J Shute's Oneshots, Drabbles and Commissions

by J Shute

A collection of my smaller stories and misc oneshots. Includes fluff files done for Cimar's collection, Patreon stories and other random plot bunnies.

45. Fire Instinct Blue Concept Outline:S5-S6

Fire Instinct Blue: Outline

Season 5 and 6 onward: The Third Mammal/When Night Falls (predictions)

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AN: And here we are, at the end… For now.

As this gets tricky. This is where we well and truly run out of the space to go. Guardian Blue was already pretty much mined out, and after tapping a final scene from Fire Triangle Season 1 that got pulled over to here, we quickly chase up with what's currently out for Season 2.

After that?

Well, I'll be basing it upon my theories for what La Peigne's aims for the end of his Fire Triangle plans actually are… I have a solid theory, but who knows if it's right or not. If it's right, then I'll be chuffed, if it's not… Well, it most likely is not, Merc's stories can have things set up and boiling in the background for literal years, while also taking sudden turns you weren't expecting on a moment's notice.

And while we're on things Merc's long hinted/foreshadowed, it's worth noting that in regard to the long hinted/ foreshadowed matter of Conor's true parentage in Fire Triangle, whether or not it turns out to be the case or not, as said at the start notes of S1 I'm not going down that route in this outline. Here, Conor's parents really are nobodies (and there's no grandpapa Palpatine shenanigans either). However, in a poetic fashion, the thing I repurposed the set-up for all that to set up instead will, in these chapters, be the one who very much helps to discover who he is and thus fill in that role in a roundabout way.

Now, I first started jotting things down before the long-awaited Erin's Audition scene in Fire Triangle, and I very much thought that would be out before this. However, things have eeked along just enough for both these things to come out at pretty much the same time. Whether the chapter is published or not by the time this comes out, who knows? But I have seen her play (spoils, she ROCKS) but very much don't know what happens next.

I might though on the day or two after this is published, depending on whether Merc has new stuff to share at the readthroughs. So… writing everything out based on a few broad ideas/ outlines, when you'll very soon realise how different it could be? What could possibly go wrong, haha… (Zootopia the original plot flashbacks intensify).

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(For the record and writing from before the audition scene readthrough, I have a solid idea of what will go in there and how it'll knock on.)

Speaking from the present where, as I've said, I've seen the audition scene up till Erin singing but not any further. Was I right? Was I wrong?

Well, turns out I was… Mostly right, things are seemingly going on as I expected but as I said Merc pulled out some very fun twists I was not expecting. As for what actually comes out next? Well, things are still seemingly going along in that direction, but when the scat does hit the fan can you really predict which way it'll go XD?

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In any case, this Fire Instinct Blue outline is all planned out involving how I assume Fire Triangle will go, combined with how I need to work in the other WNF characters and all the other changes I made for the crossover. So maybe, were this crossover really its own thing, this is where it all fully diverts from Fire Triangle anyhow. As said, once the whole of FT is released I might go back over, see if I can do a final revision/ merger that's super in line with FT's plot (or at least bolts in the cool set pieces to this thing.)

Eh, regardless, certain big things will always have to change given how things have already changed in this adaptation. Here, Skye is going to Fenholt/Zoo York for Jack and Vern knowing that La Peigne is up to something and something's going wrong with the justice system, whereas in Fire Triangle Nick goes over only thinking about the blood diamonds, and briefed by an ex ZYPD officer (Claudia Nizhang) beforepaw.

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Meanwhile, a lot of stuff has been leading up to fully firing into When Night Falls, and what's out of that will be coming too. That'll both include the nocturnal mob vs tundra mob crime war, and the stuff on the political side.

Before we begin, let me state that I know how the various plots of When Night Falls will end. Indeed, followers of that will know that I've stepped in to help write it. However, it's worth noting that a lot of stuff will naturally change as a consequence. The end game of the politics side of WNF will be very different, definitely. There will be significant differences in the other parts too, such as the crime war.

However, that isn't to say THERE WON'T BE HINTS AND/OR SPOILERS FOR AN UNRELEASED FIC. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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So yeah… A very different season, so how will we do this. Firstly, as we're initially going to follow stuff from Fire Triangle that's out, there's going to be a marker at the point where we catch up. There'll be a hard break there.

Before that, it'll be the kind of detail you've seen before.

After? It'll be more broad strokes. I was able to split it into rough 'at the same time' segments, in most cases, but the detail, layering and chronology may be a bit off from the ideal. In some cases, there are just 'this character does this through the length of the rest of the season'. Some plot lines suffer more than others.

I'm assuming that this whole thing will take two series to complete, given there being two planned final parts of Fire Triangle… I have no real clue when and where that break might be, or if ultimately there should be three or even four series to wrap things up. For now, I'm presuming two, and there seemed to be a solid break point for the end of the first one.

The final season/ season 6 gets to be called 'When Night Falls', in honour of Upplet's fic, given that this is where the great Vlad vs Big war finally ignites.

Given a certain discussion at the start of Fire Triangle season 2, season 5 gets to be called 'The Third Mammal' (not said in FT, but easily could have been), as it's just too good an opportunity to not use.

So… Into this final, strange, breach I go. It has been a fun ride. Now, once Fire Triangle has wrapped itself and all secrets are revealed, chances are I'll put in one final revised version of these last parts. Based on what I know happens. Indeed, it'll be interesting comparing that to this (and laughing at just how wrong I was). Until then, though, thanks to those who've enjoyed this. I've certainly loved putting it together. (Edit: so much so that even after releasing it I've thought back on how to improve it further. Those musings, as nothing's really confirmed or anything, are stuck on at the back).

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The following borrows from:

Fire Triangle: Season 2 (Merc Marten): Spoilers pretty much all of it up until Erin's Audition arc. After that, I'm out conjecturing. It might be right, it's probably wrong. We'll just have to see.

When Night Falls (Upplet): Pretty much all of it… I know how it ends, and though things throughout and especially towards the end will be pretty different in a lot of places (the core villains will have a completely different end game), there's always the chance of spoilers getting through. As said before, you have been warned.

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Season 5: The Third Mammal.

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Conor, aiming to get even with the gerbil jerks, tries to hack and crash their drone at an underground (in the not known to the law, not literally underground) race. To his horror though he realises that one of them jumped onto it as it falls, only barely managing to save him. He's deeply shaken by this.

Judy gets a panicked call in from Fru-Fru, and taking a risk, goes to meet with her before getting authorisation. She learns that the red pig's crew came around to negotiate, things getting ugly, fast. The two sides are on the brink of war.

Moreover, she learns that a lot of this started as her husband, Tad Dennison, purchased a 'legit' Reino diamond for her. Worse, it was from the Rafaj brothers, who Judy learns were closely tied to the red pig (though stupidly running slave diamonds without his knowledge). However, after the clamp down, owning one was ruled as illegal, and Lt Saw, the sun bear (currently acting head, due to his commander being hit by a car, but soon to be full head) of organised crime, publicly arrested both her and her husband (while pregnant with her son). The red pig's mammals accused them of putting in the anonymous tip off for the Rafaj brothers, and carrying out the arson attacks.

Hearing her begging for peace, Mr Big says that if she can deliver a truce proposal to the red pig (so they can both look for third parties manipulating them), he'll go along. For now.

Reporting back to Tora, she's angry about her doing this without permission, but on learning of who the Rafaj's were in with, realises that as they're about to be let out on bail, they're at risk. Judy hatches a plan, having Swinton and her boyfriend pretend to be waiting wiseguys, so as to scare the jackals into collaborating. Things run tight, only for a real cosa-nostra mobile with giant pigs in it to turn up, spooking the jackals just as she hoped. Only then, she learns that it wasn't Swinton and her boyfriend, it was actual mammals from the Red Pig.

Judy works on setting up a meeting, Vern and Saw (who hate each other) bashing one out, with the provision that the rat wants a favour from her. Soon, on the red pigs yacht, she succeeds in reducing his confidence that Mr Big did it (his enforcer revealing that, after claiming he smelt the same polar bear at fault, it was just the same 'aftershave). However, he's still mad, and reveals it comes down to the previously civilian Tad Dennison actually being a wise guy. If he snitched, the most basic rule of the law of Omerta was broken. She's almost thrown off his yacht, shuttled back to shore in a launch… Only to be sneakily contacted by the Red Pig's concierge, Joey Porcini, who's far more sympathetic to her arguments of a third party. He reveals that Tad was a very reluctant wiseguy, honouring his father's dying wish, and is arguably clean as can be. Meanwhile, he thinks there is a third party, and it's trying to get the red pig before he can get his out, selling the palm casino to industrial magnate Rupert Clovestone.

Going back, Vern reveals his favour, explaining the crazy antics of the judge and his prosecutor with the youth courts, and how he suspects that Conor has been through it before (even before he saw what happened to his deer friend, the way I heard it he was pleading with his mother to lawyer up). He wants her back on the case.

Meanwhile, Nick goes down to the nocturnal district and does a thorough interview of the jackals. Their delivery from The Company was the first and last, given that it was destroyed in the Finnagles raid before any more could come. It was also the day after their mother's funeral, and they had to pay it with a bunch of money from a mortgage on her house (the pull out so great, lots of the bills would be marked sequentially).

Reporting to the chief, he states the names of the smugglers who replaced the Company, but can't shrug the feeling there's something more there. Looking into it, tracing the money, he realises that the delivery was made the day after the Finneagles nightclub raid. There were three survivors, not two, and using a trace on Duke's brother's account, a bunch of the marked bills ended up there. That third mammal became the loan shark, the phantom.

Both Nick and Judy get fully promoted to detective, Judy moved under Tufts for the Conor Lewis case (not that the squirrel is happy), Nick briefed on looking in further on the third mammal. He's to go to Fenholt, to check in with the cops there and restart the investigation into the third mammal. Saw meanwhile recounts his talk with Clovestone, asking the elderly markhor about it and requesting he freezes his acquisition talks. Rupert is incensed (far more so than usual) and at first refuses, his company designed and built the palm tower and he wants complete ownership of it again. Saw forces his hoof via a request to acting mayor Bogo for an injunction until the election (something the buffalo hates doing, given the dubiousness of his legitimacy). Unbeknownst to them, afterwards Rupert met up with his minions (including the mysterious figure who spied on La Peigne for him). Deciding the bunny is interrupting things, he orders that they prepare to 'remove him from the equation, and make our langolin windfall look like pocket money while we're at it.'

