"Some thoughts are so sudden, that they seem the revelations of a dream." - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
1:00 PM ; Zootopia Police Academy...
Setting off towards one of the academic wings of the academy's main complex, Judy had a feeling that Nick was up to something shifty.
Last she heard from him, he was teaching the recruits how to use stun-guns and other methods of incapacitating criminals via tools. Knowing him, the rabbit figured that he'd try to mess with the recruits alongside teaching them. Pairing his sense of humor with electrical weapons would most likely end with something troublesome, to say the least.
And so, when Judy eventually found the classroom, she forced herself to take a breath of recomposition before opening the door and entering.
Within, the bunny could see a sizable ring of mammals of varying sizes all intently watching something apparently interesting going on in the very center of the ring. In the middle of said ring, Nick was conducting an experiment with the recruits: Allowing them to taze themselves, to feel what it was like. In his paws he held a standard issued stun-gun used for incapacitating criminal mammals of varying sizes. The rabbit remembered how she had been given the offer to experience what it was like to be tazed during her own run through the Zootopia Police Academy, all those years ago. Judy herself, of course, had thoroughly denied the offer of that particular academy experience.
"This won't kill ya, buddy, but it ain't exactly gonna tickle, either." Nick stated as he set the dilation charge to the proper amount and aimed at the back of a sweating skunk.
That definitely wouldn't end well for him.
"Nick, wait!" Judy called out, stopping him from pressing the button just moments before it happened, and causing many of the cadets to turn toward her. "We need to talk."
The fox glanced over at his wife. "What? It's not like I was forcing them to electrocute themselves." He claimed defensively as he set down the taser.
"What? N-No, not about that." Judy corrected before letting out a brief sigh. "Look, I just need you to come with me real quick, okay?"
Shrugging, Nick waved goodbye to the recruits and excused himself from the lesson before following Judy outside of the room and into the privacy of the empty hall.
"Alright, what's up, fluff-butt?" He began curiously.
"I need your help with something."
Nick chuckled to himself. "That's a first." He joked in a sarcastic tone of voice.
"I'm being serious, Nick." Judy claimed. "There's a recruit here, a sheep named Mary Ewever, who's been having some trouble with sparring, and with the obstacle course."
"Alright, I'm listening, I promise. Go on." Nick said, to which his wife nodded.
"She wants - needs - some assistance from a recruit willing to help her. Someone who's strong, fit, and patient to growth."
"Well, why didn't you say so?" The fox huffed proudly. "I mean, I wouldn't exactly call myself the pinnacle of mammalian fitness, but I am pretty-"
"Ah, Nick, I meant, um," Judy interjected and laughed nervously. "I-I meant, well... I was hoping that you could convince Harlan O'Conall, to help teach her, see. Yeah."
The fox's ears drooped in disappointment. "Oh." He then laughed it off and shrugged. "Psh. Sure thing, Carrots. I'll go and find him for ya."
"Great! Thank you so much, Nick!" Judy exclaimed before leaning forward and planting a brief kiss on his cheek. That seemed to do the trick, thankfully.
Nick chuckled once more. "Okay, okay, no problem." He reassured of her, smiling as she leaned back down.
"So, where is he, anyways?"
"Harlan, you mean?" Nick clarified. "He didn't want to stick around watching the others electrocute themselves, so he was excused to go to the gym. I'll start there."
"Sounds like a plan. Good luck!" Judy called out as Nick turned tail and set off towards the gymnasium.
Thankfully, the fox's destination was only a few dozen seconds of walking. When he reached it, he immediately entered. Inside, a bunch of workout equipment was scattered throughout the space, ranging from weights for lifting to mounted bicycles for cardio. The place was completely empty, save for one lone wolf exercising on the bench press.
Approaching him, Nick called out in a subtle volume;
"Ya know, it can be dangerous to lift without a spotter."
No reaction. Harlan just kept pressing up the bar over and over. If he noticed Nick, he didn't let in on it. That was when the fox realized that the wolf's ears had a pair of white earbuds sticking into them, and that the music playing from them was quite loud. That certainly explained the lackluster reaction to Nick's initiation.
