"There, all set. How's that feel?"

It's been two days since we returned to Guardian HQ, and Nate had called ahead to have both Doc and Tuskgen prep their labs. Between reattaching Nate's lost limb and replacing my ear, they had worked nonstop for almost both those days trying to repair the damages between us. Tuskgen said that she needed to rebuild the entire arm due to damages when it was severed, and she had just finished my new ear.

"It feels… weird. Like it's there but it's not."

"That's called phantom limb syndrome. Your brain is trying to combine the feeling of the new ear with how the old one felt. It will pass in time. Now, flex it a bit. Don't force it, just move naturally."

I tried to concentrate on it, and ended up smacking myself in the face with it. "Ow!"

"I said don't force it. Try again."

I tried concentrating again and managed to move it a bit slower. I decided it might be better if I compared it to my other ear and tried to mimic the feeling of moving my real one with my prosthetic. It helped tremendously, but I can tell it will take some practice. Wonder if Nate had the same trouble?

"So, does this thing come standard with anything cool? Like, does it shoot laser beams or something? That'd be pretty cool."

"It's an ear, you really can't do much with an ear. However, there are a few additions I included. Firstly, it can enhance sound much better than a normal rabbit's ear, but only in the direction your ear is facing. Here." I heard the noise of a button click and a low humming noise appeared in the room.

Instinctively, my ears moved toward the noise as the sound increased slightly.

"Good. Going to activate another one."

The next sound was indeed louder. Each new sound got louder and louder as my ears twitched and turned towards it. The feeling was getting easier to understand and mimic each time. Eventually the noise was getting too loud, causing pain in my real ear. When I placed my paws on them, Tuskgen turned it off.

"Still need to make adjustments, but it's a good start. I also took the liberty of linking certain features to your Pip-Boar. With it you can not only adjust the sensitivity of it, you can also alter the ability to hear in other frequencies."

I had opened my Pip-Boar to the settings she was talking about but that last bit caught my attention. "Frequencies?"

"Yeah. Not sure if you knew, but many species can hear in sound frequencies much higher and lower than others. You can tune into that if needed."

"Hmm. What's this?" There was an option labeled simply Mask. I pressed it before Tuskgen could respond and suddenly everything turned… red? "What's going on!"

"That's something I'm proud of. I took the targeting visuals from a Guardian's helmet and managed to shrink it down enough to fit your ear without adding too much weight. Upon activation, your ear will fold down and expand into a targeting visor. It mimics the B.A.T.S. targeting feature without the need for the chemicals. Sure you won't have the same reaction speed, but it will make it easier to aim without needing to rely on that nasty chemical."

"Holly put you up to that, didn't she?"

"And Mark, and Nate, and Doc. Seems you've been a bit too… abusive with that serum."

"Yeah, but it's hard not to when in a pinch…" I looked around the room and when I focused on Tuskgen, a green outline highlighted her chest, head, and each limb, giving me percentages to hit. Being this close they were all one-hundred percent. There was also additional information that my Pip-Boar never gave me. Each outline had a resistance percentage, all of which was between zero and ten percent.

"Since you have that on, let me tell you a few additions. Now keep in mind, all of it is controlled from your Pip-Boar. I didn't want to add too much weight to it, so only the physical movement is controlled through your muscles, everything else must be activated through your device. Now, press the button marked Tag while focusing on me."

I did it and her outline turned red. "It changed color."

"Okay, now follow me. Visually, that is."

She started to move and the red outline seemed to follow as she moved. She then moved to the door and opened it, walking outside before closing it again. While I couldn't see her, the red outline remained as she slowly walked down the hall and then back again. A number next to the outline told me how far away she was. After a few seconds she returned to the room.

"That… why couldn't I have lost my ear a long time ago?! That would have been sooo helpful."

"It's a basic tracking marker. You can tag as many mammals as you want, however, the more you tag, the slower the tracking process is. You can also activate an infrared mode, but not at the same time. There are limitations."

I pressed the Mask button again and it retracted. "Thank you. You look exhausted, go get some rest."

"I have some more adjustments to make."

"Is it going to fall off anytime soon?"

"No, but…"

"Don't make me have Nate order you. You can take a look at it more when you aren't about to pass out."

"Yeah. Maybe you're right." She sat down on her chair.

"Thank you Tuskgen. For everything. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find my boyfriend. Tuskgen?"

Tuskgen was passed out. She really was tired, wasn't she? I slowly moved out of the room and turned off the light. I probably should have tried to wake her up so she could sleep in a more comfortable position, like in a bed, but she looked too peaceful and I didn't want to bother her.

After I left, I found the nearest Guardian and asked if he had seen Nate. I was informed he was down in the brig interrogating the prisoners from both of the Burrows. I asked Nate to let me know when he went there. I checked my Pip-Boar and saw an unread message. Damn, I must have missed it when Tuskgen was working on my ear. I picked up speed and hurried to where it was.

Upon arriving, I saw that not only was Nate there, but Logan, Mark, Holly, and Holly's mother were also present.

"It's about time you got here 'livi! Nice ear though."

"Yeah, sorry everyone. Tuskgen kept me longer than I thought."

"You didn't miss much. The rodents from your Burrow all pointed their fingers at Felwick, who's no longer around to question, and those from our Burrow did the same to that Overseer. At least the ones who would actually talk to me, being a fox and all. Even locked behind bars, their sentiment towards my species is steadfast." Nate was once again dressed in a Guardian uniform, although I could tell this was a new one. Either that or someone was very good at fixing holes.

"You're actually arriving at a perfect time 'livi. We're about to talk to my… dad. And boy have I got some news for him." Holly was surprisingly happy to be seeing her father after everything he said, and did, to her and the brothers. She had a folder grasped in her paws. I was going to ask what it was, but then Nate signaled us to move down to the solitary confinement wing of the brig where Overseer Kerrigan, well, ex-Overseer now, was being held.