Skye, meanwhile, has already arrived in Zoo York/ Fenholt, investigating the place on request of Vern Rodenberg. After settling down, she (and his mongoose PI, potentially Monty, Ci-Ci's son) start their investigation. They start by attending the local juvenile court. Most seem perfectly normal, but in one they spot some very familiar scenes. Pushing herself forward, Skye talks to a mother of a repeat offender who 'got off this time' thanks to his lawyer. Saying she's investigating this stuff, she learns that his 'first time' was for getting in a classroom fight, which he got three months for. 'Those months… they changed him. They really changed him.' Skye asks if they didn't have a lawyer the first time, the mother sniffing says they were told the judge would go easy on them if she waived her right. Skye says that something similar is happening in Zootopia, and she's here to try and get to the bottom of it. They go home together, to start investigating.

Conor, meanwhile, after grappling with self-doubts and issues from the near miss with the gerbils, recovers and pushes himself on. After finding that Erin's audition has been moved to an outside venue, he sneaks back onto the ZAPA campus past midnight to scout out a plan, finding some new secret tunnels while he's at it. To help provide cover, he also vid-contacts deer kid again, who's fallen in with an anarchist crowd (has the face of Che Gatovara shaved into his chest fur… though doesn't know the guy is dead). He'll tell friends of friends about 'the plan.' The silver fox requests that his friend 'keeps things safe' and doesn't do anything to get him or anyone else hurt. He seems to say yes.

A quick check in with Vlad and Lucy shows them with their new pups, Leo and Vasila (named after Lucy's dead brother and Vlad's dead first daughter respectively). While crime lords, even they can't escape the trials of new parenthood. Taking some pressure off of Lucy, Vlad lets the pups sleep holding onto him 'the olden way', rocking them to sleep while playing a lullaby on his new organ.

Jack is still busy campaigning, now stuck in damage control given his 'breakup' with Skye. However, he fights back, calling for a face to face debate with Rocky Hardesty. The hyrax, initially worried, calls up La Peigne, asking for an out against his brother… For practicalities sake (my brother could easily act out that blow hard and score a political win) LP (currently frustrated about something) organises and calls favours, resulting in the hyrax being able to claim 'I'd love too but our sponsor and network vetoed'.

Frustrated, the hare just focusses on the upcoming first debate round, and takes a break by calling Skye, the two just talking to each other and seeing how they're doing.

Nick, after saying goodbye to his mother and having a similar secret phone call with Judy, leaves for Fenholt… Only to get caught up in airport security. Realising Flash is working there, he goes up and tries to pull a favour. Only for Flash to get his own back for when Nick caught him speedracing and call security. Fortunately, it was only a counter hustle… Though Nick goes to the back of the line. (Thankfully, his flight turns out to be delayed).

La Peigne calls in Sarah Whitepaugh to reveal his concerns. Someone is shorting his company big time. He fears someone with power has discovered his secrets and intends to expose him. Showing genuine fear for the first time (if just a bit) he holds it down, working out that the mammal is none other than Clovestone. Guessing the Markhor's business plans are unviable if the fire triangle goes ahead. He decides peace is the best option, and invites the mammal for a dinner meeting, wording it in just a way that, if LP's suspicions are right, the markhor will be able to read through lines and knows not to say no.

Judy, meanwhile, after struggling under the overbearing, petty, frustrated and condescending Albert Tufts, asks and easily gets the planned day off for her sister's audition at ZAPA. She soon realises though that, given his history of making things difficult, it was too easy… And begins to wonder what on earth is up. If he thinks Conor really will be there, does he plan to use her? Regardless, she meets up with her family as they arrive at Zootopia Central, the large group using a rented schoolbus (free to use being the summer) to drop them off at a hare B&B'd meerkat colony.

La Peigne goes to a 'cordial dinner' with Rupert, soon turning ugly as he accuses, and Rupert gloatingly confesses, to all his plans. LP then reveals that he's recorded it all, and when Rupert laughs (you're the biggest loser if that gets out) LP says he knows. It's a Dr Strangelove doomsday device. If LP goes down, he takes Rupert with him, and even if his sentence for insider trading, manipulating the market, aiding and abetting organised crime is far smaller… At his age, he'd die behind bars too. LP finishes by saying that he can wipe pretty much all his records and compromised positions in short notice if things come to the worst of it, so trying to destroy him will be harder than the old goat presumes. As a result, they better learn to work together. Clovestone grumbles as he leaves, giving a 'youth of today' speech to the Alexander the great wannabe upstart in front of him, about how he knows Zootopia, his company built it, and it's his until the day he dies and long beyond. LP just smiles, and says 'Speaking from that ancient era and place, and a certain individual, possibly the only notable non-scum mammal the jackal species has ever produced, let me share a bit of eternal envy and fear at your inevitable succession. To quote Tsakraltes: The pups now love luxury, they disrespect elders… (etc.)

Nick, arriving in Fenholt, is intercepted by an ex-member of the local police department. Red Panda Claudia Nizhang, currently retired after having her knee shattered by a bullet during the Finneagles raid (indeed, she was critical in getting the only survivors, Danny and Keiran, out). She goes through a bunch of info with him, first on the record. Filling in some of the history of The Company, who they thought smuggled the diamonds (the deceased jr) and then possibilities. She floats the idea that he'd send a kit to do it, remarking that there's one he'd certainly trust. Sean McLeod, a young silverfox with a bent muzzle (nicknamed 'the Z kid), who used to memorise message and transport them by bike. All the times they brought him in, he was calm, quiet, courteous, just like Danny was. Nothing would stick, even truancy (the kit was smart, he passed the tests). The one thing that seemed to affect him was the mister, the kit was terrified of him. She guessed he had something over him, his favourite thing for his employees was for him to be one phone call away from destroying them.

Nick notes that the phantom corrupted and used a very intelligent teenage silverfox in his city, Claudia revealing she knows about Conor Lewis. She plainly states they're not the same, Sean McLeod is dead. He defended Jr in a fight, was killed, and buried in a paupers grave before they even knew what was happening, all kept hush-hush by The Mister and those he had power over.

Off the record, Claudia states that she expects the local police to stonewall him completely. Even as it stands, the Finneagles raid was a humiliating mess. What makes it far worse was that it was a bloodbath, most of the injuries on her side, including her own, were friendly fire. It was chaos, the higher ups do not want anything in it reopened. However, to help him out, she lends him a card for a fisher cat PI she knows. The minkerton agent is good in a scrap, and knows his stuff.

Back in Zootopia, audition day is here. Conor gets in position… only to find he doesn't have a wifi signal where he is. Taking a gamble, he sneaks onto stage and into his position on the lighting gantry. Meanwhile, Albert Tufts uses the threat of postponing the audition for a police search to make Gazelle and the head of the school (Dr Vignius) accept his plans for security.

Erin, waking up, finds all her friends from the burrows there, much to her delight and heads off with her family in tow. Judy though also has a confrontation with Stu Jr, a big Rock Hardesty fan, who calls her into account for 'still loving that fox'.

Conor, up on the gantry, realises a flaw in his plan as he has to make a dash to a bathroom… Moreover, forced to use the badly failing and revoltingly smelly backstage one. Just finishing up, he hears the security sweep and barely manages to remain hidden as the two wolves try and get in and out as fast as they can. Gas mask on and checking the feed, he finds far more officers than he ever imagined there and decides it's way too risky, calling it off. Going back across the lighting gantry to his exit, he's almost spotted by a drone, only escaping by hacking it and forcing an update. He then nearly makes it to the door, only to be called out.

It's his rat friend, Mike. At first not recognising him due to his fishy scent and new crab eating fox dye job, when he does he hurries Conor to a hidden trapdoor and hides him there. Communicating after, he reveals that his families business (Impawsible meats) was saved by a loan from the phantom, saved by Conor. Saying the fox will be safe there, he feels happy. He can watch Erin perform via the cameras, and he'll certainly hear her.

Meanwhile, Erin registers, getting jostled by one of a number of anarchist looking kids, filtering in to just watch. To her surprise, she bumps into Jason and Dana again who help her register. The latter is angry with any mention of Conor… mainly given the long grilling Albert Tufts already gave, and really not wanting to have to go through it again.

On stage before the start, Erin tries to spot her family in the crowd… Only to find Max March and his silverbun wingmammal Zach… Who've arrived so he can 'see his lady play' and are trying to dig a tunnel to the back stage. Reminding him that vandalism is frowned on, Erin races off, finally spotting her family. They sit together as Gazelle performs a few songs (buying time for some plumbers to finally fix that restroom) and then Dr Vignius gives his introductions. Finally, Erin heads off to await her turn…

-But not before noticing something off. The unusual number of parentless teens in the crowd. Observing remotely, Albert Tufts also notices something wrong, but can't pin it.

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AN: And this is where we transfer over into the speculative. Rather than layering the scenes as finely as I did, it'll be large blocks for each character. In some cases, some will run concurrently to others, in others not.

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Despite some complications and the need for a big pep talk, Erin performs her song, killing it and having her moment in the sun. It almost immediately goes to hell though thanks to the actions of her suitor, Max March, and his wingmammal Zach, who's mistaken by the ZPD for Conor due to his fur colour.

The ZPD pushes into action, while the anarchists leaps into action, blaring their airhorns and starting a 'We're not gonna take it' protest. However, some start a stage invasion, and Zach, still fleeing, is semi-spotted by another cop who thinks he's Conor and charges. The kids fight back and in soon spirals out of a control into a giant riot.