Taking a big step closer and listening in on it, Nick immediately recognized the artist, and couldn't resist grinning.
"Jon Bovine, huh?" Nick started, trying to break the ice. "I love his music!" He said, this time much louder than his first statement, to make sure Harlan heard. "Great artist."
One of Harlan's eyes glared up at the fox beside him. He didn't exactly look grateful for Nick's company. Nick at least took some solace in the fact that Harlan now knew he was there. Hopefully he would be able to get a better response, though for now, it seemed that the wolf was far too keen on pumping iron. The fox smiled and then spoke out;
"So, how's the workout comin' along?"
Harlan grunted in acknowledgement, but otherwise remained silent as he continued to push up on the barbell before bringing it back to his chest and repeating.
Nick pursed his lips. It wasn't much, but it was a start. Regardless, he decided to continue with his conversation, hoping to get Harlan to engage with him some more.
"I can't exactly say that I'm the biggest gym-goer around, in all honesty, but it's nice to see that this place is being put to some good use, at least."
The fox spoke the truth. When he had watched Harlan's boxing match with Judy the other week, he had good reason to believe that the wolf would be spending much of his time here in the gym. If anything, that score of predictability made Harlan that much easier to read, but still, Nick kept his distance and tried not to do anything too sudden.
"Yeah." Harlan muttered in between breaths.
Past the loud music and the focus put in to his workout, Nick wasn't sure if the wolf had even heard his last statement right. He chose to go with the more optimistic route.
"Truth be told, I actually came here looking for ya to talk to you about something." The fox stated. "I heard that you've been having some trouble with your grades in class."
Nick tried to recall everything that he had learned about Harlan over the past few weeks here at the academy. It was obvious that he was a stellar fighter and runner, not too different from Judy herself, but he clearly lacked her exuberant personality. Apparently, his grades on the more academic side of the police academy were lackluster, as well. The few times that Nick had spoken with Harlan in the past had been brief and rather bland. All he knew about the wolf's past was that he was originally from Happy-Town, had a high-school education, at best, and had honed his considerable hand-to-hand combat skills over time by engaging in many rough street fights with the other ruffians and scoundrels living in his area. Nick was all too familiar with Happy-Town, having been raised there himself, too. It definitely wasn't the land of freedom and opportunities.
Despite both living in the same environment, fox and wolf had gone down vastly different ways of surviving in it: Nick had used his sharp wit and intellect, while Harlan had made use of his considerable strength and muscle to carve his own path through life. Yet here they both were, at the Zootopian Police Academy, paths crossed in the end.
However, Harlan still seemed too stubborn to really open up to Nick. He could understand that, but couldn't deny that it was frustrating; like trying to break down a wall.
No matter how difficult it may have been, Nick was still intent on completing his mission. Judy has personally asked him to contact Harlan, after all, and he wasn't just about to let her down. Besides, if what she said was true, then there was another recruit who needed his help, and that was good enough a reason if any for him to continue this.
The thought of the other recruit sparked a new potential route of conversation in Nick's mind. The fox remembered her name instantly, as Judy had said, and then he stated;
"You know, there actually may be someone who can help you, if you're interested: Mary Ewever. She's a sheep, and an officer-in-training here, just like you. Sound familiar?"
"Doesn't ring a bell." Harlan muttered as he racked the barbell and sat up on the bench. He removed his headphones from his ears and then rose to his feet.
Ignoring the wolf's display of ignorance, Nick continued with his own explanation;
"Apparently, she's got some of the best grades in the class, from what I hear. She may be able to teach you a thing or two. Help you pick up the slack, and fix your grades, maybe in return for some lessons on sparring, running, lifting, whatever. I've been told that her skills in that, uh, department are lacking. Might be good for the both of you!"
Nick watched Harlan pace over to a nearby duffel-bag, and pull out a small towel. He wiped down his head and neck, all the while staring glumly into the gym's dirty mirrors.
"I'm not good with other mammals." The wolf grumbled, his reflection mirroring the movements of his mouth. "Prey especially."