Unlike the others, he was being kept all by himself, and out of both eye and ear shot of the rest of his Burrow residents. Of course the only one locked up here were the ones who refused to follow any orders from a fox, despite the fact that he saved them from certain death.

It may have only been two days, but he was looking like he had been locked up for months. His fur was matted, his clothing a mess, and there was an odd stench coming from the cell. I asked if he was being fed like the other prisoners, but Nate told me he refused any food, thinking it was poison. I really wanted to ask if I could just shoot him and get it over with, but I knew better.

"So the pelt has finally decided to grace me with his presence, huh? Going to try to force more of your filth upon me? Oh, and you brought your little whore too. Both of them."

I clenched my paws. Even after everything I had been through, I think there was still something pent up inside me. I think Nate saw it too because he gently placed his paw on my shoulder, all while maintaining eye contact with that of Elijah. I couldn't call him an overseer anymore, and it felt wrong calling him Kerrigan after how he berated his own daughter. Maybe I'll take a page from Blanche's book and just call him an ass-twat. Yeah, that suits him much better.

"I'm here to see if you have given any thought to what I said."

"And my answer is still the same. Just go ahead and kill me. I know you want to."

"A pity. Well, get used to this cell then. Unless you change your mind, this will be your new home. Oh, and I think your daughter has something to say."

"I have no daughter. Only a whore and her mother."

I took a look at Holly and her mother's reaction to what he just said. Her mother kept a straight face, not smiling, but also not showing any negative emotions. Holly, however, looked like she just wanted to lash out at him and was trying her hardest not to. She opened the folder and started to rifle through the pages. It seemed to help.

"So, dad, I found out something rather… interesting that you might care to know."

"What, that you're actually not related to me? That my whore of a wife gave birth to a bastard daughter?"

"No, I am related to you. Unfortunately. However… it appears that I'm also related to…" Holly's face started to glow. "A fox."

"That damn pelt and his brother corrupted you more than I thought."

"No, they didn't. You did."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Well, it seems that a long time ago, there was this genetic program that let interspecies couples produce viable offspring. We first learned about it when Doc found fox DNA in Olivia's body. Turns out she wasn't the only one. While we're pretty much certain who she was related to, based upon blood work stored in Burrow Ninety-Three's database, information provided to us by one of your own residents, Doc was able to compare both my blood and yours to it and low and behold, we're both related to a one Gideon Grey. A fox. A blood sample from my mom proves that it came from your side of the family. Not hers. So, welcome to the freak-show daddy."

"LIES! You're a liar as much as you are a whore!"

Holly took the paperwork and threw it through the slot meant for food. I watched as the papers scattered all over the floor in front of him. He tried to ignore them at first, but I think his curiosity started to get the better of him as he slowly picked up a page and looked at it. His face turned to shock and then disgust as he crumpled it up and tried to throw it at us. Of course all it managed to do was bounce off the bars and back onto the floor.

"It's true. All of it. It's up to you to believe it. I won't be losing any sleep over it. But you know what that means? Mark and I, one of these days we'll have kits of our own, and I do hope that at least one is a fox. Who knows, maybe I'll name him after you."

"Leave! I never want to see any of you ever again!" His voice was made up of what seemed to be pure hatred. He was gripping his paws so tightly I half expected to see them explode from the pressure. He turned to face the barren wall, not saying another word.

Since there was nothing else to do or say there, we all turned and left. I felt a paw on my shoulder and at first I thought it was Nate, but it wasn't. It was Holly's mom. She had her other paw on Holly's shoulder.

"So, is this true?"

"What?" I was a bit confused.

"That I might have grand babies in the future!"

Holly and I looked at each other than back to her mom. Holly's face was beaming. "Yep mom! Though… Doc said that my genes aren't 'active' enough. So, I don't know when. But Marki and I will keep on trying until we do!"

"Gah! Holly, that's too much information, and around your mom too?"

"Relax 'livi. It's not like the two of us haven't ever talked about this. Didn't your mom ever have talks like that with you?"

"NO!"

"Well, I guess since Nate is your first…"

"Wow, I never thought a red furred mammal could get any redder like that." Holly's mom was staring at me with a crooked smile.

"Now I know where she gets it."

"Olivia… we've…" Nate seemed flustered all of a sudden. "I just got off the radio with Doc. He said to come to the medical lab. He said it's urgent."

I was starting to get worried. "Why? What happened? Is someone hurt?"

"I… I don't know. He said your blood results came back and… he said it would be best to tell you in person."

Oh no. That can't be good. Please don't say I caught some kind of ailment. I've been cut, stabbed, and shot so many times I'm surprised I haven't gotten sick from it. I feel fine, although… I was feeling a bit queasy this morning. Oh, please don't tell me I'm dying. Please don't tell me I'm…

"I'M PREGNANT?!"

"I ran the tests over and over to make sure, but yes." Is it wrong that Doc's calm demeanor was making this seem so much worse?

"How… how did…"

"Well 'livi, when a man sticks his…"

"I know THAT! I mean… didn't Holly say it would be a while for her? Why… why didn't I know about this? HOW did I not know about this?!"

"Calm down Miss Springs. Firstly, have you ever been pregnant before?"

"No…"

"Then how do you know what it feels like? Secondly, you had a higher dosage of radiation in a much shorter time frame than Miss Kerrigan did. That's why your inherent fox DNA made itself known much faster. Also, I never thought about checking for anything like that, but before Tuskgen proceeded with the ear transplant, I needed to run a full genetic makeup on you to make sure that there wasn't something that might interfere with the process. I have seen some mammal's bodies reject implants. It's not pretty."

"But… But…"

"Are you… upset about this?" Nate's voice sounded concerned, and… worried.

"No… oh no sweetie, don't take it the wrong way. It's just… so sudden, you know? Yeah, Doc said that I had the potential to get pregnant from you but… I never actually thought… I figured it would have taken much more work. You know?"

