried again and got the same result. "Shizu?"

[As you command…] She said sweetly as she stood where Jeremy was, turned around, and then gave an almighty kick with her rear leg against the power control unit.

Instantly it groaned and the lights turned on, with the telltale sounds of power once again being transferred to machinery that has not been turned on in ages.

Mayor Lioness just looked confused at that, and Jeremy had to explain that everything in the facility had a 'backup startup trigger', which activated when sudden force was applied. When the appropriate level of 'force' was used, such as a huge punch or a smack from something, the machinery would turn on automatically, and ANT drones assigned to repair whatever was malfunctioning with the standard startup mechanics.

As everything started back up, he saw to his relief that the repurposed Jumping Class Cooking Spider Drones were still there in the kitchen, and upon power being transferred to them they slowly unfurled from their balled up forms as he led the mayor and all of the cooks into the kitchen area.

"Woah, look at all of these cooking appliances." One chef said as he looked at the beautifully clean appliances. "I could roast thirty full birds in this oven…"

"Check out these knives, they look so sharp they could fillet a fish just by 'touching' it!"

"Ooooh, I wish I had this smoker for my restaurant…" Another said as they stared at the tall smoker.

"Now this is a grill…"

"Check out these utensils…"

"Are these pots stainless steel, I've never seen this kind of material…"

While they all looked at the tools of the long forgotten career of 'human chef', he headed over to watch a pair of old Jumping Class Spider Drones repurposed to be used as 'cooks' for the Eden Facility, but shut down because the kitchen was also shut down when all food options were reduced to only the paste.

The two Spider Drones, each with very thin segmented legs, a tiny head with eight differently colored optics, a slightly larger thorax, and finally a large bulging abdomen which contained their cooking tools and a cleaning machine to clean and sanitize any cooking tool used. Upon activating they turned to Jeremy and each bowed to him.

[Greetings Unit Jeremy… this unit is identified as Zako, or by my drone identification ZA-K0, and this is my twin unit, Zuko, or known as ZU-K0.]

[Do you require us to produce standard nutritional supplement?]

"Zuko, Zako, glad to see you two are still around… no I actually don't need anything as I don't really eat here anymore." He said with a smile.

[What, then why have you activated us?] They asked in confusion as well as in unison.

"I need you two to help 'them' cook food." He said as he pointed to the mammals.

[Did you say-]

[Cook food?]

"Whoa first thing's first, introductions… Mayor Lioness, this is Zuko and Zako, repurposed cooking drones that serve Eden Facility 17." He said as he beckoned the mayor to them. "Zuko, Zako, mayor Lioness of Zootopia."

"Pleasure to meet you two." The mayor said with a chuckle as she seemed to like their category 4 AI personalities.

[We are pleased to meet you, now tell us Unit Jeremy…] Zuko said as they both turned to him.

[What was that about 'cooking food'? Are we finally being permitted to cook food once more?]

"Yep, you two need to show these mammals how to cook human food." He explained as the mammals now started joining them to look at the two drones. "Aelita will have already sent you a list of items required for tomorrow. You have about ten to eleven hours to prepare all of the items on the list, but you'll have to adjust the recipes to use only bird and fish related meats if the recipe requires meat. We're expecting about a hundred thousand participants for the festivities, and even during the event you'll need to prepare food. You'll get help as more chefs will arrive tomorrow to replace those who are here at the moment."

[Oh, gloooorious days, we can cook agaaaaaaain!] The two drones cheered before standing at attention and bowing to him.

[Fear not Jeremy, all will be done as you requested!]

[We will prepare a feast the likes of which have never been seen!]

"I'm counting on you two." He said with a smirk. "The food stores are fully stocked; I want you to make sure all of it is used."

[As you command!] They declared before leaping over him and every other mammal nearby to start activating the ovens and grills.

After he showed the cooks and their assistants what to do with dirty knives, pots or pans, showing them where they can sanitize and clean their hands as well as keep everything clean, and assuring them not to worry about where a tool is or when it will be cleaned, he and Mayor Lioness left with Shizu so they could work on the food. As they left, he could hear the sounds of grilling and bubbling waters as well as 'smell' food being worked on.

"As I promised, ZPD will be handling security Jeremy so that nomammal tries to ruin the festival, but I am still curious as to how everything is going to be done?" Lioness asked.

"Aelita said she is going to be handling that, but she still hasn't told me how she is going to handle everything."

"So, we'll have to wait until tomorrow then to find out, huh?" She asked to which he nodded. "You know Jeremy, a lot has changed since I first met you, and I have to apologize to you. When I first learned about you, I saw you as this mythical creature that I had to protect, then you started becoming a massive headache and a pain to have to keep safe… and now, well so much has happened that I'm actually glad to be the one having to deal with you. Though my finance director is yelling at me because of how in the red the city is."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that… is it related to…"

"Yes, it's one hundred percent related to your Ema and the materials we are constantly sending her, keeping her supplied isn't cheap." She chuckled.

"Listen Mayor Lioness, I appreciate that you are feeding my facility with all of the raw materials it needs now to function when it did before I was born…" He said as he stopped her and looked seriously to her face. "But if its costing you too much, you don't need to keep Ema sustained, she is used to working with very little and making what she has stretch, my species is very good at rationing and making do with what we have available. Ema is only working as fast as she is because she is constantly supplied, but she is more than willing to slow down her progress if I tell her that she has to ration her resources again."

"And I'm glad to hear that, but don't worry, as I told my Finance director, if this festival works, Zootopia will go from being the city where Predators and Prey live in harmony to being the hotbed of human culture and technology, and that will probably bring in tons of money from tourism and government entities around the world." When he looked thoughtful of her words, she held his shoulder and smiled warmly. "Don't worry, I didn't mean I would go trying to sell off your technology to the highest bidder. Don't take it the wrong way."

"Alright, well… take care Mayor, I'll see you tomorrow at the festival."

As the mayor left, he and Shizu remained in the Command Center so he could help her with issuing orders to the drones. He looked over additional information that Lioness left him with, the list of visitors not only including mammals who paid for tickets to the event, but also some convicted mammals who would be visiting as part of some 'rehabilitation program'. He wasn't against them coming, but he was going to make sure that the drones would be keeping a close eye on them so as to keep the festival safe for everyone.

He had informed the ZPD that they would each be escorted by a single DOG drone wherever they went, so that officers could focus on doing 'their' jobs.

He was hoping also that the festival might help them change their ways.

"Aelita, can you explain why you've requisitioned the… 'repurposement' of Holoroom 2?"

Aelita smirked as she shook her head and held her finger to her lips, telling him that it was a secret.

"Alright, I guess its okay since… well we aren't exactly using the holorooms." He relented. "Shizu, you'll be joining the other drones at the festival as an example of a 'peaceful' drone, you'll just be explaining what you do as a first-generation Mantis drone. Ema will have a booth for herself so she can perform medical examinations on mammals participating."

[Which I am pleased to see my request to have sanitizer refills has been fulfilled.] Ema declared as she appeared on a viewscreen. [I am also glad that you 'finally' got around to my maintenance cycle, else I would have taken even longer to perform medical scans with my optics and leg scanners.]

"You're welcome Ema." He said with a smirk.

[Yes well, I will require an external power cell in order to operate outside of the base for twenty-four hours Jeremy. As you are aware, my current power cell only permits me twelve hours of autonomous functionality.]

"There will be a fully charged power station in your booth that you can connect to using the same charging cable which will hang from the roof." He said while turning to Shizu. "As for you Shizu, your built-in wing-solar panels are still just as outdated as… well the rest of you, but it's still good enough that you can go outside and not be dependent on the facility to keep you functioning. Your job will be to answer what questions you 'can', namely related to agriculture."

[It will be my pleasure and honor to be of service to your species in whatever manner you see fit Unit Jeremy.] Shizu said sweetly with a bow.

"Tomorrow is going to be the most important day for all of us, me, Aelita, you two and all of the other drones in the base." He declared. "Tomorrow has to be a success… it must be a success."

[Well… I can't ensure tomorrow will be a success… but I will at least make sure nobody 'dies' tomorrow…] Ema stated dully.

[I will do my best to ensure your species image is preserved Jeremy…] Shizu said warmly.

Aelita smiled and bowed with a knowing nod, saying she will do her best as well.

With that he sighed as he rubbed his tired eyes, and yawned. It had been a tiring week leading up to tomorrow for him. The drones could work non-stop only requiring breaks to recharge or him having to do minor fixes for them every so often, which had been happening recently, but he just couldn't keep going. Lula had helped with fixing the drones alongside him, so the work was done twice as fast thanks to their combined efforts. He was just glad that Gazelle was always there to help cheer him up every day. It also didn't help that Ant Central Command had chosen 'now' to report an infestation of TERMITE drones. For the last two weeks alone, drones were reporting malfunctions and damages to their bodies as TERMITEs broke out of the quarantined section of the base, and the annoying pests were getting into everything.