Conor, shocked at what's going on, even tries hacking into the PA system to try and order them to calm down. It doesn't work though, and as cops and kits flee, Conor slips out of his tunnel and merges with the fleeing crowd, secretly aiming to sneak off and access one of the tunnels in a nearby building. He sees Erin in a panic from the crowd though and rescues her, and they have a brief reunion, sparing just a few words. She's angry, mad, what the hell was he thinking… soon boiling down to him breaking out of jail in the first place. He had the best lawyer in Zootopia, he could have won the case! He bitterly replies that he knew, but they had his DNA and by the time of his trial they'd know exactly who he was. He'd be acquitted, then handcuffed, put on a plane and flown back to… He breaks off, saying he had to escape, or be sent back to a place he was ready to kill himself before going back to. He splits off, vanishing, while Erin is left in the crowd, trying to reunify with her family.

On the way though, she sees new cops coming in and rounding up kits, regardless of whether they were students, auditioners, or the rioters. She manages to get back to her family, but others in her posse aren't lucky, getting arrested. Potentially, even she is targeted, but if so she certainly knows to ask for her lawyer, something her sister would make sure would always have in such a case.

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Deer kid meanwhile routes back and occupies one of the main school buildings with some of his gang. He vows to protest the elitism of the school, the brutality of the police, and the tough issues the youth of the day face. 'We're not gonna take it! We're gonna take this instead!'

Meanwhile, all across the city, other young mammals break into protesting and rioting.

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Albert Tufts is dragged in front of the firing line but defends himself, he was right in that Conor was there and it wasn't him who mistook a bunny for a fox!

Meanwhile, Judge Predd and his collaborating prosecutor Rudy Gamsbart (you've seen him before but I didn't introduce him by name. In hindsight I should have… as now in my speculative outline he's ended up pretty damn important. Just remember his name XD) see what's going on are is overjoyed. After ending the ball hammer windscreen smashes years ago, this is his next big hit! He also eagerly talks back to his old contact, La Peigne, about just how much of a finding fee they can get for this. The big bunny is happy, and curious about what this hubbub is about. He's shocked though when he looks up Conor Lewis and sees Dylan Yates looking back at him.

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Conor, getting back to his loft, is shocked and horrified at what's going on 'in his name'. Racing as fast as he can, he makes a new video, urging non violence and begging all mammals brought in front of a judge to never, ever, ever waive their right to a lawyer. He puts it out, and then talks to Guild, who absolutely lays it into them for the risk… Though can't help but be a little impressed at the sticking it to the mammal he caused.

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Judy, seeing some of Erin's friends and maybe some of her own family in custody, some already getting the Judge Predd treatment and given sentences ('The Anarchist Fire must be quenched') looks into where they're going, and sees the roads leading back to La Peigne. These also merge with what Erin recounts, both from her brief meeting here and at the last Night of Carrot Days. On spotting a chance, Judy starts entreating with La Peigne, who is overjoyed, and starts trying to woo her and court her. The bunny plays along and see what she can find out.

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Behind cover though, his dealings with Rupert Clovestone carry on tensely. At first the discussion is angry: Rupert orders LP to abandon his plans until he gets his casino. LP refuses, the red pig selling the palm is his ticket out of crime. Rupert can scavenge it up for far less as the embers settle. Rupert says it'd clearly be a priority target, by the time the embers settle the embers of the casino will be cold. LP says he can do a fire buy when the war starts, giving the red pig the cash to destroy Big. Clovestone says the shadow stated that Pecarri would never sell the jewel in his crown in times of war, much of his forces are employed there with their daytime jobs. Besides, the ZPD are breathing down his neck to use pulling off the deal as leverage.

Back at the ZAPA campus, Deer Kid and his gang carry on holding the fort. This will go on for a long time (probably till the end of the season) and is very much inspired by the occupation of Zootopia Central in the fic 'Kitsunegari'. It's tense, scary, and the elation ebbs and flows with despair and hopelessness as the siege around the place grows. The deer kid finds love, he questions his faith, several times he almost gives up, thinking even Conor has abandoned him/ gone wet. Eventually though, he decides that what matters is he stood up for what he viewed as right. It doesn't matter what others say, he was there, he held the flag, and in the future, when mammals question why everything feels so wrong with the world and if they're not alone… They know they aren't, and there were mammals who took a stand and never gave up. He holds strong as they're eventually raided and eventually pulled out and off.

Likewise, Erin, if not legally constrained, gets caught up in her own activism. She, her bunnyburrow friends and those she and Conor have in Zootopia are protesting in solidarity and for the end of the crazy sentences. In drawing so, they pick up plenty of political, social and media ire, but Erin resolves to carry on. In particular, she directs her group against Rocky Hardesty… Slowly picking verbal fights and mocking him. It's slow and steady, but eventually really starts getting on his nerves.

Bradley, Jack and the squirrel mayoral campaigns carry on, Bradley pulling far more towards the traditional side of the spectrum (peace, security, law and order… Reaffirming what has made this city great). Jack is by far the more liberal candidate, drawing flack on a number of things. Both for his open stance on penal reform (Skye's history coming up a lot), sympathies to the Deer kids protests, and his connections to his brother. Regardless, the youth subcultures love him, especially Conor's old one, increasingly villanised by the (ever more popularist Judge (seeking his own reelection), and Rocky Hardesty). Erin, as part of it, starts campaigning hard for Jack too.

Off in Fenholt, Nick finds the local police a dead end in the investigation, eventually going to the PI. There he reveals that Claudia was using him to investigate Aries Security Company and their actions that night. The belief is that they forced the paw on the issue to perform the raid, but why? A talk to Danny in prison, tense given her past relationship with Skye, reveals little, though she's surprised when he mentions the third mammal corrupting another Silverfox. Nick asks her 'do you want another dead Sean McLeod? Is that it?' Before leaving though, Danny gives him one last word of advice. 'The prisons run by Aries corporation spend half the money, but have far lower recidivism… How? Why? All I know is that it's something to do with 'Morningmew'. That's something we knew about them and were going to hang over them, it was important enough for them to attack us. That might be the key.

Secretly, Danny asks to contact Vern Rodenberg. The rat is initially confused when she asks about Conor, before saying that the fox has vital information… enough to maybe get him in witness protection and a happy ending. A lot stinks about it, he has every reason to not trust the police, but for his sake… Keep fighting, and save him.

Looking in further under the guise of a reporter asking cops about Aries, Nick hears something that piques his interest. A cop from the raid (complaining about how half ran off halfway through) reported finding a silver fox kit under a van, having got past their line and sneaked in from the crowd. Nick, putting things together, decides to investigate the hospital where Sean McLeod died. Something very strange happened regarding his supposed death, confirmed by some of the medics there.

Skye, meeting a group of Granite Point survivors and their parents, hears their stories. She then visits the place too, at first seeing everything clean, but being visited by a whistle blower on the way out who talks about the brutal truth. He mentions a Leopard cat in for something involving a drone, which he denied. He was pulled out by management for one night, returned, and soon got an early parole.

She aims to meet him, only to bump into Nick by chance. The two, having some down time, bond, relax… It reminds them of the time they were in love. They wonder whether they could have worked, had kits (they can hybridise). They promise to keep in touch, even working together.

Meanwhile, Judy plays the part of being La Peigne's boyfriend. She's secretly told Nick, but as time goes on, the large bunny starts to comfort her feelings and verbally work his way in to her mind. His discussions with Clovestone continue, LP says it wasn't his fault he had to burn down the remains of the nocturnal mob. Rupert is confused, LP immediately latching onto something. Rupert reveals that Fangpyre lives, with a fugitive wife, the nocturnal mob growing in strength day by day from the fortune they made shorting Langolin. Pushed, LP reveals that he originally intended to spark a conflict between Fangpyre and Big, but after Jack was captured he was forced to sacrifice it.

Rupert asks if the plan (arson attacks) were the same, LP says so, saying he planned to frame Big for the first fire. Rupert and his mysterious assistant retreat to speak, before the latter reveals that he knows Big did do it. If they organise a credible way for Vlad to learn about it, that will get Jack his gang war, and keep the red pig out of it. He has just one request. His minion has a personal stake in this, and wants in on the action to get his own vengeance. LP gives him a time limit.

In private, Rupert discusses this with his confident and ally, Bradley Stagnew. The 'order for orders sake' deer disparages Jack Savage, but they equally disparage La Peigne and his 'radical upstarts'. They want to maintain Zootopia's status quo and the order… A swing to one brother (Jack Savage) is equally as unpalatable as to the other (La Peigne)… Though in the end they'd totally prefer LP to JS. Their operation to get Bradley to the mayors office continues. For instance, knocking out a popular bat candidate out of the race for the rodent vote by engineering an encounter with the mother of one of Lucy's victims. It doesn't go well.

Likewise, LP has his own favourite candidate. Both Jack and Bradley are against his expansion into the prison system, yet alone what he intends at the end of the Fire Triangle, but the squirrel candidate isn't. He's an engineer/ pragmatist who goes for what the evidence says works best, regardless of the popularity or the ideology. And in this case, the far lower cost and recidivism wins it for La Peigne.

Meanwhile, the two mobs are still at a tense position. However, Judy, discovering some evidence at LP's place about his manipulations of them, secretly sends them it to both Fru Fru and Joey Porcini. They clock that this mammal is setting them up, and secretly begin working together against their new threat, bringing Vlad on too.

Back in Fenholt, Nick looks into/ back at Morningmew. Discovering it's what the cure for nighthowler is derived from, he goes to investigate 'crazy Wex' McCrodon, currently interned in an asylum. There, he finds an almost catonic mammal… and can't help but remember Martina. He gets a few words out of him, including 'go Dylan. Find them, leave me…'

Skye finds the leopard kid and talks to him. He used to fly drones in the neighbourhood, but was arrested after reports of someone using them to smuggle drugs. While the evidence was only circumstantial, his parents were convinced to not have a lawyer… He was railroaded and sent to Granite point, his reports of abuse making him shake. He then claims that the managers pulled him out on a job in order to get an early parole. He helped with the destruction of The Company, and they did just that, getting released and not telling anyone as he had no proof, and no-one would believe him. He then says that they were looking for a mammal there. He tells the story of a young… too young fox kit who was locked up there. Beaten, abused, his muzzle was broken, then he vanished. He thought he'd been released, but on that night, when being put back in the van he saw Sarah (the white pawed wolverine) holding some photos of him, as if they wanted to capture him. He recounts the looks of the fox kit: silver fur, burning amber eyes, a small strand of head-fur that grew long… Skye realises it's Conor, though he says his name was Dylan.