"It turns out you're very fertile as well Miss Springs. I would judge conception to be maybe a few weeks at the latest. Although this early in development, it might be closer to a week."

A few weeks… that means… "I… I think I know when…"

"Doc, didn't the salvage team find a…"

"Yes Chief, and as soon as I found out, I sent a message to Tuskgen to start to get it working. I have helped birth countless babies, but to watch as a hybrid, probably one of the first in the Wasteland, develop? I do apologize Miss Springs, but that is such a rarity I just have to document it. With your and the Chief's permission, that is."

I had never seen Doc act so eager and happy before. I figured he was just like Logan, of a singular emotion. I couldn't take that away from him. Plus, he's a doctor, I trust him to not do anything to hurt my baby. Wow, even in my head that sounded strange.

"Sweetie, it's okay with me."

"If it's okay with you Binky. I trust him."

"You're… you're going to be a daddy… I'm… going to be a… mommy…" I felt dizzy as I nearly fell down, Nate grabbing me and steadying me before I could.

"Don't worry Miss Springs. That's common with a pregnancy. I would like to say it'll pass, but as the baby starts to develop, I'm afraid it'll get worse at times. Especially first thing in the morning. I would highly advise not to put yourself in any danger for the foreseeable future."

"How… how long? I mean, how long until I can, well, expect?"

"Hard to say. A rabbit's gestation period can be as short as three months and as long as six, depending upon the litter size, and a fox's is typically between five and eight. With you? That's another reason I want to keep tabs on you and your child. I have no idea how fast it will develop, and I want to make sure I have all possible contingencies planned. Plus many Burrows tend to use chemicals to control population, and seeing how small yours was in its rabbit population, I'm certain it will also have an effect on the duration. In about two to three weeks the fetus should be developed enough to tell its growth rate. Then I can make a much better prediction."

"Oh! Oh! That means I'll have a niece or nephew!"

"And I'll have grand-babies!"

Holly and her mother were both jumping with glee. How can she be so excited when it wasn't even her own daughter? And Holly, was I even ready for her to take care of my children? If I end up with little teasing kids, I'll smack her. I felt something familiar wrap around my body. Nate placed his paw on my shoulder and I looked up to see his head hovering above my own. I leaned up and kissed him.

"Well, this changes things, doesn't it?"

"Yeah. Um… could you guys excuse us please?"

Nate had a concerned tone, one that seemed to emphasize his request, causing everyone, including Doc to leave. Mark, Holly, and her mother said they wanted to go through the stuff rescued from their Burrow, and Doc said he needed to go see Tuskgen about something anyways. Once they were gone, Nate swung around in front of me, our eyes locked.

"Something's bothering you, isn't it Binky?"

"How did you know?"

"I can tell. What is it? Are you not happy to be pregnant? Is it because it could be a…"

I leaned forward and gave him a kiss. "No. It's not that at all. I… I'm surprisingly happy. A little shocked and confused, but happy. And I don't care if it's a fox or a rabbit, all that matters is that it's our child. No, its… I don't know what to do."

"About what?"

"Everything. I spent so much time 'adventuring' that now that it's over, that the Legionaries, both our Burrows, and that damn boar have all been taken care of, what will happen now? You have the Guardians to run, but me? I can't see myself as one of them. I still want to go and help Hope, fix it up, make it so much better than it is. With a kid on the way? How can I do that? How can we do that?"

Nate hugged me, his tail once again winding around my waist. "You're right. We both have different destinies in front of us, but I'm not going to just stand by as they tear us apart. I want to make sure that our kit can grow up with their parents. That's a luxury we never had. I want them to be safe, to be happy. Just like I want the same for us. I won't give up the Guardians, but I also don't want you to give up on Hope. They both need us, now more than ever. That's why, after talks with Mayor Swift and Logan, we have finalized the plans to relocate both the town of Hope to the old City Hall, and our base to Precinct One."

"She… she agreed to that?"

"It took some effort, but yes. With the Legionaries gone, and many of the raiders scattered because of our actions, there have been fewer and fewer reports of raider attacks. I'm sure that won't last, but in that lull, Hope is seeing more traffic than ever. With the opening of Nyte Lyfe, they're seeing more business both day and night. They need to expand, and City Hall, along with the connected tunnels linking to surrounding buildings, that's the best option. Plus with Precinct One operating as the new headquarters, they'll have all the protection they ever need."

"What about those mammals who opposed you and Mark living there?"

"They're still an issue, but with everything that happened, how the Mayor has been telling them that it was because of us that this world is turning around, many are starting to open up. I doubt they'll ever be friendly towards us, but enough have come forward that the Mayor can feel comfortable to allow us to stay. We will be able to live in Hope, the new Hope, and raise our child in a safe environment. I'll have to work out the details with Logan, but I should also be able to let him take a bit of weight off my shoulder for a bit when he or she is born. Do you have any names in mind?"

"Actually. I… I think I do. It's… it's silly actually. You won't like it."

"Try me."

"Well, I've been thinking. Even though I wasn't sure if I could actually get pregnant, I thought that if I did, I… I kinda wanted to name them in a way to honor the mammals who made me… made this a reality. If it's a girl, Judy, and if it's a boy…"

"Nick?"

"Y-yes… I… if you don't like it, I understand. I… I know how you felt about him back when he was… you know…"

"I like it. No, I love it. Little Nick, or Little Judy. Either way, I like it." He kissed me.

"So, what now? I mean, I know we have plans now, and I really like that we do, but I still feel a bit… lost."

"We rest. We need to fix up both places before we can move either the base or the town there. I already put into motion some recruitment from here, Hope, and some of the other smaller towns and settlements. This won't be finished overnight, it'll probably take years, but it's a start."

"Other settlements? How? I thought they typically kept to themselves outside of trade."

"R.A.D."

"You mean, the drink?"