The day before ACC finally got the TERMITEs under control, and he kept a few since even though they were pests, they had their uses, being able to rapidly break down anything metallic to base materials and self-replicate if needed. At the moment he couldn't reprogram them, their Ais were too simplistic to accept any new algorithms and programs, but if he could find a way to make them accept ACC's orders then he could use them to work alongside the ANT drones, which while good at breaking things down and rebuilding them, are not as efficient as the TERMITEs when it comes to breaking things down, and the TERMITES in contrast are not as effective as the ANTs when it comes to building things.

Gazelle had also been busy with her own work, so she wasn't with him while he went to the facility to work on the festival. She'd been invited to do the half time show for a sporting event and was getting ready to head out of Zootopia to another city for over two weeks to perform there. She was going to use it to do another of her species appreciation concerts like what she did for Skunks, only this time she was singing for Porcupines. She invited him to join her so he could see more of the world and see another city that 'wasn't' Zootopia.

[Are you exhausted?] Shizu queried.

"A little, this has been an exhausting week for all of us."

[Well, far be it from me to tell you how to rest, but as your 'only' doctor on staff, I suggest you return to Gazelle's home and rest until tomorrow.] Ema said dully.

"Probably a good idea." He said as he got up and went to pick up Aelita's holosphere, but the AI shook her head and beckoned toward herself and then the command center. "You need to stay here?"

She nodded with a smile, and then waved goodbye before turning back to the viewscreen and resuming commanding and ordering of the drones which were 'still' working in the field.

"Alright… I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Once again, she smiled sadly before shaking her head, before she glanced at the ceiling and made hand gestures.

(Translation, AI Aelita states that she will be busy throughout the festival and unable to join you.) Sentinel declared over the intercom.

"But how will you-?" He started saying before she smirked and winked at him. "This has to do with all of the holo-emitters you repurposed from the holoroom isn't it?"

Again, all she did was wink, and shoo him away, telling him to go rest and be with Gazelle tonight. He nodded and did as she said, leaving the facility to go outside where, waiting for him was his Solar Carriage just rolling up to the tunnel entrance so it could pick him up. Driving the carriage and directing both HORSE drones was Franky, who got out and opened the private section door for him so he and Gazelle could have privacy together.

"Thanks Franky."

"You're welcome Jeremy." He replied as the door closed and Gazelle leaned against him.

"Excited for tomorrow Jeremy?" She asked warmly.

"Nervous actually… tomorrow 'has' to be a success, it just 'has' to be successful." He replied. "I don't even know how it's going to go, Aelita is keeping plans for it a secret from me, wanting it to be a surprise. All I know is that tomorrow we're celebrating my species and remembering all of them because they're dead… not exactly a fun idea in my mind."

She looked slightly confused but nodded in agreement, leaning once more against him. "It hammers home that your alone… doesn't it?" She asked him.

"Yes…"

They just sat in silence as the carriage moved on before Gazelle turned toward him with a smile. "Well I know one way to help you forget that your alone." She said.

"Oh, what's that?"

She grinned before pulling him with her to lie on top of her in their seat.

"I'll give you one hint…" She whispered seductively, before kissing him sweetly on the lips.

After a few seconds she pulled back with a loving smile and stared into his eyes with hers, giving him her 'bedroom eyes' that she only ever showed him.

"Did you get the hint?"

"I did… and I agree wholeheartedly…" He whispered back with a grin.

With that they spent the next ten minutes making out and sharing kisses with each other as Gazelle's heart smothered and warmed his, reminding it once again that his heart was no longer alone.

When they arrived at her home he and Gazelle went inside while Franky and his brothers took the carriage back to their place, where the HORSE drones would then take over and drag the carriage back to her home. Inside her home he helped make dinner and they spent some of their free time watching the news and later a movie online. Gazelle had chosen a romance comedy about a horse, similar to the HORSE drones with extremely long golden hair titled Wrangled. The two of them laughed and smiled at during the movie, and when it was time to sleep they headed upstairs and went to bed, both of them only clad in their underwear, Jeremy because he'd grown accustomed to her doing it and Gazelle because of how close she was to him.

(Gazelle's PoV)

The next morning, she woke up to her phone's alarm rumbling and shaking on her table. She reached over and hit the snooze button before returning to sleeping with her boyfriend. She leaned into his chest and breathed in his scent, even as he hugged her tightly with both arms and held her close to him.

She had learned many things about Jeremy in her time with him, first that he was kind and selfless. Second, she learned that if needed he'd sacrifice himself without hesitation to save somemammal's life, even one he knew nothing about as his actions proved. Third, while he may have lived what some might consider the life of luxury, what with the base and its fancy technology, drones serving him and protecting him day and night, he was actually on the poor side having 'nothing' to his name aside from what he'd inherited from his species, namely the base. And finally, as she had grown accustomed to… though she actually liked it after she found out…

Jeremy was a cuddler… he really liked to cuddle and hug her when they slept together.

She wasn't on the cuddling side when it came to sleep, but she found being cuddled was actually what she preferred.

She first found out about his nighttime grip her first night sleeping with him, when she woke up before him and found herself in his, rather 'strong' grip and unable to really move. It amused her, and annoyed her at first, because she had to get up to prepare for a modelling session that day, and had to wake him up much to her dismay. She had also adjusted to his nighttime cuddling by getting rid of her alarm clock and setting her phone close by so she wouldn't have to leave his side.

She found his subconscious wish to keep her close to him cute, the fact that he wanted her close by even when asleep spoke volumes about how he felt about her. It was just another reminder of what the two of them had.

Since today was the day of the festival she decided to not wake him up and just sleep in with him, enjoying the feeling of his bare skin on her fur, how smooth it felt and how his scent gave her this sense of calmness. She also liked how he held her so close, it made her feel, safe, she didn't know why but just him holding her made her feel safe and secured.

Thinking of the festival again, she smiled and planted a small kiss on his sleeping lips before going back to sleep herself.

'Today will be wonderful, I just know it…'

Time passed and 'eventually' they finally got up and went about their day. Since the event wouldn't start until midnight, she and Jeremy had time to make some preparations. After breakfast they took his carriage with her friends down to Sable's clothes store.

While there they got new clothes, with Jeremy needing a new set of clothes since he didn't have many and was only using two sets. Gazelle got herself a new dress to go with the occasion of the festival, and Jeremy a new set of dress clothes as this was a special occasion. Her friends all got matching outfits and Sable gave them a discount thanks to all of the business he was getting just because Jeremy had gotten his first clothes from him.

At her home they showered and cleaned themselves up, and was surprised to find Shizu the Mantis Drone alongside Ema at her front door.

"What are you two doing here?" She asked the two drones as Jeremy joined them. "And how did you get here without a crowd following you?"

[Shizu insisted that she… 'tend' to Jeremy's grooming.] The spider drone said dully.

[Ema moved in Ball form to avoid being followed, and I flew here using my solar wings.] Shizu declared sweetly as her back opened and ten silvery golden wings extended, fluttering and showing off the built-in solar panels. [As this is the first human festival in over three hundred and fifty thousand years, it would be best that Jeremy look his best. He did say he wanted this festival to be a success, I am simply following my programming!]

"How do you fly… with… all of 'that'?" Donny asked in confusion as Shizu was double his height.

"Shizu is actually very 'hollow', and lighter than she looks by comparison to the other drones." Jeremy explained. "As a first-generation MANTIS drone, she was built for short distance flights using her solar panels, so that she can go from tending to one patch of land to another as needed."

[I can fly 'six' whole seconds, before needing to land.] Shizu said with pride and glee. [The creator species is truly amazing!]

[Wow… six whole seconds of floating above the ground before spending the next five minutes running…] Ema said dully. [Just get Jeremy ready, this trip has already wasted too much of my time…]

"Why did you need Ema to show you?" Jeremy asked.

[Sentinel declared that my searching for you to tend to you was beyond the scope of my design and programming.] Shizu declared sweetly.

[Meaning, Shizu was trying to do something she's not supposed to be doing, and your location is still considered 'classified information' and as such access to it is restricted.]

"Well, Sentinel has a point there… you aren't exactly meant to be 'grooming' humans Shizu, your design is meant for plants." He said as he glanced at her arms which, while folded inward contained two very long scythes, both combined equal to well over his height.

[Easily fixed!] Shizu answered warmly as she reached into her chest, locked her blades in place, and then extracted a pair of miniature cutting scissors and a rake that she adjusted the teeth to be more 'comb-like'. [May I begin Unit Jeremy?]

"Uh…"

[I better supervise, to make sure if Shizu injures you, you have medical assistance close by.] Ema said as she jabbed her abdomen with one leg and filled up a syringe with her Biotech Gel.

She giggled as Jeremy was dragged off toward the Solar Carriage so he could sit and be supervised by both drones, and while Shizu was a bit more 'enthusiastic' about assisting Jeremy, she did as promise and groomed him. After about ten minutes Shizu declared her work finished, and Ema said that he still had a pulse, they showed Jeremy clean shaven and his hair trimmed. She hadn't really paid attention to his facial hair or head hair all that much, but now that she was, she noticed that he 'had' gained a small beard which had been completely shaved off by the Mantis drone. His hair had grown out quite a bit, but again thanks to Shizu it was now shortened to how it looked when she first met him.

"You look very handsome Jeremy." She said with a wink, which caused him to sheepishly blush at her compliment and her friends to chuckle.