Meeting together, Nick and Skye work together to piece together what happened. Wex tried to escape with another prisoner, Dylan Yates. Only Dylan managed it though and was then taken in via The Company, where he worked as a bike courier (Sean McLeod) until stepping in to defend Jr in a fight. Badly beaten, the company faked his death and fixed his broken muzzle. Now Dylan Yates, with another new identity, was perfect for smuggling diamonds. On the night of the Finneagles raid, set up in part to recapture him, he managed to slip out, change his identity one final time to Conor Lewis, and escape to Zootopia. There, he set up the loan sharking to switch out the traceable bills, all while building a new life for himself. Something he came so close to doing, only to trip up at the absolute last hurdle.

They push in to find out who he was before, eventually finding the long hidden records of his arrest, painting him as just another one of the many kids railroaded… And are unable to notice that something doesn't add up.

Back in Zootopia, Vern has been setting up calls for Conor to get back in touch, secretly mentioning something relating to Zoo York only Conor would know. Taking the hint, the fox gets back in touch online, the rodent saying that he knows a few things, but needs to know the whole story to help Conor. Conor gives it.

Conor recounts how, after losing his mother at a very young age and being abandoned by a raccoon foster family (the mother was a narcissist, as soon as she got pregnant with her own 'real' child she had now use for the 'stopgap'. After a ton of pestering, her weak willed husband dumped Dylan on the streets,) where he started scavenging for food. Eventually, trying to shoplift some simple food, he swiped the owner while going out and was arrested. Like so many kits before, he was told that everything would be so much better if he waived a right for an attorney. He did just that, only to be hit with a laundry list of charges (armed robbery, hate crime, assault), and getting an incredibly long sentence as a result. He'd be in granite point until he was a full adult. The fox breaks off, no-one would believe it, even Vern.

The rat though fills in everything else, the same stuff Skye and Nick found, to Conor's surprise. The fox then fills in the final pieces, what happened at Granite point. Along with the other hellish abuse, including the breaking of his muzzle, he and Wex were taken in for secret experimentation by none other than La Peigne personally. While the former was experimented on with drugs that generally made him calmer, more placid, (Morningmew) the fox was given stuff that made him far stronger, and far more aggressive (Serum). He still has some samples of it.

Vern promises to try and work out a deal, and is elated when Conor mentions his trove of evidence, which admittedly the fox hasn't looked through much of. He sends some over, while Vern tells him to hold tight. One thing is still confusing him, Conor's age. It doesn't match up. From his Granite Point record, he's supposedly a good deal older than he seems to be. Asking how old he really is, he admits he doesn't know.

Contacted by Vern, Skye carries on in Fenholt, trying to find Conor's records, birth certificate, and real age. Nick though is recalled back about his investigation. Forced to press on, he puts forward his hypothesis, confirmed when an attempt to exhume Sean's paupers grave reveals an empty coffin (or maybe an amputated rhino leg or something).

Judy's meanwhile, is pushed further towards a relationship with LP, who tries to trick her using media pics taken of Nick and Skye. Part of her, despite knowing how bad he is, finds him attractive (the big bun maybe up to his usual chemical shenanigans). However, after briefly losing temper and brutally insulting foxes, Judy resolutely states that she's a married bunny. Married to a fox. However, she lets it slip that they know he's up to something.

Angry, La Peigne realises that Skye would have worked out who Conor was, and Vern is still batting for him. He redoubles attempts to try and capture the fox, while coming down hard on Clovestone about getting the mob war he wants.

In this time though, his secret agent has found what he needed, an escaped mammal from the Tundra Mob, who knows the full truth about the attack on Castle Fangpyre.

Lucy, recovering from her pregnancy and deciding to get back into doing odd jobs, takes a seemingly simple request of recovering some info. It's the truth mentioned, and shocked at the news of what Mr Big did to Vlad's former family, she flies back to Vlad with the recording. He's at the crime summit between the three mobs, mediating it and discussing the threat that LP faces (Vlad remarking that Lucy can attest to some of the things they're developing at the company from her days during the Feldidae Infernum). She lands, panicked, but then realises she can't play what she discovered.

Porcini insists though, and the truth comes out.

Despite his pleas that it's LP planning to divide and conquer, Big knows it's futile. The tundra town mob and nocturnal mob go to war. Pulling back, the Sahara mob revel in the fact that, out of the game, they can now sell the palm and go legit for good and forever retire from crime.

Lucy, flying back to confront the mammals who hired her, is almost killed by Clovestone's secret mammal, who finally reveals himself. It's Peter Ishini, her old Felidae Infernum mentor, back from the dead.

Over in Fenholt, Skye discovers the records of Dylan's birth, that he was way too young to be given his sentence. It should have never passed. However, because he had no firm records, corrupt officials were able to age him up enough.

Vern breaks the news to Conor in one of his meetings, the young fox almost tearing up and absolutely raging that all his suffering should have never been and wondering why. Why…? Why did any of it happen. Vern has a theory… No proof, but a theory, and it's too horrible to imagine. 'Kits for cash.' He also reveals he's given the first discussion with the DA, sharing some of the docs, and saying that they're setting up the chance for a deal involving protective custody and witness protection. Ironically, the only thing they firmly hold against him now is his final break from prison.

The head DA is busy briefing and working over this deal, as long as it neutralises the threat of 'The Phantom' forever he'll be happy. That's what the banks want, after all. However, Rudy Gamsbart overhears this and, panicking, informs Judge Predd, and from that it gets to La Peigne. He's been looking at potential sites Conor could be hiding, and has found what he suspects is The Company's Zootopia safehouse. The obvious place for the fox to be hiding. He tests the sites by having a drone release an ultrasonic pulse during one of his negotiations with the head DA, Rudy Gamsbart secretly recording it and picking it up. Conor's location confirmed, LP prepares to raid and destroy the safe house. He'd love to capture the fox again, but if there's so much as a chance of him escaping he wants him dead. The fire triangle is in full swing now, he will not give up his magnum opus, whatever happens.

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Season 6: When Night Falls:

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Mr Big receives a final peace offer from Vlad. Surrender himself to face execution for his crimes, and his family and their organisation will be spared. At first, the rodent seems ready to do this, only for his son in law, Tad Denison, to rise in his defence. They choose to fight. Cut off the Nocturnal mob from the surface, smoke it inside the nocturnal district like a candle under cover.

Hearing the news, Vlad begins his plan too. Strike and destroy the Tundra mob's economy in guerrilla attacks directed by their superior intelligence and hidden logistics, sapping their strength and bleeding them until they can provoke attacks on their home territory. Vlad has mammals in the Nocturnal district control and maintenance teams and the local ZPD. Once the Tundra mob step underground, they can shut the gates to keep them in and direct the ZPD to destroy them and only them. Then, hollowed out, there'll be no resistance for a killer strike on their home base to finish them off once and for all.

Lucy starts the first move, leading a strike team including Grunt against a major distribution warehouse that supplies illegal equipment to the enemy. While a tactical and strategic success, Lucy is injured, and flies over to Lillian's to recover.

The Tundra mafia meanwhile court outside help, and launch a brutal counterattack. Citizens begin to panic at the fallout.

Nick returns back to Zootopia to hear that while the crime war is still ongoing, Conor's case is moving forward. They're planning to take the fox into witness protection. While not told who the danger is, Nick is given the opportunity of being one of his guards, on personal recommendation from Conor. To his surprise, he finds that Judy too is one. They manage to talk, reuniting, Nick revealing he knows why Conor escaped… and that he must be scared of others in the justice system. Wondering why he asked for both of them as guards, Nick laughs. 'I guess he wants us together again.' They embrace, reunited.

Conor begins preparing, packing things up and getting ready to perma scrub his IT system. He reminisces on his time there, but things are interrupted though when his security system pings. Using the same mammals he used to burn down the red pig's places (polar bears and arctic mammals) La Peigne strikes Conor's safehouse. Thankfully, one of the items the fox had in there was a (never used) motorbike. He grabs his laptop and a few things, races out, across the roofs and down, the roof of his loft collapsing after him. One of the polar bears looks out from the edge as Sarah comes behind him and knocks him off to his death. The rest, not knowing this, hunt down Conor, some spotting their dead comrade and, thinking Conor did it, getting mad. Nick, to his shock, gets contacted by a fleeing Conor, saying that he needs protection now, but is cut off, the phone broken. The rest of the polar bears still hunting him down, the fox is forced to drop his bike as the bears activate their serum, racing after him enraged. Almost caught, Conor finally pulls out a bottle he's kept on him from years and takes a pill. He goes 'super' and manages to use it to escape out, the bears shocked.

The ZPD look into the burning loft and find the dead bear. To their shock, they realise he's one of their own.

The actual mob war is still raging on, with Lucy feeling some doubts and worries. Her dark side returning. She also worries for her children and the danger of Peter. As a result, she chooses to let them stay at Lillian's, while also sneaking under a disguise into prison to talk with the imprisoned former leader of the Felidae Infernum, La Bruja, about Peter. While not telling her, La Bruja guesses that Lucy has children.

The mayoral debates are still going on, but are coloured by the sudden spike in crime. The student riots and crazy youth, including the deer kids protests at ZAPA and their idolisation of a fugitive. The arson attacks and now full out war between the mobs, spilling out onto the street. Bradley preaches a law and order, a returning the peace, a speak softly and carry a big stick message, one that chimes with voters and puts him in the lead. Jack Savage has little to chime against it, getting the loud minority. However, both he and Bradley strike up an odd agreement in the rebuttal of Aries security corporation. Something that the squirrel candidate questions. The simple facts show they are cheaper, have a world beating correctional rate (we used to dream of recidivism rates this low), didn't lose Conor (unlike the public system) and, as of recently are not involved in the mob. Case in point, a ZPD polar bear was recently found dead after taking part in a Tundra mob strike.