"No. There was a prototype for something called the Restorative Agriculture Device. It's a machine that was designed to not only draw out radiation from the surrounding land and water, but also make it fertile. It was never put into development, and never tested because of it, but Tuskgen is working on getting the prototype to work with the help of Doc and Bo. If we can get it functioning, and replicated, we can bring life, real life, back to the wasteland, and any settlement that aids in our restoration and relocation will get one."

"What about those who don't help? With such an amazing sounding device, it would be selfish to keep it to ourselves."

"I want to eventually have one installed all over the wasteland. They have a short radius, maybe a hundred or so acres. Tuskgen believes that if we can get a few out there, like to those who assist us, she can use that data to increase its radius to five hundred acres, or even further!"

"What about raiders? I doubt something as valuable as that will go unnoticed."

"Until they're established widespread enough to make them not so valuable, any settlement that a R.A.D. is installed in will also have constant Guardian protection. It's a win-win. They help us, and they get protection AND fertile soil. That's another reason I'll initially give them to those who help. We're still too small to spread out like that. We need more mammals to join the Guardians. Desperately. After these recent events, our numbers are below a hundred. I have Guardians out there making our presence known, because if our enemies realized how small our numbers are, it'll be easy to overwhelm us. That's why we need to show the world how the Guardians are here to help, and this R.A.D., along with aiding Hope and the other settlements, will help to attract more mammals who want to help us themselves."

"You've been thinking about this a lot, haven't you?"

"Yes. Mister Lazlo made me Chief for a reason. I didn't see that reason then, but I'm starting to see it now. I want to keep his dream alive, to finally make it a reality, but I need help."

"I may not be a Guardian, but I will always be there to help them. To help you."

"Not for the next few months you won't. We need to take care of our baby."

"Our baby. That… that sounds, nice."

"Yes, it does."

Three weeks passed. Three of the most relaxing weeks I have ever had. Nate didn't want me to leave the base until Doc could make sure that everything would be fine with me, despite the fact that I told them that I've been nearly killed countless times since conception and now, but I think that just made him more insistent that I didn't go. It didn't, however, detract from our intimacy, which felt so much better without me wondering if I would get to experience it again. It really was nice not having death looming around every corner for once.

Holly and her mother we bonding, and often tag teaming Mark, which was rather amusing at times, until they tried doing the same to Nate and I. She was a very sweet and kind woman, but when she was with her daughter? The teasing was relentless. Although her mom did have the better sense to calm things down when it was obvious that things weren't going over too well with it. Something that Holly apparently never learned herself. When I told her mom about how many times I threatened her with a gun, she found it rather amusing.

Jasmine and Zack got to spend some quality time together as well. I think it was well needed for them as well, because they, or should I say Jasmine, was much more open around everyone with her emotions towards Zack. She hasn't hit her head in embarrassment in over a week, that's a record for her. Although when anyone brings up mention of intimacy between the two of them, like from a certain rabbit, that tends to get to her.

You know the funny thing about all of this? I never once thought that Tuskgen and Doc, were a couple. Apparently, she was his assistant when he was testing his medical experiments on himself. While Nate forbids Doc from doing that ever again, he also learned that Doc was afraid of getting in trouble due to some outdated rule that said the higher ranks weren't allowed to fraternize. While no one, including Lazlo ever enforced it, he was a by the books mammal, so when Nate had it officially removed? Let's just say I've never seen Doc smile that much. Sure, he still keeps it professional when he's working, but he isn't afraid to be seen holding hooves with Tuskgen. Though, I never seen them kiss before. Makes me wonder, how would that even work with her trunk…? Gah! No more thinking about that!

Drake was doing much better. He even was able to speak almost complete sentences! Many of the Guardians were still uncomfortable with him milling about, so Nate had a structure built just for him right outside the base. It was also a perfect time for Onion to test out his new body. With all that happened with the Burrows, Nate didn't have time to install some core components, but with my help, we were able to get him working better than ever. Speaking of Onion, he wanted to talk to me, about an upcoming… change.

"Are you sure you are okay with this Miss?"

"Are you okay with it?"

"I am just a robot, you know I will follow whatever you order."

"No. You're not just a robot. You are my friend, my companion, my… family."

"And you have a new family Miss."

"Yes. I do."

"Then why do you sound so sad?"

"I… I'll miss you Onion."

"You act like it will be forever. If I recall, as of late there has been little interaction with us."

"That's why I'm sad. I feel bad for tossing you to the side, for abandoning you."

"You didn't abandon me Miss. Yes, I do miss some of those times when it was just you and I, but I always knew that it wouldn't last. No matter how happy you seemed, I could tell you were still sad, even if you didn't realize it yourself. Things have changed and we can't go back to that, we need to move forward. That's why I do not regret this decision Miss."

"It's… still hard though. And it doesn't make me feel any better about thinking I just cast you aside for the others, but Hope does need help, and with this baby, Doc doesn't think it will be safe for me, or it to do the job."

"After building that home for Mister Drake and Miss Tailoway, along with aiding Miss Tuskgen with a few projects, I am eighty-five percent certain I will be up to the task. Well within acceptable parameters."

"You know, I often forget you're a robot. At least until you say something like that. Once the child arrives and I'm fit for duty again, I'll be there by your side in Hope. I know you'll do a great job helping to keep that place from falling apart until they're ready to be moved to City Hall. Just don't do too good of a job at it, I don't want to be out of a job before I even have my first day."

"Don't worry Miss. You may have taught me everything I need to know, but I am certain that there are things still beyond my grasp that you would exceed at."

"Not the most comforting thing to say, but I know what you mean. I never asked. What do you think about me being a mom?"

"Well, you have had no brothers or siblings, you have never been around a child yourself, at least one that demanded your attention, and you have a high tendency to put yourself in danger that others would be wise to avoid."

"You aren't making me feel any better about it Onion."