Nick just barely stopped himself from asking why. He figured that Harlan wasn't exactly the approachable type, given his hard expression and muscular frame. The guy had probably dealt with discrimination in the past, too, much like Nick himself, so he could understand why he'd be so cynical about forming relationships with other mammals.
But still, if there was anything else that Nick had too much experience with, it was wasted potential: He wasn't about to sit back and let Harlan throw away his opportunities.
"That doesn't matter. We're on a team, here at the ZPD. It took me a while to realize that, myself, but it's true. Not just at the academy, but on the job, too: We all watch eachother's backs, and learn from our mistakes. We stay sharp and stay alive by working together. If you can't accept that, then you shouldn't have joined in the first place."
The fox was surprised to see that his wolfish counterpart didn't appear to be angry over his rather scathing speech. Instead, Harlan just lowered his head and sighed.
"When I first came here, I wanted to be able to put my skills to the test: To prove myself... To myself. All those years taking hits and throwing punches down in Happy-Town have gotten me nowhere in life but hospitals and court rooms. My potential has been wasted picking fights with riff-raff on the streets of that filthy ghetto, when I actually could have been putting my talents to use. Could have been making myself more than just a better fighter, but a better mammal, too. That's why I joined. I did it for me."
From there, Harlan turned around and locked eyes with Nick. The latter could see the pent-up frustration in the eyes of the former, like a dam swelling with pressure.
"Sometimes our best interests come from purely selfish reasons." The fox replied. "Believe me, I would know. You can still make that connection, though. It's not impossible."
Harlan nodded. "I can't promise you that I won't think the same way when working with this sheep friend of yours." He started. "That I won't be doing it just to help myself."
The wolf then did what was perhaps the last thing that Nick had expected from him: He cracked a coyish, toothy, almost good-natured sort of grin, and smiled right at him.
"But, I suppose giving a helping hand to a fellow cadet would be a step in the right direction." Harlan admitted, clenching his fist with determination. "For both me and Mary."
Nick couldn't help but return the smile in full. "There's the spirit!" He exclaimed.
The fox was pleased that his words had managed to reach his wolfish counterpart, even past that rather stubborn, gruff exterior of his.
"I've gotta hand it to ya, Harlan, you seem a pretty solid kind of a guy. I like that! Sticking up for your fellow recruits, even if you don't like them. Now that's determination!"
Harlan allowed himself a slight snort of a laugh. "Well, if I'm gonna be a better person, I suppose this is a good start. Uh, what's her name again? The sheep?" He asked.
Nick's emerald eyes sparkled slyly beneath a half-lidded grin. He had to remind himself to refrain from teasing Harlan about his forgetfulness.
He still needed the wolf's help, after all, and didn't want to scare him away just yet.
"Mary Ewever." Nick replied. "I've got no clue where she is now, but I'd be happy to help ya find her."
Nodding in agreement, both wolf and fox set off, leaving behind both the gym and whatever preset expectations they had of one another. It was as good of start as ever.
1:15 P.M ; Somewhere in the Rainforest-District...
Doug's eyes opened wearily as a metallic grinding sound filled his ears, rousting him from his dreary slumber.
As he rose his head, the ram's blurry vision trailed along the ground. He had been sleeping on the floor, next a wood chair that had been knocked over late last night. There was a large pile of wool beside him: The remnants of his previous punishment; shaven from his flesh and strewn carelessly around the floor as an ominous reminder of what he once was, and could no longer have. His naked body shivered from the cold of the room, and his eyes clenched tighter as the big metal door in front of him cracked open.
He cowered, thinking it to be his personal torturer; that vile tayra that had been shaving him clean for the past few days. Or was it weeks? Being locked in this dingy closet for so long has skewed his perception on the passage of time. For all he knew, he could have been the mob's hostage for nearly a month. But it didn't matter. He was too frightened to think, for there was nothing left for the tayra to take from him, lest he started clipping his hooves or even pulling his teeth out. The ram braced himself for pain.
Yet instead of more anguish, there was only silence. Instead of torment, there was an eerie sense of peace.