Out on the street, Erin continues campaigning and protesting. In the background a lot, she'll eventually learn more about what's going on, especially with the dark stuff that she realises Conor got caught up in. She just keeps on fighting, picking fights with Rocky Hardesty, challenging for debates and whatever. At first he ignores her and mocks her, but getting mocked back for 'running scared of a dumb bunny gal' begins to grate him.

This sways the public a bit, and watching it La Peigne strikes. He makes a public offer. The ZPD have proven themselves not just ineffective, but corrupt. But his company, his methods, they can provide the same correctional revolution to the police force. Let them manage, let them innovate. After all, if we fail, no harm done, you can go back.

There's an immediate hubbub in the public discourse. Naturally lots of mammals in high places (Bogo, Tora, etc) are against. However, under LP's instructions, Rocky Hardasty begins a massive drive against the ZPD, not just for the corruption but ineffectiveness, given how they were focussing so much on the Bunny and Fox smooching. In a surprise twist, the squirrel candidate and Bradley level out.

Conor, recovering from his sudden and heavy serum use in a hidden away area (maybe having looped back to the tunnels under ZAPA, hiding in plain sight) learns of all of this and doesn't know what to do anymore. La Peigne's mammals are everywhere, they'll stop at nothing, they'll hurt others, who can he trust anymore. He tells himself that once his muscles have recovered and he's fit again, he'll try and contact Nick and Judy. He can trust them. Still, he sounds unconvinced.

The DA has a talk with Vern and a small group of others. Conor has gone silent, but he suspects the attack earlier on was an attack on Conor's place, forcing the kit on the run again. Something Nick supports, understanding that after a ZPD polar bear was involved he's justifiably paranoid. Moreover, they strongly suspect that LP's company is up to something, but they can't release the fact they're even under suspicion yet without Conor's evidence trove. Vern though notes one thing… He's long felt worried about Rudy Gamsbart and 'Judge Predd' given their kit railroading (why he asked them not to be here). One of the small pieces of evidence he has is a list of judges, mostly in charge of juvenile courts, including those two. All with the same railroading, as verified by his agents in the field. Vern challenges the DA to step up, to do something, to fight for the poor and the weak and the dispossessed as he always should have. The DA notes Vern the mob lawyer is one to talk. The rat admits that maybe they both suck, but they can do some good together.

Out in Fenholt, Skye is still looking into the judges. Investigating their families for any clues, she notes one of their children is suddenly very popular. Asking about it, he says he's a major NFT designer. He shows off the artworks he drew, which he says his father ('the judge') sells on line for 'lottsa money'. Investigating further, she finds a bunch of different ways the judges are getting money. She suddenly freezes, a horrid realisation coming through her. She looks up the ones she can, and traces them to the public records of sentences and time sent to prison. Graphing them up against each other, the correlation is real. They're being bribed to railroad children into institutions run by LP, who then profits off of each one. She sends the details to Vern who just places his glasses down and stares out the window. When his niece, Melissa, asks what it is, he simply says 'Kits for cash. It's real.' He thanks Skye for what she's done, and she makes plans to go home.

Bradley meets up with Rupert, with Peter (annoyingly) in tow. They want to stop LP too, but also keep up the crime war. Were it not for LP, they'd be raking in the votes from this crime war. Peter though just wants his promised revenge against Lucy. The others are getting irritated by his caustic wisecracking 'evil for the lulz' nature (I liked it when you were quiet) and want him to just deal with Lucy, given that she's the only other big threat to them. He too talks to La Bruja about what she might know, and though she's angry about how he never visited gives him her theory about her children.

Funded by Rupert, Peter reveals his cunning plan. Host an art show, featuring Lucy's pre-arrest magnum opus to be auctioned off. Lucy discovers it and raids in, confronting Peter, who chides her about how she destroyed his family after all they did for them, and how he'll get revenge. She bitterly says they destroyed her life, one she's only just started to claw back, and will never let go. He chuckles that she's a monster, her blood sucking is quite common, isn't it. They spar, but she manages to defeat him, taking back her painting.

What he said concerns her though, and talking to Vlad she expresses them. She wants to try and get better, cutting down on blood, but the fire and the anger of the mob war is getting to her. The mob battles keep getting worse, key underlings of each mob getting killed in different strikes. Vlad's long time chef almost succeeds in poisoning the two bats after his children were held hostage. Vlad choses to spare him, but has his tail cut off and sent to Big as a warning. The shrew wants to launch a make or break assault against Vlad's base, but doesn't know where it is.

At Bradley's apartment, Peter drops in, and after being chided for his failure notes that he's actually just made an amazing 7D chess move. The painting included a tracker and a voice recorder (hehe, I heard a fox fooled her once that way) and he not only knows where she is, he knows what her weakness is. Bradley orders him to make sure she dies before pausing… He has a better idea.

Duke, still working at Vivienne's bakery, notices some noise around the back. He discovers Conor dumpster diving for food, the fox's muscles recovered. On his discovery the fox tries to run, claiming he shouldn't even be here, it puts Vivienne at too much risk. He tries to back out, but Duke pushes through. Vivienne is shocked as he leads Conor in, saying he wants her to call Nick as he can make sure he's protected in custody, and saying sorry if he puts him and her in any danger. They call Nick, to bring the young fugitive silverfox in. The ZPD move in, only Tad Howell is included in the action. Keeping an eye on it, he contacts his bosses and gets permission to 'activate'. After taking the laptop and while cuffing Conor, Tad 'fakes' being hit by Nighthowler, activating his serum and lunging at the fox. Nick is able to get him out of cuffs and he runs, only to be netted and taken in by Sarah.

Jack presents Skye's reports to the current front running squirrel candidate, who accepts that something dodgy is going on… But that's Fenholt, this is Zootopia, and nothing is tying La Peigne's company to it. The facts there show that they really do deliver, and any opposition is political, not practical. He then accuses Jack of trying to gaslight him, knock him down so he can rise back up. The hare relates this to Skye who, flying in, is reviewing the news and wondering just how La Peigne is able to get the rates down. Thinking it all through: Bellwether blinking, morningmew, Crazy Wex now looking more like Martina… Something clicks in her head. She looks at mammals immune to Nighthowler, there are a few (Opossum, Honey Badger, e.g.) and then looks at the recidivism rate. In all of LP's institutions, it's up. Far up. Getting off the plane, she calls Jack, thinking she knows exactly how he does it. He developed a 'reverse Nighthowler' using his cure compound and refining it like Doug did with his pellets, in doing so creating a long lasting drug that can make mammals less aggressive, more timid, more submissive and desperate to please etc etc. By dropping low levels of it into the prisoners, he doesn't change their behaviour too much (she guesses he avoids using it on the juveniles as parents would notice, but he's got the recidivation rate down there by a different way, flooding the system with mammals who were never criminals in the first place), but can get a marked reduction in both the prison violence (and thus staffing requirements) and their recidivism rate. She's determined to spot this going on and gets into a car that was waiting for her, only to realise too late it was a trap. She's tranq'd and led off.

The DA, being briefed on the chaos going on and the idea it all links to 'kits for cash' and an attempt to cover it up (taking Conor and Skye), confronts 'Judge Predd' and Rudy Gamsbart, angrily asking if they were involved in kits for cash and even helping to vanish Conor. At first 'Judge Predd' denies and tries to weasel his way out, blaming off on Vern and Jack only to be verbally pinned down. Rudy then happily admits that yes, they did, and they're going to keep on doing so. The DA realises it's a trap too late as an opossum working for LP takes him out in a supposed assassination by one of Vlad's mammals. This is painted in the news as the ultimate escalation in the crime war and failure of the ZPD, the support for the squirrel candidate and LP soaring.

Rudy Gamsbart takes the old DA's place, nixing any investigation into his paymaster. Conor's laptop meanwhile is heavily guarded at the ZPD, not that it matters to La Peigne. Without Conor's input, it's nigh on uncrackable. Even Albert Tufts admits he's way out of his depth, and they go as far to ask Keiran McCrodon to unlock it, suspecting he created it and offering him a full pardon if he helps them. He confesses he knows it well enough to know he's of no use. The only mammals who could get access to that system is Conor.

Skye wakes up in chains and a prison suit, shackled to Conor. La Peigne and Sarah gloat over her, and she accuses them of all the things they've done. They agree, completely, even boasting about some of the other nighthowler derivatives such as the serum. Indeed, one of the first test subjects is sitting there next to her. Skye's furious that they experimented on Conor, but gets beaten down by Sarah. La Peigne wants to use his drugs to morph Conor into the perfect prisoner. Conor is given a dose of the drug, and from his perspective LP and Sarah become imposing tyrants he's too scared to stand up to, and just tries to follow so as to not provoke their wrath/ please them. Submissive and compliant, LP promises that once he's wrapped his business up, he's going to have a lot of fun with his new slave. But until master can do that, Conor should sit and rot like the scummy criminal prisoner he is, thinking about all he's going to deserve. Seemingly broken, Conor shivers up, trembling.

The wolverine meanwhile states that she could just drug Skye up into a mindless drone, but there's no fun in that. She wants the pleasure of breaking Skye into submission the good ol' way, with lots of pain and humiliation. Moreover, she's going to pay for what she did.

While starting to serve as Sarah's (all dressed up and shock collared) maid, the wolverine shows off her plans for her new invention, a full body liquid nitrogen shower/ tank. "Oh, it won't kill you, even if you wish it does. The pain is excruciating, both in the moment and the weeks after as your skin blackens and boils and sheds, fur falling out and then the first new white shoots piercing through. It'll do what you did to my paw to the whole of you… I hope you like white.'

Left alone in the dark to cower in fear, Conor and Skye find solidarity in each other and their experiences. The former, due to the drug, keeps on saying he'd fight back, but they made him too scared. Skye works through to him, and he eventually says he has an idea and a plan. Skye asks if it's an ace up his sleeve, and he replies 'not quite'.

Judy confronts Tad Howell in his hospital room. She knows what she saw wasn't him being hit by a howler, she saw it before, at the jewellers. She angrily calls him out, for lying, for being up to stuff. For even being the one behind Deer kids arrest and ruining his life… Like so many other kits. Her friends are missing, she's angry, she'll get to the bottom of this.