"What I am trying to say Miss is that after all of that, you are alive. You have faced adversity and come out on top. You are smart, you are caring, and you put others before yourself, more times than I can count. You even showed heightened emotions every time I was injured, despite the fact that you could fix me up with whatever parts were lying around. I think that that compassion Miss, will make you an excellent mother."

"Thank you. That… that means a lot." I hugged Onion.

A beep came from my Pip-Boar and I pressed a button. "Olivia, we're ready."

"Be right there Nate. Hey Onion, you want to see my baby?"

It was a bit more crowded than I thought. Besides Holly, her mom, Mark and Nate, Jasmine and Zack were here along with Logan, Bo with his family, and Tuskgen were here. Apparently someone sent word to Hope because Mayor Swift, Letty, and Nick were here as well. Seems everyone was just as interested in seeing my baby as I was. I just wasn't expecting a crowd. It was making me a bit nervous.

Doc led me over to a table and asked me to lay down. Nate stayed with me as everyone else kept a few feet away, at Doc's orders. He pulled out a large towel and then closed the curtain.

"You'll need to take your shirt off. Wrap this around you, all I need is the stomach."

I did as he said, and then laid back down on the table.

"Now, normally we'd need to shave your stomach, but Tuskgen made a few modifications so that we don't need to. Some mammals have a bit of an aversion to being shaved."

"I wouldn't have cared, but it'd also be nice to not have to worry about the itching."

"This will be cold."

Doc took out a small container and squeezed a translucent gel onto my fur. It felt fine until he started to massage it into my fur. The moment it hit my flesh it felt like someone poured liquid nitrogen onto my body. If it wasn't for Nate holding me down, I would have jumped right off of the table.

"I told you it would be cold. This is a medium to allow the ultrasound wand to make a good connection. It will feel cold again once I put this on you, but just relax. Take a look at the monitor."

There was a large monitor hanging above us. It was high enough that everyone else was able to see just as clearly as I could. Doc slowly pressed down the device onto my stomach, and like he said, it was cold, but not as bad as before. He moved it around a bit and I started to get used to it.

"I don't see anything."

"I have to make a few adjustments. You're the first one to have it used on."

Doc reached over to a terminal and started to adjust some knobs. It went from a black screen to a bright white one before settling into a hazy looking one. It finally settled onto a grainy black and white image that moved along with the device. It looked like a cavern almost, and there was something inside it. It was hard to make it out.

"Let me adjust a bit more… there."

"What am I looking at?"

"Your baby, or rather, the fetus. You can see the developing arms, legs and head. It's too soon to tell what species it is however. Those little stubs? They'll become the ears and tail."

"There's… I think there's something wrong Doc…"

"What do you… oh. Well, ain't this something."

"What is it Doc? Is my baby alright?"

"Yes, your babies are just fine. They look surprisingly healthy."

"Wait, babies? Do you mean…"

"Congratulations Miss Springs. You have twins."

I… I had two living beings inside me. Two.

"Did you say, twins?" Mark peaked inside the curtain. Doc tried to wave him away but I said it was okay. Mark opened it up and walked in. "Twins? Just like us!" He patted Nate on the back.

"Maybe it'll be a boy and a girl Binky. Then you can use both names."

"Wait…" Holly rushed to Mark's side. "Don't tell me you already have names planned? Oh please tell me if it's a girl it'll be Holly!"

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but we already have one too many Holly's. You want to tell her Binky?"

"Nick."

"What? You want me to come over there?" Nick's raspy voice seemed to have a tinge of curiosity to it.

"Yes, but I also want to ask if it's okay."

"Okay? If what's okay?"

"Well. I thought about it long and hard. Nate agrees upon my choice, but I want to make sure it's okay with you."

"What are you getting on at carrots?"

"If it's a girl, I want to name her… Judy. After your Judy."

"J-Judy… I… what if it's a boy?"

"Nick. After you."

"But… but why? Out of every name, why those?"

"You… don't sound like you like it."

"No! No, no, no. I just… I just want to know, why?"

"Well, I've read that many parents name their children after grandfathers, and who's more grand than you? I also want to do it as a way to thank you and honor you and Judy. If it wasn't for you two, well, I wouldn't exist, or at least, not how I am."

"I… I would be honored. Judy would be as well. But, what if they're both the same gender?"

"I don't know, maybe Nick the chick and Jude the dude?"

I said it jokingly of course, but I didn't realize it was that funny when Nick burst out laughing. He was also in tears. I was… confused.

"It wasn't that funny, was it?"

"Sorry… That's what her parents called her. Jude the dude. I always found it rather odd. Apparently even as a kid she never liked girly things, always wanted to be rough and tumble. Her father gave her that nickname. It just… it brought back memories. Nick the chick though? I'm so glad no one ever called me that."

"I… I remember that memory, of you and Judy, how she was so nervous about introducing you to her parents. I… if it's too painful, I won't ask."

"You want to know how they reacted, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Not good. At first. Her mother was a bit concerned, but her father, well, I found out that day where she got her temper from. Some of her siblings, and she had a lot, were a bit more accepting, or at least were acting it. They kept pestering me with questions about how we met, if I was going to eat her, if she would let me. Some of them had read way too many horror stories. It took time, but eventually they warmed up to me. I miss those days. I…"

I could tell that Nick was starting to get choked up. "It's okay. Just like it took time for them to warm up to you, it will take time for you to get used to these feelings. Just… never forget her. Never let go again."

"I won't. Never again."

"You… wanted to see me?"

After I had finished up with Doc and got that gunk cleaned off of me, Logan had asked to see me of all mammals. Alone. I couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Yes. Sit down."

He had called me to one of the old offices where we could talk in private. He pointed to a seat that was adjacent to me and I sat down.

"Look, if there's a problem with me being here still, I'm sure you…"

"Quiet." I gulped. "Miss Springs. You're not a Guardian. You aren't even a recruit.