Slowly, timidly, he opened his eyes and stared up at the mammal before him. The light from outside the closet was almost blinding, yet Doug still managed to make out a face. This time, it wasn't his tormentor, Pazzo, but instead, the very mammal that had ordered Doug captured and interrogated in the first place: Al Catpone, the leader of the Rainforest-District's most notorious criminal mob, and the ram's current captor. Doug sneered with hate, thinking about how pristine and clean the jaguar looked, with a freshly tailored three-piece suit and oil-black overcoat. Compared to poor, tortured Doug, with his ragged clothes and clean-shaven skin, he looked incomparably posh and fit.
"Get up." The jaguar ordered, his deep voice flowing over Doug's eardrums like a river current. "There's something I want to show you."
"Wh-What?" Doug stifled creakily, his voice having not been used so casually in days on end.
"You heard me." Al replied. "Get up, and come with me. Now."
From there, the jaguar turned tail and left the room, leaving the door open for Doug to follow through. Doug wasn't sure whether it was some sort of trick, or trap, but seeing as how he was practically already in one, he figured that he didn't have much of a choice. Besides, if it meant a chance to at least get away from this rotting closet for a while, he would gladly take it. Standing to his feet, Doug rubbed the sleep from his eyes before trotting out of the closet and after his considerably larger captor.
Doug continued down the hallway, eventually catching up with the jaguar. He didn't bother asking what he had in mind to show him, but he still wondered in private just what must have been important enough for Al himself to fetch him for, not that he was complaining. The two mammals walked in silence down the length of the green-tinted hallway, venturing deeper into the heart of Catpone's secret compound. Doug had no idea where they could have possibly been, save for somewhere in the rural depths of the Rainforest-District. Smelly pipes and puddles of dark liquid stained across the floor accompanied the two of them on their journey deeper into the building.
Eventually, after a decent amount of time twisting and turning through underground hallways and passing through various storage rooms, Al and his hostage reached a new room. The doors were much larger and seemingly heavier than anything else that Doug had seen thus far. Al opened a keypad mounted on a nearby wall and punched in a few numbers so fast that the ram didn't have time to fully register them all. He silently cursed himself for missing that, for it could have been useful info for a potential escape.
Nonetheless, the large doors slid open; the two mammals entering without wait. The interior was still a greenish concrete bricking, just like the other hallways, but rings of chairs and even a few couches filled the room like a movie theater, all facing a single glass window that was positioned in the center of the farthest opposing concrete wall.
A few of Al's gang members were lounging about the room. Doug spotted a small female margay sitting still on a plush couch, bored, and licking at her forearms, and a fat male tapir standing quietly nearby, fiddling his thumbs like he was playing an arcade game. Slouching in the shadows at one of the room's corners, Doug caught sight of the only one of Al's henchmen that he knew by name; his personal tormentor, Pazzo, who cracked a yellow, toothy grin, and winked at Doug as he locked eyes with him. The ram gave one last look of hatred toward the vile tayra before averting his gaze to the centerpiece of the room: A large, rectangular window that separated the room from another.
Doug's large eyes widened at the sight of a testing room. A thick pane of glass separated it from the viewing room that they were currently standing in. Large claw marks ringed the edges of the window, as though something monstrous had been trying to escape from within. Past the glass barrier, a large, slimy looking medical table and bed, complete with restraints, had been set up. Rows of glistening silver pipes lined the walls, and puddles of water sat in the corners of the room. It definitely didn't look like a very sanitary area, far less the kind of place where you'd want to be performing medical experiments on patients, judging from the many tables of needles and cotton swabs.
"What in the world are you mobsters doing here?" The ram questioned with an edgy tone to his voice.
"That's exactly why we brought you here." Al Catpone stated firmly. "To answer that very question. If you're going to be assistin' us in our work, it's time we came clean."
Doug huffed in disapproval. He was tempted to spit at the jaguar's feet, but he had a feeling that that wouldn't bode well with him, so instead, he chose to listen in on what his captor had to say. Besides, if he was to finally learn what this criminal syndicate was planning, there was no better way to find out than hearing it from the boss himself.