Meanwhile Peter, after using his bug to learn where they are, manages to abduct one of Vlad and Lucy's pups. She's mad, furious, and ready to go on the warpath. He gives her the conditions to get them back. Break into LP's base (after all, he was the one who burnt down Castle Fangpyre the second time), find his top-secret labs not even Peter could break into, and steal all their dirty secrets, and give them to him. She does this with her team, but spots Skye and Conor being abused. She ignores it, wanting her kits back, and instead focusses on La Peigne talking and laughing with Rudy Gamsbart and 'Judge Predd' the trio gloating at the fun they've had (Kits for cash) and the fun they're about to have. Enough gathered, she drops it off with Peter, who sends it over to his masters. He's then told he's free to dispose of her as he wishes. Flying off to a meeting place (revealed to be Peter's own Belfry, especially for her), they have a bitter battle, Lucy eventually getting the better hand and winning, taking her baby back and mortally wounding Peter.

Peter though engages a contingency measure. He sends a message to Big, telling him exactly where Vlad is located. Seeing this, the tundra mob sees their chance and commits their entire standing army to annihilate the nocturnal mob's base. Lucy gets there but it's too late, the attack in full swing, Vlad's honour guard fighting heroically but futilely. The base is destroyed, only a few of the inner circle escaping, including a badly injured Vlad.

Though they were badly weakened and failed to fully destroy their enemy, the Tundra Town mob is still very much victorious. They gave a brutal blow to the nocturnal mob that it likely can never recover from, while they are still a cohesive force. They loot what they can and pile into their cars to get out and home to celebrate.

Vlad is heavily injured, but once more Lucy manages to get him out. He weakly asks if she has his child back, and when she tells her she does he says they should run far away, hide, build a small and simple life… She furiously refuses. Every mammal who hurt them will pay, starting with Big. She calls the nocturnal mobs contacts in the district control systems and has them close the emergency gates on the exits, while getting those in the ZPD to rally all forces to attack their enemies. The escaping tundra forces are trapped between the locked gates and the ZPD, captured and taken prisoner.

With Big's forces out of play, Lucy rallies the nocturnal mobs remaining forces. Those still in the underground district move out via their secret exits, joining with those up on the surface, combining and marching out to war. In full daylight, a shock and awe attack hits the Big manor, overwhelming the few mammals left to guard it. Forced to flee, the shrew and his family climb up into a passenger drone on the roof and fly off as Nocturnal mob vehicles break into the compound and start looting and burning it. Just like he feared all those years ago, his empire falls like Tigon to Vlad's forces.

Little does he know that Lucy managed to climb on his drone top, and rides it to their safe house. As they depart, she ambushes them, Tad Denison fighting her off and away from Big but getting locked out. Furious, she drains the shrew before leaving. The family doctor examines him, he's at death's door, there's nothing they can do. Fru Fru begs for a blood transfusion, but the doctor says that enough blood to save Tad would kill the donator. She says they can share, but he says there's only one mammal here with the right blood type. When she asks who, Mr Big reveals he has the same blood type.

After a second's thought, Big orders him to do it. The doctor protests, it'll kill him. Big says he knows, and orders him to do it anyway. This was all his fault, he should own up to it and pay the price, like he offered to do before. After he's dead, give his body to Vlad and Lucy, let them know, and ask them to let his family live in peace, a favour they'll return. He tearfully says goodbye to his children and grandchildren, fainting and then dying peacefully as Tad is slowly revived.

Lucy is not done yet though, and as the first leak of what she saw plays on to put down La Peigne, she goes straight to the mammal that leaked it to the public. Vern Rodenberg.

She tries to fight him, but finds him far tougher than she imagined, the pair coming to a stalemate when Vern's niece Melissa joins in. He then reveals he got it anonymously, and reveals what he's been doing. She realises what's at stake, and how another generation of mammals are being wrongly imprisoned. Vern says that prison changes mammals, it beat her into a monster, one that every rodent fears, but it's her choice what she does now.

She breaks down at what she's become, especially when she left behind other mammals.

Judy, pushing things with Tad Howell, including the new exposees (which LP's media supporters and legal allies are painting as deep fakes/ fake news), ends up getting the bunny slapped with a restraining order by the new DA (Gamsbart) who threatens so much worse if she doesn't step in line. He also goes after Erin, who stomps back, claiming she knows exactly what he did to her friends. He accuses her of libel, she just says 'sue me'.

Acting mayor Bogo wants very badly to get rid of DA Gamsbart… But the issues around his legitimacy and fear of abusing his powers pop up again. It's not long until the election, but until then, unless something truly spectacular comes up, he's not going to do it.

Lucy meanwhile meets up with Judy and Nick, revealing that she knows where Skye and Conor are and the evil inside LP's company. Knowing the new DA (Rudy) won't ever give them the warrant to investigate, she decides to give them justified cause. Leading them off, and giving the ZPD an excuse to chase Zootopia's number one fugitive from the law, she flies right back into LP's research compound. With Judy's help from when she was given a tour of the place, she leads her forces through the secret passageways and such to exactly where she knows they need to go, the ZPD marching in and taking him completely by surprise.

Lucy gets to Conor and Skye, starting to free them. She thanks the vixen, she was right, that young innocent bat was still inside of her, something only Skye could see. If it weren't for her, she might not have saved Vlad, fallen in love, had her pups… Much of her is still a monster, and in many cases the good isn't strong enough, but it only ever had a chance to win thanks to the swift fox. Skye saved her, and now she's repaying it.

They begin to break off and escape, only for an enraged LP and Sarah to arrive. He tries to order Conor back down, but he refuses, to their shock having 'cured himself'. The two activate their serum devices, but Conor, revealing he kept some in his 'prison wallet' (one of which he used to cure himself) takes the last of his stash along with Skye. He and LP face off, while Skye leads a far stronger and dangerous Sarah away. Eventually, both LP and Sarah are defeated or at least brought to a draw as the cavalry arrive. Skye manages to trick Sarah into her own freeze chamber, turning it on and giving the entire wolverine the same treatment as her paw. Fur falling out, by the time it grows back she'll be all white.

Masses of evidence pouring out, the tide turns against LP's company and the squirrel candidate. Rudy Gamsbart, panicking, starts packing up and trying to burn info, but is stopped by Mayor Bogo, who, after recording his attempt, feels he now has all the justification he needs to abuse his authority. A cop he brought takes Rudy into custody, while Bogo swears in a new DA, who's first act is to put Conor's deal back on the table. With Vern's consent, Conor signs on before playing his part, unlocking his laptop and allowing all the evidence to be shared at last.

Squirrel candidate, even though proven completely clean, comes to Jack and apologises, the hare was right, before stepping down from the race. The bunny consoles him, he'd have made a great mayor, and was only wrong for all the right reasons.

Huge youth protests once again surge through the city, Erin leading them. Rudy Gamsbart already in custody, 'Judge Predd' is arrested as their corruption is exposed, almost getting lynched by the protests, but seeing them scared and shocked Erin manages to get them out, but not before calling the cops and making sure they're taken away, saying she hopes they spend the rest of their lives behind bars. As if that's not enough, Vern confronts them, and angrily lays into why they suck.

Rocky Hardesty, his paymaster gone and ratings in freefall given evidence he was nothing more than a propaganda yeller, tries to revive himself with one more 'Pred and Prey: Stay away' hate. He even brought Erin on for a showdown… Only for her to bring Nick and Judy as her guardians. The two just kiss on air, saying that even if mammals like him hate them, they're not going to live in fear. They'll be out there kissing on the streets. Erin says 'deal with it', and that when she next sees her foxy boyfriend she'll be giving him the biggest wettest kiss EVER! (Something she then realises that yes, she did say it, on live TV.)

Lucy meanwhile meets with Stagnew and Clovestone, having figured out they were Peter's boss. They happily inform her that their plan worked perfectly. The fear and crime will drive mammals to Stagnew, and now that the red pig was bought out, and Big and Vlad have pounded each other into nothing, once they win the election bringing peace and wiping up the remaining scum of the earth away will be easy.

She informs them that she and Vlad will be leaving this city, and says goodbye… But not before saying that she's being very forgiving. Using her as a pawn, kitnapping her child, these are all things she could rage at them for, but she'll let it pass. New her, or rather old her, at work there. There's just one thing she won't let go unpunished though, even if she promises that the punishment will be 'proportional'. And that's messing with her art. Oh yes, fool her once shame on you, fool her twice, shame on her, but she ain't gonna be fooled thrice. She throws Peter's in-painting bug down, and informs them that a few of her bat teams have found some recorded evidence of them setting up the mob war and their insider trading. Something she's a little guilty of too after shorting Clovestone Industries.

She flies off before they can react, and the news just fuels the growing street protests further.

Change is in the air, and as election day comes down the energised youth march through the voting booths. Jack Savage wins, and (after proposing to her and she accepting) he and a recovering Skye take the stage as Mayor and first Lady of Zootopia. Jack, though feeling he hasn't 'earned' his place given the other candidates dropping out or getting caught in scandals, vows to do his best to lead his city away from this and into the light. He gives an impassioned speech, and promises to serve as best he can.

Vlad and Lucy take their pups and prepare to leave, but not before Lucy orders drone-Martina to hand herself into the ZPD and tell them that she's another of La Peigne's victims. Before she goes though, she writes a note for her, that she reads when cured: 'It's up to Leo in the next life to forgive you for what you did to him. But I forgive you for what you did to me. Do what you want with life, as long as it does not take from others. Sincerely, your best friend ever.'

Martina calls a cop over, and asks to confess to the murder of Leo Sang, perjury and perversion of the course of justice.

Vlad and Lucy, pups clinging on, fly off into the distance, Vlad remarking that after all this a small treehouse for a family of four sounds prouder than castle Fangpyre ever was. Lucy notes he'll have to make it a family of five.

Conor finished his debriefing and then gets a chance to revisit La Peigne one last time and speak his mind to the hare. He then returns to negotiating his deal. Most of his crimes were no longer valid and/ or unprovable given him being underage, and he's offered time served and a long community service order for the one provable one, his breakout from the ZPD lockup. He'll be touring the city schools, giving talks about how it's not so cool to be a great outlaw, to scare off any Conor wannabes. The silver fox happily agrees. It's over, finally he truly is free.