"Logan I…"

"I said quiet. Now, under normal circumstances, you would have overstayed your welcome. We have limited supplies and resources at our disposal and you of every mammal here has seemed to utilized them the most, I do understand not intentionally."

"I can always…"

"Let me finish. Now, I know you and the Chief are close. Uncomfortably close I might add. I also know that you were that way before he became Chief and that's not something easily given up or changed. Chief Lazlo tolerated it, although at times I don't see why. Relationships like that have proven to be a distraction, a hindrance to daily operations."

"You have to understand…"

"I said let me finish."

"NO! You let me finish." Logan didn't try to stop me this time. "Yes, I'm sure that my presence here isn't good for day to day operations, and yes, I'm sure I'm distracting Nate from attending to other important business, but he's too important to me! I'm sure if you were to have this same discussion with him he would feel the same way!"

"Miss, I assure you…"

"Quiet. Now. I've been through a lot, and yes I do feel bad about being such a burden to you, and despite the dwindling number of Guardians, I know that the supplies have been dwindling just as exponentially. I want to help, to do what I can to repay everything that the Guardians, that Lazlo, that everyone has done for me. If Lazlo didn't save me from that theater I would have been dead. If he didn't help me when I was doused in radioactive waters, I'd be dead. If he didn't help save me from Wild Times. I'd be dead. I owe him so much and he isn't even around to pay him anymore! I can't be a Guardian, it… it doesn't feel right for me to be one. I need to be somewhere I am useful. In Hope. And before you say anything about Nate's plans, he needs it too! So don't you dare try to come between us."

"Are you finished? Good. Now, if you would have let me continue before your sudden outburst, you would have realized that I wasn't trying to come between you two. Yes, I admit that I have had reservations about the whole relationship affecting the Guardians, and part of me still does. However, as you have so clearly stated, the Guardians are dwindling. We need to be built back up. We need to be the force that Chief Lazlo wanted us to be. He was a good mammal, one of the best mammals I have ever known, but he was too kind. He had passion, but that passion as split among so many. The Guardians, the wastelanders, keeping the walls of Darkwater patched up, patrolling the borders for Red-Neck and Council activity. He had so many ideas, but could never focus on one.

"Nate, however, isn't Chief Lazlo. He'll never be the same leader that he was, but I think in ways he will be a better one. He won't fill Lazlo's shoes, but rather don a fresh pair modeled after his. In the short time being leader he has implemented plans that even Lazlo was blind to. Sure he wanted to reclaim Precinct One, but as a secondary base, not move us there. Yes, this place is bigger, but it's secluded, hidden from the world. He wanted to make ourselves known but was too afraid of our base being attacked. He said you can't have popularity without naysayers. Chief Valiant wants to not only make ourselves known, to root us deep into the Wasteland, but he wants us to be visible, a beacon that tells the world we're not afraid to hide anymore. Is it a dangerous move? Yes, but I think it's also a necessary one.

"Moving Hope as well? Lazlo wanted to expand the town, but the caverns below made expansion dangerous. He kept trying to come up with ideas, but the Mayor deemed them too risky to her citizens. Not only did she approve Chief Valiant's plans, but within two weeks we will be commencing the restoration of both Precinct One and City Hall. Within a year we should be ready to start moving, if not sooner.

"And then there's you. Like I said, I wasn't all too happy with how you and the Chief interacted while he was on duty."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"And I didn't try to hide it. Now don't get me wrong, it was never my intention to break you two apart, but rather, to make him act more professional. Thing is, despite everything that I considered a distraction, he still maintained his composure. He still led with an authority I never thought he had. But I think Lazlo saw it where no one else did. I never disliked those three, but I was certain that him becoming Chief would be our downfall. I'm happy to say that my fears were far from coming near the truth."

"Okay, I get why you're telling me this, but at the same time why are you telling me this? And why alone? Shouldn't this be something you talked to him and I about?"

"I know that the biggest motivation to move both our base and Hope is so that you two can be together. I know that his motivation to put all our resources to tracking down Baird and those responsible for the Legionaries was to protect you. Everything he has done, and will do, is for you. I can see it. We all can see it. However, I'm starting to see something else. I'm starting to realize something that I have heard the others say time and time again, but I never believed it, I never wanted to believe it. I was abandoned by my parents. I don't know why, but I always figured it was because of them not loving me. Lazlo told me they died, but I think he was just trying to protect me. When he started to fall for Mayor Swift, he spent so much time with her, shirking his duties, only to be denied the companionship he was seeking. I always thought that love was a useless thing, something that only distracts, and in most cases, I still hold true to that feeling. However, I finally see something else, something new between the two of you. Your love for him, and in turn his love for you isn't a weakness, but I think it empowers the both of you. I never thought he would be a good leader because when I first met him, when Lazlo first brought them to this base, all I saw was, and please don't take this the wrong way, a scared little pup. Yes, I got to know him better after a time, and he did warm up to me, but he was always a follower, never a leader.

"Then you come along. I have never seen such a one-eighty in my entire life. Because of you he's stronger. Because of you he's better. Because of you he's turned into someone who has earned my undying loyalty and respect, not an easy feat, especially since Lazlo was the only other one I felt like this about. It's because of you that he is who he is now, and that is why I promise you I will do everything in my power to protect him. And you. You may not be a Guardian, but I will serve and protect you like you're one of us."

Logan stood up and saluted me. This… was not what I was expecting.

"That's… wow."

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No! Not at all, I was just… I wasn't expecting, that. I appreciate it. I am also sorry."

"For what?"

"Snapping at you. I thought… the way you looked at us when we were together, I had a feeling you didn't like it so I just assumed you were going to say something to drive us apart. Have you… told Nate any of this?"

"Not yet. I… I wanted to tell you first, it will be… easier with him."

"Easier?"

"You're one messed up crazy rabbit. Miss."

"So I do get to you! And here I was thinking you were immune to my crazy charm. I've seen how the other Guardians react around me sometimes."