The ram turned his attention towards Al Catpone, who loomed over him as stiff and motionless as an oak tree. Deep down in the jaguar's eyes, Doug almost sensed a shred of pity, likely for the poor condition that he was in. Whatever amount of empathy that Al had was overshadowed by the tension in his expression.
Whatever was on his mind, Doug had a feeling that it would be rich. "Fine then. Explain." The ram ordered, crossing his arms.
Al Catpone nodded in agreement. "As I told you before, my men and I are workin' on somethin' big: Somethin' bigger than all of us. However, we've lacked the resources we needed to make it happen, that is, until we found you. We all know that you helped Mayor Bellwether make the original Night-Howler serum, and now, we need your expertise to enact our own, far better plan."
"I've already heard this junk from you before." Doug grumbled, clearly irritated. "Get to the point already."
The jaguar narrowed his eyes in distaste. "To understand what we hope to achieve, you first need to understand where you failed." He growled lowly.
"Huh? What do you mean?" The sheep questioned.
Some of Al's cronies snickered, and Doug had to force himself from paying any attention to them. Instead, he remained focused on Al and his words.
"When Mayor Bellwether used her Night-Howler serum to infect predators and enact her scheme, all those years ago, she overlooked one crucial detail: Potential." Al said.
"Potential?" Doug repeated skeptically.
"Yes. Potential. She desired to use her drug to oppress predators. To keep them in line, while upholdin' her own chauvinist agenda. However, she lacked an understandin' of potential, which is typical of those who seek power, but nothin' more substantial from it. She only sought to kick down others and hoist herself up, when she could have used her drug to make true wonders: Medicine, technology, even bio-chemical weapons! All of that was lost when her plan went down the drain. My boys and I intend to utilize the true potential of this tiny, simple drug."
Al smiled, his sharp white teeth standing in contrast to his yellow-spotted fur. He held out a tiny, dark blue orb clutched between two of his talons like a minuscule insect. With a shock, Doug realized that it was one of the pellets from the original Night-Howler serum. He had, after all, been the one that helped design and create them in the first place. Now, with the thing balanced between Al's claws, it looked so very small. It was almost hard to believe that such a tiny, simple thing had been able to inspire so much terror across Zootopia. It was just like Al had said.
The jaguar's grin grew. "We will use the powers of the Night-Howler serum to create a new savage serum, and we will use it to change this world!" He stated proudly.
From there, Al slipped the blue orb back into one of the pockets on his overcoat before turning around and facing the window of the testing room.
"My boys and I have already started development on this new strain of ours. Instead of overridin' the cognitive parts of the brain like the Night-Howler serum did, causin' violent and primal instincts to overtake reason, logic, and control, ours will unlock the hidden potential of any mammal that consumes it, transformin' them... Into an apex predator!"
"W-What do you mean by an... An apex predator?" Doug stammered, causing Al to smile with pride.
"A predator that even other predators can't touch! The very tip-top of the food chain. That's just what we call it. While a Night-Howler dosage can turn its host savage, this masterpiece of a drug can do one better: It can give you all of the benefits of the Night-Howler serum - increased strength, heightened senses, lack of fear - all without the side effect of losin' control of yourself! You can retain command over both mind and body as the drug takes effect, bringin' out your most primal strength and abilities."
"That's insane." The ram muttered in disbelief.
"Maybe." Al admitted as he turned around and faced down Doug once again. "But a drug like this could change everything."
"How?" Doug asked.
"Just imagine it: A predator uninhibited by weakness and fear! A creature unbound from its mental restraints, free to feel real power! Renewed primal strength bolstered by modern-day intelligence and cognition. A true apex predator. And I know of many mammals and corporations alike who would be willin' to pay millions for a thing like that."
Doug shook his irritably head from side to side.
"Did it never cross your mind that some mammals out there might exploit a drug like this? T-That absolute anarchy could ensue if... If everyday predators got a hold of this?"
The jaguar let loose a bellowing laugh that practically shook the room.