Many of the still held kids are released (with those with convictions promised an inquiry, compensation, clearing of their records), both in Zootopia and Fenholt, while adult prisoners and mammals are tested for the drugs and offered a counteracting nighthowler cure. Danny and Keiran have their sentences commuted given the corruption with the initial raid, and are free mammals, with the inherited wealth from The Company at their disposal. Conor (having formally changed his name to it), though he won't be getting back into ZAPA is excited that he'll have a semi-normal life at the children's home. He's confused though as he's driven elsewhere, getting out to see all his friends and allies, even Danny, Keiran and a cured Wex… And most of all Nick, Judy and Vivienne… With an offer to foster him, leading to adoption.

Overwhelmed with emotion, he hugs them, crying true tears for the first time in years.

Finally, Gazelle puts on a benefit concert to raise money for the child victims. All mammals are in attendance, even Honey (who hints at Conor at just who she is, something he gets and thanks her for). He's given a backstage pass, bumping into Erin while there. After a flurry of emotions they confess their love and kiss, before Gazelle herself calls them up. She asks if they know how to play their instruments for 'He fought the law' and they nod, stepping up and playing out as the saga ends.

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AN: So, lots of predictions and ideas here.

(In addition, a few weeks after first posting it, I had a few additional ideas and ways to improve the above to make it even better. Those musing are plugged in at the back.)

As said, after a long lead up this is being released just after I see Erin play and just before I learn what the fallout of the big audition scene is. I've seen her play in ZAA, just not seen what ends the day.

I assume it'll be bad though with Zach March and his silver fur acting as the detonator. Regardless, however it happens I expect things will get violent, things will get ugly, and that's a field day for La Peigne and his organisation to turbocharge their operation.

Now, what may well happen in Fire Triangle itself is that Erin and/or some of her friends get caught up in this, even being sent to Judge Predd and juvie themselves and seeing the real front of all this mess. That would give Judy a very big reason to look into the person who runs such things, La Peigne, and give him a solid method of getting to her. Organise a reprieve for those she cares for, get on her good side, act like a good guy and start the wooing.

However, as well as just being a theory (A Fanfic theory. Thanks for reading.) it's also kinda superfluous at this point in this story, as we've already covered it with multiple characters. Both Skye and Lucy were victims of a miscarriages of justice on top of Conor and Vern, and we've seen them in jail… And far more specifically, we've seen Deer kid really front end all this corrupt Juvie stuff. You really can have too much kiddie jail in a story, and I think having Erin now face that would be too much. So, in this Erin stays out of trouble but starts going into protesting and such, to keep her and Conor's friends busy.

Speaking of Deer Kid, after such a big lead up for the 'He Fought the Law' scene I couldn't just drop him. Originally, I had a dark/ dramatic idea where afterwards he got more estranged from his mother, more depressed, ended up in trouble with the law again and, well… In his despair took his own life or at least tried to. It nailed home how evil and damaging the legal system corruption is/ was.

However, that all change when Merc had him reintroduced as an edgy anarchist who Conor recruited to help him at the audition. That was easy to fit into this outline: him morphing from wide eyed, naïve, optimistic Conor fanboy to a mean edgy anarchist plays with the prison changes people theme nicely, and gives him more agency. However, the anarchists in Merc's fic, deer kid especially, were just a little bit the subject of some narrative mocking. They were a bit of a joke, something that doesn't feel right here given how close we've got to this character. And, even if he was treated seriously, the chances are once his usefulness at the audition has passed Merc will shelve him again.

Consequently, he needed something to do after the audition. At the ZAA readthroughs we've been reading the fic 'Kitsunegari' by 83j049733rfe4, which I'd say is the closest thing we've seen to true art. It's unlike any other fic, surrealist madness in all its confusing glory. Moreover, the main plot involves a bunch of preds during the Nighthowler crisis taking over and occupying Zootopia central as a protest, and facing off against the ZPD as they come to reclaim it for the city. Translating some of that feel, and some of the arcs (falling in love and standing by that person against the odds) truly feels like the perfect thing for this version of deer kid. It lines up with his politics and ideology, and though it presses hard and critically on it, it gives it a measure of respect and Deer kid a good ending. In the end, he makes his decision to take a stand, to hold his head high, even to lose, but to lose on his terms. He becomes a man, a leader, sure in himself. He fought the law, that's what he wanted to do, and that's all that matters.

Nick, as in Fire Triangle, goes off to investigate the third mammal. Claudia, her role in Zootopia replaced with Jack, pops up early as a whistleblower in Fenholt to give him her brief and connections. After that slight rearrangement, things carry on as before.

I presume things like this, and what Skye does, will occur going on in Merc's fic. They look around, they find things, they figure things out. I feel Nick will connect Conor to Dylan to Sean McLeod and work out just how corrupt and all encompassing LP's company is. And that might include returning to a suspiciously marked out as particularly young leopard we saw in the prequel… But we'll see.

Skye being there allows her to take some of that load, moving in from a different side and stumbling onto some of the things Nick will in the main fic and really exploring them in more depth, the two eventually meeting in the middle and combining their talents. Given the two once being a thing, and building Wild Times together, having them reunify and a bit of their dynamic explored feels like a nice touch.

Skye also gets to uncover and discover other aspects of the case I don't expect Nick will, in particular Conor's origin. It's strongly hinted in Fire Triangle that Conor is Nick's son, to a deceased character named Robyn. The trouble is, that bit of backstory was adapted to introduce the very alive Skye (who in this case was the one who went to prison, whereas back in FT it was Nick). While Conor just being a random kid rather than Nick's son, in my view at least, makes the story stronger, it also means you don't have the ability for a DNA test (such as the sample from when he bit Nick) to jumpstart working out who he is and finding things quicker. You have to take the slow route, and Skye is perfectly placed to do that.

She also figures out the big scope of all of LP's operations, both Kits for cash AND the drugging of prisoners to lower recidivism. One of those is confirmed in everything but firm word, while the other is what I'd hedge my bets and say I suspect is going on. It all plays into my view for what the Fire Triangles end goal truly is: provoke a gang war and use the violence to delegitimise the ZPD, in turn opening it out for privatisation, LP's company ideally placed to win it.

It all feels a great evolution of her character, given how timid she was at the start of the series, and how much she's grown by the end.

Judy will also be involved with LP. In Fire Triangle, I can see him genuinely wooing her and the pair falling in love. In this though, she's married to Nick. I can see him trying to gaslight her, trying to take advantage of her at her weakest, even her developing feelings for him. However, she has far more of an inkling her that he's bad news, and being married to Nick she'll always back out before it's too late. So instead, she's playing the undercover game, trying to work out what she can. This eventually truly pays off when she's able to help the ZPD in getting in to save Skye and Conor before it's too late.

While I expect the mob war in FT to rekindle, here it's a new war between Vlad and Mr Big as in When Night Falls. Bradley and Rupert's plan in that was always very similar to LP's in fire triangle: use a mob war as a catalyst for gaining political power. So, Vlad and Mr Big fighting works for both them and LP, even if they both want the other to not succeed. Using Peter to use his leverage over Lucy to get the evidence to trip up LP's plans (without exposing that it was Rupert behind it) is a fun way of crossing things over, keeping things connected. It also allows me to have Vern vs Lucy, a fight I bet none of you expected (and I mean, after having Vern vs Fidget in one of my fics, I liked the idea of another bat vs rat fight, especially if it shows off all the dirty tricks that Vern's 25 years inside taught him. Also, I can't help but lul at the idea of Vern holding up a menorah to try and halt Lucy. 'Seriously!? One, I'm not that kind of vampire. Two, I'm not Jewish! What even is this? (CLUNK BANG). Melissa: A distraction.))

The Nocturnal vs Tundra mob war is nasty, brutal, mammals you've known for a long time die. In the end, Big dies too, I feel he has to as it's ultimately his fault, he needs to pay for the death of Vlad's old family. But having him sacrifice himself to save his son in law, save a new generation who'll leave crime behind, feels like a strong offer of redemption.

Likewise, Lucy, after battling with her dark side, ultimately comes back to the light and ends up saving Skye. I love this little bit, given that it feels like it completes her arc. After all, Skye was the one who first planted the seed, the idea, that Lucy wasn't just this monster anymore. It coming full circle and Lucy saving Skye just feels right.

At the end, things do get darker. In what I don't expect to see, but worked very well here as a very good 'get out of a corner' for me, the DA is assassinated as he truly pushes for the truth (his death used to further justify the various plans), and the now moved up Rudy Gamsbart makes sure to do his best to scupper any investigation going on. Lucy seems to go fully back to the dark side. Conor is recaptured by LP, Sarah manages to kidnap Skye and take all her evidence, the two foxes then captive and subject to their cruelty… I feel that LP is most interested in asserting dominance over his enemies, he keeps things clean, professional, showing off his skills and power if he can. The other though… Thinking back to how Seth from FT treated Danny (who white pawed him there), that was far more plain sadistic… Something reflected here. However, a mix of Conor's skills and Skye's actions coming full circle give them a chance to escape. In the end, serum'd up so they stand a chance, Conor manages to defeat LP with his brawn, and Skye Sarah with her brains.

After all, bad mammals need to be defeated BIG TIME. After their desperate attempts to claw on to control of the justice system, it all falls in for LP and his mammals. Conor talking down to him at the end feels good. Seeing a now fully whited Sarah returned to jail for life feels great. Seeing Rudy and George Schlatten/ Judge Predd rendered low, great. Bradley and Rupert can't have their way either, so Lucy playing them to spill the beans and scupper all their plans is a nice touch.

The Squirrel candidate from Guardian Blue always felt like a good character, and one who'd be right in any other situation. Here though, he got duped, and acting with honour stepped down from the race. That left it to Jack to win the race, becoming Mayor Savage. Jack and Skye get married in S2 of GB, which I feel is too early here (not to mention, I make the GB vows and such not just red fox specific, but New Reynard red fox specific at that.) However, I show the pair getting engaged near the end, showing that at the end of the day they love each other, and want to spend their lives together.