"Can we not do this again?" Jeremy asked the two drones.

[I will be more than happy to assist you again if you change your mind!] Shizu declared sweetly as she replaced her scythes on her arms.

[And if that happens, we'll do it in my medical bay… for obvious reasons.] Ema stated dully.

As they still had time before the festival, she and Jeremy decided to watch her friends play video games on her tv, even when their dates for the festival showed up to join them for the trip. At long last when it was about an hour before midnight, when the festival was scheduled to begin, they all climbed into the carriage and made their way to Zootopia Central Park.

She watched as they approached the park and saw the throngs of mammals clamoring to get into the park as quickly as they could, saw the lines going on for so long as ZPD officers checked tickets and welcomed visitors into the park. When they parked and got out cameras naturally flashed and news crews tried to talk to them, but her friends managed to keep the cameras away so she and Jeremy as well as their dates could get in.

All around the park as she and Jeremy led the way she saw the work of the drones, which were walking to and fro wherever she looked. Dog drones walked around with signs strapped to their sides telling visitors to be respectful of the graves. Raptors were walking carrying food crates which let off wonderful smells that made predators and prey mouths water. There were booths and platforms, stages and quartered off areas that kept going and going, and along some of the temporary buildings were flags representing nations or cultures. She even saw on the waterfront of the lake that sat in the middle of the park were, to her surprise, rafts or boats of some kind that she had never seen before, and no doubt mammals never did either.

One thing she noticed the most frequently were small poles planted into the ground and extended high into the air topped with what looked like emitters that she had seen in the holoroom in the facility, every so often at regular intervals. Mammals were talking and gossiping as they waited for the festival to begin and for whatever this 'big surprise' that not even Jeremy knew of which Aelita had promised.

As they neared a group of news crews and cameras near the grave site where the drones had layered thousands of orange colored papers leading from it to the festival in all directions, they saw the Mayor speaking to them animatedly, before the mayor noticed him and beckoned him over. "Jeremy, ready to begin?" She asked warmly.

(Multiple PoV's)

He sighed and nodded as the cameras turned to him and signaled when they were live.

"Hello to all mammals from here in Zootopia Central Park." He said, and around the park various holographic viewscreens appeared, causing a hush to occur and a silence to emerge. "My name is Jeremy Wilheart, and I welcome you all here to celebrate, what was commonly referred to by my species, as Day of the Dead."

"It's not as 'morbid' as it sounds, and forgive me for not knowing the full history, I only had a few hours to practice and memorize this information, what with all the work that went into this festival and getting everything ready. Day of the dead is a celebration of friends and family to gather and remember those who have died. But also, to welcome them back for not a day of sadness, but of celebration… for they rejoin us, on this day, for a short time, to experience the world with us once more, to meet us, meet new friends and loved ones."

"This celebration includes feasting, drinking, talking about them and remembering them for who they were in life so that they would not be forgotten. I… I hope you… enjoy the food and drinks provided… all of the food here that you will eat for the next twenty-four hours will be... of 'human' origins, from cultures and nations around the world."

"With that… I say… for the first time in… over three hundred and fifty thousand years… happy Day of the Dead." He said with a smile.

From around the whole of the park cheers and applause sounded, and in the distance a clock struck midnight, signaling the start of Day of the Dead.

But, from the grave site a large 'BOOM' could be heard, almost like a massive gong sounded, catching him and everyone's attention as the cameras turned and saw four holographic portals appear, each in the shape of a door. Inside the portal's colors swirled and flowed, and a hush sounded as everyone waited for whatever was happening to happen.

Then… a shrill wailing sounded through the portal, and a shadowy figure appeared to be walking toward it. As they drew closer to the edge, they became more defined and human-like, walking forward and threw the portal, wielding a musical instrument which they blew on made of pipes and a bag of air.

"Dooooo doo doldleeedooo dooo dooo doo doldeeedooo-"

It was so loud that those nearest the holographic human, as the human was glowing slightly, wearing what looked like a plaid skirt with a plain white shirt with no sleeves and red cap walking forward and closer to Jeremy, even as the mammals nearby covered their ears at the sound.

"Dooooo doo doldleeedooo dooo dooo doo deee dooo-"

Finally, they stopped, and the person grinned as he looked at Jeremy. "By the looks on yer faces ah can tell ya'll ar fans o-the bagpipes! Bua ahahahhah…" He laughed before looking around with a smirk. "Say uh… listen laddeh, quick question… is this here Zootopia Central Park?"

He was speechless as he stared at the holographic human, and understood 'why' Aelita couldn't join him. "Uh… yes." He replied.

"Ah, good… wanted to make sure, we almost got lost ya see. Some wee ninny with a basket on his head and a butter knife for ah sword thought we might have made a wrong turn at Albuquerque." He yelled loudly before turning to the portals and hollering, "Oi, this is the place, now get out here ya prancin sissy oafs! We got a party to start!"

Within seconds each of the portals became crowded as holographic humans started walking out saying hello to various mammals as they began to spread out throughout the park. Each human looking around and pointing at things like buildings in the distance or waving hello and even greeting various mammals. Not just humans though, animals from the past also joined the humans, horses and dogs, cats and birds, species he'd never seen outside of a hologram or in the records that he looked for began spreading far and wide throughout the park.

Mammals were left speechless or with very little to say as all of these holograms come to life of humans from the past walked among them alongside ancestors of some mammal species.

"Well what are ya lilly livered ninnys standin around gawking for, is this a party, or an art museum?" The first holographic human called out as he laughed and beckoned Jeremy to follow him, which he did, completely forgetting other details about the festival, or even 'who' he was attending with.

Just the sight of so many humans had driven everything clear out of his mind as he walked and conversed with the man who said he was Scottish and was an athlete who competed in what he called the Highland Games.

Gazelle just smiled as Jeremy practically abandoned her and her friends while following the holographic human. She knew that this was as close to human on human interaction as he'd ever get, and she didn't mind him leaving her behind just to be a part of this. She shook her head in amusement as she decided to join in the festivities too and let him be on his own for now, if needed she'd just ask a drone to direct her to Jeremy.

"Hey Gazelle, we're going to go check out some of the booths if you don't mind!" Franky said suddenly.

"Sure, go ahead!" She said as they all took off.

[Attention, those who purchased the Deluxe Tickets please report to the nearest DOG drone… to receive your Spirit Guide ID.]

Hearing the announcement, she looked around and saw a Dog drone sitting in the middle of heavy mammal traffic and walked over it. When she approached it asked her to present her phone and show her ticket, which she did, and it nodded before its eyes glowed and her phone glowed in response.

[Your ID for your spirit guide has been uploaded into your phone, you and your guide will locate each other with this unique signature.] It stated.

"How will I know if its my guide or what it looks like?" She asked.

The drone simply stared at her before responding, [You will know…] and looked back toward the crowd around.

"Well aren't you a bright fountain of information…" She muttered.

"Tell me about it darling." Someone said behind her, causing her to turn around and see a human woman standing about five-foot-tall and smiling at her and wearing the most outrageous outfit she'd ever seen.

She looked like she was wearing a bell for a dress that cut halfway from the front.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, but you can call me Lady Gaga, everyone did, or Stefani that works to!" She replied with a smile. "I've heard from the grape vine that you're a pop idol, I'm a singer myself you know, published music, wrote songs, you name it, I did it!"

"You sing too?" She asked in surprise.

"Is there an echo in here or are the crowds just repeating what comes out of your mouths ladies?"

She turned to see yet another human, this time wearing sunglasses, a smile, and an interesting suit and slim shoes with metal souls on them, black tight jeans with a matching jacket.

"Michael darling, how are you doing tonight?"

"The same every night, doing my very best to make all my fans proud!" He said as he sauntered over to them with a grin. "Gazelle, I've heard so much about you, love the outfit by the way! Matches your antlers!"

"You're a singer too?"

"That's what my mother told me, this party sounded nice, been a while since the good music was played, so a few of us all came together to do a little swing ding, ya hear me?" Michael said with a smirk as he walked through them. "Speaking of which come on Gaga, the others are waiting on us!"

"Coming Jackson!"

Seeing the two holographic singers going off, and deciding she could meet and see other singers from human times she chose to follow them. After a few minutes of walking they approached a large platform where some holographic humans were standing and singing some random songs to a large group of mammals who were listening and either taking drinks or eating snacks that had been served.

"Alright let's make room for the professionals!" Gaga said with a cheer as she stepped onto the stage to cheers and applause as the other humans left the stage quickly. "Now you mammals heard a few of my songs so I've been told, but they aint nothing compared to the one who sang em in the first place, hit it!"

Instantly a tune started playing, and she smiled.

"It doesn't matter if you love him… or capital H I M… M… m… m…" She sang as she pointed at them all with both hands. "Just put your paws up… 'Cause you were born this way baby~!"

From around the stage music started blasting and causing everymammal to nod and dance to the beat.

"My mamma told me when I was young, we are all born super stars… she rolled my hair and put my lipstick on, in the glass of her boudoir~!" Gaga sang as her outfit changed in front of their eyes, to something outlandish that not even 'she' could picture herself wearing. "There's nothin wrong with loving who you are she said, cause he made you perfect baby~!"