"Don't you worry, pal. That's part of the plan! Sure, the money's a big factor, but organized crime has always been about money. That's nothin' special. However, there's a byproduct to this plan that I hope to make a reality. Call it a personal goal, if you will. Pharmacies and insurance companies would all be very interested in this drug of ours, yes, but did I mention that I also know of a certain group of mammals out there who would universally benefit from such a product? Quite a large one, too: Say, about ten percent of the population, give or take."
Doug bared his teeth. "Oh, I see what you're planning, now." He claimed.
Al Catpone grinned wide. For the very first time since being captured, the jaguar's razor sharp smile sent a paisley chill down the sheep's spine. There was something more sinister about it now. For the first time since meeting Alphonse Catpone, Doug was actually afraid of him, and what he planned to do.
"Yes. Once my product trickles through the ranks of society, and reaches the very bottom of the barrel, where my kind - all predators - have been stuffed and left to rot since this city's inception, it will finally give them the power they need to take control! To liberate themselves, and finally strike back at the city government for all it's done."
Doug shook his head. He could hardly believe his own two ears. "So not only do you plan to profit from this, but you plan to let predators take your drug, and revolt against the government?" He asked.
The jaguar nodded.
"Happytown is the perfect target: The predators there have always had it the hardest. Sprinkle in our drug bit by bit - Give them all the power to fight back, and they'll seize it. They'll pay the city government back in blood for all the pain they've caused. They will rise up, form a revolution, and with their newfound strength, take back the city!"
"And what makes you so sure?" Doug argued. "That the city government is your ultimate enemy, of all things? I hate them too! Who doesn't?"
Al Catpone let loose a roar as he lunged forward and grabbed Doug by the throat, pulling him so close that his hot breath filled the sheep's nostrils.
"Of all the stupid things you've said and done, that has to be the dumbest drivel I've heard yet. The city government is the only enemy! Their policies have left my kind to rot in ghettos like Happytown! Their disregard has nearly wiped out entire species! The Night-Howler incident, the Blood-Crisis, the Shock-Collar conspiracy, and so many more! More than I can even care to remember. Don't you tell me that the city government is innocent: Every single problem that Zootopia has EVER had - It all starts with them!"
The jaguar threw Doug onto the ground. The sheep coughed and clutched at his aching throat, all while his captor continued his rant.
"The evidence is everywhere. Why do you think that every single police chief, spare two, is a prey species? Or better yet, why do you think that every single crime-lord is a predator, even that little shrew, Mr. Big? Because all of us recognize the truth at hand: That this city hates us, and that the only way for any of us to make a difference is to turn to crime. To etch out our own destinies, in line with our own beliefs. Big recognizes this. Vladzotz recognizes this. Iluka recognized this, too, before he was sent to jail."
Catpone got a strange look in his eye, as though he were imagining better times when working alongside his old criminal associates. Doug, however, wasn't having any of it.
"And what then?" The sheep interrupted as he got to his feet and glared up in defiance of his captor.
"Hm?" Al mused, to which Doug rolled his eyes.
"Say this plan of yours actually works - All your kith and kin are turned into monsters, and you somehow manage to get them to overthrow the city government. Then what?"
Al straightened his back out. "That's simple. We create a new government - A new society for us all. And this time around, we'll do it right." He said.
"That's no society I'd want to be a part of. Too radical." Doug grumbled.
"As opposed to how radical it is to turn predators savage so that prey can feel better about fitting us all with shock collars? That was the second phase of Bellwether's plan, right? Compared to a conspiracy of that scale, a forced overthrow of city-hall is a minor operation! But no matter what you think, you will help us. You don't have a choice." The jaguar laughed aloud, as though an amusing thought had just reached him. "It's ironic, that the very same drug that you created to oppress predators will lead to their salvation." Al chuckled. "A racist inadvertently givin' power to what he hates."
He then stepped away from the ram, all the while meticulously straightening out the collar on his expensive looking three-piece suit.
"Our new serum is still in a beta phase - A prototype, in need of bettering. That's where you come in, Doug. We've gotten this far on our own, but we need you to finish it."