Finally, at the end, the good characters get their happy endings, especially Conor. I even manage to fit one for Danny and Kieran in there too. And, when writing that last scene… That felt like a way to end the series.

Of course, as said many times, this all relies on speculation, theories and compromises. Lots of what I put for the WNF side is very much wrong, even when I know how it'll end, while FT is guess work based on clues, hints, etc. When that fic ends, I'll likely know very differently. But, for what matters now is that the various characters and their arcs are tied up in a satisfying manner. Now, looking back a few weeks after posting, did I manage that?

I'd say I hit 80-90%

I'm super proud of what I have done so far, wrapping this all up. And all the main plot points are closed, and often with a lot of satisfaction (Lucy saving Skye especially). However, in hindsight, there are weak points. I fully admit that Nick and Judy (especially) seemingly have less going on near the end, being very reactive rather than proactive. Moreover, certain characters ended up on the backburner (helping other main ones in the background) or getting fridged (Honey, Motti, Sharla and Gareth being the big offenders, and ones who's long absence started this introspection).

Consequently I had a few musings, ideas, and so forth about ways to improve on that. As oft helps, I chose to write them all down, and ended up with 2,000 words. I'll paste them here and now for those interested (unbolded).

For those not interested, I'd like to thank you for getting this far anyhow. This has all been interesting. For those who read through, I hope you enjoyed, and for those who offered feedback, or were just interested in discussing thing, thanks very, very much.

And as said before. If there's a scene in this grand thing (in any season) that's not in one of the parent fics that you want to see, just say! I'd be happy to write it out as a oneshot.

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In the final season especially, most of the plot is driven by the nocturnal mob vs tundratown mob (as is expected, seeing how long this mob war was in the works). In addition, the two bad guy factions (La Peigne and Clovestone) are working against each other behind the scenes to the limit of their abilities, while Vern is doing the same for the good guys. Meanwhile, characters like Jack, Skye, and Conor are critical, even if trapped in a role in a certain way (Skye and Conor spending much of the season captive after all, until Lucy Sang, the mvp plot driver, comes to free them).

It's certainly all very natural, having evolved from the plot before, but thinking it through… Certain major characters or ones with major promise don't do much in the season. Some of these offenders are worse than others, so going from the least and up…

Nick, Judy and Lt Saw. Yup. In the last season, the pair reunite and try to rescue Conor. They fail, though Nick rescues his laptop. Then in the end they're on the big raid in that rescues him. Not much in the middle though. Just vague stuff to keep them busy (e.g. Judy trying to crack the case of Tad Howell, which doesn't really go anywhere). Indeed, in the season before, while Nick is certainly earning his worth investigating in Fenholt, Judy… Well, here's part of the trouble. Judy is listed as being undercover with La Peigne, trying to find info. On the outline, it takes up little to no space. If ever written out it likely would do, a lot. That's part of the issue of this thing. However, there are no doubts when it comes to Lt Saw. He's introduced at the start of season 5, and seemingly forgotten about.

These are the least at risk as they do have important stuff they do, and fully writing everything out they'd probably have plenty of screentime anyhow. Especially when integrating in stuff Merc plans for them in Fire Triangle going on. But, presuming I have to make up some more, meatier, stuff for them to do in between their big tentpole scenes. What could it be?

Well, in season 5, not long after the audition scene, have Lt Saw, investigating loan sharks and such (hunting the phantom) uncover news that the nocturnal mob is back and Vlad is alive. A little bit of info for the ZPD, to stave things off until he and Judy have their big pull. While she's still 'dating' La Peigne, he decides to hell with waiting for Rupert, he'll resume trying to start the fire triangle. Judy works out that something is up, even if her proof is super loose, and working together with Saw they stop the arson job, using the scant bit of evidence they got as the proof to bridge the gap between Big and Peccari, holding off the mob war and seemingly uniting the underworld against La Peigne.

Come season 6, Nick, Judy and Saw investigate the ZPD cop killed at Conor's loft. They find he's given a rushed cremation, vague bells of Ukwehli and that cover up ringing. They look back into him, uncovering evidence of blackmail, and heavy payouts. Then, after failing to bring in Conor, Judy uses what she's learnt to try and crack Tad. La Peigne and co do their best to hide it, even scheduling a rapid surgery to secretly remove his implant. (Maybe at this point they actually off him, using it as another frame-up against one of the mobs).

At the same time, with the mob war now at full steam, the Nick, Judy and Saw are pushing themselves to work out who, why, how to stop. Though in many cases, are turning up late to the shoot out sites to break it up and capture as many mammals as possible (not many).

And in doing so realise there's plenty being blamed on the mobs that they're not doing. Clocking on, especially after the death of the DA, they realise the MO of framing up the mobs. (Maybe his hit or Tad's hit seems to come from one mob, but it's so close to another mob war effort/ push/ attack or defence by them it doesn't make sense). Saw in particular could do a lot of pushing/ interrogating with captured members, proving to himself they know nothing about these mammals. In particular, after the nocturnal mob raid on the Tundra town spa, and the vixen assassins fighting back, the latter could be interrogated by Saw, Nick and Judy (and naturally defended by Vern, claiming self defence). This was a scene with such potential, I have actually written a oneshot based on it, which will be released in a bit. Anyhow, from it they derive that the DA's assassin is not connected to the regular mobs. He and his boss are outsiders. Either way, this leads to them becoming all too aware of the real threat, using the mob war as cover to crawl in, and take out any in its way. And, after somehow working out that Bogo is next on the list, they push through and manage to save him in the nick of time.

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So, those three done. And, before I go on, I will say that I'm not including Bogo, Tora and Clawhauser in here. They're supporting characters with key fixed roles. You can certainly show Bogo straining with his morals, his self-imposed impartiality given his aims to avoid abusing his (illegitimate) power. Tora, acts as Da Chief. Assisting, ordering, a voice of authority. But one the plot moves around, not with (though maybe, mirroring Bogo's raid on the Belfry and past moments of awesome, we can see her step up to the action on a few occasions. Clawhauser… Well, I don't think he was mentioned once in any of this. He's very much a supporting side characters who's just… there. Fun when you see him, but best enjoyed in small doses).

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Anyhow, leading on: Albert Tufts. There's a lot in me that thinks he should actually join the above. Yes, after his big attempt at getting Conor at the audition goes awry he doesn't seem to have anything going on until he gets the laptop and tries to crack it. But, tbf, he's had bit parts in all the series since number 2, so he very may well be a true side character who just gets a moment in the spotlight here and there when he's needed. However… This is more a placeholder for him, as while I don't see much need to further his story by itself, I feel he could play a very important part in boosting those of others.

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Vivienne Wilde. No, I don't see any real connection between her and Tufts, plot wise. However, the fact remains that bar two minor scenes, the last time we see her doing something big was way back at the courtroom scene. She's been quiet since. Now, to be fair, I feel that while she isn't so much in the outline, she'd be very present in the story. How? Simple. She's barkeep. And her franchise is her bar. Maybe not playing a critical role in the storylines, but always being there to be the one you can lean on. I think that alone, along with her comforting many of the younger mammals as things get tense towards the end, would serve her well. But again, like Albert, she could help others in their enhanced plotlines.

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Billy Mackenna: Okay, here's an interesting one. Partly as Merc has said he is thinking of bringing him back for the Fire Triangle, with (potentially disconnected) mentions of Outback Island too. What he's doing there? IDK. Here though, yes technically he's part of Conor's friend group, and so will be joining along and protesting. Indeed, I didn't include Saad (Conor's sandcat friend from FT) as I felt he and Billy were too close (being the even better, older, guitarist). However, Billy has a much different relationship with Conor than all the others. He's the adopted fun uncle. So it kind of feels right that he'd have a slightly different role in all this. Maybe as his subculture is unfairly persecuted, it's as simple as being the spokesmammal. Maybe he sneaks into the occupied ZAPA building to try and talk Deer Kid down, keep him safe, feeling an instinct of protection towards him too. Hmmm, hard to say. He is very much a rich playboy at the beginning, so him slowly taking things more seriously, getting grittier, tougher, more realistic could be a fun path for him to take.

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And finally, the big four, the ones who inspired all this self-musing in the first place: Honey, Motti, Gareth and Sharla. Yes, the new Reynard gang, not really seen since Sheepless. Now, one of the earliest things I thought of for this whole crossover was that Honey (from GB) would secretly be Guild, Conor's hacker contact. It just felt so right! And it still works… But could be there be stuff that works better? For instance, Gareth being Guild. Hmmmm… IDK. You could probably use that as a basis for a lot of character drama and introspection, especially with Honey and Sharla around. ESPECIALLY after the audition goes tits up. Seeing him fret, worry, but always have a bit of glee or excitement at such a big screw-you to the establishment. And again, with Honey, Sharla and Motti around. A lot bouncing off that.

Maybe, once Conor is forced on the run, the four go to the Big Z to try to track him down (I can't see them getting very far though). Alternatively, maybe after the attack on Conor's loft, Tufts gets access to the remains of Conor's PC's… and straining his abilities to the max, actually tracks down Guild to this place. And keeps himself occupied stuck there, trying to figure out just who of the four it is. (I mean, a murder mystery like one room plot in New Reynard? Might be a bit out of place, but alone it could be very fun. Especially with such wacky characters as Tufts, Honey, Motti and (to a lesser extent Gareth and the true straight mammal Sharla) thrown in. Heck, maybe we'll even get to feature who that giant 'wolf' who left the footprints around Gareth's safehouse was (It'd be an utter laugh if it turned out to be Grunt somehow… though I can't figure a way of making that happen XD).

Or maybe one of them (Whichever one is guild, or the other one working for guild), at the behest of the other, applies for a job as a specialist under an increasingly desperate Tufts. Go undercover. Fight for Conor on the inside! Not sure where that might lead? Maybe the naughty squirrel is secretly spying on Mackenna's emails, and that pulls him into it.

I don't know.

Just food for thought.

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AN: So yeah, more different options to think through to improve it. Any thoughts, comments, feel free to say. I hope you all enjoyed reading all of this. Thanks so much, and stay Pawsome. Regards, J_Shute.