"Yes. I have had many… concerns about you, but I have dismissed them all as paranoia. Although, I would not want to go toe to toe with you in a fight."

"Just stay as you are and we'll be fine, although…"

"Although?"

I stood up and patted him on the arm. "You might want to pull that stick out of your ass. It's been lodged up there way too long."

Logan stood there, his same emotionless expression on his face. Did I go too far? Damn that Holly, rubbing off on me. Then, Logan did something that I never thought I would see. He smiled. He didn't say anything. He just smiled. Why did that feel more unsettling than his normal visage?

I turned to the door to leave, feeling that we were done. When I grabbed the handle I paused and turned around. "You stopped calling Lazlo 'Chief'."

"I will always remember Lazlo for the mammal he was, but he's gone, rest his soul, and I can't keep following the dead. There's only one Chief that I follow now."

"You know, I bet Lazlo is looking down on you and smiling."

Things will never be the same, but in a way I'm glad. Friends, family, allies. They are what is important, and as long you keep them close to you, no matter how many times you falter, no matter how many times you get knocked down, beaten up, and pushed around, it is they who will pick you back up.

This world doesn't need a hero. What it needs is a friend. An ally. It needs us. Together we will help save this world.

One step at a time.

Fallout: Zootopia After Show

Featuring:

'Stripes in the Morning'

[Stripes]

"Good morning Zootopian Wasteland! This is Stripes with Stripes in the Morning! Well, this chapter officially ends the Fallout Zootopia story! What? You thought there were eighty-two chapters? Well, yes. Yes there is. It's an epilogue of sorts that will take place a few years after the end of this chapters. It will not only give you a glimpse of what has happened to Olivia, her friends, the Guardians, and Hope, but also give you a small glimpse at things to come. And there are a lot of things ahead, though there are still no solid time frames for them, though after the holidays are over, and my life gets a bit less hectic out in the real world, though I would much rather be in this world, I will be able to focus on my writing to a much greater degree.

"Now, speaking of holidays, I have a little announcement to make. This stupid zebra did not even realize it until today, but the final chapter will be posted this Sunday on a certain holiday. From tracking statistics, I know that many of you are spread out across the world, and while this holiday is celebrated worldwide, not everyone celebrates it, or celebrates it in the same fashion, but there is one thing that all of you, despite your locations or beliefs have in common. Everyone likes a gift, and boy do I have a gift for you after the last After Show of this story. What is it you might ask? Well, that is something you will have to wait for, but I assure you it will be worth the wait.

"Today's show will be bouncing around the place, so I do apologize, but I have a lot to fill you in on, and not a lot of time for it. Now Max is still around, I assure you, and he has promised something big for us, but he has been a big vague with me on what it is, so looks like we all will be having a surprise to look forward to.

"Now, one thing everyone must have noticed was the R.A.D. device. Yes, I am sure many of you know what this is playing off of, and for those of you who don't? Don't worry, it isn't anything you need to know to understand this. The R.A.D. is basically a miniature terraforming device. It can absorb the residual radiation from an area and use that to fuel itself, and in turn, it cleans up the area. Encased within the device are chemicals that are designed to not only aid in the healing process, but also to make the lands around it fertile again.

"Only four R.A.D. devices were made, and they were all prototypes. The first one was given to the Steel Guardians for safe keeping since it was thought that they would be the first to explore the post war world before the Burrows opened. The Steel Guardians were tasked with setting up a R.A.D. and using it to usher in a new dawn. Chief Bogo happily accepted the responsibility, but he was concerned with it's ability to perform. That's where the second and third R.A.D. came play. Svalbear was the first to openly demonstrate the use of a nuclear weapon, but they simply detonated it in the air. Dromedary, a small desert country located to the east, was the first to test the effects of nuclear explosives on land. Dromedary was mostly desert, but it has a few large cities, and although camels were the dominant species, many species from all over the world resided there. It also has an abundance of ancient temples and abandoned cities that were excavated hundreds or even thousands of years ago due to the ever growing sands threatening to swallow them whole. One such abandoned city, Drome, the old capital to Dromedary, was the target of their nuclear tests. Despite it already being abandoned, it's buildings still stood strong, and with the desert about to consume the city within the next few decades, the military thought it would be a good test of a nuclear weapons effects against free standing structures.

"When the creators of the R.A.D. device learned of this test, they took two of their prototypes and caught the first plane to Dromedary. There they asked to see the effects themselves. At first they were rejected, especially since the tests had already concluded a week earlier, but then they presented the R.A.D. device to them. Every nation of the world was afraid of what would happen if a nuclear war started, and the Dromedarians were no different. When they learned what the device could do, they agreed to let these scientists investigate the ruins of Drome, provided they not only showed them that the device worked, but that they could have one for themselves. The scientists eagerly agreed, knowing that if this test was successful, mass production of the R.A.D. devices would begin within a month.

"They chose an area far enough away from ground zero that would mimic the long term effects of radiation and they set up the R.A.D. They learned two things. It worked. While there was not enough time to actually test growth, all readings showed the area to be radiation free and high levels of nitrates, various beneficial nutrients, and other key factors that would allow the land to be fertile. There was a downfall to this test however. They had hoped for at least a one square mile radial effect from the device, however the key levels of nutrients dropped off significantly after only a few hundred feet. It would take a dozen devices to have the coverage they had hoped for, and the device started to show signs of breaking down within the first two days of activation. Unfortunately, the war broke out before the scientists could return to make the necessary changes to the plan.

"Thankfully they had the good idea to entrust the Guardians with the one prototype before that happened. As for the fourth one? No one knows. It was kept within their research facility in the Medowlands, but that place has been long since ransacked. It could still be there, overlooked by scavengers, or it could be sitting on top of some raider's mantle as a trophy of some sorts. However, thanks to Tuskgen, the R.A.D. device that was rescued from Precinct One was replicated, although she is still working on a way to increase it's effective range, but it's a start to a cleaner, greener world.