"So hold your head up girl and you'll go far… listen to me when I say!" She called out as she pointed to the girls in the audience, and winked at 'her'. "I'm beautiful in my, cause God makes nooo mistakes~! I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY, I WAS BOOORN THIS WAY!" She then hugged herself with a smile and shook to the beat. "Don't hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and your set, I'm on the right track baby I WAS BOOORN THIS WAY!"

She watched as Gaga walked down the stage and walked among the crowd singing with them and dancing to the rhythm of the song, singing lyrics of how they should be queens instead of drags, to love themselves and not hide who they are, that all were beautiful in their own unique way. She sang and sang and made Gazelle feel like a member of her own audience that she would no doubt be preaching these words to, even as Gaga walked back up to the stage with a smirk when she was accompanied by other holographic humans.

"Don't be a drag, just be a queen, whether your broke or evergreen, your black, white, beige, chola descent, your Lebanese, your orient~! Whether life's disabilities left you outcast bullied or teased, rejoice and love yourself today, 'cause baby, you were born this way!" She sang to the crowd before they watched as the humans held hands behind her in pairs, three in pairs and one in triple. "No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian transgendered life… I'm on the right track baby, I was born to survive! No matter black, white or beige, chola or orient made~ I'm on the right track baby, I was born to be brave~!"

"I'm beautiful in my, cause God makes nooo mistakes~! I'M ON THE RIGHT TRACK BABY, I WAS BOOORN THIS WAY. Don't hide yourself in regret, just love yourself and your set, I'm on the right track baby I WAS BOOORN THIS WAY!"

She shook and danced, swayed and smiled to the crowd when the music started dying down and she looked at them all sweetly.

"Same DNA… but born this way…" She whispered as the stage emptied and she was left alone.

"Alright my turn darling~!" Michael yelled and Gaga stepped off to let him on now, and the music started up again, and he started tapping his feet to it.

He turned to the crowd and flung his hat off his head, flinging it off into the distance.

"She was more like a beauty queen, from a movie scene… I said I don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one… who will dance, on the floor, in the round…" He sang to the smooth music. "She said I am the one, who will dance, on the floor, in the round…"

He snapped up and pointed to the crowd with a smile.

"She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene… then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one… who will dance, on the floor, in the round…" He smiled as he started alternating his tapping and hopping as if in excitement. "People always told me, be careful of what you do… and don't go around breaking young girls' hearts!" He then grinned almost in mirth as he stared at her with a wink. "And mother always told me, be careful of you who you love, and be careful of what you do, cause the lie becomes the truth, yeahaaaah~!"

He rolled his shoulders and started singing, "Billie Jean, is not my lover… she's just a girl who claims that I am the one... but the kid is not my son…" He shook his head and resumed singing, "She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son… no no…"

She watched as Michael spun around and tap danced to the beat of the music, before once more singing with that same smooth voice, "For forty days and forty nights, I was on her side. But who can stand when she's in demand, her schemes and plans, cause we danced, on the floor, in a round… so, take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice. She told my baby we danced till three, and she looked at me, then showed a photo. My baby cried. His eyes were like mine… can we dance, on the floor, in a round?"

"People always told me, be careful of what you do… and don't go around breaking young girls' hearts!" He sang excitedly as he started walking back and forth on the stage. "But you came and stood right by me, just a smell of sweet perfume. This happened much too soon, she called me to her room, Ohoooh~!"

He and everymammal in the audience, herself included started clapping to the beat as he continued, "Billie Jean, is not my lover… she's just a girl who claims that I am the one... but the kid is not my son…" He shook his head and resumed singing, "She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son… no no…"

The song continued beating and swooning and he clapped with the crowd in time with it, even as he sang and smiled to them. Then at one point he paused in his singing to look at them, and then started walking 'backwards', but his feet moved like they were going 'forward'. Everymammal screamed in surprise as he did that, and he smiled before resuming singing.

"She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son… no no no… Billie Jean, is not my lover, she's just a girl who claims that I am the one… but the kid is not my son… she says I am the one… but the kid is not my son…"

Gazelle just felt like a schoolgirl as she watched these humans singing and dancing, she wanted to find out more, hear more, learn more… she wanted to know how Jackson did that 'backwards walk' or whatever it was called. She wanted to know who did Gaga's wardrobe, her outfits, EVERYTHING… but she had little time before she noticed a glowing entity beside her.

Right next to her she saw a tall bird with exotic colored tailfeathers, proud and long wings that were colors of the rainbow, a short beak and gentle expression on its face while it stood on two long and slender legs looking at the stage and swaying in tune with the music, just as she had moments ago been doing. Once she noticed the bird it turned to her and smiled, only blinking its eyes to signal that it acknowledged her.

"Are you… my spirit guide by any chance?"

The bird nodded as it pointed at her phone, and she pulled it out to show a 'spirit found' message.

"You are so… beautiful and… elegant and… pretty." She said.

Her phone beeped and her spirit guide smiled warmly, with the message saying [You are too~]. Then her bird guide nodded at the stage, and the crowd, and said, [Enjoying being on the other side for once?]

She looked at the stage and watched as both Michael and Gaga were now dancing together with another human woman singing 'I need a Hero'. Normally she was on the stage, singing to the crowd, making their day better, doing her hardest to put on her best performance for them. This was honestly the first time, in a very long time… where she was in the crowd, just having a good time and not caring about anything else but the music and performance on the stage.

"Yes… it's been a long time since… I was in the crowd." She muttered to her spirit guide.

Her guide smiled warmly and nodded in understanding, [As long as you love you, the crowd will love you… so you will 'always' be a part of the crowd.]

She smiled warmly and nodded at her guide's advice.

[How is Jeremy, do you love him, are you happy with him… does he make you feel whole?]

"That's a stupid question, of course I do I've never been happier with anymammal as I have been with him." She said instantly. "I love him, I'm happy with him… and he does make me feel whole."

Her guide nodded in agreement with a gentle smile. [As do I, I miss my other half though… so let's go find it…]

"Everybody… rock your body…"

She looked up and saw four human males now singing on the stage causing girls to scream like fans as they started up another song. Her phone beeped and she saw her guide had sent another message saying, [After this song though…]

"Everybody… rock your body right…" They sang gently before screaming, "Backstreet's back ALRIGHT!"

Over with Judy and Nick who were just walking into the park after picking up and escorting Judy's parents who were able to find a babysitter for the night and were visiting Zootopia to check out the festival.

"Wow, I have never seen so many humans, I thought Jeremy was the only one where did they all come from?" Stu asked as a pair of human women in strange dresses walked past them, conversing with several sheep.

"They aren't real dad, they're holograms, fakes. You can't touch them, they can't touch you, but you can still interact with them." Judy explained having gotten used to human technology thanks to Jeremy. "Jeremy and Aelita must have worked very hard to get this working."

"Ya know with all of this fancy human technology, it's hard to remember that we're a 'modern' society, you'd think with all of this we were living in caves still. By the way Judy keep an eye out for our spirit guides." Nick said as he followed behind his fiancé. "I'm eager to see what our spirit guides look like; they supposedly represent who we are on the inside."

"I'm interested to know too Nick; I wonder what our spirit guides look like." Judy said excitedly. "According to the ticket they can be 'anything' practically."

"As long as its nothing scary." Bonnie said.

"Oh, honey let Judy and Nick have their fun, this is a festival, a party, aint nothing better than a little fun and what is that?" Stu said as he noticed a large green 'insect' machine, a drone probably, walking around on two slender legs and arms.

"I never saw that drone before, must be a new one Jeremy made." Judy said, walking over to the drone as it stopped to look at a few flowers. "Hey there drone, uh who are you and did Jeremy build you?"

The drone turned to her and stared with green optics. [Why hello there, I am SH-1-ZU, but you can refer to me by my more common name of Shizu!] Shizu said warmly, standing up on her two legs to stare down at them all. [I am a generation 1 Aggricultral Mantis Class drone, I predate the Eden Facility and all of the other drones inside and around here. My job is to facilitate and tend to the Hydroponics Bay, grow and nurture plants for consumption.]

"You're a Farmer drone?" Stu asked instantly, stepping forward. "Why I'm a farmer too, Stu Hopps, own a family farm up in Bunny Burrows for generations, this is my wife Bonnie, my daughter Judy and my son in law Nick!"

[A pleasure to meet you, yes, I am a 'farmer' drone, although that is a rather focused term to describe what I do.] Shizu said eagerly. [The creator species built me to be capable of nurturing, tending, and growing all variety of plants. When I was repurposed to Eden Facility 17, I was chosen with other models to help grow and sustain the population within. Alas my fellow Mantis drones did not make it as our convoy was attacked, and only I remained. I have served Eden Facility 17 since, and am pleased to once again be of service to the creator species. I grew 'all' of the vegetables and fruits you are consuming today, over the past three weeks.]

"You grew 'all of that'?" Bonnie and Stu asked.

[Indeed, I am very pleased with how it all went. The soil I was provided was most wonderful, I was able to increase production tenfold thanks to the lack of radiation and chemical poisons I was used to working with prior to being reactivated. The soil nutrients were most rich and provided ample food for the crops I grew.]