"I'd never help a bunch of scum like you!" The sheep hissed, backing away from his captor, who simply smiled as though admiring a child standing up to an abusive parent.
"You should feel honored!" He stated. "Your old work will help spark a flame that will burn down this city, and from the ashes, create somethin' even grander."
The weight of that statement hung heavy in the air, that was, until another voice piped out. "But boss, you don't plan to literally burn down the city, do you?"
Everyone's attention whirled towards a portly tapir standing a dozen feet away. Admittedly, Doug had forgotten that he was in the room along with them.
Al grit his teeth with frustration. "What? No! Of course not!" The jaguar growled. "Fo' cryin' out loud, Donnie! What did I tell you about ruinin' my monologues?"
The tapir winced. "S-Sorry, boss." He stammered pitifully. "Just makin' sure."
"It doesn't matter." Al muttered, waving one of his paws in exasperation. "Sheesh... Just stop doin' it already!"
At that, the jaguar shook his head and then turned his attention back towards the dirty window before him. He gestured at the empty medical bed with a pointed claw.
"Enough talk. From here on out, it's nothin' but progress." He claimed firmly. "Bring out the test subject. It's time we got started on the preliminary trials."
Hey everyone!
Here we are at long last: Chapter 100. Two and-a-half years since the release of chapter one, we stand at yet another pivotal moment for this story. We've long since crossed half a million words, over a million and-a-half views, and other similar achievements, but lemme tell ya, there's something about hitting 100 chapters that feels extra special. Hard to put a finger on exactly what, though. Maybe it's just because 100 is such a well-rounded number, I suspect.
No matter the case, one thing is certain: I couldn't have gotten this far without you guys. Thank you all, truly, for your continued support and interest in the likes of my work. It means a lot to me. I've learned a lot about working online over the past few years, and even more so about my own writing capabilities, which I have continually worked on improving since day one, and I have none more to thank than you guys, for helping to give me the inspiration to evolve.
Thank you all for just how far we've come. I promise that what remains will be even grander. Do stay tuned, for it'll be comin' your way soon enough! :)
In the meantime, do please leave a review telling me your thoughts on this latest chapter update, from Nick's conversation with Harlan, to Al's secret tests in the Rainforest-District. When I wrote the scene with Nick and Harlan, I wanted it to juxtapose how sweet and understanding Judy and Mary's own talk in the previous chapter was, to show a difference in character and personality. And in new Al's scene, well, I figured it was time that that particular plot got kicked up a notch! This is the final chapter (figuratively): The culmination of everything that has happened thus far, tying together the events of the original movie with the aftereffects shown in this story. I'd love to know what you all think of it all. Alongside that, if you haven't already, feel free to Favorite/Follow this story of ours. Each one is highly appreciated, and only helps bolster my motivation to keep on writing. Be it five or five hundred, I can't be thankful enough.
Oh, and also, there's some new art on display on my tumblr and DeviantArt accounts, I might add, including a comic that was developed for my recent short story,' Surging Senses.' You all can check that out if you'd like, alongside new pieces depicting the fight scene of Judy and Ivar way back in chapter 44, a standalone piece of Mary Ewever, and more. If any other artists out there reading this would like to contribute to the gallery, all you need to do is PM me.
Yes, to recap: Thank you so much for everything, stay tuned for what's to come, and do be sure to lemme know whatcha think of Nick and Judy's scene at the academy, and Al Catpone and Doug's scene, as well. With everything that has happened in this chapter, I personally see it as one of my favorites so far! But the next few chapters will be even better, shedding light on Nick and Judy, Chief Bogo, Vladzotz and Lucy, and even Mr. Big. You'll see!
Anyways, that's just about all that I have to say, for now. Again, thank you all so much for everything we've accomplished thus far, and do stay tuned!
'Till next time...
Peace!
PS: I know Al's use of revamped Nighthowlers might seem like another instance of an overused trope in the Zootopia Fanfiction community, but I can assure you that what I've got planned is unlike anything you've seen before! Hope you stay tuned.