"Now, I am sure that many of you are asking about the Treasure of Zootopia. You know, those pretty golden coins that Olivia seemed so dead set to collect? I will be honest with you folks, I completely forgot about them during the writing. So much stuff started to go on at once that neither me, nor Olivia had a moment to stop and wonder where they could be. Sure, I could have gone back and edited them in, but that's not my style. All those times Onion got beat up and nearly broke? Yeah, I kinda forgot about him in those scenes and his near deaths were the direct result of that and my writing style. However, that doesn't excuse me for not wrapping that up, and as you will see in the last chapter, I found a way to do that, although it may not happen as soon as you want.

"'That striped bastard is forgetting something very important that happened!' Is what I am *sure* many of you are saying right now, but do not fear, I haven't forgotten it. And if you were not asking that, well, I will be addressing it anyways. Yup, Olivia is pregnant. That wish-wash of genetic materials within her had been working in overtime along with her own biology, or at least when Nate and her were together. Yes, the signs should have been there, even within the first week, and they actually were there, but with everything going on, it's no wonder they were missed. Fatigue? Chalk it up to non-stop adventures and nearly getting killed. Strange eating habits? Well, to be completely honest, she already had strange eating habits. I mean a rabbit eating fish? How much more strange can you get? It's not like she could have walked over to the local drug store and bought a pregnancy test. Heck, I doubt that was even at the top of her head when her and Nate got down to business. If Doc had not run that full medical test on her, well let's just say that Olivia is damn glad he did. The Wasteland is not a very good place for expecting mothers. Especially for a rabbit who finds herself waist deep in danger on a daily basis.

"Now, will they be boys or girls, rabbits or foxes? You will have to wait and find out, and I have a feeling you only need to wait a few days to find that out. I will say this. While this world does allow hybrid mammals, a rabbit will be born a rabbit and a fox will be born a fox, and so on. There will be no physical hybrids, save for eye and fur colorations. Genetically though, you can expect to see various hearing, smelling, and other features that you have already experienced with Olivia.

"Now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the future of the Wasteland. Some of this will be revealed in the last chapter, but I feel that it's a good time to explain a few things, especially since I still have no idea what that fox is up to for that last After Show.

"Hope will be moving to it's new home in City Hall. Sure beats a train station with makeshift walls. Not only will it be much more protected, but the Steel Guardian's new home will be close by within the old Precinct One. Now, you may ask what will happen to the old Hope and Guardian base. Well, they will not to go waste. Since the old Guardian base is located deep within the ground, it will still act as an emergency area just in case the world decided to end. Again. It also houses some training technology that the new recruits utilize that are either to complex or to large to relocate easily. Many of the new recruits will be brought to the old base for training until they are reassigned to their active duty positions. It will also house a portion of the Guardian aerial fleet, allowing them to reach areas, such as the Rainforest District, much faster than it would from the new bases centralized position.

"As for Old Hope. There are a few residents who's family has always existed there, and they refused to move. Stalker Logan wanted to forcefully relocate them, but both Chief Valiant and Mayor Swift thought that would be a bad use of their power. Instead, they let those residents live there, but under a few conditions. Old Hope was to become not only the Steel Guardian's new recruitment center, but also a hub to allow for those new to the Wasteland to 'learn the ropes' as it were. Any citizens who remained were required to lend a paw or hoof to the Guardians and those seeking their safety. In return, they would be compensated with food, water, and supplies.

"Now, who are these new mammals to the Wasteland? None other than Burrow residents. You see, Nate still has a hatred of Burrows, one that I am afraid will never go away. On top of that, after the incident in Seventy-Six, every Burrow is now a ticking time bomb. Yes, the backup connection was severed before they could have been detonated, but after Nate sent some forces back to Ninety-Three to disarm it's reactor detonator, they learned that all safety systems were not disabled, allowing anyone within the Burrow to accidentally, or even purposely, activate it. Nate put together what he called the Burrow Hunters. They were specifically trained to locate the Burrows using the maps recovered from Felwick's files and Overseer Marsh's database, evacuate the Burrows if necessary, and most importantly, disable the reactors self-destruct trigger.

"Nate wanted the Burrows gone. Most of them were succumbed to similar experiments put in place by Burrow-Tec, but a few of them actually had a peaceful existence. Nate gave every Burrow the same choice. Completely evacuate the Burrow, and take what ever equipment and supplies could be salvaged before sealing it for good, or if the residents refuse to evacuate, take those who could and seal it up, leaving posts of Guardians to watch over it. Nate sometimes has a hard time balancing his hatred of Burrows with his need to respect a mammals own decisions. Although any Burrow deemed criminal, such as Burrow Eighty-Eight, especially if it involved crimes against nature, will be evacuated, and any residents found to have committed such crimes be apprehended and put on trial.

"Speaking of trials, Nate also started to bring back the judiciary system in the Wasteland. The very first official trial? Overseer Kerrigan. Let's just say that calling the judge every name in the book did not go over very well. As for Overseer Marsh? Olivia eventually forgave her, but still found it hard to look at her, all she could see was her mother's killer, even if it was an accident. Marsh took her punishment open pawed. She was assigned to the Burrow Hunters as both a liaison to the Burrows due to her knowledge as Overseer, and informant for the Guardians, freely giving them any and all information regarding Burrow-Tec, Overseer status, and any and all information about Burrows. Plus Nate thought it be a good idea to keep her and Olivia as far away from each other as possible. He was having problems of his own every time he saw his mother's killer rotting away in a jail cell. He could have killed him multiple times over, but he needed to show him, the Guardians, and the rest of the Wasteland that he was the better mammal.

"As for the rest of the gang? Well, all that and more is covered in the last chapter, so I will leave you at that. I have so much more to tell you, but that will have to wait. Stay tuned after the new year for:

The Standalone Show

Featuring:

Stripes in the Morning!

"Until next time folks, take care!"