"How did you grow all of that in three weeks, and just to ask, if you can grow anything why did Jeremy not use his base to grow his tree?" Stu asked suddenly.

[Why that is obvious, the Hydroponics bay is roughly ninety meters by fifty meters in diameter, but only has a ceiling height limit of nine feet.] Shizu answered instantly, almost eagerly. [Furthermore, the Hydroponics Bay cannot support trees of any kind due to how tall they can become and how much space one requires. Eden Facilities 9 and 2 were capable of growing trees, but Eden Facility 17 was not.]

"Well that would explain it." Stu agreed. "So how did you grow your crops so fast and in such large amounts?"

[We use a special mist coated in a delicately crafted radiation that sits above the soil, feeding and speeding up the various chemical reactions that take place in a plant's growth cycle. The mist also provides nourishment for plants by soaking the soil with water while artificially created sunlight provides the energy needed for photosynthesis. The radiation speeds up the growth cycle, the greater the density of the mist and the radiation, the faster growth is inspired.] Shizu explained. [The downside is that when the mist is used in this manner, the soil's nutrients are dried up rapidly, and the soil becomes worthless after a period of time, incapable of growing anything. This is what happened after three weeks, the soil was used up, and food production was halted. There is also no damage or side effects caused by the radiation, it is completely harmless to humans and mammal, only plant growth is affected.]

"That is 'fascinating'." Stu said in amazement. "How did you get over the issue of weed seeds constantly being found in the soil? Cause I'm curious you know, we have weeds all the time up on the farm and those things are super annoying to clear out, I spent one week with the kids and workers just 'digging out' weed seeds and the little buggers are just still there!"

Nick and Judy just shook their heads as Shizu spoke to her parents eagerly about the topic of farming.

"Ya know something tells me your dad found a new farming buddy." Nick whispered.

"Oh yea, he did."

So, they just stood there watching as her parents conversed with the drone for a while longer until a minor commotion took place nearby. A group of hippos were getting out of the way of a holographic, creature, that looked very similar to a Raptor drone. It stood on two tri-toed feet and powerful legs with the body and head of a raptor, but its arms which bent and curved had massive Flutterbug wings that ended with protruding feathers. It looked around and occasionally opened its mouth like it was talking or making random sounds to reveal a combination of sharp and flat teeth.

The moment Judy's eyes, and its eyes made contact it focused on her and started walking toward her.

"Oh, dear is-is that thing friendly?" Bonnie asked quickly.

[Oh, miss Bonnie, there is nothing to worry about, it is only a hologram, it cannot harm you.] Shizu said sweetly.

"At least I hope it can't." Judy said as it reached them and towered over them all, only dwarfed by Shizu.

It bent down and sniffed her, before pretending to lick her face. Seconds later hers and Nick's phones beeped, and they checked to see the message 'Spirit Found' on both their phones.

Judy looked up at the 'raptor' spirit guide and stared in awe at it. "Are you 'my' spirit guide?" She asked.

The spirit nodded with a happy hop, mirroring how a 'bunny' would hop in excitement.

"My spirit guide, is a raptor… why is mine a 'predator?" She asked in amazement.

"You got me Judy; how can you possibly be that scary on the inside?" Stu muttered.

"Yea rabbits are not violent by nature." Bonnie said.

"Yea well where's my spirit guide, we found yours so where is mine?" Nick said as he looked around for another glowing spirit guide.

"Uh, Nick…" Judy said as she stared at his back.

"What?"

"She took a picture of his back and then showed him the image, and right after his 'spirit' made its presence known.

His glowing spirit guide compared to Judy's was small, tiny, with a Flutterbug's tiny body and massive feathery wings that had flowing feathers which were three times the body's size. It flapped before Nick and hovered in front of his surprised, and disappointed expression written on his face.

"You're kidding… you get a giant predator with predator and prey teeth… and I get a tiny bug with oversized wings?" Nick muttered in slight disgust. "How is 'this', supposed to be me on the inside?"

"I think it really fits you Nick, and it looks so adorable and pretty…" Judy said as his spirit flapped over to hers to look into its face.

There was a moment where Judy's spirit simply looked at his, before it closed its eyes and nuzzled his spirit, and his rested on her spirit's nose. "Oh, that is the sweetest thing ever." Bonnie said happily.

"So how do they represent 'us' on the inside Carrots?" Nick asked Judy sarcastically while their spirits continued to 'cuddle' in their own way.

"Elementary my good sir." A posh voice said suddenly.

They turned, Shizu included, to look up at a holographic human who was wearing a uniquely designed hat and holding a curved pipe in his hands while smirking at them in an outfit that made Judy think he was some kind of 'official' or something else important.

"And you are?" Judy asked curiously, forgetting that the human was a hologram and it was actually just Aelita.

"Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, 'Consulting Detective' at your service." He said with a smile as he knelt to address them all. "So, you wish to know more about your 'spirit guides', am I correct Nick?"

"You're a detective?" Judy asked eagerly.

"Consulting Detective, and no, I'm not a real human, I'm actually a fictional character, but I can more than easily explain your spirit guides."

"And how can you do that?" Nick asked with a smirk.

"Eyes and brains Nick, eyes and brains." Holmes said with a smile as he got up and turned to the spirits. "Let's start with your spirit, since you're so interested my foxy friend. Your spirit is the simplest to figure out since there's only two parts to it."

Nick's spirit guide continued to snuggle against Judy's while he pulled a cane out and pointed at the small Flutterbug with giant wings.

"Eyes and brains, starting with eyes. This bug is referred to as a 'Flutterbug', or by human terms a Butterfly. Butterflies often represent innocence and more specifically the innocence of one's soul." Holmes explained. "This one was discovered planted on your back, more specifically your heart, correct?"

They nodded as the bug flapped and landed over onto Nick's shoulder to rest there.

"Moving on to brains, the reason why it was planted on your heart, more specifically on your back, was because you didn't want it to be seen. Of course, you wouldn't want it to be seen, your too proud to admit that something so, 'cute' was there, what with your history and all…" Holmes said with a smirk to Nick, who frowned back at him.

"Hey, I did what I needed to do to make a living on the streets alright." Nick said back in a tone that said, 'shut up about my past'.

"As you say my fine sir, as you say." He replied with an equal tone that said, 'if you insist'. "Back to eyes, these rather overly sized wings that you were quite disappointed about, are actually the wings of a phoenix, a beautiful and very powerful bird in human lore. There are many myths and legends about the bird, and the wings of a phoenix means that your spirit carries that representation with it, more specifically the image of 'rebirth'. Tell me, do you know what a phoenix is?" When they said no, he explained, "A phoenix is a mythical bird that has magical powers, but the most commonly associated one is that it 'never' dies. When a Phoenix is about to die, it bursts into flames, and from the ashes a new bird is born to begin life all over again."

"Now to brains, your spirit's association with the phoenix means that you went through a rebirth, a renewal of your life… a life you're not too proud of now but has given you insight and wisdom that you carry with you in your 'new' life. Eyes and Brains once more, the reason why your spirit is so small, is because it reflects that childhood you once had, that spark of innocence you once lost… when something happened that changed you deeply, and you tried to bury it… or am I mistaken?"

Nick just stared in shock as this hologram nailed 'everything' down to a letter. Nick never talked about his past to Jeremy/Aelita, so how could they have figured that out? But he had to give credit where credit was due, this 'Sherlock Holmes' personality was extremely good. "No… I think you are right."

"Eyes and brains Nick, eyes and brains. Now on to 'your' spirit my effeminate hare. Yours is no more complicated but no less important, starting with eyes, yours has an overall shape of a raptor, a most intelligent and deadly predator if ever there was one." He said as her spirit watched the exchange. "To brains, the raptor represents your inner strength, your determination, your 'ferocity' that you had to have in order to get to where you are now. You faced great trials and adversity in order to achieve your dreams, and even when you had all but given up on them, you still had that determination to do the right thing. Eyes, the teeth are both sharp and flat, brains, they are flat to speak of your prey instincts and sharp to reflect on your 'predator' surroundings. The butterfly wings, or flutterbug wings however you wish to say it, represent your genuine goodness and purity of soul, you 'want' to do good, not for the sake of money, fame, or even excitement but for the sake of doing good! The feathers are rather obvious, you like to stand out. And to further reflect this, your spirit did not try to hide from you as Nick's did, only revealing itself when it was discovered… a trait no doubt you are aware of, not trying to 'hide in the crowd' of your fellow predator officers and instead showing yourself to be just as capable a cop as they are, despite your small size and prey nature." He smiled as both spirits again cuddled one another, with Nick's landing on Judy's nose and hers nuzzling his warmly. "And even though its rather obvious, 'opposites' attract, it is most easy to understand why you two are such a perfect pair and work so well together."

Holmes smiled as Judy was amazed at his deduction skills, able to tell 'everything' with just a look and his knowledge.

"Wow…" Judy said.

"Observation and deduction. I use my eyes to perceive and my brains to understand."

"And you're just a 'character'?" Nick asked with a smirk.

"A character yes, the author who wrote my many cases and journeys goes by the name Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but there are many more journeys, more cases, more stories about me written by others. Perhaps you would like to read some of them?" He asked Judy who nodded eagerly. "Hold out your phone."

She did as was asked and showed him her phone, and he simply bent down to wave his hand over it, and stood back up.

"There you go, I've left all the books in an 'application', or 'app' as you like to put it, to view and read at your leisure." He said while tipping his hat to them. "I take my leave of you all, enjoy the festival… come Shizu, there's a case involving a mammal's missing hat that I've accepted, and your 'unique' skills would be most appreciated. I expect it to be quite the amusing diversion…"

[It would be my pleasure to join you!] Shizu declared eagerly.

"Come then, the game is afoot!" He declared before once again tipping his hat to them all. "I bid you adieu!"

He turned to leave and paused for a second to turn around and beckon Judy and Nick to him.

"One last thing, before I forget… never forget this phrase." He said. "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains… however improbable… must be the truth. You may find it helpful someday."

With that he finally nodded and left, leaving them all amazed at what they just witnessed.

"I am so glad we got a babysitter so we could come up here, we would have missed all the fun." Stu said.

"Your telling me." Bonnie replied as they started walking to check out some other parts of the festival.

Meanwhile, on a prison bus, several convicted mammals were being transported to Zootopia Central Park to enjoy as festival as a reward for 'good behavior' for an extended period of time. Among these mammals were many large predators, but at the back of the bus sitting alone and staring out at the city she once controlled, was Dawn Bellwether, who's diminutive stature made her very hard to spot on the bus. She sat on the bench just staring out of the window, trying to enjoy what little 'freedom' she was afforded now on this trip.

She had spent the last year in prison, under constant watch, eating crummy food, trying to ignore all of the predators, and just basically get through her new life behind bars. Oh, she'd been a 'good sheep', she'd behaved, how else was she to survive, she couldn't fight the other inmates.

"It is nice to see the city again…" She muttered.

She didn't know what kind of festival they were having in Zootopia, having worked for Lionheart she knew what times all the big holiday celebrations were, there weren't any scheduled at this time. She was also wondering why they weren't being escorted with more cops or security personnel, the only security they had were two cops, one driving the other watching them unblinkingly with a loaded rifle.

She didn't get to hear much of the news while in prison, her sentence being life in prison, maybe fifty years with good behavior. And of course, she would never have a chance of getting a job after getting out.

Either way she looked; she was 'never' leaving that prison.

"Alright mammals, we've arrived at our destination!" The driver shouted as they stopped at the park near an entrance with ZPD officers watching it. "All of you leave the bus and line up with your backs against the bus, keep your hands behind your backs at all times, and no funny business! We have cops at every corner and tags on each of you!"

She got up and walked slowly behind a lumbering rhino, keeping her hands behind her back as ordered.

As she was last to walk out, she walked to the very end of the line and stood, waiting for their next instructions.

However, their supervising security officer just nodded and turned to the front of the bus. "Alright they're all yours!" He yelled.

-Clang, Clang, Clank, Clank-

She leaned just a bit to see what was making the sound and panicked as she saw a metallic 'predator', thing, 'something' walking on two strong and sturdy legs which ended in very sharp metallic toes, with one on each foot being longer than the others. Its profile was taller than her by many feet, and it had two arms ending in clawed hands, with a metallic tail swinging from side to side every so often. Its face was narrow and angular, with two glowing yellow eyes and a mouth of razor-sharp teeth showing. It stared at all of them and several glowing lines shot out and swept over them all.

'Wh… what is 'that'?' She thought fearfully as the light swept over her. 'I never saw anything like 'THAT' ever being worked on… who funded that thing?'

Its eyes changed colors to red, and then back to yellow. [Genetic scans completed and uploaded to Sentinel AI; all units have a positive lock on your bio signatures.] It stated in a cold, metallic voice. [Attention Convicted Felons… you are about to enter the 'Day of the Dead' festival, a human festival that is being hosted for the enjoyment of mammal citizens of Zootopia.]

At the words 'human', a chord struck her mind, something about the term just screamed at her.

[You each will be escorted by a DOG drone at all times, your positions will be monitored, your actions observed, and your words 'cataloged'.] It stated while marching up and down the line, staring each mammal in the eye and causing them to look afraid. [If any unit loses sight of you for more than 'three' seconds, without you actively attempting to find your escort, a general alert will be sounded, and RAPTOR units sent to neutralize and capture you. You will then be turned over to the nearest ZPD representative, returned to this bus, and your current sentence extended by 'five' additional years. This unit that is talking to you, is a 'RAPTOR' drone, identical units are posted throughout the park, and are monitoring all activity at all times!]

It turned to her now and she nervously tried to stay back from it, but it kept the distance between her and it.

[You will have permission to walk around the park, and enjoy the festival for six hours, when it is time to leave your escort will notify you, and escort you back to the bus where you will be returned to prison and serve out your time. While in the festival, you will 'not' be permitted to approach the human Jeremy Wilheart. You are not to attempt to gain his attention, you are not to communicate with him, and you are not to follow him to observe him. Any attempts, will be 'noted' and prevented.] It then backed up and looked at the group as a whole. [Is there 'any' confusion about these conditions?]

She stayed silent as she had no clue as to what was going on, just afraid of upsetting this metal predator. It nodded and turned to 'more' machines that were reminiscent of wolves, march forward, step in front of each of them, and sat waiting.

[These are your 'escort' drones… do not attempt to escape them… all units are monitoring you… this is your 'only' warning.] It snarled before showing its teeth to them all. [Enjoy the festival… you are required to enter the park now.]

It then clanked off and out of sight.

With that they were all permitted to enter the park, one by one with their 'drone' escorts by their sides. She glanced at the machine and it just followed beside her, not paying attention to her or acknowledging her presence.

"So uh, what 'company' made you?" She asked.

[Proceed into the park…] It stated.

She nodded and walked forward, past the officers taking tickets and laughing at jokes being made. When she entered the park the first thing she saw, were…

"Sp… sp… 'spirits'?" She gasped in amazement.

There were glowing, spirits… real spirits, everywhere. Conversing with mammals, conversing with each other, talking, laughing, drinking and having fun. She saw them EVERYWHERE!

"But, that's impossible… spirits can't be real… that was all just superstitious nonsense…" She muttered as she walked forward. "Wasn't it?"

"Hey… is that… is that 'Bellwether'?" A mammal asked somemammal.

She looked over and saw that it was a sheep, talking to some other sheep, probably 'sisters' or 'brothers' of their branch of the religion judging by how they all had similarly cared for wool.

"What is 'she' doing here?"

"She doesn't deserve to be here after what she did."

"She doesn't belong here." A young sheep muttered.

"After she turned on the spirits and betrayed them, she doesn't belong anywhere 'near' a spirit!"

"Wait… are… these 'real' spirits?" She asked quickly.

"Get lost!" One yelled as they threw a wrapper at her. "Get your traitorous hide out of this beautiful festival, and stay away from our 'spirits' graves!"

"And keep away from Jeremy, after what you did, we don't want you making 'our' species look bad to him!"

She flinched at their harsh words, but the feeling that her own kind, the species she favored most 'despite' her views against predators… hated her so much, hurt her deeper than anything else. They left, stalking away and shunning her from view. Other mammals did the same, predator especially as she walked through the festival, calling her names and telling her to get lost.

She knew this should have been expected, but it hurt so much…

She walked over to a booth to hide from sight, and just sat there, wishing she were back at the prison now.

"Mr. machine… can you tell me… what a human is?" She asked. "Are they… really the spirits of my religion?"

It turned to her and nodded. [Humans are referred to by all drones as the 'Creator Species'… they have built 'all' artificial intelligences and all drone lines. In recent months, it has been confirmed that they are the 'spirits' according to sheep via genetic memory passed down through generations.] It stated. [Humans existed long before current 'mammals' existed in their current form, their reign over the planet ended approximately over three hundred and fifty thousand years ago, due to the results of the 'Ironic War', which was a result of the 'Final War'.]

"They exist… they've always existed?" She asked.

[Affirmative.]

She turned to stare at the ground, and just closed her eyes and 'wept'. How could she be so 'stupid', what was she thinking, turning on her religion. It was all true… the spirits, the roots, the branches, 'everything' had been true. And she just turned on it, turned against her species' protectors, her gods practically… all because she didn't believe the texts, the words of her pastors after all of the mistreatment she endured at the hands of predators.

She didn't believe in the spirits because, what spirit, if they were so protective of her species, why would they have let her suffer so?

She cried angrily, and smacked the ground in frustration.

"Why… where were you?" She yelled furiously. "Where have you been… where have you 'been'?"

She smacked the ground again; imagining all of those spirits she saw walking around. Where were they when she was bullied so often by predators in her youth and all of her life? Where were they when she was belittled and biased against her when she was in the workforce? Why is it only 'now' when she's behind bars for the rest of her life, do they appear and prove 'everything' she once believed in was a lie is actually true?

"Where… where were you… when I was 'younger'… when I was still innocent… when I NEEDED you?" She screamed to only the dirt. "Where… when I needed you to protect me, like they always say you do… where was MY spirit… when I needed them most. When… they could have saved me, could have stopped me… why do they only appear before me now… WHEN I'M THIS!?"

"Waaaah hahah haaaaah…" She cried, mattering her wool and orange prison suit with her tears. "Waaaa haaahah haaaaa…"

"It is hard to be there for someone in life, when you are not among the living." A gentle voice declared.

She looked up to see a human wearing a brown tunic with a triple-spiral symbol on it, simple trousers and a greenish hood over his head, while hanging from a belt on his waste was a curved sickle as he sat before her.

"You're… why are you talking to me… I am unworthy to even be in your presence…" She muttered as she turned away. "You heard what they said… you heard how they treat me… after all I've done… I don't deserve to be here… let alone speak to a spirit…"

"That is true, you have done wrong, you admit it yourself… but if I approach you then you cannot tell me you are unworthy of simple conversation with a human who no longer lives." He said with a smile. "What we do in life echoes for years to come, it is the way of the world that all things are connected. Just as you are connected to the world, the world is connected to you…"

She slowly turned toward the spirit and looked into his gentle expression, his flat face, his furless body. And she had to admit that he had a point.

"Why are you here?" She asked.

"It is the day of the Annwn, the day of the dead, while on this day the veil between the mortal realm and the realm of the dead is at its weakest, and it permits us to join the living for but a short time. For this brief period of time, we can walk and talk among you, share in your life… share in that we no longer can. And now I choose to share some of that time with you, if you will permit me that is."

She was quiet as she sat there until she heard some laughter nearby which caught her attention. She got up and walked to the corner of the booth to see a spirit that 'wasn't' glowing conversing with none other than 'Gazelle', who was showing off a new dress she was wearing. A very 'slim' dress which ended in slits and points, cut halfway down the length so it split to reveal her legs and wearing a pointed hat. She laughed at something and put a similar hat to hers on him, and they started waving little sticks which caused sparks to erupt, amazing and aweing those around.

"Is… that?" She asked.

"Yes… that is Jeremy Wilheart… last living human on the entire planet." The glowing human said. "He is all that remains of us as a species, all that is left to tell of us and to share with you of who we were…"

She wanted to talk to him, she wanted to meet a 'living' spirit, and tried to move forward.

The instant she tried, a charging sound occurred, and she looked to see her 'escort' pointing a weapon at her which had a laser sight aimed at her chest, and its eyes glowing red with teeth bared menacingly.

[Do not attempt to approach the human, you are forbidden from approaching as per the terms of permitting you entry into the festival.]

"But… I'm just a sheep." She tried to plead. "I'm not a predator I have no fangs, claws, I don't have strong muscles I'm really tiny and weak and…"

In response it growled and focused the weapon on her heart, giving her its answer.

[Do. Not. Approach. Final warning.]

She turned to the glowing spirit with a pleading expression. "Can't you convince it I'm not a threat… if it's protecting that spirit it will listen to you right? I'm not a threat, I can't hurt him, I don't want to hurt him!"

He shook his head sadly. "While I can walk and talk, I am no more than a spectator of the world, I can no more command it to let you approach him, then I can touch your wool and feel its softness. The living and the dead are not permitted to interact, it is the way of the universe."

She frowned in despair as she looked back at Jeremy, and lamented again, about how 'stupid' she was and how stupid she is for hating predators. Because of that, she could not approach a true Spirit, a real spirit.

He was talking to mammals, who were eager to talk to him, who laughed and joked with him and Gazelle as other 'spirits' wearing robes and pointed hats explained things she couldn't hear. She watched the glowing spirits make a gesture, and he and Gazelle repeated the gesture and they saw something 'explode' on top of his head, causing his hair to temporarily vanish, leaving him bald, which got everymammal laughing before it eventually reappeared on Gazelle's head now. They both laughed as his hair jumped up and started 'dancing' to everyone's amusement, and eventually it returned to his head.

She stared at him, that 'human', the spirit… to her he seemed to glow, radiate this warmth as the mammals started taking his and Gazelle's place with the glowing spirits, and they started moving off. He glowed with warmth; he had this air of kindness… that she just wanted to get closer to him just to 'talk' to him.

But even as her foot moved the 'tiniest' bit closer, she heard the machine charging its weapon and 'snarl' once again.

She closed her eyes and accepted her fate, she was unworthy to be near him… unworthy to be near an angel, a spirit. She was unworthy to approach one whom she not only had forsaken, but blamed for all of her past problems. She blamed the spirits for not protecting her from the predators of her youth bullying her, and when she had no spirit to blame, she blamed all predators and believed them to be arrogant jerks. And so, this was her punishment, banished from sheep society, outcast from mammal society, and now forbidden from approaching her species' protectors and caretakers.

"Do not be disheartened, for now this must be, but in time, perhaps, when you have righted that which you have set wrong, and restored the honor you have lost which will prove yourself to others… perhaps then you will finally meet him face to face." The spirit said calmly to her, before he proceeded to get up. "I must go now, time flutters as the leaves in the wind, and there is somewhere I must be."

"W-wait, where are you going?" She asked quickly, trying to stay close to the 'one' spirit that approached her and was treating her with even the smallest semblance of respect.

"My brothers and sisters are teaching the ways of my people, to your people, we are imparting our knowledge unto them, so that when the veil between our worlds once more is solid, a small part of us will forever linger on here, even if that small part is but a distant memory in the mind of a youth's imagination…" He said calmly as he walked.

She just watched him go and sighed as she figured she was better off not following him, until she saw… glowing 'sheep' walking on all fours follow the man. The lone glowing sheep had a bell, looked at her for only a moment, before turning back to the spirit and following after him.

As if she felt compelled, she followed the glowing spirit and her glowing ancestor, ignored the looks of distrust, some insults, and the distance mammals were putting between them and her. She followed him for quite some distance, almost crossing half the park in the process until he walked between two posts baring hanging signs with what looked like ancient runes of a language she couldn't decipher or understand, but one symbol was most present, a triple-spiral, the same symbol on the spirit's tunic that she saw. She gulped as she walked through the posts and entered.

She looked around the enclosed space to see mammals talking and observing spirits as they sat cross-legged, talking and giving demonstrations. Each of them wore similar outfits, though some had different items adorned on their clothes. She watched as one spirit was playing a musical instrument for them and humming for mammals who listened with quiet enjoyment. Another spirit was teaching medical practices, talking about herbs and remedies for ailments quite common to mammals. A third was pointing up at the night sky and describing each of the stars. A fourth was seated before a fire in the middle of the room and was using his hands to gesture toward it, and creating fantastical smoke images that varied in color to the awe and wonder of his onlookers. Sitting on a branch was a crooning bird of dark, glowing and watching her with its keen and unwavering gaze, while sitting on a small nest made of sticks sat a small plucky bird, apparently asleep.

"I see you have made your way to us." A gentle voice said to her.

She turned and saw the spirit from before smiling at her as he beckoned her to sit with him before the fire.

Glancing at all of the other mammals, she gulped and sat down with him, and instantly was noticed.

"What is 'she' doing here?" A female jaguar snarled as she was spotted. "She doesn't deserve to be at this festival for what she did!"

"Yea get her out of here!"

"And what did she do that warrants such venom?" An elderly voice declared.

Bellwether turned as all of the glowing spirits stood up and bowed respectfully as a new glowing spirit appeared before them all. This human was older than the others, wore a white tunic, walked with an elaborate staff that was as long as they were tall carved with symbols, carried strings of plants and berries, and had a hooded robe covering their head and trailing behind them. Their clothes looked, thanks to her knowledge of wool, to be made of sheep wool. Along their belt, just like the first spirit she spoke too, was a sickle, but unlike his, this spirit's sickle had a golden blade, with a handle made of some whiteish wood with a carved symbol on it.

She expected him just by his appearance to be some kind of scary-authoritarian individual, but as she stared into his eyes, and his stared back at her, she only saw a gentle, caring expression toward her.

"Please, pardon me for my lateness, and let me introduce myself…" He declared and all of the other spirits sat once more. "I am the Archdruid, Caoraich Air Chall, but you may call me Caoraich" He walked around to the head of the fireplace, and as he did, Bellwether just sensed the change in attitude from 'everymammal'.

When he entered, all became silent, all became respectful, none of the others spoke until he stood at the center of their attention.

"Now tell me welcomed visitors, why do you all harbor such hatred for one so small?"

"She's the old 'assistant mayor' Bellwether, who tried to turn all prey against predators!" The jaguar said. "She drugged several of us and tried to make every mammal think we were going 'savage' because it was in our 'instinct'!

From around the room both predator, and prey, agreed and said the same thing.

She expected this Archdruid to heed their words, and tell her that she must leave, instead he smiled and looked to her. "Is what they say true?"

She stared at the archdruid and looked down in shame, before nodding.

"Why did you do it?"

"Because she thinks all predators were arrogant and she hates us!"

She flinched at those words, it might have been true at one point, but she didn't get a chance to answer the Archdruid's question, and decided that might as well be the answer for all the good it will do.

"That is your answer… but what is 'your' answer, little sheep?"

She slowly looked up into his face and stared at his still gentle expression, and gulped before giving her answer.

"I… I just… I hated all predators; I just thought all predators were jerks… arrogant jerks who pushed prey around because we're weak." She was silent before continuing so she could just get it out. "So, I wanted to make all of those predators who always thought of prey as being inferior, all of them feel just as outcast and belittled. They always made me feel weak and made me feel pathetic, acted like I wasn't important or didn't matter, so I wanted them to feel the same way because they WERE!"

"And why do you think that?" He asked yet again in a calm tone, despite the growls taking place around her. "One does think such a broad description, without a reason…"

She was silent as she had never been asked that before, not once has 'any' mammal ever asked her 'why' she thinks all predators are jerks or why she hated them so much. "Because… I was bullied." She explained quietly, with only the crackling of the fire giving off any sound. "I was bullied by predators when I was younger… and nomammal ever stopped them. W-when I was older, I was always mocked or pushed around by predators, no predator ever took me seriously or… anything. So…"

"So, you never saw anything but the worst… and because of that, you became what you are." The Archdruid declared, and then with but a glance, and a nod, all of the other spirits stood up and walked to stand next to him on either side. "Do you regret your mistake, and wish… if you could take it all back, that you would indeed take it all back?"

She sighed and glanced at all of the mammals around her. "I do." She replied. "I was wrong… I didn't… I'm just so sorry for what I did…"

"We druids have heard of the accusations, and have heard your case Bellwether, and as such we are ready to make our judgment."

"J-judgment but…" She said suddenly as she looked up.

"You have come here to learn of the ways of the Druids as those around you are also doing, it is an ancient doctrine that has existed for many moons and many seasons, longer than man truly knows, and has roots in most ancient realms. You came here to learn the ways of the druids, but those around you do not wish you here, their accusations are true as you claim they are… and you have given the only justification you have to offer, the only defense you have. We have the final say if you will be permitted to learn of our ways…" He declared as he wrapped his robes around his body so that only his head was visible. "We now cast our judgment…"

He looked up and she watched as the little bird she had seen nesting, suddenly flapped and flew over to land on her shoulder. She felt fear as they stared, as if waiting for its reaction, as if the 'bird' was the judge and they were simply its messengers. She watched nervously as it looked at her, turning and twisting its head every few seconds as a haunting hum filled the room while the instrument that was being played before played once more. Each second her heat beat louder and louder as she waited.

Then the bird chirped, and flew away, landing in its nest again.

"The Wren has spoken… and the testimony of the Wren is 'final'." He said as he lifted his arm out of his robes, and produced a small crooked stick with his free hand, adorned with tiny silvery bells, and waved it to create the ringing effect.

As one all of the humming stopped, and he replaced the small stick into the folds of his robes.

"Our judgment is thus… and it is final." He repeated. "You are worthy to learn our ways." He smiled as the other druids behind him bowed respectfully. "No living being is perfect, even gods are not perfect. Have you made a mistake? Yes. Do you regret your actions… yes?"

He looked around and all of the other druids stepped back to give him space, and he commanded all of their attention as the flame changed color.

"You must remember that we are all a part, of the grand design." He chanted as he flung his free hand forward, and sprayed something that caused the flame's smoke to change shape. "No one is truly perfect, we all have flaws inside… the world makes us what we are, but only by learning of the world and each other can we understand our lives…"

From around the trees in the grove a haunting melody came to sound, with hums and chants.

"Like the rain that fills the ocean… like the storm that shakes the pine…"

"We are all a part… of the grand design."

"The land no more belongs to us, then the eagle owns the skies…"

"We must understand ourselves, to understand you and I!"

She watched as various shapes appeared in the smoke, and stared in wonder as she watched the shapes tell a tale, not unlike her own. She watched the shapes of humans persecuting other humans, images and shapes going by, each equally strange and each equally beautiful.

"We are one with what's around us, brothers to all we see…"

"The one thing we will surely learn… as we walk the path of time…"

"No one can ever rise above… for we are all a part of the grand design…"

After the singing and chanting ended, the fire returned to normal, and soon the druids were now leading the mammals deeper into the grove to teach them more about Druidism, to learn of those they called the 'Fair Folk', but when she tried to join, the Archdruid touched her shoulder and shook his head.

"Why did you stop me from going with them?" She asked.

"Because I wanted to ask you… I have walked among the others of your kind." He said as he stood over her. "Why do you believe your spirit abandoned you, and why did you abandon your spirit. I know of the religion your kind has… so why do you believe we forsook you in your saddest times?"

"Because… because…" She said before looking into the flame and sighing sadly. "Why didn't the spirits protect me, when I needed them most… when I was desperate, they let me suffer."

He was silent as she finished explaining, before he patted her shoulder in understanding.

"Many humans believe they have a spirit animal… and your kind believe that human spirits watch over you. One thing you must understand… is that no matter who you are, a spirit will always guide you and watch over you. Even if they are not there to be seen by you…" He said as he waved his staff at the flame, and it changed colors once again. "We each have a journey that we must follow, and along our journey our spirit will guide over us… every step of the way…"

"What are you doing...?"

"Shedding light… where the darkness lies…" He said. "Your spirit will light your journey… as it begins in the heart…"

"You must go to east… go to the west… the road is rocky, and the way is far…" He sang as he flung stuff into the fire, making it rise and grow brighter. "It's a dangerous trail… a difficult quest… if you want to know… who you really are!"

From the fire smoke rose and took on shapes, a sheep being pointed at, laughing faces surrounding a frowning one.

"There are voices all around you… to comfort and to guide you…" The singing continued as she watched smoke rising in the shapes of stars, leaves, and roots of a tree. "Fathers and teachers… powerful creatures… and a voice that sings inside you!"

Quicker than she could see, he waved his staff through the smoke as he walked behind her.

"Or you can turn back around!" A bear's head snarled as the smoke took on its shape.

"Run along home…" A wolf sneered now.

"Back to the place where your friends are!" Sheep now sang mockingly.

"Perhaps that is best… you need the rest… who wants to go on a ridiculous quest?" Herself sang as she pushed through the smoke, before vanishing in a wisp of wind.

But the smoke changed shapes again and slowly took on her form…

"Unless you want to know… you truly want to know… unless you want to know…"

"Who you really are…" The Archdruid sang gently to her.

The smoky shape took her form, and she saw herself, holding a staff as tall as she was in one hand, a small stick adorned with little bells in the other, a robe around her body, a hood over her head, and a sickle hanging from her waste… before it vanished and the flames returned to normal.

"Caoraich, are you my spirit?" She asked eagerly as she turned around to look at him.

Only he was gone, and lying before her, was a small sickle, with the triple spiral pattern emblazoned on it. It fit her hand perfectly as she held it.

"To become a Druid… you must become a poet, a judge, a healer, a historian, a philosopher, a mathematician… and a priest…" A haunting voice called from around her. "The journey will be long, and hard, you will be tested, you will be mocked, you will be persecuted… but the rewards… will be boundless… when the time comes… you will be allowed to meet him."

She got up and looked around, hoping to see him, but sighed as she figured she would never see him again.

"I will always be with you… have faith… and know, that you do not walk alone… you are 'never' alone. Remember, the ways of the druid, Brehon… restorative justice… you must now strive to undo that which you have done, make amends to set right what you made wrong." He said faintly. "The Wren has spoken… and its testimony, is final…]

Hearing those words made her look around, and breathe a sigh of relief as she walked out, under the watchful eye of the Wren while the Raven ignored her, as it was now fast asleep. Hour later when she was told to return to the bus, she was ordered to hand over the sickle to the security guard. When questioned where she got it, she said 'it was a gift from a human'.

And when they questioned the machine, her 'escort', it surprised her by vouching. It stated [Convict Bellwether received this as a gift while attending a druid demonstration. The sickle is hers.] When asked if it was dangerous for her to have it, it replied, [The sickle she was given is only sharp enough to cut plants, it is incapable of doing excessive harm to mammals. She may keep it while in prison.]

It was still confiscated from her until they returned her to her cell, but even as she watched the park go by in the bus as they returned to prison, she remembered the last words, how she had to 'undo that which she made done, make amends to set right what she made wrong'.

She glanced around at her fellow inmates, and took a deep sigh, as she held her sickle close.

'Well, might as well start 'somewhere'…'

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=From the author=

To all my readers, I apologize for ending this chapter here, but as the chapter is now 18k words long… and I haven't even gotten to 'half' of what I wanted to yet… I figured it would be best to let my brain rest… recuperate, and continue again when its finished.

Originally it was going to be much longer, I figured it would be 20k words long, but it became much, much longer.

I want to give a big thank you to CelfwrDderydd and AlexanderMugetsu for giving me the inspiration to make this story with their 1 shot~

I want to thank CelfwrDderydd and his help for helping me to understand more about celtic/druid culture to make the segment fit, and to those who have given me ideas in pms for the festival~!

The next chapter will conclude the festival, and will include more shenanigans and cultural references as I learn more and try to fit them into their own 2k word segments…

Review away and give me your thoughts, am I doing a good job, do you like what you're seeing?

Also for those of you who are curious… there's a lot of symbolism going on with Bellwether's section, look at the birds… and you'll see what I mean~